Before viewing Tarsem Singh’s masterpiece ‘The Fall’, Movies.ie recommends you check out the following titles…
Remember when you were young and your mom or dad would read a bedtime story to you just before you fell asleep? Or did you sit up late at night, under your blankets a book unfurled on your lap and a flashlight tucked under your arm? In ‘The Fall’ we find Roy Walker, injured stuntman in hospital, here he meets an impressionable little girl with an overactive imagination called Alexandria. Roy the story of six warriors on a quest to vanquish an evil ruler and interweaved between the imaginings of Alexandria, a story of friendship between the duo unfolds. BUT! This isn’t the first film where we see one story unfold through the imaginings of a character or the storytelling of another…take a seat and let me tell you a story…
THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987)
When a little boy falls sick his grandfather decides to pay him a visit and help take his mind off things by telling him the story of ‘The Princess Bride’. With each chapter the boys interest grows, as we follow Westley, the dashing hero on a quest to rescue his one true love, Buttercup from the clutches of the sinister Humperdinck? Befriended by a caring giant, a daring swordsman, faced by endless perils and treacherous swamps and creatures, Westley must overcome them all if he is to find his true love, now if only Grandpa could read a bit faster; one for the kids or the kid at heart, perfect for a rained out Saturday!
BIG FISH (2003)
It’s a Tim Burton movie without Johnny Depp but don’t panic Helena Bonham Carter makes an appearance! Big Fish is a magical story, told through the memories Will Bloom has of his father Edward Bloom. To say Edward Bloom lived an extraordinary life would be no small exaggeration, so we’ll let Edward tell it himself and he does, with a very creative imagination and a knack for spinning tall tales. The story of Edward Bloom is one filled with giants and witches, strange towns and even stranger people and don’t forget the really Big Fish. If you want to believe that there is no such thing as the ordinary or simply want a feel good movie, then definitely check out ‘Big Fish’
PAN’S LABYRINTH (2006)
When you are a little girl, living amongst the fascist soldiers of Spain, with no friends or company, where can you turn to but your own imagination. Pan’s Labyrinth is the fantastic vision of director and writer Guillermo del Toro, and if you didn’t know of him before this film, you definitely heard about him after it. Ofelia is the headstrong and spirited young girl, who out of loneliness retreats into the fantastic world of her imagination, while all around the lives of her cruel stepfather, her ailing mother, and the rebellious housekeeper are impacted by the wonderful creature she dreams of and befriends. A heart-warming story about the power of the imagination and the strength of one little girl in the face adversity, if you haven’t seen this film then you have to check this movie out!
ATONEMENT (2007)
Stories are the foundation for many things in life, but how much faith do we put in them? When the events surrounding a scandalous incident at a party, and only a child as a witness, the lives of Cecillia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie (James McAvoy) are turned upside town by the her own version of the story. What ensues is a heart wrenching story about broken love, guilt and a search across war-torn Europe, told by the same little girl who’s first story, started it all.
‘The Fall’ is in Irish cinemas from Friday, October 17th.