Even though I like Holly Hunter, and I even loved the combination of her and Jane Campion in "The Piano," I have become so incredibly disappointed by Campion's work since that I'm not really willing to give her another shot. Besides, I'm unconvinced of her ability to make movies (or TV) about "spiritual" figures, period.
After all, we are talking about the director who made arguably the worst film ever made about cults, "Holy Smoke." In it, she managed the almost-impossible task of getting terrible performances from not only Harvey Keitel, but Kate Winslet as well. Then "In The Cut" was so terrible that in the theater I saw it in, over half of the audience got up and walked out. This despite another talented (but wasted on Campion) cast, including Meg Ryan, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Mark Ruffalo. But follow up with more impressions of the series, if you continue watching it. My admiration for Holly Hunter might outweigh my distaste for Jane Campion if enough people rave about it. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Seraphita" wrote: > > On BBCtv tonight I just watched the first episode of Top of the Lake > (available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer and Netflix) in which Holly > Hunter plays "GJ", an androgynous guru (based on the irascible UG). > It seems that New Zealand film director Jane Campion was a friend of > U.G. Krishnamurti. I've read a few of his books (they are all > transcribed talks) and it was always as though you'd come across Jiddu > Krishnamurti (no relation) in an especially foul temper - though UG was > always entertaining and challenging in his self-appointed role as an > "anti-guru". > Interesting cast, naturalistic performances and quite an effective and > creepy turn by Holly who arrives with her female followers at a remote > spot in southern New Zealand, much to the consternation of the locals. > I was intrigued enough by this opener to want to check out next week's > episode. If you Google the title you'll find plenty of reviews on-line. > One of them describes it as "grim and preachy, but beautiful" which > would fit both of Campion's movies I've seen (The Piano and Bright > Star). > If you've ever been curious about UG you might want to take a peek. >
