16/46
In the 1950s in Mexico, an American immigrant in his forties lives a lonely life in a small American community. However, the arrival of a young student prompts a man to finally form a meaningful relationship with someone. Daniel Craig eventually convinced Luca Guadagnino to play Drew Starkey after watching a tape of Guadagnino’s audition and telling him, “That’s… “The Guy” saw Starkey… William Lee: Get on your ass! Or what was left of him after four years of service in the navy. Presented by The Graham Norton Show: Daniel Craig / Nicola Coughlan / Jesse Eisenberg / Kieran Culkin / Flo (2024). I’ve never seen Southern Naked. (1991), but I often think about it in 2024. Queer Screening at the London Film Festival: This was probably to be expected, since the source material for both films was provided by William S. Burroughs. 1950 year. Mexico, William Lee, an American writer in the wrong… forties? Fifty? He spends his days getting drunk, shooting and having casual sex with other men. One day, a muscular, intelligent young man named Eugene walks into the bar, and Lee is impressed. But what does Eugene himself want? And it’s worth thinking about the telepathic drug… I don’t quite understand what stylistic goal director Luca Guadagnino is pursuing in this film. The sets are almost entirely color-blocked — dull reds and olive greens, for example — and have that slightly unrealistic, clean Technicolor look that makes you think the creators wanted to pay homage to the films of the era in which the film is set. But if this is so, then why is the soundtrack clearly made in the style of rock and techno of the 50s? Daniel Craig (I think, or is he starting to look like Sid James?) is stuck in the lead role because he constantly has to say nonsense. obviously not with my accent. Drew Starkey manages to play the manipulative Eugene more subtly, and he certainly looks prepared. Leslie Manville is unrecognizable as a doctor living in the South American jungle — great work by the make-up team! It seems to me that in this film more attention is paid to the artistic style than to the narrative substance. It was nice to watch it once, but I won’t watch it again.