Tideland (2005)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Terry Gilliam

Writers:

Tony Grisoni (screenplay) &
Terry Gilliam (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

30 March 2006 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Thriller

Tagline:

The squirrels made it seem less lonely

Plot:

A lonely girl gets trapped in an eerie fantasy world after her irresponsible parents die. |

Plot Keywords:

Fall From Height | Decomposing Body | Father Daughter Relationship | Southern Accent | Mouse Trap

Awards:

1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Jodelle Ferland	...	Jeliza-Rose / Voices of Sateen Lips, Glitter Gal, Mustique and Baby Blonde
Janet McTeer	...	Dell
Brendan Fletcher	...	Dickens
Jennifer Tilly	...	Queen Gunhilda
Jeff Bridges	...	Noah
Dylan Taylor	...	Patrick
Wendy Anderson	...	Woman / Squirrel's Voice
Sally Crooks	...	Dell's Mother

MPAA:

Rated R for bizarre and disturbing content, including drug use, sexuality, and gruesome situations - all involving a child, and for some language.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

Canada | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Japan:R-15 | France:-12 | UK:15 | USA:R | Czech Republic:12 | Slovakia:12 | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:M18 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:16 | Norway:18 | Australia:MA | Italy:VM14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:16 | Spain:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Mexico:C

Filming Locations:

Canada Saskatchewan Production Studios, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Company:

Capri Films

Trivia:

The hanten (Japanese style jacket) that Jeff Bridges wears while "going on vacation" says "kotobuki" in Japanese, which ironically means long life.

Quotes:

Dickens: He's spoiling.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2006-10-14)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Lift Me Up To Sweet Jesus

A gorgeous and emotional trip down the rabbit hole

After waiting for what seems like half a decade I finally saw Terry Gilliam's Tideland two days ago. I had first read about the project on a website, and immediately I knew this was just the right material for Gilliam. I have been a great fan of his works ever since as a little I saw The adventures of Baron Munchausen. Although it wasn't until six years later I found out who Terry Gilliam was. His imagination has shaped my imagination and with Tideland I feel he has made something that overlaps with some of the things I have made. O.k. you could say this isn't Gilliam's imagination at all it's Mr. Mitch Cullin's, but pooey to you. Of course I bought the book as soon as I knew it was going to be turned into a film by Captain Chaos. Now, can a film live up to anyone's expectations after reading the book and waiting for more than a year? The answer, in this case, is: yes, absolutely.

Tideland has become a dark, whimsical, charming and entrancing film. Easily his best film since The Fisherking. What distinguishes Tideland from other Gilliam films is it's subdued storytelling, for a Gilliam-film that is, there are the usual trademarks: wide angle photography, madness, silly voices, cages, incredibly filthy teeth, and a climax that feels like it's falling of the screen right over you. The first couple of scenes as Jeliza-Rose's life is being turned upside down are chaotic, frenetic and busy in a style we're familiar with from this filmmaker, but as Jeliza-Rose adjusts to her life on the plains, the pace slows down, and the scenes open up. The beautiful cinematography skews almost every angle and bit by bit Jeliza-Rose's fantasies start to dominate the screen. The film opens with a quote from Alice in Wonderland that dominates the entire film: "Alice didn't know anymore whether she was falling very slowly or falling very deep". Likewise Jeliza-Rose falls down the rabbit hole (at one point literally) and we the audience are falling down with her. The whole story resounds with echoes from Jeliza-Rose's favourite book. The dominating and scary Dell recalls the Mad hatter and the Queen of Hearts. Dickens has something of the white knight about him. And there are some elements that seem to come straight out of the movie Psycho, this leads to some grotesque imagery that some people will probably find hard to stomach. There will be some who will call Tideland a controversial film or a disturbing one, but that has more to do with those people than the actual film. Certainly Jeliza-Rose gets trapped in some situations that to an adult seem very dangerous, and there were moments where I wanted to get up from my seat and be able to take this little girl and tell her things would be alright. However Jodelle Ferland and Gilliam have made her a strong and intelligent child and she does manage on her own. It's the absolute honesty with which she is portrayed and the innocence that are shocking. As Gilliam has said this is a film to scare adults not children. I can't remember when I've last seen a film that so honestly and accurately portrays a child's imagination and the way it affects her life, and it's laudable that it doesn't shy away or try to paint a pretty picture, from the more murky parts of her life and development. The film does manage not to be bleak though, that is one it's great strengths. In the hands of any other filmmaker it would have been quite a depressing story, but Gilliam imbues the whole film with a sense of mystery, charm and fun that makes the darkness seem more like falling down a strange rabbit hole very slowly than sinking into bog. This is largely achieved through Jodelle Ferland's stunning performance, her acting is so natural and captivating you are immediately won over by her. Janet Macteer plays the formidable Dell with a touch of tenderness and a streak of wildness that make her character truly scary. I can't leave out Brendan Fletcher as his portrayal of the lobotomized epileptic (I won't call him retard) is so intense and scarily funny that your heart really breaks at the end.

I for one hope that this film will find an audience and that it will be a success, as this film is too beautiful to be missed or ignored.