May 21, 2008Cannes Day Eight: Day Of CheIt was all Che, all day today.</p><p> No early morning screening soeveryone slept in for once.</p><p> And with "Che" apparently the lastgreat hope of the festival for a masterpiece, anticipation wasrunning high.</p><p> Or so I thought.</p><p> Actually, a number of people justcouldn't be bothered to deal with a four and a half hour movie(how sad is that, when you're at Cannes?) and I heardnumerous stories of people saying, "Naw, I'll see it when itcomes out in the US" or "I just gave away my tickets."Nonetheless, because the press is only getting to see it insmaller venues, it'll still be a hard one to get access for.</p><p> I line uptwo hours in advance and a friend with a weaker badge lines upfour hours in advance because we cannot miss the film for ouroutlets.</p><p> They've announced we shouldn't think of the movie astwo separate films but as one long film with an intermission.</p><p> Ina first, they even provide sandwiches, Kit Kat bars and waterduring the 15 minute break.</p><p> The first half shows Che helpingFidel Castro come to power in Cuba.</p><p> The second half shows Cherecklessly, almost foolishly, trying to duplicate that success inBolivia with tragic results.I'm completely ready for this film: I've read Jon Lee Anderson'sexcellent biography, Che's diary of his Cuban adventures andI'm halfway through his Bolivian diary.</p><p> And thank goodness.The first film cuts back and forth between the guerrila warfarein Cuba, Che meeting Fidel for the first time in Mexico City andChe's memorable speech at the United Nations.</p><p> The second filmplunges murkily into the struggles in Bolivia.</p><p> Everything in thefilm is presented with care and thought.</p><p> The first half is shot inCinemaScope it seems (rather a bourgeois aspect ratio for a filmabout a revolutionary, don't you think?) and the second isboxier.</p><p> Both were shot on a brand new digital camera that'sincredibly light and captures a terrific image.</p><p> Director StevenSoderbergh used mostly natural light and the result is adocumentary film's sense of you-are-thereness without theVisit our other sitesAdvocate.comOut.comOutTraveler.comPopnographyAdvocate GenQMr SardonicAdvocate InsiderOut.com StyleListHereTV.comGayWired.comAdvertisement CategoriesBingham Cup 2008BooksCannes 2008Cannes Film FestivalCelebsCoachellaComic-Con 2007Current AffairsFashionFilmAdvocate Insiderhttp://www.advocateinsider.com/2008/05/cannes-day-eigh.html 1 of 47/22/09 4:15 PMgrainy drawback of most digital cameras.</p><p> Really striking.But frankly, if I hadn't been so prepared via the book, I wouldhave been quite at sea at times, especially the Bolivia half whereso many of the fighters could blend together.</p><p> One small point:Che is shown in disguise, meeting his own children in Cubabefore taking off for Bolivia (he'll never see them again andduring this visit, he daren't risk saying he's their dad).</p><p> I foundthe scene emotionally intriguing in the book.</p><p> On film it barelyregisters and I'm certain 99% of the people who watch it will bewondering what's going on and why Che felt the need to be indisguise in Cuba, of all places. (The fact is that Che didn't wantanyone to know where he was and also wanted to give Castrodeniability when it came to fomenting revolution in LatinAmerica.</p><p> He also was embarrassed about the fiasco of theCongo -- for all those reasons and more, he kept his brief returnto Cuba secret and didn't want to risk his little kids mentioningto friends that their dad had been home and thus blowing hiscover.</p><p> Virtually none of this is transmitted in the movie, so atbest viewers might just think Che was testing out his disguise,which is true to a degree but misses the complexity of thesituation.)Every potential negative side of Che is ignored, even duringthese two periods when the negatives were so few and farbetween.</p><p> His romance with a fellow fighter (Catalina SandinaMoreno) occurs off camera between the two films.</p><p> His mostfamous famous bit of writing is the story during the Cubanrevolution when Che ordered a fighter to kill a small dog theycared for that had followed their movements and might havebetrayed them to nearby Batista troops.</p><p> It's a wrenching littlestory and I was certain it would be in the film.</p><p> Nope.</p><p> We see a"trial" in the field of a guerilla who killed another revolutionary.Che and Fidel wanted the guerilla spared though many calledfor his execution and it was put to a vote. (Che's desire forleniency was notable since he was particularly ruthless aboutthose he felt should be punished.) Oddly, the crime the guy ischarged with is changed.</p><p> In the book, he tells a recalcitrantsoldier to do something and when the guy ignores him he pullsout a gun and puts it to the guy's head when it accidentally goesoff.</p><p> In the movie, the guy describes the other man coming athim and fearing for his own life -- more a case of self-defensethan stupidty.</p><p> Why change even that?At many, many other points, brief scenes and throw-away lineshad great significance to me because I knew the background butI was certain they wouldn't, indeed couldn't register withviewers who weren't immersed in Che's story.</p><p> The filmmakershad so much knowledge at their fingertips, I think they forgotFilm FestivalsFood and DrinkIowa Caucus 2008LesbianMusicOutfest 2008PartiesPoliticsProvincetown Film Festival 2008Queen Mary 2 Historic CrossingReligionScienceSexSportsSydney Mardi Gras 2008Taylor Hanson for The AdvocateTelevisionThe DinahThe HRC Logo ForumThe L WordTheaterTravelRecent PostsMTV Video Music Awards...</p><p> Cheap, Or What?Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles: 30 Years YoungEric McCormack Auctions Off Porsche for ProjectAngel FoodWhat is the Advocate Insider? On 90210!OUTFEST REVIEW: Another Gay SequelAwards Night: Miniskirts, Musicals, and Mama"Sordid Lives" Screens to a Sold-Out CrowdOUTFEST REVIEW: The World UnseenOUTFEST REVIEW: The Lost CoastOUTFEST REVIEW: Eleven MinutesRecent Commentscelebrity picture on OUTFEST REVIEW: The LostCoastvimax on Awards Night: Miniskirts, Musicals, andMamapenis enlargement pills on Michael Guest is all smilespenis enlargement on Michael Guest is all smilespenis enlargement on Amman SegregatesLou on Cruise programming we missed...michaelj72 on "XXY" -- Another Terrific Queer FilmAt Cannesvigrx on Awards Night: Miniskirts, Musicals, andMamaAdvocate Insiderhttp://www.advocateinsider.com/2008/05/cannes-day-eigh.html 2 of 47/22/09 4:15 PMhow little most people would know.</p><p> It's well shot, intelligentand Benicio Del Toro is very good as Che, adding flashes ofhumanity and fear and care and humor whenever possible tothe matter of fact action.Two standout moments: his final death scene (shot at timesPOV) and a great moment when the guerillas realize the federaltroops are closing in (it's a classic shot of two fighters peeringup at a ridge and seeing one person appear, and then another(this one with a rifle slung over their shoulder) and thenanother and another...and then a whole MESS of soldiers thatmakes you think, 'Uh-oh').</p><p> I can't praise it the way I would likebut I certainly can't disparage it.</p><p> Certainly this is no warts andall portrait, though Soderbergh will argue that's just a result ofthe two areas he focused on.</p><p> Technically fascinating andthoughtful if unemotional and remote.</p><p> Just like Che, later inlife.Posted at 08:49 PM in Cannes 2008 | PermalinkTrackBackTrackBack URL for this entry:http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341ca4b653ef00e5528a2d368834Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Cannes Day Eight: DayOf Che:CommentsVerify your CommentPreviewing your CommentPosted by: | This is only a preview.</p><p> Your comment has not yet been posted.</p><p> Post Edit Your comment could not be posted.</p><p> Error type:Your comment has been posted.</p><p> Post another commentThe letters and numbers you entered did not match the image.Please try again.As a final step before posting your comment, enter the lettersand numbers you see in the image below.</p><p> This preventsautomated programs from posting comments.Having trouble reading this image? 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