Compelling Cinematography (Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer (DVD))

Member Name: GoFigure

Product:	Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer (DVD)
Date:	26/01/09 (4 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Haunting visual and sound effects.

Disadvantages: None.

Director: Tom Tykwer
Screenplay: Andrew Birkin & Bernd Eichinger
Novel: Patrick Süskind
Genre: Crime - Drama - Thriller
Country: Germany/France/Spain
Certification: 15+
Language: English
Released: 30th April, 2007 (DVD)


MAIN CAST:
Ben Whishaw (Jean-Baptiste Grenouille)
Dustin Hoffman (Giuseppe Baldini)
Rachel Hurd-Wood (Laura)
Alan Rickman (Richis)


Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born in the streets of 18th century Paris beneath a trade stall, is orphaned when his mother bleeds to death giving birth to him. Alone in the world, he is taken to a crèche where he will spend his first years alienated and bullied by others.

A quiet child, Jean-Baptiste is blessed with an extraordinary gift, a sense of smell so acute that he can smell the blossoming of a single flower from yards away. Ironically, Jean-Baptiste was born without a body odour, and it is perhaps his own lack of a scent that stokes his obsession with odours.

At the age of 13, Jean-Baptiste is cruelly sold to a tannery, where he spends his days surrounded by the foulest of smells. Luckily for him, he is one day sent on an errand in town, and it is there that he discovers the most intoxicating scent... that of perfume. Managing to become the apprentice of a renowned perfumer, he quickly learns the trade and eventually surpasses the genius of his master. In his pursuit of the perfect perfume, Jean-Baptiste comes across a beautiful young woman in the streets of Paris, and is seduced by her scent. The natural fragrance of a beautiful woman is intoxicating, and in a desperate need to capture it, he will resort to murder.

His murderous obsession with scent, and his desperate need to create the 'perfect' perfume, will eventually lead the authorities straight to him, but Jean-Baptiste will do everything in his power to escape capture because - the final ingredient missing in the 'perfect' scent he has been working on, is a beautiful redheaded woman from a wealthy family.

Based on Patrick Süskind's acclaimed novel 'Perfume: The Story of a Murderer', the movie is literally a work of art. Beautiful cinematography from start to end, extraordinary acting, and an aura of darkness all serve to mesmerize and capture the viewer.
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, expertly played by Ben Whishaw, is an ambivalent character that is genius and murderer rolled up into one. The hardship of his earlier years incites sympathy, and his curious nature and peculiar gift make him a likeable character, however, as his morbid fascination with scent grows, so does the viewers' aversion to him grow in equal proportion. Long after the movie has ended, there is no forgetting the madness glimpsed within Jean-Baptiste's eyes moments before he commits the gruesome murders - something we can thank Ben Whishaw for!

Dustin Hoffman, who plays Baldini, an aging perfumer whose success has become a thing of the past, is extremely convincing in his role. Although Baldini recognises the fact that his young apprentice, Jean-Baptiste, possesses more talent than himself, he remains untouched by the younger man's brilliance, and his arrogance is actually comical.

There is an ambiance to this movie, a sense of dread that is heightened by the settings, camera shots and a haunting soundtrack. The track, 'Streets of Paris', literally fills you with a sense of wonder and expectation, and 'Grenouille's Childhood' is thick with a sense of foreboding. The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, and more than makes up for the sad fact that the viewer cannot smell the scents that fill Jean-Baptiste with such fascination and frenzied excitement.

Not having read the book beforehand, I was generally satisfied with the highly 'peculiar' ending; however, those who read the novel were disappointed by the ending. Regardless of the ending, this is a brilliant movie, and definitely worth watching.

Summary: The story of a serial-killer obsessed with the scent of women.