The DVD Dissection - Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Posted by Chad Webb on 07.27.2007
The smell that this masterpiece leaves is still potent and heavenly.
Ben Wishaw: Jean-Baptiste Grenouille
Dustin Hoffman: Guiseppe Baldini
Rachel Hurd-Wood: Laura
Alan Rickman: Richis
Sara Forestier: Jeanne
Ramon Pujol: Lucien
Corinna Harfouch: Madame Arnulfi
John Hurt: Narrator
Directed By: Tom Tykwer
Theatrical Release Date: December 27th, 2006
DVD Release Date: July 24, 2007
Running Time: 147 minutes
Rated R for aberrant behavior involving nudity, violence, sexuality, and disturbing images.
The Film
Warning: Contains Spoilers!
How does one film the ecstasy of scents? It goes without saying that the audience is unable smell anything but nachos and buttered popcorn during a movie. The task of conveying a scent properly enough so that viewers connect with storyline seems insurmountable, but Perfume: The Story of a Murderer has achieved that feat brilliantly to result in a masterful work of pure rapture and genius. This was released at the very end of 2006, but I failed to see it before I compiled my top 10 list. This would have positively changed my final cut.
In Paris, France Jean Baptise Grenouille (Ben Wishaw) barely entered this world after his mother basically discarded him for dead after previously experiencing numerous still births. From the beginning, Grenouille was different. After being sent to an orphanage, his superior sense of smell evolved into something extraordinary. His life continued to grow more horrible as he was sold to work for a grotesque man as a slave. However, it was working for him that Grenouille discovered a perfumer named Baldini (Dustin Hoffman), whose business was suffering because of a lucky rival. After meeting each other, Baldini becomes awestruck at the unique talents of this young man. He teaches Grenouille in depth lessons about perfuming, oils, preserving scent, and dissecting the chords. Baldini’s store is instantly transformed back into a thriving business again with Grenouille as his protégé. Grenouille seeks how to preserve the scent of humans, and this desire turns him into cold blooded murderer. After leaving Baldini, he continues his search for a way to contain human scents, eliminating every beautiful girl that comes in his way.
As Jean Baptise-Grenouille, Ben Wishaw will likely receive little credit for his performance, but he really deserves more. He has few lines in this role, but that richly adds to the enigmatic qualities of Grenouille. With the dirt covering his face, his skinny appearance, and the rags he wears as clothing, a remarkably creepy character is formed. He sniffs and pecks his way through the dark streets, hunting his prey with a powerful beak in order to complete his ultimate goal. His skeleton like walk and the twitches of his neck inform us that this phenomenon is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but a dangerously evil and unbeatable murderer. He can be pictured by some as a God, and others the Devil. He is both a blessing and a nightmare. Wishaw is haunting and mesmerizing in his depiction.
Dustin Hoffman is simply spectacular as the Italian perfumer Baldini. The expressions on his face as he watches Grenouille mix his oils into a magnificent perfume in seconds are worth the admission price alone. He is a bright man, who lives quaintly on a medieval bridge, and only acknowledges defeat in private. I had doubts about Hoffman’s accent from viewing the trailer, but it sounds fabulous. Alan Rickman holds an equally as marvelous minor role as Antoine Richis. As chaos in the city escalates due to Grenouille’s repeated slaughters of young women, Antoine represents every father who wants nothing more than to protect his children at all costs. His daughter, Laura (Rachel Hurd-Wood), is among the most gorgeous females in the city, and Antoine knows that this murderer will come for her. Contrary to most of his roles, we are sympathetic to Rickman’s character. This is a captivating portrayal by Rickman, who stirs up his villainous Professor Snape mannerisms with great effect.
Among the directors considering this project were Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, and Martin Scorsese, but all passed or dismissed the novel (Das Parfum) by Patrick Suskind as unfilmmable except Run Lola Run filmmaker Tom Tykwer. His vision is unparalleled from the first drop of perfume to the last shocking scene, which leaves such a lasting impression. With Tykwer’s meticulous crafting of the setting, the cast responds to the intended scent or stench so wonderfully and appropriately. The picture is shaped so that the audience understands the smell, and almost experiences the elation as if it is right beneath their noses. Tykwer captures the stink and disgust of the streets and houses, while leaving plenty of room to admire the beautiful land surrounding Grasse, the place where every aspiring perfumer must visit.
The narration of John Hurt is such an invigorating, comforting, and vivid tone to this inimitable tale. He speaks when Grenouille does not. His voice over is deliberately spread out so the audience is left wanting more of it. This was a perfect choice because had more narration been utilized, some might have said it was excessive. Hurt’s incomparable and lucid pitch suits the time period of the plot immaculately. A better selection for this part would have been impossible. Many filmmakers shy away from narration, and think of it more like a curse, but Tykwer is fearless, and with Hurt, fills in the necessary details faultlessly.
I must address the arguments and complaints made. A.O. Scott of The New York Times, and Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun Times who discussed how ugly this film was. The year and setting for the movie was not exactly paradise. Unpleasant, dark, and grubby are all words that could accurately describe 18th century France. If my memory serves me correct, deodorants, etc were not used. Perfumes were used to cover the body odors. Perfume is not colorful and clean like Marie Antoinette. This is about a cold-blooded killer, hence “ugliness” should be anticipated. They also talk about how Tykwer expected us to smell what was on screen by holding the camera on that object for a certain length of time. What was he supposed to do? This is a matter of opinion. Personally, I thought this technique was ideal, but some might not fully appreciate this skillful method.
The smells would not have seemed real and present, if not for the virtuoso score provided by Tykwer, Reinhold Heil, and Johnny Klimek. This facet holds almost as important a responsibility as the cast. If the music is not entrancing, the movie seems ludicrous. At the precise seconds in each compulsory scene, the music is cued so the items on the screen resonate (in our own imaginations) the aroma intended, whether it be oysters or roses. Not every person bought the system Tykwer and company employed, but it was the best way, and in my opinion, it succeeded superbly.
Mr. Roeper also carped about how on Earth this killer could place his victims in broad daylight without being seen. First of all, some of them were found during the daytime, but who knows when he disposed of them. If he was intelligent, it was most likely at night that he disposed of them. I remember the girls being exposed in relatively creative hiding spots. Secondly, he does have those distinctive nostrils, which enables him to know when a human draws near. Many scenes show this. I assumed that he got rid of the bodies in the early morning hours, and weaved through the streets with his power guiding him away from witnesses.
The climax towards the end requires its own paragraph. In the television show featuring A.O. Scott as a guest critic, he ignorantly spoiled this scene for everyone listening or watching. They even showed clips. This is a pet peeve of mine. What a shocking and mesmerizing sequence this was though! As it begins, the crowd starts hugging and kissing, but as they start undressing your mouth drops in amazement at the mass nudity and love making. This could have easily looked preposterous, but instead, Tykwer crafts it so gracefully that at that instance, Perfume transforms into a film like no other.
The absence of Roger Ebert was felt for this film. On his website, he gave it a four star review, and his thoughts would have been welcomed on the show. Grenouille is indeed a super hero broken from a different mold, but he is also an anti-hero? Watching his gift grow from a talent to a weapon is fascinating. Perfume was an ambitious, precarious, and ultimately triumphant accomplishment. It is so sickening and filthy, yet so spellbinding, sumptuous, and brave. This is not a fragrance to sample. Buy the entire bottle and revel in its grandeur. Perfume evokes whiffs of perfection.
The Video
While this is not a bright and sunny film, the picture is still glorious to behold. The grimy scum filled stone roads of Paris look revolting, and the costuming is completely mucky and gross, but those traits translate to the screen in a positive way. Some sections of the movie are very bewitching though. Various shots of the fields with eloquent flowers are exquisite, and the tones of the different mixtures of chemicals are very nice as well. The red hair of Rachel Hurd-Wood shouts at you with how exceedingly vibrant it is. The point is that this transfer is fantastic. The cinematography still looks terrific, and the visionary filmmaking of Tykwer is given top-notch treatment on this release. This is a very clean looking picture, in which the every detail is spotless and nuanced with no grain whatsoever. It is absent of any flaws as far as I can see. This is presented in an anamorphic widescreen format with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1.
The Audio
The sound is also first-rate in its execution with the sniffs of each snout emanating from the speakers with a sharp and clear tone as it strikes the ears. Since most of the film is relatively quiet, the audio does not stretch its arms too far, but nonetheless, what it can emphasize is handled outstandingly. For instance the outside noises are crisp and distinct, while all the dialogue spoken is lucid and understandable. The fireworks display is a notable scene that is worth recognition for this department as the bass has something to do. My volume knob stayed put at a suitable level throughout the feature. This has a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, Dolby Digital 2.0, and subtitles provided in English, French, and Spanish.
The Packaging
Perfume is distributed in a standard black keep case with the security clips on the side. The image on the front is extremely frustrating. It is a poor selection of a photo with the main cast members heads on top, with half of the movie poster image on the bottom. This makes no sense. What better way to deter people then by putting these faces so large at the top. It is quite common these days. The poster would have been adequate by itself. The menus are quite lovely with clips from the film as flower petals float by and the score in the background. Unfortunately no book, chapter listing sheet, or anything else is included inside.
The Extras
The Story of Perfume (13:53) - This is your typical “making of” featurette that is popped on DVD’s as at least one bonus. It has some neat interviews with Director Tom Tykwer who discusses acquiring the project, casting, and production designs among other things. Interviews with the stars are also inserted like Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman, and Ben Wishaw. The producer and screenwriters also throw in short chats. The interesting tidbit was the tough shooting schedule, which increases my fondness for the film after learning how tight it was.
Previews (7:30) – At the start of the disc, you can skip these, but they are also accessible from the main menu. They are trailers for the DVD releases of Zodiac, Disturbia, and Next.
The Film: 10.0/10.0
The Video: 10.0/10.0
The Audio: 9.0/10.0
The Packaging: 6.5/10.0
The Extras: 4.0/10.0
The 411: This is a film that was made for Criterion to give it the royal treatment with commentaries, still photographs, behind the scenes footage, stuff on the novel, and so on. Perfume is simply a great movie, and one of the best of 2006, but it is such a shame that few had the chance to witness it on the big screen. Now that is has arrived on DVD, I urge you to give it a chance. It has to be one of the most underrated pieces of cinema in years. While the extras were a definite disappointment, the technical specifications were not. This is a movie I will watch over and over again because is has so much to offer each time to bend down to absorb the aroma. The rating below is for the DVD as a whole by the way, not the film itself.
