A Formalism

I was totally hooked on this movie... From start to finish, I was constantly trying to piece the plot together and figure out which side to root for, but it kept me guessing right until the very end. It definitely wasn't what I expected!

I don't usually go for the older classics, but this one actually convinced me to change my mind.
Does anyone have any recommendations for similar movies?

I haven't actually sat down to watch the film yet, though I must admit, it does seem rather intriguing.

I find myself wondering... does Giuseppe Tornatore ever actually make a bad movie?

Look, let me be real with you—I’m not some massive cinephile who’s binged every single movie ever made, okay? But the reason I’m digging this thread up after four whole years is because I just stumbled upon this flick. Honestly, I hadn't even heard of it until a few days ago, so I figured I'd drop a post to pay my respects. It totally hit all my buttons, much like how the movie "Primal Fear" managed to do. I even saw some article online claiming that "a mere formality" from 1994 was actually the big inspiration behind it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110917/



So, a little bit about the movie, and don't worry, I won't give anything away:

Basically, during this crazy stormy night, this famous writer (Gerard Depardieu) ends up lost in the woods. Some cops find him and haul him down to the station, but since he doesn't have any ID on him, the inspector (Roman Polanski)—who happens to be a huge fan of his work—decides to keep him there for questioning.

It's this total psychological thriller. By the time the credits roll, you're probably gonna be sitting there feeling super confused and drowning in questions. I don't want to tell people who haven't seen it what to think about the ending, but man, the movie basically plays this massive mental game with you the whole time, and by the end, it definitely wins.

Totally underrated, but such an awesome piece of work by Giuseppe Tornatore. Mad respect. 🙏

8/10

While Giuseppe Tornatore is undoubtedly a genius, this thriller is truly the gold standard.
I have watched it countless times, and every single viewing leaves me in awe of such a masterpiece.

A mere formality is easily one of the top 10 movies I’ve ever laid eyes on...

I finally sat down to watch it yesterday, and honestly, I’m just floored. It’s one of those rare gems that actually gets ten times better once the credits roll, because you start connecting all those little dots and pieces of the puzzle you missed during the runtime—suddenly, the big picture just clicks into place. It’s a pretty heartbreaking story, really. I think everyone should give it a watch. I'd give it a solid 10/10, even though it avoids that typical Hollywood-style dramatic swell or forced mystery at the very end that you usually expect after a twist like that.
I can't let it go without mentioning the score by Ennio Morricone, especially that stunning track where Gerard Depardieu lends his own voice to the song.

@Raymond Walker5
Yes, the film is excellent. I watched it ages ago and have been intending to revisit it for several months now, yet I simply cannot bring myself to do it. There are always new and endless 🙂
constantly demanding my attention.

goldenhound32 said:@Raymond Walker5
Yes, the film is excellent. I watched it ages ago and have been intending to revisit it for several months now, yet I simply cannot bring myself to do it. There are always new and endless 🙂
constantly demanding my attention.

I totally agree—it really is something special. What I love about it is that it doesn't feel like one of those overly pretentious, artsy films you see coming out of Europe; it just works, which is why it sticks with me.
If you enjoyed that one, you should definitely check out "Dean Spanley" if you haven't yet. Honestly, it might be my all-time favorite, though I can't quite put my finger on exactly why. It’s just unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. It’s unpretentious and genuinely funny without being heavy-handed, yet it manages to be incredibly layered, emotional, and just beautiful. It dives deep into the human psyche, handling surreal elements in such a lighthearted and wonderful way that it almost makes your head spin. There’s a bit of an absurd quality to the plot that’s quite funny, too, but once everything comes together... man, it's a masterpiece.

@Raymond Walker5
I did. I watched 'Dean Spanley.' It was quite remarkable. An eight out of ten, if I'm being honest.

How much do you think Roman Polanski had a hand in this film? When I saw it a few years back, I was convinced he directed it, even with his acting role included. If he hadn't been on screen, and if I didn't know it was actually a major Giuseppe Tornatore piece, I would have pegged it as Polanski's work. It carries that specific touch and those signature themes of his.

bluenomad2 said:How much do you think Roman Polanski had a hand in this film? When I saw it a few years back, I was convinced he directed it, even with his acting role included. If he hadn't been on screen, and if I didn't know it was actually a major Giuseppe Tornatore piece, I would have pegged it as Polanski's work. It carries that specific touch and those signature themes of his.

To be honest, once I saw him on screen, I immediately assumed it was a Polanski project before I even hit play. Then I realized my mistake.

@bluenomad2
Well, look, I wouldn't be surprised if there's some foul play involved here. Then again, do you really think Polanski would let Tornatore walk away with all the credit if that wasn't the case? 😉

I was browsing some message boards regarding this film, and someone raised the exact same question. One user made a rather compelling observation: in Polanski's films, the supernatural simply doesn't exist. Even when things seem unhinged, it's always just a byproduct of the protagonist's own madness or paranoia—much like what we saw in 'Repulsion' or 'The Tenant'.

Maybe he was just offering tips on how to nail that specific atmosphere you see in all his movies. I think Tornatore took him up on it.

No supernatural elements? Rosemary's Baby. You could argue the assault acts as a sort of paranoid hallucination, but what about that ending?

Dracula? Everything there is obvious, even if it's hard to pin down exactly which parts are supernatural. But come on, vampires fall under that umbrella.

The Ninth Door? To me, the supernatural presence is blatant. Even if Polanski tried to frame everything as a metaphor, it’s clearly something otherworldly to me.

@bluenomad2
The whole point, I suppose, is that in Rosemary's Baby, we’re never truly certain if any of it is actually happening. As for The Ninth Gate, I find myself forced to agree with you.

The movie was great.
Polanski was a standout, especially his portrayal of the inspector.
I loved how the interrogation shifted from playing nice and calling it a "mere formality" to the full-blown unraveling and that final plot twist.

8/10 for me

I'll probably rewatch it soon—might even bump up the score after a second viewing.