Scorcese Triumphs With Age of Innocence By Todd Ritter Martin Scorcese has always been an adqrt director, whether filming the mean streets of Manhattan or the brutality of a boxing ring. ITis work hits hard. It’s visceral, violent, maniacally in-your-face. In other words, Scorcese is anything but subtle. That's why it was a shock to leam that he, the director of such volcanic films like Raging Bull and Goodfellas , would be directing the film ver sion of The Age oflnnocence , Edith Wharton’s very genteel, very refined novel about life in 1870 s New York. Newland Archer (Daniel Day- Lewis) is engaged to wed May Welland (Winona Ryder) the socially acceptable mem ber of a prominent New York family. But heads turn and tongues wag when May’s Are you sleeping with someone to die for? person voti’in slnopmp, wilh < oulH havr <i M'xu.illv Ir.tnMiiillofl f von AIDS It you're* not up to Half on how to prolrr t vour spff, you r (Mild lx* ni.ilsinj‘ a (lal<* \\ ilh drath IF\ not out intontion to st art* you Wh.it \sv wont to do K help Wo tint oroiy t ar<* .lbout you Wc’ii' soiv>itivo ( undorst.mdinj’and profos sional. We're also very affordable* and everything tonfidentidl. You ran talk to u<; about anything, and got straight answers. Our extensive range of sorvic ('<;• safer sex edut ation. testing and treatment ol sexually transmitted diseases, plus HIV testing, < ounsofing and teition Rut we're not going to tell you how to ' U TSS? lead vour life. We just want to offoi you the host WfM Im For an appointment, call toll-free 1 -800-230-PLAN (PJ Planned Parenthood 1 cousin, the scandalous Ellen Olcnska (Mich elle Pfeiffer), arrives from Europe, where she has just left her husband. As Newland, a respected lawyer, helps Ellen with her per sonal affairs, they begin to fall into a passion ate, but hopeless, romance. Of course, back in the 1870 s high society, as helpful narration by Joanne Woodward points out, no one could dare have such emotions, let alone express them. So Newland and Ellen have a choice -reveal their true feelings and face society’s scorn or live under the stifling mores set by that same society. Over a year and a half was spent on research, making sure that everything, from the paintings in the hails to the cutlery in the kitchens, was expressly right. Scorcese packs the screen with lush detail. The drawing rooms are cluttered with paintings, the ball rooms bustling with swirling dancers, the bedrooms layered with silk, feathers, rutiles and lace. It seems as if the upper class, op pressed at everything else, can only express themselves through their decor. Winona Ryder, in a surprisingly unsympathetic role, is in fine form as May. A plethora of character actors (Robert Sean Ixjonard, Mary Beth Hurt, Miriam Margolycs) fill out their supporting roles well. But it is Pfeiffer and Day-Lewis who excel. Theirwords are delivered simply, almost in a monotone, but their expressions, a blink of the eyes, a trembling of the hands, reveal a passion ach ing to break free. (A perfect example of this is the scene where Newland tells Ellen he can't endure being repressed anymore after feeling such happiness. Ellen's reply, "I'm enduring it" perfectly sums up a lifetime of repression and societal scorn.) The movie definitely belongs to Scorcese. Instead of his usual techniques, agonizing closc-ups, quick-as-lightening ed iting, for a more subtle approach. Instead of reality, he goes for beauty, creating scenes that could pass for the paintings hanging in the Welland's hallway. He obviously enjoyed making the movie, and the audience enjoys watching it. With The Age of Innocence, Scorcese has grown as a artist. He has taken a step into new, breathtaking territory. Hope fully he will continue along this path of movie making and take the audience along with him. Closest MAC Machine to campus FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS Laurel Mall . 469-3748 Member .TO An Equal
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