PERFORMANCE (1970)

Respectable

Fate

Reflected

Title: Performance
Year: 1970
Director: Donald Cammell / Nicolas Roeg
Format: Blu-ray
Label: Warner Bros. Premium Collection

Notes:

This post has actually been a bit of a chore to write, truth be told. I'm not sure if it's the surprise of finally seeing this acclaimed counter-culture classic and finding it better than expected or the difficulty of lucidly remembering a mock-hallucinatory film that was watched while consuming a delightful 9.7% ABV beer*. Regardless, I got a lot from this, even if I can't write much of interest about it. My cultural tastes probably make me a sucker for this sort of film.

If you look at the cover of the recent blu-ray release of PERFORMANCE you might be forgiven for thinking it's all about Mick Jagger's decaying rock star character. In fact the frenetic first third of the film is all about James Fox's sociopathic gangster and his fall from grace that leads to a new life at Jagger's bohemian pad. I think I enjoyed the manic energy and nihilism of these opening scenes the most.

I've read about the film's theme of identity and how real identities are but for me the interesting aspect of the film was the contrast between the somewhat sordid bohemian world of the 1960s rock star and the completely unromantic and harsh world of the mobsters of the same time. It's the collision of these two worlds that generates the energy that powers the film's fancies.

Finally it's worth noting that as much I as I enjoyed Jim Jarmusch's ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE, he was clearly very inspired by the red-tinged scenes of rock star hermitage seen in PERFORMANCE. Can't blame him really.

* - Acid Jam, a damn fine sour recommended by someone who usually dislikes sour beers.