Reviewed by Gerard Iribe
Garnering two Oscars in 2002 - Best Makeup and Best Music,
Original Score - Frida tells the true story of artist Frida Kahlo, as portrayed
by Academy Award nominee Salma Hayek (Best Actress, Frida, 2002). The biopic costars Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), Antonio Banderas
(The Mask Of Zorro), Ashley Judd (Heat), Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech) and Edward Norton
(Fight Club). Directed by
Julie Taymor (Across the Universe), the film was based on the novel by Hayden
Herrera. Frida was a passion
project for Salma Hayek and it took a long time for the project to finally come to fruition after many years of rejections. The long wait proved that just because you’re hot in this town, it doesn't mean you can
always get what you want. Hayek had to pay her dues like everyone else and build herself up as an actress and producer first to get this done. It also helps that the script for Frida was that good.
Film (4 out of 5 stars)
Salma Hayek, in the role
she was born to play, is artist Frida Kahlo who wasn't always rich, famous, or
an artist. Frida chronicles her story
from adolescence and into her chance encounter with the already great and
established artist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) who takes a fancy to her work,
but later towards her. The couple become inseparable, but what Frida doesn’t
know, but will soon find out, is that Diego is a womanizer. He’s got women
lining up left and right and even has a wife while courting Frida. Diego’s wife
Lupe Marin is played Valeria Golino. After some disagreements, Golino shows
Frida the ropes on how to deal with Diego and they become friends.
Diego’s politics come
into the picture as well. He was an atheist and a Communist and some of his
beliefs would filter into his work. This didn’t go so well when he was
commissioned by The Rockafeller family to create a mural for one of their
buildings in New York. Nelson Rockefeller, played by Edward Norton doesn’t want
his family’s name associated with Lenin’s, but Rivera is an artist and stands
by his convictions. Whether it ends well
or not remains to be seen. The Rockefeller clan would not be the only
obstacle(s) in Diego and Frida’s life.
What I really enjoyed
about the biopic is the ensemble cast along with the direction it took. Frida is a pretty graphic film in terms
of sex and violence. These are also themes that Frida Kahlo dealt with her
whole life and she used it to convey that message in her work. The majority of
her work is very cathartic. This, also being a film about Frida Kahlo, does
reveal that she was a very liberated and independent woman. All things
considered, she did like to partake of female companionship (wink, wink) and
when she wasn’t sleeping with Diego she was sleeping with other men.
That’s the irony of the
tale, I guess. No matter how many times she was hurt by Diego’s infidelities or
nonsense, they always took each other back. They were the ultimate co-dependent
artistic power force of the early-mid 20th century. The film shows
you this, but it’s a kind of poetry in motion. One thing, in retrospect, is
that I wish that the film was actually shot in Spanish with English subtitles,
but that’s just the purist in me talking. I totally get that the studio would
never have agreed to do it that way. It may be jarring to see various actors
whose native language is Spanish speaking English in Mexico. Small compliant,
but I’m over it.
Before I forget, Frida was given many accolades and
received six Academy Award nominations, including a nomination for Best Actress.
The film won two - one for Best Make-up and Best Original Score. I think
everyone was surprised at how much positive attention the film received - all
of it coming from someone who had a vision and would see it through to
completion no matter the cost. Props all around.
Video (4 out of 5 stars)
Frida is presented
in 1080p 16x9 – 1.78:1 widescreen. Yes, it’s been ten years since Frida premiered and the years have been
very good to her. The color palette is bold and sumptuous; it’s evident that
the filmmakers and designers spared no expense at their attention to detail.
Flesh tones appear natural and don’t suffer from redness or softness. The image
itself has lots of awesome natural grain and puts you in that frame of mind
that you are watching a “film.” There many surreal images and sequences that
find their way through the movie and it’s pretty neat how these images trick
the eye. The Blu-ray presentation does Frida
justice.
Audio (4 out of 5 stars)
Frida is presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1. One would not think that Frida would be the type of film that
would warrant such a plush presentation in the audio department, but that’s
where you’re wrong. Frida is a
powerhouse on Blu-ray. Dialogue is crystal clear and even with all the
different accents here and there you will understand them all. During the more
chaotic scenes, including Frida’s accident, the audio quality stays even and kicks
you in the gut. The audio track compliments the video presentation perfectly.
Special Features (4 1/2 out of 5 stars)
Frida ports over all of the special
features from the previous DVD’s release. I used to own a copy of that edition,
so I was delighted to see that the Blu-ray got some love regards to the special
features. They are in SD, but it’s all about quality over quantity and this
Blu-ray offers them both in spades.
·
Salma Hayek
Conversation
·
Julie Taymor
Feature Commentary
·
AFI Julie
Taymor Q&A
·
Bill Moyer’s
Julie Taymor Interview
·
Chavela
Vargas Interview
·
The Vision,
The Design, and Music of Frida
·
Salma’s
Recording Sessions
·
Real
Locations of Frida’s Life and Art
·
Portrait of
an Artist
·
2 Visual
Effects Pieces: Amoeba Proteus, The Brother’s Quay
·
The Voice of
Lila Downs
Final Thoughts (4 1/2 out of 5 stars)
It only took most of Salma Hayek’s life to finally bring the story of one
of Mexico’s greatest artists to the big screen and I think she did a fantastic
job in portraying the artist. The appearance is uncanny and alongside a great
cast of actors, I don’t think there will ever be another Frida Kahlo biopic up
to the standard of 2002’s Frida anytime
soon. She nailed it.
Order your copy today!
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