The Last Movie

2012 • 103 minute

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Whispered voices, a darkened house and the sound of gunshots.
A mysterious lady in a diaphanous nightgown appears. Blood drips from her hands.
This is the opening of a classic Russian noir film which writer-director Nicholas Crawley will update for a North American audience.

Crawley is fascinated by the original which is shot in glorious black & white in classic noir style. The plot is also classic noir. -- the mysterious woman, Nastya, and her lover Pavel plot to murder of her husband Alexei.

THE LAST MOVIE is a thriller, a study in filmmaking and an exploration of a mind unraveling.

Followed by a journalist documenting the making of his film, Crawley battles his bottom-line focused producer and the intricacies of the new production. The director is determined to honour the creative elements of suspense played out in the Russian movie while making it accessible to a wide market.

Key to the film's success is the casting of the remake's leading lady -- a femme fatale who orchestrates a web of intrigue and murder. Elizabeth Seitz lands the plum role -- but it will come at a high price. Crawley encourages the actress to wind her own background and psyche into the character. And Elizabeth does.

Elizabeth moves into the house which will be the film's set. She screens and rescreens the original film. Delving deeper into the role Elizabeth becomes obsessed with the Russian model and its echoes in her life.

An eerie madness ensues that turns the making of the remake into a suspense thriller in and of itself.

Bruce Pittman has made a film in the vein of classic film noir.

Graderings en resensies

As a filmmaker myself, I really enjoyed watching this noir as it unravels. Very suspenseful and beautifully shot.