When I interviewed The Saw Lady back in April of this year she recommended Peau d'Ane (translation - Donkey Skin). My heart sank because it's a musical and as you may be aware of by now, I really don't like musicals. But I've watched it. Without any ranting. Possibly a first for a musical.
It's pretty good. Yeah, you read that right. I actually like a musical. Peau d'Ane is a fairy tale, but not your average Disney version of a fairy tale. Originally written by Charles Perault in the 17th Century (The Brothers Grimm rewrote some of his stories) this is up there with Rumpelstiltskin as one of the most disturbing fairy tales. It contains a donkey that poops treasure and an activity that definitely wouldn't make it into the Disney version.
If Jean Rollin directed fairy tales they would feel like this. The shots of castles could come straight from one of his films. My favourite shots though are of a dirty-faced princess wearing a donkey skin running in slow motion. It could be argued that this gets overused but I never got tired of watching that donkey-skinned princess run. The whole film is the most fairy tale like of any film I've seen. Everything from the gorgeous costumes to the lighting and the sparkly special effects just feel right. Then there's the music...
Now this is where the carefully crafted atmosphere could all have fallen down for me, but the songs added to the overall feeling. At times the soundtrack feels a bit like something Stelvio Cipriani could have written, and when the singing starts I can imagine it being something that Doccortex would probably enjoy listening to. Michel Legrand has done a fine job. Have a listen for yourself. (If you fancy.)
I don't want to give any of the plot away but rest assured that Kings, Queens, Princesses, Princes and a Fairy all feature heavily. The Princess is played by Catherine Deneuve and is the subject of many males' attentions in the film. I think that the lads had got it all wrong and should have been going after the Fairy (Delphine Seyrig) instead.
My one disappointment with the film is that the end of the story feels very similar to Cinderella (also written by Perault). Given that the start is an original breath of fresh air, this is a shame. Just when you think it's all going to end in a standard issue way though, a helicopter enters the fray. This is not the most bizarre occurrence as blue and red faced people (and horses) appear as well as a talking rose, and there is an old woman with some of the most wayward ginger hair that I've ever seen.
I was doubting that any of the musicals in the Musical Season would get a rating of 5 or above but I was pleasantly surprised by Peau D'Ane. So it's a big thank you to The Saw Lady for a quality recommendation. 7/10 evlkeith
If you like this you could also try: Fascination, Lola, Last Year At Marienbad.
As mentioned in my previous post, the main highlight of our first year has been receiving a comment from the Saw Lady ( amazingly enough, that's not her birth name - that would be Natalia Paruz). It seemed fitting that she should be the subject of the first obscurendure review.
In England, most children's first experience of playing a musical instrument is playing the recorder (or miming in my case). Why did you decide to play the saw rather than a more traditional instrument?
I went through traditional instruments as a kid, too - started with a recorder, learned some piano & guitar, but none of the traditional instruments stuck with me. The reason why I love unusual musical instruments is because there is usually a striking visual that goes along with the sound, and also there is a degree of whimsy. Also - it's a greater challenge: the musical saw is harder to play well than say, a piano, because it's just a chunk of metal, so the satisfaction I derive from figuring out how to make it sing (there are no music conservatories you can go to to be taught how to play it - it's a process of self discovery through trial and error) is greater than just taking lessons.
Of the videos I have seen, you seem to perform the work of other composers. Do you write your own compositions for the saw or is that something you would like to develop in the future?
I enjoy taking a written piece of music, practicing it until it is "made my own". I like to interpret music rather than creating a piece of music from scratch. It's sort of like fitting myself into an existing world. I work with many composers, such as Scott Munson (www.ScottMunsonMusic.com) who composed for 'Another Earth', who write for the saw or even write specifically for me - I love these collaborations. So, no - I don't feel an urge to compose myself.
Playing a saw must be more dangerous than playing a piccolo, for example. Have you ever had any saw related injuries?
I have never cut myself (nor anyone else) but holding a saw in one's hands does command a certain respect, which is helpful when busking - all the bullies leave me alone :) I did break two saws, though. The saw's sound comes out of the vibration of the metal, and when the temperatures are around freezing, the metal does not want to vibrate. I was busking in winter, and forcing the saw to vibrate. That's when I learned that I can break steel...
The most memorable moment for me inAnother Earthwas the saw playing sequence. How did you come to be involved in that project?
The director, Mike Cahill, saw me playing in the subway (see below) and that gave him the idea to incorporate a saw into his film. He asked me if I would help choose the music for the saw's scene, and record it. He also asked if I would then coach William Mapother, the actor who had to appear to be playing a saw, to act as if playing in a convincing way. It was a lot of fun for me to work with William, because it was different from what I usually do, which is teach people how to actually play. Here, the visual was important, not the sound (he never actually made a sound).
You have also worked on other film soundtracks: El Carnaval Sodoma, Dummy and I Sell the Dead. Have you any plans to work on other films? If not, is there a particular director who you would like to work with?
Right now I am working on a couple of music videos - one with director Sohail Javed who is one of the best video directors in Pakistan, and the other with director Maderling Suquet for the UK 'Danger Global Warming' project. I would love to work with M. Night Shyamalan. He never uses stock sound effects, he insists that all audio be originally created and he always works with James Newton Howard for the musical score.
Finally, which obscure film would you recommend?
Peau d'Ane (English: Donkey Skin) - I'm not sure whether it is considered obscure by a film connoisseur such as yourself, but I loved it when I was a kid... The music is by Michel Legrand (who was in the same music class with my mother at the Paris Conservatoire).
All that remains to be said, is a big thank you to the Saw Lady for taking part in this interview. I hope I haven't jinxed her into having lots of saw related accidents, after a graze-free career, now that I asked that question. Also, expect a review of Peau d'Ane at some point in the future...
