In anticipation of Netflix's, 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' Movie Parliament comes to the defence of the 2004 film...
Underrate, a word which here means to underestimate the extent, value, or importance of someone or something. In this case, a film. One of the many enjoyable quirks of the A Series of Unfortunate Events books, is author Daniel Handler (writing under the guise of Lemony Snicket) defining certain words as they’re used. This is first done when the Baudelaire children (Violet, Klaus, and Sunny) discover that their parents have died, or rather perished, in a terrible fire. They are then sent to live with distant relative Count Olaf, whose only interest in taking on guardianship of the children is to steal their parents’ fortune.
I can remember going to the cinema as a nine year old in 2004, and seeing the trailer for Brad Silberling’s film adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events. It was that trailer which made me turn to the books, in an effort to read at least the first three before the film came out. I ended up reading all of the released books before seeing the film, devouring them at a rapid pace. I was obsessed, and they forged my love of all things dark and mysterious. However, like many fans of the books I was left disappointed by the film when it eventually came out. I remembered it as being too comedic, too much of a Jim Carrey vehicle and not in keeping with the tone of the books.
I can remember going to the cinema as a nine year old in 2004, and seeing the trailer for Brad Silberling’s film adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events. It was that trailer which made me turn to the books, in an effort to read at least the first three before the film came out. I ended up reading all of the released books before seeing the film, devouring them at a rapid pace. I was obsessed, and they forged my love of all things dark and mysterious. However, like many fans of the books I was left disappointed by the film when it eventually came out. I remembered it as being too comedic, too much of a Jim Carrey vehicle and not in keeping with the tone of the books.
On Friday the 13th of January, Netflix will be releasing their long-awaited adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Daniel Handler is an executive producer on the show and it will dedicate two episodes to each book. Based on the trailers alone, people are already saying that they’ve ’nailed’ it and are ready to end what they’ve seen as a long-wait for the first ‘true’ adaptation of the much-loved books. Get ready to hear people say how Netflix have ‘got it’ where the film didn’t. Well, I’m here to defend the film and fly the flag for its much-deserved reappraisal.
Re-watching it on Netflix 12 years later, I was pleasantly surprised to find a film that was far funnier, darker and better than I initially gave it credit for. By the standards of children’s cinema, A Series of Unfortunate Events is deliciously dark. The film has a wickedly funny opening sequence where a seemingly harmless children’s animation about a little elf is abruptly interrupted. The film then proceeds to establish a wonderfully mysterious tone, as we see Lemony Snicket working on his type-writer, shrouded in darkness, with the perfectly cast Jude Law providing brilliant narration. Indeed, the decision to keep Lemony Snicket a hidden presence is a choice made by the film that I already prefer to the Netflix series, which has shown him in all its trailers.
Re-watching it on Netflix 12 years later, I was pleasantly surprised to find a film that was far funnier, darker and better than I initially gave it credit for. By the standards of children’s cinema, A Series of Unfortunate Events is deliciously dark. The film has a wickedly funny opening sequence where a seemingly harmless children’s animation about a little elf is abruptly interrupted. The film then proceeds to establish a wonderfully mysterious tone, as we see Lemony Snicket working on his type-writer, shrouded in darkness, with the perfectly cast Jude Law providing brilliant narration. Indeed, the decision to keep Lemony Snicket a hidden presence is a choice made by the film that I already prefer to the Netflix series, which has shown him in all its trailers.
At the young age of nine and not yet the film connoisseur I am now, I could not truly appreciate the film’s evocative imagery and design. Emmanuel Lubezki, who has since gone on to win consecutive Oscars for his groundbreaking work on Gravity and Birdman, shot the fillm and it has numerous images that could stand on their own as paintings. Furthermore, Thomas Newman beautifully scores the film; just listen to the heartstring pulling track, ‘The Letter That Never Came’ or the mysterious music box chimes of, ‘The Baudelaire Orphans’. There’s real talent associated with this film behind as well as in front of the camera, which brings me on to the cast….
First of all, and most contentiously, is Jim Carrey’s portrayal of Count Olaf. Like many readers of the book, particularly those of a younger age, I always saw Count Olaf as a principally scary character. He’s a terrifying presence who the Baudelaire’s can’t shake and has one insidious agenda, which he will pursue at all costs. He was the stuff of nightmares, and the decision to make him a more comedic character is one that upset many. However, there is considerable more menace and nastiness to Carrey’s portrayal of Olaf than I remembered.
In many ways the role of Count Olaf is a brilliant fusion of the two strands of Carrey’s career. There’s the over-the-top comedian, but also the actor who broke our hearts in The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Seeing Jim Carrey play an out and out villain is actually quite interesting and when he does do comedy it’s hilarious. Whenever I recall it, I still laugh at how he says, ‘I am an Italian man’ when disguised as Stefano.
However, despite being advertised and remembered as such, this was not the Jim Carrey show. Billy Connolly and Meryl Streep are fantastic as the other two guardians, whilst Emily Browning is superb as Violet, giving the film its emotional core. As well as Carrey being both funnier and meaner than I remembered, the film has a genuine sense of tragedy underlining it. By the time it reaches its conclusion it is actually quite moving with Lubezki’s imagery, Newman’s music, and the performances all working in tandem to deliver something special.
First of all, and most contentiously, is Jim Carrey’s portrayal of Count Olaf. Like many readers of the book, particularly those of a younger age, I always saw Count Olaf as a principally scary character. He’s a terrifying presence who the Baudelaire’s can’t shake and has one insidious agenda, which he will pursue at all costs. He was the stuff of nightmares, and the decision to make him a more comedic character is one that upset many. However, there is considerable more menace and nastiness to Carrey’s portrayal of Olaf than I remembered.
In many ways the role of Count Olaf is a brilliant fusion of the two strands of Carrey’s career. There’s the over-the-top comedian, but also the actor who broke our hearts in The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Seeing Jim Carrey play an out and out villain is actually quite interesting and when he does do comedy it’s hilarious. Whenever I recall it, I still laugh at how he says, ‘I am an Italian man’ when disguised as Stefano.
However, despite being advertised and remembered as such, this was not the Jim Carrey show. Billy Connolly and Meryl Streep are fantastic as the other two guardians, whilst Emily Browning is superb as Violet, giving the film its emotional core. As well as Carrey being both funnier and meaner than I remembered, the film has a genuine sense of tragedy underlining it. By the time it reaches its conclusion it is actually quite moving with Lubezki’s imagery, Newman’s music, and the performances all working in tandem to deliver something special.
Ultimately, A Series of Unfortunate Events was a family film with real darkness to it and a unique visual sense. It boasts great performances and is wickedly funny as well as wickedly wicked. If you watched it without an awareness of the books then even today, almost 13 years later, you'd be impressed by a film that is mature and artfully made. I am looking forward to Netflix’s take on this series and I am sure it will be enjoyable. The greater length of a TV series will allow for more faithful adaptation, with the length and format of the books perhaps more suited to that medium in the first place. One of the biggest and fairest critcisms leveled at the film, was that it was episodic. Furthermore, it will be a thrill to see the later books brought to life, with Netflix's budgets ensuring production values to rival the big screen. However, after revisting the 2004 film I now think it has slightly bigger shoes to fill. Whilst it may have disappointed upon release, this film is far from an unfortunate event.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Do you agree? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Do you agree? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.
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