Monday, June 1, 2009

"The Fall" and The Alhambra

A couple of weeks ago, an artist-friend of the DH recommended we see a rather obscure film called "The Fall." This friend's eclectic tastes are not always to our liking but this movie was WONDERFUL! If I ever get the urge to write a screenplay, I only hope I can come up with something half so unique and entertaining. A story within a story much like "The Princess Bride," the locales alone were stunning.

"The Fall" is basically set in a 1920s Los Angeles hospital. A young movie stuntman has taken a serious fall from a railroad trestle and is paralyzed from the waist down, perhaps permanently. In the same hospital, a little girl whose family are itinerant farm workers has fallen while picking oranges and sports a huge cast from her shoulder to fingers.

I won't reveal any spoilers (because you really should rent this film and watch it yourself) as to how and why the stuntman and little girl become friends. Nor why he spins for her the most gorgeous and fanciful tale about five unusual men intent on killing an evil Spanish governor. But I will say that the settings for this story were shot in eighteen different countries and I could not begin to do justice to them with my descriptions!

My favorite scenes were shot inside the fabulous Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. The DH and I visited the Alhambra about fifteen years ago on one of our earliest jaunts to Europe and I have never forgotten how breathtaking the place was. We had quite a memorable trip on that outing to Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, and Morocco, but the Alhambra was definitely the highlight!

Built by the conquering Moors, the Alhambra was actually a series of towers and fortresses overlooking the city of Granada. The main palace dates from the 11th century and has some of the most beautiful and (to a Westerner like me) unusual architecture anywhere. The decorative stucco is so thick in some places that it resembles a honey comb. And I was awed that some of the original paint still survived almost a thousand years later.

Nothing else like the Alhambra existed then, or now. I totally understand why King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella moved right in as soon as they threw the Moors out in 1492!

I would love to return to Granada someday, but until I do, I guess I'll have to content myself with re-watching "The Fall." I highly recommend you watch it too!

10 comments:

Jane said...

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll have to check out "The Fall." The Alhambra Palace sounds like a magical place. It's fun when you've visited the places you see in a movie or tv show or read in a book.

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Hi Jane,
I don't think you'll be disappointed in "The Fall." It's weird but in a fantastically beautiful way. ;-)

I too LURVE IT when I see a familiar locale in a movie. I drove my BFF bonkers at the opening of "Quantum of Solace" by saying, "I've been there. I've been there."

Also, when the DH and I first saw "National Treasure" in one of the opening sequences, the characters park their van in front of the National Archives. DH & I both cried, "FAKE! There's NO PARKING in front of the Archives, and if there were, there'd be NO EMPTY SPACE!" LOL!

Helen said...

Sounds like a wonderful movie I will be looking for it

Mybe one day I will get to travel and see some of these fantastic places I do love hearing about them.

Have Fun
Helen

pjpuppymom said...

Okay, I'm definitely going to look for this movie! I haven't been to the Alhambra but I was fascinated by the architecture in Barcelona. I'd never seen anything like it.

I love watching movies that are set in places I've visited. I haven't seen "Angels and Demons" yet but the girlfriend that I went to Italy with a couple years ago called me after seeing the movie with her hubby, squealing, "PJ, you have to see this movie! We've been everywhere in Rome that they filmed! It was so cool!"

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Helen,
As long as you like to hear about the places I've been, I'll keep writing about them. :-)

I really hope you get to travel once your retire. I'd especially love to see you visit the USA!!

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

OOO PJ, that IS KEWL!!!

I haven't seen A&D yet either, but I really LURVED the book. I actually read it just before I finished writing TToV and I told the DH, "If I EVER set a book in Rome, I want it to be half as good as this one!"

Hope you enjoy "The Fall". Not a lot was in the Alhambra, but it really caught my attention because the place left such an impression on me.

AC

Helen said...

Aunty Cindy

I have everything crossed that I am going to be able to get to the States when I retire I would love to meet you in "person" we would have a great party. I do buy my lotto tickets every week so hopefully it will be sooner if only I could win LOL

Have Fun
Helen

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

My fingers are XXed for you to win lotto, Helen!

My BFF said today, "When I retire, WE ARE GOING TO AUSTRALIA!"

I said, "I'll let Helen know!"

AC

Helen said...

Yes Please Aunty Cindy

Have Fun
Helen

BTW Only 85 days to go YAY

Caffey said...

I don't watch much movies at all but do watch an occasional historical setting of one. I haven't watched one set in the 1920's in so long. This movie The Fall, going to be so emotional too!! Thanks for the heads up on this movie! It will be one I've written down to rent.