Hundreds of fans gathered to see Michael Sheen, Frank Langella and Kevin Bacon at the World Premiere of FROST/NIXON, the opening film for the 52nd film festival. The Void's Tony Griffiths gives us his take on the film:"As the title suggests, this is an intellectual face/off; a dramatic reconstruction of David Frost’s now legendary series of interviews with Richard Nixon. It’s the News Night equivalent of a heavy-weight boxing match, and though it may be a little heavy-handed in its execution, it still manages to wring as much tension, drama and (aptly) sweat from its premise as any prize fight.
It’s 1977, and with the recent Watergate scandal leading Richard Nixon to resign the presidency, British talk-show host David Frost smells a ratings hit. The four interviews (or rounds if you will) that Frost subsequently secures with Nixon will have explosive results.
Howard’s decision to follow up the turkey that was The Da Vinci Code using such universally acclaimed material (the film is an adaptation of the Peter Morgan play) was a smart if safe move. Securing the play’s same principal actors – Michael Sheen as Frost and Frank Langella as Nixon – on the other hand, was a masterstroke. It’s the cast that makes it.
Early attempts to show Frost as the bout’s underdog, a ratings-hungry playboy to Nixon’s political animal, have Sheen reduce him to an unintentionally amusing mixture of Alan Partridge and Austin Powers. Once the set-up’s out the way however, his opening exchanges with Langella give a taste of the charismatic spats to follow.
Langella’s portrayal of the disgraced ex-president is faultless. Given how easy it is to reduce Nixon to the sweat-ridden jowly caricature we’re used too (Futurama, anyone?), that Langella manages to elicit a huge amount of sympathy – and humour – from the wounded tiger’s corrupt core is an impressive feat; somewhat ironic too, considering the aspirations of the original interviews.
The duelling metaphor hinted at initially may have served the battle of wits better than the bruising boxing analogy it makes way for, and the misguided use of talking heads could have been dispensed with altogether, but, ultimately, this is a wonderfully dramatic interpretation and a great opener for the festival."
It’s 1977, and with the recent Watergate scandal leading Richard Nixon to resign the presidency, British talk-show host David Frost smells a ratings hit. The four interviews (or rounds if you will) that Frost subsequently secures with Nixon will have explosive results.
Howard’s decision to follow up the turkey that was The Da Vinci Code using such universally acclaimed material (the film is an adaptation of the Peter Morgan play) was a smart if safe move. Securing the play’s same principal actors – Michael Sheen as Frost and Frank Langella as Nixon – on the other hand, was a masterstroke. It’s the cast that makes it.
Early attempts to show Frost as the bout’s underdog, a ratings-hungry playboy to Nixon’s political animal, have Sheen reduce him to an unintentionally amusing mixture of Alan Partridge and Austin Powers. Once the set-up’s out the way however, his opening exchanges with Langella give a taste of the charismatic spats to follow.
Langella’s portrayal of the disgraced ex-president is faultless. Given how easy it is to reduce Nixon to the sweat-ridden jowly caricature we’re used too (Futurama, anyone?), that Langella manages to elicit a huge amount of sympathy – and humour – from the wounded tiger’s corrupt core is an impressive feat; somewhat ironic too, considering the aspirations of the original interviews.
The duelling metaphor hinted at initially may have served the battle of wits better than the bruising boxing analogy it makes way for, and the misguided use of talking heads could have been dispensed with altogether, but, ultimately, this is a wonderfully dramatic interpretation and a great opener for the festival."
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