Patricia Highsmith’s novel "Genius Ripley" was published in 1955 and was initially regarded as pure entertainment. Later, people realized that the depraved fantasies in the book could be understood as the post-war American version of "The Earl of Monte Cristo", or at least to make post-war Americans feel deprived and infinitely inflated towards Tom Ripley. The desires are empathetic.
"The Dead in the Wrath" is a story that transcends moral judgment. Tom Ripley, a clever and cunning American "diner"; Philip Green River, an arrogant and disgusting playboy, at first it was just an unequal friendship filled with mischief, and then the story turned sharply to "get rid of Self desire", identity theft, and murder. But it must be explained-our "anti-hero" Tom Ripley is by no means a demon, not a sample for clinical analysis by psychiatrists, he is just paranoid and wants everything to be the best-but he must be deceived Or at the expense of others. At the end of the novel, Ripley's victory points out a truth: You can get everything you want, as long as you are willing to kill and smart enough to cover up the crime.
We can’t help but compare "Genius Ripley" with "Wrath of the Dead." Anthony Minghella took pains to join Ripley’s grief and describe his incomparable desire for crime, and René Clement seems He doesn't care much about Ripley's motives, he is more sophisticated and calm, and is keen to show off the technique of genre films. Perhaps according to the current audience's standards, "The Dead in the Wrath" is too heavy, but elegant but hard to empathize. Not as straightforward as "Genius Ripley" shows all the cruelty, jealousy, unquenchable desires and crazy calculations.
"The Dead in the Wrath" fully demonstrates Rene Clement's delicacy and ingenuity as a technical director. Half of the film is the world observed by Ripley's glasses. It is calm, but the sun is brilliant, and the Italian scenery in the portable lens is full of fluidity. The other half clings to the Hitchcock theme, and the shots taken from behind seem to imply that Ripley has no regrets for what he has done. If Rene Clément really wants to explain the story and Ripley’s psychology, then a large number of close-up shots seem to reveal the clues. The handsome appearance of the young Alain Delong conceals the charming flashing under the eyelashes. The look in his eyes makes Ripley more like a character in Bresson's movies, innocent and stubborn, bent on dealing with the injustice of the world.
Not surprisingly, the film ignores the same-sex desires implicit in the story. The charming but empty rich boy Dick in the original book (and Minghella's version) becomes the spoiled and annoying Philip in the film—he is literally looking for death. The three-person relationship between Ripley-Philippe and his fiancée Maggie seems to have inherited the emotions and uncertainties in French movies. No matter how you understand it, you can understand it.
In the end, "The Dead in the Wrath Sea" changed the ending of the novel, when Philip's tug was pulled ashore, and his decomposed body surfaced along the rope entangled with the propeller. Even so, Tom Ripley walked towards the coming policeman like a victor.
"The Dead in the Wrath" is a film of decisive significance to René Clement's directorial career. Clement first entered the film industry as a photographer. Later, he made some documentary short films and a documentary style film "Railway Battle" (1946) that promoted the "French Resistance". His initial reputation as a master of realism was brought about by "Forbidden Game" (1952) and the careful adaptation of Zola's original book "Laundry Lady's Life" (1956). However, with the turning point of "The Dead in the Wrath", Clement began to abandon purely naturalism and the image method that promoted the humanistic spirit, and began to explore a deeper level of humanity (perhaps because of this, Clement was not less affected by his New Wave colleagues. We attacked).
But what’s interesting is that the experience of the documentary has always influenced Rene Clement’s creation. For example, the passage in which Ripley killed Philip was shot improvised. Clement said that he could feel every The actors have already "understood" the plot, so there is no need to write them out so that the actors can play their best with their emotions. As a result, the scene was short but full of explosive power.
Patricia Highsmith's work: The
Train Freak (1951) Directed by Hitchcock, this Agatha Christie-style meticulous story has become one of Hitchcock's most successful works.
American Friend (1977), directed by Wim Wenders, adapted from the second part of the Ripley series "Ripley's Game".
Tell him I love him (1977), directed by Claude Miller, adapted from the novel "Sweet Disgusting",
Distracted (1987), directed by Claude Chabrol, adapted from the novel "The Cry of an Owl" . Chabrol analyzed the distortion of fate in Franz Lang's black and cold brushwork, making it one of his masterpieces.
Genius Ripley (1995) directed by Anthony Minghella.
Ripley’s game (1999), directed by Liliana Cavani, John Malkovich’s version is much more typified.
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