Last Days (DVD)

...coming out based on the last days of the legend I was jumping for joy and after reading in NME a couple of weeks ago that a film about the life of Joy Division legend Ian Curtis was in production I was ecstatic. Unfortunately after a long and lengthy search and prowling the streets of Cardiff for the lowest price of this dvd it dawned on me it was too expensive to buy so I had to return back home humbled with my tail between my legs. That was until ...
...in insanity but of the last days of one of rocks greatest talents at the height of his career isolating the fame out of his life which is a consequence of his rare talent where success has left him in a lonely place.

The film follows the last days of rock musician 'Blake' based on the last days of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Feeling isolated and lonely throughout this time Blake lives in his luxurious yet rundown Lakeside house, ... more

After being such a huge Nirvana fan and fascinated with Kurt Cobains talent as a teenager I was pleasantly surprised when my sister told me there was a film coming out based on the last days of the legend I was jumping for joy and after reading in NME a couple of weeks ago that a film about the life of Joy Division legend Ian Curtis was in production I was ecstatic. Unfortunately after a long and lengthy search and prowling the streets of Cardiff for the lowest price of this dvd it dawned on me it was too expensive to buy so I had to return back home humbled with my tail between my legs. That was until my 19th birthday my sis bought me 'Last Days' on dvd I was hugging and kissing for ages i mean woweee what a present I just couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day.

The basic ideals or plot behind the film are of a unique talent consumed by the rock and roll cliché, a trapped individual who's only wish is to be left alone although no one truly understands himself. You'd be forgiven for taking the assumption that this is a film much like 'The Wall' which certainly parallels similarities of a trapped rock star but 'Last Days' does not follow the life of a burned out rock star slowly growing in insanity but of the last days of one of rocks greatest talents at the height of his career isolating the fame out of his life which is a consequence of his rare talent where success has left him in a lonely place.

The film follows the last days of rock musician 'Blake' based on the last days of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Feeling isolated and lonely throughout this time Blake lives in his luxurious yet rundown Lakeside house, which is almost identical to Kurt Cobains. Living with a handful of old friends in which he is withdrawn and despondent towards with the only thing in common is that they live in perfect isolation from the outside world. Blake is constantly solemn and wayward and is desperately yearning for freedom and is only truly liberated when he plays music to himself which seems to echo and reverberate all over the huge house.

The primary strength in which hits you about the film which seems almost like an entity and a rarity in film is the atmosphere the film contains. The setting and everything Blake does seems to have an eerie atmospheric quality to it. The main focus of the film is the demise of a brilliant talent you are a witness to the decline and disintegration of a troubled rock musician and are powerless to intervene in the inevitable great tragedy in which the film eventually culminates towards. The film starts with Blake living in the woods nearby to his home on his own living off the lay of the land which is almost very exhilarating to watch someone finding freedom from the outside world and being at one with nature perhaps what most of us are longing to do but never actually do, I myself admire Blake's freedom which is tragically short-lived at the start of the film swimming around in waterfalls dozing off next to a campfire in the eerie darkness of the woods the way this part of the film is shot makes you wish you were doing the same thing.

The despondence of Blake and the futile interactions that people attempt to have with him are almost too painful to watch, for instance a salesman from the yellow pages comes round and has a painfully despondent conversation with Blake who most probably finds it fairly liberating having a conversation with someone who may not have a clue who he is. The clever centrepoint to the films stern atmosphere is the houses interior, crude painting hang in front of peeling wallpaper, ancient antique furniture it almost seems as if the house is ageing with Blake. Together with the eerie interior of the ghostly house are the constantly ignored phonecalls ringing. Blake for instance preparing some cereal while a loud phone starts ringing in the next room but the way Blake casually ignores it seems almost as if the phone doesn't exist to him, the whole experience is extremely haunting to watch.

The music is perhaps one of the most exceptional qualities this film holds to it's name. The scene where Blake's alone in the house and starts with a simple guitar melody which builds up and flows into another eerie Kashmir kind of melody and Blake starts screaming and whining in unison up and down with the distorted melody as if he's liberating his pain into his music. which seems to build to a crescendo before Blake goes onto the drumkit and starts kicking off a phenomenal set of beats ontop of the music, which is constantly droning in the background the result is unearthly, it almost sounds like 'The End' by the Doors it's such a tragically beautiful song to result from so much pain and all this is happening while the camera is shooting the window in which Blake is doing this and ominously zooms out away from the window as if the liberation and freedom Blake is generating from his music is drawing away any publicity and fame from him. Another scene is where Blake is alone on his acoustic guitar strumming a beautifully enchanting melody and his voice starts crying out with such a melancholic tone it's overwhelmingly emotional to listen to, sob what a tearjerker.

The acting is kept to a minimal which seems almost suspiciously deliberate to expose the eerie atmosphere which is the core of the films quality. Some of the old friends that live with Blake are almost blocked from Blake, they rarely share a scene it's almost like the film 'The Others' Blake lives alone and is forever haunted by these ghosts. Some brilliant scenes are when these friends return drunk and one always puts The Velvet Underground And Nico record onto the eerie song Venus In Furs and starts crying and swaying along to it, so I'm not addicted to this song after watching this film, which is a good thing surely lol.

Many instances in the film show a private investigator nosing around the house forcing Blake to run away which seems slightly ironic considering he owns the house. Whenever Blake feels troubled he seeks refuge in the greenhouse/patio and mutters potential lyrics while writing them down which are becoming increasingly personal. Michael Pitt who plays the role of Blake does knock off one hell of an amazing performance he seems to resemble Kurt Cobain down to the smallest details.

In conclusion i believe this film is one hell of a tribute to beloved Kurt Cobain and is one of the best tribute films to date. The film does draw similarities with 'The Wall' which is based on the decline of Syd Barrett but the film remains ominously unique in the way that nothing like it has ever been produced. A very eerie homage to the fallen rock idol who pushed rock to alsorts of new extremes and will forever be remembered in the hearts of the young......Rock and roll will never die.
 

...less