[attrition] Movie: Perfume: The Story of Murderer

[lyger]

http://attrition.org/movies/perfume.html

Perfume: The Story of Murderer
2006
Czarina

I remember seeing the trailer for this film with a friend of mine. When it 
was over, we both turned to each other and said "that looks stupid". So, 
when the DC Film Society offered an advanced screening of this film, I 
took full advantage to see this picture... even though I knew it would be 
stupid... but I wouldn't have to pay to have that conclusion confirmed.

I have to admit that I was a bit curious about the movie, so I waited an 
hour in line for my free pass, and sat in the theater next to women who 
took the title literally and marinated in cologne, and an obnoxious 12 
year old who complained throughout the whole movie that there were no 
black people in it.

The film opens with grisly and graphic images of the streets of 18th 
Century Paris -- eviscerated fish, a new-born fresh from the womb, and 
general filth all around (makes one grateful "smell-a-vision" isn't 
mainstream). Anyway, our narrator, John Hurt, compliments the visuals with 
poetic verbiage that provides insight into the thoughts and motivations of 
our protagonist Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Wishaw: Layer Cake), a boy 
of few words -- but what he lacks in verbal expression, he makes up in 
olfactory reception. In fact, his ability to smell far surpasses any 
ability of any human on this earth. Like a blood-hound, Grenouille soaks 
up smells like a sponge, trying to sate his hunger to capture every odor 
in the world, but his hunger begins to devour him and Grenouille becomes 
obsessed with possessing every aroma that exists -- or yet to exist.

[...]