The Fall (2006)
If a cinephile could have a Princess Bride.
Presentation:
If you were looking for a more cinematic version of The Princess Bride, look no further. The magnum opus from Tarsem Singh is a similar fairy tale, a story told within a story. I found the interrupting gimmick frustrating at first, but I ended up preferring it over Rob Reiner’s movie because the real life story was actually substantial. The acting and dialogue especially from the little girl is naively bad, but it did have more heart than I expected. Most importantly, the fantasy story was absolute globetrotting cinema. It’s like if Baraka was a fairy tale, especially since they used the same tribal performance. I have a sucker for these types of hero troupes like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - another reason I loved this film.
Conclusion:
This is a more cinematic version of The Princess Bride with locations that I didn’t even know existed. Although Rob Reiner’s film will be more popular, more nostalgic, and perhaps more iconic, the visual experience here is superior. Perhaps if the acting or performances were stronger, it would be more well known. What’s all the more surprising is that Singh created this coming from the drastically different but equally arresting horror film The Cell, which I also liked. The visionary teaming up with Dan Gilroy makes this share the DNA of a Terry Gilliam film too.
Recommendations
The definitive western epic.