El lado oscuro del sol

"I want to live! But sometimes I wish I had never been born" are the opening lines of 'Dark Side of the Sun'...bit melodramatic. Some might feel that some excellent performances are marred by the occasional desire by some actors to add a bit of heightened drama to what is a relatively simple film. For instance Guy Boyd's performance as the father is superb though there are some moments such as towards the end where he talks to his mentally ill wife that his performance goes a bit day time TV-ish this though was probably more to do with Nikolic's (director) need to make sure the audience don't get bored with what is essentially a film about life, namely the difference between observing it and participating in it: "I am just an observer of life" says Brad Pitt's character… yes Brad Pitt: Fight Club, Mr. and Mrs. Smith etc…only this is Brad Pit at a young age before he'd been noticed in Thelma and Louise (although 'Dark Side Of the Sun' itself wouldn't be released until six years after when all the footage had been rescued from war torn Yugoslavia, it then went straight to video so you'll probably only see it on late night TV or amongst such classics as Rambo 12 or whatever in the bargain bucket ) so expect more of a Leonardo Dicaprio in Romeo and Juliet performance than Achilles in Troy. Rick (Pitt) has been stuck in a world of darkness all his life moving across the world to find a cure for his disease the next and final hope is a Yugoslavian healer, a man who Rick's dad has complete faith in to find a cure. It ain't happening basically and Rick is getting jaded with it all. The character is very much a poet and philosopher and there are plenty of high angle shots to suggest a superior quality in this pasty faced hero. "People can hide without using a mask' there's a lot of this sort of half wise half pretentious dialogue in this film which could be easily mistaken for a student work …in fact there a lot of pants bits here but hey if you like Pitt or nice little unheard films go for it; splash out a quid/dollar for it I've slatted it a bit but its alright give it a watch.

Now before anyone jumps all over me and declares that im outta my mind, let me just say I understand why most find this coming of age tale so atrocious. Yes, the acting is bad, the production low-budget and the writing a is no-great shakes. However, Brad Pitt displays, with oodles of charisma, boyish charm,looks and innocence that there is more to an actors appeal than ability to act. Ever seen depp in nightmare on elm street,or keannu in just about everything he's done? Adversely,some actors that are "great actors" are simply put, boring to watch, serving no more than a utility. Maybe, it's not fair but neither is life. I found this film to be incredibly moving and strongly recommend it to any who are romantics at heart.WARNING: Not for skeptics.

Keeping in mind that this is Brad Pitt's first debut acting film, I was impressed. The film itself had its low budget, foreign movie type downfalls, but looking at most major blockbuster movie stars in their embarrassing early films, I think he showed great beginning quality. The script was great, made me think about how precious every day is.

This well shot and well located movie is complimented by an interesting debut by Brad Pitt. Set in 1988 just before the Yugoslavian conflict the story follows the fortunes of Rick (Brad Pitt) in meeting with a young American girl whilst suffering from a potentially fatal skin disease.

Set in a small town on the Adriatic the film is beautifully shot and is worth anyones time and money who appreciate a well made film professionally acted.

Just watch for that part of the film covering the final three days - it is not predictable. On top of all this the history of the film is intriguing - shortly after the film was finished the completed work went missing only to be discovered 6 years later after the Yugoslavian conflict ended in 1996. The Director(check him out) certainly had his work cut out in obtaining distributors for what by then was rated as a poor performance from an established actor.

Especially watch for some close resemblances to Joe Black. The music was good too.

Torson Falcradine 20:ii:MMV (c)T Falcradine

This obscure film from Yugoslavia would probably be even more obscure if it didn't star the then-unknown actor Brad Pitt. And undeservedly neglected, as "Dark side of the Sun" is quite a beautiful, and utterly surreal piece of filmmaking. The young Rick suffers from a rare skin disease; if he is exposed to sunlight, or any bright light, his skin will quickly deteriorate and he will die in just a matter of days or weeks. because of this, Rick must wear a bizarre, S&M style leather body suit, and matching black leather mask, all the time! Nobody can see his face, and he rides a motorcycle, so as not to appear too strange in his leather suit. A chance encounter with a beautiful American girl, (Rick is also American, but lives in Yugoslavia) forces Rick to re-evaluate his own existence. He decides that a week living life as a normal kid is worth a lifetime of living separated from the World.

This film has a lot going for it, such as the beautiful Yugoslavian scenery and glimpse into their culture. Filmed just before war broke out in this land, the film provides an opportunity to see how wonderful and peaceful Yugoslavia was before the late 1980's. The story is unabashedly romantic, and tragic, and possesses a rare innocent quality to it. The director wisely decides to score the film with beautiful classical music, which adds much intensity to the already emotional tale. Filmed mostly in a gorgeous mansion by the sea, "Dark side of the Sun" has a distinctly "foreign film" style to it, which i wasn't expecting. American films from this period usually have a very dated look to them, but this movie has aged well. I believe director Bozidar Nikolic cast a physically beautiful actor in the main role intentionally, making the fact that he must live wearing a mask that much more tragic and sad. "Dark side of the Sun" possesses a surreal quality. It plays out much like a Greek tragedy, or some bizarre fairy tale, and it's conclusion is not exactly a happy one, but considering it's a story of a young person living out their dream, you don't feel depressed at the films end. Although it is difficult to see Rick's physical beauty destroyed. Not surprisingly this movie did not score too high here; it is strange and not for all tastes. Recommended though, for fans of foreign film, or just bizarre and unique cinema.