Fassbender and Mortensen as the heroes of psychoanalysis.
As summer comes to a close it’s time to start considering what’s in store for fall at the local multiplex. It’s during these chillier months that Hollywood moves from high-octane blockbusters to high profile prestige pictures meant for Academy Award consideration. Beginning in September and running all the way through New Years Eve expect to see several high caliber offerings from the usual suspects of previously lauded filmmakers. Speilberg, Scorcese and Eastwood all have big films coming out this fall that will no doubt be in contention for major statues.
One unlikely name in the mix for consideration this year is David Cronenberg. More of a niche director than those mentioned above, Cronenberg has become the master of the “body-horror” genre with films like The Brood, Dead Ringers and Videodrome. His often graphic depictions of human decay and disease hasn’t really ingratiated him with Academy members in the past, but it looks like this might change with the release of his latest effort.
A Dangerous Method is a nonfictional account of the father of modern psychology, Sigmund Freud, his pupil Carl Jung and the young female patient who comes between them. While not a straight biopic, it does feature several hallmarks the Academy has come to love. The cast features some heavy hitters; the newly anointed Magneto (Michael Fassbender) as Jung, queen of the period drama (Keira Knightley) is the young patient and Cronenberg’ latest muse (Viggo Mortensen) takes on Freud. With such a stellar cast (Mortensen and Knightley are both former nominees) and the Academy’s penchant for rewarding actors for playing real people (see Robert De Niro, Julia Roberts and recently Colin Firth), expect this film to get a lot of attention. It also helps that Cronenberg’s last two films Eastern Promises and A History of Violence were well-received by both critics and audiences. Some may feel that Cronenberg is due for acknowledgement for still being vital after a 30 plus year career.
The new trailer with its sweeping score and melodramatic final montage seems more like Oscar-bait than what we usually get from Cronenberg. Trailers can be deceiving, though, and knowing this director I suspect we will get a more freaky, off kilter bipoic than The Kings Speech.
The film will have it’s gala US premiere at this years New York Film Festival followed by a wider release in November.
Doctor and patient (Knightley)
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