Review of “Colour Me Kubrick”
This quirky discourse on the sycophantic reflex that we reserve for celebrity is based loosely on the real story of London travel agent Alan Conway who passed himself off as the reclusive film director Stanley Kubrick in the early 1990’s. Conway, who was born Eddie Jablowsky and changed his name in a bizarre act of self-parody, was a convicted con man with a history of delusional behaviour, mood swings and alcoholism. Just the kind of character that any talented actor would love to get their teeth into, especially when the part is written as a larger than life, luridly camp, and breathless lush. Enter John Malkovich! The performance is a showcase that leaves you squirming as person after person – from budding rock stars to bank managers - ingratiate themselves before this obnoxious weasel of a man.
Director Brian Cook and writer Anthony Frewin both worked with the real Kubrick and there are a number of clever tributes that fans will enjoy. But this film is not about Kubrick and sadly none of his story-telling skills rubbed off on the filmmakers. With only one event (dodgy man cons sad punter) repeating itself endlessly, the narrative runs out of steam early in the piece and we are left to watch the John Malkovich show and admire the hilariously outlandish costume designs.
The film is kitsch social satire, and for those who like their comedy dark, there are some laughs - particularly when Conway is admitted into a psychiatric hospital with a ward full of delusional characters – one of whom is played by film director Ken Russell. British comedian Jim Davison is entertainer Lee Pratt (who’s real-life counterpart was Conway’s most celebrated victim) and does a nice job as the naive foil to Malkovich’s seedy duplicity.
But this is Malkovich’s film, and he excels. We never get to like his Conway and yet we can’t hate him, perhaps because we are never sure that we wouldn’t have been duped ourselves. At one point, whilst explaining why he uses the name Conway when he is really Stanley Kubrick, he says that he wants to “stay away from the unwashed, the unwanted and the unattractive.” It’s this fear that the film frequently points to – perhaps the one that draws us all to the shiny world of celebrity like mad moths.
Rating:
Leave a Reply