A DIRECTOR'S MASTERPIECE

PERFUME - THE STORY OF A MURDERER ~ “An extravagantly great movie of all times! Exceptional directorial stints having a great cinematography and original musical scoring with an aesthetic appeal of scenes delivered with a clear transition of every shot!” ~

It tells the odd story of a young man named Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw), who is born with an extraordinarily strange condition and is obsessed with scents. Specifically, he becomes infatuated with reinventing a particular legendary perfume as his ultimate masterpiece that induces a sense of well-being and delight that completely enslaves anyone being exposed to it. The basis for the scent is instilled in his mind by the odor of a young woman (Karoline Herfurth) whom he had killed unintentionally. That also becomes the basis for the film’s subtitle, since the ingredients for this rare scent are as unusual as the story.

It is very difficult and virtually impossible to like the main character, being evil and wicked, but it is even harder to dent the fact that never less the film is absolutely fascinating. Tykwer’s direction of the film is breath-taking and very exceptional. From the moment he records Jean-Baptiste’s peculiar birth to the brilliant transition to the fate of the infant’s mother.

From the very start, you will notice that this is not an ordinary film. Even some of the more peculiar casting choices (Dustin Hoffman as an aged Italian perfumer living in a crumbling house built on a bridge) fit it all. It is every edge a sumptuous looking production that is mixed with a pitch-black humor and strangeness that seems to be much shorter than its 147-minute running time. It may disturb you, and possibly even disgust you, but you will discover to see something peculiar when the film is over.

Another part of the movie you have to focus on is the original musical score by Simon Rattle in thrilling moments that catches captive emotions consistently done until the end of the movie.

It is a lengthy movie but that does not disrupt me on watching it because it is amazing on how the director executed this aesthetic film through great attack of shots used in different setting with a taste of art. And as the movie goes on you will fall deeply into the senses of the "murderer"...

"Perfume, The Story of a Murderer" a magical movie, give it a momentous chance and you will find out the cinematic gift as excellently as possible!

A DIRECTOR’S MASTERPIECE

The director has met challenges inherent to the story mainly by relying on the charisma of his actors on adopting a provocative filmography that is both dazzling and outrageous, making the central use of  musical scoring to convey the ineffable nature of scents by transforming a story that was classical in nature  and more oriented towards the external critique of the society into a more passionate and distinct interiority of the main protagonist referred to Jean-Baptiste Grenouille into an artistic package in all sorts being developed.

Indeed the director offers an overall respectful adaptation of the movie that takes rare significant liberties with the original story, has nevertheless managed to imprint the movie with a more personal touch. The screenplay and technical aspects are the result of shared vision and efforts that were both written and executed seamlessly being literally captivating, having a deep thematic sense.

The most puzzling aspect of the movie in terms of its form is a mixing of genres that seems almost not to work. If you expect the movie to be uniformly dark, then you will be surprised by your own reaction and that of the audience.