Adam Resurrected

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source: Adam Resurrected

ADAM RESURRECTED is a strange, mesmerizing art film adapted from Yoram Kaniuk's novel 'Adam Ben Kelev' ('Man, Son of a Dog'), adapted for the screen by Noah Stollman, and brilliantly directed by Paul Schrader, whose contributions to the art of film include writing and/or directing such important works as 'Taxi Driver', 'Raging Bull', 'Affliction', 'The Last Temptation of Christ', Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters', 'American Gigolo', etc. It is another examination of the effects of the Holocaust of the survivors but with such a different twist and graced with some magnificent performances that it stands with the finest films that deal with this subject. Adam Stein (Jeff Goldblum, in an astonishingly fine portrayal) prior to the beginnings of WW II was a highly successful Berlin impresario of a 'Circus' - a cabaret act where he performed acts of magic, comedy, playing the violin, mind reading, doing acts of dagger throwing with his daughter and wife in assistance - a comedian beloved by all his countrymen including the Nazis. When the film opens we are in Tel Aviv in the year 1961 and the mentally disturbed Adam is an on again off again patient in an insane asylum for Holocaust victims, a center of continued 'experiments by a staff of physicians (headed by Dr. Gross - Derek Jacobi and an attendant bizarre nurse Gina - Ayelet Zurer, in love with Adam) who are intimidated by the genius quality of Adam and his ability to keep the inmates happy. In a series of flashbacks (in black and white) to 1926, 1932, and 1944 we see Adam in concentration camps, still entertaining his fellow Jews and asked to play his violin for the Jews who are being escorted into the ovens for cremation. He is observed by Commandant Klein (Willem DaFoe) who had once been entertained by Adam's circus act and later with Adam a prisoner in the concentration camp has Adam act like a dog for Klein's entertainment, a particularly painful duty when later, in the asylum in Israel Adam discovers that Dr. Gross is keeping a young boy on a chain, treating him like a real dog. The relationship between man and dog and dog and dog and man and boy is complex and heartbreakingly somber. The implications and plays within plays that fill this film demand the fell attention of the viewer. Many of the numerous aspects that enhance Paul Schrader's expert telling of this strange story include Gabriel Yared's musical score (with a lot of help from Wagner's 'Tannhauser' and Schubert lieder as sung by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf), the brilliant costuming of actor Jeff Goldblum, and the many small roles in this film filled by some of Germany's and Israel's most gifted actors. But towering over it all is the compelling performance by Jeff Goldblum who has created a character on film that once seen will never be forgotten. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp

To deal with the inconceivable you need to create a vocabulary that extends beyond the conventional. The powerful performances, the extraordinary literary devices and the sublime directing and editing help enormously. The end result, a satisfying glimpse into the ineffable is achieved by providing a vision, revealing a landscape that defies revelation. An unique and necessary achievement. An artistic collaborative triumph of the spirit. The difficulties in the conventional narrative are actually an opportunity to explore facets of the spectrum human behavior, from the animal/dog, human and the divine within. Most helpful was the extras on the DVD that provided additional background. BRAVO! And now part II please.

In Berlin, the Jewish Adam Stein (Jeff Goldblum) is a successful artist that works with his wife and two daughters in a cabaret. During the World War II, Adam and his family are sent to a concentration camp and the cruel Commandant Klein (Willem Dafoe), who was his fan, assigns Adam to become his "dog" to entertain him. Adam has to live like a dog with another dog, Rex, while tries to convince Klein to save his wife and his little daughter that are sent to the ovens. After the war, Adam is sent to a mental institution in Israel for Survivors of the Holocaust under the care of the psychiatric Dr. Nathan Gross (Derek Jacobi) and becomes a leader among the patients. He also has a mistress, the nurse Gina Grey (Ayelet Zurer), who loves kinky sex. One day, Adam smells a dog in the institute, which is forbidden, and he finds a boy that was raised chained in a basement and behaves like a dog. Adam recalls his period as a dog in the concentration camp and gets close to the dog-like boy and their journey together begins. "Adam Resurrected" is a weird film about a man and a boy that have been turned into dog. The strange plot is supported by a fantastic performance of Jeff Goldblum that deserved at least a nomination to the Oscar. Most of the characters are bizarre and this movie is somehow fascinating and seems to be written by a mad writer. My vote is six. Title (Brazil): "Adam – Memórias de Uma Guerra" ("Adam – Memories of a War")

Paul Schrader's latest film concerns Adam Stein, a patient in a mental hospital caring for those who suffered during the Holocaust. Adam was once a great comedy performer known through out Germany. Haunted by the past when he had to act as a dog for the Commandant of the camp as well as play violin for the prisoners as they went into the gas chambers, Adam is just trying to get by. He refuses to deal with his past until a small boy who thinks he's a dog shows up at the hospital. The film is more magical realism than stark reality (Adam has a psychic ability) and is more an allegory of the the struggle of people to survive. It is a Holocaust tale to be sure, but the implications of its themes apply to everyone's life. Are we all not a little mad? Are we all not locked in our own prisons? I'm not sure the film is wholly successful in exploring all of its themes but at the same time it is one huge helping of food for thought. The real find of the film is Jeff Goldblum. Sure we all knew he is a great actor, but I for one never really knew how great he was. Here he goes through every emotion imaginable. He is funny and touching and heart breaking and human. He becomes Adam Stein, disappearing into the role so completely that you stop thinking its an actor and instead see him as the character. Its a masterful performance that unjustly got overlooked by the Oscars. If you want to see a fantastic performance in a dark, but hopeful tale, see this film. It will stay with you.

This is a highlight. "Adam resurrected" is a powerful narration about a German-Jewish Holocaust survivor and his struggle to cope with his traumata in a psycho-therapeutic clinic in Israel. Adam Stein, our protagonist, embodied by Jeff Goldblum, has survived a German concentration camp but lost his family. An SS-officer made him live and behave like a dog and it is only when another dog-like being arrives in the clinic that Stein finds a way to escape his manic world of excess. An extraordinarily mighty and brilliant performance by Jeff Goldblum who carries the whole movie to a difficult, funny and intense experience.

Jeff acting is great, like always. It's the whole theme of the movie, dark and just a little wacky at times, like getting turned on if the woman barks like a dog. I would totally understand if this movie was based on a true story and the movie is a interpretation of the book or something, but it's not. It's fiction story based on a holocaust survivor. Just makes you think what's going on inside of the head of these writers to write such a fictional event. Relating a human to a dog and getting turned on by watching a human bark like a dog. It maybe disturbing for some, and I see the reason why HowardStern found it disturbing as well. Acting/performance is great, director shot is great. Just a shame so much talent and performance went into a fictional storyline that's a bit on the disturbing side.

A masterpiece doomed to go unrecognized. Not too many people would like it or even sit through it, but in fact it's one of the best holocaust-related films ever made. Hateful reviews have commented on the fact that the film is disturbing and weird - or about the absurdity of a man surviving the holocaust by acting like a dog for the entertainment of a Nazi officer; is it any more absurd than the idea of people stamped with numbers or shoved into ovens? In the face of a horrifically absurd reality, insanity is often a valid option. Most WWII films center on the partisans, the heroes, the ones who kept their dignity and humanity in the face of genocide. But not everyone did. A major goal of Hitler's action was not just to destroy the Jews, but to dehumanize them first. And in many cases it worked. That's what this film is about - the loss of humanity, the feelings of guilt shared by the ones who survived at the expense of their own most basic human dignities, and it's small wonder that it's difficult for most to swallow. Paul Schrader made a fantastic job adapting Yoram Kanyuk's novel; reviews blaming him of 'emotional detachment' miss the point that this detachment is very intentional. The cold and distant feeling experienced while watching it is very different from the pathos of Schindler's List or Life Is Beautiful, and, rather than draw the viewer into the actual events, brings them face to face with their very madness and incomprehensibility. Jeff Goldblum portrays that feeling perfectly in what may be the most powerful performance of his career - reminding me, at times, of Roy Scheider in All That Jazz. Master-character actors Willem Dafoe and Derek Jacobi compliment him perfectly without stealing the show, and some of Israel's biggest stars join in to complete the ensemble cast. Bottome line - a terrific film, and instantly a favorite of mine, but I hesitate to recommend it to anyone for fear of being blamed for it later. Watch it at your own risk, with an open mind, and with an empty stomach.

Intriguing and surreal movie with an outstanding performance by Jeff Goldblum, whose name should have been in the mix for any number of acting awards for this film. Holocaust-related movies generally don't get deliver box office results, but this is a strikingly good treatment that deserves a wider audience. Watch it and get the word of mouth out there. Paul Schrader, whose had a hand in more than a few films about human darkness, creates an intriguing film here. The "arms" scene at towards the end of the film is worth the price of admission on its own. Right up there with "I am Spartacus" or the "I'm still here, you bastards" last line from "Papillon". Powerful stuff. Derek Jacobi, Willem DeFoe, Ayelet Zurer, a frighteningly good Romanian kid named Tudor Rapiteanu, and the rest of international cast do yeoman's work. Always been a fan of Jeff Goldblum's read on a line...and he's at the top of his game in "Adam".