MOVIE GUIDE: The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (1989)
©The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and her lover 1989
It was 1990, I was 20 and working at the Venezuelan National Cinematheque, mad about the arts, the movie and photography when my boss Leonardo Henriquez told me about Peter Greenaway and that he was planning to show some of his films in our recently renovated theater. I never heard of that name, nor watched any of his films, so Leonardo gave me a VHS copy of “The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover” from 1989 and whispered with that confident voice of a teacher that knows his pupil very well “…just watch it…” Never again I watched films the same way.
Greenaway is a master of his craft, too “artsy” for many, too controversial for the general public, and too despondent of the so called “Industry” for the rest that makes him one of the few real “niche” directors nowadays. And that it’s a treat. “The Cook…” is a beautiful painting colored and lensed by none other than Maestro Sacha Vierny (Hiroshima Mon Amour, Last Year At Marienbad, Belle De Jour). A film that literally changes its colors whenever the camera moves from one set to another. Colors telling a story of despicable villains doing the most despicable acts. Colors inspired by the great Dutch masters painters. Colors packaged into the most beautiful box, handcrafted, handmade with the greatest care but one whose content, certainly, it’s not for the faint hearted. It’s a Masterclass in composing a frame, how to use lights, colors & angles to create moods, to depict characters or show their emotions. How beauty and violence can go hand in hand with the most classy elegance making this film disturbing. Unforgettable. Easy to watch, hard to swallow. Beautiful pictures dressing decadence, gluttony. Love & violence. Aren’t you curious?
“…Just watch it…”
