Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Overlooked DVD of the month - FROZEN

This week's overlooked DVD is a low-budget British flick written and directed by acclaimed short-film director, Juliet McKoen. FROZEN got a fleeting UK release in January but is now available on Region 2 DVD for your viewing pleasure. Shot on a variety of digital and VHS media, the movie captures beautifully the textures of the British coast at Morecambe Bay. The sea-scape is haunting and lyrical and forms an evocative backdrop to this story of arrested mourning. Shirley Henderson plays a woman whose sister has disappeared. Viewing CCTV footage at the local police station, she imagines that she has seen - in a blurred close-up image - her sister. She harrasses the local police officer to blow up the image and give her a story - some evidence - anything rather than the pain of having to deal with the fact that she may never know what happened to her sister. Meanwhile, she enters into a relationship of sorts with her therapist - a local parish priest played by Roshan Seth.

FROZEN is far from a flawless movie. The subject matter is slight and at some points the narrative seems to meander aimlessly. (The same sort of issues are covered with greater complexity, skill and bravery in Andrea Arnold's
RED ROAD for instance.) But Shirley Henderson and Roshan Seth give great performances and the photography is worth seeing alone.

FROZEN was released in the UK in January 2007 and is now available on DVD.

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