Bad Timing (1980)

Wikipedia classes it as a psychological thriller, which is as good a simplified description as any, I suppose, for what Bad Timing is; i.e. a labyrinthine and occasionally uncomfortable psychological/sexual drama with at least one controversial scene that for many people overshadows director Nic Roeg's astonishing technical achievements elsewhere. The non-linear plot jumps around in time but is assembled in such a way that each fragment is equally important, even though some are more emotionally weighty than others.
The strained relationship of the two mismatched leads (Art Garfunkel, Theresa Russell) ranges from intriguing to downright plodding, but neither state prevents the themes that the film explores from rising to the surface.
In both audio and style it pushes established norms in surprising directions.

3½ observers out of 5

Impulse (1990)

Theresa Russell plays a cop working undercover for vice, posing as a prostitute to entice men who then get nicked. She likes it, discovering that the more her job makes her feel restricted, the more the danger makes her feel alive. She begins to wonder what it would be like to play her role for real.
It's not the character study I was hoping for. It never goes deep enough into her psyche or even into her private life for that. She ought to be complex, filled with conflict, but instead comes across as straightforwardly bored.
About one hour into the running time a dramatic shift in focus occurs, leading us into a different kind of drama, but it too only manages to show the surface of the depths it could've taken us. Oh, well, it could've been worse.

2½ curb appeals out of 5

Black Widow (1987)

Theresa Russell is the Black Widow, named because of her proclivity for finding a mate and killing him shortly after his usefulness expires. Unlike the spider, however, the 'usefulness' isn't post-copulation but post-marriage, once the will has been amended to leave everything to her. It's unclear what she actually does with the wads of cash she acquires, though.
Federal investigator Debra Winger tracks the killer in a manner not dissimilar to how the killer tracks her prey, each woman succumbing to an obsession that's only really different in its focus.
The journey contains within it a number of things that are implied but not clarified, so it's up to a viewer to decide if the subtexts they thought they read were actually there or if they were accidental, surfacing in the edit.

3 green windows out of 5

Track 29 (1988)

A remake of Dennis Potter's Schmoedipus (1974) episode of Play for Today (S4, Ep 20) that falls under a weight of clashing styles; i.e. besides a few successful explosive moments Roeg's dramatic beat clashes with Potter's lyrical approach to the same subject matter. The film is nicely assembled, but the moments that should be deeply felt are staged more as moments to be viewed when put through Roeg's lens. The emotional strain just isn't presented well enough to make the overplayed characters fully engage our sympathies, even though at least one of them is fully deserving of such.
Personally, I feel that the author's 'visitation dramas' work best when they're made on a smaller scale and when they retain a stage-like presence.

2½ pictures of long ago out of 5

Kafka (1991)

Soderbergh is a hit and miss director for me. With Kafka he categorically hit. It's not based on any one specific story but is rather an amalgamation of the author's themes. Translating them into film was achieved with occasional canted angles and a beautiful canvas of B+W contrasts courtesy of DoP Walt Lloyd. The deceptively simple depth of field holds within it things that stand out without being pointed out directly - there's a trust that the viewer will know not just where to look but how to look. Influences are plentiful, from Murnau to Lang, Huston, Welles, Reed and even Hitchcock, there's always something interesting to admire (that rooftop!).
Obviously, some knowledge of Kafka's published works will help with placing of references, but it's not necessary to enjoy the film.

4½ internal reverberations out of 5

Physical Evidence (1989)

The opening few minutes of PE pulled something exciting from its bag of tricks that I’d never seen before. Unfortunately, that left the bag empty. The remainder of the story, about a suspended cop and his stiff-assed attorney together on a mission to clear his name, is forgettable stuff.
I like Theresa Russell but fully acknowledge that she needs the correct kind of role in order to be believable, the same way Keanu or Jennifer Tilly do, but PE certainly isn't it and if it’s your first time seeing her you’ll maybe be put off for life. Furthermore, the only appealing element in Burt’s tired role is what he brought to it simply by being Burt.
It throws a few moments of courtroom drama into the mixture to break up the investigative side of things; they’re just as bland.

1½ nuisance phone calls out of 5

Insignificance (1985)

A fictional situation featuring four fictionalised characters from different walks of life, all of whom you'll likely recognise even though they're never actually named. There's a professor with wild hair, a 1950s Hollywood blond bombshell, her baseball playing husband, and a U.S. senator who may ask if you are now or have ever been…

It takes place mostly in one hotel room, keeping the best parts of its origins (it's adapted from a play by Terry Johnson) and mixing them with the best parts of cinema, including cutaways, flashbacks and even some flashes forward. To connect with it you'll need to have an appreciation for all of those things and be a fan of Nic Roeg's unique shooting style.

4 unified fields out of 5

Cold Heaven (1991)

Dir. Nicolas Roeg is skilled at creating expectation and unease, but his films can be challenging. Cold Heaven ticks those boxes.
At the centre of events is a woman struggling with bereavement and a guilty conscience. It’s a downbeat journey that offers little in the way of space to breathe for a very long time. It’s one of the many films that I can see the merits of but have no desire to ever revisit. Someone who holds, or once held, religious beliefs may feel differently about developments and will surely be better equipped to sympathise with the protagonist.
The cover art is slightly misleading; there are some creepy moments but don't expect the kind of horror that it implies.

2½ haunted thoughts out of 5

Whore (1991)

Ken Russell’s adaptation of David Hines’ play (called Bondage) is reportedly the cult director’s response to the unrealistic romantic nonsense that was Pretty Woman (1990). Russell made a no frills, low budget film packed with monologues and lengthy asides by Theresa Russell (no relation) that are both candid and self-deluding. If you’re paying attention you’ll hopefully figure out which of those two states is the most telling at any given time.
It was the last cinema release he ever made. The studio’s treatment of the film and their fear it would bring them bad publicity meant it was criminally overlooked at the time of release.

3½ substitutes out of 5

Aria (1987)

Ten short films by ten directors (see comments for full list). They're mostly dialogue free and all have an aria as a musical accompaniment.

Ken Russell's was the most interesting visually; Julien Temple's the most interesting conceptually, and Jean-Luc Godard did things with sound like he always does, but overall they were dull and lifeless. Russell's and Roddam's were the only two I'd ever consider watching more than once, and only if I was forced to. Even Roeg failed to inspire this time.

0½ down the road not across the street out of 5