Cinema-verite direction gets in the way of showing the true Grace Jones
Updated 8:36 pm, Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Sometimes you just wish filmmakers would get out of their own way.
Grace Jones is a fascinating figure, a Jamaican-born reggae/funk/pop singer-songwriter who was equally at home in the Studio 54 scene and Andy Warhol’s Factory and who parlayed her androgynous, exotic looks into an international modeling and acting career.
I first saw her as a fierce warrior alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Wilt Chamberlain in “Conan the Destroyer” and a Bond girl/villain who manhandled Roger Moore in a sex scene in “A View to a Kill,” and I was curious enough to find out more about her.
But you won’t see any of that in Sophie Fiennes’ cinema-verite portrait “Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami.” A film with no context, it is a sporadically interesting, overlong look at the legend as she nears 70, still performing before her legions of fans.
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Hungary is increasingly at loggerheads with several European countries and Brussels. The country has refused to take in its share of refugees to ease the pressure on Greece and Italy. Its detractors say it is also backsliding on fundamental democratic values. Namely, they accuse Hungary of curbing the freedom of the press and that of civil society institutions, while letting far-right movements prosper on its territory. In this week’s Insiders Euronews’ Sophie Claudet speaks to Hungarian MEP György Schöpflin a member of the ruling Fidesz party in Hungary and Judith Sargentini, a Dutch MEP and Rapporteur for the European Parliament’s investigation into whether Hungary is in breach of the European Union’s values. Sophie Claudet : “Mr Schöpflin first to you: we’ve seen in our report that refugees are not welcome in Hungary. We’ve heard Prime Minister Orbán whether in this report, or before, talking about refugees like they are poison, talking of a Muslim invasion, equating immigration with terrorism. Now we’ve seen that Force and Determination which openly embraces Nazi ideology, is by and large using the same lingo. So does it mean that the line is getting blurred between the far-right and Fidesz ?” Mr György Schöpflin : “No, it does not mean that at all. That’s what his opponents say, as a matter of fact that’s what his opponents have been saying, oh, for the last 25 years, there is nothing new under the sun. And of course the western media pick up on this, just as you have done.” Sophie Claudet : “But Sir, when you equate migrants with poison, with an invasion, with threatening you know the heritage of Christian Europe.” Mr György Schöpflin : “Mmmm, well you weren’t there in the middle of 2015 when it really did feel like an invasion. It was a form of structural violence.” Sophie Claudet: “But it is over now, I mean you guys are taking like very few asylum seekers and he still talks you know about migrants…” György Schöpflin : “Why is it over ? Because Hungary has built the fence. The idea of having a sizeable Muslim communities settling in Hungary, there are some already by the way, not in very great number, is not acceptable either to my party or indeed to the overwhelming majority of Hungarian opinion, and I think at that point it becomes a matter of democratic choice doesn’t it ? Do you want to be multicultural or do you not want to be multicultural?” Sophie Claudet: “Ok so that’s the name of the game, you guys do not want to be a multicultural society?” György Schöpflin: “It’s not the only game but I’ll say yes to that.” Sophie Claudet: ‘‘Ok. Mrs Sargentini, the fact that Hungary is shifting to the right, with all that it entails such as curbing basic freedoms, discriminating against minorities whether they be sexual, ethnic, and so on. Is it something that you are looking into in the course of your work?” Judith Sargentini: “What we are looking into is various cases that suggest deterioration of the rule of law. And that can be the higher education law, the way that Hungary does not respect European legislation on migration, what happens with freedom of expression, closing down of newspapers. Do we see a systemic change for the worse in Hungary when it comes to rule of law and democracy?” Sophie Claudet: “Mr Schöpflin how do you feel about these multiple investigations?” György Schöpflin: “Content. I am quite happy about it, I think the report will be voted through, it will be very radical. Perfect campaigning for next spring’s parliamentary elections in Hungary. It will then go to Council which has to look at whatever it wants to look at under Article 7 and it will probably die at some point because it is just too painful, Council is not going to do anything about it, and I think it will actually demonstrate that Article 7 is pretty useless.” Sophie Claudet: “For our viewers, Article 7 would deprive Hungary of its voting rights basically?” György Schöpflin: “Or less than that, I mean for example notionally if Article 7 goes through but I doubt it myself. For example Hungary could b
Media: EuronewsThose legions of fans are about the only ones who will love the film. If you knew nothing about Jones going into it, you will know very little walking out, except that she is undeniably unique and talented. Sometimes it is a concert film, with Fiennes lingering on some songs almost in full — the best parts of the movie; her costumes are still outrageous, and she still proudly shows off her miles-long legs. Classic songs include “Slave to the Rhythm” and “Pull Up to the Bumper” are featured.
A significant part of the movie is in Jamaica, where Jones goes to visit her extended family. There are some scenes in a recording studio, others in hotel rooms and the back of vehicles during her travels, a photo shoot. There is even one delightful scene near the end in which Jones, a new grandma, visits her son and daughter-in-law and cradles her grandchild in her hands.
There are no clips from concerts or movies during her time at the top in the 1970s and ’80s, no background of any kind. I’m all for cinema verite, but no one Jones meets in the film is identified; at one point, looking for advice, she calls “Sly” on the phone. If you are a Grace Jones fan, you know that’s Sly Dunbar, half of reggae duo Sly & Robbie, a longtime collaborator. But if you don’t know that, you might be wondering — Sly Stone? Sly Stallone?
Similarly, even though there is a significant amount of time spent in Jamaica, you don’t really get to know her family. You don’t know most of their names, their stories, their lives, what they meant in Jones’ early life. Fiennes (sister of actor Ralph Fiennes) would like you to focus on their interactions and the impressions they make rather than provide any insight.
Still, Jones’ forceful personality comes through.
“I always say to everyone, if the lights should go out, if the electricity and the sound fails, I can perform and still hold an audience,” Jones says in the film. “In the dark, without any trimmings. Oh, yeah!”
Unfortunately, Jones is alone here, forced to carry the film without much help from the director.
One thing I will say: After this movie, I definitely want to attend a Grace Jones concert. I suppose that’s something.
G. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ajohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: BRfimsAllen
Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami
Documentary. Directed by Sophie Fiennes. (Not rated. 115 minutes.)
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