
Poster for The Fall (2006)
Jesse Pasternack describes what makes the cult classic The Fall such an intoxicating piece of cinema.
If I had to describe The Fall (2006) in one word, it would be “enchanting.” Every element in every shot creates an experience that is astounding in a way which is delightful. It is fitting, then, that it exemplifies what I like to call “magical cinema,” which is a type of film that embodies the beauty and wonder of the human imagination. Few films do that as well as this one.
The Fall announces its intention to embody a reality that owes more to fairy tales than realism via a title card saying that it takes place in “Los Angeles — once upon a time.” In the silent film era, recently injured stuntman Roy Walker (Lee Pace) recuperates in a hospital where he bonds with a young girl named Alexandria (Catinca Untaru). Eager to cheer her up while she recovers from a broken arm, Walker tells her a story about a group of bandits trying to defeat the evil Governor Odious (Daniel Caltagirone). Both Walker and Alexandria will ultimately be changed forever by the story and its telling.
One of the things which makes this film feel like a great example of “magical cinema” (a term I made up) is its technical style. Magical cinema is often defined by its beautiful images, which depict things that are more heightened than what you might see in everyday life. Director Tarsem — who also co-wrote the script with Dan Gilroy and Nico Soultanaki — fills the screen with gorgeous shots of strikingly beautiful landscapes (he filmed this movie in 28 different countries) and colorful costumes (designed by Academy Award-winner Eiko Ishioka). He gives even minor moments an extra sense of magic, like how he livens up a simple POV shot of Alexandria looking at a photograph by simulating the effect of her blinking one eye after the other. It often feels like Tarsem is using every single frame to instill the viewer with a sense of wonder.

The group of bandits from The Fall
But the visual delights of this film are not the only thing which makes it “magical cinema.” More often than not, those films are about the power of the human imagination. Tarsem foregrounds the importance of imaginative thinking through the act of storytelling, and he expertly pays tribute to both the fun of creativity (there’s a running gag of how Walker changes things based off Alexandria’s comments or suggestions) and the importance of it (both he and his new friend benefit from the tale he tells). Much like The Princess Bride (1987), it shows both the pleasure of relating a narrative and the joy a child can feel from hearing one. It’s a wonderful tribute to that type of relationship that will make you fondly remember hearing a story when you were a kid or make you want to read one to your own children.

Alexandria (Catinca Untaru) listens to Roy Walker (Lee Pace)
The Fall is a film which will remind you of the joyous pleasures of the human imagination. It does so with a dazzling technical style and warm-hearted sense of the healing powers of storytelling. The combination of those two things can only be described as magical.
The new 4K restoration of The Fall will be screened at IU Cinema on January 24 at 10pm as part of the Not-Quite Midnights series.