Ep. 54 - A Haunting in Venice (2023)

[00:00:00] We'll say catch me!

[00:00:02] That got me!

[00:00:04] I'm all done getting on that mark.

[00:00:08] Let's go!

[00:00:09] Come on!

[00:00:10] Come on!

[00:00:11] Don't get any ideas, Mr. Blythe.

[00:00:14] Please don't take the cops.

[00:00:16] No, no.

[00:00:17] Please don't take the cops.

[00:00:19] We'll take them to the team.

[00:00:21] We get to whatever we want.

[00:00:23] Nothing matters.

[00:00:24] Hello and welcome to episode 54 of them on a website that it's like, what was out of print and stuff.

[00:01:41] And I have been getting a movie catalog every month

[00:01:44] since then because I really just,

[00:01:46] on one of these now spam things.

[00:01:47] And I've emailed them like five or six times. That's not what we did. No, instead here we are in episode 54. Exactly, so I can't speak for you, Mike, but I do think that post everything everywhere all at once, and especially post the Oscar win. I was expecting maybe a few more interesting projects to come along, right? And instead, I think the last few episodes have largely been dominated by small roles

[00:03:00] and streaming originals and voice work

[00:03:02] in some pretty middling movies.

[00:03:04] Yes, agreed.

[00:03:05] And we sort of talked about that a little bit,

[00:03:07] maybe last week or so. I'm going to put on my mustache and start speaking like this. Before we get into today's movie, we have to build up to it. Today's film is the third Agatha Christie adaptation from Kenneth Branagh, who began starring as the famed detective, Echil Flaro, in his 2017 adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express.

[00:04:21] And that movie, though it got mixed negative reviews and was nowhere near the hit that the first one was. The movie made $137 million on a budget of almost $100 million. So the budget almost doubled and the intake went way, way lower than what it did for the first one.

[00:05:40] But that did not deter Kenneth Branagh and company.

[00:05:43] And instead, they pushed forward with a third film much more quickly than they had the second are here.

[00:07:07] That woman called the spirits. Poro, of course, is played by Kenneth Branagh, who also directed the movie. But who could have killed Yo? And by extension, the girl, Alicia Drake. Our list of suspects includes Maxim Gerard, Alicia's exfiance, played by Kyle Allen from the Hulu series The Path. Rowena Drake, Alicia's mother,

[00:08:21] played by Kelly Riley from Yellowstone.

[00:08:23] Olga Seminoff, the housekeeper,

[00:08:24] played by Camille Cotton from Killing Eve.

[00:08:27] Nicholas in Desdemanda Holland, and Oppenheimer. He won an Oscar for the screenplay for Belfast, and he was nominated for a bunch more for that movie. He directed the Artemis Fowl movie that everyone hated, that went straight to Disney Plus. Right. And bounced back from the relative flap of Death in the Nile with the relative success of a haunting event. It's been a wild couple of years for Kenneth Branagh. You know, he'd be working.

[00:09:41] He's out there.

[00:09:42] This is true.

[00:09:43] Good for him.

[00:09:44] Kenneth Branagh is nothing if not working. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again, uncover the killer. So Mike D going into a haunting and Venice, you know, like we said, you were a pretty big fan of Murder on the Orient Express. Had you seen Death on the Isle or did you watch it this past week? Yeah, I watched it this past week for the first time. I had not seen it before that.

[00:11:01] Because I remember it hit HBO Max and it just,

[00:11:04] it's just negative reactions all around from everybody.

[00:11:06] And I was like, well, that's not, you know,

[00:11:07] I remember really like online sentiment being

[00:12:20] like, this movie sucks.

[00:12:21] This is like the worst thing I've ever seen kind of thing.

[00:12:24] Yeah.

[00:12:24] And so I was like, yeah,

[00:12:25] I never got around to it.

[00:12:26] Didn't really care.

[00:12:27] And you know, it's Russell Brand, Russell Brand, like what's going on? Why are all these people in one movie? That's so weird. But yeah, no, I did have a pretty good time watching Death in the Nile. That said, a haunting Venice way better. I thought. So yeah, but what did you, what did you expect from a haunting event is going into a mic

[00:13:40] and what was your overall take?

[00:13:42] So yeah, going into it, I had seen the trailer once and I don't really remember what I would

[00:13:47] have seen it before. Yes, that's what I was going in and I was like, I think I'm always rooting for these movies just because like we sort of had a who done it revival in like, you know, knives out the order to express the glass on you know that stuff and death on the aisle is but it really leans into that just sort of like, oh, the veil between the afterlife and the living is thinnest on Halloween, all hallows Eve and all that, and it really leans into that stuff. And does it through the camera and film techniques and stuff like that.

[00:16:21] So it had a real, we used to have movies

[00:16:25] vibe from this movie that came out two months ago, of like shots and stuff that maybe think of like all these like, Jiello and like Italian horror movies that I like to watch where it's like close up of birds, like literal little bird's eyes and like ravens and parakeet, like all the parrots and stuff and just like weird things like that and weird colors. And I was like, yeah, this is cool. This is like just like wearing its influence is pretty heavily and it's having a lot of fun with it. And then it's also who done it in which Brana says, we must figure out who done it.

[00:17:44] Like he literally says he done it in the game and she says something to him and he's like, you woke the bear from his sleep. You cannot cry when he tangos and she's immediately like, that is not an expression in any language. He's like, we must go and he like walks off screen. Yeah. It's very funny. Yeah, all the chemistry between all the characters and stuff really works for me throughout this one,

[00:19:01] which, you know, a movie like this,

[00:19:03] this big ensemble cast, like it has to.

[00:19:05] If that's not there, you're just lost.

[00:19:08] And I think that was missing for me, like, you know, it just looks really cool. Plus they're actually shooting in Venice, which is nice. Like it's actually like filmed on location. It's there and it looks great. And that is a big issue with Death and the Nile, is that that movie does not look that great because most of it was shot on a sound state, just like most of it was on green screens. Yeah, and I was gonna say, yeah, I didn't, I mean, it's also been cool that they're like

[00:20:21] in a real mansion on location or whatever.

[00:20:23] But even if they weren't, it's just very funny

[00:20:25] to think about like everyone's reaction

[00:20:27] to Death and the Nile was like, the line between melodrama and sincerity, but also comedy and wackiness. It does all these things and creates a compelling backstory for each of its characters to tearfully tell Paro about in an interview. Yeah. It's funny. It's so funny. The way that these, yeah. Nothing to do. Yeah, I mean, he has been retired that entire time, it sounds like. Like he like, he's been retired for 10 years as a haunting Venice, which is also kind of a wild thing. But the last movie was one year ago. And so it's just funny that like 10 years have passed in between these two films,

[00:23:01] or even more. I'm actually like, Death and the Islands took place in 37, you said?

[00:23:04] I think so, yeah.

[00:23:05] Yes.

[00:23:05] I remember the opening card correctly. reaction. He was like, oh, no, fuck him. Like, I have any money. Like Adam Driver at that Q&A also. Yes. Yeah. Also very good. But yeah, but this movie opens with a Poirot living in retirement. He's in Venice. People like, you know, people know who he is. They still know who he is. He's still the legendary detective Hercules Poirot. And people are trying to flag him down in the streets, trying to

[00:24:24] all of my family has been murdered, sir. What can I do? Can you help me?

[00:25:41] And he's just like, I have to time for you. Yes. You know, all she's like, do this favor for me. Like I haven't been able to figure out how this, madam, whatever. Michelle Yoe's character does this seance thing and I can't figure it out these psychics. And you're the second smartest person I know. Like she like kind of ribs him a little bit and he's like, well, he turtles his mustache and he's like, I must do it kind of thing.

[00:25:45] And so he agrees to accompany her to this party the Apes like goes so hard. Like it's just the third Planet of the Apes prequel. Like what is going on? And Honzing Event is a similar energy, which I watched like a day or two before or after I don't remember the order, but around the same time. And it was just like, this is just the third Paro movie.

[00:27:01] Why are we going so hard in this movie?

[00:27:03] But like it's so good.

[00:27:05] So I had, it was on it and everything was like, yes, this is great. So yeah. This movie continues the grand tradition of giving Michelle, a grand reveal. Yeah. Michelle, you was in this movie. The movie knows it. Yes. And I think this movie is really like kind of capitalizing on, hey, post everything ever all at once. Like, you know, this, like I think this films end of 2022,

[00:28:21] like like September, like October or something like that.

[00:28:24] So yeah, everything ever would have been out by now.

[00:28:26] And so yeah, this, I's voice is being dubbed over her. She's shouting murderer, murderer, and all that stuff, which is really great. And then she gets to the entire flip side of that, right after the seance. She has a tender scene with Poirot, where she's kind of talking to him about how she was a warring nurse.

[00:29:40] And she was a warring nurse who heard ghosts because she's a psychic medium.

[00:29:44] And how tormented she was by that.

[00:29:46] And she has the tears in her eyes. like how does ghost, right? And that sort of becomes the actual mystery that he's doing besides solving Yo's murder and stuff, so that becomes really fun. Also having just watched Fall of the House of Usher, the like Flanagan Netflix series, which is based on Poe, and like they name check Poe in this, because that's what the kid is reading, the like, collected person Poe and stuff. So there's a lot of just that like gothic,

[00:31:01] horror, ghosty stuff going on throughout this.

[00:31:04] Just kind of like, kind of I, that would have been fun. How do you think this fits into the Michelle Yoe roles that we've seen so far, Mike? It's just so refreshing after the last five, six episodes or whatever of the anti-connection to Legend of Hank and minions and Transformers and all that stuff,

[00:32:22] all those voice roles that we've been covering recently.

[00:32:25] But it is, I guess,. Yeah, no, I think Holy Weapon, Shallen Popey 2, Messy Temple, those kind of supernatural ghost stuff that is involved there. Her outrio, I think maybe you can throw that in there as well. Yeah. They do fight a skeleton at the end of that movie. True. Yeah. And I think just as far as performance goes, I mean, I think it's closer maybe to something

[00:33:44] like everything everywhere where she does everything. about what it's like to be a nurse that can see ghosts of powerful emotional moment through in the movie. And there's also, I think, yeah, I think this movie really stands out as compared to a lot of our other performances. I think it was, and I never remember the Davidist movie Midnight Express. Is that right, one? Moonlight Express.

[00:35:00] I think I always say Midnight Express. Moonlight Express.

[00:35:04] Where we sort of talked about the kind starts to believe that she wasn't, it wasn't an accidental drowning or anything like that. It was like, oh, there was foul play involved. And everybody there is potentially a suspect in that murder as well. Right, yeah, he really is solving two murders, right? Because the whole thing is that she allegedly died because the house is cursed and was like pushed off

[00:36:20] the balcony into the canal by the ghosts.

[00:36:22] And there's like the claw marker or whatever

[00:36:24] the scratches on the back that, yeah,

[00:36:25] the mark of the children or the mercantile house.

[00:36:28] I forget what they called trauma, you know, like kind of thing, but his son is the only one that can stop him. And it's the kid that plays the son is actually really good for notorious children haters, Mike and Mike. Yes. Yeah, well, like I said, both of them were in Belfast, which is the Kenneth Brownock connection as well. He played the dad in Belfast.

[00:37:40] The kid was the kid in Belfast

[00:37:41] who was the main character in that movie.

[00:37:43] Did you ever see Belfast, Mike?

[00:37:44] I didn't.

[00:37:44] I didn't know that he's the main guy in that.

[00:37:46] Yeah, no, it's solid.

[00:37:47] Yeah, the kid is like the main is in his share and was coming out there like oh should be watched this and I was like you guys won't enjoy it like you're not gonna get it yeah so they must have seen Belfast it's right up their alley but yeah but I remember Jamie Dornan and and Jude Hill who plays the kid both being pretty good in Belfast but Jamie Dornan low key has become like an actor that I'm like I'm watching what he's doing and largely that is because of Barb and Stargard of

[00:39:03] Isidelle Mar which is a BBC like serial killer.

[00:40:21] Just police procedural thing where Jillian Anderson

[00:40:23] is the cop and he's really good on that

[00:40:25] and creepy and weird.

[00:40:27] And I think that was sort of the big thing with Merton. Yeah. With Merton, the wearing express, right? You had like, you know, every single person in there. It's like, oh, it's Michelle Fiverr and Johnny Depp and all these people. And then Death in the Nile was kind of the same or other thing with Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer and you know, all the people that we just pressed. Bro, all those people that we don't cast in movies anymore.

[00:41:43] Even the.

[00:41:44] Oh, from Black Panther.

[00:41:46] Let's just show.

[00:41:48] Oh, the T-shirt, right.

[00:41:48] Yeah. particularly care or remember him much from John Wick to you. Like I think he's fine in that movie. But when in this movie, I was like, I've got to be a writer die for this dude now. I don't understand what's happening or why, but I must see everything he's in because he's incredible. I don't know. Well, looking at a cinematography, it's a lot of Italian films, Mike. Sure, but that's what I was going to say. He felt like a guy that would have been a cop

[00:43:01] in one of those jello or whatever,

[00:43:03] like the case of the Scorpion tale

[00:43:06] or whatever the Nile. Both, like both of those movies are based on pretty well-known books, which have also already had movie adaptations. Right. And I think a haunting Venice is not based on, I think it's a short story that it's based on.

[00:44:20] It's called Halloween Party,

[00:44:22] less well-known than those other two.

[00:44:24] And there's no other movie that it can't take from whatever. another one or something, especially because this seems to be successful, which is cool. But I did enjoy that unless that's like a reference to another book, which I don't know. It does not teeing up anything specifically, which is kind of cool. Yeah, no, absolutely. I think this would be a good finale for Hercule Poirot, if this was the last one. Nothing's allowed to end my, you know this.

[00:45:41] This is also true.

[00:45:42] And honestly, I am down for Kenneth Ronna, just keep making these movies as long as he

[00:45:45] wants to.

[00:45:46] Yes, because of this movie. And he realizes later that like oh he's been like poisoned with this hallucinogenic honey, which he then realizes like oh that's what was being fed to the daughter, you know Alicia Drake.

[00:47:00] And that's how she that led to her death. But so he's like seeing he starts to

[00:47:05] hear like you know little girls like singing in the distance. And then there's Yeah, with this honey made from the pollen of some hallucinogenic flower or whatever. So they're all just basically tripping balls and hallucinating all these ghosts and stuff. And that is what the mother was feeding to the daughter, which drove her crazy because she was hallucinating ghosts and all this stuff and she jumped off the... Oh no, she... How does she die? She kills the mother, kills her, and places the scratch marks

[00:49:43] and makes it look like she jumped's how she appears at the end. She pulls the mom down. Yeah, and like the little boy is like in on it, right? Like he's sort of, oh yeah. He's the one that blackmails the mom. That's it. I know what you did. He's like kind of the kid. He's like starts the whole thing because, yeah, Jamie Dornan's poor because of, he's been destroyed by war, right?

[00:51:01] And so he's like been blackmailing the mom,

[00:51:03] which is like sets the whole thing off.

[00:51:05] It's just like, it's kids eight. and I hope that he continues with this tone moving forward. I'm sure the next one won't be a ghost story. I feel like that's probably a one and done thing. Yeah, but I think the lesson should be couch this in other genres, in other things. Other genres. Having just the rich people on a boat didn't work in death of an aisle. It worked on the train.

[00:52:20] I think it could have worked.

[00:52:22] It could have, yeah.

[00:52:23] And again, I thought it was all right,

[00:52:25] but I think it could have been a better movie. interrogating both of them. So it's like at the same time, sort of, you know, and it's just like the lies are changing between, well, we used to do that. Well, no, but he did this and she never, we never, and like, are the sister, the sister completely knew it was a scam the whole time, but the brother like sort of fell in love with Michelle Yeoh. And he's thinks she's got the real powers and all that stuff. Good movie, good movie making.

[00:53:41] Yeah, good stuff, haunting and Venice.

[00:53:43] Yeah, who would have thought?

[00:53:44] Who would have thought?

[00:53:45] Yeah, absolutely.

[00:53:47] Yeah, any other thoughts about haunting and Venice about that at some point. I'll be real soon. Yeah. Yes. But all right. Let's get into some letterbox reviews, Mike. Oh, yes. Let's see what the people have to say here. Got a three star review from Aliyah. Lots of mysteries in this one. Like, who's the killer? And why is the camera angled like this? Which I think that the stylization of this movie, maybe,

[00:55:01] I really enjoyed it.

[00:55:02] But I think some people are resistant to the Dutch angles

[00:55:05] and all that kind of stuff.

[00:55:06] But how would it have been a thing for Kenneth Brownoff?

[00:55:07] Remember the first Thor movie that like Orient Express or camp artifice like Death and the Nile. Kenneth Branagh takes Agatha Chrissie's Halloween party and brings it to Venice in the middle of a torrential downpour. Hardly any CG gloss here, relocations carnivorous spaces with a mystery that's less of a crowd pleaser. And more of us. Okay, so you say carnivorous spaces.

[00:56:21] That is what it says. It's that, I think it's that is.

[00:56:23] That is cavernous spaces.

[00:56:24] Oh, well, playing the guy who wrote the letter box

[00:56:27] if you like because, like carnivorous faces. Yeah, the carnivorous faces. Maybe that's what they thought was happening. Yeah, it could be that they thought it was, instead of ghosts, it would be cannibals. Yeah, exactly. That would be the Swiss.

[00:57:44] What a fun typo that is. That's fun.

[00:57:45] I like that. incident of 2019. She saw Venice in a far from home advertisement and thought it was a movie about Venice. So she had the whole family tickets and fell asleep immediately when she realized that, like I had told her, this was a movie about Spider-Man. A haunting Venice had everything she likes in a movie. Venice, Michelle, beautiful housing interiors, and Venice.

[00:59:00] Thank you, Mr. Bronnoff, for bringing such joy to my family.

[00:59:03] I wonder what that lady is like.

[01:00:02] Adult thriller dramas, like yeah, I'm in. Great, love it.

[01:00:03] That's great.

[01:00:04] This is the future we wanna see in the world.

[01:00:06] Yes.

[01:00:08] All right, that's gonna be it for this episode

[01:00:11] of The Complete Works, the last movie

[01:00:13] in the regular Michelle Yoe season of the podcast.

[01:00:17] Mike D, where can we find you online this week?

[01:00:19] You can find me at MD Film Blog on Twitter,

[01:00:22] Letterbox, and Blue Sky.

[01:00:24] You can also find me, what do I say?

[01:00:27] How do I say this normally? All that good stuff. Our theme song was Creative about Kyle Cullen, he created your own podcast themes, at Kyle's podcast themes at gmail.com. Pretty soon I'm gonna have to ask him to make another one actually. We gotta figure that out. And our logo was designed by Matt Cavier at Fearless Guard on Twitter. Ditto, gotta do the same thing. Yep. Join us in the next week in Complete Works

[01:01:40] because it is time to wrap this season up

[01:01:42] with our Michelle Yo finale episode.

[01:01:45] We'll be counting down our favorite Michelle Yo movies,