DVD Notes: Black Narcissus

My friend Arun and I have decided to do some DVD swapping, Arun has a vast collection of mostly classic DVD, most of which are from the Criterion Collection, which restores and releases classic movies with loads of extras including commentary from the likes of people like Martin Scorsese. Most of the Kurasawa DVDs I have are also from this collection. The first one I watched was Black Narcissus (1947), which I have heard was an excellent film, many people call it the greatest British film ever made. At first I was put off by the idea of a movie about a convent. However, it is set in the exotic Himalayas in India. Later, from the commentary and excellent documentary about the cinematographer Jack Cardiff, I learned that it was shot entirely in a studio, as a result, they used a lot of models and paintings and it is very vivid in the color version. The cinematography was quite amazing for a film of this time period; Cardiff has a painter?s eye and training for light and color. It turned out to be a compelling psychosexual drama that for some reason recalls aspects of Vertigo for me. I guess it might have to do with the climatic scene-taking place high up on the mountain.