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Amazon.co.uk Review
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover is both adored and detested for its combination of sumptuous beauty and revolting decadence. Few directors polarise audiences in the same way as Peter Greenaway, a filmmaker as influenced by Jacobean revenge tragedy and 17th-century painting as by the French New Wave. A vile, gluttonous thief (Michael Gambon) spews hate and abuse at a restaurant run by a stoic French cook (Richard Bohringer), but under the thief's nose his wife (the ever-sensuous Helen Mirren) conducts an affair with a bookish lover (Alan Howard). Clothing (by avant-garde designer Jean-Paul Gaultier) changes colour as the characters move from room to room. Nudity, torture, rotting meat, and Tim Roth at his sleaziest all contribute the atmosphere of decay and excess. Not for everyone, but for some, essential. --Bret Fetzer
Synopsis
Master director Greenaway (The Pillow Book) outdoes himself with this grisly fairy tale. The thief, Albert Spica, (Gambon) is a gangster, repugnant and boorish, who holds court at the same table in his opulent restaurant every night surrounded by his lackeys (Tim Roth and the late Ian Dury included). When his cultured and repressed wife Georgina (Mirren) becomes magnetically attracted to a solitary diner in the restaurant, the two begin a secret affair under the nose of her dangerous husband. With the help of the restaurant's chef, the time the lovers share is kept secret from the vicious Albert...for a while. Despite the breathtaking production design and artful camera work, this violent, disturbing and very darkly comic work is not for everyone. Those with the stomach for it, however, will reap generous rewards.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Peter Greenaway's "The Cook, The Thief..." is part black comedy and part surreal drama starring the brilliant Michael Gambon and Helen Mirren. As lush and darkly beautiful as some of his other work (Prospero's Books, Drowning By Numbers), "The Cook, The Thief..." has the huge advantage of being a highly watchable film because Greenaway creates a dramatic story that engages you with characters alot more than in some of his other work. The film looks and sounds great throughout, with the keen eye of Sacha Vierny and the surreal touches from Greenaway that bring each scene to life.
Once again, Greenaway has used the music of Michael Nyman to add a whole new dimension to the film. Indeed, Nyman never 'scored' any Greenaway films... the process was infact the other way around, with Greenaway choreographing his scenes to fit with Nyman's music. This film is by far and away the best example of this, and the result is superb. Incorporating some of Nyman's best music, the musical centrepiece of the film is Nyman's 'Memorial', and epic funeral march-like piece, originally composed as a memorial to the victims of the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985.
As well as some great costumes (by Jean Paul Gaultier), set designs and brilliant acting (esp. by Gambon), this film boasts some great dark humour, as well as it's fair share of geniune nastiness. Gambon plays the abominable Albert Spica, a grotesque and vulgar man who abuses and humiliates his wife (Mirren), who seeks refuge with another man, only for Spica to turn his wretched attentions to him, with terrible consequences (can't say any more without giving the end away!)
As a piece of film-making, it's a masterpiece. As a nice cosy film you can sit down to watch on a rainy weekend over and over again, forget it! But for Greenaway's talent, Gambon's acting, Nyman's music, Gaultier's costumes and Sacha Vierny's cinematographic excellence, how many more reasons do you need to go out and buy this film? Great stuff!!
60 of 65 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Just read the other reviews and you will get a feel for just how good this film is, but why on earth has the transfer to DVD been done in such a botched manner?
The opening titles illustrate the problem that persists throughout.
The orinigal wide screen presentation has been cropped such that the titles are incomplete.
Within the body of the film one is frequently left watching an empty centre of the original with the speaking characters somewhere off screen.
This brilliant film deserves much better treatment.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Wonderful film, and great fun to deconstruct, if you're into that kind of thing.
It's about time Criterion or somebody released a special edition, and cleaned up the picture and sound. That said, although the transfer is pretty poor, the film is presented in its original 2.35:1 ratio, and is not cropped. The earlier reviewer must be referring to another DVD.
It's about time Criterion or somebody released a special edition, and cleaned up the picture and sound. That said, although the transfer is pretty poor, the film is presented in its original 2.35:1 ratio, and is not cropped. The earlier reviewer must be referring to another DVD.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Weird
With Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren and Tim Roth I thought this will be a winner, but I found it weird and at times with gratuitous violence. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Alan Townson
Bizarre but engaging
Possibly a very personal work of art by its director. The costumes are rather fascinating, they remind me a bit to those out of "Kika" by Almodovar. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Lou Review
not worth buying
EVEN WITH HELEN MIRREN THIS IS A VERY STRANGE DVD! I ONLY WATCHED ABOUT HALF WAY, HOPING IT WOULD GET BETTER, BUT IT DID NOT. NOT RECCOMENDED.
Published 13 months ago by JACQUE
no just no
this film although brilliantly directed and performed is the most disturbing film i have ever seen, it reminded me of all the nightmares i had as a child however you do get to see... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Rosie AKA JEEVES
Film/DVD
The appeal of this film is in my oppinion the way it is put together. The director was trained as an artist and it shows. Read more
Published on 20 Sep 2009 by A. K. Sellers
film review
i had this film a while ago and lost it so was glad to be able to obtain it again
Published on 17 May 2009 by M. J. Cooper
A Dish To Be Savoured
The CTTHWAHL is probably Peter Greenaway's most accessible film to date.From the outrageous Jean Paul Gaultierre costumes to Michael Nyman's at times piercing soundtrack this film... Read more
Published on 22 April 2009 by G. R. Donaldson
Decadent
Decadent, decadent and even more decadent. Decadent story dressed up in mind-blowing outfits created by Jean Paul Gaultier, with incredible, changing background stenography... Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2009 by K. Kowalow
film addict must have.
This one is a true classic of Peter greenaway. A must have and collectible for the futur generation.
Published on 11 Feb 2009 by Geert De Coninck
Shocking, crude, vulgar but unmissable!
I first saw this film in the late 80s and it was like nothing i'd ever seen before (it still is) Michael Gambon plays an amazing part and you can't take your eyes off him as you... Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2009 by Mr. S. Cussons
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