Limbo (1999)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

John Sayles

Writer (WGA):

John Sayles (written by)

Release Date:

4 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A condition of unknowable outcome

Plot:

Unconventional narrative about the interactions amongst a group of people in a small town in Alaska, each of whom has guards a secret.

Plot Keywords:

Alaska | Singer | Island | Ambiguous Ending | Fishing

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio	...	Donna De Angelo
David Strathairn	...	'Jumpin' Joe Gastineau
Vanessa Martinez	...	Noelle De Angelo
Hermínio Ramos	...	Ricky
Kris Kristofferson	...	'Smilin' Jack Johannson
Dawn McInturff	...	Audrey
Casey Siemaszko	...	Bobby Gastineau
Kathryn Grody	...	Frankie
Tom Biss	...	Baines
Rita Taggart	...	Lou
Leo Burmester	...	Harmon King
Michael Laskin	...	Albright
Jimmy MacDonell	...	Randy Mason
Mérit Carlson-van Dort	...	Stacy
Monica Brandner	...	Corky

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Singapore:PG | USA:R (certificate #36465) | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:12 | New Zealand:M | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Argentina:16 | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

DIPAC Salmon Hatchery - 2697 Channel Drive, Juneau, Alaska, USA

Company:

Green/Renzi

Quotes:

Albright: What are you buying when you get on a roller coaster? Not risk... but the illusion of risk. Being hurled to the edge of danger but knowing that you'll never have to cross it. Now Mr. Disney's innovation was to put these carnival rides and attractions into a story context where you can imagine yourself as a character in one of his cartoon epics floating through a plaster of paris jungle. The obvious next step...

Soundtrack:

You Never Can Tell

'Limbo' is Aptly Titled

I'd suggest that viewers watch 'Limbo' on DVD with the voice-over narrative by John Sayles, the director. A lot of insights provided there, including a lot of little details which give you insight into movie-making--the reason for multiple takes, visual effects, the importance of 'continuity', and even a lot about sound, which was a big issue in the making of this film.

I was amazed to learn that Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is such a terrific singer--she sang all the songs and, in fact, her voice was recorded live while shooting the scenes, not dubbed in later in post-production. Sayles describes this in his narrative.

Sayles had less to say in the narrative about the ending, but based on the comments he DID make it was all quite intentional--not the result of studio politics or a screenwriter (Sayles himself) who couldn't decide on a final ending. In fact, I would suggest that it is Sayles' standing in the business that permitted this film to be produced & released without answering the question of what becomes of those characters, though it also occurs to me that it could be the reason why this film didn't get much of a marketing push. Clearly the audience is left hanging in--dare I say it--a state of limbo. Sayles has no intention, based on his comments, of a sequel, though he invites anyone else to dream one up if they wish.

But aside from all this, it was a terrific film, with interesting characters, shot in unusual and often stunning locations ("Insomnia" comes to mind when thinking of recent films shot in Alaska with its scenic backdrops).

The cast was generally quite good--Mastrantonio and Strathairn were terrific, and Kris Kristofferson was a great choice as the likable but edgy local, Smilin' Jack Johannson. Vanessa Martinez was, for me, less convincing as the daughter until the boat trip and beyond, but that is when her character becomes truly important to the story and her work was quite good when it mattered most; up to then it was all teenage angst.

Overall, I enjoyed 'Limbo' a great deal, and the limbo in which the audience is left with such abruptness was, for me, almost a slap in the face--a welcome one--in striking contrast to the 'Star Wars' series in which George Lucas took 6 movies and nearly 30 years to tell us how Darth Vader came to be.

Note: I am NOT slamming Lucas or 'Star Wars' by that comment, only making a point.