[FILM REVIEW] DALILAND Review (2023)
Summary: In 1973, a young gallery assistant goes on a wild adventure behind the scenes as he helps the aging genius Salvador Dali prepare for a big show in New York.
Year: 2023
Cinema Release Dates: 13th July 2023 (Australia), TBA (Thailand), TBA (UK), 9th June 2023 (USA)
VOD Release Dates: TBA
Country: USA, France, UK
Director: Mary Harron
Screenwriter: John Walsh
Cast: Alexander Beyer (Christoffe), Christopher Briney (James), Desmond Carter (Jack Shalloo), Rupert Graves (Captain Moore), Joella Hinson-King (Donyale Luna), Ben Kingsley (Salvador Dali), Avital Lvova (Young Gala), Mark McKenna (Alice Cooper), Ezra Miller (Young Dali), Zachery Nachbar-Seckel (Jeff Fenholt), Matthew James Ovens (Renaldo), Ansreja Pejic (Amanda Lear), Merce Ribot (Rosa), Gavin Spokes (Gilbert Hamon), Barbara Sukowa (Gala), Suki Waterhouse (Ginesta)
Running Time: 97 mins
Classification: M (Australia), TBC (Thailand), TBC (UK), TBC (USA)
OUR DALILAND REVIEWS
Alex First’s Daliland Review
The genius, the arrogance and the madness of Spanish artist Salvador Dali (played by Ben Kingsley) is front and centre in Daliland.
As a 70-year-old, the film presents a picture of a man obsessed with sexual creativity, but who doesn’t actually have sex.
Dali deeply loves his volatile wife, Gala (Barbara Sukowa), who controls all the finances and runs her own race.
The pair spend their winters in the upmarket St Regis Hotel in New York, a practice they have maintained for 20 years.
It is there that they burn through $20,000 each month … and money (or lack thereof) is always an issue.
For her part, Gala is besotted with the lead singer in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar and indulges his push for fame.
The film unfolds through the perspective of a young, good looking male intern at a New York gallery about to stage an exhibition of Dali’s works.
An art school dropout, James (Christopher Briney) catches the eye of both Gala and Dali.
After coming to an arrangement with the gallery owner, Christoffe (Alexander Beyer), he is soon working directly for the master.
The owner’s one condition is that James ensures Dali produces enough work to complete the exhibition, for at that time the wall space hasn’t been filled.
In fact, Gala is on Dali’s case too because he is far too easily distracted, throwing wild parties.
Matters take another turn after the exhibition and James is witness to questionable practices.
The film also includes fond recollections by Dali of his early days with Gala.
Written by John Walsh, Daliland is a fascinating insight into the life and times of Salvador Dali.
Just how accurate it is, I can’t say, but “colourful” doesn’t cover the half of it.
James is like the cat who got the cream. He can’t quite believe what he has walked into, but embraces the hedonistic lifestyle.
Still, he comes to realise that all that glitters is not gold, for this is a warts and all portrayal of an artist whose recognition is on the wane.
I greatly appreciated the over-the-top portrayals that characterise this work and contrast sharply with James’ naivete. Christopher Briney does a fine job as the latter.
Dali has tickets on himself. He is self-centred, but deeply vulnerable. Ben Kingsley well captures the preposterousness of it all.
Gala is equally indulgent and prone to frequent fits of pique. She regularly throws objects at her employees. Barbara Sukowa ensures she is seen as a force to be reckoned with.
As the gallery owner, Alexander Beyer represents the cutthroat, ruthless nature of the art world.
What I found particularly enjoyable about Daliland was its unpredictability. There were no cues as to what would happen next. There is a craziness about it all, as well as an underlying sadness because it is coming to the end for Dali and Gala.
Other Daliland Reviews:
Nil
Trailer: