Customer Reviews

Fall [VHS]

5 star:		(85)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Eric Schaeffer's follow up to "If Lucy Fell" (1996) has a maturity to it entirely different than "Lucy." While Lucy was more of a juicy romantic comedy, Fall, which is not lacking in the laugh department, is a far more serious character study/analysis of an improbable romance and the effect it has on each of the parties involved in it.

Schaeffer always seems to be playing himself in his films (or at least always the same character) which is fine by me. I always enjoy his work and his welcome combination of superego, no-nonsense directness and comic brilliance.

As supermodel Sarah, Ms. deCadenet gives a strong performance, slowly yielding, then coming 'round the bend and surprising herself by truly falling for Schaeffer's character, the charming cab driver, Michael. But true to her word, she ends up breaking not only Michael's heart, but her own as well.

As always with an adulterous affair, things are bound to get messy and they do. The acceptance of the affairs ultimate resolution by both characters is handled better than most romantic movies - a genre, I admittedly have little tolerance for. Unless its an Eric Schaeffer "romance" of course!

Schaeffer has filled this screenplay with stunning poetry, which grows and blossoms in intensity until the final poem which ends the film providing an emotional climax that is entirely satisfying without being sappy or maudlin and never feeling manipulative or false.

As with "Lucy", look out for a very young Scarlett Johansson in the role of "Little Girl."

A quite remarkable little movie.

Not out on DVD, hard to find on VHS, and no soundtrack available, "Fall" would seem to be one of those movies that just disappears into oblivion.... until you talk to anyone who has watched it. A love story that is both all too fictitious and all too real, you will find yourself enslaved between the hearts of a taxi cab driver, and a supermodel. Eric Schaffer's beautifully languid poetry will stun your senses and settle in your heart for an eternity. Fresh, witty and sexy, "Fall" is an experience all to itself. This film was passed on to me, and I in turn have passed it on to many.... All who felt its magnificance equally.... now I'm passing it on to you... Buy it, watch it, and keep the circle going....

If you've never fallen hard, this film won't be for you. It's for all the rest of us who have loved and lost. Amanda De Cadenet isn't a natural actress, but she's filled with the joy of living and had wonderful reactions to everything. She makes you believe that, even though she has the magnetic Phillipe in her corner, she might still feel a little bit empty inside when she wakes up in the morning. As for Eric, well, the jury is out on him. I have found that most movie fans (who have seen his work) hate him, especially if they are guys. Women, it seems, have a higher Schaeffer tolerance. I think he's great myself, but I can see how his manner might put off some people, plus if you're not from New York you're not going to get the whole Eric Schaeffer gestalt. He's super talented and FALL, I think, is his best picture.

Genre fans remember the actor playing "Philippe," Rudolf Martin, from his several appearances on Fox's "24" and prior to that, he made a memorable Dracula on the "Buffy vs. Dracula" episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Martin makes the role his own, here, and doesn't use any tricks to put across his version of the cuckolded European, bamboozled by Sarah's search for true love.

You might also like IF LUCY FELL if you like this one. Schaeffer's more recent efforts inbclude the bizarre WIREY SPINDELL, which is sort of like what DECONSTRUCTING HARRY was for the career of Woody Allen, and the newish MIND THE GAP, nearly an anthology film like DEAD OF NIGHT or O HENRY'S FULL HOUSE. FALL is another kettle of fish, a swooning, fullblown passionate romance; it's like something the late great Max Ophuls might have made in another era with Joan Fontaine and James Mason.

"There's nothing scarier in the world than knowing exactly where you wanna go but having absolutely no idea how to get there. Except maybe, knowing where you wanna go, knowing how to get there, and then having no idea of who you are when you arrive."
Love stories always have their own special space in the movie business. It's easy to impress people with a love-flick as long as you have some kind of tragedy in it, and of course; Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts are always a nice screen-couple.
Shot back in 1997 "Fall" didn't achieve that much of a box-office success. So it's not a blockbuster but there's just 'something' about it, you have to see for yourself.
Director and the writer Eric Shaeffer prefers to have himself and not-so-famous Amanda De Cadenet as the leading roles for the movie. The theme is not even close to being original. Cab driver Micheal Shiver(Shaeffer) falls for the supermodel Sarah Houston(De Cadenet) whom he happens to pick up one lucky day.
"Be careful what you pray for!"
Micheal thinks he stands no chance against this beautiful, famous, and also married woman, but this is Hollywood and he is to be surprised, so are we. The story takes off but what makes it special is, Shaeffer catches those specific moments when pain sparkles in a person's eyes. He embroides the movie with some nasty sexuality and strong poetry that grabs you sometime in between the first 15 minutes of it and doesn't let go until the very end; the kind of ending that you find yourself looking blankly into the screen as the credits roll, with a significant lump in your throat, wiping silent tears off your cheeks.
"But the sacrifice of love Michael, the sacrifice of that kind of love... and life... when does God teach us how to do that?"

I didn't know to think while standing the video store. It was an ordinary day, and in this pale shadowed life I live most days are ordinary. I rented fall two summers ago, and will never forget how a movie can open a window into your heart. How Eric Scheaffer's letter almost jump off the screen from Amanda De Cadenet's hands and into yours is nothing more than brilliant. I am not a movie maker, and I may never have the passion this movie displays on improbable love, not impossible love. No love is impossible, and Fall shows us how this can be. A wonderfully rich soundtrack I believe is sang by "Marry Me Jane", but I am not sure. I truly wish this movie would be for re-release, if only for the simple fact that my VHS recording off IFC(Independant Film Channel) is wearing out. I recomend this film for anyone who wants it all, and nothing less in a movie.

It's finally coming out on DVD!! When I saw this movie for the first time a few years ago, it just defined certain aspects of life. I've probably watched it about 20 times by now.

Fall was one of those rare and hidden treats that I rented one night because I got bored with everything else.

What I saw was one of the most beautifully-shot, well-written and perhaps most-misunderstood films of the year. Eric Schaffer is PERFECT as the not-quite-James-Woods cabbie who picks up a supermodel and practically BEGS her for a date. When she FINALLY lets her guard down and they have some of most tense erotic moments, you think it's a pure skin-fest. It's not. Somehow, the two go past being sex-crazy to friends...and then friends to lovers.

Schaffer falls in love with her but you KNOW it's not going to work because of her boyfriend in Europe. That's the beauty of it all. You KNOW it's doomed from the start and the film REFUSES to take the easy way out. He foreshadows it all in the beginning, telling Sara, "I don't fall alone". Of course, we ALL smile at this warning, thinking that she's immune to his charms and that she can make it through a brief affair with this man in one piece. Truly, not the case.

It shows us that love is not something to be trifled with and when you fall inside of love's arms, it's almost impossible to break loose without hurting someone in the end. You shouldn't fall unless you are absolutely CERTAIN that the person you've fallen for is on the same page.

It's beautifully shot(with some truly beautiful cinematography and editing) and the writing is absolutely passionate, giving Schaffer a chance to show his feminine side and give us and idea of what his prose is like. Many critics and reviewers(off AND on the net) dismissed this as another Schaffer guy-fest and the chance to live out his "masturbatory fantasies"(as one critic put it) but that's all a bunch of hooey. So what if Schaffer gets to make out with leading ladies(such as Sarah Jessica Parker in IF LUCY FELL) and supermodels(like Amanda in FALL and Elle McPherson in LUCY)! That sounds like a jealousy-issue to me! Exploiting women? I hardly think so. You don't see Elle, Sarah or Amanda complaining, do you? It's ACTING! A profession of professionals! And besides, you DO get to see full-frontal nudity on ERIC, as well!

That's why I say, IGNORE the critics. Most will see what they want from the wrong angle. If you look at this small winner in the right way as a true love-story and just watch these two star-crossed lovers live out their lives until that fateful ending, decide for yourself if you've just watched a cold, exploitive film or a film with true characters and explosive FEELING.

I bought this the VERY next day as a previously-viewed tape and unless Orion(are they STILL alive?) decides to release this movie again, everyone will miss out on one of the truly great romances of the last decade.

--Matt

I won't say that Eric Schaffer doesn't have some filmmaking talent. He does. It's just that it takes a backseat to an ego that demands full-frontal nudity in the first five and final five minutes and this man is not Brad Pitt. He's not even Ben Stiller. I won't even get into him trying to pass for 20-something. It's well shot and unlike far too many films, does truly feel like NYC, but at the heart of it is this very unappealing man who wants you to believe he's irresistibly charming and could bag a supermodel (you'll have to suspend your disbelief to accept Amanda DeCadenet as a supermodel, though lovely she is) from the front seat of a cab. And if you've ever seen If Lucy Fell, you know this isn't the first time he's done this. His ego is go great he actually tosses the film's basic premise out in the final act to cement his greatness. It's on cable every other day. Save your money and catch it there.

As a poet/photographer/computer geek, I watch all kinds of...movies early in the morning. THIS WAS NOT ONE OF THEM! The final scene was absolutely heartbreaking.... But not in a cheesy way... I've just added another list of movies to my "to see" list... everything made by Eric Schaeffer... Exploring the symbolism of the movie, I see a lot of parallels with my own love life, and plan to rent it/view it again ASAP with my best friend, as I have faith that she'll also see parallels between the movie and our own relationship. I've been looking for months for something to describe exactly how I've been feeling, and I guess being an insomniac solved it for me. I would recommend this movie to EVERYONE with ANY artistic taste at all, this movie has class to spare... and then some. I just wish I'd had my recorder going, and I DEFINATELY plan on waiting until the movie comes on again so I can get the thing recorded and burned to DVD (seems to last longer than VHS in my honest opinion).

I just have to say, this is definately one of those little-known movies that everyone should watch... First thing Monday, I'll be writing Orion (and/or whoever their parent company is) asking for a DVD release of this film. Absolutely beautiful movie.

Anyone with a comment for me: "a_hermits_poetic_justice" on yahoo! messenger or allenp(!)at(!)efn[dot]org (sorry about the encoding... I hate getting spam. Anyone in Maryland that sees this movie, I'd love to hear from you especially, perhaps share a cup of joe sometime.

The film is brilliant. In reference to the music that accompanies it: Susan Werner has two albums. Mary Me Jane has a couple albums, their work is found throughout 'If Lucy Fell.' Aimie Mann's last album contains one of the songs in the film as well. If only we had a soundtrack, if only it contained Mr. Schaeffer's poetry.

That infectious scream at the end of the movie, I can't place it, but it is moving in ways not expressed in a five star rating system--the same for the movie.

Ignore the miscast of Amanda De Cardenet, the dialogue, the soundtrack, and that lovely voice-over technique--a piece of filmmaking genius.

Warning: Mr. Schaeffer has a problem with keeping his clothes on in this movie.