Customer Reviews

Mesmer [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

First, to get some things clear: the boy is Mesmer's stepson and the marriage is propably a business arrangement, as hinted by both Mesmer and his wife. As marriages were in those days.

The movie then... Yes, at times Rickman's voice was very hard to hear and the plot seems a bit loose. I admit he's got the most expressive face, eyes, voice and hands in the movie business and for once they were very well portrayed. In fact, the movie seems to rely on them. I was a bit confused, too, what was the point of the movie. Was it a historical piece, romantic story - it even had some comedy, as great tragedies often have. Mesmer seems to fail, although in real life he actually did cure people. And then he said his bit about how much pain there is in the world and how he could not bare not to be able to do anything to relieve it. And there was the point; that's why Dennis Potter, already dying, wrote the script this way. Even the kissing scene, which to many people seems very romantic and sexy, seemed sad to me. As if Mesmer couldn't believe something like that really happens to him. Even the ending made sense, then. This is a man, whose heart is aching to do something good in a world filled with pain and cruelty, selfishness and ignorance, but fails because one man isn't enough. Even the one he cures isn't saved, because the world doesn't understand what he was trying to do, what he was trying to make people see. Dennis Potter's testament, maybe?

Oh yes, Rickman was born to wear cloaks (see Snape and Sheriff of Nottingham) and white ruffles around his throat, Amanda Ooms is lovely and the acting and the sceneries are great. And to remind, why Rickman is so great as a villain, he gets to throw the boy down the stairs. Suddenly a burst of energy and passion, making the character even more complicated, more human - because that's what Rickman does at his best: complete, complicated, deeply human characters.

It's a very different kind of movie and many may not like it, but it's well worth watching. One gets to see an actor like Rickman far too little, and Dennis Potter was an excellent writer, even if this wasn't his best script. I loved it. It was very different from the super hero and cartoon character movies. We need to be reminded of real humanity and the fragility of people this way, because there seems to be very little room for compassion, pity and understanding in today's world.

Ah, yes the infamous movie with virtually no sound. If you have those little Sony speakers, you can crank up the volume all the way and put the speakers by your ears and you can hear the dialogue that way.

First, let me get the cons out of the way. There are some plot elements that never got resolved. For instance, what happened to the girl with the crush on Mesmer? Who was she anyway? Why is Mesmer's son so idiotic and totally unlike his father??? Why are there scenes that look like they've been replayed? (The glass bowl scene.) But if you manage to look past all of that, Mesmer is a very entertaining movie.

Mesmer is truly a feast for the eyes. The costumes and scenery are brought out even more by the lush color quality of the dvd. And oh, are there costumes! If you are a sucker for costume films, then Mesmer's lovely puffy sleeves and purple velvet cloak will surely impress.

The acting in this movie is great too. Alan Rickman, is, of course, marvelous and top notch. I love the scene when he is hugging Maria Teresa after she accidentally revealed her secret to him. Watch those haunted eyes. You can see his confusion, then realization, then anger and fierce protectiveness. Amanda Ooms is a very talented actress as well. They bring the somewhat awkwardly written script to life.

For those of you who are Alan Rickman fans and haven't seen this movie... you can't call yourself a fan! Mr. Rickman has completely sensual long hair and dons an array of fabulously sexy costumes (as mentioned before.) There are plenty of hand scenes. His hands are extremely beautiful. And his low, purring voice makes full use of the DVD subwoofer. Be sure to turn up the bass!

As for the story, I have to admit it ends without a real resolution. But then again, Mesmer is a historical movie based on real events (or so they say) and realistically speaking, not that many people have exciting, Mission Impossible style lives. The movie Mesmer gives the viewer a glimpse into a period of the doctor's life, and his beliefs and methods of healing, not a perfect bedtime story where the heros slay the dragon in the end and ride off into the sunset. Just the scenes of Mesmer's healing methods and the intimate moment with Maris Teresa are good enough for me!

All in all, a great feast for the eyes and some emotional parts are worth watching over and over again. Make good use of the foast forward and rewind buttons on your remote. That's why they're there!

Alan Rickman stars as Dr. Frantz Anton Mesmer, an Austrian physician in the 18th century who is considered to be the most influential figure in the development of hypnosis. Dr. Mesmer used magnets and metal frames in water to put his patients in a trance-like state in order to cleanse the magnetic forces in the body. He believed that a persons emotional and mental state was directly related to physical illness. He felt that everyone had the ability to heal themselves of any disease just by breaking through the mental barriers and re-aligning the magnetic forces. (I believe they call it life energy today.)

Dr. Mesmer did achieve success with his treatment but was ridiculed and ostracized by the medical community. The staid medical establishment of the time did not approve of Mesmers oftentimes theatrical performances and excessive showmanship. As a result, Mesmer was condemned by his medical colleagues and forced to leave Vienna. He practiced in Austria, Switzerland and Germany before settling in France.

Mr. Rickman truly captures the charismatic and controversial character of Dr. Mesmer. This film shows how the physician practiced his craft but I felt it didnt really explain how he developed his technique originally. (In fact, the film has a few unexplained gaps in it.) The movie focuses on two of Mesmers patients; one is the cousin of his wife, the other is a gifted musician he encounters at a recital. His wifes cousin, a young girl, seems hopelessly brain damaged and he never really helps her. The musician is a beautiful young woman (Amanda Ooms) who is blind. Mesmer believes he can cure her blindness and becomes quite taken with her. He discovers that her father has been sexually abusing her since she was a young child. She lost her sight at the age of 3 and Mesmer believes that the abuse is perhaps what caused her blindness. The doctors treatment to help her regain her sight seemingly fails until she falls and bumps her head. The impression here is that the fall is what really restores her sight but Mesmer (and the woman) believes he did it. Also highlighted in the movie is Mesmers relationship with his wife, which is miserable. They seem to hate one another and I wondered why he married such a shrew in the first place. Another unexplained gap is when Mesmer is shown living in Paris for two years and you dont know if he is still married or not.

Even with the unexplained gaps this is still a very good movie. It is a must have for the Alan Rickman fan (which I am). I would have given it 5 stars except for the gaps and the ending, which leaves you hanging. After two years, the young woman is brought in to testify against Dr. Mesmer at a hearing. With her sight restored, the musician returned home and, in so doing, returned to her sexually abusive father. She felt abandoned by Mesmer and this, along with her fathers abuse, resulted in the loss of her sight yet again. The movie ends with Mesmer and her just sitting silently together. Maybe I missed something but I just didnt get the ending. Ill have to watch the movie again. Still, I do recommend it and perhaps you will find yourself mesmerized by it.

This is a fascinating movie for any student/practitioner of hypnosis or hypnotherapy. Alan Rickman is wonderful as Dr. Mesmer, the Austrian physician credited as the "Father of Hypnotism". Rickman captures the nuances of "waking" suggestion perfectly, using his voice and touch to produce trance state in his patients.(Eg. "Ladies, don't be surprised if you should swoon!") Particularly interesting is his experimental treatment of hysterical blindness which culminates in the accidental discovery that the "shock/surprise factor" is necessary to effect the desired healing. A lot of this is going to be missed by casual viewers who lack an understanding of hypnotism. But, Rickman plays a Mesmer who is, himself, struggling to understand the marvelous techniques he is discovering. His efforts fail at least as often as he succeeds. This makes him a sympathetic, if enigmatic character. Not a movie for the masses, but I loved it!

I was, um, mesmerized, by this dreamy and stylish film... Actually, the softly-delivered and naturally-spoken lines add to the intimate feel of the film. All one has to do is pay attention, and most of the dialogue is quite understandable... Alan Rickman is the sexiest actor on any stage or screen. His silky, sultry, seductive voice is perfect for Mesmer. As Dr. Mesmer Alan Rickman radiates scads of "animal magnetism". This skilled actor gives a deep, thoughtful performance of his conflicted and unusual character; people who are used to one-dimensional characters and shallow acting just won't get the message. If you like interesting and slightly odd art films, Mesmer is for you. If you prefer TV and ordinary Hollywood pap, this film will probably confuse you.

This historical drama about Dr. Mesmer of Vienna (mesmerism) is only mildly rewarding, because it doesn't take a stand on the question: Was he a genius or a con man? It is frustrating to see several major events in his life played out, only to be left wondering....and not really caring. Maybe he was a misunderstood healer, ahead of his time. Or, maybe, he was a slick operator who tried to fool his clients. Unfortunately, this movie never resolves the question. Alan Rickman is terrific, as always, and I recommend this film to his fans.

Alan Rickman is superb as Mesmer. Too often he is cast as the villian. Here, he is a healer with heart exposed. I fancy this chap's talent, voice, presence on screen and finally get a closer look at his character. Here, he is not evil nor glib, silent, nor sadistic, just caring and passionate in his beliefs. Perhaps this best mirrors the man we see too little of on the big screen.

Alan Rickman brings the power of who he is in this film of films. His performance of Mesmer is so enlightening he offers to us the man he emulates in this film for our enjoyment and our learning. I was so delighted to find, at last, a true version of the man who preceeded Freud but has been left in the background. Kudos to all.

Even Alan Rickman couldn't save this conglomeration of images which attempted to depict the life and times of Franz Anton Mesmer. Truly an interesting story, Mesmer's life is not well portrayed by this movie. Unless you are already well acquainted with Mesmer and his theories, watching this movie will not explain any of the man's intriguing ideas. In fact, I found myself more confused by the end of the movie than before I'd begun watching it!

The sound was not good at all for a portion of the movie and it was very hard to hear some of the dialogue adding to the overall confusion. There were some exquisite uses of light and shadow- very artistic. But alas, the movie ends very suddenly without explanation of any sort and left me sitting there with open mouth and a blank expression. Maybe I had been mesmerized. I often am mesmerized by Alan Rickman!

Have you ever gone for an MRI? Have you ever felt the needles of an acupuncturist? What about seances,crystal therapy,faith healings, chiropractic and primal scream therapy? There are numerous avenues to healing out there and some, along with their adherers may be considered a little wacky by some! Well.. If you have ever wondered where the phrase "you've got animal magnetism" gets it's origin you will learn it here in this very different film MESMER starring the enigmatic and creepy Alan Rickman.

In 1774,Franz Anton Mesmer produced what he called "the artificial tide".The patient swallowed a liquid containing iron and then had magnets to their body. Mesmer believed that the "animal magnetism" that accululated in his body controlled the liquid flow in the patient thus curing all ills. Thus we get the term "mesmerized."Patients would seem in trance states for hours. Multitudes watched as these "cures" were performed.They were "high drama" and frankly curious entertainment for the wealthy of the time!

This film, though, particularly follows the scandal that resulted from Mesmer's unsuccessful attempt at curing the blindness of Maria Paradis, and teenage musician in Vienna.This debacle resulted in Mesmer's fleeing to Paris where he continued his work with one physician of high standing, Charles d'Eslon.

This film is odd to say the least, and frankly some are going to think "What was Alan Rickman (Mesmer) thinking???" Well, frankly no one could have played the bizarre Mesmer any more compellingly than Mr. Rickman. Mesmer's ideas in the studies of the body and health are not at all unlike many of the more esoteric means of curing ills that exist today! Rickman plays Mesmer with complete abandon and mysteriousness that WAS Anton Mesmer. One scene that depicts Mesmer's group cure called "the baquet" still stays in my mind to this day! Twenty people sat connected to each other and to metal rods that were attached to a large round vessel. As Mesmer would pass by each person, his animal magnetism would pass to the participants producing all kinds of fits and convulsing! FASCINATING and FASCINATINGLY FILMED!!!!Yes, his techniques were of such high drama and SO unorthodox that one might be tempted to write this film off as folly. IT IS NOT! Anyone revolutionary thinker/charlatan/crack-pot/genius has his or hers believers and detractors. This film shows what extents the wealthy of the time were willing to go in order to seek cure...and it does it well!

Great companion films that also show unorthodox methods of healers/physicians/mystics are AIMEE SEMPLE McPHERSON, THE ROAD TO WELLVILLE, BEAUTIFUL DREAMERS,THE APOSTLE,HOUDINI,THE CHANGELING and THE OTHERS.

For Alan Rickman fans, another film where he plays a "crazy" is RASPUTIN. EXCELLENT!