Meet our Film Critic: Robert Chandler

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Robert Chandler. I am a producer and writer. I work in film and tv; animation and live-action.

What’s the first movie you remember watching that had a big impact on you?

That would be PLANET OF THE APES in the early seventies (a re-release, it was made in 1968) at Lewisham Odeon. I loved the fantasy of it; the growing threat as we follow the three astronauts through the story and gradually discover more about the planet; the special make-up on the apes; the idea of being lost and not knowing where you are, the whittling down through the adventure of the astronauts to just one (as a young viewer I figured I’d be that one survivor); and then that spectacular resolution with the astronaut turning the corner at the beach and seeing the buried figurehead. 

When I first saw the film, I did not know of the surprise ending. I can recall easily the shock of that revelation at Lewisham Odeon, which no longer exists. It was torn down in the 90s. A criminal act, really. Unlike the Statue of Liberty, it did not survive mankind’s dark heart.

What super power does being a producer give you as a film critic and vice versa?

A knowledge of film history and storytelling. The poet Stevie Smith asked how anybody could be a writer without knowing the classics. The what-went-before. I agree with her. You have to know your art and its history to be able to contribute to it. Unless you are a naïf genius. Which most of us are not. Knowledge and appreciation of what-went-before helps you build the structure of a story. Gives you a series of reference points. If only so you can make sure you are not repeating something that has already been told or, if you are, then doing it knowingly, in which case you can warp it or build in some difference. It’s such a rich, textured artform with more history than one can consume in a lifetime. As Steve Martin’s producer character says to another in Lawrence Kasdan’s GRAND CANYON, “You haven’t seen enough movies. All of life’s riddles are answered in the movies.”

In terms of the flipside of that, I like being a critic who has some knowledge and experience of how the industry works. You know, Truffaut stopped being a critic as soon as he made his first film. How, he asked, could I possibly judge somebody’s work now that I know what they go through and what it takes to make a movie? But I feel I can write about films from an enthusiast’s point of view and from the point of view of somebody who knows what that film went through to get to the screen. It makes me a kinder critic but hopefully one with some insight.

Your three top movies and three top tv show recommendations for 2020

MOVIES

It’s difficult to be accurate about movie releases because the schedules have been disrupted so much by Covid. Here are my top three for the year so far…

THE INVISIBLE MAN. Leigh Whannell’s masterly retake of the James Whale Universal 1933 movie. This one allows its male protagonist to carry some of the madness essayed by HG Wells and portrayed by Claude Rains. Here, Whannell swaps things around so that the story centres on a woman, played by Elisabeth Moss, who is being gaslit and then pursued by her murderous ex, the invisible man. It’s a film about abuse and fighting back against abuse and, as such, it fits perfectly into Moss’ career. At times, it evens feels like a companion to THE HANDMAID’S TALE. It’s creepy and eerie, and carries one scene that is particularly shocking, surprising… the cinema gasped collectively when it happened. That’s always a good thing.

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD. Armando Ianucci’s lovely breezy telling of Dickens’ favourite novel. It floats along beautifully, deploying colourblind casting that works well to tell a story that is essentially about identity. Most of the kickback against the film is people reacting against the cast. It’s funny and moving, and Ianucci makes it clear how autobiographical Dickens’ book (serialised story) was. Dev Patel is excellent as Copperfield and Aneurin Barnard - an actor who always delivers - is very good, too. Everybody is good in it. The sign of a great screenplay.

BAD EDUCATION. This was made by HBO and denied a cinema release in the UK because of the closure of the cinemas, but it can be found on Sky Cinema. It’s a much better and richer film than its title suggests, telling the true story of a couple of prominent teachers in the US, who decide to abuse the system in order to bring glory to their school and make it more attractive to students. Or do they abuse the system for their own gain? There’s an ambiguity running through the film that strengthens it. Alison Janney is always excellent and I think it may be a career best performance by Hugh Jackman.

TELEVISION

DARK, a German series, on Netflix, delivered a stunning season three finale to wrap up its convoluted timewarp. It must be one of the most complex family dramas ever made. That sounds hyperbolic, but I can’t think of any other show or premise that offers and delivers so much mindf**kery as it played through the possibilities of its dramatic permutations. Honestly, the concentration required from the viewer to keep up with it! You needed to think like a forensic detective, preferably with a wall chart; the faces of all the characters connected by red yarn. The great thing about it is that it was worth working at. The cast performances and the storytelling were remarkable. Please watch with sub-titles, if you can.

MONEY HEIST, also on Netflix, now in its fourth season, a Spanish series about a gang that breaks into and takes over Spain’s mint. It’s visually striking (you’ll want to wear a red boiler suit and a Salvador Dali mask around the house by the time you finish the first season) and becomes so involving because of the characters and the way it manages its tension, running a super-tight narrative that knows how to keep you hooked. It’s the characters that elevate it, though. You fall in love with them without even knowing their real names. They name themselves after cities in order to preserve their anonymity. I have fallen in love with Tokyo, Nairobi, Denver, Rio, Helsinki and even Berlin. But especially Denver. What a performance. (again, watch with sub-titles)

LENOX HILL, on Netflix (they are doing something right), a US documentary series. There is a surfeit of fly-on-the-wall A&E series on British TV at the moment and they are all very good. You get involved, as a viewer, in the plight of the patients. Lenox Hill takes a leaf out of the Grey’s Anatomy / New Amsterdam playbook and tells its eight-part story of the New York public hospital by following four doctors at work. Two of them are brain surgeons, and it is the surgeons and their battle to save lives, mostly with patients affected by cancer, which becomes compelling and moving as the series unfolds. An opportunity to watch grace-under-pressure, people dealing with life-or-death situations with clarity and calm; and to share something of the emotional toll the work takes on a person. An extra episode – a ninth – was produced to show the doctors coping with Covid.

Should a film ever be seen first on VOD or always in theatres? 

I’m agnostic about where people see films. I can get as much joy from a film watched on an iPad as on a giant cinema screen. Sure, it’s a different experience, but I know that and adjust as I watch. So, yes. See the film wherever you can and however you want to watch it. Just watch it. But do not ever watch a pirate copy 😉

Will we have a chance to review one of your movies on Let’s Go Sussex? 

Yes, Summer 2022, two animated movies, both getting a theatrical release, if the cinemas are still standing. If not, you’ll see them on a large screen tv or an iPad; and two live action movies, which are in the pipeline. That said, the traditional film-making world has been hit badly by Covid so the live-action films may be derailed. Animation is looking healthy, though. Animation is easier to make remotely. 

Will I be allowed to review my own films? I hope so. I’ll give them a hard time.