by Paul Costello
It’s December now, which means it is only a short time until Christmas. And to celebrate the impending festival of gifts, cold weather and forced family togetherness, I shall present to you with a Christmas story for the next three weeks. Enjoy.
It’s December now, which means it is only a short time until Christmas. And to celebrate the impending festival of gifts, cold weather and forced family togetherness, I shall present to you with a Christmas story for the next three weeks. Enjoy.
Smoke is surprisingly overlooked little gem from the mid-1990s from director Wayne Wang, a Hong Kong-born director who came to prominence when he directed the film adaptation of Amy Tan’s novel The Joy Luck Club. His films tend to have a set independent feel, although his visuals have a distinct polish that many more self-consciously “indie” films of the period. His films revolve around quiet character studies, stories that are unfolded and exchanged as much between those on the screen than to the audience. Even when he goes more mainstream, it’s still fairly reserved (and yes, I know he also did Maid in Manhattan, but aesthetically it’s… whatever).
This tendency towards quiet, layered storytelling and character study is why his partnership with author Paul Auster (writer of The New York Trilogy) makes sense. The pair have a sense of storytelling that rests in easy parallel with the other, so that they have collaborated on three occasions offers interesting viewing. The first time they worked together was on Smoke, a low-budget (but very well cast) film that focuses on the lives of a group people connected by neighbourhood smoke shop. The plot isn’t much more than that really, since it’s more concerned on the little things that make up the lives of the characters.
This tendency towards quiet, layered storytelling and character study is why his partnership with author Paul Auster (writer of The New York Trilogy) makes sense. The pair have a sense of storytelling that rests in easy parallel with the other, so that they have collaborated on three occasions offers interesting viewing. The first time they worked together was on Smoke, a low-budget (but very well cast) film that focuses on the lives of a group people connected by neighbourhood smoke shop. The plot isn’t much more than that really, since it’s more concerned on the little things that make up the lives of the characters.
Auggie Wren (played by Harvey Keitel) is one of those characters. He works in the smoke shop, is friends with the people that come in and out, including writer Paul Benjamin (William Hurt). However, outside of the shop, Auggie has a thing about taking pictures. He takes a picture of the same spot at the same time every day, effectively offering up a small metaphor for the film’s focus. It does have a greater significance, but as an individual act, it’s a quiet quirk that simply begs questions. And he answers a particular one, of sorts, at lunch.
Setting the scene: Paul has been given a big job for a major newspaper - the New York Times wants him to write a Christmas story to be published on the day itself. Great job, but Paul doesn’t know any stories to tell. Stopping in at the smoke shop, he asks Auggie if he knows any. Auggie says he does and if Paul buys him lunch, he will tell him a Christmas story about how he got his first camera…
Setting the scene: Paul has been given a big job for a major newspaper - the New York Times wants him to write a Christmas story to be published on the day itself. Great job, but Paul doesn’t know any stories to tell. Stopping in at the smoke shop, he asks Auggie if he knows any. Auggie says he does and if Paul buys him lunch, he will tell him a Christmas story about how he got his first camera…
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