From Spell' to Psychopath'
November 10, 1998 - 0:0
Director: Daryoush Farhang Screenwriter: Jaber Qasem-Ali Editor of Screenplay: Daryoush Farhang Camerawork Manager: Mehrdad Afkhami Editing Director: Hussein Zandbaf Music: Mohammad-Reza Ali-Qoli Make-Up: Farhang Mo'ayyeri Actresses: Niki Karimi, Fahimeh Rastkar, Hayede Ha'eri Actors: Khosro Shakibaee, Parviz Parastouee, Mohammad Barsouzian Psychopath' is a 105-minute color film. Synopsis: Maryam is a restless girl who thinks she will die soon. A well-known fortune-teller has told her a young engineer with a bunch of flowers would come and propose to her.
On the other hand, a shrewish woman has also told her fortune, saying that she should wait for a traveller in white who would come from a far distance and who would take her away with him. Finally, the wedding ceremony is held and after the celebration, various events take place... My favorite cinema is the cinema of the audience... our efforts was to make the film Psychopath a bridge between special audience and common audience", said the film director Daryoush Farhang regrading the film.
Given the director's statement and considering the skillful cadre of the film, one would think that Farhang has fulfilled a Herculean task, since experience shows that just a handful of films have managed to attract both common and special audience, those which have been registered in the history of the Iranian cinema. However, as far as Psychopath' is concerned, as soon as the audience leave the cinema, they will realize that all the thoughts, statements and dialogs have just been slogans and fancy.
One may even dare to say that the best and most attractive part of the film is its title. The title of the film involves a special technique and innovation. In other words, contrary to the titles of other Iranian films, it attracts attention. In fact, being attracted by its title, the audience take the film seriously. But, unfortunately, soon after the film is over, the title loses its attraction.
So, there remains no doubt that Psychopath is one of the trite commercial films. Even the employment of professional actors and actresses has not saved the film from falling into the category of prosaic films. The fact is that the actors and actresses have not used their full potential. Khosro Shakibaee, who was due to assume an apparently different character, has the same character as in his other films.
The only difference is his new name. His character in this film is a collection of his performed roles in other films. Niki Karimi plays the same role as in Minou Tower and Pari. Parviz Parastouee, who is gradually becoming known as a competent actor, does not present a new character in this film. Although he has tried to assume the role of an engineer in the film, due to weaknesses in the screenplay and directing, he has not been successful.
The main problem of Psychopath lies in its screenplay and necessary harmony in shaping the characters, their relations and a logical trend in the sequence of events cannot be seen, although the screenplay has been edited by the film director himself. Most of the characters do not have a clear identity. Maryam's stepmother, the shrewish woman, who is a fortune-teller, and even the engineer are among unidentified characters in the film.
Moreover, none of the characters, who have strange and somehow funny behavior, follows any definite objectives. Psychopath is the seventh film directed by Daryoush Farhang. After two successful films of Spell and Two Films With One Ticket, he has not succeeded in directing a different and outstanding film. His other films, namely The Best Father of the World, Way of Honor, and Diplomat, were not successful in view of their financial return and their power to attract the audience.
Although Psychopath is a box-office success, it has not been successful from the viewpoint of attracting special audience as well as its structure and technique. Besides, in order to draw financial support from a giant company which produces home appliances, the film producer has displayed the trade mark and name of the company in most of the scenes, which deals an indirect blow to the fame and reputation of the director.
In conclusion, it should be said that Farhang, by directing Psychopath, has greatly distanced himself from his laudable work in directing Spell and Two Films With One Ticket.
On the other hand, a shrewish woman has also told her fortune, saying that she should wait for a traveller in white who would come from a far distance and who would take her away with him. Finally, the wedding ceremony is held and after the celebration, various events take place... My favorite cinema is the cinema of the audience... our efforts was to make the film Psychopath a bridge between special audience and common audience", said the film director Daryoush Farhang regrading the film.
Given the director's statement and considering the skillful cadre of the film, one would think that Farhang has fulfilled a Herculean task, since experience shows that just a handful of films have managed to attract both common and special audience, those which have been registered in the history of the Iranian cinema. However, as far as Psychopath' is concerned, as soon as the audience leave the cinema, they will realize that all the thoughts, statements and dialogs have just been slogans and fancy.
One may even dare to say that the best and most attractive part of the film is its title. The title of the film involves a special technique and innovation. In other words, contrary to the titles of other Iranian films, it attracts attention. In fact, being attracted by its title, the audience take the film seriously. But, unfortunately, soon after the film is over, the title loses its attraction.
So, there remains no doubt that Psychopath is one of the trite commercial films. Even the employment of professional actors and actresses has not saved the film from falling into the category of prosaic films. The fact is that the actors and actresses have not used their full potential. Khosro Shakibaee, who was due to assume an apparently different character, has the same character as in his other films.
The only difference is his new name. His character in this film is a collection of his performed roles in other films. Niki Karimi plays the same role as in Minou Tower and Pari. Parviz Parastouee, who is gradually becoming known as a competent actor, does not present a new character in this film. Although he has tried to assume the role of an engineer in the film, due to weaknesses in the screenplay and directing, he has not been successful.
The main problem of Psychopath lies in its screenplay and necessary harmony in shaping the characters, their relations and a logical trend in the sequence of events cannot be seen, although the screenplay has been edited by the film director himself. Most of the characters do not have a clear identity. Maryam's stepmother, the shrewish woman, who is a fortune-teller, and even the engineer are among unidentified characters in the film.
Moreover, none of the characters, who have strange and somehow funny behavior, follows any definite objectives. Psychopath is the seventh film directed by Daryoush Farhang. After two successful films of Spell and Two Films With One Ticket, he has not succeeded in directing a different and outstanding film. His other films, namely The Best Father of the World, Way of Honor, and Diplomat, were not successful in view of their financial return and their power to attract the audience.
Although Psychopath is a box-office success, it has not been successful from the viewpoint of attracting special audience as well as its structure and technique. Besides, in order to draw financial support from a giant company which produces home appliances, the film producer has displayed the trade mark and name of the company in most of the scenes, which deals an indirect blow to the fame and reputation of the director.
In conclusion, it should be said that Farhang, by directing Psychopath, has greatly distanced himself from his laudable work in directing Spell and Two Films With One Ticket.