Mitchell Beaupre’s review published on Letterboxd:
New York Film Festival virtual screening
One of the fun things about seeing a film that’s been restored by the World Cinema Foundation is that each one opens up with text describing the efforts that were made to restore the film to their current release. A lot of this is technical stuff, the process done to correct coloring or restore lost or damaged frames, but sometimes there are also pretty fascinating stories which detail how the work of world cinema became lost in time until now. The Chess Game of the Wind, the debut feature of Iranian director Mohammad Reza Aslani, has perhaps the most interesting story I’ve seen to date. Screened only once in 1976, the movie’s sharp evisceration of class politics led to it being banned in 1979 upon the Iranian Revolution. It survived over the years being passed around in rudimentary VHS form, until decades later the original negatives were found in a Tehran antique shop.
How this kind of thing happens in the world, I’ll never know, but Scorsese’s WCF went to work in restoring its glory, and the work they’ve done is absolutely astonishing. I’m always blown away by the restorations that come from the WCF, but this one might be their finest work yet. It certainly helps that Aslani’s film is one of unparalleled beauty. The images in this picture are so crisp, the production design loaded with colors that pop and texture that draws you into this world instantly, an almost dastardly trick considering the dark, haunting places that it will eventually take you.
A lot of people, including the NYFF’s own description, will make note of how the film evokes Visconti, which it certainly does in its opulence and class commentary, but its story also drew my mind to Henri-Georges Clouzot, specifically to Diabolique. It might take a moment to envelope yourself in this world, as the plot kicks off right away after the death of a matriarch, and it takes a little bit of time to understand all of the familial dynamics that have people battling for power and succession. Once you latch on though, this is an absolutely gripping power struggle that encompasses gender dynamics just as fervently as it does class warfare.
Both elements make it a timeless portrayal of what those on the bottom will do to rise to the top, while exemplifying themes of power corrupting the soul once it is attained, whether that’s through uprising or systemic injustice. The parlor drama is exhilarating, while interludes of the lower class women doing laundry just outside of this luxurious home, and their conversations revolving around the struggles of their daily lives, constantly reminds us of how even the most oppressed of the upper class still hold onto their immense privilege.
The final act is one of the most visually stunning, sensory invigorating experiences I’ve had with any work of cinema, featuring a tremendous debut performance from a young Shohreh Aghdashloo. Fakhri Khorvash also delivers a stunning performance worthy of standout praise, and really every single person who contributed to the making of this film deserves a standing ovation. I do need to specifically mention the work of composer Sheyda Gharachedaghi though, whose score is among the best I’ve ever heard, and especially in the film’s horror tinged scenes will curdle your insides to an almost unbearable degree. The final act had me heart racing, gripped within its vice until the transcendent final shot knocked me out for the count. I’m always so grateful for the existence and the hard work of the World Cinema Foundation, and them bringing this movie back into the world is one of the greatest gifts they’ve given us yet. A true masterpiece.
Added to Top 250 films of all-time
Added to Ranked: World Cinema Project
Added to Movies new to me in 2020
Added to Double features (paired with Diabolique)