Directed by Tim Burton
Written by Charlie Kaufman
Music by Danny Elfman
Produced by Tim Burton and Denise Di Novi
Main Cast
Renee Zellweger as Claudia Alden
Jim Carrey as Luther McAlbert
John Lithgow as Detective Steve Fontana
Kathleen Turner as Fran Alden
Helena Bonham Carter as Natasha McAlbert
Katherine Heigl as Carrie Brennan
Martin Short as Clive
Tagline: "Eye-Catching Glamour. Unbeatable Style. And a Dab of Murder"
Synopsis: The most violent, goriest of black comedies, “Glitz” tells the story of Claudia Alden through the eyes of her manager, Luther McAlbert. Claudia is on top of the world. In her 10-year career, she has sold over 50 million albums, won 5 Grammies and starred in a handful of (terrible) movies. And, though she has been single for years, it is only because she has always loved Luther. She always assumed from his spending time with her that he loved her as well, and the only reason he didn’t act on it is because his wife, Natasha, is ferocious, sadistic, controlling and German. It seems as though nothing can stop her. That is, of course, nothing but her 40th birthday. Every star knows that turning 40 is a one-way ticket to bring their career to a halt. Claudia simply isn’t ready for that. She decides that she needs a way to keep that from happening to her. So, by fate, as she, Luther and her assistant manager, Clive, are up late thinking of new marketing campaigns, Clive electrocutes himself when getting a second cup of coffee. As saddened as Claudia and Luther are by this, they cannot help but notice that, two weeks after Clive’s death, her album has climbed up 30 places on the Top 40 chart...
Ashamed of thinking that Clive’s death should be celebrated, they quickly forget the idea and find another assistant manager. But, when he is hit by a car, Claudia’s latest song becomes an overnight sensation. She thinks they may be on to something, and she sweet talks Luther into conspiring with her to kill her assistant managers repeatedly in order to survive pop star life after 40. He agrees. But, just to make sure that it is not a coincidence, Claudia finds someone who deserves murder: her mother, Fran. Fran has hated Claudia since she was born, and blames her for all of her problems. And yet, she lives and tours with her because she cannot pay the rent. So, acting semi-rationally, Claudia kills her. But, of course, it’s up to Luther to prevent her from getting caught. As the film continues, Claudia kills dozens of assistant managers and Luther can always find the perfect cover-up. And then, when Luther meets his college sweetheart, Carrie, after 10 years of separation, he comes up with the idea of using the “assistant manager process” as a tool to better his life. He tells Claudia that he has found a woman he adores, and he knows that he can never be with her if his wife is still alive. Claudia, delighted, assumes the woman is herself, and she kills Natasha with delight, and her success grows, yet again. Only this time, Detective Steve Fontana notices. Fontana was never particularly bright—or good at his job—but he is determined to put Claudia behind bars. And yet, after questioning her, she talks her way out of it. Now, Claudia can focus on being with Luther. But, she soon discovers that she was not the woman Luther wanted to be with. It was Carrie. Furious, she meets Carrie and gives her the job of assistant manager, saying it will give her more time with Luther (who, at this time, is on a press tour). And then, it’s off with her head. Only this time, Steve sees her killing Carrie with his own eyes. He rushes in, ready to call the cops. But Claudia seduces him into not only loving her, but also into being her assistant manager. And then, the inevitable happens with him. Soon thereafter, Luther returns from his press tour. He tells Claudia all about Carrie and how excited he is to spend his life with her. After listening to this for hours, Claudia simply cannot take it anymore. If she can’t have Luther, no one can. And so, she kills him, reasoning that if killing her assistant managers has been so successful, killing her head manager should do twice as much. And it does. Claudia, now 45, has survived the much feared 40th birthday, even though 90 others didn’t. Claudia is bigger than ever, because she has talent. Because she has luck. And, most of all, because she has glitz.
What the Press would say:
I never expected that the year’s bloodiest film would also be the funniest. And I certainly never expected that the year’s bloodiest film would also be the best. But both of those theories were put to rest after I saw “Glitz”. On the surface, this is a film way outside Tim Burton’s comfort zone. But, when you dig deep into the plot, you discover that it is much more than a pop star decapitating her assistant managers, but is rather a brilliant satire of revenge, greed, superstition and America’s obsession with celebrities. If that doesn’t spell Tim Burton, then I don’t know what does.
Of course, I could be confusing outstanding direction with outstanding performances. Gosh, where should I begin? Well, let’s start with John Lithgow. We all know that Lithgow is fantastic at comedy, but I never, ever expected that he could give a performance as good as this one in a comedy. He plays Steve Fontana, a dimwitted detective. If portrayed by a lesser actor, this part would be annoying and dull, but with Lithgow’s hilarious touch of subtly, every scene he is in feels too short. In a film with three female supporting performances, it is hard to choose just one to campaign for, as Kathleen Turner, Katherine Heigl and Helena Bonham Carter are all amazing in this film. But, if I had to choose one, it would be Kathleen Turner.. Turner, one of the most underused and talented actresses of our time, is devilishly entertaining as Fran Alden, the mother of the murderous pop star Claudia Alden (Renee Zellweger). She steals every single scene she is in. Renee Zellweger stars as Claudia Alden, a successful pop star who, in fear of losing her popularity, decides to kill her managers after finding that it brings her luck. This very well may be the trickiest role of the year, but Zellweger is somehow able to bring charm to this character and by the end, you almost want to see her succeed, even if she decapitates innocent people. And, saving the best for last, Jim Carrey is a revelation in this film. As Claudia’s head manager (one of the funniest characters of the year) who needs to keep her murders under wraps, he gives possibly the greatest comedic performance I’ve ever seen. If he does not win Best Actor, I will never forgive the Academy.
“Glitz” is one of the best black comedies of all time. Filled with impeccable and hilarious dialogue and truly phenomenal performances, it will be a force to be reckoned with at this year’s Academy Awards, with a strong campaign in the following categories…
Best Picture
Best Director (Tim Burton)
Best Original Screenplay (Charlie Kaufman)
Best Actor (Jim Carrey)
Best Actress (Renee Zellweger)
Best Supporting Actor (John Lithgow)
Best Supporting Actress (Kathleen Turner)
Best Film Editing
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup
Best Art Direction
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