Shadows of the past hang heavily over the present in Mike Figgis' haunting tale of an adulterous affair that seems to be driven by the hand of fate. The chilling connection between the present-day affair and another one, three decades earlier, creates an uneasy atmosphere that's beautifully complemented by the Franz Liszt composition that gives this movie its title.
Nick Kaminsky (Kevin Anderson) is a professor of architecture in upstate New York who visits the small Illinois town of Elderstown to visit his dying mother who gave him up for adoption at a very young age and now wants to tell him a secret from the past. When he looks out of his hotel window, Nick immediately becomes fascinated by The Ralston Building, a cast-iron structure that used to be a department store until it was closed over thirty years earlier following an incident in which an adulterous couple were apparently shot by the woman's jealous husband who subsequently turned the gun on himself.
When he goes to take a closer look at the building, Nick's surprised to meet Paul Kessler (Bill Pullman) an old college friend who's been hired to supervise its demolition. Nick saves Paul's life when he quickly pushes him out of the path of a large metal object that falls to the ground from the roof of the tall building and Paul shows his appreciation by inviting Nick to a party at his place. At the party, Nick meets Paul's wife Jane (Pamela Gidley) who'd previously enjoyed reading some of Nick's books and shares his appreciation of the architectural beauty and significance of the building that's now due for demolition.
Due to the seriousness of her condition, Nick's mother isn't coherent and so after being granted permission to study the interior of The Ralston Building, he spends a good deal of his time there with Jane who's a photographer. It transpires that Paul and Jane's relationship is a dysfunctional one and gradually Nick and Jane are drawn to each other with the same passion and inevitability that drew them to the building that they would both prefer to see saved from the developers who intend to replace it with a shopping mall. Through his own investigations, Nick gradually learns more about his biological mother, the dramatic events that took place over thirty years ago and eventually, some disturbing information that has a direct bearing on his relationship with Jane.
"Liebestraum" (Dream Of Love) is well-directed, visually stunning and fascinatingly mysterious. Its story unfolds in a style that's dreamy and creepy and not everything is as it initially appears to be. These qualities and its glacial pace combine effectively to create a rather hypnotic mood that's enhanced by a style of acting in which thoughts and feelings are so often, clearly felt without necessarily being expressed verbally. Kevin Anderson is particularly laconic and Pamela Gidley is also more reined-in than is initially apparent in this stylish tale in which lust, betrayal and jealousy all play important roles.
Nick Kaminsky (Kevin Anderson) is a professor of architecture in upstate New York who visits the small Illinois town of Elderstown to visit his dying mother who gave him up for adoption at a very young age and now wants to tell him a secret from the past. When he looks out of his hotel window, Nick immediately becomes fascinated by The Ralston Building, a cast-iron structure that used to be a department store until it was closed over thirty years earlier following an incident in which an adulterous couple were apparently shot by the woman's jealous husband who subsequently turned the gun on himself.
When he goes to take a closer look at the building, Nick's surprised to meet Paul Kessler (Bill Pullman) an old college friend who's been hired to supervise its demolition. Nick saves Paul's life when he quickly pushes him out of the path of a large metal object that falls to the ground from the roof of the tall building and Paul shows his appreciation by inviting Nick to a party at his place. At the party, Nick meets Paul's wife Jane (Pamela Gidley) who'd previously enjoyed reading some of Nick's books and shares his appreciation of the architectural beauty and significance of the building that's now due for demolition.
Due to the seriousness of her condition, Nick's mother isn't coherent and so after being granted permission to study the interior of The Ralston Building, he spends a good deal of his time there with Jane who's a photographer. It transpires that Paul and Jane's relationship is a dysfunctional one and gradually Nick and Jane are drawn to each other with the same passion and inevitability that drew them to the building that they would both prefer to see saved from the developers who intend to replace it with a shopping mall. Through his own investigations, Nick gradually learns more about his biological mother, the dramatic events that took place over thirty years ago and eventually, some disturbing information that has a direct bearing on his relationship with Jane.
"Liebestraum" (Dream Of Love) is well-directed, visually stunning and fascinatingly mysterious. Its story unfolds in a style that's dreamy and creepy and not everything is as it initially appears to be. These qualities and its glacial pace combine effectively to create a rather hypnotic mood that's enhanced by a style of acting in which thoughts and feelings are so often, clearly felt without necessarily being expressed verbally. Kevin Anderson is particularly laconic and Pamela Gidley is also more reined-in than is initially apparent in this stylish tale in which lust, betrayal and jealousy all play important roles.