THE OXFORD MURDERS
UK/Spain, 2008, 108 minutes. Colour.
Elijah Wood, John Hurt, Leonor Watling, Julie Cox, Jim Carter, Alex Cox, Burn Gorman, Dominique Pinon, Anna Massey.
Directed by Alex de la Iglesia.
There are not too many murder mysteries which spend a lot of time expounding philosophy and the nature of mathematics. The Oxford Murders does precisely that – which may be too much for the multiplex audiences for whom the murders might be interesting but the constant references to particular mathematicians and the equations and series will be too much (and maybe not just for the popular audiences). It is a very cerebral thriller.
We are put in the mood pre-credits when John Hurt delivers a lecture about the impact of Ludwig Wittgenstein on 20th century philosophy and the impossibility of attaining absolute truth. This line of plot is central because Elijah Wood plays an American student who comes to Oxford for Hurt to supervise his thesis. They initially clash in the lecture hall but then by coincidence they arrive at the same time to discover the body of the wife of Hurt's colleague and Wood's landlady (Anna Massey). There are some other murders and a lot of speculation, using mathematical symbols for which the police (led by Jim Carter), like the audience, need a translation into lay terms.
Needless to say, the plot is quite intricate and the audience is led in several directions at once. John Hurt is always credible as this kind of articulate, complex and eccentric character. Elijah Wood is believable as the rather nerdy, intellectual student but less convincing when asked to play the romantic hero with some intimate scenes with Leonor Watling.
The film was directed by a past enfant terrible of the Spanish cinema, Alex de Iglesia (see his 1998 rampaging Perdita Durango for something entirely different). This is quite a toned down film in plot and pace for him, although French actor Dominique Pignon has some delusional dialogue about Jesus' life and resurrection, which one is inclined to dismiss but this character needs watching!
This is a kind of cult film, designed for film buffs and those who love puzzles, codes, maths, equations and who read mystery novels in their spare time.
1. The film as a crime drama, mystery? As an exploration of mathematics, philosophy? The objectivity and relativity of truth?
2. A Spanish production, the UK locations, the use of Oxford? The musical score?
3. The intricacies of the screenplay, the focus on language, speeches, philosophy and meaning, truth? Serious exploration of language and ideas? Wordplay? Theories and theorems? Mathematical formulas, symbols?
4. Martin arriving, the Yank in Oxford, his hopes, his research, the plan for his thesis, wanting Seldom as a supervisor? His age, experience, naivety? In a different country and culture?
5. The accommodation, meeting Mrs Eagleton? The stories of her past, the mathematicians, the bonds between them, the accidental deaths? Martin and his talking to Mrs Eagleton, meeting Beth? Beth and her attitude towards her mother? The antagonism between the two? His going to his room, settling in? The interactions? Beth and her attraction to Martin? His interest, lack of interest? His comments that she should feel free, in relationship to her mother? These comments quoted later – and sheeting home blame to Martin for Mrs Eagleton’s death?
6. His going to the lecture, Arthur Seldom and his speech, philosophical, self-satisfied, a performance? The audience, Martin asking questions, Seldom’s answer, putting him down? Martin quietened?
7. Martin going to the university, the sharing of the room with Yuri? Yuri and his personality, his theories, his breakthroughs, their being stolen, his attitude towards Seldom? His behaviour throughout the film – eccentric?
8. Going back to the house? Arriving with Seldom, the issue of what was planned, what was chance? The effect? What happened at the entry, finding the body? Looking at this sequence later and the different interpretation?
9. The police, Inspector Petersen and his assistant? With Beth, the arrest? The commonsensed policeman and his situation in intellectual Oxford?
10. The hospital, the death? Martin and his visit, his seeing Frank? The enigmatic statements by Frank, the situation of his daughter?
11. The orchestra, the performance, the Christmas situation, the death of the member of the orchestra, the reactions, pandemonium, the impossibility of the murder, the later explanation? Seldom and his involvement? Martin’s reaction? The police?
12. Frank at the hospital, the encounter with Martin? The death – another murder? His concern about his daughter, the transplant need, his warning?
13. The mathematical symbols, the code? The research in the library, Lorna and Martin and their examining the books? The puzzle? The fourth symbol? The discoveries?
14. Lorna, in herself, her relationship with Seldom, relating to Martin, in Oxford, the affair, their clashes?
15. The lecture, the bus leaving Oxford for Cambridge, the sign, the police and the interpretation, the academics in the bus – and their not being the target?
16. The police, the discussions about the symbols? The explanation – more commonsense than theoretical?
17. Frank, taking the bus, the Down’s Syndrome children, his wanting to kill them, get the transplant organ, his crashing, death?
18. The examination of the plan, the interpretation being too clever? Frank and his plan, use of symbols? Seldom and his involvement? The discussion between Seldom and Martin, the symbols, their meanings?
19. Martin, Lorna, the relationship, the end, his leaving, the seeming futility of his studies? His future?
