Date: Thu, 8 Sep 1994 23:52:22 GMT From: "B. Sue Blair" To: bsb, krish@ans.net, mjo, rcl, sfp, shiao@ans.net Subject: Film Review: White White ----- A well-made film with a sickly twisted perception of things. First of all, somehow, the man is the hero. I suppose that we are supposed to feel sorry for him and pull for him as the underdog since his beautiful wife kicks him out and leaves him in the middle of the road with two francs. Personally, I think she cut the guy too much slack- I would kill any lover on the spot for being so insolent as to fail to get an erection in my presence. She even gives the guy another chance after divorce court and he again pulls the noodle trick. So she might have been a little harsh on the phone ("forcing" the guy listen to her moanings, groanings, bumpings, and grindings while doinking some boytoy). Nobody thinks of HER pain, though. Here is a goddess, a woman so fine that I would do her myself, rejected by this toad (with the wet sprocket). The guy is incredibly lucky despite unbelievable stupidity. First of all, he travels in a suitcase back to his homeland of Poland. Thugs have ripped off the suitcase and, upon opening it, find him concealed there and promptly kick his ass for being unsaleable and for wearing a cheap Russian import watch (also unsaleable). There is a similar crack when our hero is in search of a corpse to use for some nefarious purpose- "Would you mind a Russian import, boss?" (I'm sure that Krish has already pointed out that the undertones of this film bear out the benefits of the competitive nature of capitalism versus the slack and inefficiency of socialism in terms of the manufacture of durable goods and amber waves of grain). Next, this guy survives doublecrossing some wheeling and dealing organized crime dudes and, with the capital thereby earned, fuels his sick plan of revenge. Finally, this foul man is able to screw his wife literally only while engaged in screwing her over figuratively. At the climax, so to speak, he could have her back, but instead drives his sinister plot of revenge to its conclusion. In the end, he sees the result of his plot and a slow tear trickles down; is revenge so sweet after all? But wait, yes it is- we see a slow grinchy smile grow through the tears. What a sick bastard! I laughed; I cried; contemplated suicide. Definitely the "feel good" movie of the summer. --- Date: Fri, 9 Sep 94 1:20:14 EDT From: Krish Subject: Re: Film Review: White Sue, now you got to go and see "Bitter Moon" and " A Place in the World" which are my other two favorite films of the year so far and let us know in your very entertaining purple prose what you think of them. By the way White is part of a trilogy (Blue, White, Red) which is based on the colors of the French flag. Red gets released at the end of the year and its theme is supposed to be Fraternity, I think. Blue's theme was Freedom tho the film is enslaved in mediocrity but stars the quietly elegant starlet, mon cheri Juliette Binochet with whom I think our hero in White would surely have been able to consummate his marraige. Speaking about White, Sue, what did you think of the sub-plot where our hapless hero meets this very depressed Polish guy on a station who hires the hero to kill him and then the hero pulls an ingenious stunt when he "shoots" him? Was this an unnecessay digression? Somehow, I was moved by it; this subplot was sort of a minor trick that was the precursor to the major trick he pulls of at the end. And the difference between these two tricks is so enormous; he spares the Polish guy, offering him another shot at life, in a sense the depressed Pole was waiting for Godot and our hero, I thought was Godot, the savior whom one usually waits for all their life but who never arrives. This whole subplot brought back memories of Beckett's plays, "EndGame" and "Waiting for Godot". Its also amazing that only when he makes money in Poland, his real roots (instead of his adopted one, France) and becomes an economic equal to his wife, that he is finally able to have his erection and sleep with her in France. I thought that was a harsh slap on France (and the West in general) which may not consider Poles to be "European" or "cultured" and only the acquisition of money would make the balance tip in Poland's favor. The usage of metaphor of erection was so apt in driving home this point. I think the smile in the end meant that in seeking this revenge or equality, our hero who sets out to win his wife back eventually loses her to an insane asylum. Revenge, where is thy victory? -Krishin I am dying to read what you make of the S and M in "Biter Moon" --- Subject: Re: Film Review: White Date: Sun, 11 Sep 1994 07:28:12 UTC From: ""B. Sue Blair"" >Speaking about White, Sue, what did you think of the sub-plot where >our hapless hero meets this very depressed Polish guy on a station who >hires the hero to kill him and then the hero pulls an ingenious stunt >when he "shoots" him? I liked the subplot also. The shooting scene was done well. Just the right amount of suspense to make it a roller coaster ride. First, there is the solemn part where the dude says he can't go on anymore and our hero agrees to snuff him. The gunshot in slow motion. Shock and horror that our hero actually had the balls to shoot the fucker. Next, humor, when our hero says, "OK, that was a blank. Are you quite sure now?". Also, the foreshadowing angle was good. >I think the smile in the end >meant that in seeking this revenge or equality, our hero who sets out >to win his wife back eventually looses her to an insane asylum. >Revenge, where is thy victory? Indeed, this is what makes the film interesting. Winning his wife back was not equivalent to equality, or else he would have stopped there and lived happily ever after with his wife and newfound erection. But he couldn't achieve true equality with her until he crushed her like a bug like she crushed him. Either way, when he did that, the relationship became irretrievable because she lost her sanity, whatever that is. This film leads me to conclude that there is no such thing as equality and anything resembling it is just a balancing out of the sick power play between two people. I've never read/seen 'Waiting for Godot' or 'EndGame'; I'm just another uncultured slob shuffling amongst the great unwashed. Hopefully, under your fine tutelage, I will eventually overcome unworthiness :-). -Sue B. --- From: Krishin Asnani Subject: Re: Film Review: White > I liked the subplot also. The shooting scene was done well. Just the > right amount of suspense to make it a roller coaster ride. First, there > is the solemn part where the dude says he can't go on anymore and our > hero agrees to snuff him. The gunshot in slow motion. Shock and horror > that our hero actually had the balls to shoot the fucker. Next, humor, > when our hero says, "OK, that was a blank. Are you quite sure > now?". Also, the foreshadowing angle was good. My, your memory of this film is really good; the slo mo of the shot, the terror felt by the dude and the audience who had just begun to sympathize with our hero. As the shot rang, I had no bloody clue what to feel, I was just shocked, the hero had elicited my symapthy and suddenly I didn't know what to feel about him now? I had no clue where the film was about to go next, and then the surprise and wit that lurks around the corner captured with deft camera work that you mention. You know, I had forgotten all the details (slo mo, etc) you state. You know when I watch these films, I am, from time to time, reminded of some of the films/plays, etc that may have influenced the director. Since you enjoyed this film, I really think you ought to see some of the classic French films which till this day don't feel dated and are sources of influence on many of the films made today. I promise you this-you won't be bored! A lecture follows. Don't go to sleep now! The French rebeled against their elder film makers in the early 60s and came out with a new way of film-making called, "The New Wave". It relied a lot on chance happenings in life, on existentialism, and a sense of detachment (accompanied by wit and humor) from the world. I like the French also because the women and men (but particulary women) in these films are amazingly well-developed characters; their vulnerabilities, their fears, hopes are captured with excellent writing. Their films tended to have a lot more dialogue and they do not shy away from making references to other art forms (books in particular). Their way of film-making was very spontaneous. For example the director would have an idea about a film, and lets say he has a scene in mind, he would, without warning gather the actors togather and have them say dialogue which is written on the spot. The results, surprisingly, were excellent. The reason being the directors, I think, were well versed in literature, philiosophy, religion, music, and especially films; particularly American films which starred Bogart. They just loved our film-noir films of the 40s (Double Indemnity, The Big Knife, Hitchcock films, Sam Peckinpah films, Orson Wells films, etc) Anyway, what's important here is that their quick reaction on the film set, time and time again, was quite profound. And this "organized" spontaneity gave rise to the "New Wave" phenomenon. Don't get me worng, their films are very well scripted and they have a well organized narrative to them and the messages are thought provoking; its just they have a magical insouciance, a likable carelessness about them that people all over the world fell in love with. There were 7-8 of these French film directors who authored this change. But the ones I want to bring to your attention are the two who got incredibly famous and justifiably so: Jean Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut. Why am I going on and on with this lecture? Cuz, I really think, you ought to see at least 5-6 films by each of these two directors. I guarantee you this-they will be the best film experiences you'll ever have. They created the classics in the 60s, 70s, and 80s that still resonate in many of the films (French or any other). You'll also see how films like White and other films nod at these films. Besides, they are just plain great films to see. And also it would be pity, before getting out of this planet, to miss out on these thought-provoking and very entertianing spectacles. I wouldn't let that happen to my friends. Sue, I want you to see these by Truffaut: 1) The 400 Blows-his first flick about a child dealing with assholes that are his parents. The writing is excllent, Truffaut developed an intersting camera teknique: when the psycholigist interviews the child, the camera is on the child's face, it never shows us the psychologist and the sustained effect of this technique is quite moving. 2 )Don't Shoot the Piano Player-the best film he ever made, I think. 3) Jules and Jim. Somewhat dated but all women I have talked to who saw this film felt this was the most liberating film they saw. Its about 2 guys who fall in love with the same woman, marvelously played by Jeane Moreau. 4) The Last Metro-made in the late 70s. 5) The Woman Next Door-made in the 80s too. And then I want you to see these by Jean Luc Godard who in many video stores in Manhattan is listed under the aptly shortened version of his name: GOD. Sue, be warned that Godard has a maddening habit of use jump cuts that can jar you. Its sort of like MTV style but a billion times better. It angered me at first but then I saw that this teknique is how his mind really works. Unlike MTV, his shots linger for a longer time. 1) Breathless, made in 1960, this is the film that ushered The New Wave. Superb story about a career-less thug who kills a police officer, and then he befriends a newspaper vendor played by Jean Seberg whose friendship proves a bit too costly. This is proabably one of the most exciting film experiences ever. Man, I really wish I was the age I am now in 1960 when this film came out. God, I miss the 60s. I tell you, there is no justice in this world. 2) Masculine Feminine. Godard's commentary on sex difference. 3) My Life to Live. Superb film about a wife who leaves a husband, becomes a prostitute. Its a meditiation on freedom, bondage, etc. The most memorable scene in this film is a digression where she has a talk with a Philosopher in which they talk about Language and its limitations. 4) Pierot Le Fou- Oh just rent this one ASAP, will you. 5) Weekend; Godard's commentary on, among other things, traffic, technology, etc. There are other directors too but I really want you to start with these and write to tell us what you thought about them. These films should be available in video stores. Of course, I would have preferred you see these on the big screen cuz you do lose a lot on the TV screen but I guess VCR will do unless they show these at film festivals at U of M. How can any university be a university which doesn't show these films to its liberal arts students. (Maybe its time for a sit-in). > I've never read/seen 'Waiting for Godot' or 'EndGame'; I'm just another > uncultured slob shuffling amongst the great unwashed. Hopefully, under > your's fine tutelage, I will eventually overcome unworthiness > :-). Don't worry about these plays, you are quite insightful without these. But do read "Waiting for Godot". And start with the films above. I know I exhort, implore and and am generally pushy when recommending films but since you seem to like films that we have exchanged notes on, I hope her Majesty won't mind my nudging. Its all for your own entertianment and your own good, goddammit!! ;-) ;-) That's all for now. Class dismissed. -Krishin