Melomania, melodrama, melo-psychology
Reviewed by actingoutpolitics for Melo at 2010-08-05 20:37:14
Personal love and professional dedication to art support one another in this sophisticated tale about what artistic intellectuals were occupied with during a historical period when European totalitarianism in various countries (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, etc.) was forming. Personal love becomes intensified not only by being a part of human soul?s artistic yearning but also by the ability of the characters for advanced self-reflection and for creating their own subjective narratives about love and art. Psychological control over love relationships through love narrative (sublimated version of love toward love object) becomes a part of human destiny in love, in art and in understanding of the world.
Read analyses of films by Godard, Bergman, Kurosawa, Fassbinder, Bertolucci, Resnais, Pasolini, Cavani and Bunuel at:
www.actingoutpolitics.com
By Victor
Alain Resnais? ?Wild Grass? (2009)
Reviewed by actingoutpolitics for Wild Grass at 2010-07-21 20:08:09
Alain Resnais? ?Wild Grass? (2009) is about 21st century America all over. War in Iraq is Resnais? wild grass. Financial collapse and absurd behaviors which brought it about are the wild grass. Petroleum hemorrhage in the Golf of Mexico is wild grass. Tea party movement is wild grass. Anti-Obama jingoism is wild grass. Pop- and pet-movement against ?the government take-over? is again wild grass. Stara Perlin (Sara Palin) is a doll made of ?wild grass?.
The magnificent cinematography, the virtuoso editing and monumental imagery are in a pointed (by the director) contrast to the pettiness and triviality of the characters? motivations. The shockingly banal images (such as Andre Dissolier unable to zip up his broken zipper ? a situation that is partially responsible for the plane crash) is an apotheosis of the film and reflection of what human beings including many of us, Americans, become in the age of global economy ? rude, predatory and obsessed with our impulses. ?Wild Grass? is about truth, and truth is not an easy thing to digest.
Read the article about this film and other Resnais? films ?Warning Which Comes Too Late? and analysis of the shots at: www.actingoutpolitics.com
By Victor