This is my comment in Jesse's blog:
http://memoriesofthefuture.wordpress.com/2007/09/24/last-batch-of-tiff-capsule-reviews/
What you wrote about BEFORE I FORGET (2007, Jacques Nolot) in DVD Verdict makes this film seem very interesting for me. You wrote that
http://www.dvdverdict.com/judgeblog/jataide/post/1541
"A film more fascinating to ponder after the fact than while actually watching, I walked out of the screening not liking it much, but my feelings have become much more favorable in the days that have since passed."
I haven't seen any films by Jacques Nolot, but your description intrigues me. I would like to have this kind of experience—seeing a film for which my fondness keeps growing stronger after watching it.
Talking about the experience of liking the film during or after watching it, I would like to share my own experience.
1.Many times I see a film which excites me very much when I'm watching it, but my excitement fades away very quickly after that. Most of the films in this category are Hollywood thriller films.
2.Sometimes I saw a film which I thought was just ok, but after a few years, I have a chance to see it again, and now think that it is truly great or a masterpiece. I think this kind of films demands that the viewers must have had some kind of life experience before the viewers can truly enjoy it or understand its greatness. I have this kind of feelings with the films of Maurice Pialat and Claude Sautet.
3.Sometimes I see a film which I don't enjoy in the early part, because the film seems to be in a different wavelenght from mine. But after a while it seems as if my wavelength is attuned to the film, and then I start to feel the film is very very great. I had this rare experience when I was watching THE BIRTH OF LOVE (1993, Philippe Garrel, A+). It was the first Garrel's film that I saw.
4.Sometimes I saw a film from a certain director for the first time and didn't enjoy it much because the styles of the film is not what I'm accustomed to. But after a few years, I see another film by the same director and fall in love with it completely. I guess this kind of thing happens to me because now I know what to expect of that director when I see his/her second film, and thus can attune my wavelength to the films of that director. I have this kind of experience with the films of James Lee (from Malaysia) and Youssef Chahine.
5.As for your experience with BEFORE I FORGET, it reminds me of the feelings I have with CALM PREVAILS OVER THE COUNTRY (1976, Peter Lilienthal, West Germany, A+). I saw it the first time in 1996 or 1997, when I hadn't seen many European films yet. I didn't like it at all during the time I was watching it. The film is no entertainment, no-nonsense, without an ounce of sentimentality. I couldn't follow the story. The film is truly uncompromising. I think I gave it C+ after I just finished watching it. But after a while, I found that I couldn't shake this film out of my mind. I think this kind of film makes me truly grow as a filmlover. It really broadens my viewing experience. It really makes me feel that I have experience something "new".
However, I saw DAVID (1979, A+), another film by Peter Lilienthal, and it is a straightforward, though well-done, film. So I don't know if other films by Lilienthal would be like. I hope I can see CALM PREVAILS OVER THE COUNTRY again.
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3 comments:
Hi Jit! Interesting. I love how you breakdown the feelings of watching films. Which Garrel film do you like most?
--Hi Raya! Unfortunately I have seen only two Garrel’s films: THE BIRTH OF LOVE (1993) and LE COEUR FANTOME (1996). It’s hard to say which one I prefer. If I have to choose, I will choose LE COEUR FANTOME, just because it is harder for me to describe how or why I like it. I can describe more easily what I like in THE BIRTH OF LOVE. But I usually love films which give me feelings I can’t describe in words.
In THE BIRTH OF LOVE, I like:
1.The scene of a son calling out for his father
2.The scene of Johanna ter Steege reading a letter to Lou Castel. This scene is so simple, but so magnificent. I overlooked this scene when I saw it, but a Thai critic praised this scene a lot. His writing changed my feeling towards the scene, and probably changed my thinking towards many scenes in many movies I saw afterwards. I used to look for exciting, strange, showy, intentionally impressive scenes, but this film and the writing of that critic made me love "simple" scenes, too.
3.The face of a tired wife (Is she Marie-Paule Laval?)
4.The scene of Lou Castel and Jean-Pierre Leaud talking in a car
It’s hard for me to say which scenes I love more than the others in LE COEUR FANTOME. I feel as if the emotions in this film run deeper than in THE BIRTH OF LOVE. LE COEUR FANTOME seems to show “life” in a way which touches me very powerfully. Oh, writing about Garrel’s films is too difficult for me. I would love to write ten good reasons why I love LE COEUR FANTOME, but it is beyond my ability. This film just makes me feel so great, and feel some indescribable feelings towards LIFE.
The DVD of REGULAR LOVERS is available in Bangkok, but I haven’t bought it yet.
--The latest film which makes me feel I have to attune my wavelength in order to enjoy the film is FROM THE EAST (1993, Chantal Akerman, A+++++).
I also have seen the first 2-3 minutes of LE REVELATEUR (1968). It looks fantastic.
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