"THE GREEN RAY" IS THE WINNER

My poll 27 ended with 6 votes. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:

“THESE FILMS/THINGS MAKE ME THINK OR RE-THINK ABOUT THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?

1.THE GREEN RAY (1986, Eric Rohmer, France)

It got 3 votes, or 50 %.

2. FIELD OF DREAMS (1989, Phil Alden Robinson, USA)
+FRAGRANCE OF THE WIND (2007, Chaiwat Wiansantai, Thailand)
+I DO NOT WANT WHAT I HAVEN’T GOT (Sinead O’Connor, song lyrics)
+THE LAST TIME I COMMITTED SUICIDE (1997, Stephen T. Kay, USA)
+MISS FIRECRACKER (1989, Thomas Schlamme, USA)
+THE RAPTURE (1991, Michael Tolkin, USA)
+SHE IS READING NEWSPAPER (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh, Thailand)
+SOLITUDE (Alexander Pope, poem)
+VALERIE FLAKE (1999, John Putch, USA)

Each of these films/things got 2 votes, or 33 %.


11.BEYOND… (2008, Kamin Lertchaiprasert, Thai paintings)
+BIRCHES (Robert Frost, poem)
+FOR SALE (1998, Laetitia Masson, France)
+GILLES’ WIFE (2004, Frederic Fonteyne, Belgium)
+THE LEFT-HANDED WOMAN (1978, Peter Handke, West Germany)
+NEW YEAR AGAIN (2008, Winai Kitcharoen, Thailand)
+SHIRLEY VALENTINE (1989, Lewis Gilbert, UK)
+SUPPOSE THAT HE LOVE ME (1976, Krissana Asokesin, Thai novel)
+TWO STORIES ABOUT DHAMMA (2008, Natchanon Jitweerapat + Issara Kollum, Thailand)+WHERE’S THE HAPPINESS (2007, Janejira Thanasinlapakul, Thailand)”

Each of these films/things got 1 vote, or 16 %.


--I’m very glad that THE GREEN RAY got the most votes, because this is one of my most favorite films of all time. However, I didn’t vote for this film, because in terms of “searching for happiness”, I’m not sure if the ending of this film corresponds to my idea of happiness.

I love the ending of this film very much. It makes me feel very great. I felt like crying in delight, like the protagonist of THE GREEN RAY, when I was watching the ending of this film. But I’m not sure why. I don’t understand why the ending of THE GREEN RAY can overwhelm me like that. Is it because at that moment Delphine has understood herself? Is it because at that moment Delphine has understood her heart? Is it because she can be at peace with herself? I’m not sure. But two things in that scene don’t correspond to my idea of happiness—the cute man and the green ray. According to my idea of happiness, Delphine should be happy, though she doesn’t find the green ray nor the cute man. Happiness shouldn’t depend on being loved by other people nor depend on some unnecessary things. But maybe the cute man and the green ray are not important in that scene. Maybe Delphine is happy because of other reasons, not because of these two things though they are present in the scene. I’m not sure about this thing.

Now I think I should buy a book in Kinokuniya Book Center in Siam Paragon. I notice that there’s a book called CLOSE UP 02, with an article on three films by Eric Rohmer—A GOOD MARRIAGE (1982), THE GREEN RAY, and AUTUMN TALE (1998). The article is written by Jacob Leigh. Maybe his article may make me understand why THE GREEN RAY has such a profound effect on me.
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/publications/closeup/close-up02.html

--The ending of VALERIE FLAKE corresponds to my idea of happiness. Valerie Flake finds a cute guy. They love each other. But he wants to have a child, while she doesn’t want it. So she leaves him and begins her journey again. I love this kind of happiness—being independent and not needing love from other people.

--I love the poem SOLITUDE very much, though I regret I can’t do what the poem says at this moment—“thus, let me live, unseen, unknown”. If I want to do that, I should stop writing this blog. Maybe in the future. :-)

--A Thai short film called DAA (SCORN) (2008, Maythus Sirinawin, A+) also reminds me of a way to be happy. In this film, some people are scoffed very badly, but they seem to be happy, no matter how bad other people talk about them. This film reminds me that to be hated is not always the cause of being unhappy. You can be hated, and still be happy, if you don’t care about those people who hate you.

I just knew from Thisisgis’ blog that Maythus Sirinawin has posted some of his short films in Youtube. Unfortunately, he doesn’t post DAA in Youtube.

You can watch Maythus Sirinawin’s short films in the following link (I think they don’t have English subtitles):
http://www.youtube.com/user/Meathuz