DVD Review: Last Year in Marienbad

[John Cole]

Alain Resnais film, based on Robbe-Grillet's screenplay, is a visually stunning film full of gorgeous tracking shots and great visuals. In one shot, Resnais captures a group of hotel guests standing in a garden. The people cast long shadows, but the sculpted pyramid-shaped hedges cast no shadows. (The shadows cast by the people were painted on.)

As far as the story goes, don't bother trying to figure it out. Ostensibly it's about a man who claims to have met a woman the previous year, but she has either no recollection of the meeting or selective amnesia. He tells her that they are meeting this year because she has agreed to leave her husband or lover the previous year. Again, we're not sure if any of this is true.

As the man narrates the events from the previous year, we see that some events seem to agree with his version while others don't. For example, he tells her that a mirror hangs over the fireplace in her room, but when we first see the fireplace, a painting of a winter scene hangs there. Later, the painting is replaced by a mirror.

Throughout the film, the soundtrack throbs with ominous organ music, and we hear very little in the way of diegetic sound (sound effects like heels clacking on marble floors for instance when a character walks by).

The soundtrack, the images, the story all combine to leave the viewer befuddled--but that's not necessarily a bad thing. You just have to be able to live with a little uncertainty.

However, the DVD could really use much more in the way of commentary--it has none. And the "extras" are pretty sparse. For the price, it's better to rent than buy.

John

[HDPM]

See. Told ya. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Cyrus]

Could someone please explain what's a "John Cole movie"? I keep hearing this when we go out and all the others give off these knowing looks, it's frustrating.

Can anyone help ? Please cover all the range of possibilities in your definition.

[Zeno]

Diegetic sound means sounds that have to do with the story, sounds that originate from something that can be seen in the picture.

Non-diegetic sound: Sound coming from outside of the picture. The source of the sound is not seen in the picture, like, for example, the shot heard in Joona Tena's "Saattajat".


I also found this great link: Everything about filmsound for the anal art-see film nut. (http://filmsound.studienet.org)

Through this link I found out that Worldizing is a word. /images/graemlins/shocked.gif


Thanks John, I learned something new today. Didn't know that movie sound was such a technical science, or that such a variety of concepts about sound existed for movie making.

-Zeno

PS. Is Saattajat as good as say, Slapstick.
PPS I deliberately made film sound one word, above. I'm working on sound effects in writing. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[Zeno]

"what's a "John Cole movie"?"

A movie could be made about what is a John Cole movie and it would be a movie that John Cole would watch and enjoy and not just because it was about John Cole. And John Cole would be the narrator, protagonist, villain and savior of the movie. There would be a lot of mirrors in the movie but no smoke. Ominous organ music would make up the entire soundtrack. Does any of this make sense? I hope so because that is what a John Cole movie is. And it does depend on what your definition of is is.


I hope I made myself perfectly clear. If not, I’m sure John Cole can fill in the missing pieces. Or perhaps he can explain it best since it is about John Cole. But we may not know who the real John Cole is. Or do we? I guess we will have to wait for the movie.


-Zeno

[Mark Heide]

John,

Thanks for the review. I'll put it on my list to see.

Mark

[Mark Heide]

Cyrus,

With a few exceptions, a John Cole movie is a movie that entertains and makes you think.

Mark

[Rick Nebiolo]

"As far as the story goes, don't bother trying to figure it out."

The sure sign of a John Cole movie /images/graemlins/grin.gif

~ Rick

[John Cole]

Zeno,

One of the great sound jokes in films is the scene in Blazing Saddles: the new sheriff rides through the desert and we hear the Count Basie Orchestra on the soundtrack (non-diegetic). As he rides a bit further, though, he encounters the Count Basie Orchestra playing in the middle of the desert (diegetic).

John

[John Cole]

Cyrus,

The term originated here with Ray Zee who implied that a "John Cole" movie is a film that might make you think about some stuff. If you note knowing looks, I'd look inward. You might be insane without quite realizing it.

John

[HDPM]

First what it isn't. It won't star Vin Diesel. It won't be the featured new movie at the small town Blockbuster video. It won't be called the "Feel-good smash hit of the year!!!!!!" It won't be the feature at a drive-in.


I guess I would say it is a film worthy of serious consideration/analysis/criticism that has artistic merit. I don't have a place to see or rent them in a jerkwater town. (we get a few) Perhaps I will get a chance to see some. Anyway, Cole's analysis/criticism is over my head since you need a good knowledge base regarding film and literature before taking on his reviews half the time. And I'm not a film buff to begin with so some of it makes my head spin. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Rick Nebiolo]

John,

A couple hours ago I called Andy and Nancy. Andy was sleeping so his son John answered. They are the ones that really know what a "John Cole" movie is. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

~ Rick

[Zeno]

“The soundtrack, the images, the story all combine to leave the viewer befuddled--but that's not necessarily a bad thing. You just have to be able to live with a little uncertainty.”

Above is part of John Cole’s review of the movie “Last Year in Marienbad". This got me thinking about the opening scene for a movie that is about “what is a John Cole movie” staring John Cole. I have the opening scene all planned out and it is outlined below.


Scene is an apartment in Paris, and the ceiling is entirely mirrors of different sizes, every wall is covered with loaded bookshelves – floor to ceiling- but every book has the same title: The Gospel of Zeno: My Life as a Smartass. John is lounging on the sofa wearing a red cocktail dress and smoking a cigar. He is half-watching a movie on a big screen TV that is the only other furnishing in the stark apartment. The movie is Slapstick; one of the hockey fight sequences is showing. No sound from the TV. In one hand John is holding an empty martini glass, in the other a 45-auto handgun cocked and ready to fire.

The door to the apartment opens and in walks John Cole, except he is very short, dwarf-like really – he is wearing a dark gray business suit and a fedora is neatly atop his head. A long peacock feather is stuck in the fedora’s band and swoops first up then downward in a sensuous curve. The dwarf John Cole is smoking a cherry wood pipe and brandishing a beautiful wood cane with a stylish ivory handle. He has the painting by Edgar Degas, titled: Danseuse Sur La Scene, under one arm.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No sound at all, except Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor is heard softly in the background.
No smoke at all is seen coming from either the cigar or the pipe.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upon John entering, the dialogue proceeds thusly:


John on the sofa says (tiredly): “Been to the Louvre, I see.”

John with the painting says (sardonically): “Just a quick run through, Sorry I’m late.”

John on the sofa says (tartly): "I ata make you eat lead for dinner, you dirt bag."

John with that painting says (reproachfully): "The police frown on lead poisoning, you slut."


Whata-ya-thank?
Should I move to Hollywood? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[John Cole]

Zeno,

Amazingly, you got me down pat! Except if the Bach piece were playing, it wouldn't be playing softly.

Hollywood calls.

John

In reality, this sounds like the beginning of the worst David Lynch parody contest.

[Zeno]

John,

Thanks for the compliment and for being such a good sport.

-Zeno

[Cyrus]

Greetings, John.

"If you note knowing looks, I'd look inward. You might be insane without quite realizing it."

I was under the impression that when you are insane, you don't realize it.

Take care.

--Cyrus

[Cyrus]

"Should I move to Hollywood?"

No. Paris.

[John Cole]

Ah, perhaps that's true about insanity. I wonder. Maybe I've been on the receiving end of those knowing looks a few times myself.

Take care,

John

PS. Not meant to be vicious.

[Cyrus]

Greetings, John.

I did not think you were vicious. The title was a double-entendre (double-ecrire?), signifying the eponymous Lou Reed ditty, in reference to the non-damage your joke caused me. Also, signifying the vicious circle resulting from my statement: If I am insane, then I can't realize it.

But if I realize it, then can I be insane?

Take care.

--Cyrus