Category: European cinema
-
“The Lives of Others”: Auschwitz of the Soul
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s expressionism, as it can be seen in his painting “Mountains and Houses In the Snow”, conveys the overstressed colors which are on the verge of puncture. For this article, white and its sublime horror presented in the painting are particularly interesting. The symbolism of this use of white will be present throughout…
-
Hiroshima Mon Amour (Alain Resnais, 1959) “…Nevers Mon Amour”
Hiroshima Mon Amour, directed by Alain Resnais, opens with a close-up of an arm and body amorously entangled. They are in the dark, their bodies are joined and small particles, resembling ashes or sand (as the sands of time), are falling and covering them. They are caressing and soon begin to glow, as they are…
-
Beauty Amidst Decay: Luchino Visconti’s “Death in Venice”
Luchino Visconti’s Death In Venice is an adaptation of Thomas Mann’s novel; it follows Gustav von Aschenbach (Dirk Bogarde), a composer who, due to ill health, comes to Venice. The film explores the encounter of true beauty amidst the decay – Venice is struck down by a plague toward the end of the film. The…
-
Three Colors: Blue (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1993) “Blue Is the Coldest Color”
Three Colors: Blue came out half a year after the Maastricht Treaty was signed, transforming the European Community into the European Union. The film was supported by the Council of Europe, but mostly financed by the French. It celebrates the idea of the European unity and integration, but also the three principles of the French…
-
Celestial Purity and Carnality in Wim Wenders’ “Wings of Desire”
The original title of the film Wings of Desire is Der Himmel über Berlin (Sky Over Berlin); the English title beautifully captures the main antinomy present in the film – the one between spirituality and celestial purity and the carnal, eroticism and sensuality. In Marion’s character, the sensuality and existentialist wondering about being-in-the-world (Heidegger) are…
-
L’Eclisse (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1962) “Looming Shadow of Modernity”
It is somewhat ironic that we are commemorating a total solar eclipse which occurred in the United States a week ago, with a film that can be easily interpreted through Marxist lenses. Although, since the Cold War is over, one can afford such leeway. Speaking of the Cold War, L’eclisse was filmed in the aftermath…
-
In the Eye of the Beholder – Leos Carax’s “Holy Motors”
In its quaint particularity, Holy Motors approaches themes like sexuality, modern life, libertinism and aesthetics. It opens wih a shot of people in the theater watching a film, suggesting that film-watching experience is a dreamlike state. The film follows a day in the life of Monsieur Oscar who is, as we can tell, a businessman…
Vigour of Film Lines 