Futura X-tra bold - Gaspar Noé's "LOVE" [2015 France, Belgium]

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"My biggest dream in life is to make a movie that truly depicts sentimental sexuality. Why - why haven't we seen this in cinema yet!", exclaims Murphy. Having made his mark as an uncompromising filmmaker who worked on exceptionally difficult themes such as in "I Stand Alone" and "Irreversible", it is apparent that through yet another extra bold no-nonsense experiment, this time X-rated, Gaspar Noé had finally managed to make his and his main character Murphy's dream come true in "LOVE".












At first glance, 'Love' might seem an uncharacteristic title for a Gaspar Noé film, especially since all of his films so far have been centred around love, often to the point of obsession. Was he perhaps a bit too conscious of the fact that the film could otherwise be mistaken for 'porn' - and let's face it, there will always be many who will call it so, no matter how many convincing arguments to the contrary are put forward, or was it a sincere attempt at exploring the fact that through all the ages, sex had very often played a dominant part in early stages of a love relationship?

Loving couples, especially the young ones have sex, and if situations permit, focus considerable energies towards the endeavour than those who aren't. If a film decides not to depict the sexual aspect of a couple's relationship, it is perhaps because it has other things to say. But if the focus of a film is love itself, there is a valid reason to show scenes of a sexual nature. There is far more sex depicted in "Love" than in other mainstream films, to the extent that they soon loose their novelty value and we get immersed in the narrative. But what crucially sets it apart from most other 'love' films, is that the actors here are doing it for real (von Trier, who once took Dogme to new heights, should respectfully take note, despite the fact that Noé and Dogme are as distinguishable as apples and oranges).

 

Storyline:
A simple storyline by Noé's standards, the film focuses on the highs and lows of an intense relationship between aspiring filmmaker Murphy (Karl Glusman) and budding artist Electra (Aomi Muyock), while they were in college. The film starts with Murphy, now living with Omi (Klara Kristin) and father to a child, receiving a voicemail from Electra's mum worried about her daughter's whereabouts. This kick starts a back story, mostly told through flashback in a nonlinear but nonetheless comprehensible fashion, of Murphy's passionate and deeply affecting love affair with Electra. We learn about the way Omi entered their lives, and how the couple parted ways.

Despite the uncharted territory, Noé's trademark is stamped all over the film. There are subtle references to some of his earlier work, whether through props, characters, or locations - Noé also appears in a couple of scenes as Electra's ex boyfriend. In terms of performances, the actors are bold and sincere to their characters, and to go all the way - I mean, a l l   t h e   w a y, right to the 'finish' in the numerous sex scenes, requires something of a pioneering spirit. Apart from their performances, it is perhaps also due to the actors' physical intimacy that their characters come 'alive'. Having said that, the weakest among the three protagonists has to be that of Glusman's due to his unmistakeable Hollywood-style delivery which unfortunately takes away from his otherwise impressive performance.

Visually, the film is as sumptuous as any Gaspar Noé film - there is a great deal of attention to lighting, detail and the cinematography in general (the quivering lights and disorientating sounds are thankfully kept to a minimum), even if the viewer might be hard pressed to appreciate the need for shooting the film in 3D, apart from a single, albeit memorable shot. One of the coolest tricks Noé uses in the film is the insertion of blank frames between and sometimes even during the scenes, much like mimicking the way our own memory darts from one detail to the next when remembering the past. It is a great feeling to see that Gaspar Noé, having already achieved what most filmmakers can only dream of in a lifetime, still hasn't lost any of the edgy and brutal forthrightness for which he's infamous; he has once again shown the middle finger to critics and the unwritten rules of the film making establishment. Bravo!, and Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon DVD Link [NTSC] | Amazon DVD Link [PAL] | Amazon Blu-Ray Link [2D & 3D]
About the DVD: Strangely, the Artificial Eye DVD sold at Amazon is actually NTSC, even though it is advertised as PAL. I had to buy a second, PAL version from Amazon.fr, which by the way also featured an interview with Gaspar Noé and some extended (deleted) scenes, not included in the AE release.

 

The Nudity: Aomi Muyock, Karl Glusman, Klara Kristin, Déborah Revy, Stella Rocha, and others
The film features explicit scenes of sex and nudity, but whether it is pornographic in nature is a matter of individual opinion. For me, it doesn't qualify as porn simply because no extraneous efforts were made to focus exclusively on anatomical details during sex acts, whether in shot selection or lighting; we just happen to watch them fucking. The highlight for heterosexual men will most likely include the threesome featuring Glusman, Muyock, and Kristin - the only thing missing from a typical 'mainstream' porn sequence here is the girls simultaneously giving head to the guy until he finishes - oh, but then the film could get classified as 'porno', right? Perhaps..! :-)



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Seven fine directors, and "7 Days in Havana" [2012 Spain, France]

"7 Días en La Habana" [Eng. Title: 7 Days in Havana] was one of my most anticipated films of the year, primarily because it contains segments from two of my favourite directors, Julio Medem and Gaspar Noé. And even though I had pre-ordered the DVD, I couldn't help 'previewing' some of the segments, thanks to one of this site's members lorispersempre - he had managed to obtain a copy from Russia where it was released much before the rest of Europe, and had been kind enough to share them with me. Despite the sneak-view, I couldn't help opening my DVD as soon as it had arrived.

If a favourite feature film director makes a short, one could be disappointed watching it for the first time - I'm sure many people will agree with me on that. Jean-Luc Godard, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Nicolas Roeg have all disappointed me at some point, only for me to change my opinion after repeat viewings. I guess it is because we've got so accustomed to the pace, depth, and tone in their feature films, and expect a similar level of intensity in whatever they do, in effect, expecting to see something a full-length film would convey in a short film. I was half expecting to be disappointed this time too, and nearly was - before I discovered some of the other directors whose work I've never had a chance to see before, and also got to watch my favourite directors for a second time.

Seven directors were asked to come up with their own vision of life in a day in the Cuban capital - six of them are renowned, one of the six has hired another renowned director to star in his film, one of the six is a Cuban, and the seventh director I've only known so far as an actor. Interestingly many seem to have collaborated at some level in putting together their material, weaving in common characteristics. The most obvious thread running through all the segments is of course, Havana, and its mesmerising music. We get different perspectives of life in Havana, both as a foreigner, and a local.

 

Monday: El Yuma - Benicio Del Toro
It was a surprise to see Benicio Del Toro directing, I've only known him as an actor in various American and Spanish films. His segment is interesting, funny, and impressive nonetheless, even if it may have a mainstream Hollywood feel about it, especially in its shot selections. Teddy, a freshly arrived American film student on what appears to be an exchange program with the Cuban equivalent (the Cuban film institute - Escuela Internacional de Cine y TV - is by the way one of the more respected film schools in Latin America), spends an eventful day with his cab driver. It is a mild comedy focusing on the city culture, quirks, and language barriers.

Tuesday: Jam Session - Pablo Trapero
Pablo Trapero, one of the most promising Argentinian directors, casts Serbian director Emir Kusturica as himself, visiting Havana to receive an award at a film festival. This is a beautiful heart-warming segment, where Kusturica develops a close friendship with his chauffeur and gifted part-time trumpeter Alexander Abreu during his stay. This segment is also the richest in music - Cuban jazz lovers will be in for a treat. Me loved it!

Wednesday: La Tentación de Cecilia - Julio Medem
Maestro Medem develops a brief but heady romance between a visiting Spanish talent scout named Leonardo and local star-struck singer Cecilia. She's split between affections for her long term boyfriend José - an unsuccessful baseball player, and her new 'temptation' that is Leonardo, and Spain. The segment ends with her opting to remain in Cuba. While it is beautifully filmed and edited, as can be expected from Medem, I was surprised by the stereotypical characterisation, due to which, I'm sorry to say, it fails to rise beyond the ordinary - nice, but nothing special. Cecilia is played by a real-life singer, the talented and beautiful Melvis Estévez.

Thursday: Diary of a Beginner - Elia Suleiman
Elia Sulieman appears as himself in this segment, trying to arrange an interview with the President through his embassy. Placing himself clearly as an outsider, he makes some interesting observations which are at times philosophical, and at times moving, but quite witty and engaging all the same, despite the absence of any significant dialogue. This is also my favourite segment of the lot, because it is exceptionally well edited and presented.

Friday: Ritual - Gaspar Noé
Gaspar Noé likes to go where others don't, and he doesn't disappoint, as he looks past modern Cuba, into its peoples' African roots. The premise for 'the ritual' is set when a family's precocious and modernised daughter crosses their threshold of acceptability, by having sexual relations with a female friend. It shows a family that is, against the tide, trying to hold on to values that their modern religion cannot safeguard. Noé builds up this premise to unleash his full range of stylistic features - saturated colours, quivering light effects, throbbing sound effects - all to convey the protagonist's inquisitiveness, confusion, disorientation, and fear. The casting is particularly brilliant, and we can all see Noé is still a graphic designer at heart - some of the portrait-shots are worthy of framing. And one really doesn't need to be a fan to enjoy this segment.

Saturday: Dulce Amargo (Bitter-sweet) - Juan Carlos Tabío
This is the only segment seen through the eyes of Cuban sensitivity and sense of humour - Tabío being the only local director in the film. We look at a day in the life of the parents of Cecilia (from the Medem segment). She pays a visit to bid her family farewell, and we won't know the reason until the end. Veteran Cuban actors Jorge Perugorría and Mirtha Ibarra play her parents. Most of their day is spent trying to deliver a cake for a local ceremony, against a backdrop of power-cuts, shortage of ingredients, and time. A slice of life in the capital lovingly seen from a Cuban perspective.

Sunday: La Fuente (The Fountain) - Laurent Cantet
French director Laurent Cantet's segment almost continues from the previous segment, focusing on where the cake is heading, and the reason for their fiesta. An elderly lady summons all her neighbours to convey a vision she had of the Virgin Mary asking her to organise a ceremony, which would involve some major painting and decorating, including construction of a mini fountain right in the middle of her living room. The segment primarily focuses on the community spirit, and how they pool together resources to get things done.

 

In summary, "7 Days in Havana" is a wonderfully eclectic collection of short films that observes life in Havana, both as a foreigner, and a native. Music is an important ingredient in all the segments. All seven are colourful, imaginative, and a joy to watch. Needless to say, Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon DVD Link

 

The Nudity: Melvis Estévez, Cristella de la Caridad Herrera, and Dunia Matos Hernández
The first instance is of Melvis Estévez who appears as Cecilia in Julio Medem's segment. Ms. Estévez, a gifted singer, also performs her songs here. There are some brief scenes of nudity, first whilst having a shower, and later at home with her boyfriend. There is also nudity from Cristella de la Caridad Herrera, she plays the precocious teenager in Gaspar Noé's segment, and partial nudity from Dunia Matos Hernández who plays the female friend of Ms. Herrera.



Scene Guide:

• The scene from Benicio Del Toro's segment has no nudity, but is interesting nevertheless. Young American Teddy is invited for lunch by a cab driver and his mother. When he is momentarily left alone while they performed errands, local prostitute Norka enters the house and propositions a bewildered Teddy. The cab driver's mum catches her red-handed. Norka is played by Claudia Muñiz.
• In Julio Medem's segment, Cecilia is invited to his hotel room by visiting Spanish talent scout Leonardo, who is also clearly infatuated with her. Cecilia accepts, and asks if she could take a shower first. She overhears a conversation Leonardo has with his partner-friend on the phone, bragging about his success in bringing Cecilia into his room, and promptly leaves. Cecilia is played by Melvis Estévez.
• Cecilia catches boyfriend José just when he's leaving for an important game. Despite his request not to tempt him before a game, she does.
• Gaspar Noé's segment starts with young people having a reggaeton party by the beach, during which 'the girl' is hit upon by a female friend. The girl's parents discover them together in bed. The girl is played by pretty Cristella de la Caridad Herrera, and her female friend by Dunia Matos Hernández.
• The 'ritual', where a shaman exorcises 'evil thoughts' from the girl under the watchful eyes of her parents...

 

Monica Bellucci in Gaspar Noé's "Irréversible" [2002 France]

Sometimes I feel watching Gaspar Noé films is akin to paying someone to get yourself slapped. That is certainly the case with the shocking drama "Irréversible" [Eng. Title: Irreversible]. To describe the film as provocative would indeed be an understatement. If his earlier feature "Seul Contre Tous" shook you up, "Irréversible" will hit you with a sledgehammer. M. Noé had declared himself the moral conscience of world cinema.

But contrary to some misconceptions, this film is not about violence - sexual or otherwise. So what is it about? At its heart, the film questions rationale behind the deep-seated human instinct for revenge and the desire for retribution. Because the consequences of our actions, whether intended or not, would be irreversible. Some of the most violent imagery ever put to film has actually been used to convey a deeply pacifist message. Noé's hatred of violence is crying out for everyone to see in the very manner in which these scenes are filmed. Not only does the screenplay run in reverse to show the effects of one's actions before they're committed, there's also a conscious albeit futile effort in every scene to stop certain things from happening. No matter how you see it, this is superlative scripting. There's a whole 'bloody' lot to soak from the film, which makes it necessary to watch it more than once, unpleasant scenes notwithstanding.

Some telling passages of play occur during conversations in the train and later at the discotheque that not only sheds light on the three main characters - Alex, Marcus, and Pierre, but also on the precarious nature of their relationship - at least two of them shouldn't stay friends. Marcus and Pierre have been friends for years. Alex and Marcus are a couple, but before that she was in a relationship with Pierre for four years. Pierre still loves Alex and finds it difficult to move on, Alex is aware of this but cruelly flirts with him, only to later ask him not to torture himself by harbouring feelings for her. They're at a party organised by Pierre's friends. After getting fed up with Marcus for making a fool of himself following drugs and alcohol, Alex leaves, alone. At a subway road crossing, she's randomly attacked by a gay thug in one of the most horrific rape scenes captured in cinema. But this is just the beginning of an orgy of violence that ensues.

Granted, one wouldn't normally place Monica Bellucci who plays Alex in the same acting pedestal as, say a Meryl Streep. But in terms of physicality she's up there among the very best actresses in the industry. Every now and again, she pulls out all stops to deliver some of the most harrowing scenes, like in the all-female lynching scene from Giuseppe Tornatore's "Malèna". She surpasses that here to the extent that during the shoot, her battered face apparently even made her co-star, co-producer and future husband Vincent Cassel (who plays Marcus) cry on set.

Right from the titles to the end credits, there is so much to write about this gem of a film. Gaspar Noé's sense of humour is also amply evident on several occasions - like his choice and style of typography for the credits. The film also starts interestingly with the butcher from "Seul Contre Tous" making a shocking confession from his flat. The camera then pans downstairs to show men pouring out of 'Rectum', the infamous gay bar where some more violent scenes are played out. Apart from scripting and directing the film, M. Noé also handles the cinematography and editing, both thoroughly disorientating. Add to this the unnerving sound mix, and you now have a dizzying unpleasant ride ahead - unpleasant acts to witness, profound truths to unravel, and our incomplete evolution as human beings to reflect on. Needless to say, Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon DVD Link




Compilation: Monica Bellucci
Taken from some of the more humane scenes from the film.



Scene Guide:

• A long post-coital scene where we get to know more about the relationship between Alex and Marcus as they make their plans for the evening's party organised by Pierre, their friend, but who was once also Alex's partner. Alex is of course played by the legendary Italian bombshell Monica Bellucci.
• Alex discovers she's pregnant.
• At the party, Alex tries to keep Pierre company as Marcus flirts with the other girls. She soon gets fed up and leaves, setting off a chain of events.

Scene: Monica Bellucci
This is the infamous rape scene that no one in their right mind would watch for pleasure. Download at your own discretion. And I'm also not going to glorify this scene with any custom graphics.





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Scenes from Gaspar Noé’s “Seul Contre Tous” & “Carne” [1998, 1991 France]

Gaspar Noé made his first full-length feature, "Seal Contro Tous" [Eng. Trans: Alone Against All, Eng. Title: I Stand Alone] - a deeply affecting portrait of alienation and despair, as a continuation of the story of a down-on-luck and out-of-work butcher from a short he made years earlier, "Carne" (Horse Meat).

To say this is not an easy film to watch is an understatement. At the same time, this film will not only have your complete attention, it will force you to probe the depths of your own innermost anxieties, and compare them with what the protagonist is going through. It makes us realise how close many of us must have come to be clinically labelled 'mentally ill' at some point in our lives. For that's what we see the butcher go through - at times in a more intense and menacing manner than Travis Bickle in the American classic, "Taxi Driver". While Travis wants to do what he thinks 'is necessary' for the overall good of the city, the butcher cannot think beyond his immediate circumstances, and that's what makes this film so personal. We relate to him in so many levels and yet are repulsed by what he ends up doing. He is hard working, caring, and honestly attempts to turn his fortunes around. All the ingredients necessary for him to lead a decent existence are there - only in the wrong proportions.

It helps, even though not necessary, if "Seul Contre Tous" is seen with some knowledge of his earlier short film, "Carne". That was about how the butcher loses everything he cared about in a single day - the custody of his daughter, and his shop, after mistakenly causing GBH on an innocent man. It ends with him leaving Paris with his pregnant girlfriend upon release from prison - with his mute daughter locked away in care, he feels he can now start life afresh.

"Seul Contre Tous" starts with the butcher disillusioned after being let down by his girlfriend - she had changed her mind about investing in a butcher shop after getting to Lille, and wants him to take up a paid job instead. Things come to a head and he flees to Paris after attacking his girlfriend in a fit of rage. He rents the old motel room where his daughter was conceived fifteen years ago, picks up his daughter from the care home for a day out, but brings her to the room instead. There are three bullets left in his revolver - how is he going to use it...

The film hardly looks like one made by a director beginning to find his feet in cinema. Not only is it immaculately planned and executed, it has also become a blueprint of sorts to his future style of film making.

One is also intrigued by Noé as a person, his themes and subjects may point to a tormented soul with strong pacifist leanings, but one could also see his clear convictions on what he wants to tell, made apparent in almost every aspect of his production techniques, be it the way he frames his subjects, the clear-cut, almost brutal scene transitions, his preference for strong colours, and also his typographic choices. He remains one of the truly remarkable film makers in world cinema today, and every new film of his is enthusiastically anticipated by film lovers, myself included. I look forward to his current project, "7 días en La Habana" - a collection of short films by an eclectic mix of directors, which also includes the great Julio Medem - and I hope it turns out to be as special as it deserves to be.




Compilation: Paule Abecassis, Blandine Lenoir
There is very little nudity in many of these scenes, but they are disturbing nevertheless.



Scene Guide:

• The butcher planning his next move while sitting in a porn cinema - his persistent rantings through voice-over highlight his sense of exclusion from society.
• A desperate junkie - played by Paule Abecassis, takes him to her place, in return for whatever little money he could afford.
• Reminiscing early days with his daughter's mum at the very room all those years ago.
• With his mute daughter Cynthia (possibly with the mental age of someone even younger). I deliberately cut out a deeply moving scene in the middle.
• These are scenes from his earlier film, "Carne", with daughter Cynthia - the only person he seems to care about or have any affection for. Cynthia is played by Blandine Lenoir.

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Paz de la Huerta and others in "Enter the Void" BR720 [2009, France, Germany, Italy]

Argentinian-born French director Gaspar Noé has made it his trademark to repulse his audience using both sound and light. His violent edits and special effects are meant to disorientate, and his camera angles and persistent flashing lights are not for the epileptic. The low frequency noise and reverberating sound effects are designed to make us feel uneasy. His films depict the more undesirable aspects of human character, and demands us to face up to it, or leave the theatre.

Naturally they are not easy to watch, as every aspect of the filmmaking is geared towards making the audience uncomfortable. Even technically, his colour palette is extremely saturated with low contrast, the strong flashing lights from multiple angles make his characters look inhuman, and most of his scenes are either shot indoors, or in the dark. As far as I can remember, the only normal daylight shot among all his films should be from his debut feature, "Seul Contre Tous", when towards the end, the butcher opens his window and gazes outside. Perhaps I'm wrong, and the only reason I remember it could be because of the powerful scene before, but I'm sure there can't be many.

His most recent film, "Enter the Void" is shot in English and depicts a young American living the 'darker' life of Tokyo. The film isn't about life in Tokyo itself, it is merely used as a metaphor, on people, places, dreams - far apart. But M. Noé takes full advantage of the location and it's culture to propel his story. Starting with the awesome titles - we can see Noé has a keen eye for typography and a great sense of humour by the manner in which it is applied. And finally the screenplay allows the director to deploy his full repertoire of tricks and effects in a totally uninhibited fashion. There's plenty of flashing lights and psychedelic effects that will physically strain your eyes - I did my best to remove intermittent blank frames and quivering bright lights, but some had to be left behind, so download at your own discretion.

The camera is from the viewpoint of the male lead character - a stoned drug pushing junkie - who gets killed within the first few minutes of the film. The camera even 'bats' eyelids for us as he goes about his task, which while hilarious at the beginning, gets a bit annoying after some time. The bulk of the very long film (nearly 3 hrs) happens after his death, as 'he', or his persona relives moments from the past and gazes in a detached manner at the present. He follows his friends, watches his own cremation, and more importantly follows his sister throughout the film. Through him we watch her bereave, have sex, and come to terms with their collective tragic past. Paz de la Huerta plays the sister's role of Linda.





Scene 1:
The camera pans through buildings and rooms as a 'freshly dead' Oscar enters the strip club where Linda works and watches as his sister performs, and later has sex with her Japanese lover - she has yet to be informed of her brother's death. I'm not too sure what Paz handles briefly (top row, last but second in my graphic) is the real thing or a Tinto-style appendage.







Scene 2:
Oscar reminisces the life he lived, as a child with his mother, played by the exquisite Janice Béliveau-Sicotte, and later his first sexual experience with the mother of his friend, played by Sara Stockbridge - he remembers how he couldn't take his mind off images of his mother even while having sex.









Scene 3:
Memories of his sister come flooding - Oscar later watches over Linda as she discovers her pregnancy, followed by a scene of her having an abortion. The film is ambiguous about the level of their intimacy.









Scene 4:
Linda is having a lesbian encounter with one of her friends who Oscar had once dated - their male friend simply watches, followed by some more memories of his mother, and finally an intimate look at happenings in a 'Love Hotel'. The scene contains some explicit foootage.








Scene 5:
There's only brief nudity here and it is a continuation of the scene above, but very interesting nevertheless..! Oscar watches his sister Linda making love to his best friend, and goes on a mystical journey of sorts. Oscar the spirit, can now physically 'see' orgasm, or so M. Noé would have us believe..!






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Gaspar Noé's short, "Sodomites" [1998 France]

Just for a laugh, here's another face of respected director Gaspar Noé - he made this experimental piece of adult film "Sodomites" featuring a beastly looking Marc Barrow sodomising fellow pornstar Coralie, who in this film seems to bear a striking resemblance to Monica Bellucci (ah..! if only!).

It is actually quite funny, even if it's nothing but arty porn. This even reminds me of one of Gaspar Noé's own quotes from his IMDB bio:
"There is no line between art and pornography. You can make art of anything. You can make an experimental movie with that candle or with this tape recorder. You can make a piece of art with a cat drinking milk. You can make a piece of art with people having sex. There is no line. Anything that is shot or reproduced in an unusual way is considered artistic or experimental." (IMDB)

The quality of this video is not great but should be tolerated for it's rarity - I can't see M. Noé doing something as naughty as this anytime soon - I cut this years ago and don't know the original source. If I ever get hold of a proper version, this post will no doubt be updated.






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