7.7.09

three, two, one, zero...

film diary

3-6 July 09



L’année dernière à Marienbad (1961)

Alain Resnais, Director

Alain Robbe-Grillet, Writer


... a film to live by ...

A: Who are you?
X: You know.
A: What's your name?
X: It doesn't matter.






*

After four days with Last Year at Marienbad, I'm a bit dizzy. This film is in itself an experience. And most likely different for each viewer. A writer's film - in every sense. Powerful performances by Delphine Seyrig - as A, Giorgio Albertazzi - as X, and Sacha Pitoëff - as M.


Empty salons. Corridors. Salons. Doors. Doors. Salons. Empty chairs, deep armchairs, thick carpets. Heavy hangings. Stairs, steps. Steps, one after the other. Glass objects, objects still intact, empty glasses. A glass that falls, three, two, one, zero. Glass partition, letters.


*


2 comments:

Collin Kelley said...

You beat me to it! I bought Marienbad over the weekend and watched it again - first time in years - and was totally enthralled. Criterion has done a brilliant job of transferring the film to DVD. The black and white is so rich and velvety, and I noticed so many little details I'd missed before. I almost thought I had it figured out there for a second...

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Visually, it's a stunning work. For me, each viewing presents a different film. That's extraordinary.

You're right about the Criterion release. The film transfer was a beautiful job - and the extras on disc two, very insightful.