Two fascinatingly beautiful films from the same director, separated by over 20 years.
Both very French. Both very thought-provoking.
The first is a disturbing black and white sci fi film from the early 60s. A series of still images, beautifully shot in high-contrast black and white, narrated with a story of a post-apocalyptic nightmare. This is about as French as it gets. There is an attention to detail, a sense of appreciation of the small, subtle, the poetic moment. Beautiful or disturbing, there is something both tragic and celebratory. A triumph of the spirit in the face of hopelessness. Clearly inspiration for 12 Monkeys. It is a fairly short film, and moving at a pace so much slower than most contemporary films. But worth the investment, worth the attention, and certainly I am left thinking of it.
The second film is a lovely exploration of moments of culture, mostly of Tokyo, with a few interludes in Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, and Paris. Partly a film of travel, but more accurately, a film of the small moments of humanity. It focuses on the meaning of the smallest actions. It is in the tradition of a private letter, that literary device that allows for a most intimate, personal address. Humorous, melancholy, introspective, philosophical and visually moving. It's is a slow-moving film, requiring patience and a willingness to invest some thought into its meanderings. Overall, though, as different as it seems from the first film, it captures that same sense of hope and sadness, subtle joy and dark humor of the first film.
Definitely on my list to view again...
