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 L'année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad] 

What grade would you give this film?
A 50%  50%  [ 2 ]
B 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
C 25%  25%  [ 1 ]
D 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
F 25%  25%  [ 1 ]
Total votes : 4

 L'année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad] 
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Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:01 pm
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Post L'année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad]
Last Year at Marienbad

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L'Année dernière à Marienbad (translated as Last Year in Marienbad in the UK and Last Year at Marienbad in North America) is a 1961 French film directed by Alain Resnais, starring Delphine Seyrig, Giorgio Albertazzi, Sacha Pitoëff. The screenplay is by Alain Robbe-Grillet.

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Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:06 am
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loyalfromlondon
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Post Re: L'année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad]
It's rare that I love a film as complex upon a first watchings. Usually, it takes me multiple viewings to catch everything, and I slowly raise my grade up to the sanctified A+ level. And with a film as artistic and utterly confusing as this one, I am utterly shocked to be giving it my highest grade. The me of a year ago would absolutely hate this film, labelling it "boring", "nonsensical", and "pointless". But I loved it.

Perhaps the best word to describe it is "haunting". Though it's a Resnais film, I felt it had more in common with The Shining than Hiroshima mon amour. Perhaps it's because I had just watched the former, but the similarities I found were staggering. Grand, opulent hotels, ghostly characters, bizarre narrative structures, and truly eerie music. Though the score of this film is nothing more than the typically spooky organ music one might find in a Disneyland ride, it adds an entire layer of horror to the film, one which would otherwise not be found. In my opinion, it's just as much horror as Kubrick's film.

Perhaps no aspect of the film could be justifiably criticized as much as the narrative. It's definitely a frustrating and confusing structure. Defying all forms of linearity, causality, spatiality, and temporality, it challenges the viewer to solve it (much like the Nim puzzle present throughout the film) and then pulls the rug out just when we think we've got it. Characters wander in and out of flashbacks, dying and coming back to life, slowly remembering events and then forgetting them. It was only after some heavy duty theoretical reading that I was able to realize the symmetrical nature of the film, and finally some sort of structure began to form. I don't think I'll ever fully understand what is real and what isn't (I don't think anyone will, really) but at least I've got some sort of handle on it, now.

After watching Hiroshima, I wasn't too impressed with Resnais' directorial ability, but after watching this, I think he's fantastic. From the extreme long takes - with the camera wandering around the manor, reflecting the viewer's dazedness - to the desychronization of sound and image - the disembodied voices floating around the film are as terrifying as anything on screen - to the stylish editing - the bit where the woman slowly remembers while standing at the bar is conveyed perfectly - the direction of the film is simply astounding. In each and every shot, there is something to admire, whether it be a mise-en-abyme painting in the background, or the gorgeous black & white cinematography, or the disorienting lack of shadows in the garden. It is a masterful work.

Even if I never fully understand what it is I watched, I don't think I'll mind. To me, it's not the type of film that needs to be completely comprehended in order to be enjoyed. As I watched it the first time, without any idea what I was getting into, I was mesmerized, even though I was utterly and totally lost. I'm sure a second viewing, with my class discussion and readings in the forefront of my mind, will be just as thrilling.

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Magic Mike wrote:
zwackerm wrote:
If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes.


Same.


Algren wrote:
I don't think. I predict. ;)


Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:49 pm
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loyalfromlondon
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Post Re: L'année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad]
Booooooooooo. :grrr:

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Magic Mike wrote:
zwackerm wrote:
If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes.


Same.


Algren wrote:
I don't think. I predict. ;)


Sun Dec 23, 2007 2:22 am
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loyalfromlondon
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Post Re: L'année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad]
Still brilliant, Magic-anus.

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Magic Mike wrote:
zwackerm wrote:
If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes.


Same.


Algren wrote:
I don't think. I predict. ;)


Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:39 am
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loyalfromlondon
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Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm
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Post Re: L'année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad]
You're a film enthusiast?

_________________
Magic Mike wrote:
zwackerm wrote:
If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes.


Same.


Algren wrote:
I don't think. I predict. ;)


Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:45 am
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loyalfromlondon
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Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm
Posts: 19697
Location: ville-marie
Post Re: L'année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad]
Don't like lesbian porn?

_________________
Magic Mike wrote:
zwackerm wrote:
If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes.


Same.


Algren wrote:
I don't think. I predict. ;)


Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:54 am
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loyalfromlondon
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Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm
Posts: 19697
Location: ville-marie
Post Re: L'année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad]
But you gotta have that cock.

_________________
Magic Mike wrote:
zwackerm wrote:
If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes.


Same.


Algren wrote:
I don't think. I predict. ;)


Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:59 am
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Extraordinary
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Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:18 pm
Posts: 12159
Post Re: L'année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad]
nice movie to watch, not so nice to think about


Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:49 pm
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