Some impressions of movies I have seen lately that I posted in the arthouse thread.
The Music Room - Satyajit Ray
This film is about a time when the wealth and influence of the aristocracy and landlords of India were fading, and business owners were gaining wealth through their economic dealings. Biswambhar Roy is from a long line of land owners and spends his days slowly selling off his wife's and his own possessions to fund his self indulgent music shows.
I was at odds with myself when watching this film. Each time during the lengthy musical performances I was engrossed as Biswambhar (the main character and landlord) was, especially in his early years. As time went on the music to him became a reflection of wealth and status, and his enjoyment of it, while still total, seemed numbed by his vices. I felt a bittersweet guilt, as it seemed to be letting him indulge and love music, but as the rest of his life and his family fall apart the music became a drug. The first two of three major performances take place before a key turning point in Biswambhar's life. The first specifically shows his appreciation for the music, and shows the early days of his addiction. The second, well, happens at the turning point, and he is no longer just appreciative but entranced. The last takes place several years after, and is more engrossing yet harrowing, with a sense of finality. Also with a final and empty show of power to let his audience know that he deserves respect and spends his last monies to get it. It made me think about how I enjoy my own music and movies.
Ironically the musical performances and composer of the score were tailor made for me, so in some sense I couldn't help but be taken by it all. I will say though, I wish that Ray had more restraint when it came to the placement of the score. There were scenes with Biswambhar that could have stood fine on their own, but seemed to be filled with music for no reason that I could think of. Maybe he just appreciated the compositions, but they were strangely placed in some instances, even though I enjoyed it.
has anyone else seen this film?
Killer of Sheep - Charles Burnett
The Killer of Sheep was a much different experience than I expected going in. I got a sense of Stan's inability to show his wife the affection she so clearly wants from him, and still feels for him. She asks him why he doesn't smile anymore, like he used to, and we see him later smiling at his daughter. This movie happily eschews a narrative flow, and happily the movie is much more interested in just showing Stan's relation to the outer world. The dancing scene is romantic and sorrowful all at once, his wife holds him and feels his skin like a lover would, but he circles blankly, his hands lazily draped over her hips and to my eyes, unable to connect.
It feels like Stan cauterized himself to his job and in turn parts of his life. Temptation of crime and easier money that the liquor store owner who covets his body are not considered, but neither are the advances of his wife. Stan's view of his value is the work he does, and small bits of opportunity that cashing a check brings. Even so it's a limbo, Stan spends money on this motor, but a bit of carelessness leaves it broken and now, because he doesn't have any 'spare' money left it has to be abandoned.
Similarly later in the film a flat tire prevents them from going to the races where his friend is self assured that his horse will win, but the reality of their situation prevents them from having or getting a spare. I remember a few years ago I helped a man change his tire in Philly. He had been wrestling with his own jack for a while, and i had a unused one in my car, so i stopped and helped him put on his spare. I thought about his future, about having to ride around on a spare tire when he had no money that week for a new tire. The police would surely stop him, and it would cost him more money that he didn't have.
His choice of accompanying music is great, and like The Music Room shows a real love of these songs, and they add interesting textures to these scenes.
I honestly don't think I am completely equipped to watch this movie and understand everything I was shown, but I am glad I did, and will be revisiting it in the future.
