Time Machine task 2: Film Review

The film ‘The Idiots’ by Lars Von Trier.

 

This film is about a group of middle – class people in their early 20`s, whose intention is to ‘spass out’ in public and in the privacy of their owned uncles home, I which they are all living in. The episodes of retardation are seen as controversial & provide the film with an unconventional method of viewing this type of behaviour that occurs in everyday society. It explains to the viewer, how this group of people cope with society, despite their occupations such as, a doctor, an advertising agency & an art teacher, as well as escapism from their real lives e.g. children and wives.

 

After the controversial ‘gang-bang’ scene, in which the teenager Josephine and Jeppe seem to be falling for each other, the other members of the group are seen relaxing out in the garden. The peaceful, idealised scene is disturbed & shattered by Josephine’s father who embarrasses her, invading and bursting the bubble in which they live in. When talking to the group, the father talks about medication issues with his daughter. This issue brings  light to a possible mental problem that she already has. The group didn’t know about this issue and highlights the possible hypocritical actions of some group members. In an aggressive and forceful manner, her father draws attention to a conflict between the real world and their make believe world by removing her from the house. The groups happiness is crushed, in particular, Josephine and Jeppe’s. You can notice this reaction by Jeppe demonstration of his  idiot persona. When watching, I felt personally this was the most emotional, realistic and dramatic scene. Despite Jeppe reverting back to his ‘idiot’ persona, I feel this sort of behaviour is the only way he can truly express himself It seems like he cannot cope with this merge of realism & idealism.

 

The way Josephine’s father reacted to the knowledge of her personal behaviour and Jeppe’s idiot persona is commenting on our views towards this behaviour in our culture. When watching the film, I noticed another example of this sort of behaviour; when the idiots are encountered by real disabled people, and cannot deal with their behaviour, the film acknowledges that these particular characters can be criticised for what they do, but can also be justified as a twisted way of expression. 

 

 

 

The print screens shown on my left highlight, that you really have to be an idiot to change society or at least believe you can. This idea of breaking all  the rules in film making through using the rules of Dogma 95, is metaphorical for the way the group is breaking the rules of authority; being an idiot is an act of despair but also courage. 

 

 

 

 

When approaching the end of the story, it became clear that the game was almost over for the characters. I noticed this, as some of the group members found, they could not confront and reveal the idiot inside themselves. However, when referring to the beginning  of the film, the character, Karen seemed quiet and withdrawn and was only by chance recruited into the group. Whereas,  at the end her character was found to have the deepest personality. After volunteering to go home and ‘spass out’ with Susanne as witness, we return to her home where we are finally immersed in complete reality. The character is coldly welcomed home by her family who assumed she was dead having been missing for the last 2 weeks, and due to her not attending her own baby’s funeral. I noticed, when watching the film, this character is the only person to spass out in `reality`. I think this personality, becomes a shock to the viewers nothing is resolved, however it seems Karen is found to have the most undesired life, in which allows her to act out and throw it all away, deserting her typical lifestyle. 

 

When making the film I think the crew have tried not to make fun of mentally ill people, but to hide away and regress back to their childhood, dealing with a society they are used to.

 

The character, Stoffer believes “They are the ones who are making fun,” I believe, everyone in society who does not take their view, deflects the argument that the group portrays, referring to stirring trouble and insulting people in the society they have abandoned. 

I also think the use of a handheld camera adds to the realism & naturalness of the scenes, almost like a documentary home video. especially when analysing the quality of the picture.

 

The camera moves freely as if part of the group among the action focussing on the most interesting occurrence. Although simple and realistically shots add to the lifestyle in which they all live in, enhancing an  unrealistic distortion created in the characters minds and thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Through out the film I think we discover that the world begins to fall apart. While on the surface it would seem Von Trier is commenting on the attitudes society has to the mentally handicapped, however deeper down it appears to be in defence of defect.

 

When researching, I learnt that Lars Von Trier’s style of working refers to the French New wave, which was the name given to a group of youthful French filmmakers of the late 1950s and 60s such as Jean-Luc Godard. The style depicts a self-conscious rejection of classical cinematic form such as moving freely with the scene rather than keeping the camera position still. He also takes inspiration from the Swinging London period which involves the flourishing fashion & cultural scene in the 60s of optimism & hedonism; a cultural revolution.

 

Both style's portray traditional values of storytelling, acting & theme. They exclude the use of elaborate special effects, and also believed in improvisation. However when watching the film I think he had broken some of these aspects.

 

He uses music in the `gang bang` scene and also portrays a stunt double. I think by creating these effects it keeps the audience interested and aware of the narrative that is applied.

 

I also believe, the film ‘The Idiots’ is referring to the conflict between a group of middle-classes views on society, their love and hatred towards their own personal lives. It captures the characters individual personalities of abandonment and stressful lives in which they all live in. I think by emphasizing this matter, the narrative moves the audience and creates an emotion that reflects the persons behaviour.

 

 

time machine task

We were told to research into two images as part of our Time Machine Task (each of our team has posted this same information but on their own individual blogs)

The female in art is one of the revolution development of 15th century Renaissance paintings in Western Europe. The subject of the females nudes were often placed in compositions that accentuated the glow of their skin, the use of a close up vantage point idealised their bodies as goddesses. 
Sleeping Venus (1510) by Giorgione

This is a painting by Italian Renaissance painter Giorgione.  This is the first ever female reclining nude in European paintings that was depicted as the principal and only subject matter in the painting. The painting was never completed by Giorgione himself but by Titian after the death of the painter in 1510 who finished the landscape and the sky.  

 

This painting was one of the last masterpieces by Giorgione, depicting a nude woman. This choice has often mirrored erotic implications, and was a revolutionary turning point in modern art as women as single subjects was rarely seen in Western paintings. This sense of eroticism is emphasised in the print by the raised arm and the placement of the hand in the groin area; moreover this gesture is elegant suggesting a mythological beauty. The pose of the figure along with the softness of the facial expression creates a sense of a dreamlike quality; a idyllic attitude towards nature and beauty was a key theme in Giorgoine paintings. The design of the landscape seen in the background is very much an central theme in European art, mimicking the womanly figure of the subject in the painting; this simple composition can be seen in later paintings by artists such as Ingres and Rubens. 

 

Giorgoine depicts his subject not for sexual desire, she is painted as a goddess sleeping unaware of the audience peeping in; the audience are transported into her own dreamworld. 

The scenery is characterised by contrast; she is set underneath a protective hill on the left, an approaching storm in the far centre and a villa on the right giving a sense that is protected from the brutality of the real world. 

Olympia (1863) Edouard Manet

 

 

This is the painting by Edouard Manet (1863) and was inspired by the Titain's 'Venus of Urbino' which in turn refers to the painting by Giorgoine discussed above.  

This painting in the context of the date, was considered immoral and vulgar; it was not the presentation of the naked woman not even the presence of the black servant, but by the confrontational gaze of the subject.Unlike the presentation of the woman in Giorgoine's painting as a goddess style creature, this woman is a high class prostitute waiting for a client. Such iconography in the painting highlights this ideal; the orchid in her hair, her bracelet, the pearl earrings she wears all suggest a lifestyle of wealth   and sensuality. Whereas the delicate covering of Venus's groin in Giorgoine painting suggests innocence, the firm covering of the subject in Manet's paintings suggests dominance. 

 

The painting is quite masculine; the broad quick brushstrokes and the use of harsh lighting eliminates mid tones and shallow depth of field. These can be compared to the idealised woman in Giorgoine's painting; the pigments mixed in with the oil and resin create an vision of beauty; whereas Manet's depiction of the nude is very brutal through the use of harsh light and the lack of half tones.  Many people stated at the Paris Salon exhibition in 1865 that they found it hard to let their eyes wonder, each detail trying to make sense of it all but always coming back to a world that is fragmented. 

 

The drapery on the bed, the untucked bed, the ruffled pillows contrast the feminine draping of bedding in Giorgoine's painting. The dark somewhat menacing eyes make the audience feel uneasy. Also the loyal sleeping dog in Titian's painting 'Venus of Urbino'(1538) has been replaced by the startled cat, a sign of infidelity. The painting portrays the harshness of a contemporary subject. Manet challenges the function of art in France and creates what some may say as the first modern painting.  

 

Posted by Team 7

 

 

Linda Nochlin’s, Realism 1971 (Penquin New York).

Please read the introduction to, Linda Nochlin’s, Realism  1971 (Penquin New York) as an initial source of research.

A couple of pages from the book Linda Nochlin’s, Realism  1971 (Penquin New York). These pages are known as an initial source of research.

Task 1 - Monday 13th

Edouard Manet (1832-1883) Olympia,1863 Oil on canvas H. 130; W. 190 cm Paris, Musée d’Orsay. Dear All, please accept our apologies for today’s postponement of Michael’s first lecture of the Time Machine Unit. For next Monday 13th, please see Task 1 and produce a blog presentation, based on your analysis of the two paintings. Mentioned in the task you may work together, in your revised Tutorial groups.

 

For this task we have to compare and contrast two paintings. We have to comment on the context and the relationship of the image to the idealised and realism - 500 words. We are also allowed to work in our groups. The task deadline in Monday 13th.