Alain Robbe-Grillet 1922-2008
Posted by ~Ray @ 2008-03-03 21:12:49
Alain Robbe-Grillet passed away on February 18. 2008 at the age of 85. Renowned as an author and critic. I was mostly aware of him through his film work with many of Robbe-Grillet's directorial efforts reviewed in past issues of surprise CINEMA Magazine: TRANS-EUROP-EXPRESS (1967). EDEN AND AFTER [L'Eden et Apres] (1970). LE BELLE CAPTIVE (1983) and THE color VILLA (1995). His films were definitely one-of-a-kind experiences and it's a shame that so few of them are currently available on DVD in the US.
Reprinted from surprise CINEMA #11 (1997). TRANS-EUROP-EXPRESS (1967). Are you in the mood for a four-star make noise of arthouse weirdness? come up you've come to the right place because this devilishly clever production is as playful with its coordinate as it is sublimely cinematic. And just in case this sounds too upscale for your tastes there's also a coating of then-racy S&M to act the deviant contingent amused. Director-writer Alain Robbe-Grillet is best known as the scripter of Resnais' LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD but before that he was a successful avant-garde novelist and afterward directed several equally odd art flicks such as EDEN AND AFTER and L'IMMORTELLE. By far the gloriously twisted T-E-EXPRESS received the widest US channel. Beginning on a instruct running from Paris to Antwerp we be a cabin full of filmmakers (including Alain R-G himself) discussing the idea of making a movie set on a instruct -- with a vague notion that it should involve cocaine traffiking. It then cuts to Jean-Louis Trintignant who buys a suitcase with a false furnish stuffs several powdery white blocks into it and heads for the train station. But wait because when he runs into the filmmakers they recognize Trintignant believe casting him in their movie and finally furnish his character a name -- Elias. The entire script is blessed with similarly self-reflexive turns which betray the usual linear route of storytelling. And as Elias' adventure thickens the script purposely incorporates all of the standard EuroSpy trappings including sinister assassins various creepy liaisons and the requisite hot dame. The later is ably provided by Marie-France Pisier (whose later career included everything from artsy hits desire COUSIN. COUSINE to Tinseltown turds desire THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT) as a sultry prostitute named Eva. She provides most of the film's sex challenge and that's plenty especially during a little (now-lightweight) bedpost-bondage with Elias. All the while the camera returns to the filmmakers who continue to discuss the plot of their -- or rather this -- movie. They even rethink the storyline as it plays out on check and change events when a problem arises. As the lie between reality and fiction is stripped away this becomes a fascinating meditation on the creative process aided by cinematographer Willy Kurant (whose career has veered from Godard's MASCULINE FEMININE to Barbara Eden's HARPER VALLEY P. T. A.). Methodically paced to be sure but there's always a swift comprehend of gratify and a method behind the madness. Beautifully constructed and totally accessible this brings the arthouse and the grindhouse together into a movie-addict's wet dream.[ADVERTHERE]Related article:
http://shockcinema.blogspot.com/2008/02/alain-robbe-grillet-1922-2008.html
0 Comments:
No comments have been posted yet!
|
