Every once in a while I watch a film that leaves me agape in the creativity of the director. I certainly feel this way about Sans soleil. It's as bizarre a movie as one could ever hope to find but it does work as a documentary. The film is in no way concerned with entertaining the audience. It is a philosophical text presented in film format. It also describes the culture of Japan and Guinea-Bissau.
The movie explains a lot about the reverence of the land in Japanese society. We see people praying with their heads bowed to the Earth and the narrator provides commentary about it. We also learn the importance of the dog to the Japanese people. Also, the film discusses the importance of the train to the Japanese. Something intriguing about the film is how the narrator discusses the artistic possibilities of video games. Since the film was released in 1983, video games were in crisis due to the crash that happened earlier that year (in North America and Europe). Now looking at games like Metroid Prime and Shadow of the Colossus, I understand what she meant. For Guinea-Bissau, the narrator discusses the political history of the country and the risks of being a revolutionary. I'd like to write more about it, but I cannot recall anything to say.
Those who choose to watch Sans soleil, would be best served to read the script before and after the viewing. Then, they should talk about what they just watched. I will do that when I watch it again, as I have for many philosophical texts. This film is not intended for a large audience, and those wishing to watch it should be knowledgeable of that. Also, if you enjoy Hitchcock, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the homage Marker plays to him.
The movie explains a lot about the reverence of the land in Japanese society. We see people praying with their heads bowed to the Earth and the narrator provides commentary about it. We also learn the importance of the dog to the Japanese people. Also, the film discusses the importance of the train to the Japanese. Something intriguing about the film is how the narrator discusses the artistic possibilities of video games. Since the film was released in 1983, video games were in crisis due to the crash that happened earlier that year (in North America and Europe). Now looking at games like Metroid Prime and Shadow of the Colossus, I understand what she meant. For Guinea-Bissau, the narrator discusses the political history of the country and the risks of being a revolutionary. I'd like to write more about it, but I cannot recall anything to say.
Those who choose to watch Sans soleil, would be best served to read the script before and after the viewing. Then, they should talk about what they just watched. I will do that when I watch it again, as I have for many philosophical texts. This film is not intended for a large audience, and those wishing to watch it should be knowledgeable of that. Also, if you enjoy Hitchcock, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the homage Marker plays to him.