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Reviews
The Dreamers (2003)
Dreams are void
The name of the movie is very apt. As one watches the movie one feels that all characters of the movie are dreamers. Starting from the father, a poet who living in the house with his family does not know that his twin son and daughter living under the same roof are having a relationship bordering on taboo which as per the confession of Isabella if become known to her parents, she will kill herself and on finding out in the fag end of the movie that their relations have been exposed to the parents, really enacts the suicide. So father is a dreamer with his dreams flowing out of his pen- for him, poem is petition.Dreams being cut off from reality are always comforting and so the father withe his poetry.Dreamy poetry makes him a renowned poet. Isabella and Theo, twin brother and sister, in a living example of Yam and Yami the Indian mythological figure where sister Yami courts her brother Yam to acqisce to her yearning for physical relation with her,her argument being they were in coupulating position for nine months-are living a life which borders on general accepted standard of immorality as found by their American friend
who enters their lives. She lives with her brother sharing his room with no hold barred so far as activities termed as personal and private- Siamese twins mentally co-jointed - by the confession of Theo her brother.She maintains her room immaculate with no intrusion permitted including indulging sex with her friend Mathew. she does not want her room, a veritable dream chamber to be disturbed. Her brother, Theo, is also dreamer - dreamer of revolution which will come just by mental exercises like reading and discussion with her sisters and father, by quoting famous lines- a sort of mental masturbation which can be self fulfilling but can not be reproductive. Theier American friend Mathew is more pragmatic and worldly though finds common denominator with the brother-sister duo in cinemasthique, all of them being film buffs. This is one dream which Mathew shares with Isabella and Theo. The Riots of Paris - students revolt, Molotov cocktails are also a part of larger dream cherished by the student community who without any ideologically organized movement are driven by dream of some kind of revolution they will usher in, which they themselves know not. Isabella after knowing that their relationship has become known to the parents and after failed suicide attempt joins her brother in Molotov cocktail ceremony who all of sudden realizing that to fulfill dreams in to reality requires some kind of action, goes out full throttle and makes himself a part of larger crowd of dreamers. Acting wise, Isabella tops them all as her role is quite difficult to play, involving interplay of innocence due to her under exposure of the world reality and on the other hand, an awakening especially the sexual one which comes by the ageing process. Dominating Greyish hue in the movie reinforces the dreamy ambiance of the house. A very good movie to watch but one should not expect much intellectual problematizing- after all dreams are void.
Gouttes d'eau sur pierres brûlantes (2000)
A game of Will domination
Fasbinder always creates an uneasy sensation in the watcher of his movie- the subject matter he picks up, the way he handles the character and plot, all leave a lasting typical Fasbinder prick somewhere deep in the psyche. For me this movie is a play of unsuccessful efforts by the innocent but weak willed people when confronted by self centered, haughty and mean character who knows that he has this quality to dominate weak willed people in to his submission, he derives meaning and fulfillment of his life.All the three character starting from the boy Franz to his once mistress, all of them are found to have given up themselves to that man. Even the girl who enters the plot seeking Franz succumb to this man's lust as meekly as Franz. Boy searches for happiness but end up serving to his master's happiness.Girl comes to seek happiness in the prospective marriage and bearing of child of Franz but even she too end up serving that Man. Mistress, played by Thompsson went even as far to change her sex just to keep that scoundrel Leopold in a state of happiness.All of the three sought their happiness in keeping Leopold happy which was nothing but total surrender of their chaste, pious and pure Will.Pious and pure soul by their nature is weak prone to be abused by the dominating will to its advantage. Once caged, howsoever hard one may try like in the last scene, it is impossible for one to wriggle out himself out free.Submission of general masses so tamely to the domination of Natzi ideology in forties as represented by Hitler is what this movie tells about at a more individual level. Boy and his girl friend both are brilliantly portrayed as pure and simple souls, capable of drowning themselves in serene music-only destined to be stopped and halted abruptly and later on to be mauled emotionally and herded in to the bed room by the dominating will. Pure souls are His creatures- only destined to suffer.