From the perspective of traditional film classification, "Nostalgia" is far from a love movie. It has no intention to exaggerate the sweet atmosphere, nor does it even highlight the cruelty of love. It seems to calmly present a plausible relationship between men and women. An affair that has not yet become an affair, a perfect love that has not yet become a perfect love. In presenting the entangled relationship between family and love Chen Yu, "Mirror" seems to be more focused and obsessed with this issue. Although "Nostalgia" also implies the relationship between mother and Eugenia, this metaphorical relationship in nostalgia has an important sublimation compared to "Mirror" - Eugenia, as an independent woman, is seen as an independent woman. Arrived. And it is this kind of seeing—even if the protagonist has not yet put it into practice—that allows the film to provide an important outlet for the emotional growth of the protagonist, or the director himself.
a woman without faith
Eugenia is a beautiful and sexy translator who accompanies the hero, the Russian poet Andrei, to a small Italian town to revisit the life of an eighteenth-century composer. In the scene of visiting a church at the beginning of the film, Eugenia presents her most important inner quality for the first time, that is, as an independent woman with no "belief" and self-determination. She tried to understand the devout masked women in the church and asked the church guard, "Why do women believe in God so devoutly?". The answer given by the guard is because women will have children of their own, and thus the film reveals the quality of parent-child relationship as a great binding/sublimating force. But in such an atmosphere full of ancient sacredness, Eugenia couldn't convince herself to kneel, even if she wanted to explore its mysteries like a seemingly devout tourist. In that awe-inspiring religious space that seems to be about human mysteries, Eugenia stands out, and she doesn't rely on outside forces to exist.
This autonomy permeates the entire film, becoming a heterogenous presence in myth, a character who shatters dreams (like the cry the hero hears in his sleep), a man who digs out the pain A character who comes out to the audience, a character who can bear the truth of life.
A man corrupted by faith
Opposite of Eugenia as an autonomous actor is the heroine Andrei. Andrei is immersed in a web of fantasies he has spun for himself, so real and powerful that it rivals religious belief. What is the source of fantasy? The extremely beautiful and repeated slow-motion scenes of Chen Yu at the beginning of the film suggest the answer - in the gray fog, in the distance is a house that is obviously "home", and the mother, sister, and watchdog are just as they are. Existing, moving, as if in the mysterious space at the center of the universe, everything in it has become history and can never be touched and changed. The impression of home, the impression of mother, for Andre weave a web of meanings in which he was able to live and be controlled.
In the eyes of such a man, love is untouchable, an idealistic existence that is free from the clutter of the world. Eugenia is beautiful, but that beauty only makes sense where it overlaps with the image of her mother, when she starts talking, when she asks Andre "hysterically" for some emotional solace, Ender Lie was forced to step out of his web of meaning and into the real world: the first time when Andre was questioned, and his nosebleed started without warning; the second time when Eugenia refused to translate for him again , Andre can only communicate with the painter in his own broken Italian - also at this moment, he discovers the truth, that is, his resemblance to this crazy painter; the third time is Eugenia topless, Declare war on Andre with the last shred of dignity, and Andre is so shocked that he runs away completely.
Where is the road to redemption
Despite its gloomy exterior, the film is a constant reminder of the power of redemption. The answer is: where there is despair is the beginning of salvation. And the opportunity for salvation lies in the process of being entangled with responsibility and pain. At the end of the film, the protagonist attempts to hold a candle and cross a hot spring pool to the opposite bank without letting the candle go out, and this scene also becomes the film's metaphor for life: the hand and clothes must be close enough to the candle to prevent the candle Extinguish, but at the same time also endure the danger of burning the palm of the hand, or even setting the upper body on fire.
Here, the flame has become the "original sin" in human life that should not be given up (without it our life will be dull and boring), but also cannot indulge in it (otherwise it will be like the crazy painter who pursues complete identity). the same, in the end can only get burned).
In fact, the protagonist's road to redemption is gradually developed with the help of the character of Eugenia. Throughout the film, the protagonist failed to communicate with her in the true sense, but encountered obstacles, misunderstandings, and quarrels again and again. But in the process, the author gradually realized the existence of the candle in his hand. And each of us, like the hero to a certain extent, has achieved spiritual redemption in the process of trying time and time again to cross the rough road with a candle, failing time and time again.
View more about Nostalghia reviews
