Dead Watcher: For the 26th issue of " Garden ", we would like to recommend director Ou Rong's new film "85 Years of Summer" this year, which was shortlisted for the official film list of the 73rd Cannes Film Festival. Although the film’s reputation is mixed, Ou Rong’s director skills are still good. He is the kind of director who can make a unique Ou Yung movie style of street stall literature.
Section | Garden
Author | Deca's Sheep
Speaking of François Ou Jong, I believe everyone will be familiar with it. This French Mesozoic director, born in 1967, is more like a colleague who gallops in major film festivals to explore artistic possibilities than his peers. He is more like the one hiding in a small corner, making silent filming for decades. Alternative creators of subjects of interest to them.
Whether it’s all kinds of strange love scenes in his movies, the exploration and torture of desires, the performances of various handsome men and beauties, and even the director’s handsome face, he has left a deep impression on the fans and has always been loved by the world. Talk about it.
In the previous work "Thank God", Ou Rong had a surprise transformation. Not only did he turn his attention to pure realism, the subject of the film was an unfinished case of sexual assault at the time. We are deeply impressed by his restrained narrative and confrontational courage; the final jury award in the main competition unit of the Berlin Film Festival has proved its value to a certain extent.
In 2020, Ou Rong finally brought his new work, which is also his 19th feature film "85 Years of Summer". But after reading it, I couldn’t help but sigh. Perhaps it was because "Thank God" two years ago did not receive the expected praise. Ou Rong seemed to be back in his comfort zone again, back to the love and growth of his youth. Feeling disappointed.
Here you can insert an interesting anecdote about the title. Friends who continue to follow the film should remember that the film was originally named "Summer 84", but because of the very important episode in the film "In Between Days" author The Cure Band stated that the song was published in In 1985, if they insisted on calling the title, they would refuse to authorize it, and finally had to change the name.
Because of the new crown epidemic, the world's film and television industries are experiencing difficulties, and movie theaters are experiencing an unprecedented period of retreat. The annual Cannes International Film Festival event also had to be absent, and only a batch of shortlisted films were announced, and this film included them.
Just as Nolan's "Creed" tried to save the global theaters, the film was also regarded by the media as a work to save the French theaters, and he resolutely rushed to make appointments with French audiences in the summer. Now, we have finally been able to watch the film in this late autumn, regaining the passion of summer when the coolness is getting stronger.
If we just look at the released posters, we can't help but compare with the popular movie "Please call me by your name" in previous years. There are indeed many similarities between the two films, but fundamentally speaking, they are not the same thing. So it's best not to look at this film with such expectations, or I'm afraid you will be disappointed.
This film is adapted from Aiden Chambers' novel "Dancing on My Grave", which is indeed a very "Ou Rong" story. The main plot of the film is a love memory. It took place in the Normandy region of northern France in 1985. The protagonists are two handsome teenagers, the quiet and a little shy Alexis and the enthusiastic and hot David (David). ).
The two met each other because of a sailing accident. Alex, who needed to be cared for and understood, met David, and fell into a fiery love affair afterwards. Riding motorcycles on the road, intimacy in the cinema, working together in the grocery store, carnival in the amusement park, dancing in the nightclub, etc., a large number of classic romance sections are staged in the first half of the story. Hormones are warming up in the sun, and it is simply not the most romantic, only more romantic.
But the problem with the first half is that because the plot layout is very tight, everything feels too rushed. Although all this was just a six-week long memory, the film did not show the short-lived beauty well after all. We can't feel the emotional connection between the two protagonists, and we can't make the audience empathize with the characters; of course, what we can't feel is the director's care for the characters under the camera.
Of course, the subsequent story will not be so smooth. As if they had known each other, the appearance of a foreign girl diverted David's attention, and also caused Alex's jealousy to burn, and finally ushered in the moment of eruption. The two quarreled and the relationship broke down. In the end, you may think that the ending will be a reunion of the two, but it is obvious that if it is so clichéd, it will not be Ou Rong.
The sudden variation of the plot is Ou Rong's usual method. After this, the story took a turn for the worse. Alex turned and left in a fit of anger, and immediately rode a motorcycle to chase David, causing an accident, causing a tragedy, and passing away suddenly. The theme of "death" that the two had mentioned in the conversation before also surfaced.
However, after David's sudden death, Alex's grief and many actions did not move me effectively. Everything was so superficial. The dance of the tomb, which should be presented as a climactic passage, is still very limited in terms of emotional appeal, even though it is sufficient foreshadowing. Even because of the particularity of this action, the feeling conveyed by this passage is more weird or even jokes, and it can be said to be very harmful to the perception.
Of course, there are also some moving passages that are well presented in the film. The 16mm film shooting also gives the image a strong retro texture, and the slightly reddish color is very suitable for the 80s fashion. There is also a panoramic shot of the beach at the opening, as if crossing into "Pauline on the Beach" or "Summer's Story" directed by Rohmer.
Headphones were suddenly put on during a hot dance in a nightclub, and the dance music was instantly converted into a lyric, which was a tribute to the French classic "First Kiss". The situation is reversed and postponed to the next shot. Sailing, cycling, and hugging under the purple sunset are also the most exciting romantic part of the film, which is simply beautiful.
Another interesting point is that many of the small tastes in Ou Rong’s previous films have returned in details. For example, the protagonist’s dressing up for women reminds people of "New Girlfriend", and discussing literary creation with the teacher is like "Entering the Hall", and Ou A surprise cameo by Rong's queen actor Melville Pope. But these seemingly self-respecting settings are destined to be just a dessert in the film, not a meal cooked with care.
In general, everything is within expectations, and even because the usual humanistic care appears weak this time, the drama in the film's narrative has led to an imbalance in the viewing experience.
The only possibility that counts as a breakthrough is that, compared with the early years of Ou Yung, although the narrative method adopted is to use the protagonist Alex's mouth to recount, the perspective of the film's expansion is indeed more stable and cold. It seems that after Ou Rong reached middle age, he chose to observe the youth's sprout and growth with a more grim look. Therefore, when Alex met another boy at the end of the film, the next relationship might begin.
From the point of view of the theme, the film discusses death in a subtle way, which seems to be related to the director's own experience, but it seems that it is limited to the level of ambiguity, so that we have no way of knowing the specifics. Fortunately, the French summer love song brought by such a seductive lineup is indeed a surprise that should not be missed this autumn.
Section | Garden; Author | Deca's Sheep
Official Account | Watching a movie and seeing death
Edit | Riding a Rooftop Boy; please indicate the source for reprinting
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