Re: Peter Greenaway

Posted by djprobed (R) on March 19, 2004 at 09:48:42

In Reply to: Re: Peter Greenaway posted by patrickU on March 19, 2004 at 08:48:10:

I also liked THE DRAUGHTSMAN'S CONTRACT (interestingly, the French title translates as "Murder in an English Garden"), which according to most sources is the film that first brought Greenaway widespread attention as a director of feature films.

I suppose one of the things that makes his work so appealing to me is that it exploits film for things that only film can do--superimposition of images and pictures within pictures (such as we see in PROPSERO'S BOOKS and THE PILLOW BOOK) are only two of the most obvious purely "filmic" techniques, but there are others. Take, for example, the deliberate continuity errors in COOK, THEIF when Helen Mirren's costume changes from red to white as she leaves the dining room and enters the bathroom. Or the way he plays with the physical setting of the play-within-a-movie in BABY OF MACON (some are inside the Church/Theatre, some are outdoors, others in different physical settings altogether such as the manger where the Bishop's son is killed.)

Quite apart from the visual style, however, are the thematic considerations. Greeanaway is well-versed in a number of idioms including medieval mysteries and morality plays, Elizabethan and Jacobean revenge plays, French "well-made plays" (there are never any loose ends in his movies), English murder mysteries... and a near-obsession with formalism (witness his many numbered lists and things like the menu cards announcing each "chapter" in COOK, THIEF).

I also feel a certain Brechtian influence, as one's suspension of disbelief is never fully engaged... his style, in and of itself, ensures this is so, without the need for explicit reminders that we are watching a film. In the end I think his films produce their effect chiefly on the aesthetic and symbolic levels; the emotional response is entirely in the eyes of the beholder. My interpretation of THE BABY OF MACON leaves me feeling more sad and cynical than outraged, because of what I perceive the message to be. I bristle at the violence in COOK, THEIF and then feel the intended catharsis at the end. I am unmoved emotionally by A ZED AND TWO NOUGHTS but I find its peculiar internal logic irresistible.

djprobed

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Peter Greenaway - djprobed 07:58:29 03/19/04 (15)

Is "Baby" availaboe in the USA? ...n - albee33 09:02:10 03/20/04 (2)

Never released domestically in North America... - djprobed 07:15:52 03/22/04 (0)

The Baby of Macon? Apparently not. I only saw it on ebay. (nt) - Victor Khomenko 09:12:24 03/20/04 (0)

Pretentious garbage. Phony. - ephemere 00:26:53 03/20/04 (1)

Re: Ephemere..... - patrickU 02:54:20 03/20/04 (1)

I miss him; I always looked forward to his "next" films - grinagog 22:07:54 03/19/04 (0)

My personal fave is "The Belly of an Architect" . . . - albee33 12:38:56 03/19/04 (0)

Re: Peter Greenaway - patrickU 08:46:42 03/19/04 (0)

Re: Peter Greenaway - Victor Khomenko 08:28:07 03/19/04 (6)

Re: Peter Greenaway - patrickU 08:48:10 03/19/04 (5)

Re: Peter Greenaway - djprobed 09:48:42 03/19/04 (4)

Re: Peter Greenaway - patrickU 03:18:54 03/20/04 (1)

Thanks-- my pleasure <nt> - djprobed 07:06:10 03/22/04 (0)

Drowning by Numbers was good fun . . . - albee33 12:48:18 03/19/04 (1)

It was entertaining, yes - Victor Khomenko 17:24:06 03/19/04 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: Peter Greenaway - djprobed 09:48:42 03/19/04 (4)

Re: Peter Greenaway - patrickU 03:18:54 03/20/04 (1)

Thanks-- my pleasure <nt> - djprobed 07:06:10 03/22/04 (0)

Drowning by Numbers was good fun . . . - albee33 12:48:18 03/19/04 (1)

It was entertaining, yes - Victor Khomenko 17:24:06 03/19/04 (0)

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