Saturday, April 05, 2008
EXTRAVAGANZA
Today's movie was the Epilogue of the 16 hour, 13 disc NYTimes Best 1176 Film
In this grand finale, Rainer Werner Fassbinder wraps up his great epic with a reprise of all the cast through showing a hallucination of the hero.
In this, all elements of all the episodes are sort of turned on their heads and recombined in a way that, strangely, explains and enlightens the essentially linear flow of the film as shown from beginning to end.
It is far more avant garde in its presentation as it is a 'dream' of a madman, our hero has gone into a catatonic stupor, and then resolves at the end into the conclusion of the long linear story.
The hallucination also wraps into the future. Interesting. 1927 to the atomic era including the storm troopers and a mushroom cloud.
There is lots and lots of skin and Fassbinder finally lets his homoerotic impulse loose on the male cast members as well as a number of lookers obviously brought in for the fun of it.
I cannot complain about this.
So, it is over.
I have seen it all.
I have really liked it thoroughly and never wavered in my interest and attention.
There were times when I was repelled and had to look away. There were others that I was amazed and excited. There were many times when I felt anxiety for the hero and happiness at his getting over a particular hurdle.
In other words, it served all the purposes of a good film.
I will give this a 5 out of Netflix5 and, after a long rest, I might even want to see it again someday.
Labels: best films
