Irréversible
November 9th 2007 03:27
Alex is savagely raped by La Ternia (Jo Prestia)
Noé not only wrote and directed, he also did the cinematography and edited the film. The soundtrack utilises subsonic noises and drones to induce a sensation of nausea and anxiety in the viewer, especially during nightclub scenes at the beginning of the film. Thomas Bangalter, one half of French electronic act Daft Punk, delivers an experimental score which also plays ruthlessly on our senses. Then to add insult to injury Noé employs strobe-lighting effects from the opening credits (which include all the credits usually at the end of a movie) through the club scenes and again at film’s end (the beginning). Those who are easily upset, physiologically, by strobe-lighting, should be warned.
Curiously Noé originally wanted to make an adult drama that featured un-simulated sexual activity between the two leads. This is nothing new (recently Shortbus and 9 Songs used this technique - and one could denounce it as gimmicky), filmmakers have been doing it since the mid-70s, yet Noé was interested in taking the relationship drama onto a more explicit and intimate level, exploring the sensuality of sexual attraction between adults. He had real-life husband and wife, Bellucci and Cassell, in talks, but both stars felt having real sex on film in a commercially-released movie would be too damaging for their careers. But they were prepared to do full frontal nudity and simulated sex. Frustrated, Noé compromised and came up instead with what he nonchalantly tagged a rape-revenge movie. Bellucci and Cassell agreed.
Alex enjoys a dance at the party, while Pierre looks on
Irréversible throws so many questions in the air, and they come down around you like steel-tipped arrows, watch out or your words could hurt you. Irréversible does have several scenes that are dialogue heavy, but the majority of the film is told simply by its visual narrative, and its ingenuity in this way is sublime.
At this point I must stress the performances of the leads, especially Monica Bellucci, an incredibly brave role, and delivered with such honesty and resilence. As for Jo Prestia as the pimp rapist, La Tenia (the tapeworm), and as convincing as he is, it’s definitely a crazy addition to one’s resume. Viewers of Noé’s first feature, the nihilistic I Stand Alone (1998), will recognize Philippe Nahon in the film’s opening scene, returning as The Butcher (Nahon recently turned up in the Belgian Deliverance (1972) meets The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) horror-thriller The Ordeal, 2004).
Pierre (Albert Dupontel), Alex and Marcus ascend to the party
The film’s arc from utter darkness to ethereal light presents a nightmare that dissolves into a dream, in fact, I sometimes wonder if perhaps the whole film could be inside Alex’s head, like in Alice in Wonderland, albeit a perverse and reprehensible journey as opposed to a curious and mischievous one.
Later the audience discovers two things; firstly that the attacker isn’t a villain, although what he has done is still an atrocity, and I’m not excusing that. Secondly, and this comes later still, we realise the person he killed wasn’t even the rapist. This adds even further ironic stinging power.
Alex discovers she's pregnant
Police arrest Pierre and he is incarcerated where he listens to the philosophical diatribes of convicted murderer Philippe (Philippe Nahon).
When Marcus and Pierre discover the scene with paramedics taking her to hospital Marcus descends into a blue funk and sets off to find the culprit. Pierre joins him and together they scour the backstreets of Paris trying to find information. Eventually they end up at a dark and nefarious gay club, Rectum, and find who they think is the rapist. Pierre pummels the alleged attacker to death with a fire extinguisher.
Marcus (Vincent Cassell) and Alex make love in the afternoon
It is Paris. Alex (Monica Bellucci) is at the park daydreaming. Later she romps with her boyfriend Marcus (Vincent Cassell). Later still they meet up with their friend, who is Alex’s ex-lover Pierre (Albert Dupontel), and go to a party, where Alex reveals to a girlfriend that she is pregnant. She wishes to tell Marcus, but he appears distant, which upsets Alex, so she leaves the party without telling him.
Warning: contains spoilers!
To heighten the visual narrative even further Noé films each of the scenes in a single take with fluid, heat-seeking camerawork, some of it quite astonishing. It might sound annoyingly convoluted and self-important to create the mise-en-scene in such a fashion, but it enhances the story’s urgency. The entire film appears to take place almost entirely in real time, but to be precise the events unfold over the course of a night, the intervals between scenes compressed, irrelevant.
Alex (Monica Bellucci) daydreams
Irréversible (2002) seared the name of French maverick filmmaker Gaspar Noé into cinema history; auteur enfant terrible. His revolutionary screenplay, unconventional use of sound and confronting use of violence is often confused for pretentiousness and self-indulgence. Irréversible is a masterpiece of cinematic storytelling, without a doubt. Too bad if you can’t stomach the process or if the violations and exlicitness on screen offend your sensibilities (there is actual fellatio flashed during the party as well), cinema art was never meant to be digested easily. If the film reverberates inside your head for days after viewing, then it’s worked, and if the film permeates your dreams then even better …
| 125 |
| Vote |
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Michaelie
Comment by Damo
Not sure if graphic anything proves or disproves anything.
For example in Bandit Queen nude scenes are interdispersed with brutal rape scenes.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
actually, on the contrary, I Am Curious Yellow had simulated sex, but was one of the first foreign films to play to big audiences in the US that featured full frontal male and female nudity.
Michaelie,
"Screw with the senses" ... being the operative words. Interesting is putting it mildly.
Damo,
The movie's graphic nature isn't necessarily there to prove anything, although it does disturb you more than most traditional horror movies, and yet it's simulated (ie uses CGI effects) ... I've not seen Bandit Queen, although I would like to. I remember hearing how brutal and convincing the movie was. As much as I appreciate the artifice of horror movies, I am impressed when it appears more realistic than I anticipated. Irrerversible was like that. I agree with you that it is not to everyone's taste, in fact more people than not will find the movie reprehensible. But I think they're missing the point.
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
Comment by Damo
I have to admit that despite the flaws Bandit Queen is worth watching.
Based upon true story of Phoolan Devi who was sold as child bride then grew up to be the most feared outlaw in India.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
After that, life is shown to be idyllic and pleasant, but the awful realization of what's in the character's future gets progressively worse. Near the end, when Monica's character takes the test - it's almost the most gut-wrenching scene.
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I nearly gave up on it because for some reason it wouldn't play on my DVD player or laptop, but I downloaded some other player and it finally worked - I'm glad it did.
Yes, it is horrific. There were several scenes after which I realised my entire body was tensed and i had to consciously relax: the fire extinguisher scene - so gruesome, and of course the rape, which felt like it would never end.
It was very realistic - the dialogue wasn't the usual scripted shit, it was people talking over the top of each other, the way people do, no lines delivered with that awareness of importance to the narrative that has the opposite effect of immersing you in the story, if that makes sense...
Bellucci did a tremendous job, and she's so desirable, played that role with such verity. Cassell always scares me a bit, but there's no doubting he takes the roles he can really deliver on. Their bedroom banter, I suppose, was helped by their real life relationship. The messiness with them and Pierre, the lack of definition between them, was good - no indulgence there. The only thing was the book, and the dreams - "I can't feel my arm" "I dreamt I was in a red tunnel which broke in two" - relating to the concept of premonition and fate... But Noe didn't push it too much and I suppose its purpose symbolically works - after all, truth is stranger than fiction, it's just that we are more critical of it when it's in the movies!
I thought it funny that Marcus gives his name to the women as 'Vincent'.
Anyway, long comment, sorry, I just wanted to say thanks for being so convincing - so glad I saw it!
Michaelie
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Yeah, the "Vincent" line was a goof, but the director kept it in (probably because the rest of the unbroken take was so good). Amazing the way each scene is done in a single take, huh?
When I first saw the fire extinguisher murder I was genuinely appalled, it didn't occur to me at all that it was CGIed. I was like "Whoa! How the fuck did they just do that?! It looks like they just killed a man on screen!"
No doubt watching on the small screen you'd lose hearing all the sub-sonic audio ... and the disorientating camerawork would be less pronounced.
What a purely sensory cinematic experience though.
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I was shocked by the violence, but would have been far more so if I hadn't been 'prepared' - as much as you can be prepared - by reading this. The smashed head was extremely convincing.
Going to have to watch it again before I return it, even though its annoying watching on laptop!
Michaelie
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile