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In Films From France, Dark Answers to ‘What’s Eating Us?’ In Films From France, Dark Answers to ‘What’s Eating Us?’
(about 11 hours later)
In the French horror comedy “Nocturama,” one of the most talked about films in this year’s Rendez-Vous With French Cinema series, a diverse group of young Parisians plant explosives in public places, then hide out in a luxury department store as the city burns. Who are they, and what do they want? As the mystery deepens, it looks increasingly as though they are just bored kids acting out a terrorist fantasy without regard for the consequences. There is no mention of the Islamic State or terrorism with political roots.In the French horror comedy “Nocturama,” one of the most talked about films in this year’s Rendez-Vous With French Cinema series, a diverse group of young Parisians plant explosives in public places, then hide out in a luxury department store as the city burns. Who are they, and what do they want? As the mystery deepens, it looks increasingly as though they are just bored kids acting out a terrorist fantasy without regard for the consequences. There is no mention of the Islamic State or terrorism with political roots.
Written and directed by Bertrand Bonello (“Saint Laurent,” “House of Tolerance,”) this expertly choreographed piece of nihilistic mayhem was conceived well before the Charlie Hebdo shooting and a succession of terrorist attacks in the French capital in 2015.Written and directed by Bertrand Bonello (“Saint Laurent,” “House of Tolerance,”) this expertly choreographed piece of nihilistic mayhem was conceived well before the Charlie Hebdo shooting and a succession of terrorist attacks in the French capital in 2015.
The amorality of “Nocturama” suggests the chic cinematic equivalent of a violent video game played for no other reason than to pass the time by stirring up adrenaline. Might it be Mr. Bonello’s vision of capitalism self-destructing in a fit of boredom?The amorality of “Nocturama” suggests the chic cinematic equivalent of a violent video game played for no other reason than to pass the time by stirring up adrenaline. Might it be Mr. Bonello’s vision of capitalism self-destructing in a fit of boredom?
“Nocturama” and other films in the series, which opens Wednesday under the auspices of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, scramble genres, starting as one thing, then turning into another. They’re distinguished by a coldblooded sense of humor and a cynical, smirking embrace of the world’s horrors as entertainment. “Nocturama” and other films in the series, which opens Wednesday under the auspices of the Film Society of Lincoln Center and UniFrance, scramble genres, starting as one thing, then turning into another. They’re distinguished by a coldblooded sense of humor and a cynical, smirking embrace of the world’s horrors as entertainment.
In “Nocturama,” the aura of deadly stealth and dread that pervades the first half turns comically satirical in the second half, when the terrorists hole up in the department store. They try on clothes, sample food and wine, play loud music and fitfully monitor the response on television. One apple-cheeked young man even ventures outdoors and invites a homeless man, who later fetches his wife, to join the party inside. The movie observes the man and his wife, both blissfully unaware of the day’s traumatic events as they gorge on the store’s goodies. And in a must-see tour-de-force moment of hilarity, a young man dons makeup and lip-syncs Shirley Bassey crowing “My Way.”In “Nocturama,” the aura of deadly stealth and dread that pervades the first half turns comically satirical in the second half, when the terrorists hole up in the department store. They try on clothes, sample food and wine, play loud music and fitfully monitor the response on television. One apple-cheeked young man even ventures outdoors and invites a homeless man, who later fetches his wife, to join the party inside. The movie observes the man and his wife, both blissfully unaware of the day’s traumatic events as they gorge on the store’s goodies. And in a must-see tour-de-force moment of hilarity, a young man dons makeup and lip-syncs Shirley Bassey crowing “My Way.”
If taken seriously, “Nocturama” is a critique of a culture anesthetized by a rampant materialism that the younger generation takes for granted. To these self-styled terrorists, the store’s contents are little more than worthless stuff, the equivalent of Christmas toys that will soon be abandoned.If taken seriously, “Nocturama” is a critique of a culture anesthetized by a rampant materialism that the younger generation takes for granted. To these self-styled terrorists, the store’s contents are little more than worthless stuff, the equivalent of Christmas toys that will soon be abandoned.
That ennui applies to the deadly escapade itself. Once carried out with minor hitches, these warriors lose interest and regress into whiny, petulant children. They plan to leave the store just before the break of dawn, but what then?That ennui applies to the deadly escapade itself. Once carried out with minor hitches, these warriors lose interest and regress into whiny, petulant children. They plan to leave the store just before the break of dawn, but what then?
“Nocturama” is not the only movie among the series’s 23 selections to evoke the overturning of the social order. The misanthropic provocateur Bruno Dumont’s “Slack Bay” is a slapstick detective farce set in 1910 in a picturesque seaside fishing village near Calais where everyone is demented. Humanity consists of deformed half-wits with bestial appetites. They earn extra money by transporting the rich by rowboat from one shore to the other.“Nocturama” is not the only movie among the series’s 23 selections to evoke the overturning of the social order. The misanthropic provocateur Bruno Dumont’s “Slack Bay” is a slapstick detective farce set in 1910 in a picturesque seaside fishing village near Calais where everyone is demented. Humanity consists of deformed half-wits with bestial appetites. They earn extra money by transporting the rich by rowboat from one shore to the other.
The story focuses on two clans: one made up of poor full-time residents, the other of rich summer vacationers with whom they uneasily coexist. Disappearances plague the rich tourists; what they don’t know is that the poor are imprisoning and then cannibalizing them. In a grisly moment, the monstrous matriarch emerges from the shack they call home waving a severed limb and asks, “Who wants more foot?”The story focuses on two clans: one made up of poor full-time residents, the other of rich summer vacationers with whom they uneasily coexist. Disappearances plague the rich tourists; what they don’t know is that the poor are imprisoning and then cannibalizing them. In a grisly moment, the monstrous matriarch emerges from the shack they call home waving a severed limb and asks, “Who wants more foot?”
Other extreme caricatures include Aude (Juliette Binoche), a trilling, head-tossing socialite, and Machin (Didier Desprès), the buffoonish police chief, who is so fat he can hardly stand. Late in the film, he levitates while the others frantically try to catch him.Other extreme caricatures include Aude (Juliette Binoche), a trilling, head-tossing socialite, and Machin (Didier Desprès), the buffoonish police chief, who is so fat he can hardly stand. Late in the film, he levitates while the others frantically try to catch him.
Unlikely as it seems, “Slack Bay” received nine nominations, including best film, at the César Awards (the French equivalent of the Oscars), though it didn’t win any prizes.Unlikely as it seems, “Slack Bay” received nine nominations, including best film, at the César Awards (the French equivalent of the Oscars), though it didn’t win any prizes.
“Slack Bay” is not the only film in the Rendez-Vous series to explore cannibalism. Julia Ducournau’s debut film, “Raw,” is set in a veterinarian college where a young vegetarian develops an insatiable appetite for raw flesh while undergoing grotesque hazing rituals. As the gore escalates, the movie, which nauseated some audience members at the Toronto International Film Festival, becomes a flesh-eating orgy of cannibalistic sex.“Slack Bay” is not the only film in the Rendez-Vous series to explore cannibalism. Julia Ducournau’s debut film, “Raw,” is set in a veterinarian college where a young vegetarian develops an insatiable appetite for raw flesh while undergoing grotesque hazing rituals. As the gore escalates, the movie, which nauseated some audience members at the Toronto International Film Festival, becomes a flesh-eating orgy of cannibalistic sex.
One of the most anticipated entries, François Ozon’s “Frantz,” another multiple César nominee, is a remake of Ernst Lubitsch’s 1932 film “Broken Lullaby.” A stern antiwar screed has been softened into a romantic melodrama in which Adrien (Pierre Niney), a young Frenchman, travels to Germany just after World War I to seek out the family of Frantz, a German soldier he says he knew and befriended in Paris before the war.One of the most anticipated entries, François Ozon’s “Frantz,” another multiple César nominee, is a remake of Ernst Lubitsch’s 1932 film “Broken Lullaby.” A stern antiwar screed has been softened into a romantic melodrama in which Adrien (Pierre Niney), a young Frenchman, travels to Germany just after World War I to seek out the family of Frantz, a German soldier he says he knew and befriended in Paris before the war.
Through Anna, Frantz’s fiancée, Adrien meets Frantz’s parents and becomes a surrogate son, regaling them with fictional personal memories. He is actually the guilt-stricken French soldier who shot Frantz. The mostly black-and-white film, which periodically bursts into color, represents Mr. Ozon at his most lyrically seductive. But except for a fiery speech Frantz’s father makes to other Germans who lost their sons, the fierce antiwar message of “Broken Lullaby” is superseded by Adrien and Anna’s blossoming romance.Through Anna, Frantz’s fiancée, Adrien meets Frantz’s parents and becomes a surrogate son, regaling them with fictional personal memories. He is actually the guilt-stricken French soldier who shot Frantz. The mostly black-and-white film, which periodically bursts into color, represents Mr. Ozon at his most lyrically seductive. But except for a fiery speech Frantz’s father makes to other Germans who lost their sons, the fierce antiwar message of “Broken Lullaby” is superseded by Adrien and Anna’s blossoming romance.
“Frantz” is something of an anomaly in a series where the most controversial and acclaimed films push boundaries and blur genre distinctions. In addition to “Nocturama,” “Slack Bay,” “Raw” and “Elle,” a current French import that isn’t in the series, all qualify as horror comedies. As we grow increasingly unshockable, the horror movie has emerged from its niche, and laughing and screaming are becoming the same thing.“Frantz” is something of an anomaly in a series where the most controversial and acclaimed films push boundaries and blur genre distinctions. In addition to “Nocturama,” “Slack Bay,” “Raw” and “Elle,” a current French import that isn’t in the series, all qualify as horror comedies. As we grow increasingly unshockable, the horror movie has emerged from its niche, and laughing and screaming are becoming the same thing.