A blog dedicated to the exploration of contemporary European Cinema,
from Italy to Iceland.
Cinemaphiles Unite!
Film is a window on the past, an amplifier for the present and a harbinger of our future. The best way to keep cinema alive is to support it: attend films in theatres, support preservation societies and archives, and never fail to appreciate the importance (and stimulating experience) of viewing films as they were meant to be seen.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
The Lives of Others
This film put me in such a strange, disconnected, and depressed state, that I went back to my office and drank a half a bottle of wine.
Here's the thing: this is one of those films that I really love because it beautifully epitomizes the idea of redemption. I think all dramatic films must feature some form of redemption for at least one major character.
For me, the last line, where the former government employee says "It's for me" meaning the book is dedicated to him, I feel this really helps to redeem his life and his wrongdoing. It also is symbolic of the new openness, the notion that this man can openly admit who he is and what he has done, It's about the end of secrecy, the end of shame. I find the ending very uplifting.
I felt a strong connection to this film -- I think it appealed to my German sensibilities (my family is very German). The greyness of the architecture, the language, and the inhibited, claustrophobic behaviour of many of the members of the Stasi struck a chord with me, although I am not exactly sure why. Overall, I would have to say that this is my favourite of all the films we've seen this year, simply based on how it made me feel in my gut.
Do Tell!
ReplyDeleteHere's the thing: this is one of those films that I really love because it beautifully epitomizes the idea of redemption. I think all dramatic films must feature some form of redemption for at least one major character.
For me, the last line, where the former government employee says "It's for me" meaning the book is dedicated to him, I feel this really helps to redeem his life and his wrongdoing. It also is symbolic of the new openness, the notion that this man can openly admit who he is and what he has done, It's about the end of secrecy, the end of shame. I find the ending very uplifting.
I felt a strong connection to this film -- I think it appealed to my German sensibilities (my family is very German). The greyness of the architecture, the language, and the inhibited, claustrophobic behaviour of many of the members of the Stasi struck a chord with me, although I am not exactly sure why. Overall, I would have to say that this is my favourite of all the films we've seen this year, simply based on how it made me feel in my gut.
ReplyDelete