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the zero theorem - new gilliam film

Started by acrow, July 20, 2013, 10:35:51 PM

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Blumf

Yeah, noticed that, he might be okay. All right, give Gilliam Palmer Eldritch then.

stunted

I saw this yesterday and enjoyed it. For references, I thought the medical assessment scene looked like 12 monkeys and the choking scene reminded me a lot of the choking scene in 5th Element. I thought Bainsley was a handy demonstration of Qohen's self destructive tenancies (when he throws her out) but I do agree with Blue Jam she began more interesting than she became.

The more I think about this the more questions I have so I want to see it again. Seemed to be about a depressed man looking for meaning when there's no meaning out there. Was it saying that it's the search itself that is the source of (his) depression and anguish? Or was he traumitised from his divorce and this searching is how his depression manifested itself? Was Qohen's delusion about him dying a way of distinguishing himself and giving his life focus? I'm sure Barnsley said something to that effect at some point but that seems a bit cynical.  I think I see what it's saying about the futility of searching for meaning but I'm unsure what it's saying about mental illness. Or was it less about depression and more about general discontent caused by a constant search for answers?

I haven't read any reviews so this may all have been answered elsewhere or I may have completely and embarrassingly missed the point.

Catalogue Trousers

Disappointingly, it seems that this didn't even turn up in any Bristol cinemas. Oh no, got to have screens clear so that yet another screening of Need For fucking Speed can be arranged for the chavs and video game nerds, eh? Wankers.

Zetetic

Quote from: Blumf on March 19, 2014, 01:29:13 AM
It also seemed to be too afraid to come out from the shadows of Brazil, are we supposed to take the similarities as important?
At somewhere around the 1 hour 20 mark (I think -
Spoiler alert
when he goes to the park with Bob
[close]
) I was tending towards the thought that, if Brazil had to have a companion piece then this was good enough or maybe even what it deserved. Opposing, repeating, and continuing the same work about fantasy, obsession and the construction of and search for purpose or meaning.

And then the remainder of the film didn't really seem to work well enough towards any end. It banged home what I thought was much of the point, and then seemed to come out with something altogether alien to the rest of the work.

I agree the issue with Bainsley is simply that she ends up far too slight (underwritten? if that's not too empty) when (I assume) she's meant to be most fleshed out. Following through with the Brazil comparison, I didn't feel that the contrast with Jill works in any way that I might suppose. (I'm impelled to note that I don't think this is through any deficiency on Theirry's part; she seemed awfully good throughout to me.)

Pedro_Bear



I wasn't expecting much from The Zero Theorem, but was certain told in no uncertain terms.

The similarities with Brazil aren't forced: 1950's Britain propelled into a totalitarian future of false terrorism and bureaucratic sociopathy kind of... came true. The Zero Theorem is satire in as much as "whatever next?" equates to "more distractions" and self-imprisonment rather than force being applied externally. In that the film nails it.

But whereas Brazil layered itself as one man's escape from his situation, The Zero Theorem broadens this idea to a very Hindu interpretation of God forever distracting itself. It's not so much "why do we do this to ourselves over and over again?" as much as "why does God keep doing this to itself?" Sensibly, Gilliam leaves the answer blank.

I wasn't expecting it to be this clever. It's annoying artsy, but in that it does kind of make sense depicting a near future possibility of total abandonment to consumerism. It does with that what good Monty Python did with all of its social commentary: it reduces it to caricature and laughs at it. Slow it down and read the scrolling wall texts; they are hilarious.

Possibly not a film for people who haven't taken magic mushrooms and sat in awe at the realization that the Universe adds up to 1. Forcing 1 to equal 0 is fruitless; it can't be done.

zomgmouse

Fuck it, I'm bringing the thread back.

Just saw this last night. Must be one of the few people who wasn't unimpressed by it. In fact I was very impressed by it. The sheer level of detail was astounding. More deeply personal and less overtly dystopic than Brazil. The way things developed like a steam train fever dream was great. The ending felt gloriously abrupt. Lots to take in and the whole world was very absorbing.

Endicott

I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm going to have to watch it again. This thread was an interesting read.

olliebean

I started rewatching it recently but very soon realised I'd sooner be rewatching Brazil. I think that's possibly my main difficulty with it. I'd always sooner be watching Brazil.