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A Ghost Story (2017)

Started by Lost Oliver, January 10, 2018, 04:22:53 PM

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Lost Oliver

Surprised to see that there hasn't been a thread on this.

A slick and accomplished story that has stayed with me. I feel uneasy thinking about it. A truly haunting movie.

I keep returning to the monologue in the middle of the film, despite initially being put off by it, as it's a well-known trope. I almost wanted to interrupt him myself. But as he spoke and I listened, I couldn't help but be drawn in by it.

Thinking about the film afterwards I felt lonely, empty and sad. Not depressed, just very sad. I can't help but feel that my own thoughts on life mirror the directors.

It took me a while to get into the mood of the film and maybe that was intentional but it's for this reason I'd mark it down. Definitely worth watching and maybe even a re-watch on my second visit to this planet.

popcorn

I enjoyed this too. It really is, well, haunting. It's an odd thing to say, but I found the film a very plausible depiction of what being a ghost might be like.

The decision to have the ghost actually be a cartoon-like sheet with cut-out eyeholes is what makes the whole thing work. It's incredibly effective. It stops the ghost character being a performance by a human being you can have opinions about and instead becomes this terribly sad creature you just project onto.

I kind of don't love the plot, though. The timeloop just sort of happens. Why would a ghost jumping off a building send it back in time? And why to that particular point in history? I don't just mean it doesn't make sense, I mean it sort of feels wrong for this story.

I recommended this to a mate who turned it off after 15 minutes because it was so slow. I was shocked by this. I've sat through some boring arthouse crap in my time and this definitely isn't it. I mean, it's not exactly Indiana Jones, but... thank God he didn't make it to the pie scene, I suppose.

SteveDave

I downloaded this a while ago. Does it have an Instagram border for the whole film? Or have I just downloaded some dodgy version?

buzby

Quote from: SteveDave on January 11, 2018, 09:18:10 AM
I downloaded this a while ago. Does it have an Instagram border for the whole film? Or have I just downloaded some dodgy version?
It's filmed in 4:3 with vignetting, if that's what you mean?

Mini

This bored the arse off me. The time loop was smart but didn't justify such an interminable fucking build up. I reviewed it here...

SteveDave

Quote from: buzby on January 11, 2018, 09:37:26 AM
It's filmed in 4:3 with vignetting, if that's what you mean?


Yep that's what I mean.

popcorn

It's meant to look like that. Though I think it's a bit pointless myself, as much as I get the metaphor about being "boxed in" etc.

popcorn

Funny how people are different innit. I was gripped by this from the start and yet I thought Moonlight, the world's favourite film ever, was killingly dull.

Mini

That balances out nicely cos I loved Moonlight.

buzby

I've not seen the film yet, but after seeing clips and stills from it, I was struck by it's visual similarity with the work of Liverpool artist Michael Lacey. Benign, sheet-covered ghosts have been a recurring theme in his art for a long time, and that combined with the visual tone of the film reminds me a lot of his work:



SteveDave

A 30 minute story dragged out over 90 minutes. I did like the ending though.

Wet Blanket

Thought it went overboard with the Antonionish alienation techniques; thought the pie-eating bit and the blowhard at the party were particularly patience testing.

Would make for an interesting double-bill with Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives


marquis_de_sad

Quote from: Wet Blanket on January 15, 2018, 10:23:10 AM
Thought it went overboard with the Antonionish alienation techniques; thought the pie-eating bit and the blowhard at the party were particularly patience testing.

Yes. Those moments also were making dumb points very loudly, which felt at odds with the more subtle time stuff. The Will Oldham scene especially was crying out for someone else at the party to disagree with him. Some back-and-forth would have at least raised the possibility that he's wrong, rather than shoving the pie message down your throat.

Theremin

I definitely agree on the Party Blowhard - some back and forth would have been great.

However, I found myself drifting towards the opposite view on the Scene.

I was initially annoyed - but the longer it went on, the more I came to identify with the purpose of the scene. It's about grief, trying to distract oneself, and being stuck in a situation.

We don't get to escape her grief and her boredom, because she doesn't. It's forced empathy, and once I allowed myself to be forced to feel the same negative emotions the character was feeling, I found it very effective.

marquis_de_sad

Quote from: Theremin on January 17, 2018, 06:35:51 PM
I definitely agree on the Party Blowhard - some back and forth would have been great.

However, I found myself drifting towards the opposite view on the Scene.

I was initially annoyed - but the longer it went on, the more I came to identify with the purpose of the scene. It's about grief, trying to distract oneself, and being stuck in a situation.

We don't get to escape her grief and her boredom, because she doesn't. It's forced empathy, and once I allowed myself to be forced to feel the same negative emotions the character was feeling, I found it very effective.

I can see how that can work for some people, and the meaning of the scene was apparent to me, but I can't help but let my mind wander during that kind of long, boring arthouse stunt-shot. About halfway through you realise she's going to slowly eat the whole thing and it's like listening to someone re-tell a joke badly.

Theremin

Fair enough, it's definitely one of those 'only 20% of the room are laughing, but they're really laughing' situations.