Wednesday 9 November 2005

Jonathan Caouette | Tarnation

Link: Jonathan Caouette | Filmmaker - Tarnation. Saw J. Caouette's film today... first of my new screenselect dvds



Worthwhile. Lots of edited together bits and pieces, great narrative vision and atmosphere, and a story worth telling. I'd wanted to see this at the cinema but never found the time. Vibrant, intense, alive, and tough too. I'm very much blessed with a supportive and easygoing family and background, but J.C.'s story is a lot grittier. It sparkles a bit more too, though. The schtick about this film is that it was put together on iFilm. That's great, and perhaps it explains the editing style, which is, I think, the most skilful aspect of the film, along with the narrative conceptualisation- of course, they're really part of the same whole- but the editing is very far in the forefront, very much the area of control whereas camera, lighting and the available material aren't really part of an intended effect, though they do produce a particular aesthetic. It did make me wonder about doing likewise, though I haven't made a film since a lighthearted 90-second effort about losing stuff called Personal Effects, which up and died after its first rejection. Cauoette is clearly made of more determined stuff. Excellent and unique.


No comments:

Post a Comment