Alain Robbe-Grillet

[Barmy]

I'm hesitant to give this dude his own DVD thread.

[Gropius]

I'm hesitant to give this dude his own DVD thread.

Interesting... any particular reason why?

From what I've read, anyone expecting further achievements in the line of Last Year at Marienbad (which required the crucial additional input of Resnais and Vierny) from Robbe-Grillet solo is destined to be disappointed. Few artists have major successes in several fields: most of the people who revere Robbe-Grillet as a novelist seem to be unaware that he even made films.

I recently had the chance to see Trans-Europ Express, which is an interesting enough piece, but on a smaller scale, like a more rough and ready version of Alphaville (with maybe hints of the Dogme style, several decades before that movement). Its central metafictional conceit - a group of filmmakers on a train discussing the plotting of a film as it takes place - is now quite commonplace, but would probably have seemed more ingenious in the 60s. Apparently his 70s stuff borders on soft porn exploitation.

And while we're on the subject of novelist-filmmakers (or should that be cine-romanciers) who worked with Resnais, what are Marguerite Duras's films like (I know John Waters is a fan)? I think critical consensus rates Duras higher than Robbe-Grillet, does it not?

[zedz]

And while we're on the subject of novelist-filmmakers (or should that be cine-romanciers) who worked with Resnais, what are Marguerite Duras's films like (I know John Waters is a fan)? I think critical consensus rates Duras higher than Robbe-Grillet, does it not?

My Robbe-Grillet experience is very limited (and distant, and compressed over a weekend, so I can no longer remember if I saw two or three films, or which - except for L'Immortelle - they were; oddly appropriate for the co-auteur of Marienbad!) I found the films strong and distinctive, but he's no Duras (no problem keeping those films separate in my mind).

Duras' filmmaking is stark and astringent, and very literary, but, in my experience, utterly compelling. Although each film is shaped by powerful intellectual and narrative structures, and often has a strong basis is language / narration, they're also visually eloquent and adventurous. This is all sounding very vague, I'm afraid. It's hard to think of readily available points of reference - other than the obvious Hiroshima. Akerman and Straub / Huillet spring to mind, but I suspect that all they've really got in common is a similar isolation from mainstream cinema tropes.

I'm also intrigued by Resnais' role as a catalyst in the careers of key early collaborators. It's unusual enough that key collaborators on three major films (Marker, Duras, Robbe-Grillet) would go on to become significant filmmakers in their own right, but I think it's even more remarkable that their individual works are so of a piece with their Resnais collaborations. In style and content, Night and Fog fits very comfortably alongside Marker's later essay films; Hiroshima, mon amour can be easily read as the first Duras film (it's far closer to her own directorial style than other adaptations like Brooks' Moderato cantabile), and my (shaky) recollections of Robbe-Grillet are of films that share the elegant, ludic look and feel of Last Year at Marienbad. Resnais is obviously a very sympathetic adapter of texts, but all of those works are also full-blooded expressions of his own authorial voice, completely in tune with each other and with what he's doing in Muriel, Toute la memoire du monde, or even Le Chant du styrene.

[Gropius]

Not that I've actually read much on the subject, but I think this is something that worked both ways. What distinguishes the 'Left Bank' filmmakers (if that isn't a wholly artificial category) from the Cahiers group was an already-existing engagement with experimental literature. Robbe-Grillet began formulating his ideas about the nouveau roman in the early 1950s, and I'm sure they fed into Resnais's early filmic development. Similarly, Duras's 1958 novel Moderato cantabile already prefigures the formal detachment that came to be associated with Resnais, so it is unsurprising that her own films (not that I've seen any) should take up the same themes.

As I mentioned above, what may be the secret ingredient which lifts Resnais above his contemporaries as a cinematic artist is the cinematography of Sacha Vierny, who was instrumental in creating the look of Marienbad (and indeed, later on, the entire feature career of Peter Greenaway, himself a Marienbad fanboy).

[zedz]

As I mentioned above, what may be the secret ingredient which lifts Resnais above his contemporaries as a cinematic artist is the cinematography of Sacha Vierny, who was instrumental in creating the look of Marienbad (and indeed, later on, the entire feature career of Peter Greenaway, himself a Marienbad fanboy).

Yes, another candidate for co-auteur status, perhaps. All of those early films are characterised by those hypnotic (upward-looking) forward tracking shots. It's particularly striking and disorienting to see a plastics factory shot as if it's the resort in Marienbad.

Vierny's later work with Greenaway is certainly impressive, but I find it rather constricted by the overstuffed tableaux of those films. He did far more exciting stuff with Resnais or Ruiz (another object of Greenaway's desire). Three Crowns of a Sailor is a textbook example of how a master cinematographer can triumph in the face of extreme budgetary and production restrictions.

[Ted Todorov]

Just to confirm -- you are saying that Playing With Fire has an Italian dub only -- no French track?

[Galen Young]

In case anyone is interested -- Koch Lorber is releasing a R1 disc of Robbe-Grillet's La Belle Captive the same day as Resnais' Muriel. Their site has a trailer, but the code appears to be fucked up -- was able to find a direct link to it here. Can't wait! Hope this means we'll get to see more of Robbe-Grillet's own films on DVD (R1) one of these days.

[Barmy]

A somewhat philistinic article on ARG

[Gropius]

A somewhat philistinic article on ARG

The bitching about Resnais in that interview is quite amusing; also interesting that he compares himself to Greenaway.

I was actually present at yesterday's 'special event', referred to in that article. Unfortunately, it was rather a shallow 'art world' affair: the Swiss curator Hans Ulrich Obrist had dumped Robbe-Grillet in the middle of some rather irritating conceptual artists, who were supposed to reflect on the similarities between their work. Robbe-Grillet told a few amusing anecdotes in French (which were somewhat awkwardly translated), but being rather old and irritable he had little enthusiasm for the situation, and ambled out of the pavilion after responding to the question of one monotonous American woman with 'C'est idiot!'. Good to see him in the flesh though, and still very animated for 85.

The newest film 'C'est Gradiva qui vous appelle' was then shown in a DVD projection, and I'm afraid I couldn't describe it as anything more than mediocre. Although dated 2006, it really looks like a piece of cheap erotica circa 1974, full of painfully clumsy recapitulations of his earlier themes, nubile whippings and TV soap acting.

I recently saw 'L'Immortelle' as well, and I feel that that's a masterpiece almost on a level with 'Marienbad', but it's hard to believe that the same director also produced 'Gradiva', unless one uses his dotage as an excuse.

[Oedipax]

A somewhat philistinic article on ARG

The bitching about Resnais in that interview is quite amusing; also interesting that he compares himself to Greenaway.

Kind of ironic given Greenaway's own admiration for Marienbad and his collaboration on many films with Sacha Vierny. Of course Greenaway does go off in a very different direction from Resnais.

[Barmy]

A somewhat philistinic article on ARG

The bitching about Resnais in that interview is quite amusing; also interesting that he compares himself to Greenaway.

Kind of ironic given Greenaway's own admiration for Marienbad and his collaboration on many films with Sacha Vierny. Of course Greenaway does go off in a very different direction from Resnais.

ARG is not really a relevant concept now, and he seems to be fighting against that.

[Gropius]

ARG is not really a relevant concept now, and he seems to be fighting against that.

Well, whatever he produces in his remaining years, at least his posthumous reputation as a major post-war innovator should be secure (in France if not abroad).

[ola t]

Alain Robbe-Grillet will be at the Fantastisk Filmfestival in Lund, Sweden later this week. They're showing Trans-Europ-Express, Last Year at Marienbad, Eden and After, L'Immortelle, and Gradiva, with ARG introductions or Q&A sessions for each one.

This is Local Event of the year as far as I'm concerned, and normally (as in "had I not recently become a dad"), I would have grabbed the chance to see all the films, but I'll be happy if I can just make it to T.E.E.

[stepps]

The Cine Lumiere in London is doing a season of Robbe-Grillet films at the moment. One every Sunday in September. I just went and saw L'eden et apres and it blew my socks off. I don't think his movies are meant to be sexually arousing. I sigh every time I hear his work discussed as soft porn. S + M is pretty much a metaphor for him. Although you can take the films straight if you want to, though they are hardly titillating. S + M with ARG seems pretty bound up in epistemology.
I'm off to see Trans-Europ Express this weekend.
Interestingly all the films they are showing are from new prints. Hopefully DVDs forthcoming soon?
I tried to get to see the Gradiva showing at the Serpentine in London, but it was sold out.

[Gropius]

I tried to get to see the Gradiva showing at the Serpentine in London, but it was sold out.

As I said above, you didn't miss a great deal. The S&M motifs in 'Gradiva' (the film at least - I haven't read the book) really are superficial.

[Barmy]

For me, the earlier films, particularly "L'Immortelle" and "The Man Who Lies" are more interesting.

[petoluk]

For me, the earlier films, particularly "L'Immortelle" and "The Man Who Lies" are more interesting.

Well, I've only seen ARG's "The Man Who Lies," that is - the Slovak version known as "Muz, ktory luze" - it sure blew MY socks off!

Pity it's not available on DVD - my digital TV recording lacks a certain something...

[Numéro 2]

According to Alain Robbe-Grillet the restored prints will be the basis for a dvd edition of his collected work - to be published in France in March 2008.

Here's hoping they will include N. a pris les des - the alternative film made from a rearrangement of material from my favorite ARG film: Eden et apres (both are made according to the musical 12 tone principle (Schönberg, Webern, etc)).

So far no news about English subtitles.

[stepps]

both are made according to the musical 12 tone principle (Schönberg, Webern, etc)).

So far no news about English subtitles.

I am aware of the Second Viennese School of composers, though I favour the more austere hardline conclusion that Pierre Boulez and others took their work to. I'm at a loss to see how 12 tone relates to L'Eden et Apres, unless only as a very loose simile. Obviously traditional cinematic structure is cut down to the bone in this film.

Having gone to the trouble of getting English subtitles for the prints already it would seem a bit crazy not to include them. Kino released La Belle Captive recently, so hopefully more ARG on the way.

I'm getting fed up of French editions of great films with no English subs, Rivette's Noroit and Duelle, Duras' India Song, Kinoshita's The River Fuefuki etc.

[tavernier]

The French Institute in New York is showing L'Immortelle on February 19.

[Barmy]

Awesome, thanks. A very "Marienbad"-like film, and one of his best.

[tavernier]

I've never seen it; looking forward to finally getting the chance on a big screen.

[Barmy]

An appraisal from IMDB:

How can this not yet have any IMDb comments? The reason must be its relative obscurity in the Anglosphere, in which case it definitely needs to be rediscovered.

What I had heard of Robbe-Grillet's own films suggested they were weak in comparison with his collaboration with Resnais, but 'L'Immortelle', at least, totally overturns that suspicion. The plot - what there is of one - is not too dissimilar to 'L'Année dernière à Marienbad': a man meets a mysterious woman, loses track of her, finds her again. Or does he? Is he being deceived, or pursuing an erotically alluring phantasm? Once again, the narrative is inherently ambiguous, filled with conflicting testimonies, and arguably of secondary importance to the film's treatment of space and locale.

The camera pores over a drowsy Istanbul, following its characters through shuttered windows and on to boats at sea, through cavernous mosques and ruins (which the woman claims are artificial), and crowded bazaars. The formal compositions are as impeccable as those of early Resnais, with actors arranged almost geometrically, like inanimate objects. Some of the shots are reminiscent of Antonioni, such as a slow zoom through the railings of a cemetery, or a long shot which reveals an initially bustling plaza to be deserted. The viewer's eye is tricked (mirroring the perceptual confusion of the central male character), as people appear and disappear, only to reappear within the space of a single pan. Another source of alienation is the use of Turkish speech, which 'our man' cannot understand, and therefore remains untranslated in the subtitles.

As one might expect, there is no resolution to this film: its ending is as elusive as its beginning. Some viewers might tire of the repetitiveness of its structure, as scenes are replayed and memories recollected, but I can practically guarantee that fans of Resnais will find much to enjoy. Other later points of comparison might be David Lynch, or the analogous atmosphere of Oriental anxiety in Cronenberg's 'Naked Lunch', but Robbe-Grillet ought to be regarded as a major cinematic artist in his own right, just as he has long been highly regarded for his literary output (the fact that he also published 'L'Immortelle' as a 'ciné-roman' suggests his belief in the continuum between the two artforms).

Postscript: I have subsequently had the opportunity to watch Robbe-Grillet's latest, 'Gradiva' (2006), and unfortunately it leaves one wondering how the mighty have fallen: a sloppy and ridiculous piece of 70s-style pseudo-erotic fantasy (think Borowczyk, but not as good) which totally lacks the visual precision and intellect of 'L'Immortelle'. I can only surmise that his film-making career went downhill steadily after the 1960s, but we should probably cut an 85-year-old man some slack.

[tavernier]

Barmy, is that your appraisal?

[Barmy]

No. I never write coherently. But I agree with it.