Recommended as exploration -- Greek Tragedy played in somber, soggy style on the salt marshes of Denmark.
This is a short (76 minute) film made for Danish television in 1988, by Lars Von Trier, and it got on my list via Mr. Rolston's omnibus recommendation posting from earlier this year. I don't know Von Trier's work, but I now have a heap of new stuff on the queue.
This was an occasion where my weak knowledge of the classics came in handy. I didn't know how the story was going to play out beforehand, although the end was inescapable by the half point. I don't think I'm giving anything away... Jason (he of Argonaut fame) returns home with the Golden Fleece, bringing prosperity to the land and earning the hand of the king's daughter. He'd never have accomplished this mission without Medea, who in addition to helping him bring home the bacon, has borne him two sons. Not unreasonably, the king's daughter wants Medea gone before she'll take Jason to bed. Media is more than a little creepy, knows the dark arts, and wanders in the marshes a lot. So Medea is banished. Before she goes, she takes down the princess with a poisoned wedding gift, which also does in the king and an innocent bystanding horse. Medea heads for the border, giving her sons the last word. She hangs them, leaving their bodies dangling from a tree. "By their death, I can strike at their father."
Lots of memorable images, powerful in their simplicity. The poisoned horse running itself to death. Looks like it was all done with available lighting, and very minimalist costumes and sets. Most of it's played outside, on that gloomy, windswept marshland.
It left me thinking more about the underlying story than this particular production. How would it have played out, if Medea had given birth to daughters? Is she willing to murder her own children, even though she loves them, because she knows they can only grow up to become men?
1 comment:
These heroes kick the asses of LotR heroes from hell to breakfast.
These characters carry big themes, wear big boots, have very nice angst moments, then they go out and do dreadful things.
That's the story I'm talking about here. I'm a huge fan of the classics, sucked them in deep, and now they are as close to a bible as anything in my locker.
And the images in this film are glorious. Their understatement is enhanced by the high drama of the themes and characters. Maybe stick Vigo in Jason's shoes, and he could look truly troubled. And do the sorts of bad things that heroes do.
It's not just that Medea kills the kids. The kids help. These are GOOD genes. Sons or daughters, they would both help Medea swing them from the tree.
The great thing about stories from the classics is that they have good bone structures. The meat can vary from lean to sloppy depending on the teller or the production, but they always have fine, aristocractic bones underneath their handsome, noble faces.
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