Movies for the Thinking Man (Online for free!)
Three films everyone should see; Eraserhead, Koyaanisqatsi and Gates of Heaven.
Ever since I was traumatized as a child when my parents took me to see Return to Oz, I’ve never really been a fan of movies as mere entertainment. I realize now, that my taste in film isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. For example, I would describe Eraserhead, by David Lynch, as the most beautiful film I’ve ever seen–and now I wish I wouldn’t have written that because it’s very hard to explain why that is.
(I’ve added a Youtube version of Return to Oz at the end of this post–it’s a fantastically scary and beautiful film.)
Horrible things can be very beautiful in the sense that they represent something that is all too terrifyingly true. Now, horrible things that are decedent are repugnant and that is a very difficult path to walk. I would argue that Pan’s Labyrinth is a bad film because it crosses the line with almost pornographic violence and because I reject the notion of making a “fairy tale for adults.” Children should not be deprived of seeing that horrifying pale white creature with eyes on it’s hands…
But absolutely no one should have to endure a close-up of a man’s face being cut open at the mouth! (I’ll write more about why Pan’s Labyrinth is a terrible film later.) Anyway, here are a few films you can watch online that I think you should be forced to think about and endure…And the first one, since I mentioned Pan’s Labyrinth as being inappropriate for children, isn’t for the kiddos either. However, it’s horror isn’t decedent but deliciously moralistic.
Eraserhead
Be sure to click the settings wheel on the bottom right to watch at 720p for better quality.
Shot in black-and-white, Eraserhead is Lynch’s first feature-length film, coming after several short works. The film was produced with the assistance of the American Film Institute (AFI) during the director’s time studying there. Starring Jack Nance and Charlotte Stewart, it tells the story of Henry Spencer (Nance), who is left to care for his deformed child in a desolate industrial landscape. Throughout the film, Spencer experiences dreams or hallucinations, featuring his child and the Lady in the Radiator.
Koyaanisqatsi
WARNING: You should listen to this film with the volume up as high as possible!
Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance, is a 1982 film directed by Godfrey Reggio with music composed by Philip Glass and cinematography by Ron Fricke.
(UK Guardian)”Koyanaanis” means turmoil and “qatsi” means life. But Reggio has rightly refused to define the film’s specific meaning; he even fought unsuccessfully with the distributor for the film to have no title. (Incidentally, it was only Francis Ford Coppola’s last-minute support that helped push it into mainstream cinemas.)
“It’s meant to offer an experience, rather than an idea,” said Reggio in a 2002 interview (included with the DVD as a special feature). “For some people, it’s an environmental film. For some, it’s an ode to technology. For some people, it’s a piece of $#*!. Or it moves people deeply. It depends on who you ask. It is the journey that is the objective.”
Gates of Heaven
Gates of Heaven is a 1978 documentary film by Errol Morris about the pet cemetery business. It was made when Morris was unknown and did much to launch his career.
There’s your dog; your dog’s dead. But where’s the thing that made it move? It had to be something, didn’t it?”
These words, by a woman who has just buried her dog, are spoken in “Gates of Heaven.” They express the central mystery of life. No philosopher has stated it better. They form the truth at the center of Errol Morris’ 1978 documentary, which is surrounded by layer upon layer of comedy, pathos, irony, and human nature. I have seen this film perhaps 30 times, and am still not anywhere near the bottom of it: All I know is, it’s about a lot more than pet cemeteries. (Roger Ebert 1978)
Return to Oz
Return to Oz is a 1985 fantasy directed by Walter Murch, a respected editor and sound designer. Although it did not fare well at the box office and received mixed reviews from critics, it has gained a loyal following among fans of L. Frank Baum’s original Oz books and nostalgic fans of the 1980s.
(It is much more true to the vision of the original Baum books rather than the campy 1939 musical. It’s unfortunate that the filmmakers didn’t find a way to prepare the audience for the difference. This failure is probably the reason for the wider public’s confusion about the film. That and the fact that it’s pretty much the scariest film ever made for children!)