"Before 1920, the cinema has no history of its own. In Germany, Fritz Lang, F. W. Murnau, and G. W. Pabst, the fathers of film noir, continued the theatrical and painterly tradition of expressionism. In France, Louis Feuillade, the father of comic-book cinema, made serials in which fantastic, costumed characters roamed the real streets of Paris. In Italy, Giovanni Pastrone, father of the epic, went straight back to the Roman Empire. But like Griffith, Sjöström explored what Bergman called the ultimate truth of cinema, the human face, to which Sjöström constantly guides us even without close-ups.
Coming from the theater, Sjöström nonetheless rejected traditional stage acting as detrimental to films. He wanted another style of performance since the dialogue could not be heard, concentrating on face, movements, and gestures. His own performance in The Phantom Carriage avoids melodrama by admitting David’s inner confusion, which simultaneously erupts into violence. His outward realism explores inner states. Some of the intertitles are actually voice-over, as he talks to himself." - Mayersberg
Victor Sjöström's "The Phantom Carriage" was arguably Bergman's favorite film of which inspired his entire career in filmmaking. It is a quintessential Charles Dickensesque narrative that leaves us both vulnerable and empowered. As an ugly, violent alcoholic, David Holm is more interested in rejecting responsibility than even Matthew Poncelet. Like Poncelet, he's been sentenced to death row (by alcohol instead of a judge) - and he is spiritually pursued by a woman of naive, yet strong faith. Holm also runs a parallel with Jack Torrance, whose own issue with alcohol is the turning point with his (in)sanity. Holm also shares a fondness for torturing his family - right down to chopping through a door with an axe, if needed.
Having, for myself, taken a vow of sobriety for Lent (I broke that same vow last year) - I have to severely confront the portrait of David Holm as a bastard alcoholic whom mirrors my own humanity - my irritability, my frustrations, my need to dis-engage, my cynicism, my ugliness, my criticism of evangelical missionaries, my loss of individual freedoms. For David Holm, alcohol brings that ugliness further to the surface - for myself, it surfaces during sobriety when I am bombarded with too many distracting voices at work and/or home. It's my sober self that I usually want to avoid. A good buzz is a great temporary (or full-time) distraction to the weight of responsibility, which any member of AA will tell you.
"Lord, let my soul come to maturity before it is reaped." As a prayer conceived from the dead carriage driver, who can no longer work towards maturity, we are existentially challenged to "make the most of it" during this life. It may sound superficial, but it is only a few scenes later that we are introduced to the nature, essence, and foundation of what we understand to be "resurrection"...
Confession.
"A sinner whose lips are stained with wickedness, asks, beseeches - Oh, break me, crush me..." - these are the words of a dead David Holm entering into confession, in a manner not unlike "Dead Man Walking", as aforementioned. David Holm vows to repent in order to save his family from suicide. His physical body (coined as a "prison") is immediately resurrected, and the responsibility is now his...to intervene with his wife, to reconcile his marriage, and be made whole (mature). We walk away from the film empowered to process what it means to be whole (Holy) for ourselves - but we also feel vulnerable for David Holm and his wife, who are yet immature, as we are - for alcoholism (due to the weight of responsibility) may return like a tornado.
This film was made during a time when marriage was still valued more than individual freedom. If Tarantino re-made this film, it would end with the wife stabbing her freshly resurrected husband while yelling, "I don't give a fuck about no motherfuckin' resurrection - MOTHERFUCKER!". Neither would the Salvation Army sister have likely sacrificed her own life (taking over as death's assistant to drive the carriage, no less) in which to provide such an opportunity for life for David Holm. But that is the mature "soul" of the film, I believe - that something must be sacrificed in order for something or someone else to live - which is true both physically and spiritually.
May we be awakened and given sight - given eyes to see the mirror of ourselves in the eyes of another - for that, and that alone, is the spirituality of cinema. Be not afraid to peel away the layers.
...
"Almighty and merciful God, the Fountain of all goodness, who knowest the thoughts of our hearts, we confess unto Thee that we have sinned against Thee, and done evil in Thy sight. Wash us, we beseech Thee, from the stains of our past sins, and give us grace and power to put away all hurtful things; so that, being delivered from the bondage of sin, we may bring forth worthy fruits of repentance.
O eternal Light, shine into out hearts. O eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil. O eternal Power, be Thou our support. Eternal wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance. Eternal pity, have mercy on us. Grant unto us, that with all our hearts, and minds, and strength, we may evermore seek Thy face; and finally bring us, in Thine infinite mercy, to Thy holy presence. So strengthen our weakness that, following in the footsteps of Thy blessed son, we may obtain Thy mercy, and enter into Thy promised joy. Amen."
...
No comments:
Post a Comment