tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34888657.post8728451116883780785..comments2023-06-14T15:26:28.129+01:00Comments on Chained to the Cinémathèque: Portrait d'une jeune fille de la fin des années 60 à Bruxelles (Chantal Akerman, 1994)David McDougallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11020826602374694194noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34888657.post-84165737432327433272008-02-08T22:42:00.000+00:002008-02-08T22:42:00.000+00:00Liz - You've GOT to see the whole thing. I left af...Liz - You've GOT to see the whole thing. <BR/><BR/>I left after the Akerman on Wednesday; I decided I wanted that film to rattle around in my head for a few days more with no distractions. That's why we didn't run into each other!<BR/><BR/><I>U.S. Go Home</I> was indeed great. <BR/><BR/>I also sometimes wish that all cinema was just close-ups of girls' faces.<BR/><BR/>As for tracking down these for future viewing, I am also obsessed. I would watch it every day if i could.David McDougallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11020826602374694194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34888657.post-37900055503369093512008-02-08T22:34:00.000+00:002008-02-08T22:34:00.000+00:00hi Dave! I didn't know you had a blog--I found it ...hi Dave! I didn't know you had a blog--I found it through Danny's. I went on Wed--I'm surprised I didn't see you! I only caught from Leonard Cohen on out in the Akerman, but everything I saw I adored. US Go Home, to me, was perfect. I am obsessed with finding a copy of it somehow..I just want to watch it over and over. and, of course, watch the Akerman in its entirety. that actress really was incredible..the amazing James Brown scene made me wish all cinema was just close-ups of girls' faces.Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12296546579756297107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34888657.post-52445266694833872962008-02-07T19:18:00.000+00:002008-02-07T19:18:00.000+00:00Dan, I'm glad you caught it. I have lots of though...Dan, <BR/>I'm glad you caught it. I have lots of thoughts on the film's formal aspects, but am still in constant awe of the film's poetry. <BR/><BR/>The final section is terrific, and its relation to the film's structure is an amplification of traces not quite explored previously. I would have written about it, but wasn't sure how to do so <I>poetically</I> in the mode of my sketches above while still staying spoiler-free.<BR/><BR/>At some point I may write a longer piece on the film, but for now I'd just like to let it ruminate - unless, of course, I get the chance to see it again!David McDougallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11020826602374694194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34888657.post-23050174860426254832008-02-07T17:57:00.000+00:002008-02-07T17:57:00.000+00:00Dave - thanks for pushing the Akerman - I really l...Dave - thanks for pushing the Akerman - I really liked it, and would have missed it without your recommendation.<BR/><BR/>Structure means a lot in this film, doesn't it? And in Akerman in general, I guess. At the end of the central section, the boy-girl interlude, I liked the movie but wouldn't have called it exceptional. Seems to me that the stakes were greatly raised when Akerman followed with the more emotionally naked, rather desolate girl-girl section, and refracted the boy-girl interaction through that lens.<BR/><BR/>A lot of the power of the film comes from the way that that lively middle section, with its sense of event and almost of entitlement, is drained of its primacy - we are finally forced to view it as just an exhibit in a sad gallery.Dan Sallitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13136066978329749513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34888657.post-788620733259908612008-02-06T16:56:00.000+00:002008-02-06T16:56:00.000+00:00by which Danny means, it's been cross posted (with...by which Danny means, it's been cross posted (with my permission) at <A HREF="http://notebook.theauteurs.com/?p=52" REL="nofollow">The Auteurs</A>.<BR/><BR/>"yoink!" really did make me laugh out loud.David McDougallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11020826602374694194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34888657.post-76048543466591621602008-02-06T16:46:00.000+00:002008-02-06T16:46:00.000+00:00lovely, lovely piece. so lovely in fact...yoink!lovely, lovely piece. so lovely in fact...yoink!Daniel Kasmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00090178978468389578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34888657.post-88806729468186487632008-02-06T16:25:00.000+00:002008-02-06T16:25:00.000+00:00Jen, thanks so much. It's wonderful to think of yo...Jen, thanks so much. It's wonderful to think of your morning brightened by this! I hope that you - and anyone else reading this - is free to have your evening brightened by this film tonight. In which case, I'll see you there (yes, I'm going again).David McDougallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11020826602374694194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34888657.post-90754340602740005522008-02-06T16:13:00.000+00:002008-02-06T16:13:00.000+00:00Your writing is so beautiful . . . it has brighten...Your writing is so beautiful . . . it has brightened my morning!jmachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11930294587209213956noreply@blogger.com