This
film has numerous similarities to Jess Franco's VENUS IN FURS: the same
main location (Istanbul), similar characters and plot (a confused man
pursues a dead woman) and conclusion. The differences are that Franco's
film is in color, infused with Jazz and that Robbe-Grillet's film has
absolutely no exploitation elements (nudity, violence) and is his only
film which doesn't contain sadomasochistic elements.
The minimalist vs the psychedelic treatment of similar themes, characters, plots and locales...
Hell hound or Messenger of Death....
Francoise
Brion and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze meet in Istanbul's cemetery of the
living dead in Alain Robbe-Grillet's L'IMMORTELLE.
N
(Jacques Doniol-Valcroze) a French University lecturer, arrives to
fulfill his appointment in Istanbul but is both confused and fascinated
by the exotic environment and mythology of the Turkish city. He meets
the beautiful, remote L (Francoise Brion), seemingly by chance, and a
mysterious man, M, with two imposing hounds who seems to hover over her
actions. He invites her to a reception at his apartment, and later they
embark on several visits to such local attractions as the Grand Mosque
and bazaar. Then L disappears from his life as suddenly as she appeared.
Searching for her in the ancient city N becomes obsessed with her image
and elusive presence. Finally locating her in the crowded streets one
night they attempt to drive out of the city only to become involved in a
fatal accident when one of M's dogs suddenly appears in the center of
the road. L is pronounced dead. But is she? N embarks on another
desultory search and final appointment in his personal Samarra.
This aforementioned similarities to Jess Franco's VENUS IN FURS: are probably not accidental. Robbe-Grillet is mentioned in word association game in NECROMONICON (1967), albeit in the German language, not the English language dubbing and Franco seems as totally immersed in the closed universe of S&M as ARG, both are European mavericks whom critics and audiences tend to love or hate with equal passion.
Beside
being chaste in terms of sex and violence, but not eroticism or
anxiety, there's absolutely no "acting" or attempt at realistic
movements or any
movement at all by the actors in L'IMMORTELLE, they're mostly frozen in space,
obviously at the insistence of the director. Totally alienating at each
and every moment.With no zoom shots, conventional
plot continuity, emotive acting, executed with rigid camera movements, a
disjunctive editing style, avoidance of pretty compositions, but not
picture postcard views of the city, which Robbe-Grillet favored over
documentary realism. "Pierre Loti meets A THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS."
Nonetheless, the film does nothing to dress up the crumbling exteriors
such as the ancients ramparts which surround the city and are seen in
the opening and closing shots taken from a car on the highway.
Automobiles, accidents, lights, mirrors, secret agent style suits and
sunglasses play a large part in the ambiance of a film shot in the same
year and location as Terence Young's 1963 Bond FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.
But L'IMMORTELLE is the anti-Bond Eurospy film, the anti-Hollywood Love
Story, a love story without love, the anti-Art Art film.
All of
this insured the film's financial and critical failure, along with the
writer-director's inexperience in such basic matters as communication
with crew and actors, following continuity within and between scenes,
allowing for improvisation and creative "accidents", all exacerbated by a
restive crew and an actual revolution which occurred in Turkey while
the film was shooting, putting this government sanctioned production in a
distinctly uncomfortable position. All of this and more is outlined in
humorous fashion by the late writer-director in a 32 m interview which,
in this case, is probably best watched Before the feature presentation.
Given
the technical/artistic flaws of this first film of a literary star, the
Kino Classics HD transfer from original 35mm elements is as gorgeous as
one can expect from a film made with blocked funds, during a
revolution, with an increasingly uncooperative crew and clueless actors.
It's also the anti-LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD from the author of that
classic film. Same story, plot but totally different tone and style
Robbe-Grillet was no Alain Resnais and seems less interested in "style"
than in playing with structure while observing surfaces. This is a film
completely obsessed with the surfaces of things, people, locations.
There is no psychology, back story or message. What you see is what you
get. Or maybe don't get. But that's OK. This is a film by the King of
the Nouveau Roman. Imagine a Bond film by Robert Bresson or Carl Dreyer
and you have a handle on it. Maddening, circular, obtuse and haunting,
it's unlike any other film of Robbe-Grillet and any other film by
anyone. The Georges Delerue score is laced with a particularly
enchanting traditional Turkish song which provides a perfect audio
environment for this exotic cocktail.
A 2014 promo short and trailers for three other Kino Classic Robbe-Grillet Blu-ray presentations are included.
France-Turkey/1963-101m/B&W/1/66:1-1920X1080p/
Written and Directed by Alain Robbe-Grillet
Photography by Maurice Barry
Music by Georges Delerue
(C) Robert Monell, 2013
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