Three movies about daydreamers

[Julie]

 

Day-dreaming, German style. Slow, rough and methaphysical story about winning.

 

THE GREAT ECSTASY OF WOODCARVER STEINER

(Germany / Switzerland, 1974, by Werner Herzog)

 

German band Popol Vuh did a great job on a soundtrack - the score itself is enough to make you dream. It's totally lucid, psychedelic, lighter than the air, very slow and totally hypnotizing. So does the movie.

 

Steiner developed a flying ability, so extraordinary, that he effortlessly broke all world records at that time. Shy like hell, not looking at the camera, but sensitive and articulate enough, he shows his (not perfect) wooden sculptures and talks about dreaming, fear, flying and iving with a head in the clouds. And the body is in the clouds, too, flying with the speed of a good car, taking off from the ramp, which Steiner believes is  Golgotha ("50 thousand people came to see me dying").

 

This is a documentary, a real story about winning world ski-flying competition. The winner finally found his escape in religion, working for a church somewhere in Sweden :)

 

"I remember sitting in school, listening to the teacher talking, and he said: "Walter, you're day-dreaming again. What is it now?". My thoughts were somewhere else, all over the place, except in school. I kept dreaming of flying, made some models and plans of models, bigger than I could ever build myself. Maybe, that's why I suddently took off one night and began flying". 

 

"I ought to be all alone in this world. I, Steiner, and no other living thing. No sun, no culture, by myself, naked on a high rock, no storms, no snow, no roads, no banks, no money, no time and no breath. Then, at least, I wouldn't be afraid anymore". 

 

 

Day-dreaming, French style. Light, funny, absurd, but cute love story.

 

AMELIE

(France, 2001, by Jean-Pierre Jeunet) 

 

Being almost detached from the real world due to mistaken concerns about her heart defect, twenty something Amelie is living in a fantasy world. Dedicating her life to fantasies and helping people, she discovers, that she neglects her own life. And is looking for love, somewhere between real and imaginary world. True French girl with really boosted imagination, talking to the photos and toys in her room :)

 

"If Amélie chooses to live in a dream-world and remain an introverted young woman, she has every right to mess up her life! You mean she would rather imagine herself relating to an absent person than build relationships with those around her?"

 

"Any normal girl would call the number, meet him, return the album and see if her dream is viable. It's called a reality check. The last thing Amélie wants".

 

"Nino is late. Amelie can only see two explanations. 1 - he didn't get the photo. 2 - before he could assemble it, a gang of bank robbers took him hostage. The cops gave chase. They got away... but he caused a crash. When he came to, he'd lost his memory. An ex-con picked him up, mistook him for a fugitive, and shipped him to Istanbul. There he met some Afghan raiders who too him to steal some Russian warheads. But their truck hit a mine in Tajikistan. He survived, took to the hills, and became a Mujaheddin. Amelie refuses to get upset for a guy who'll eat borscht all his life in a hat like a tea cozy".

 

 

Day-dreaming, Russian style. Touching "living your fantasies" story without happy ending.

 

BOOK THIEVES

(Russia, 2003, by Leonid Rybakov)

Starting as light and absurd Russian version of Amelie, it gradually develops into a real tragedy (someone dies) about detaching from real world and despising others. In best tradition of Russian cinematography.

 

Four dreamers create a team to live their fantasies. They are talking nonsense, doing childing things, riding fast stolen cars, stealing books and reading them loud, creating stories. One of them gets out from this perfect world, falling in love with Katrin, the girl from their group. She despises him, as he's not even half as good as her fantasy world. No longer able to hide in a dream world,  incapable to live in real world and frustrated... you may guess, there is no happy ending.

 

"Are you still reading books? How old are you? 19? 20? Don't you date anyone? Don't you love anyone? Those movies and books only hurt you. You watch, read, dream... but the life is different. Everything is different in real life. One day you will understand this. Or, you will not".

 

"If you can't speak, then write". 

 

"You're an artistic girl. You like classical music. It sounds so nice in movies, especially in Godar's movies. You like, when it's clean and cozy, like at home. So, why do you need to spend time with them, those idiots?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jane Wilson]

I never read or watch anything with an unhappy ending if I know about it in advance.  Although my adult daughter did drag me to watch Titantic which is okay for one viewing.  I went through a stage were I hated people, resented them as a teenager.  I grew out of it as I got older and became far more empathic toward others.  I realized the truth of the statement , "Most people live a life of quite desperation."  I view my inability to socialize as a handicap I have not been able to overcome.  I do not blame others for this and the real truth is if I really wanted to I could make drastic changes, but I choose not to.  I am far too comfortible in my isolation and have reached an age were I have little if any motivation to change.

[roxanne]

thanks so much for this info.  Will check them out, especially Amelie.  This is so cool that we can share this information.  Much appreciated.