NOT being familiar with the literary work of Samuel Beckett, we confess to be at a great disadvantage at viewing this with the intent of writing down some half way intelligent and intelligible impressions of what transpired in the roughly 20 minutes of silent screen. Well, we gonna give it the old "College Try" anyway!
WE recently read that Mr. Beckett (1906-89) was a Poet and Author of Novels and Plays. He was a member of what is called the "Minimalist Movement" in his poetry; a term which certainly sounds to have a high degree of self explanatory meaning contained within its name. Ergo, to a half-educated slug like meself, minimal = less; sort of like "less is more!" Some of the Poetry of Samuel Beckett that we saw would certainly bear this out.
SO it is with this, his one and only film, we have a short which is devoid of all that it can be; while still allowing for some semblance of a "story" to follow. Characters have no labels, no names, virtually no interaction; save for some unintentional bumping into a lady and a Roman Collared Clergyman outside the building as well as a bouquet bearing elderly Lady inside the hallway of the multi apartment slum complex.
SO, do you really want to hear our got out of all this? Ready or not, here it goes .
WE think that the film FILM is a metaphor for Life Itself. The main character (Played by Mr. Buster Keaton) begins the story in extreme close up shot, his one "good" eye blinking and seemingly welcoming the light of the new day. His journey seems desperate in getting to his run down, nearly vacant flat; where he seeks absolute privacy from any prying eyes. This includes any eyes of a wall illustration and those of a pup, a kitten, a parrot and a gold fish.
ON his way over his "lone journey" is interrupted briefly when he collides what looks an awful lot like a Funeral Rite, being performed by that previously mentioned Clergyman and the one Lady Mourner being set in a sort of field of garbage. The twosome at this garbage funeral service seems very annoyed, yet surprised at the sudden appearance and unconcerned attitude of Keaton.
AFTER some 2 reels of such non-sequitor happenings, we are led back to the same old close up shot of Buster's eye; not opening this time, but closing, shutting down-if you please. The Credits follow; indeed the very first credits of FILM; for there were no opening titles nor any credits offered, as is customary in most films.
AS for Our Theory about this film FILM; we offer the following, for what it's worth.
KEATON is everyman. His mission is to get through what is truly an all too short a Life on Planet Earth. Mr. Becket is trying to tell us that there isn't much which really means anything during our brief stay on good old Terra Firma. All that is man-made can only get in our way; including Organized Religion and well meaning neighbors. What life we truly lead is private and for ourselves only; with prying eyes and inquisitive minds of others being strictly alien to our own souls. Yes, it begins with the eye blinking and ends with the same eye blinking.
IT'S sort of like what has been said about people. "You come into this World with Nothing and Leave the Same Way!" (Or, "Remember Oh Man From Dust Thou Came And To Dust Thou Shall Return!")
THEN again, on the other hand, we may be all wet with this or any other attempt at explanation or theory.
WE were also put to mind of a story about 20th Century Master Artist Pablo Picasso. The story goes that Senor Picasso received a letter from a would be "Patron" and "Collector" of Fine Paintings. In it was enclosed a check for a tidy little sum, let's say for the sake of argument that it was $5,000.00. The letter bore instructions for Pablo to return a Picasso Original to the sender; a painting that would be worth the 5 Grand.
SO, Picasso proceeded to draw a stick-man figure on the back of the check, then to sign the "work", he endorsed the check and deposited it in his banking account. The man received his Picasso Original when his canceled check was returned to him.
WE can only wonder if this FILM business was some sort of practical joke played by the great, Irishman on a World which tends toward the bestowing near Deification on such Artistic and Literary Giants.
WHATTA you think, Schultz?
POODLE SCHNITZ!!
WE recently read that Mr. Beckett (1906-89) was a Poet and Author of Novels and Plays. He was a member of what is called the "Minimalist Movement" in his poetry; a term which certainly sounds to have a high degree of self explanatory meaning contained within its name. Ergo, to a half-educated slug like meself, minimal = less; sort of like "less is more!" Some of the Poetry of Samuel Beckett that we saw would certainly bear this out.
SO it is with this, his one and only film, we have a short which is devoid of all that it can be; while still allowing for some semblance of a "story" to follow. Characters have no labels, no names, virtually no interaction; save for some unintentional bumping into a lady and a Roman Collared Clergyman outside the building as well as a bouquet bearing elderly Lady inside the hallway of the multi apartment slum complex.
SO, do you really want to hear our got out of all this? Ready or not, here it goes .
WE think that the film FILM is a metaphor for Life Itself. The main character (Played by Mr. Buster Keaton) begins the story in extreme close up shot, his one "good" eye blinking and seemingly welcoming the light of the new day. His journey seems desperate in getting to his run down, nearly vacant flat; where he seeks absolute privacy from any prying eyes. This includes any eyes of a wall illustration and those of a pup, a kitten, a parrot and a gold fish.
ON his way over his "lone journey" is interrupted briefly when he collides what looks an awful lot like a Funeral Rite, being performed by that previously mentioned Clergyman and the one Lady Mourner being set in a sort of field of garbage. The twosome at this garbage funeral service seems very annoyed, yet surprised at the sudden appearance and unconcerned attitude of Keaton.
AFTER some 2 reels of such non-sequitor happenings, we are led back to the same old close up shot of Buster's eye; not opening this time, but closing, shutting down-if you please. The Credits follow; indeed the very first credits of FILM; for there were no opening titles nor any credits offered, as is customary in most films.
AS for Our Theory about this film FILM; we offer the following, for what it's worth.
KEATON is everyman. His mission is to get through what is truly an all too short a Life on Planet Earth. Mr. Becket is trying to tell us that there isn't much which really means anything during our brief stay on good old Terra Firma. All that is man-made can only get in our way; including Organized Religion and well meaning neighbors. What life we truly lead is private and for ourselves only; with prying eyes and inquisitive minds of others being strictly alien to our own souls. Yes, it begins with the eye blinking and ends with the same eye blinking.
IT'S sort of like what has been said about people. "You come into this World with Nothing and Leave the Same Way!" (Or, "Remember Oh Man From Dust Thou Came And To Dust Thou Shall Return!")
THEN again, on the other hand, we may be all wet with this or any other attempt at explanation or theory.
WE were also put to mind of a story about 20th Century Master Artist Pablo Picasso. The story goes that Senor Picasso received a letter from a would be "Patron" and "Collector" of Fine Paintings. In it was enclosed a check for a tidy little sum, let's say for the sake of argument that it was $5,000.00. The letter bore instructions for Pablo to return a Picasso Original to the sender; a painting that would be worth the 5 Grand.
SO, Picasso proceeded to draw a stick-man figure on the back of the check, then to sign the "work", he endorsed the check and deposited it in his banking account. The man received his Picasso Original when his canceled check was returned to him.
WE can only wonder if this FILM business was some sort of practical joke played by the great, Irishman on a World which tends toward the bestowing near Deification on such Artistic and Literary Giants.
WHATTA you think, Schultz?
POODLE SCHNITZ!!