I was equally disappointed with Manoel de Oliveira's film "The Strange Case of Angelica" as I was excited about his feature for the 2009 Melbourne International Film Festival, "Eccentricities of a Blond Haired Girl."
"The Strange Case of Angelica" was indeed a strange film with the main character "Isaac" (played by actor Ricardo Trepa) becoming increasingly frustrating with his obsession for the dead woman "Angelica" that he has never met.
Manoel de Oliveira has kept his leading man from "Eccentricities of a Blond Haired Girl", who interestingly is also his grandson in reality. The character of Isaac is a somber one towards in his outlook on life and he is also hiding a secret past. Isaac also has an interest in history and the mechanics of the past, where things were manufactured by hand and the protestant work ethic was seen as a dignified path in life. It's interesting that the film reflects this notion in its timeless setting which apart from the cars and trucks that we see in this film, could be set in any time period. Issac's character also plays with this timeless theme by wearing a formal suit every day and accessorising this with a hat and an SLR camera housed in an old and cumbersome case. This attention to detail was impressive however the films plot is frustrating with the interaction between Isaac and Angelica being minimal and the reason for Isaac's obsession never really explored.
Quintessentially this film is a story of love and that unbearable feeling of not being able to live without the other person but the motivation for these intense feelings are left unexplained.
- Although frustrating at times still an enjoyable film.
No comments:
Post a Comment