941. Beau Travail

Beau Travail
1999
Directed by Claire Denis

I can't believe I am almost done with the nineties.  It seems like only yesterday that I started this decade.  Maybe it was just yesterday...I am moving rather quickly.  At least, I am moving rather quickly when I am not taking several types of pain medication,

Basically, master sergeant Galoup reminisces about his time as a soldier in the French Foreign Legion in Djibouti.  While there, he develops feelings for another solider, Gilles Sentain.  Unable to accept his homosexual urgings, he regularly picks fights with Gilles and generally makes his life a living hell.

Sorry if that synopsis was a bit vague, but I had a hard time following this one.  It just did not capture my attention, but, to be fair, I am a tough audience right now.  Their military training exercises resembled dance rehearsals for West Side Story.  It almost reminded me of Leni Riefenstahl's Olympia, as it had the same sort of fascination with the male form.  Personally, I was able to um...appreciate the male body more in Fight Club.  Still, I appreciate what she was trying to do.

So a thumbs down for me, as I just found it dull.  I don't have any major grievances, however, so might still be worth checking out.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Dance scene was shot in a single take.

812. S'en fout la mort

S'en fout la mort
No Fear, No Die
1990
Directed by Claire Denis

Really?  A movie about cock fighting?  I think a lot of my readers think I am squeamish when it comes to unpleasant topics in film.  That is certainly the case here, as I am really against animal cruelty (and don't call me a hypocrite because I am a vegetarian).  Of course, the Book really doesn't care and continues to feature movies where animals' throats are slit on camera.  At least here no animals were actually harmed.

Dah and Jocelyn decide to pair up and organize illegal cockfights.  Jocelyn is more attached to the roosters than Dah, with his favorite bird being No Fear, No Die.  The duo take on another partner, Pierre, who owns a space with a nausea-inducing light show.  Pierre urges Jocelyn and Dah to make the fights more violent by adding razor blades and spurs to the mix.  Jocelyn begins to lose it, with his growing attachment to Pierre's wife not helping matters.

Chances are that unless you are following the List, you haven't heard of this movie, as it only has two IMDb reviews (one of which is written by someone who worked on the film).  I think it is a hard movie to make heads or tails of (HA! Animal humor), but I may be over thinking it.  I felt like the director wasn't very concerned with making a statement about animal cruelty.  She seemed more intent on making a comment on race, although what that comment was, I am not sure.

An interesting one to contemplate, but I definitely could have avoided it.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

First of eight collaborations between in Claire Denis and Alex Descas.