Saragossa Manuscript
1965
Directed by Wojciech Jerzy Has
First of all, I wanted to ask my frequent commentator Ray, if he would be willing to shoot me an email. I am doing a profile on Andrew from 1001movieman and would love to have a couple comments about him from one of his most devoted followers. My email address is ampanda95@comcast.net. I am asking this publicly because I love the thrill of rejection in front of an audience.
Now, onto to one of those movies that I promise I won't remember in two weeks. I didn't even understand what was going on with the plot when I was watching it and now I must recount it. I feel like I just got called on in class and didn't hear the question.
Okay, let's give this a try. A soldier finds a book and the author is someone's grandfather? The story then follows the soldier's adventures as he goes through haunted woods. He meets two sisters who claim that they are his cousins and he must marry him. Then things get gross. Then the gypsies start telling a story which officially makes it a story within a story within a story. Yikes.
It is really hard to pay attention to a complicated story that doesn't interest you in any way. This movie has been described as sexy. While if incest is sexy to you...ugh, let's not go down that road.
RATING: **---
Interesting Facts:
Fans of this movie include Luis Bunuel and Martin Scorsese.
Available on YouTube:
I am in awe of the fact that you continue to plod through what sounds like the most boring of movies---kudos to you for doing this! it's a really great project and one I couldn't do.I love reading your reviews, however.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! Yeah, these kinds of films make it tough!
DeleteIt's well over 3 years since I saw this.. and I certainly remember that it was quite a chore to get through..
ReplyDeleteAnd that I also have no idea what was going on. I don't remember any sex in it.. Perhaps, from your description I have blocked that out.
On the other thing.. leave that with me a day or two.. I've copied your address into my contacts.. so if, for security, to stop internet creeps stalking you, you wish to remove the actual address from the post...
I'm not fully sure what you want.. but I'm happy to have a try.
(Is public acceptance as much of a thrill?)
Thank you so much! I look forward to getting your email. And public acceptance is only slightly less exciting...
DeleteThanks to both of you for the profile and your kinds words. I'm beyond flattered!
ReplyDeleteAs for this, I don't recall the sex either. On the other hand, I didn't mind this as much as you. I didn't love it or anything, but I marveled at the story within a story within a story, making this movie reminiscent of one of those Russian dolls.
Great review, as always!
No problem Andrew and thank you so much!
DeleteI like the Russian doll analogy but I feel like this movie did not pull it off well. Only Shakespeare can get away with something like that.
Hey, Andrew, great to see you over here as well...
ReplyDelete(What do you reckon Andrew.. Amanda was SO bored with this one, she started imagining things that may have made it more interesting?)
Haha well it wouldn't be the first time that I imagined sexual chemistry existed when none did. But I actually never said that there was sex in the movie...
DeleteI did not get this movie either, but unlike most movies in this category I actually enjoyed it, because the various many components were entertaining in themselves. I just felt I missed the major point of the film.
ReplyDeleteThis was well made and I liked the general surreal fantasy tone of it, but...
ReplyDeleteThere is surely a good format for such a piece. A book, of short stories perhaps? A serial? But one single 3hrs+ film is probably not high on that list.
The sex debate: If sex is a mood or partial nudity, then the film had lots of it. If sex is a verb for the physical act, then it never got beyond prudish pecking kisses.