Best of 2015

8) Protolith - Dark

Back in 2010 (OMG 5 years ago…) I featured a band named Questioner on my list. They were there because they managed to show a mastery of several different styles of extreme metal while keeping everything cohesive and organic. They were a bandcamp discovery, a product of looking through pages and pages of new releases by new bands that have near zero recognition in the scene. Finding and appreciating Dark by Protolith was a very similar experience. They’re a modest, unsigned outfit showcasing a remarkably diverse flavor of extreme metal. This is a progressive sort of blackened death metal, slightly reminiscent of Withered, but with more space in the mix, more wandering in the compositions. I say wandering but never without purpose, feeling more along the lines of introspection eventually resolved with big memorable riffage. This is a skill Opeth perfected a long time ago, but very few bands have managed to be so effective with it since. Protolith may just be a one-hitter of a band just like Questioner, never to be heard from again, but this album is worthy of attention as one of the best of 2015.

Best of 2015

9) Elder - Lore

This is the only album on my list this year that can be considered even slightly accessible. That may say something about my labyrinthine experience with 2015, but the amount of fun these guys have making music is enough to make the sourest of sourpusses romp with glee over riffs somewhere between Skynyrd and early Baroness. And as fun as this is, the composition is rife with key changes and unanticipated interludes, melodies that come out of nowhere, that make you very aware of the songwriting ability on display here. Lore may as well be titled “How to make a 12 minute song compelling from start to finish.” More people should take note of this band because they deserve it and so far they have passed well under the radar of recognition.

Best of 2015

10) Valborg - Romantik

My list for the past few years has begun with an album that sets a certain mood, a gentle introduction to the high weirdness that is to follow. I can think of no better album to set the tone than this. Valborg has an undeniably uncanny ability to create music that seems on the surface monotonous, yet, with a little patient exposure, infectiously hypnotic. Upon first spin of this I couldn’t help but long for the bludgeoning weight of their high water mark, Barbarian, but this is a much different album. Romantik is stripped down minimalism with anthemic chants that make the overall experience reminiscent of a funeral march, steady, measured, and filled with purpose.

Movie: The Lobster

I make no secret of loving surrealism. Artistic expression that pushes the limits of reality is a source of untapped emotions, a perception of the new, the opportunity to be reborn and see something for the first time. I've found myself focused on things that don't seem to change, the violence, the shortsightedness, the stubbornness presented in the scroll of daily events. The Lobster is a film that wipes it all away for a moment and replaces it with something different, something initially absurd, but with reflection, something allegorical, something intimately poetic. The heart of the story reminded me of 1984, forbidden love in a world incapable of allowing individual freedom. The context of that love shined a light on the expectations of love from the outside, the subtlety of judgment between couples and loners was magnified, the line between them turned into a wall of violence and metamorphosis. As a viewer, I was rooting for love, but there was an ultimate cost which presented a question. Do we seek the opportunity to learn from a partner, to learn from each other's vulnerabilities, or do we seek a partner with the same vulnerabilities, a chance to not feel alone with our individual flaws? Personally speaking, this is a very hard question to answer.

Movie: Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter

All films have the potential to provoke thoughtful discourse, even if they're awful. Awful films beg questions about the spirit of the times, about the social climate in which they were developed. The point is that too often in my generation, as soon as the credits roll, there is no discussion. The experience is locked away as a temporal event, not considered or reflected upon, forgotten. Some of this has to do with the "haunting" possibility of a spoiler. We need to protect those who haven't seen a particular film from ever knowing a single detail about the film as if a single conflict, a general brush stroke carries the essence, the entire importance of the film. I would first like to highlight how ridiculous this is. Sure, awful films where hardly anything happens, with mundane characters and a big obvious twist may be hurt by knowing that twist in advance. But with good films, I'll have to mention a suitable cliche, "The destination isn't as important as the journey." I don't care what the major conflict of the film is. I care about how each character creates or encounters that conflict and how they attempt to resolve it. Given that, I don't give a damn if someone spoils the ending of a film to me, if I know it's going to be good, I'll still spend the time to drink up every detail, every nuance that leads up to that ending.

The other reason for silence is the idea that movies are purely entertainment, a temporary escape from the norm. When the credits roll the norm returns and there is nothing to be said. As much as I sympathize with people too busy to reflect, I could never empathize with them because it's the reflection that nurtures growth. Watching films without a follow-up discussion is missing an opportunity to learn, to mature, to be a better person. A lack of reflection is the simple acceptance of stagnation as an individual which is and has always been a widely ignored epidemic of the human race. There's nothing more dangerous than a person unwilling to accept new ideas.

Now why all this discussion leading up to a few words on Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter? I say the above because this is a film that would be very easy to dismiss without a word of reflection because the premise is absolutely ridiculous. A premise this ridiculous is sure to make a good number of people question the importance of the film. It may have even caused a whole lot of people to walk right out of the theater well before the credits. But, as I said above, people focused on the major conflict of a film have missed the journey, and that is precisely what this film is about. Kumiko expresses very charmingly that no matter what your goal is, it's incredibly important to seek that goal passionately and not let anyone slow you down or prevent you from attaining it. Kumiko understands very well how short life is, how tedious the people currently surrounding her are, and how the treasure she seeks will bring her a better life. This is a film that will easily win you over if you're open enough to let it. Of course if you're closed to the new and strange, if you'd rather stagnate in self-importance with pride in an unchanging identity, steer clear of this film, also steer clear of me.

5/5

Movie: A Zed and Two Naughts by Peter Greenaway

Another Greenaway, this time with a much more direct artistic intention than others I've seen so far. His other films have revolved around vivid characterizations and the delicate or intense conflict that can arise between them. Zed is less about characters and more about the concept of symmetry in as many forms as possible.

The most easily recognizable form is the frame composition. Almost every set is purposefully symmetrical and the characters within these sets are themselves symmetrical, twin brothers being the protagonists. There are reoccurring shapes and words presented that have this quality, circles of various materials, the word Zoo shown both forward and backward during various sequences.

But the film goes so much deeper than being simply visual by analyzing the complementary nature of existence. The relationship between life and death is the central theme which becomes an obsession of the protagonists. After a tragic car accident that kills both of the brother's wives they seek to reconcile their loss with research attempting to find some reason behind the event. One brother becomes obsessed with the birth phase of existence from the very beginning of biological life progressively to the human condition. The other analyzes death, taking time lapse film of the decay of biological life using the same progression. Eventually they combine their efforts in what to them would be considered a masterpiece, an ambitious undertaking brought to a perfect conclusion, but to any bystander, a deeply deranged and horrifying result of madness.

However, this explanation only touches the surface of what this movie is about. Greenaway's films absolutely require more than one time through and luckily for me I look forward to revisiting them again and again because this is what the art of film is all about.

Movie: The Belly of an Architect by Peter Greenaway

Greenaway is becoming one of my favorite filmmakers, a development slowed only by the limited availability of his films. He has a very recognizable style behind the camera, a good portion of the time spent being absolutely stationary. He seems to favor standing back for a wide angle view and letting the actors do their job. The way some of these shots develop is stunning, using every inch of the screen, using vivid color to his advantage, using clever and aesthetically pleasing composition to express something truly memorable.

The story was a classic one. I wouldn't say it's an overdone plot but it speaks of a theme common in modern society. We seek immortality in various ways, one of which is to seek a young mate, someone vital and virile and excitable, someone to make us feel young. But, beyond a certain point these relationships are unsustainable because the older partner can't keep up physically and the younger partner can't keep up intellectually. This film takes the theme and brings it to the extreme. The protagonist's health begins to fail as he's commissioned to work on an exhibit in Rome celebrating a classical architect. His younger, pretty wife begins to feel lonely because he only spends time with the project and his descent into infirmity. His wife is pursued by another and he is diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer.

Ultimately that's what the story is about, not too complex, no twists, not many surprises, but it's in the way the story is told that makes this film special. Using the ruinous architecture of Rome as a backdrop to Greenaway's obsessively intricate set design and frame composition, this film manages to be one of the most visually stunning of any I've ever seen.

Movie: Dreams by Ingmar Bergman

Love and happiness are transient and so idealized that when we have it it's never enough and when it's gone we forget immediately how inadequate it was and try over and over to recreate that exact moment. The protagonists in this film try so hard to return to the happiness they remember which has been blurred, smoothed by the erosion of time. They hope, for a moment, that it's going to be just as good as that distorted memory and once they have it in their hands the moment lasts all of a couple minutes before it crumbles under the weight of the despair that has become the norm of their lives. The narrative leaves the audience with a frightening question: Which is better, transient whimsy or constant reflection. Luckily hope will force all to choose the former, but the zero sum game laughs at our attempt.

Best of 2014

1) YOB - Clearing the Path to Ascend

YOB open Clearing the Path to Ascend with a sample of philosopher Alan Watts saying "Time to wake up," preparing the listener for transcendence. Clearing the Path to Ascend is a swan song of an album beckoning us to reflect, to ignore all the shit from our parents, priests, politicians, corporations, and unashamed charlatans of our time and realize the inner truths, the things we feel in our heart, in our marrow. The way Clearing the Path to Ascend approaches the human conflict isn't gentle, it isn't comforting, it wails, it screams, it threatens, and it asks really difficult questions with brash intensity and expectation. This is bold music for bold people, my number one pick for 2014, and one of my favorite albums of all time.

Best of 2014

2) Voices - London

Voices is a band formed from the ashes (and most band members) of the satanic inferno that was Akercocke. When Akercocke announced they were splitting up I was heartbroken. No other band could claim to be so unabashedly evil, but maintain an unmistakable sense of humor. They had an approach to song-writing that was equal parts technical, destructive, and silly and I loved them for it. The first Voices album was a bit underwhelming. It was just as destructive, but it didn't have the tongue in cheek swagger Akercocke was known for. With London, Voices have designed an album on par with any previous Akercocke release. London is razor sharp and full of evil riffing, but unlike the first album it has a story, a sense of humor, and a poignancy unlike any other blackened death metal album in recent memory. Akercocke is dead. Long live Voices.

Best of 2014

3) Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden

First albums are so full of excitement and ideas, often raw and searching for an identity. The second album for any band is a test. Second albums are often stark realizations that a band just didn't have enough ideas to have real staying power. They can also be an affirmation of the identity explored on the first, a more cohesive composition with depth and sharper song-writing. Foundations of Burden is exactly that album. I wasn't very impressed with Pallbearer's first full-length because it sounded too much like a throwback doom album. It had obvious potential but it didn't have the modern edge necessary to compete with other bands in the scene. Foundations of Burden still has an old-school flavor, but Pallbearer have taken advantage of modern resources to transcend their first attempt. The production is fuller and warmer, the vocals have a touch of reverb and they're brought forward in the mix allowing them to soar above slow electric harmonies. The songs themselves have a much deeper emotional presence. Each track on Foundations of Burden has a strong identity, but they all belong together. This is a masterwork of modern doom and it deserves that level of praise.

Best of 2014

4) Mastodon - Once More 'round the Sun

I have to admit being a hater of Mastodon's last few albums. Remission is my favorite and ever since then they've been getting more and more silly, gradually shifting their sound from balls out sludge to more accessible arena metal. Given that, I had zero interest in taking this album seriously, but I'll be damned if this isn't the most fun I've had all year. I can't even really say what changed; there's just something about this album that sounds so alive. The riffs are incredibly aggressive and have so much forward momentum as they churn up just the right amount of tension before unleashing the biggest most memorable choruses I've ever heard. The song structures are as formulaic as they get, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, but each track manages to be exciting and addictive. This album makes me question everything about my stubborn, curmudgeonly self and it feels great.

Best of 2014

5) Godflesh - World Lit Only By Fire

This album marks the end of 13 years of silence from Godflesh. Just being aware of the lengthy hiatus made me fairly excited to sample World Lit Only By Fire, but I have to admit being initially disappointed. Luckily, after a few spins my perception was better aligned to accept this for what it is and love it fully. Godflesh has always had a remarkably infectious sense of rhythm and that's just as apparent now as on previous albums, but World Lit Only By Fire has this incredible weight and purity, stripped down to bare essentials: heavy rhythms, dark atmosphere, and even darker lyrical imagery. When older bands fight the ebbing tide of creativity by adding flare and density to their sound, Godflesh refocused their efforts on exactly what they're great at which is creating devilishly dark, viral rhythms. Taken as a metal album I could see one easily dismissing this for not having enough going on. Taken as a minimalist industrial nightmare this is brilliant and with patience World Lit Only By Fire will charm the most hardened skeptic.

Best of 2014

6) Her Name is Calla - Navigator

I occasionally take pride in the fact that I don't listen to the radio. I don't like it when the possibility exists that I'm listening to something because some executive decided it was marketable. Of course it's pretty god damn presumptuous to think that the music pushed by those nameless executives is any less honest or authentic. There's a lot of artists on the radio working hard, expressing themselves honestly. I just like the challenge of going out and finding something on my own. Searching blogs endlessly for something not many have discovered yet is rewarding. The product of hard work is always more rewarding than spoon-fed distractions.

Her Name is Calla is one of those artists stumbled upon after a few hours surfing random bandcamp sites of hungry musicians looking for a break, or just looking for someone to listen. The voice of the band is Tom Morris and he's not so unlike Thom Yorke in his delivery, his thoughtful lyrics. Navigator is full of memorable moments, explorations of different stylistic deliveries. This is art rock at it's finest which means it's occasionally weird and jarring, but it always manages to be disarming. Navigator is a hidden gem of an album that might not get that much fanfare or any time on the radio, but it's certainly worth a listen.

Best of 2014

7) Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2

Run the Jewels made it onto my list last year too and their follow-up is just as fun, just as ridiculous, just as occasionally poignant. If you asked me point blank why a humble metalhead is so obsessed with this rap duo while being generally unaware of the rap scene as a whole I wouldn't know how to respond. El-P and Killer Mike just sound like they're having so much fun writing music and I love sharing that with them.

Best of 2014

8) Morbus Chron - Sweven

There were a few death metal bands active in the 90's that were remarkably ahead of their time, Death, Gorguts, and Obituary immediately come to mind, but their progressive approach to death metal was short lived and difficult to replicate. As the years progressed myriad musicians have contributed to what modern death metal is today, but I can't help but feel nostalgic for those early 90's albums of raw brilliance. There's a particular sound and feel of music from that era. It's distinctly rough around the edges and warm reflecting the use of analog equipment and beaten up, mangled instruments recorded in dark, moldy basements. With Sweven, Morbus Chron have managed to replicate that distinctive early 90's death metal sound so artfully that without prior knowledge I would have thought they toured right beside Death during their rise to legendary fame. That is quite an accomplishment and Morbus Chron deserve every ounce of attention this record has received over the past year.

Best of 2014

9) Lantlos - Melting Sun

It's difficult to explain the origin of Lantlos or any post-black metal band for that matter. Black metal is by far the most evil and caustic of all music yet it provoked a handful of bands to start a movement of surreal beauty, of purity. I've always loved the tonal distance between black metal and post-black metal but have rarely been objectively impressed by individual post-black metal albums. Melting Sun is a definite standout. It's black metal influences have been buried far beneath the surface leaving the resulting style more reminiscent of post-rock or indie shoegaze. Forced to give a comparison I would have to say this feels a little like a lost Devin Townsend Band record. It has that sort of grandiosity with thick guitar tones and soaring vocals. And much like Devin Townsend's work it's obvious this record was designed by musicians who understand heavy music, who have a history punctuated by big, evil riffs. Lantlos chose to take that education and do something original with it, something polished and mature. I applaud them for doing so.

Best of 2014

10) Bohren und Der Club of Gore - Piano Nights

There's a dimly lit, smoky bar somewhere in my dreams. I sit there sipping an old fashioned, thinking about past triumphs and mistakes while Bohren und Der Club of Gore plays their signature brand of funeral jazz quietly in the corner. Bohren is the kind of band you can always rely on, doing what they do best without taking many risks or altering their approach all that much. Piano Nights is slow, comfortingly warm, and has just the right number of memorable melodies to keep your attention. I could see how most would dismiss them at boring or unengaging but for me Bohren is a gentle opioid wave, calming and meditative. When the earth seems to be spinning a little too fast for it's own good, Bohren is a patient reminder of the choice to be calm, that it's ok to occasionally take a step back and just watch it spin.

Show: Neurosis with SubRosa at the Gothic Theater

The first time I listened to SubRosa's most recent album "More Constant than the Gods," it was a cool autumn day and I was driving up to my family's summer house in the Adirondacks of upstate New York. I remember the vibrant colors of the leaves, both beautiful and melancholy, a quiet symbol of dormancy, of the fragile nature of all things. When I arrived at the old lopsided house at the base of Eleventh mountain I remember telling my mother and father that I had just listened to the best album of the year. They responded with a lukewarm, semi-sarcastic, "Oh yeah?... that's nice."

It's crushing to me that I can't share this music with more people, but it's alright. I chose to love fringe culture. I chose to love the oddities of existence and the people who choose to rebel from the normal and in doing so I've doomed myself to walk alone.

Alone except for my loyal friend and roommate Matt who informed me a couple months ago that SubRosa would be playing with Neurosis at the Gothic Theater in Englewood. Needless to say this was a show I was looking forward to. Neurosis is after all the pioneer of Sludge, that bastard child of hardcore punk and doom. Think Black Flag with a heavy dose of Black Sabbath and you're most of the way there.

To mentally prepare for the evening we decided to hit up a brewpub, Brews on Broadway, about a block down the street from the venue. There we lounged at a table sipping English style ales, eating pizza, and watching a toddler run laps around the dining area looking for any attention she could get while her parents were enjoying a moment of peace.

After a few beers it was time to walk down to the Gothic, tickets in our hands, excitement in our hearts. Upon entering the opening band, In the Company of Serpents, had just finished their set. Although I would've liked to get a taste of them, I was there for the headliners. In no time SubRosa was on stage tuning up, pleading with the man at the soundboard with the universal gesture of LOUDER, an extended index finger pointed to the ceiling.

Then the lights went down and a blue glow emerged from behind the band as they unleashed a sound I won't soon forget. Thundering guitar but with the accompaniment of dual electric violins played through vintage Sunn guitar amps. I knew violin was responsible for most of the lead melody of this particular band, but seeing it in person was surreal. I think it was the way these two women played them. They waled on them while headbanging violently, a description that sounds clumsy and masculine, but in reality they did so with a grace I wasn't prepared for.

They chose only a few tracks from their most recent album to share with us, but since this is sludge, each track was a 10 minute epic of emotional turbulence. Each led by the charismatic frontwoman, Rebecca Vernon, a slight redhead with eyes of fire and a chanting voice both comforting and frightening. It was as if she were gently showing us the darkness in existence, guiding us through it with a softly glowing torch. It was over all too soon, but they're exit left the stage ready for the legendary Neurosis.

Neurosis set up in much the same way. Louder, louder until they looked vaguely content then the lights went low and with a flash a storm of noise descended on the cramped venue. Their tone was bigger, fuller, more organic, a sign that they've been around a little longer, have made a life out of shaping frequencies into crashing waves. The sound seeped into me, passed through me. I felt like if at any time I rebelled I might drown in it, helplessly flailing in an ocean current. Neurosis is known for being heavy and they didn't disappoint choosing their most explosive tracks, some starting quietly but discordantly, bating us into the eventual explosion of fury.

The two guitarists/vocalists in the band, Steve Von Till and Scott Kelly, were unwavering in their delivery. Together they had such an iconic stage presence, Von Till the eccentric with a gravelly hypnotic voice, Kelly a beast with a roar that made the microphone in front of him largely inconsequential. The percussion seemed to be the backbone showcasing tribal beats that kept each song lumbering forward unstoppable. I understand now why they were so influential and also why to this day they remain largely in the shadows. The shear force of Neurosis is overwhelming to the point of being awe-inspiring.

This was a special show, a show I wish I could've shared with more people, a show that expressed very clearly that there are some people who aren't afraid of the darkness, who aren't afraid of anything, and there are people who don't listen to sludge.

Movie: The Films of Dusan Makavejev

After recently watching two of Dusan Makavejev's most popular films I feel the need to write something about them so as not to forget completely the emotions stirred by the experience. The two films were WR: Mysteries of the Organism and Sweet Movie. Both deal largely with the same underlying theme: The influence of socioeconomics on human behavior.

To even begin describing the films a little background information is necessary. In the 1930's a man named Wilhelm Reich began making waves in the infancy of psychoanalytics. Reich is best known for his theory of Orgone energy which can briefly be described as the electrical energy emitted by all organisms including humans. Reich believed that concentrating this energy by isolating an organism in a wooden box insulated with metal, certain maladies could effectively be cured, namely cancer. Now, this is a bit crazy but the theories that preceded this ridiculous invention are not so crazy. Reich believed that many of the destructive idiosyncrasies harbored by humanity were the result of the refusal to accept and to explore sexuality. He would go on to establish clinics where people could receive sex therapy. In these clinics they would be taught about contraceptives and the idea of free love, challenging their general fright and ignorance of their more basic desires. This was obviously controversial at the time because free love is a concept which is fundamentally incompatible with capitalism. Capitalism is predicated on individual ownership and looking through that lens one could say that a relationship is a situation of mutual ownership. The members of a relationship own each other, including the act of sex, preventing other people from borrowing what could be seen as a protected commodity. Free love in contrast can be seen as a very communist ideology. In communism, all commodities are owned by everyone. Individual ownership doesn't exist so within that system relationships would be dissolved and people would share each other equally, share the act of sex equally. Reich believed this was the more advantageous approach because if sex was free, people would partake in the act more often resulting in an overall healthier society.

WR: Mysteries of the Organism focuses on two major characters, a passionate activist obsessed with sparking the fire of communist revolution with the ultimate purpose of free love, and a free lover by nature who instead of trying to change the world around her, simply indulges herself without worrying about the guidelines of the socioeconomic climate. As the narrative develops the finer details of the absurdity born of taking yourself too seriously become clear. The lover lives perfectly happily while the activist is constantly mired in words and ideals rather than ever once partaking in the behavior she so passionately advocates. Yet I think the underlying point of the film is to express the necessity of both characters within a society. Activists take it upon themselves to guide social evolution, they affect policy, they influence perception, they express new ideas and educate the masses. Lovers on the other hand live, they reap the spoils of the hard work of the activists while showing the activists a clear portrait of what they're fighting to preserve. Lovers have no qualms about transgressing the rules of modern society and because of that they are a model of the happiness activists so passionately strive for. Unfortunately one must come to terms with the fact that social evolution is a cross-generational process and many activists and lovers on both sides of any conflict are going to wind up being casualties. 

Sweet Movie is very similar although more expansive in theme. The main character in Sweet Movie is a relatively naive and ignorant young girl who is exposed first to the idea of capitalist ownership then the extreme lack of ownership in anarchism. The film begins with her being sold off to an absurdly rich man who is seeking sexual purity. He's bothered by the risk of disease from prostitutes and as an alternative decides to buy a wife to fulfill his desires as efficiently and safely as possible. This is the ultimate expression of sexuality in the context of capitalism. Sex is bought like any other product or service and the transaction is very industrial, mechanical. There is no emotional development, no sense of partnership, simply the pursuit of the solution to loneliness and paying for it with the spoils of hard work. Obviously this is a sensationalized example, but it does make one reflect on how little of a stretch this is from reality. The girl, disgusted by the thought of herself as an object is cast away into society and eventually winds up a member of a group of anarchists. But she finds their existence just as disgusting as the capitalist. Since anarchy is predicated on the ultimate freedom of the individual, any individual is free to take part in any behavior available to them, and given that we're ultimately a disgusting organism, mired in blood, piss, shit, and ejaculate, anarchic life is a bit disgusting to someone previously initiated with clean civilization, which can be looked at as the avoidance of bodily fluids and the control of bodily urges. The final scene of the film shows the girl as an actress in a commercial for chocolate, she is writhing in a pool of it, sexualizing the product. She's decided that selling her body to commerce is advantageous to a life of lawless chaos. There is a completely separate narrative in this film, but after a little research I discovered that the other narrative was only added because the main actress quit half way through filming due to a few more extreme scenes she found to be uncomfortable and offensive. For this reason I won't examine the other narrative, but I will note the irony of using an actress to portray the evils of using people. Obviously I defend any filmmaker's efforts to do so however because people need to experience extreme characterizations in order to understand the limits of human behavior.

Both films deal with extremes. They show us sensationalized examples of the influence of socioeconomics on human behavior and in doing so they burn unforgettable images into our minds which ultimately serve the purpose of reminding us to be aware of our surroundings, to remind us what civilization is, the structure of it, the evolution of it, the potential evils and the potential subjective fulfillment born of it. We are constant spectators of the ever-changing beast that is the spirit of the times and have the freedom to align ourselves with it or rebel against it. And I'd say if you're fascinated by that sort of reflection these films are worth the investment of time. If not keep a wide berth. These films will offend you.

Movie: The Face of Another

The Face of Another is a film based on the Japanese surrealist novel of the same title by Kobo Abe. I've read a few of Abe's novels, but not this particular one, giving me the opportunity to experience the story with fresh eyes. Of course I know Abe's style which often involves taking a character and thrusting them into the unknown, into situations so absurd that their world or their perception of the world is completely changed which ultimately transforms their identity. In this particular story the protagonist suffers an explosion which covers his face with grotesque scarring. In order to live without horrifying the people around him he resigns himself to wearing bandages around his face at all times.

As this man navigates the world he realizes that he has begun to embrace the identity of a man without a face. The people of the bustling city around him interact with him with only cursory gestures. They're not horrified or startled, merely curious and when their curiosity is sated they avert their eyes and carry on with their lives never connecting with him on any emotional level. As he starts to embrace his new life as a permanent outcast he falls into despair which manifests itself as anger, especially toward his wife. She still performs all of her wifely duties but a distance forms between them emotionally and physically.

As the man falls deeper and deeper into loneliness his doctor, who originally treated his injury, informs him of the possibility of a radical procedure which will affix a mask over his face concealing the scarring and allowing him to re-enter society. The doctor is overwhelmed with worry about this procedure because of the psychological implications. When a man has the ability to assume another identity what would stop him from losing all accountability? A man could do great evil under the guise of someone else and then rid himself of the mask and the resulting guilt. And assuming anyone had this power there would no longer be any trust. There's no telling who you'd be interacting with, who you'd be sharing your secrets with, who you'd be in love with.

The doctor reluctantly performs the procedure with one caveat. The man is to be under constant surveillance so that any extreme behavioral changes can be monitored preventing him from doing anything destructive. Of course the man agrees and of course he rebels against this surveillance the first moment he can. He wants to experience his new identity, experience its effect on people without prying eyes. He approaches old friends and is delighted by the fact that they treat him as an attractive stranger. Then he becomes consumed by the unresolved tension with his wife. He decides to attempt to seduce her as a demonstration of how easily she can be swayed away from his previous deformed identity. This is a shameless trap, it's a demonstration of narcissism, exactly what the doctor feared.

The man is successful in seducing his wife, but is surprised to find out that his wife knew all along that this new man was in fact her husband. She agreed to their secret rendezvous to punish him for trying to deceive her. The man is stricken with complex emotions, but at this point his sense of guilt has become polluted. Is he a new person? Or is he his old self turned rotten by the ability of adulterating his past? He takes to the streets in a state of embarrassed disorientation and attacks a pedestrian. The doctor comes to his aid rescuing him from the police telling them that he's an escaped mental patient.

This story is a thought experiment, a meditation on the limits of identity. It attempts to approach the subject in a novel way and I think the audience comes away knowing a little bit more about the fragility of our personalities. It's common for people to embrace their identity as static, to perceive it as their unchanging soul, but our identities are simply collections of our past. Subtle changes in our lives change who we are over time and radical changes have the potential to send us spiraling into the depths of insanity. Death is the only event that brings about the end of our constant transformation.

5/5