Melancholia Film Difficulty Ranking: 5
As one of the longest cinematic films in existence, watching Melancholia is no easy feat. It is twice as long as Gone With the Wind or over twice as long as Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. In addition, this film feels long. There are plenty of scenes where we are watching one person in one position for five minutes or more. But you’ll miss out on a Filipino film talent if you ignore this one, and a chance to get to know the country without the long-haul flight!
Why Watch Melancholia?
- You haven’t seen a 7 hour film before and fancy a challenge (14th on the longest cinematic film list on Wikipedia)
- To understand the effect of the Marcos dictatorship on Filipino people – there were many desparacidos like in Argentina!
- An opportunity to see different segments of Filipino society
- With no music, hear the true sounds of the Philippines
The Breakdown
The film starts with a still shot of a woman in a bedroom folding clothes. After she folds her clothes and places them onto her bed, she pauses for a few minutes to contemplate. It sounds like she is sobbing as she sits on the bed, with her back to the camera. Next a fixed shot on a balcony shows her leave her room dressed up in skimpy clothes and big boots. She is a new prostitute in a small Filipino town in the country.
There is a lot you can say about this film because it is so long. However, there are a few things which remain constant throughout the film. Firstly, the pairing of fixed cameras and long takes (each around five minutes long) forms most of this film. These shots make us feel like a fly on the wall for the whole film. Unlike a Hollywood blockbuster, everything appears in real time. We see the banal acts of folding clothes, sitting down contemplating, and even sleeping. As a result, things seem more real, it is almost like we are spying on someone we don’t know.
Also unlike Hollywood blockbusters, there are no intrusive close-ups in the entire film. We cannot see the character’s faces clearly, making it harder for us to interpret their emotions. It’s hard to describe so I’ll try and distinguish it from the emotion triggered by close-ups of crying faces. Close-ups of crying faces makes the viewer sad and sometimes cry. It is also very obvious and open, creating an emotional bond between the character and the viewer. In contrast the distanced shots of people sobbing in Melancholia is partly concealed. As we cannot see their faces clearly we feel distanced and slightly intrusive. As a result, it does not feel like we can help the character’s share their emotional burdens. Their sadness is inevitable and unavoidable: Melancholia.
Conclusion
If you can afford seven and a half hours and have any interest in the Philippines, I’d recommend checking out Melancholia. It’s an intense dive into the psyche of the Marcos ruled Philippines. If you are daunted by the length but are interested in Filipino film, check out some other films from Lav Diaz (the director) such as Norte, the End of History. He is a talent!
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