Sci-fi

1

The Lobster

Film Difficulty Ranking: 3


Greek director, Yorgos Lanthimos creates a darkly funny dystopian like you have never seen before. With 1 part Napoleon Dynamite, 1 part Gattaca, and 2 parts art-house, The Lobster deserves its recognition at the Cannes Film Festival 2015.

Why watch The Lobster?
  • You have watched loads of dystopian films like The Hunger Games, Bladerunner, and The Matrix and want to see a refreshing turn in the genre.
  • For laugh out loud awkwardness throughout.
  • What’s your spirit animal? Now’s the time to think of it!
  • Look ma… no subtitles!

A long shot of a woman driving starts of this slow burner from Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos. We watch her driving, with the sound of windscreen wipers and the car engine being the only sounds we hear. She stops, gets out of the car and walks over to a deer or horse and shoots it dead. Bam – the title credits appear! Welcome to another art-house film!

The premise of this one is intriguingly unique. Being single is banned. All ‘loners’ are taken to this Hotel where they have 45 days to partner up with one of the other temporary residents there. If you fail – you are turned into an animal of your choice (Colin Farrell wants to be… a Lobster). Sound fun!? You’ll find out some of the other strange rules as you watch and you’ll also notice the hilarious awkwardness of everyone there. Single people can be hilarious!

To heighten the awkwardness director Lanthimos uses a few camera techniques. Firstly he uses still long-takes to make everything feel awkward. Just as in the editing in Androids Dream emphasises the absurdity of everything on screen with fixed long-takes The Lobster makes everything look darkly comedic by making you look at the dancing/singing/hotel masturbation for longer than you need to. Secondly, most obviously in the hunt, Lanthimos uses slow-motion to emphasise the absurdity of what the whole hunting event. The people look even more stupid running around with tranquilizers in suits in slow motion. What’s more is that this slow-motion is accompanied by orchestral music, making it all appear even more like a weird ritual or charade.

Lastly, the actors and actresses top off the awkwardness with their speech. Every line is uttered clearly and quickly, and is always followed by a brief silence before the person being talked to actually replies. Their conversations are stunted and artificial which makes their relationships look artificial as well.

For a dystopia like you’ve probably never seen before (unless you’ve seen previously reviewed sci-fi Androids Dream) I’d definitely recommend this one. Just don’t expect a fast-paced thriller – expect an artistic and innovative take on the genre.

 

 

2

The 10th Victim (Italy)

The 10th Victim Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Yes! There is a film which is a combination of Austin Powers and The Hunger Games. It’s called The 10th Victim and it was made in Italy in the 1960s. You may be thinking: “how does it work?” My answer is: don’t worry about it, the dystopian world that director Elio Petri creates is worth your time. It’s colours, setting, and subtle critiques of modern society make this film one of the most unique films and one that you should watch.

Why Watch The 10th Victim?
  • To watch the Italian 60s equivalent to the Hunger Games
  • This dystopia is complete with brothels, minimalist furniture and fashion, artificial insemination centres, and no old people!
  • It features Marcello Mastroianni from La Dolce Vita and Ursula Andress (the first Bond girl)
  • To find out more about ‘The Big Hunt’ – “Hitler would have become a member”
The Breakdown

The 10th Victim starts with a gun shootout between a man and a woman in an abandoned warehouse. As they are firing at each other, a narrator pauses the action to explain what is going on. The man and woman are members of ‘The Big Hunt’, a game where one plays 5 times as a hunter and 5 times as a victim. As a hunter, you are given a target to kill. However, as a victim, you must try and find out who your hunter is and kill them before they kill you. The one who comes out alive after 10 rounds is honoured and given $1million. Would you become a member?

The ‘Big Hunt theory’ is advertised throughout the film with it’s many slogans. Here’s some of the best:

  • “If you are suicidal, the big hunt has a special place for you”
  • “An Enemy a day keeps the doctor away”
  • “Hitler would have become a member”

The whole event was thought up as an outlet for violence (an idea also shown in The Most Dangerous Game based on the Spartan Crypteia event).

In The 10th Victim the violence is limited to those who choose to take part in the big hunt. Taking part is a quick way to find fame as the best killers are constantly stalked by paparazzi and dominate the news. These killers are the equivalent of today’s celebrity. They relish the spotlight, support the biggest brands, and always have to look good for the camera. This is one of the strangest, memorable critiques of capitalism on film.

Conclusion

Elio Petri’s The 10th Victim is a pop-culture blast. The world he creates is unlike anything you’ve seen, with bright colours, minimalistic architecture, and one-tone clothing. The wacky soundtrack confirms that Elio Petri’s tongue was firmly in his cheek when he was making this film. The cheesiness and laughs are all part of the satire that makes fun of consumerism, corporations, and celebrity culture. What a strange but awesome film!

3

Androids Dream – A Low Budget Spanish Bladerunner

The deserted landscape of off-season Benidorm

Androids Dream Film Difficulty Ranking: 4

How would Bladerunner have looked if it had a minutely small budget?

Like Androids Dream.

From: Spain, Europe
Watch: Trailer, Mubi
Next: Bladerunner, High Rise, Logan's Run
Continue reading “Androids Dream – A Low Budget Spanish Bladerunner”