On the death theme, a recent film that can't be praised highly enough for
its nuanced and instinctive contemplation of an artist's sense of his
approaching death is Oliveira's ``I'm Going Home,'' which goes far beyond
the usual winter-of-one's-life sentiments (in fact, ignores those
completely) to ponder the profound and quotidian ways in which a sense of
impending mortality affects every act and gesture, and how life is
guaranteed to make the last joke on the living before they die. Oliveira,
I'm happy to report, continues to make films at 94, and will reportedly have
a new feature ready for Cannes in May. Excellent mention, by the way, of
Farmanara's extraordinary ``Smell of Camphor'' by Baris, a film of the equal
of ``I'm Going Home'' in terms of imaginatively tackling the death issue.
And, of course, ``Taste of Cherry,'' which perhaps confronts death more
frontally than any other film of recent times.
Robert Koehler
|