Great, stylish movie but it gets very complicated near the end. I think I understood what was going on but I probably won't be sure about plot holes until I see it again.
Some interesting tidbits:
Throughout the film there is a pink neon sign with "Analog" in large letters and "London" tucked in at the bottom. It's an analog (something analogous or similar) to the Analog Sound System company logo which is in the same style only it's in b&w and with "sound system" in place of "London" (which is a British company found at soundcloud.com.)
There's a colored up photo of David Bowie, holding his finger up to his mouth for quiet, associated with the companies recent remix of a David Bowie song "Let's Dance". The photo looks similar (analogous?) to the "Trance" movie poster with James McAvoy receiving a similar but digital color treatment, and he's yelling. The song "Let's Dance} is not in the credits for the film. The song "Chanson D'Amour", Song of Love, is used to good effect to signal that it's a love story as well--just not your typical rom-com.
David Bowie released his first studio album in 10 years in March this year just before the film was released. The title of the album is "The Next Day". Moby did an excellent, well placed track in the movie titled "The Day".
For what it's worth, it ain't "Inception" but still, there's more than just superficial stuff going on. We'll see if it means anything worthwhile or not. Provisional 8/10 (subject to revision)
Trance
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Stewball
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Re: Trance
Some more info--
One other interesting part of the film is the subject painting itself, Goya's "Witches in the Air" which you can see at this site: http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/11286-witches-in-the-air-francisco-de-goya-y-lucientes.html
Some questions I have about it are, are the witches male or female? Is the man they are holding in the air in agony or ecstasy? Is he being eaten or kissed? What's with the donkey? There's very little on it's interpretation I can find except the man with his head covered is making signs with his hands to ward off evil. Further, it's almost a central character in the plot, so does the subject matter of the painting add any depth to the story, and if so, how?
BTW, as reported in the Wall Street Journal, Boyle had three copies made for the film, going to great lengths for the one displayed at the auction. A digital copy wouldn't have worked for that particular painting, though they were able to use a digital image for Rembrandt's "Storm on the Sea of Galilee" because it was "flatter".
One other interesting part of the film is the subject painting itself, Goya's "Witches in the Air" which you can see at this site: http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/11286-witches-in-the-air-francisco-de-goya-y-lucientes.html
Some questions I have about it are, are the witches male or female? Is the man they are holding in the air in agony or ecstasy? Is he being eaten or kissed? What's with the donkey? There's very little on it's interpretation I can find except the man with his head covered is making signs with his hands to ward off evil. Further, it's almost a central character in the plot, so does the subject matter of the painting add any depth to the story, and if so, how?
BTW, as reported in the Wall Street Journal, Boyle had three copies made for the film, going to great lengths for the one displayed at the auction. A digital copy wouldn't have worked for that particular painting, though they were able to use a digital image for Rembrandt's "Storm on the Sea of Galilee" because it was "flatter".
Re: Trance
Stewball wrote:Some more info--
One other interesting part of the film is the subject painting itself, Goya's "Witches in the Air" which you can see at this site: http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/11286-witches-in-the-air-francisco-de-goya-y-lucientes.html
Some questions I have about it are, are the witches male or female?
Female. You can tell by the exposed and evident breasts, and the fact that males would be called "warlocks".
Stewball wrote: Is the man they are holding in the air in agony or ecstasy?
Agony.
Stewball wrote:Is he being eaten or kissed?
Neither. It's a spell/rite of some kind.
Stewball wrote:What's with the donkey?
Not sure. It was the main method of transportation back then, but perhaps it has certain symbolism. I don't know what it is, though.
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Stewball
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Re: Trance
ShogunRua wrote:Stewball wrote:Some more info--
One other interesting part of the film is the subject painting itself, Goya's "Witches in the Air" which you can see at this site: http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/11286-witches-in-the-air-francisco-de-goya-y-lucientes.html
Some questions I have about it are, are the witches male or female?
Female. You can tell by the exposed and evident breasts, and the fact that males would be called "warlocks".
I think you're right, but only after seeing it for a second time and watching the time lapse construction of the painting layer by layer in reverse during the credits, a couple of which made that apparent. Amazing. From what I can see in the final form, it could the man's ass. I had thought they would be female as well, but reading up on it I learned some people thought they are male. Witches are sometimes defined as "usually female", and it's a less gender specific term the further back you go. And Goya, especially during his late dark period, knew his Wicca shit.
Stewball wrote: Is the man they are holding in the air in agony or ecstasy?
Agony.
Stewball wrote:Is he being eaten or kissed?
Neither. It's a spell/rite of some kind.
Agony is very similar to ecstasy, particularly in the throes of orgasm. Note the position of the head of the witch in front, the one to the right looks like she's kissing not biting, and there's no evidence of blood. I think the dualism is intentional.
The man with the coat over his head is making signs with his hands to ward off evil. I can think of two or three reasons why he could believe it was evil, one being because it wasn't happening to him.
BTW, after the second viewing, I only saw two plot holes [spoiler](two many rounds fired from a 6 shooter, and the fire inside the car not igniting Franck)[/spoiler], but they were so obvious and it had been so meticulous otherwise, I'm not sure.