MovieChat Forums > One + One (1969) Discussion > The Guevara References: Dystopian Decima...

The Guevara References: Dystopian Decimals?


There are multiple references to the Cuban revolutionary Dr. Ernesto "Che" Guevara (during a voice-over narration representing governance meditation).

This Godard project is ambitious and complex, and it explores the subtle links in the subconscious between social consciousness and anti-social rage.

The Rolling Stones make for a perfect 'backdrop' to all the political and sociocultural commentary as well as artistic brooding, since of course, the rock band had by then become synonymous with a general meditation on youthful energy and values re-imagination.

The Guevara references seem to indicate a special orientation of Godard --- an interest and willingness to explore the eccentricities of the 'civilization super-mind' that constructs normative shades of 'good vs. evil' (and hence the reference to the Stones song "Sympathy for the Devil").

Perhaps the Devil's virtue can be found in democratic dialogue, since it is challenging to argue that we can simply 'ignore' the problems of anti-social rage by innocently hyping mankind's basic intention to be friendly.

The Rolling Stones found a nice 'exposure trophy' with this documentary, since critics and fans of rock music alike can use various images/ideas from this Godard project (e.g., the Guevara references) to ponder how music speaks to the human heart and stirs troubling but also self-evaluative 'feelings' about ethics and self-control (paradoxically!).

I like this documentary stylized film as much as revolution-consciousness themed 'projects' such as Gillo Pontecorvo's staring film about the FLN (National Liberation Front of Algeria) "The Battle of Algiers" [1966] and D.A. Pennebaker's culture-reorientation Bob Dylan docu-film "Don't Look Back" [1967].




😷


Guerrilla Warfare (Che Guevara):


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_Warfare_(book)

reply