MovieChat Forums > Electroma (2007) Discussion > The film sucks, love them as musicians b...

The film sucks, love them as musicians but as filmakers...

posted 17 years ago by hermesmarco
34 replies | jump to latest

A couple of weeks back, during a Documentary Music Film Festival in Barcelona "In Edit", I found this film in the program. I really like Daft Punk, and unlike other films in the festival, Electroma was shot and was going to be screened on 35mm film. "It's gona be great" I thought, and I carried a couple of filmaker friends along to watch it.
The film started, and in no more than 20 min I already was jumping from my seat, it was awfull, it seemed like somebody way laughing at us from somewhere... it was just not possible it could be so bad. Their concept was just not original at all, the rithm was just so slow and nonsense it hurted. The cinematographic language was so simple and obvius and badly concieved it reminded me to those first-year-students-short-films which have no interest at all.
Their costumes were 80's like but with no beauty whatsoever. It was boring and not even nice to be watched, since the cinematography was just horrible, technically and conceptually.

A really bad piece they shouldn't have even premiered it, they gave it a try and it didn't work, fair enough, but just don't show us...

Anyway, liking their music doesn't justify pretending this film has no quality at all. It's just different medias and they really have no clue about filmaking.

[–] vilkit 17 years ago

thats a harsh review, i've heard mixed reviews on this, the visual style is intriguing. i like films with a lot of silence, like 2001 by kubrick, so a film being too 'boring' or 'silent' wouldnt deter me.

when i can get a hold of it i will post my own review.

you have to give them kudos for attempting something beyond the scope of music.

[–] Bjcmann2006 17 years ago

Everything they do isnt going to be an immediate hit!

[–] imdb-15273 17 years ago

I agree with hermesmarco: Daft Punk has absolutely no idea about filmmaking. They should have made a short edit of 10/12 minutes, that would have done well as a long videoclip. This film just isn't a real film. It's a collection of sometimes nice pictures with good music.

[–] zeo-trope 17 years ago

Sure it was slow and yes it could have been cut somewhat. I guess you have to be in the right mood to truly appreciate it which was the case for me. I had been working all day and was really stressed out. Watching it was like a long beautiful audio/visual meditation. It showed me how fast paced our lives are and how much info stress we suffer from.

I found the costumes to be really good looking as most things in the film. The cinematography was "simple" but matched the pace and style of the movie.

[–] openstorage 17 years ago

Anyone who uses the term 'this sucks' is never EVER to be taken seriously or their words given any kind of serious thought or respect.

The term 'sucks' is lazy, and instantly gives away the mentality of the person saying it.

No serious critic of worth would use the term 'this sucks'

[–] BobFromPikeCreek 17 years ago

Perhaps you should pull the self-righteous stick out of your ass.

[–] openstorage 17 years ago

Perhaps you should, actually no perhaps about it, just STFU you moronic nobjockey :p

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lunchboxxx 17 years ago

***May spoil (what there was of the) plot***

I agree with this the most of all posts... I enjoyed the long, scenic shots spliced with the journey of the robots simply because it was long and that's what the emphasis of the whole walk through the desert was. It was this indefinite exile from the rejection of the other robots fused with a severe disdain of wanting to be something they just couldn't be. The shots were simple, but so was the plot. I think the message trying to be communicated was simple as well. I've seen some other art films that were better cut, less "boring" (like the previous poster said, it depends on your state of mind, but it was appropriate), and more creatively prepared, but still communicated a much less meaningful message. Certainly the concepts of rejection and dissatisfaction for one's self aren't original, but then again several movies lack a sincerely original message. I felt like a lot was said with very little. I felt emotions throughout the film, which it sounds like some people failed to just absorb at all--which is fine, to each his own. During my experience, however, watching the robots receive the (what almost resembled melted silly putty) human masks, I felt good for the new confidence the robots embodied. After they started to melt, and the one robot was watching his proud mask melt away, I felt incredibly sad. If you really absorbed the movie, I don't think you could say the end wasn't tragic. First having to blow up his companion, the gold robot tries so desperately to end his own existence, but simply can't reach his self-destruct button. Eventually smashing the hell out of the mask, which personified his disgust for what he really was, I felt a lot of emotion from this film. Again I'm not disagreeing with those who didn't like it, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I just wouldn't call it garbage--it managed to actually reach some viewers and convey a message, therefore it can't be a complete failure.

[–] wierdteaparty 16 years ago

It's sad when da funk has more of a plot than their hour long film. Should've hooked up with jonze and made a movie like they did with the anime director on Interstella.

[–] holylampposts 17 years ago

This film definitely does not "suck." It is one of the few movies that has nearly brought me to tears. And that is quite a feat for having no dialogue. There was a weird part with pubic hair. I'm not sure why it was included, but it was still powerful. I'm not good at reviewing things, so I will leave it as quite possibly the best film I've ever seen.

The driving scene and the walking scene in the desert took way too long, though.

[–] Hishie 17 years ago

I totally agree with hermesmarco, it's an awful movie, i can't believe they rated it 6.3

[–] IndianaSaul 17 years ago

I watched this movie with the fast-forward button on. I stopped the movie at two points.

SPOILERS

When of the robots blew up

and

when i was like 'hey wait a minute, is that a pussy???? (hits rewind)

[–] hexarobi 17 years ago

Watched the whole damn thing, hoping that it was all a tease to something cool. Very artsy fartsy. I guess I just hate art pictures, do we really need to see 30 minutes of robots walking thru the desert in silence? It did have some interesting visuals, but an interesting 5 second shot easily lasts 15 minutes, way beyond the point of interest.

Interstella 5555 is great and worth checkin out. I think even if this synced up with Human After All then it would still be too boring. Ah well, maybe I just dont get it. I still respect Daft Punk as artists and would prolly sit thru another damn art movie if it had the potential to contain a cool Daft Punk ending. From now on, I think they should stick to music and let Spike Jones do the directin'.

[–] thehistorymajor 17 years ago

My sister and brother in law would absolutly hate this if they saw it...on the other hand I really liked it...I just couldn't believe the irony of the whole film as emotion after emotion pours out of seemingly emotionless robots whose faces do not even move...a feet that had to have been to show them so...

[–] cheaterno1 17 years ago

I watched Electroma yesterday (the bootleg with the timestamp on it - so annoying), and to be honest: I hated it.
I couldn't believe what these 2 musicians I worship for their music created.
I found it boring and senseless. There was no point to me.

But because I love Daft Punk so much, I decided to give the film another try.
I just watched it again to try and make this feeling of uneasyness disappear, the fear of hating a film made by my idols.
And well, it certainly did help to watch the movie again.
I understood why there were those incredibly long takes without much happening, I understood why there was no sound at all in some scenes.
I guess Electroma is just this type of film that gets better with every time you watch it.
I am happy that this film is by Daft Punk, because that's the only reason I watched it again. I watched "Stalker" by Tarkovsky yesterday as well, and again, I found it was boring and simply way too long. I had to force myself to stay awake, and it's got nothing to do with me not liking slower films (I like 2001).
And I am really not sure whether I will give Stalker another try. Maybe someday.

I can only recommend that people who hated Electroma give it another try. It's your decision. If you don't want to watch it again that's fine.
But at least you've got to admit that the soundtrack is fabolous.

Now I really hope for a DVD or even HD/BR-Release, because I would love to experience the movie in a much better quality. It definitely deserves it.