Before you see the film... - Le moine (2011) Discussion

[–] Ambrosia-I 12 years ago

Interesting and thought-provoking review and, having now seen the film, I'd agree on the whole with your take on it. However, I do feel that the horrific aspects of the film were a bit lacking and it would have benefitted from being quite a lot more visceral.

I felt the punishment and death of the young nun was never shown for the extreme cruelty that it was. Her appearance as a ghost in the graveyard was greeted by Ambrosio with only mild surprise, not with the shock and terror that it should have provoked. Ambrosio's rape of Antonia also seemed less traumatic to both her and the audience than I felt it should have been. It looked a bit - I don't know - clean and tidy rather than the appalling act that it was.

Excellent cast, though. Vincent Cassel never disappoints me. I, too, liked the way it was shot - the extremes of the almost harshly bright exteriors and the dark monastery.

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[–] pdmarsay 12 years ago

Thanks. Having not read the book myself I can only take your word for it about the lack of visceral content, but I definitely agree with your comments on the rape scene. Also come to think of it, Ambrosio's reaction to the ghost was pretty mild! Perhaps the director kept Cassel a touch too bottled up at that point...

Peter D. Marsay
Filmmaker/writer
My short film: http://vimeo.com/31021980

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[–] Ambrosia-I 12 years ago

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that I'd read the book, I haven't. It was just the way the film struck me - that, as a gothic morality tale, it could have been a bit more blood and gutsy; more melodramatic. I think the director did waste Cassel's intensity somewhat.

I watched your short film. It was good, I didn't expect the ending.

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[–] pdmarsay 12 years ago

I see, gotcha.

Thank you for watching my film! It's always useful to hear whether the ending was expected or not. It gets mixed reactions! :-)

Peter D. Marsay
Filmmaker/writer
My short film: http://vimeo.com/31021980

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 12 years ago

A very nice review that sums up the film well. My only point of difference would be that I thought the dream sequences were sublime although I suppose they could have been more surreal and/or disturbed, which is perhaps what you were thinking with what you wrote. A very good and unusual performance from Cassel, who was solemn and sombre throughout and particularly intense. The book is more evil and was seen as a most depraved gothic horror for its time. There were elements of this film - story and style - that reminded me of Theresa: The Body of Christ, also set in Spain.

I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

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[–] pdmarsay 12 years ago

Thanks PoppyTransfusion (interesting name). Yes, I also thought the dreams could have been more frequent as well as more surreal and overtly insightful, if that makes sense... partly because dream sequences always appeal to me because of the creative freedom they allow! I haven't heard of the film you mentioned, I'll look it up. Cheers!

Peter D. Marsay
Filmmaker/writer
My short film: http://vimeo.com/31021980

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 12 years ago

If you do look up Theresa: The Body of Christ I might add that it's not a Gothic horror and not about evil as such but rather the politics of the Spanish Catholic church, which were precarious and bloodthirsty it would seem. We get a taste of this with the pregnant nun starved to death in The Monk. Geraldine Chaplin plays the Mother Abbess in both films as well! She has a larger role in Theresa.

I understand what you mean by dream sequences in film though I can only think of 2 films off the top of my head with powerful dream sequences. I'm sure there's more.

I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

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[–] pdmarsay 12 years ago

Thanks. What are the films you can think of with powerful dream sequences, out of interest? Vertigo and The Big Lebowski spring to my mind!

Peter D. Marsay
Filmmaker/writer
My short film: http://vimeo.com/31021980

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 12 years ago

Shutter Island and Argento's Four Flies on Velvet were the ones I thought of where the dreams were compelling enough to stick in my mind. I saw Vertigo a long time ago and can't recall the dreams from that; never seen The Big Lebowski.

I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

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[–] jayhawk-18 12 years ago

...read the book!

The book is a rip-roaring read, horrific and hilarious (often on the same page), filled with ghosts, demons and visions.

None of these Gothic trappings made it onto the screen and I wish I hadn't bothered watching the film.

The book deserves to be made into a film by Hammer Studios or Almodovar.

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