Bribaba
Barbet Schroeder is in danger of becoming a legend in his own lifetime. From this rather beautiful hippie opus, to Single White Female and more recently, an episode of Mad Men, this is a man with no respect for boundaries. The main character in this 1971 film is Vivian (Bulle Ogier), a collector of rare feathers which she sells in a posh boutique. While on holiday in New Guinea she joins a hippie expedition, hoping to add more fluff to her collection. She's the wife of a diplomat, bourgeois, liberal and a 'sport' as she puts it. The primary aim of the trek is to locate a (possibly mythical) paradisaical valley way over yonder, kind of like Richard's pursuit of the perfect beach in the Alex Garland novel, but with a more metaphysical bent.It's the journey not the arrival that grabs and cameraman Nestor Almendros, whose credits include Malick's Days of Heaven, really comes to the fore as his images compensate for any narrative slack. Eventually the group encounter the isolated but photogenic Magupa tribe, just about to start an incredible festival - cue more stunning images. That's about as dramatic as it gets - there's no manufactured events, just the group interacting with the natives and each other. For Vivian the journey becomes a voyage of self-discovery aided by some local hallucinogenics, though her newly-found freedom is tested both physically and philosophically by her lover as they approach their destination. By this time dialogue is sparse as the film slips into National Geographic mode. But it's Ogier who really keeps things together here, offering a riveting portrayal of a woman in transition. There's some discourse on the relative merits of the contrasting civilisations, and questions which throw doubt on the hippies belief in the superiority of the 'natural' way of life. Pink Floyd contribute the soundtrack (Obscured by Clouds) but its barely audible aside from the closing credits.
KDCarson
***Contains Spoilers*** Some people who watch this film my not like it if they did not live through the Hippie subculture as I did. This film is a celebration of the free love and drop out mentality that many hippies craved. Also, there is free use of drugs along with some mild sex throughout the film. A young woman of the classic middle class comes into contact with some French versions of hippies while shopping for feathers in New Guinea hinterland. They go on a journey of sexual and cultural discovery among the primitive tribesmen of the region. The young lady is slowly freed from the mentality of restrictiveness to a sexually liberated and open state of mind. The film progresses slowly to the eventual discovery of "The Valley", their own hope of a Shangri-La. There the film ends abruptly leaving the viewer to supply his own ending to the story. This movie is about hippies on drugs and was meant to be viewed by hippies on drugs. In our new world of anti-drug mentality it may sound horrid to suggest that, but we must be charitable and remember that the film world of the late 60's and 70's was very liberal on those issues by our standards. This is a very good and enjoyable erotic film about freedom and that is how it should be relished.But then again, maybe a bunch of stoned people without a clue got together and decided to make a movie, and this was the result.
Quag7
You know, I actually liked this movie. I wouldn't ever have heard of it were it not for Pink Floyd's soundtrack (I imagine I am in good company here).This is not an edge-of-your-seat blockbuster. It is a deliberately slow, quiet, meditative film which at times almost hovers on the edge of being an anthropology documentary. I found the transformation of the main character's intentions and mindset from aristocratic, spoiled, and modern, to something decidedly in the opposite direction fairly interesting. The radical transformation of this principal character, is what pulls the plot (what there is of it) along.People have accused this film of being dated; perhaps it is, or perhaps it's just that less and less people question their civilization-programmed mindset as much. (Or maybe it's just dated, you decide. The question is whether merely questioning some of the things the characters here do makes this dated. The long hair and the dope and so forth, is to me, incidental, but I think you could make the case that this is just a little too "far out, man.") The film is about this woman's change as they search for an uncharted valley, which is a sort of stand-in for the Garden of Eden; a place of reputed paradise from which none return. As they make their way deeper and deeper into the wilds of New Guinea, they slowly slough off their psychological and philosophical predispositions, preparing spiritually for what awaits. They encounter corruption and violence, and experience mankind living in a much more primitive mode (through their experiences with the natives).This film requires patience, though this is mitigated somewhat by the beautiful scenery and bits and pieces of Pink Floyd throughout (including an extra verse of Free Four, go figure.) Zabriskie Point and More are movies which require serious gritted-teeth endurance in places (both are deeply flawed to the point of annoyance). Not so here. At least, not for me. I think there's more relevant to our modern condition here than may be immediately apparent. If these characters seem like old relics, that says more about where we are now, than the film itself.(*** Possibly a SPOILER here. Though I doubt IT MATTERS AT ALL. ***)And I really liked the ending. The story ends with a question mark, but frankly, if I were writing or directing this movie, I'd end it the same way. I think the ending scene is beautifully shot, in the fog, with Pink Floyd's music punctuating the film before the credits roll. I found this not at all dissatisfying, and I commend the filmmakers for resisting the temptation to follow the characters into the valley itself .(...) I'd recommend this even if Pink Floyd didn't do the soundtrack, but only to certain people. And frankly, I don't think it makes you shallow if you find this a little too slow and abstract for your tastes. I think you can make a fair case against this film without being a philistine; it is not for everyone, not even for all serious cinephiles, or even all the completely wasted out there (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.) For others who like atmospherics and haunting imagery, and can deal with an extremely anemic plot (which was, as I said, clearly deliberate, and commensurate with the general sense of the film), it's definitely worth a watch. A pleasant surprise, especially after sitting through "More."
