For me, this was the most difficult film to follow/understand- but then again- it is Cocteau- a famous surrealist. I took a very interesting class on Surrealism in Film last semester, studying various films and directors. But the most important thing I gathered from the class is that works of surrealism do not withhold one definitive meaning, but rather individual meanings concluded upon by the viewer.
For me, I am still trying to wrap my brain around what is happening and what the film means to me. But what we discussed in class brought up some interesting points in my head. Cocteau doesn't use narrative storytelling (which is a key surreal element!) and forces the viewer to look for symbols within the dreams (another huge element of surrealism - studying the subconscious). In class, it was discussed that Cocteau is forcing the viewer to read symbols just like a reader must do with poetry- for everything has a hidden meaning. Now with surrealism, the viewer must examine the mis en scene, and determine for them self what the hell is going on.
Now in the reading, Naomi Greene talks about her interpretation of what Cocteau was doing with his films-- serving as a gay discourse. It states, "art functions as a Utopian second world opposed to the boredom and dullness of the real world...its hidden codes and secrets can be deciphered only by those privileged few who can understand the art." During the 40's and 50's, homosexuality wasn't as accepted as it is today. Homosexuals had codes and signals amongst them in their everyday lives that would communicate to others what their orientation was. Greene states that Cocteau, being a homosexual himself, filled his films with symbolism and markings of homosexuality. What I found interesting about this is that I didn't see any underlying homosexual themes/ideas in this film. But this possibly reflects how only people who would be familiar with the signs of that orientation would be able to pick up on it. In class we discussed this further, saying how poets, like homosexuals, must constantly be looking for symbols and that they are both wired to receive signals. So through this idea, I can understand somewhat of a correlation between the two- poets and homosexuals---but still kind of confused.
But that is the beauty of surrealism. Surreal films can be viewed and interpreted however the individual may see fit. For some, it may have some involvement with homosexuality, for others it may be a story of love and passion, or possibly just about the story of Orpheus in general. What ever way a viewer reads Cocteau's work, their meaning is their own and that is what is what is most important.
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ReplyDeleteWhat you said on surrealism helped me a lot. When I wrote that this film takes a few times for the meaning to sink in, I now realize that I meant to say it takes a few times for A meaning to sink in.
ReplyDeleteI also didn't pickup on any underlying homosexual themes, and agree that this could be a matter of not being familiar with signs of the orientation at that time - however prevalent they were in the film is beyond me. But there's plenty of room in the a-narrative structure of this films for multiple interpretations of signs and hidden meanings to arise. I think Cocteau succeeded in putting us all on a level playing field in that respect, which I see as important to the surrealist tradition.
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ReplyDeleteI'm glad some of my knowledge on surrealism helped you out Ned. Yeah, surrealism is a very interesting art form. If a viewer studies it too hard for a specific meaning (especially one of the director's intent), they will just spin in circles, cause the point is for individual interpretations. And yes Cocteau sure did succeed in baffling his audiences, can't imagine how it was received back in the 50's. Our generation is so used to SFX's and dream like sequences, its not new, but still something we can respect.
ReplyDeleteThis movie definitely had a surrealist style to it, due to the special-effects and dream like atmosphere of the film. Throughout the movie, there is plenty of abstract imagery that can have a variety of interpretations and additionally, the ending leaves plenty to the imagination.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice when you pointed out that Cocteau was a homosexual which would explain why many would assume the homosexual undertones in the film and clarifies how some of the imagery can symbolize homosexuality.
unlike you guys, i guess i completely missed all the homosexual undertones, haha. which I guess makes sense if they were meant to be much more subtle back in the fifties. any idea if this was ever shown in the states? it would be interesting to hear if they had to change anything because of the film code that was in effect.
ReplyDeleteThis is really thoughtful, and I really like how you apply what you learned in another class to your discussion of this movie. It's funny to categorize Cocteau as a surrealist in a way given, as some of your classmates have pointed out, how very realistic the movie is. The dream world is filmed in a real place. The special effects, such as they are, are physical effects, either of sets (mirrors, wires and other magician's tricks), or the physicality of film stock run forward and backward.
ReplyDeleteI really like the questions you ask, but I think you back off too soon on delving into your own questions, shrugging it off almost with a sort of interpretie relativism (it's up to each viewer to decide). But that means it's also up to you! :-)
Your question and uncertainty about homosexual imagery, echoed in the discussion, is well stated--as a question rather than just being annoyed because you don't see it. And like many of hte elements you describe, it's hard to see straight on. The reading sets up a comparison between homosexuals and poets, and structures her essay around such comparisons and parallels. But if you'd be looking for homosexual codes in Cocteau, what you'd be looking for is the idealized Greek statues of male figures, the mirror images of Jean Marais's face, Orpheus and Cegeste as younger/older versions of each other. This isn't 'gayness' as we understand it now, but rather homosexuality as it was considered back then--a lover looking for a lover who best reflects himself.