Post by Jeff on Dec 13, 2005 4:50:34 GMT -5
Tonight I watched the first three episodes of Krystov Kieslowski’s Decalogue. This is a series of 10 one-hour films based loosely on the Ten Commandments. Roger Ebert lists the cycle among his Great Movies ( rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20000402/REVIEWS08/4020301/1023 ).
The first film is directly relevant to Tyler’s idea that fear is the basis of all religion. Though I promised him the last word on that, I did so before I watched this remarkable film. Really, I just want to recommend the film to him, here.
Again, the first installment is based loosely on the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me." In the film a brother and sister have chosen different life paths. The brother, at a young age, became infatuated with calculation as a means of dealing with the world. The sister opts for a religious life. Both are very intelligent, feeling people. The brother has a son, Pavel—who reminds me quite a bit of Justin when he was a child. Pavel is torn between the visions of life presented by both his father and his aunt. The film resolves this tension. I don’t want to give away the ending, but I will say this: One day as the father is writing his inkpot springs a leak for no known reason. Another day his computer turns on all by itself. There is a humbling that the father must undergo. And the aunt’s religious life is presented as being the more reality-centered of the two. She doesn’t appear to have chosen her religion out of fear. In fact, it is the brother with his partial, if interesting, explanations and his long—but finally half-hearted—analyses that seems most fearful.
Jeff
PS As I watch the rest of these films I will post comments. I would really be interested in hearing what Chris might have to say about them. No pressure, there, Chris...
The first film is directly relevant to Tyler’s idea that fear is the basis of all religion. Though I promised him the last word on that, I did so before I watched this remarkable film. Really, I just want to recommend the film to him, here.
Again, the first installment is based loosely on the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me." In the film a brother and sister have chosen different life paths. The brother, at a young age, became infatuated with calculation as a means of dealing with the world. The sister opts for a religious life. Both are very intelligent, feeling people. The brother has a son, Pavel—who reminds me quite a bit of Justin when he was a child. Pavel is torn between the visions of life presented by both his father and his aunt. The film resolves this tension. I don’t want to give away the ending, but I will say this: One day as the father is writing his inkpot springs a leak for no known reason. Another day his computer turns on all by itself. There is a humbling that the father must undergo. And the aunt’s religious life is presented as being the more reality-centered of the two. She doesn’t appear to have chosen her religion out of fear. In fact, it is the brother with his partial, if interesting, explanations and his long—but finally half-hearted—analyses that seems most fearful.
Jeff
PS As I watch the rest of these films I will post comments. I would really be interested in hearing what Chris might have to say about them. No pressure, there, Chris...
