Hors Satan (2011)

I found the film Jeannette l'Enfance de Jeanne d'Arc (2017) - MovieMeter.nl quite intriguing, so I decided to watch more films by Dumont. The first is Hors Satan, but it disappointed me. The film is quite similar to Jeannette: once again we find ourselves almost exclusively in the French outdoors—on the moor, in bushes or thickets, by streams, etc.; once again the story is thin and somewhat absurdist; and once again the amateurish acting is striking. The protagonist is a true nature lover: he lives and sleeps in nature and seems to consciously keep civilization, including even conversation, at a distance; and in his oneness with nature, he possesses magical powers. He is accompanied by a sort of groupie whom he helps by shooting her abusive stepfather dead. But without the rich lyrics and the fun music by Igorrr, which made Jeannette so enjoyable, a film like Hors Satan is mostly sleep-inducingly slow and little more than a walk in nature.

Translated from Dutch · View original

Here too, I belong more to the Malick school than the Beavis school, and things will probably never really work out between Dumont and me, although I should perhaps try his more recent formal experiments (musical, comedy) sometime. What did strike me, however, is that this is arguably the most beautifully filmed Dumont, as if it is suddenly allowed to be much more beautiful. But the ending, which heavily references a famous classic, did not have even a fraction of the impact.

L'humanite is still on Mubi, so maybe I'll try putting my head in the sand after all.

Translated from Dutch · View original

Slow cinema at its best. Long shots involving a lot of walking and where the story gets deeper and deeper under your skin, with a beautiful mindfuck as a finale.

In any case, the two main characters in this film have reached their step goal.

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