L’eau des collines

I’ve just been watching the duology Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources for the first time since my second year in high school. It’s a duology made by Claude Berri, after Marcel Pagnol’s novel(/s). I remember that back when I first watched it, when I had just seen the end of Manon des Sources, I had tears in my eyes and thought to myself that this had to be one of the best movies ever made. Then I saw a lot of other good movies, and basically forgot almost all about it, until the death of Claude Berri two months ago. Then I decided I had to see it again. This evening I did.

I didn’t remember the whole story well, only bits and pieces, and luckily I didn’t remember the ending. Therefore the emotional impact of the two movies was at least as big, if not bigger, than the first time I watched them.

My message is simple: Watch these two wonderful movies! You won’t regret it.

Eraserhead

I recently saw the movie Eraserhead for the first time. This movie is, just like most of Lynch’ movies, not for everyone. How many people ie. have the patience to watch a movie that goes on for ten minutes before you hear the first sound of a human voice?

I did not enjoy watching it – yet I couldn’t look away. The “enjoyment factor” is irrelevant: David Lynch has rightfully described the film as “a dream of dark and troubling things”. This movie was never supposed to “give you a good time”. It’s one of – if not the most troubling movie I have ever seen, and I can only imagine how much more horrifying it would have been to watch it thirty years ago.

If you like Lynch’ movies, this is a must see. A few of the effects could have been done better, but it doesn’t really matter.