Sequence 1.

The first sequence builds to—discovers itself to be—the momentous backstory to a photograph—the student yearbook photograph.

We, the audience, privileged as gods, observing from a reflective vantage point, see the Situation, and understand Gary's photo as forever suffused with Alana.


      Gary. This is fate! . . . Our roads took us here.

—light-hearted recollection of heavy Sophoclean application in TWBB and Phantom Thread.


The continuous long shot in the gym while students pass by (4:18–5:33) recalls the iconic kissing in daytime Hawaii in PDL.


Alana's introduced walking alongside sprinkler streams of glistening water. Life-giving freshness and refreshment.


Alana wearing sky-blue and cloud-white.

Gary's shirt—like an interference pattern; strata;—complexity. White trousers pretty-much match Alana's shorts. (An omen?)


Encouragement.

      Photographer. Chin up. Chin up.

—(e.g. light-hearted) recollection of Cyril's "Chin up." (49:13)


      "F*** me."

Gary's first line? May we take it as such?

A voice-over, a thought, a recollection—

An invocation, an invitation, admission of incompleteness—

Addressing himself.


Alana holds the mirror. Behavior reveals Self. If we see ourselves, if we think about our interaction with others, hopefully we will learn from ourselves, and evolve toward betterment.

Alana holds the mirror. Alana will bring "himself" out.


      Alana. What is this "Say everything twice"?

A charming confirmation of chemistry.


      Alana. You're such an actor, you're such an actor.

recalls, in a general way,

      De Niro. You're a good actress, you know that? Good f***ing actress.

Casino (1995), 2:09:18


Humor of woman undercutting man—classic banter of 1930s Hollywood comedies.

En route, finally, hopefully, to smart marriage : simultaneous encouragement 24/7.


      Alana. Kid.

      Welles. This is the biggest electric train set a boy ever had!

      Being There (1979) : You're always gonna be a little boy, ain't ya? (10:26)


The repetition of "Convenient within my plans" suggests Alana "measures out her life with coffee spoons."


      Alana. Your name's Valentine?

An omen!


      Photographer. Turn your legs around. Not too down. Look up, look up.

—humorous metatheatrical awareness : the treadmill of turning intangible emotion into visual cues.


      Gary. Man. I like that.
      Photographer. Like a tiger.


      "Oh my god. I'm coughing."

Sync : What happens with some cinemagoers who have just entered into the auditorium after a tremendous bong load.


Sync at the sink

       "Oh my god. I'm coughing."

Humorous juxtaposition
between
Invocation to Creator (suitable for opening a narrative)
/
quotidian idleness.

Quote from: WorldForgot on February 28, 2024, 04:56:23 PMRichard Lewis

Well. I somehow haven't started the last Curb season yet but here is a reason to: the dead are living.

In an ideal world, who would you guys want to be composing the soundtrack? A little left of field, but from what we've seen of production so far, I think JG Thirlwell would be the absolute perfect guy for the job. Ex-industrial legend from the 80's, turned experimental composer doing the soundtracks for Archer, Venture Bros, so forth (amongst other personal mindfuckery art projects).
I love Greenwood as much as the next guy, but Thirlwell has just the right amount of personal experience with late-hippie lifestyles, drug + alternative music subcultures, and general stick-it-to-the-man-ness to make him a perfect match.

I remember some years ago PTA gave an interview where he said he wouldn't make an action movie because he found it boring waiting around for all the pyrotechnics, stunts etc to be set up. I guess he's changed his mind!

filming outside Ronald Reagan's old house in East Sacramento

DL without sign-in :

https://vimeo.com/915700045

        "Don't forget the crab-and-louse lotion," Louis said, smiling again. One of the things that had surprised him on his first tour of the infirmary had been the supplies of Quell, which seemed to him enormous—more fitted to an army base infirmary than to one on a middle-sized University campus.

Stephen King, Pet Sematary, ch11

The Satisfying ASMR of Phantom Thread

Just came across this, didn't see it posted, apologies if it's already been posted elsewhere, but its absolutely fascinating nonetheless to hear as the score plays such a pivotal part of the film...

Relevant to our recent Tom Cruise discussion:

"In what would mark his first English-language studio film since THE REVENANT, Alejandro G. inarritu has found his next film and tapped none other then Tom Cruise to star in it"

Loved this beautiful little movie. One of my favourites from last year. The contrast between the inscrutability of the performances and the passionate formalism of the filmmaking – particularly in the shots where the camera pointedly focuses on characters' hands as they perform decisive or emotionally-impelled actions – reminded me of Bresson.