A subtle character study—a story of first love and addition
The final shot sticks with you—it’s a giant door opening—sounds simple- but given the context of the film, her awakening, naivety (not just sexual, but about life in general)—we’re going from the sealed off movie studio here to opening the door to the outside- an amazing visual metaphor
The final shot sticks with you – genius – one of the best shots of 2019
The film, and it’s in the text, references the Jean-Honoré Fragonard titular artwork—intelligent discussion between Honor Swinton Byrne and Tom Burke. Both leads are really good here—Swinton Byrne is Tilda’s daughter (who also excels, as she always does, in a small role here) – her looks almost resemble Keira Knightley more so than Tilda though—Tom Burke is a mixture of an English Stacey Keach and a young Albert Finney with the requisite mixture of charm and acidity
Great shot of Swinton Byrne on a pay phone through an open door, another stand out is on a date of theirs in a room flooded with lamps—I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a triumph of mise-en-scene though
It feels like a found film from 1983 (which both a description and a compliment to the costume and décor work)—16mm—I see the Rohmer influence—it could be a lost Rohmer film (in English obviously)
Viewing 2.0 in November 2019
Again- not about the film but that A24 with the year they are having in 2019—I think 4 of the best 7 films thus far are from A24
The film has a strong meta and autobiographical reading of the film– Honor Swinton Byrne is Hogg- she’s in film school and making a neorealist film. She sounds like a hack talking about it- even bumps into the camera once awkwardly. The Tom Burke character asks, with a dagger, if she’s fascinated in rot. She calls it “interesting” over and over and sounds anything but. He’s challenging her. Both positive and negatives. Positive- “Why are they more real than me?” he asks. Talks about Powell and Pressburger and how they achieved something truthful without documenting reality. Then later he says– “Stop inviting me to torture you”. Impressive writing
Hogg is observational, this is a memoir – with much to say on art—both hers as an auteur and in larger context
The Fragonard work comes in the mail from the Burke character – 3 times total in the text
The Fragonard work comes in the mail from the Burke character – 3 times total in the text
A formal achievement- one tying bind is a reoccurring shot of the landscape as she reads the letter with the trees at the bottom. It happens 3 times—26 minutes in, 70- minutes in and then 92 minutes in and this is the landscape at the very end of the film when the studio (and metaphorical) doors open—really powerful film form
formal achievement- one tying bind is a reoccurring shot of the landscape
Reoccurring shot of the mirror at her place- not quite on the level of Exhibition 2013 film from Hogg- tellingly cracked/fractured in one scene
Reoccurring shot of the mirror at her place- not quite on the level of Exhibition 2013 film from Hogg- tellingly cracked/fractured in one scene
devastating scene with Richard Ayoade
painful and truthful exchanges
The ending packs a wallop. Honor Swinton Byrne stares at the camera and the massive studio door opens to reveal the trees and landscape
Understated—when Tilda tells her daughter of Burke—she says “the worst”- a brilliant scene
Strong composition and use of hallways- Hogg doesn’t achieve the highs of Archipelago in this regard, Ozu, or Hou Hsiao-Hsien but still- a few really nice compositions—the final one and the phone through the doorway mentioned above the best
The film is a series of conversations, shots of her in film school, posh dinners, yuppie conversations and parties with her in the mirror again and again.
The finale, a few compositions, and Hogg as a clear auteur—a realist
Highly Recommend- top 10 of the year quality film- maybe even leaning HR/MS
What was your ultimate verdict on The Souvenir Part II? I still found it quite strong much like the first, especially with the surreal sequence towards the end. I did miss the commanding presence of Tom Burke though – even if that is largely the point of it.
@DeclanG- So sorry- I saw this, had a draft written, and then not sure what happened. I did catch The Souvenir Part II. Yes agreed- the film missed Tom Burke. I’ve had the benefit of seeing the first one three times now- and the sequel only once- but I found the sequel to be quite a bit weaker. I did like the work from Richard Ayoade
in support though.
[…] The Souvenir – Hogg […]
What was your ultimate verdict on The Souvenir Part II? I still found it quite strong much like the first, especially with the surreal sequence towards the end. I did miss the commanding presence of Tom Burke though – even if that is largely the point of it.
Not sure if you missed this – any thoughts on The Souvenir Part II?
@DeclanG- So sorry- I saw this, had a draft written, and then not sure what happened. I did catch The Souvenir Part II. Yes agreed- the film missed Tom Burke. I’ve had the benefit of seeing the first one three times now- and the sequel only once- but I found the sequel to be quite a bit weaker. I did like the work from Richard Ayoade
in support though.