EDVARD MUNCH
Edvard Munch, (1974) dir Peter Watkins
This film, a biopic of the 19th century Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, first screened on TV in Europe in the mid-70s and recently re-released surrounded by a certain contrived controversy concerning ‘market banning’.
The problem with Watkin’s film is that it is simply an unending dirge, focussing on the most negative, depressing facts of existence. It’s easy to see why, after an initial enthusiasm, the film sank without trace until its recent re-release and restoration on DVD. The director confusedly blames this on a ‘free-market conspiracy’ but this is all about Watkin’s paranoia, probably coupled with an ego far beyond his talents, a consequence of his undoubted intensity, intellectualism and unbelievably dull way of viewing the world. The film is a litany of facts and dates which fills in for any real emotional warmth exuded by the characters or any insight either into the life of Edvard Munch, the lives of 19th century women, the relationships of Edvard Munch, the art set in then Kristiania (present day Oslo), Munch’s contemporaries, such as August Strindberg, in Berlin. On top of this we have the bizarre humourlessness of Watkins himself, a man born as a 70 years old, pessimistic, depressive weirdo. His is a geriatric view of life, which even old people must disown. Unsurprisingly, his mate Ingmar Bergmann also liked the film (but the difference between Watkins and Bergmann is that Bergmann has a certain talent).
When I was watching this film I could just imagine what a talented comedian might do with this potentially rip-roaring stuff.
The film left me wondering why the entire human race didn’t just instantly and collectively commit suicide, for the film seems to tell us that life isn’t worth living at all. But Watkin’s is wrong, of course, his ideological or intellectual position is simply one of conceited insincerity, despairing, worthless cynicism all the result of hapless reactionary politics (although he would seek to depict himself as a progressive).
Watkin’s technical boo boos are depicted as insights of a genius in the booklet that accompanies the DVD. After watching over 3 hours of technical glitches, bad sound to image matches, lurid filters of every hue, heavy-handed obviousness of technique, it was good to put this vastly over-priced DVD back into its packaging and bury it under a mound of books, CDs, DVDs.
Yes Peter Watkins you have relieved me of my cash and wasted my time. The good news, however, is this: you’ll never do it again.
Paul Murphy, London
This film, a biopic of the 19th century Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, first screened on TV in Europe in the mid-70s and recently re-released surrounded by a certain contrived controversy concerning ‘market banning’.
The problem with Watkin’s film is that it is simply an unending dirge, focussing on the most negative, depressing facts of existence. It’s easy to see why, after an initial enthusiasm, the film sank without trace until its recent re-release and restoration on DVD. The director confusedly blames this on a ‘free-market conspiracy’ but this is all about Watkin’s paranoia, probably coupled with an ego far beyond his talents, a consequence of his undoubted intensity, intellectualism and unbelievably dull way of viewing the world. The film is a litany of facts and dates which fills in for any real emotional warmth exuded by the characters or any insight either into the life of Edvard Munch, the lives of 19th century women, the relationships of Edvard Munch, the art set in then Kristiania (present day Oslo), Munch’s contemporaries, such as August Strindberg, in Berlin. On top of this we have the bizarre humourlessness of Watkins himself, a man born as a 70 years old, pessimistic, depressive weirdo. His is a geriatric view of life, which even old people must disown. Unsurprisingly, his mate Ingmar Bergmann also liked the film (but the difference between Watkins and Bergmann is that Bergmann has a certain talent).
When I was watching this film I could just imagine what a talented comedian might do with this potentially rip-roaring stuff.
The film left me wondering why the entire human race didn’t just instantly and collectively commit suicide, for the film seems to tell us that life isn’t worth living at all. But Watkin’s is wrong, of course, his ideological or intellectual position is simply one of conceited insincerity, despairing, worthless cynicism all the result of hapless reactionary politics (although he would seek to depict himself as a progressive).
Watkin’s technical boo boos are depicted as insights of a genius in the booklet that accompanies the DVD. After watching over 3 hours of technical glitches, bad sound to image matches, lurid filters of every hue, heavy-handed obviousness of technique, it was good to put this vastly over-priced DVD back into its packaging and bury it under a mound of books, CDs, DVDs.
Yes Peter Watkins you have relieved me of my cash and wasted my time. The good news, however, is this: you’ll never do it again.
Paul Murphy, London
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