Although Holy Motors was unlike any film I’ve seen before, I did find it intriguing. Mr. Oscar travels from “appointment” to “appointment,” where he carries out a variety of interesting tasks. While watching, I found it interesting that after completing each “appointment,” Mr. Oscar always returned to the limousine. This resonated with me, because even as he adopted different personas and characters, he came back to the same place, and the limousine was sort of a “clean slate” and “reset” for him. This brought up the theme of isolation, because I viewed his time in the limousine as a place of reflection and a time to be alone with his thoughts. However, this idea changed when he began interacting more with his driver, Céline. I think Céline served as a comforting figure for Mr. Oscar, because she was always there to pick him up and they seemed to share some meaningful conversation.
Another theme in the film could be reality versus fantasy. Most of the “appointments” had very surreal elements to them, and they weren’t actions that are typically committed by people. Many of these tasks had me wondering what the purpose of them were, and what the meanings behind them were. It got more confusing when the “appointments” were realistic, because I had a hard time separating the character Mr. Oscar was portraying from Mr. Oscar himself. The film also incorporated lots of technology that I was not familiar with, so this added to the sense of being far removed from reality.
Finally, I also found the comedic elements of this film interesting. I was a little confused about if what I was watching was actually comedic, or if it was uncomfortable, or both. Regardless, I found it interesting that in a film of this nature, there was room for humor.
Hi Maddy, I love your exploration of themes within Holy Motors. Since this film was so out of the ordinary from what I typically watch, it’s nice to use techniques we use when watching classic films (like finding themes) to help us attempt to understand what exactly is going on.
While watching the film I also found Mr. Oscar’s relationship to the limousine to be really interesting as it is the only place where we see him as his authentic self. As a person who is constantly moving around from one “appointment” to the next, the limousine becomes Mr. Oscar’s home, even resembling somewhat of a junk closet that would be in a home with his various costumes and props. The limousine felt as though it added almost a magical quality to the film- it reminded me of Marry Poppins’ bag or magicians hat, it’s supply was never-ending. Interestingly, the limo was the one place where Mr. Oscar’s guard came down, where his act was up. I like how you relate this constant symbol of the limo in the movie to isolation.
Generally, the theme of isolation feels pretty strong throughout the film. Even though we see Mr. Oscar take on different personas and interact with different characters throughout the film, he is so isolated from the world because he is constantly traveling from one thing to the next. The limo is the one place where Mr. Oscar is able to have a lasting connection with someone, Céline, and be truly cared for. So while he is isolated and in his own space in the limo, he is also only truly seen by someone else when he is in the limo.
You’re second point of differentiating fantasy and reality has been something on my mind since our screening of “Holy Motors.” It made me think of “Meshes of the Afternoon,” where the audience could not tell what was real and what was fiction. The events that went on in the film were mostly a figment of Deren’s imagination, allowing viewers to enter her dream world. The same could be said for Oscar, where the events that happen at these appointments could be a dramatization of what happened, or we could simply be in Oscar’s head. Being able to see him in the limousine, preparing for his next appointment, could be us seeing Oscar’s “mental state”, where he is mentally preparing himself. The clutter on the opposite side of his magazine is most times out of view, symbolizing the mess of things Oscar has to focus on, but since his work absolves his life, he ignores it.
I agree with your observation of the limousine serving as a “clean slate” or a place of reflection for Mr. Oscar. It does in fact create a sense of isolation and introspection, allowing him to transition between his roles while returning to this consistent and somewhat contemplative space. It gives him the opportunity to feel grounded in between his “appointments” which require him to perform various different tasks as someone other than his true self. The evolving dynamic with Céline adds depth to the character and illustrates the significance of human connection, even within the surreal world of the film.
The theme of reality versus fantasy is a central aspect of Holy Motors. The film challenges viewers to question the boundaries between the real and the imaginary, as Mr. Oscar’s appointments blur these lines. The often bewildering tasks he undertakes raise questions about the nature of performance and identity, as well as the purpose and meaning behind these actions.
Your observation about the film’s comedic elements is interesting, as Holy Motors definitely blends humor with discomfort. The juxtaposition of humor in such a bizarre narrative can be seen as a deliberate choice by the filmmaker to add layers to the viewing experience. I believe the humorous aspects serve to highlight the complexity of the human experience and the capacity for both humor and discomfort to coexist in our lives.