The YouTube video is about Leos Carax introducing and partially “explaining” his film Holy Motors after it has just come out in 2012. While the meaning and the whole film is still very confusing, I do think this Q&A helps unfolds the reasoning behind how the films was made and the message it is trying to convey.
While I was watching the film, it really made me question what part the true about Oscar and what part is his acting. There are a few scenes that make me think that maybe that’s the real Oscar, like the first one as he was in a suit coming out of the big house, the one he picks up his daughter in the car, and later on where he met his old partner. But it is ambiguous, and I think that’s what Carax is trying to say to the audience. He said in the interview above that the film is trying to mimic reality and what is it like living in the world today while considering it a science fiction film. Unlike other films that he made, he consciously shot Holy Motors quickly, trying not to remake or rewatch parts of it while filming. I do think this follows his attempt to be as real as possible. What I believe he is drawing comparison to is the modern society full of technology in the world online. People always behave differently in different circumstances from all kinds of external and internal pressure that we follow.
Connecting to the things we talked about in Tuesday’s class about the conditions of experimental films. Carax certain has oppositional views to the mainstream media. He said it in the start of this video saying it was a SIMPLE film, which just like how it is presented, it is a satirical message mocking how nowadays films are made for commercial purposes with the camera’s sizes becoming smaller. The purpose behind many things has diminished, just like the man who questions Oscar’s reason behind continue acting as he lost the excitement. He answered, “the Beauty of acting”. In combination with watching this Q&A interview which talks a lot about connecting this film with reality, with what we are experiencing in the society currently; it really made me question what Carax is trying to say about our life and the meaning behind living. This additional piece of video is worth watching because it did bring in some explanation to why Carax shot the film, but also more confusion and deep meaning behind how it connects with our life the real world.
I liked your response to Holy Motors and liked that you added a video of Carax which touched up on the film’s themes of identity, performance, and modern life. One thing you mention is the uncertainty of Oscar’s character because we can’t really tell whether he’s acting in every scene or whether some parts of him are real. This uncertainty is a huge part of the film and it left me wondering what parts of his life are him and which are simply roles he’s playing. I think this film hints at how we present different versions of ourselves depending on the situation. Specifically, in today’s world where social media and increased technology constantly shape our identities. I also think Carax wants us to realize that in our modern society we perform different roles all the time depending on our environment and who is around. You also mention Carax calls the film “simple,” which I found super thought provoking because despite its strangeness after you mention it I do see the simplicity in the way Oscar goes through his daily routine of transformations. This simplicity relates to performing and completing tasks in the world which I can relate to my life with the different classes because Oscars tasks are almost like the responsibilities I have whether it be classes, clubs or practices that I have to complete. Furthermore, Carax’s frustration with modern commercial filmmaking is clearly seen when he talks about how films today are made to make money and don’t really explore deeper ideas. Some of today’s movies can be fun action movies with violence and explosions but I also agree that they sometimes lack a deeper meaning and many aren’t super thought provoking. This is why I believe Carax intentionally makes the film super weird and open to different interpretations because it is mentally stimulating. I liked the video you added and agreed that the Q and A helps provide some context for the film. However, after watching it and as I think more about the film it gets more complex and deeper which is super interesting to me.