I not gonna lie, I really enjoyed Holy Motors. The movie was so odd with so many twists and strange sequences, it felt almost like a peek into the subconscious of an actor on acid. As we have learned, experimental film does not have a set storyline or theme, however, I feel like this movie had three pretty clear interpretations. I may be wrong, but I interpreted the movie as 1. a commentary on surveillance culture in the digital age, 2. the toll acting takes on the soul, and 3. a meta breakdown of the line between reality and fiction.

1. Commentary on surveillance culture in the digital age
   • I feel like it was pretty clear throughout the movie that it was criticizing the millions of cameras that surround us in our daily lives. When Mr. Oscar goes on his rant to his boss he complains about how they can’t see the cameras at all anymore and that they are incredibly hard to find. He also stated right at the start of the movie that he enjoys appointments in the forest, which later I realized was likely due to limited camera coverage in those areas. I feel like this film creates a dystopian alternate dimension where everyone is an actor since there is always a camera on them. This was also solidified for me with the weird sewer leprechaun appointment scene in the cemetery when every grave had ‘Visit my website’ (in french) on the tombstone. I feel like this was a criticism of the common belief many have nowadays that ‘if it wasn’t documented, it didn’t happen.’ Leos Carax has created an intensified digital surveillance reality where people have become so disconnected from themselves that everything they do during the day is an act. Professor Zinman asked before the movie to think about when Mr. Oscar is not acting, and I think the only time is when he is in the limo, transitioning between roles and drinking the reality of his life away.
2. The toll acting takes on the soul
   • Another interpretation I had for the film was what actors must sacrifice in order to embody a role. I found it interesting that every time Mr. Oscar is outside of the limo he is in character. At the very start there is a long tracking shot of him walking down the road in character as the beggar old lady as a group of security guards follow him. Later, we see him fail to come out of character in the scene when he slices his own neck and when he gets shot by the banker. Often, Celine has to pull him back into the limo to snap him out of character, becoming increasingly concerned with his mental state throughout the duration of the movie. There have been clear examples in history of actors remaining stuck in their roles post filming, from Austin Butler’s continued Elvis accent to the character of the Joker infiltrating Heath Ledger’s subconcious, taking on a role requires the actors to sacrifice their subconscious in order to fully embody the character and win the infamous Oscar. As we said, naming the main character ‘Mr. Oscar’ was no coincidence, Carax is showing the mental, physical, and emotional toll it takes on an actor in order to continuously be a new person in hopes of winning praise and fame.
3. A meta breakdown on the line between reality and fiction
   • One main question I had throughout the whole movie was where are we in reality? One way I think Carax intended us to interpret the film was as a movie itself. We start the film with Carax awaking from bed and using a key imbedded in his finger to unlock a secret corridor leading to a theater full of people. I feel like in this moment, Carax is telling us that the entire movie is about people watching a movie of the characters discovering their own reality as characters. We never see Mr. Oscar not acting because in this reality he is just an ever rotating character for the enjoyment of the audience. There is no behind the scenes except in the limo, but otherwise, every time he emerges, the scene has begun. We also later meet a fellow actor and see at the end all of the limos entering the warehouse for the night, again confirming that everyone is a character in this movie. I feel like this is even further solidified by Mr. Oscar going home to his gorilla wife. They are all stuck in this weird simulation of reality purely for the observation of the audience, similar to how primates are observed by scientists.

I could say a lot more about this movie and this doesn’t even come close to my full analysis of what it meant. The weird dragon sea horse sex scene and naked sewer leprechaun sung to sleep by the covered model could have their own blog post. Also, I kept noticing the reflection of the moon in the limo window which we later learn is in the Holy Motors logo, which I interpreted as possibly acting as a watermark on these scenes they orchestrate. Moreover, I do not know why the limos talked at the end, possibly to again solidify the impossibility of this reality but I am interested to see other’s interpretations. I also thought the ridiculously impractical difference between the size of the limo inside and outside was a fun distortion of reality. The fact that he is able to have a full dressing table, a multitude of props, and a working fireplace and also comfortably move around the space further added to the impossibility of this universe. Also, if this is just Mr. Oscar’s day job then he is incredibly talented. His skill in makeup, acting, stunts, and musical instruments was amazing and I particularly enjoyed the scene where he joins the group of musicians in a fabulous instrumental sequence in the movie. It was also hilarious how he glances at the appointment overview and is able to completely immerse himself into the role immediately. Overall, even with all of its weirdness, I really enjoyed this movie and will definitely be watching it again in order to see what else I can find.