To wind up the year, the Film Society still has a few surprises up its sleeve, guaranteed to satisfy all movie lovers and get everyone in the summer spirit. This weekend, we will be presenting the film The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988).
The Unbearable Lightness of Being was directed by Philip Kaufman, also responsible for the legendary Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), and, more recently, Quills (2000). This film is an adaptation of Czech author Milan Kundera's bestselling novel. Kundera, known for his radically existential views on life, blends life and politics in a kaleidoscopic ride that takes it's passengers through a rough and seemingly superficial plunge into the highs and lows of relationships.
The film tells the story of Tomas (Daniel Day-Lewis), an amorous Prague surgeon who is driven by his obsession for sex. He falls in love with and marries one of his lovers, Tereza (Juliette Binoche), although this doesn't stop him from continuing to entertain his mistress, Sabina (Lena Olin). To escape the Russian invasion of Prague in 1968, the three escape to Geneva. Sabina meets another man and surprisingly comes to befriend Tereza. As the Dubcek regime falls, Tomas's interest turns from sex toward politics.
The film is beautifully erotic but not gratuitous, and there is much to ponder beneath the blatant sexuality of the film. Capturing nuance, metaphor, simile, and nothingness (the unbearable lightness of being) is no mean feat. The characters survive beneath a concerted philosophical matrix that invites closer scrutiny. Kaufman's direction is imaginative and captures much of Kundera's subtlety.
However, what makes this film so delightful is the award-winning cinematography of Sven Nykvist. Nykvist was Swedish director Ingmar Bergman's cameraman after Gunnar Fischer. Nykvist worked for Bergman for over 25 years and produced many of the Bergman classics such as Virgin Spring and Fanny and Alexander. Nykvist brings a realism and sensuality to the film that has become his hallmark as a cinematographer. Since his time with Bergman he has done camera work for directors such as Louis Malle, Bob Fosse, Woody Allen, and Richard Attenborough.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being will be showing this Friday and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in Smith Auditorium of Sills Hall.
The following weekend (May 14/15), the Bowdoin Film Society will present two special features for a study break during reading period: Peter Bogdanovich's 1971 classic, The Last Picture Show, and Tim Burton's recent hit, Big Fish (2003). The Last Picture Show pays homage to Hollywood's classical age and tells the story of two high school seniors in 1951 in Texas who spend their time going to the movies, playing football, and drooling over a rich and beautiful girl. Big Fish tells the story of a son who tries to piece together parts of his dying father's life from stories of legends and myths that he has been told. Look for more information about these two films and show times next week!