Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Another movie

This past weekend, I went to another wonderful movie. Interestingly, it was also made originally in 3-D, although I didn't see it in that format. It was Wim Wenders' film, Pina, about the German choreographer. I have never been one to attend avant garde dance performances, but of course I knew a little about Pina Bausch (sp?). This movie though put me inside the performances, up on the stage, among the dancers. It allowed me a perspective on those dancers it would have been impossible to have sitting in the audience in a theatre or concert hall.
The dances were so incredibly honest about relationships and gender roles. They were stunning. In one particularly striking one, a woman was chained to a wall, hurling herself over and over toward an open doorway, just out of reach. In Pina's version of Rite of Spring, women responded in a horrified way to the only spot of color, a menstrual red scrap of fabric, in a monochromatic world. There were several dances where men performed a sort of dance, like a male crane or bowerbird, before a whole room of bored looking females of different kinds.
If you get the opportunity to see this film, go for it. It isn't long, but leaves you thinking for much longer than the time it takes to watch the film. Isn't that what we would like from every film we watch?

5 comments:

Marly Youmans said...

I heard a long piece about the film (when driving to a wrestling meet!), all about its very long genesis and how the choreographer died just when they were about to begin...

That's the sort of film that never comes here, though I think it would be interesting to see on the big screen.

Robbi N. said...

I would think you would occasionally take a trip to the closest big city (Montreal? New York?) to watch films and go to museums. Once winter is over, anyhow!

Robbi N. said...

This summer I will visit VA for at least a few weeks. I'd love to see you if you can come down to Floyd.

Marly Youmans said...

Robbi,

I do get to New York occasionally, but I am always booked up with appointments and events--though I do go to museums. I usually take the bus now. Five hours plus that way... but I can get things done on the way. Montreal is six hours or so. I used to go frequently, but it's not that convenient from here.

Syracuse and Albany are our nearest cities.

I will be in Chapel Hill, Roanoke, and Cullowhee at various times in the summer--that's the closest to Floyd I'll be. Actually Roanoke is late April.

Robbi N. said...

Too bad Marly. I will definitely visit RHW and Mary too, but not in April, though Richard will retire in that month.