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Post by Cat on May 1, 2023 18:25:44 GMT
This is the plot as outlined by IMDb:
"After 30 years of wrongful imprisonment, a woman plans to take revenge on her former lover."
Written by Lav Diaz and and Lev Tolstoy, directed by Lav Diaz.
I'm not sure what to say about it or how yet. I am sure that I really liked it.
It's an interesting film.
At any rate, The Woman Who Left comes highly cat recommended.
The website isn't letting me put my comments in spoilers, so I'll throw them below:
My brief comments are that I feel it could have shaved 10-15 minutes off the end. However, that is contingent upon another observation of mine, and that is that the resolution seemed bittersweet. The woman who left never get the confrontation with her ex-lover that built throughout the movie. Instead, the prostitute she nursed to health did it for her. The prostitute murdered her enemy without her knowledge or consent.
On the one hand, I felt this robbed the woman of her justice. On the other hand, and in practical terms, it spared the woman from having to go back to prison if she went through with her murder plot. That created conflict in me. He stole her vengeance, but for little other reason than to fall on the sword so she wouldn't have to. Maybe going back to prison for a crime she did commit was a price she was willing to pay?
Then again, if she had gone through with the plan, the rest of the film would lack fallout. |
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Post by Fox in the Snow on May 1, 2023 21:40:30 GMT
Lav is my favorite currently active director. His films are epic odysseys through Philippine history and culture. I love his signature aesthetic, which he rarely wavers from. The Woman Who Left was the second film of his I saw, (after his venture into color cinematography with Norte The End of History, loosely based on Crime and Punishment), and while I really like and admire it, I like most of his other films even more. One of the few clips I could find from my favorite Diaz film, Melancholia (2008) |
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Post by Cat on May 2, 2023 17:05:16 GMT
Lav is my favorite currently active director. His films are epic odysseys through Philippine history and culture. I love his signature aesthetic, which he rarely wavers from. The Woman Who Left was the second film of his I saw, (after his venture into color cinematography with Norte The End of History, loosely based on Crime and Punishment), and while I really like and admire it, I like most of his other films even more. One of the few clips I could find from my favorite Diaz film, Melancholia (2008) Incredible. If his other films are even a shade like this I'm in.
I recall you mentioning him once before, so the name stood out. I'm not ashamed to admit I confused him with the director of Insiang + Manilla in the Claws of Light. In retrospect that would mean a very lengthy career.
The Woman Who Left I thought was incredibly crisp onscreen. Just beautiful. The black and white, particularly at night, illuminates so much.
Likewise, that clip from Melancholia looks like a black and white photo from a family album set to motion.
Is it actually 7 hours and 30 minutes long? I didn't know movies could be that long.
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Post by Fox in the Snow on May 2, 2023 21:45:02 GMT
Lav is my favorite currently active director. His films are epic odysseys through Philippine history and culture. I love his signature aesthetic, which he rarely wavers from. The Woman Who Left was the second film of his I saw, (after his venture into color cinematography with Norte The End of History, loosely based on Crime and Punishment), and while I really like and admire it, I like most of his other films even more. One of the few clips I could find from my favorite Diaz film, Melancholia (2008) Incredible. If his other films are even a shade like this I'm in.
I recall you mentioning him once before, so the name stood out. I'm not ashamed to admit I confused him with the director of Insiang + Manilla in the Claws of Light. In retrospect that would mean a very lengthy career. The Woman Who Left I thought was incredibly crisp onscreen. Just beautiful. The black and white, particularly at night, illuminates so much. Likewise, that clip from Melancholia looks like a black and white photo from a family album set to motion. Is it actually 7 hours and 30 minutes long? I didn't know movies could be that long.
All Lav’s films are visually beautiful. He pretty much sticks to his signature B&W static long takes for just about every film, but I personally never tire of it, at least not yet. The earlier films probably up to Century of Birthing (2011) are bit more grainiy and lo-fi, while the more recent ones are very crisp He did venture into color once with Norte, that I mentioned, probably his most accessible film. His earlier more "traditional" films (that is not in his signature style or epic length) which I've not yet seen are also color He is known for making very long films, his key works range from 4 to 10 hours in length If this is your first foray into Diaz’s world you have a lot to look forward to My rough guide/ranking on Letterboxd |
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Post by Cat on May 3, 2023 18:04:27 GMT
Incredible. If his other films are even a shade like this I'm in.
I recall you mentioning him once before, so the name stood out. I'm not ashamed to admit I confused him with the director of Insiang + Manilla in the Claws of Light. In retrospect that would mean a very lengthy career. The Woman Who Left I thought was incredibly crisp onscreen. Just beautiful. The black and white, particularly at night, illuminates so much. Likewise, that clip from Melancholia looks like a black and white photo from a family album set to motion. Is it actually 7 hours and 30 minutes long? I didn't know movies could be that long.
All Lav’s films are visually beautiful. He pretty much sticks to his signature B&W static long takes for just about every film, but I personally never tire of it, at least not yet. The earlier films probably up to Century of Birthing (2011) are bit more grainiy and lo-fi, while the more recent ones are very crisp He did venture into color once with Norte, that I mentioned, probably his most accessible film. His earlier more "traditional" films (that is not in his signature style or epic length) which I've not yet seen are also color He is known for making very long films, his key works range from 4 to 10 hours in length If this is your first foray into Diaz’s world you have a lot to look forward to My rough guide/ranking on LetterboxdI definitely look forward to it. This film I found at my local library.
I took to that signature style like a fish to water as well. I love the long static takes. Modern day black and white is also beautiful to me.
Very cool. I'll continue to keep an eye out for his name.
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Post by Fox in the Snow on May 3, 2023 21:35:42 GMT
All Lav’s films are visually beautiful. He pretty much sticks to his signature B&W static long takes for just about every film, but I personally never tire of it, at least not yet. The earlier films probably up to Century of Birthing (2011) are bit more grainiy and lo-fi, while the more recent ones are very crisp He did venture into color once with Norte, that I mentioned, probably his most accessible film. His earlier more "traditional" films (that is not in his signature style or epic length) which I've not yet seen are also color He is known for making very long films, his key works range from 4 to 10 hours in length If this is your first foray into Diaz’s world you have a lot to look forward to My rough guide/ranking on LetterboxdI definitely look forward to it. This film I found at my local library. I took to that signature style like a fish to water as well. I love the long static takes. Modern day black and white is also beautiful to me. Very cool. I'll continue to keep an eye out for his name.
Good luck, his films are definitely worth investing the time in. Very few have been released officially on physical format. I think Norte is the only other one that is readily available. A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery got a region free release in France with English subtitles. Fortunately a large chunk of his work is streamable on Mubi and possibly Kanopy also. I'm hoping to get to a festival this year to catch When the Waves are Gone. |
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