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WAKING LIFE review
I’ve known Richard Linklater for years, from before he made SLACKER, when he was just talking about ideas for movies and had to pick and choose carefully which 6 lobby cards he could purchase from me at CITY WIDE GARAGE SALE about 6 years before AICN ever happened...
I’ve liked him, admired his work… even loved DAZED AND CONFUSED and BEFORE SUNRISE, but today, for the first time. He awed me. Took my breath away and made me dream about what it is that cinema can do… What animation can do…
I sat at the Paramount Theater at SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST at a special screening for the Cast and Crew and about 300 or so folks that stood in line for hours (like me) to get a ticket to see WAKING LIFE… a transcendental experience. That is the word, TRANSCENDENTAL, as much as any work of cinema has ever earned that word, WAKING LIFE does in spades.
On that old screen at the Paramount was something new and vital, not necessarily a new direction for animation, as the way the film was animated was so specifically and perfectly suited for the story being told that I can’t imagine anyone trying to use the same style. It’s like someone breaking in a pool game and sinking every ball in numerical order… I just can’t imagine seeing it done this perfectly again.
We hear a lot about innovative or experimental film, but we very rarely… if ever see GREAT EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA… New artsy technique being used exactly right in the service to a narrative about something so entwined to the style of innovation that… I was just left breathless.
Richard took the stage before the film started and said that he introduced the film at SUNDANCE with the phrase, "HOW MANY OF YOU ARE ON DRUGS?" It caused the audience to laugh, clap and giggle. This was a morning screening, if anyone was on drugs it was probably a residual high from some South By Southwest party the night before, but whether you are on drugs, have done drugs… well that’s completely a mute issue.
The key issue here is DO YOU DREAM? Do you remember them, have you tried to do things while dreaming… I relish dreaming. I love recalling dreams and I love the real world that I live in. The key thing though is that the film concerns itself quite seriously with the amount of people in the world today that do not seem to dream… that sleep only to shut their eyes out of boredom. Those People that don’t wake with a smile, but a look of indifference plastered upon their wax faces. The film explores that which goes through the mind in the final seconds of life left in your brain long after your body has died. You sometimes have a few moments… seconds that could seem to last forever… That could be what we are seeing in this film. Or it could be just a normal dream.
As I watched Richard Linklater’s WAKING LIFE, living in Austin, (the location used for the live action footage used as the basis of the animation) I found myself especially transformed into a trance like state. I watched and listened to these fantastic monologues and raps about the activity that your brain goes through while sleeping, the evolution of mankind and everything in-between. I felt as though I myself was dreaming of the city I live in… the city I converse and talk about ponderous subjects, the secrets of the universe, the meaning of life… you know all that pretentious things that seem so important when you say them… well, here in this film they nail the conversations and the way they feel…
The film is NOT concerned with the latest politics, the funny comedian that said the most outrageous thing on Leno last night or any of the other things we waste our day to day talking about.
This film is about the conversations of dreams, the type you only have in the dream. The rules and belief systems that rule that other existence. Coming in and out of consciousness whilst one’s eyes move back and forth rubbing against the interior of one’s eyelids. This film is about belief systems and a pursuit for the meaning of it all.
Sure you might have your own system all worked out. Some hard edge cynical anti-belief system… or perhaps by giving just 39.99 this weekend via PayPal you can sleep at ease because the Reverend Hotncrotch said so, but this film is going to lay down ideas… hypothesis and total bullshit on top of it all.
The film is that great conversation you half remember from that time when you thought you were so cool, but since you can’t remember what you said back then… well you aren’t and neither am I, but this film is a cinematically captured dreamstate.
This film is an immense success. A toweringly important work, and one of the most haunting open to interpretation tales I’ve seen. What happened? Where’d he go? Is that Neo-Man stuff real? Did he make this all up? Is there basis for the facts mentioned in the film? Whatever the case may be you leave the film with thoughts going through you and the conversation you have with those around you.
Quite honestly though… my biggest worry is that the film will play Arthouses only. This is one of those films that I want to see play everywhere. Sure, it probably fires above the heads of a great many people, but if Jeffrey Katzenberg was very serious about revolutionizing the very fabric of the ANIMATED film and what it can be… this is the film to push… to redefine what can be said and done… animated. They should market this like AMERICAN BEAUTY and take it everywhere….
This is first truly important American Film in quite some time. Important in style, substance and creativity. And Richard Linklater… one last word… WOW!
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Mar 12, 2001 6:53:59 AM CST
Harry, you "even liked Dazed and Confused"? That's his best mov
by lance rock
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Mar 12, 2001 7:20:53 AM CST
I must agree with the majority of the talkbackers here.....
by uncle jay
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Mar 12, 2001 7:28:24 AM CST
I must agree with the majority of the talkbackers here.....
by uncle jay
"Dazed and Confused" is not only Linklater's best movie, but one of my favorite movies of all time, along side "American Graffiti", which could both easily be played as a double bill. They both kind of go together if you think about it. Now, I'm also a big animation fan, so I have high hopes for his new flick. I just hope it's not a disappointment. Otherwise, he should have hired Bakshi for some support.
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http://www.auschron.com/issues/dispatch/2000-12-22/screens_shortcuts.html
It seems animation director Bob Sabistion was working with animation studio Kalsy-Csupo on the concept for these commercials then when the movie came through he said sorry and took his software with him, Klsaky Csupo decided to go ahead and use his style anyway. I can understand where they are coming from, they had already put this time and effort into the project and their client wanted the commercials ASAP, so instead of starting all over again they sorta swiped Mr. Sabiston's look. Not the nicest of business practices. They won't have cartoonists knocking down their door to work with them anymore I should think. -
What kind of transcendence are we talking? The spiritual transcendence described in Paul Shrader's book concerning Ozu, Dreyer, and Bresson. If this is indeed a movie that allows us to gain a glimpse at the transcendent, that holy other, be it God or some other diving power, Linklater got lucky this time. Whatever, that little kid in Dazed and Confused emoted the whole time by just groaning and holding the bridge of his nose, saying "I hate that guy". Oh yeah, that was transcendent.
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"I've known Richard. But now I awe in him" What is this? I used to love Harry's site and defend him from people all of the time (and still do when they make inappropriate jokes). But when he goes off onto how much of a personal relationship he has with people, and then gives a glowing review of their work I find it so hard to believe. I'm taken aback. I'm reminded of a Woody Guthrie quote about how he never ever wanted to write something that made one of his fans feel less about themselves. I don't know what is up with Harry lately, but he seems to be doing it. I'm not calling him a sellout because he's making a buck with the book deal and the tv show and all, but you can spread your message and be in bed with corporations man. It'll be mutually benefitial.
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Mar 12, 2001 9:34:32 AM CST
New World Order - Bohemian Grove Alex Jones' infowars.com
by trankscuzzball
Some very weird shit going on at the bohemian grove, world leaders multinational corporate fat cats involved in it. Looks like something out of that movie The Devil's Rain.
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...is not a sentence. Goddammit man, if you're going to use the language do it properly. How can you expect anybody to respect your reviews when you manage to misuse a simple little word like 'Awe'? Try 'I was in awe of him' or 'He inspired awe' or just cut the 'I Knew Famous People When They Were Nothing' bullshit.
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Selling out to WHO!? Do you people take your geekdom so seriously that you honestly beleive this sight makes ANY difference in the eventual box office take of a film. And if not, then do you really beleive that even if every article written is being done so with info leaked from the president of whatever company is backing it, by a "reporter" that is getting money right out of the movie budget, that what is said about any film on this website will make any difference? It will not! I have been watching indie flicks since Steve Buscemi was just "that guy". Movies, and particularly indie films, are usually found out about by word of mouth. It can be good word of mouth, or bad owrd of mouth. But when you come to this site, there is just a bunch of over opinionated assholes trying to over opinionate the next guy. And I stick to a point I have posted once before that half the people who talk shit about these movies haven't even seen them. They just want to be cool. Well, let me tell you something, Mysterio is cool. You are not. He gets to hang out on the set of a movie with some really cool people. It does not matter one shit if they have paid him to be there or not (although from the way is articles are written I am guessing he is NOT getting paid). And it doesn't matter if every article on this site is a plant. All that matters is that we have this awesome outlet to read some inside shit about making movies. Or we get to see a poster, or a script, or someones ass! Who cares. It's fun.
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The only reason that you assholes can enjoy the luxury of going off on Harry is that he allows it. This is his site, and it was his decision to put talkbacks after every article. As far as I can tell, they're now being used to spew bile far more than providing anything constructive. Think about it.
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I'm intrigued by the concept, but a little story set-up might do us some good. Who are the characters? What is the situation that initiates the action or conflict? C'mon, big fella, give us the goods!!
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I was at the famed screening at Sundance where Waking Life received a standing ovation. Here is plot of the film:
***Possible Spoilers, though I doubt that anything I could possibly write would in any way ruin the viewing experience of this film.***
The film is about a young man played by Wiley Wiggins who arrives in town on a train. He gets a lift from a stranger who dops him off at a random intersection. While crossing the street, he gets hid by a car. The rest of the film is a series of philisophical discussions and conversations that the young man seems to find himself part of. At first, he just sits listening to some bizarre people speak to him about everything from Evolution, religion, human communication, and a large variety of other esoteric topics. He just seems to jump from one discussion to another. After a while, he begins to suspect that he may be dreaming, though he does not know how to wake up.
The animation is brilliant. They shot the entire film live action, edited it, then loaded it all into a computer where they animated over the live shot. What results is some amazing animation that captures many of the small gestures that humans make, but are rarely seen in animation. Each scene, or conversation was animated by a different animator, which means that each scene has its own disctictive look. Some look simple, others look like a moving Rembrandt.
This film might not be for everyone. It is almost like an animated Slacker, but with more dialogue. I personally loved it.
***Definite Spoiler***
One of the scenes is with Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke playing Jesse and Celine from Before Sunrise as they lie in bed and discuss the few minutes of brain activity after a person has died. It was nice to see that they did in fact get back together, even if only in a dream. -
Damn...........I was reading the headlines when suddenly I saw the animation uncross its legs. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhh...............I won't be able to watch Basic Instinct ever again : (
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I like it because it's written by Eric Begosian (sp?). Sure, it plays like a theater performance (which it was originally) but that's what I like about it. Even Ribisi is good in it. A great look at contemporary life in the bleak plains of Texas. Masterpiece.
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Lets not forget how slacker Ralph Bakshi tried to bypass the artistic part of animation by tracing live action. It was a bore. Today there are so many computer software programs available to distort images, that anyone can film actors and then push the "animated film" button. I suspect the interest here will be in the writing, not the animation.
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LInklater is the man...there is something about his movies that I just tend to really connect with. "Dazed and Confused" is my favorite of his films but "subUrbia" and "Before Sunrise" both kick ass. I respect slacker for the style and the concept. But, this movie sounds so dope...I've been waiting for it...I really hope it comes over to where I live (Hawaii), we hardly get any of the cool movies and if we do, it comes late. Wasn't there another movie that he just completed? Has anyone heard about that one?
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The other Linklater film that was at Sundance this year was Tape. It was shot on DV and takes place entirely in a motel room. It stars Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leanard, and Uma Thurman. It's basically a filmed play. I really enjoyed it.
***SPOILERS***
It was about two old high school friends who meet in a town because one has a film in the local film festival. Ethan's character gets Robert's to talk about an uncomfortable event that happened in high school where Robert got together with Ethan's ex-girlfriend played by Uma Thurman. It was a rather intense drama about people's perceptions of events. Ethan's character is a total prick. I truly enjoed this film. It was incredibly well written. It was not written by Richard Linklater though. I can't remember the writer's name. -
Harry...this film sounds great. More of an experience than a film. But how do you market an experience? Can you? You've said you fear this film will only play at an arthouse (as if that's a bad thing, I know that there a ton of films that would even take that), but is this film something the masses will understand? I loved your review until the end...some things aren't made for everybody. Some things are made just for us. I can assure you that I will track this film down. Linklater got me with "Slackers." And tracking this film down won't be easy as I live in a mid-sized city in a midwest state which Carmike controls with their iron fist. But I can't wait to see what unfolds on screen. Some things you just have to be a geek to understand.
www.cutterthemovie.com -
Wow, that sounds nice. I didn't know Richard was into animation at all. If you want to see something that's really profound see the Neon Genesis Evangelion movie called, "the end of Evangelion." It's amazing. It has everything, but when you boil down the plot it ends up being about the loneliness and isolation of a an insecure boy (by way of government conspiracies, giant robots, theological oddities, freudian psychology and a host cute anime girls.) It seems to resonate well with people who are into cool things like what was just described. You have to watch the series first in order to understand the intricate relationships of the characters but it's really enjoyable as well.....some of the best 14 hours I've ever spent....
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Mar 13, 2001 5:27:04 AM CST
Thanks, jsherm... will be good to see Wiley Wiggins again
by roguewriter
That kid knocked me out in DAZED AND CONFUSED (a vastly underrated film, and not because of the gleeful drug content, but because it so perfectly captured the naive youthful zeal for life that us middle-agers remember less and less perfectly... but long for more and more deeply as time goes by). Good to know Linklater's getting back to his SLACKER roots -- I thought that was a simply marvelous little film. Wholly unexpected, immensely satisfying. Can't think of another movie like it -- any recommendations?
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I was sitting about two rows behind Harry at the Paramount last Sunday. He's not just kissing ass, he's right. The film was amazing. I was literally speechless after the closing credits. But I believe Bob Sabiston and the rest of the animators deserve as much credit as Linklater in making the film such a masterpiece. They were given so much freedom to interpret the scenes they animated that it really must have been a collaborative effort. And Bob Sabiston is a genius for creating the tools that the animators used to make the film what it is. And it totally works for the subject matter. HOWEVER, I do feel that Harry could not have been completely impartial. Waking Life is very much an Austin film and I think the venue for the screening (the Paramount theater in Austin) made the experience all the more special. Not that the people who saw it at Sundace or who will see it elsewhere shouldn't love it--they should. What I mean is that many of the characters and settings in the film are well known to people in Austin, and I know that my viewing experience (and probably Harry's) was affected by it. Example: There is a scene where Wiley is watching a movie in which two people are having a conversation about the philosophy of film, but he is watching the movie on the screen at the Paramount! It cuts back and forth between the screen at the Paramount and Wiley watching it. But I was watching the film at the Paramount! So I found myself watching Wiley (who was seated just a few seats over from me at the screening) watch a dialogue about film on the screen at the Paramount, on the screen at the Paramount!! If I turned my head to the left, I could watch Wiley watch himself watch a dialogue about film on the screen at the Paramount, on the screen at the Paramount. It was surreal to say the least.
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