. By viewing the film Hamilton by Matthew Porterfield, I noticed that it had many similarities with the Film D'est by Chantal Akerman. Both Des't and Hamilton use time duration, isolation, and location.
One similarity that i found between Hamilton and D'est is the way they the director's used time within their films. In both films time was an essence, one can say that the use of time is what made the movie more interesting. Well, to start off, both films were feature length films. Can one say that them being feature length films was necessary? I for one felt that it wasn't necessary for them to be feature length films, in order for them to put their point across.
Apart from being feature length films, they both used scenes where that same scene was shot for long period's of time. In Des't there are many scenes where Akerman films the same shot for more then seconds, she actually films them in long periods of minutes. One that comes to mind was around the middle of the film, when there is a girl that is cutting a piece of bread and sausage. That same scene last about 3 minutes, and all you see the character doing, is cutting the bread and meat, then placing it on a plate. On Hamilton, there is a specific scene where the Joe, the main character and his mother are driving a car for a long period. All you seeing this shot, is them sitting in the car as the mom is driving and he is smoking. Yes, the mom does glance at him a few times but never says anything, it is a silent and passive. A lot of the scenes i felt could be shortened, but then again, those certain scene's that lasted long period's also gave the film a mood, a feeling of truth.
Ackerman captures realism and experimental mood throughout the film by filming real people doing normal things, things that any other person would do. In Hamilton, the characters and narrative are used to set up time. Although the formats used by both films are different, they both set a similar mood to a viewer.
In both films the use of time is slow therefore you get a feeling of isolation. In D’est the camera is in constantly panning across the peoples faces, but it seems that the characters can care less for it, as they glance at it and choose to ignore it. There is never an act of conversation or interaction with each other. In Hamilton there is a slow camera movement taking place where situations are never established and all you see is a jump from situation to situation. By looking at the film, you could never tell if there is any relation to the characters seeing that it is never established. We know that there is a relationship amongst each other, but them barely speaking to each other gives you a feeling of isolation. It seems that they are all living there own worlds, and the only reason they are connected is because of the baby.
One similarity that i found between Hamilton and D'est is the way they the director's used time within their films. In both films time was an essence, one can say that the use of time is what made the movie more interesting. Well, to start off, both films were feature length films. Can one say that them being feature length films was necessary? I for one felt that it wasn't necessary for them to be feature length films, in order for them to put their point across.
Apart from being feature length films, they both used scenes where that same scene was shot for long period's of time. In Des't there are many scenes where Akerman films the same shot for more then seconds, she actually films them in long periods of minutes. One that comes to mind was around the middle of the film, when there is a girl that is cutting a piece of bread and sausage. That same scene last about 3 minutes, and all you see the character doing, is cutting the bread and meat, then placing it on a plate. On Hamilton, there is a specific scene where the Joe, the main character and his mother are driving a car for a long period. All you seeing this shot, is them sitting in the car as the mom is driving and he is smoking. Yes, the mom does glance at him a few times but never says anything, it is a silent and passive. A lot of the scenes i felt could be shortened, but then again, those certain scene's that lasted long period's also gave the film a mood, a feeling of truth.
Ackerman captures realism and experimental mood throughout the film by filming real people doing normal things, things that any other person would do. In Hamilton, the characters and narrative are used to set up time. Although the formats used by both films are different, they both set a similar mood to a viewer.
In both films the use of time is slow therefore you get a feeling of isolation. In D’est the camera is in constantly panning across the peoples faces, but it seems that the characters can care less for it, as they glance at it and choose to ignore it. There is never an act of conversation or interaction with each other. In Hamilton there is a slow camera movement taking place where situations are never established and all you see is a jump from situation to situation. By looking at the film, you could never tell if there is any relation to the characters seeing that it is never established. We know that there is a relationship amongst each other, but them barely speaking to each other gives you a feeling of isolation. It seems that they are all living there own worlds, and the only reason they are connected is because of the baby.
posted by ~S~ at 9:45 PM
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