Sans Soleil

The next logical step for anyone taken by Chris Marker’s La jetée is to view Sans Soleil. This was probably the best film I have seen in a long time and viewing it makes me want to see more “better” films. I may try to review some more remarkable films, but I promise that the reviews will still be poorly written. That is a Worst Reviews promise!

What makes any film or work of art memorable or particularly favorable for me is typically if specific images or dialogue resonant long after viewing the film. Marker accomplishes this with Sans Soleil – a film with intriguing visuals, narrative-style and depth that exceeds most films.

It’s harder to review a really good film because essays could be written that serve a sense of critical justice, but just my initial emotion impact will be significant enough for this purpose.

The film breaks documentary convention in the most entertaining way with letters written by travelers of various countries illuminated by staggering visuals, including distorted scenes of war and travel through the use of a Spectron video synthesizer. Overall, the film is a contemplation on memory, which couldn’t be anymore fitting considering the tranquility which proceeds the most memorable of images in the film – including the scene of suffering giraffe being shot in the head. Graceful and brutal.

10/10