As each sequence is carefully shot, which could be said in confidence given the effort of the craftsmanship devoted to details, the atmospheric gloom and expressionist pictures the works gifted successfully transform the half cliche half nonsensical narrative to a libido story set in a bloody monastery with ubiquitous lynches.
However, to find it enjoyable, one not only has to ignore the significance it might lack, but also to forgive its broad devices to arouse audience's sexual desire or voyeurism zeal. But to argue with this renders me an out of place moralist. Isn't it the same as someone says devaluing things toward electronic music for the absence of live instumental performance? Or blaming Musique Concrète has no rhythm, melody and the likes. However the erotic intention superficially lies low an anti-hypocrisy theme is laughable , the movie is good for discussion in terms of literary analysis. As anything elobarate constructed or inclusive to different cultural and societal issues or has ample allusions to concepts and images at all times and in all places is easy to translated into linguistic interpretation. Imagination can also go further than the original thoughts intented, thanks to the interpretation devices! But when a works is limited to topics in film study, it means that the film only exists and, would be honoured, in an incommodious milieu.
But there is the possibility of gaining both critics and mundane audience's applause. Critics has a twofold identity, them as a normal viewer, has preference for what are in line with their own values, and them as an open-minded explorer, go beyond the subjective evaluation (personal likes and dislikes) , to focus on the highlights whatever the works have. Especially for arts in modern time, the split of the twofold character is more obvious, not necessarily according to Susan Sontag, modern arts challenge the previous thresholds for unbearable experiences, to know something does not equal to enjoy it, which is the case in classical times. And that's why modern arts looks "cooler", since they stand alone and not to court the audience's acceptance. But that is not absolute, some smart and less talented know how to court without being accused of degrading their arts, they court the critics, the intellectuals and experienced eyes, and the latter knows the significance of mutual relationship. When it goes to extreme, we can see the emporor's new clothes are qualified without shame and liberally put into mass production.
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