The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015)

[colinr0380]

By the way, one of the relatively understated aspects that I really like about the whole 'animal transformation' business going on in the film is that there is a lot of talk about being able to transform a person into any possible animal that they could conceive of, by obscure but entirely successful methods. And it seems to work, at least judging by all of the different types of animals wandering around. But I think its really amusing that the animals just seem to end up getting chucked out into the woods surrounding the hotel/clinic! There doesn't seem to be much interest placed onto placing all these new animals into their suitable environments, just leaving them to sink or swim in their local one, which they might be completely unsuited for! Perhaps its for the best that nobody actually becomes a lobster, as that would end up with the animal just getting thrown onto the lawn to fend for itself!

[Mr Sausage]

By the way, one of the relatively understated aspects that I really like about the whole 'animal transformation' business going on in the film is that there is a lot of talk about being able to transform a person into any possible animal that they could conceive of, by obscure but entirely successful methods. And it seems to work, at least judging by all of the different types of animals wandering around. But I think its really amusing that the animals just seem to end up getting chucked out into the woods surrounding the hotel/clinic! There doesn't seem to be much interest placed onto placing all these new animals into their suitable environments, just leaving them to sink or swim in their local one, which they might be completely unsuited for! Perhaps its for the best that nobody actually becomes a lobster, as that would end up with the animal just getting thrown onto the lawn to fend for itself!

Could be, too, that people can request where they want to be released, and so many of them, continuing the empty inertia of their human lives, just can't imagine really being anywhere else and give a rather quiet "oh, here is fine." I could certainly see the Colin Farrell character, being confronted with an infinity of choices he had never considered, opting mainly not to inconvenience anyone and asking to be dumped somewhere near the dock. Perhaps as well those animals are people we had seen throughout the movie, people like the John C. Reilly character, or the friend whose fake relationship founded on a fake ailment has inevitably fallen through, and who, now that they're animals, just want to hang around people and pretend they are still part of some meaningful life, even some exciting story, by aimlessly following the band of rebels in the woods. There would be something appropriate about these people in some way trying awkwardly and unsuccessfully to lead a kind of human existence even as animals, much as they did in their previous human lives, and choosing to do so by following around a band of humans who are themselves awkwardly and unsuccessfully trying to live out some contrived and unconvincing vision of human freedom. In short, I found all those animals pathetic and funny--like the movie.

[D50]

^ Makes sense.

SpoilerShow

Like the opening scene, which shows the lady (wife?) driving to a known location and knowing which donkey to euthanize. So she may have been privy to his / her decision and drop off point.

[domino harvey]

Limited edition Mondo poster