Memoria (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2021)

[lzx]

There is one print that I know of, which started playing at the Siskel Film Center in Chicago last Friday. Between this and Chicago being the only city besides NYC that the film played in during the initial release, I wonder if Apichatpong weren't being partial to the city where he got his master's.

(Speaking of 35mm, Chicago and Neon: Titane's run at the Music Box was supposed to be on 35mm, but switched to DCP at the very last minute. Rumor has it Julia saw the print projected at the theater during an early preview and was not happy with how it sounded.)

[beamish14]

There is one print that I know of, which started playing at the Siskel Film Center in Chicago last Friday. Between this and Chicago being the only city besides NYC that the film played in during the initial release, I wonder if Apichatpong weren't being partial to the city where he got his master's.

(Speaking of 35mm, Chicago and Neon: Titane's run at the Music Box was supposed to be on 35mm, but switched to DCP at the very last minute. Rumor has it Julia saw the print projected at the theater during an early preview and was not happy with how it sounded.)

Interesting. Regarding Titane, a print played for one night only at the American Conematheque’s Los Feliz location in L.A.

[Never Cursed]

Interesting, I'm guessing that literally having only one print in circulation at any given time was going to be their original method for the one city/week "strategy?"

[goblinfootballs]

It's a fantastic film, the best of last year, but I'm ready to move on. I would love to see it again in the placidity of my own space, but I'll have to wait until misplaced pretentions are buried, and this receives a home-video release. NEON already bungled it (and to a far lesser extent, The Worst Person in the World); everything after reeks of saving-face.

I agree with your assessment of the film. Personally, I want to see it as much as reasonably possible to better imprint in on my brain in case they do follow through with the lack of physical media. We're getting this in three different venues over the course of four months. I'm going twice in the initial one week run (starting tomorrow) and then to a one-off a month later; I'll be out of town when it will be at a second-run theatre for some reason.

[therewillbeblus]

Saw this again at the Coolidge Corner theatre in MA for its one-week run here, and it didn't take long for me to realize an even deeper rationale of frustration at the misjudgment behind this release model. Sorry in advance for the rant.

Maybe I'm alone here, but I've noticed how no matter what theatre I go to- be it a newer multiplex or a smaller, old independent theatre- during silent moments of a film I can usually hear the action of whatever film is playing next door or underneath me, particularly if it's a Marvel and/or action movie. This obviously excuses some theatres I've been to in NY, for example, where the main theatre room is totally separate from other theatres, or there rare theatres like the Brattle that only have one theatre room (where I saw Memoria for the first time, the perfect location that this should have played for its one-week run).

This is all to preface the experience of sitting through a meditative, scoreless film like Memoria, where silence and minute sound effects are of the utmost significance to indulge in silence, where the purity of a cinema's sound design is the entire reason for its ludicrous exclusive release model.. only to hear a bombastic score and loud, gruff screams of vikings from the screening of The Northman below. It was infuriating. My friend who I brought to the screening for his first viewing was confused and thought The Northman's sounds were part of AW's aesthetic choices, until he was completely taken out of the film once he realized we were not supposed to be hearing rumbling noises and yelling during extended takes of Tilda Swinton deliberately engaging with her world. I understand there's nothing that the Coolidge theatre can do about this, but if NEON and Memoria's team are so dedicated to preserving their ethos, you'd think they would foresee these widespread setting conditions that affect the theatre experience and select theatres accordingly- like, for example, proposition the Brattle or Somerville theatre's main stage, and hold as true to that stipulation as they are to their distribution plan. I would have had a much more profound and affecting time watching this film again in the privacy of my own home on a decent sound system, simply because I don't have noisy neighbors. And even if I did, they're not viking-loud.

Anyways, the film is still fantastic. Also, I noticed something I didn't the first time: that both Hernáns are listed with the same last name of Bedoya in the end credits, which adds a more firm direction (not explanation, of course) in how we interpret Jessica's disorganized memory and experiences in the back half

[hearthesilence]

There is one print that I know of, which started playing at the Siskel Film Center in Chicago last Friday. Between this and Chicago being the only city besides NYC that the film played in during the initial release, I wonder if Apichatpong weren't being partial to the city where he got his master's.

Interesting. FWIW, Kodak's blog post on the film confirms that it was Apichatpong's first film to be shot in 35mm, and the film stock is pretty amazing - I'd be curious to see how noticeable the film grain would be in the shadows of a 35mm print. (I don't even recall noticing it in the screenings I've been to - NYFF and MoMA, and I imagine they were both DCP's.)

[Finch]

The film is getting a "Special Collector's Edition" in the UK from Sovereign Film Distribution on July 22. Hopefully their encoding will be better than NEON's disc!

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

It’s worth noting that the American Cinematheque’s run of Memoria, that begins this Friday, announced yesterday that all their previously announced DCP screenings have been changed to 35mm. It seems that one print will be touring.

[beamish14]

It’s worth noting that the American Cinematheque’s run of Memoria, that begins this Friday, announced yesterday that all their previously announced DCP screenings have been changed to 35mm. It seems that one print will be touring.

Thank you for the heads-up! Bought one for the 9th of May. This weekend’s screenings have already sold out. It’s funny, but Weerasethakul actually came to a double bill of Syndromes and Uncle Boonmee at the Aero some years back, and there were only a couple dozen of us there.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

It’s worth noting that the American Cinematheque’s run of Memoria, that begins this Friday, announced yesterday that all their previously announced DCP screenings have been changed to 35mm. It seems that one print will be touring.

Thank you for the heads-up! Bought one for the 9th of May. This weekend’s screenings have already sold out. It’s funny, but Weerasethakul actually came to a double bill of Syndromes and Uncle Boonmee at the Aero some years back, and there were only a couple dozen of us there.

Among those couple dozen were myself. I was there at that Aero screening!

[criterionsnob]

Madman (Australia) is releasing Memoria on Blu-ray on July 6.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Interesting. FWIW, Kodak's blog post on the film confirms that it was Apichatpong's first film to be shot in 35mm, and the film stock is pretty amazing - I'd be curious to see how noticeable the film grain would be in the shadows of a 35mm print. (I don't even recall noticing it in the screenings I've been to - NYFF and MoMA, and I imagine they were both DCP's.)

All of his features from Blissfully Yours through Syndromes were shot on 35mm. Boonmee was Super16 (as the blog post notes) and Cemetery of Splendour was digital.

[hearthesilence]

Interesting. FWIW, Kodak's blog post on the film confirms that it was Apichatpong's first film to be shot in 35mm, and the film stock is pretty amazing - I'd be curious to see how noticeable the film grain would be in the shadows of a 35mm print. (I don't even recall noticing it in the screenings I've been to - NYFF and MoMA, and I imagine they were both DCP's.)

All of his features from Blissfully Yours through Syndromes were shot on 35mm. Boonmee was Super16 (as the blog post notes) and Cemetery of Splendour was digital.

Ah, I stand corrected!

[Never Cursed]

Tiny British distributor Sovereign will release this on a nice limited edition blu-ray edition in late July, featuring a host of special features, including interviews with Swinton, the principal crew, and behind-the-scenes footage. The downside: it does not ship to the US or Canada.

[Finch]

It'd be weird for UK retailers like Zavvi etc not to carry it. It's not listed as a website exclusive so there should be ways of importing it.

[Calvin]

It'd be weird for UK retailers like Zavvi etc not to carry it. It's not listed as a website exclusive so there should be ways of importing it.

Rarewaves already have it listed

[Finch]

ขอบคุณ!

[What A Disgrace]

It'd be weird for UK retailers like Zavvi etc not to carry it. It's not listed as a website exclusive so there should be ways of importing it.

Rarewaves already have it listed

Wonderful! I pre-ordered it, Bullfighter and the Lady, and The Men for just shy of $68 after shipping.

[Aunt Peg]

Australian's can watch it for free LEGALLY on SBS On Demand (with a couple of ads thrown in): https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/movie/m ... 1659075510

Rather odd it is on SBS On Demand already prior to its Blu Ray release in July and it is still playing in some cinemas.

[What A Disgrace]

DiabolikDVD also has the disc up for pre-order.

[hearthesilence]

I saw this for the third time at MoMI this weekend, first time from a 35mm print (which, as mentioned, is indeed the only 35mm print in circulation). Just a warning, the print's already got some unfortunate wear and tear - for the first one or two reels, most of the frame was visibly out-of-focus (except for the sides or possibly the portion beyond the center part of the film). I think they tried to adjust it to focus on the middle, but the picture had a hard time holding its focus, as if the film itself was partially warped. It did get better, but highly annoying.

Beyond that, it's a very different experience. And by the end, I actually preferred the DCP!

The film print loses a bit of unease that came from the DCP. Quite a few takes are long with the camera locked down, and the stillness is accentuated by the immaculately clean (and completely stable) image of a DCP, so much it adds real tension to the film, like staring at a perfectly still reflection on a pond with the anticipation something's going to splash through the water. With the print, there's a visible grain that somehow relaxes the mood. It's not a lot of grain - it's certainly not a distraction - but it's subtle enough to make a difference. I got the feeling this actually helped bring out the less anxious elements of the film, whether it's the comedy or the warmth of Jessica's interactions with her friends. At one point, I remember thinking it was actually a more welcoming viewing experience.

But it wasn't until we get to Jessica's meeting with the other Hernán that the DCP became the clear winner for me. That scene is composed mostly of very wide shots with a few long close-ups, and this is where the loss in detail hampers the film print. Jessica's expression (like when she hears Hernán's name) is diminished because Swinton's face is now much more granular. The super crisp detail showing each blade of grass is also diminished, which I didn't think was a big deal at first, but then when we cut to the scales of the fish - something I really lingered over on the DCP screenings - I couldn't help but notice how indistinct they now looked, a bit mushy and easy to ignore. All of this grew disappointing as the film moved towards its climax because these were all details that really stuck with me, and that's a big part of what these scenes are about - the supernaturally sharp details of memories the characters can't shake, whether it's there's or someone else's. That's a theme that's alluded to elsewhere, like the fridge that "stops time." There are so many moments in the film that previously seemed like time was indeed suspended because they looked so eerily still and perfect, and the impact of that now feels kind of diminished with a subtle layer of grain shifting all around. One of the best-known shots - that windowed corner of the building that seems to preserve a patch of grass - even had some damaged spots flying up and a slight but visible tremor due to the instability of the film. Print still looked pleasing, but it wasn't the great experience I had when I caught the DCP in October and December.

[brundlefly]

I saw this for the third time at MoMI this weekend, first time from a 35mm print (which, as mentioned, is indeed the only 35mm print in circulation).

There is also apparently a 35mm print currently in Coral Gables, Florida. For better or worse.

[hearthesilence]

I saw this for the third time at MoMI this weekend, first time from a 35mm print (which, as mentioned, is indeed the only 35mm print in circulation).

There is also apparently a 35mm print currently in Coral Gables, Florida. For better or worse.

Hah, I (and the MoMI employee who said it was the only one) stand corrected. Hope they have better luck in Coral Gables!

[zaladane]

Fresh out of the theater in Austin. I'm not really sure what to say, other than I'm extremely glad that I had the opportunity to see it. I feel like my experience was probably hampered compared to some by my ignorance of the historical context he's (apparently) working with, but it was something I'll be thinking about for a while. I'm going to have to do some reading to fully appreciate the meeting with the second Hernán and the, uh, whatever after.