Review 105
Lesson Faust (1994)
It's been difficult finding films to watch lately. Maybe because the weather has been improving (somewhat) and I've been less willing to sit down and watch a film, but I've been slowing down for the month of May. Consequently, I haven't been able to review a film in a little while. However, while attempting to learn some German, I recalled the story of Faust and, consequently, remembered the ever-wonderful Jan Švankmajer had done a version, Lekce Faust, or Lesson Faust. I also haven't reviewed a Švankmajer film in a while (let's just say Alice was terrifying and Conspirators of Pleasure, even more so), so I think it was due time, mmm yes?
Our "Faust" of the story (Petr Čepek) exits the metro when he comes across two men distributing a map with a red marked spot. Ignoring it at first, "Faust" eventually gets curious enough to visit the spot after a supernatural event.
I can't even continue a synopsis because it's really hard to give a serious-sounding explanation of an empty egg inside bread causing a great gust of wind and suddenly our main character being played as if he were a puppet. It's Jan Švankmajer - what do you expect? If you know of the original Faust tale, it won't help much. I watched the film with someone who had seen the 1926 version of Faust, based on the original story from Goethe, and, while some parts were straight from the legend, it really did borrow from some other versions of the story, as well as just Švankmajer's imagination. But I guess you weren't expecting a copy of the Faustus legend since the movie is called Lesson Faust. There's some bit about it just being called Faust, but I like the official English title - it distances it from the original. And I wish I had known this prior to watching the film because I thought it was a version of Faust. Sigh. I guess with having watched Alice, I should have known better.
Now, while the film diverges from the original, that doesn't mean it is bad. Because it isn't. It's a typical Švankmajer film with such creativity I feel absolutely jealous that I don't have such an imagination. The way it goes from a normal plot to a crazy, surreal one is amazing. How "Faust" goes from being one of our characters of our movie to a character in a play being watched by an audience in the film is pretty ingenious. And it does it smoothly, even if it is odd. And really, this is what sells the film. The acting was nothing spectacular, but that's something in Švankmajer's films. You don't really watch it for the acting - you watch it for stop-motion, claymation, the surrealism. Honestly, usually I complain about surrealism because it serves no purpose and is just so cryptic that you don't even understand what's going on. But with Švankmajer's surrealism, you get it. You have to pay attention, but his meanings, his message, is obvious enough that it isn't like the white canvas with the three dots on it at the art show which could mean just about anything. His shorts are obvious in what they're conveying and instead of making you guess, give you the general idea and let you figure it out. And I am so for this, especially since Švankmajer does it so, so well.
Leske Faust is an interesting take on an old legend while combining it with modern life. It can be a bit slow at times and, while the acting is not the best, if you're into surrealism, definitely check it out. And if you haven't heard of Jan Švankmajer, watch a short from him and decide if it's for you. Happy watching!
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