Iklimler / Climates (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, 2006)

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Don Lope de Aguirre
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:39 pm
Location: London

#1 Post by Don Lope de Aguirre » Tue Jan 23, 2007 6:18 pm

Much to my surprise no one has started a topic on this film -one of the major releases of this/last year- so I thought I'd do that beginning with Franco's reaction:
Climates is my most anticipated film of the year. Perhaps I mounted so high with my expectation, and the only feasible outcome was to fall low with disappointment.

As you must have read in many places, the first season is absolutely stunning, but then Ceylan executes an abrupt shift in tone and rhythm for the second season. The beautiful mise-en-scene gets replaced by verbal excess and an overwhelming number of shots with people (mostly Ceylan himself) grining at the camera. The contemplative tone is overrun by a sudden and baffling necessity for plot. Nevertheless, the purpose of these deviations becomes clear in the final season, which is probably why some people could forgive the strangeness of the middle section. I, however, can't. The narrative gamble for me simply doesn't pay off.

Like some reviewers wrote, Ceylan tries to portray a universal situation. By doing so, the film becomes overly vague, abstract, and somewhat thoughtless. There's nothing here that we haven't seen before. One could gain more by re-watching La Notte and Eyes Wide Shut. The brief episode with the photographer's wife in Uzak is actually more thoughtful than Climates.

A lot of people claim that this is the best-shot film of the year, but save for the first season, I cannot find anything exciting in the remaining hour. What serviced so much in Uzak looks like recycled film stock here. Finally, there's a blatant homage to Antonioni in the last shot. I am sure it's impressive to some people, but to me, it's "what the fuck!"

Let me know if I should have kept silent.
Having just seen it tonight, my initial reaction is much more positive than this although, I think, many of the points you make are valid! Undoubtedly, this is not as good a film as the sublime Uzak and undoubtedly for all the brilliance on display ultimately the film feels a little insubstantial (strangely managing to be simultaneously moving and trite). I still feel, though, that you'd be hard pushed to name many better films in the coming months!

I don't share your view that the film's middle section was verbose - there was a change of pace and style but this suited the subject matter and the location (after all the more languid first and third sections take place away from the hustle of Istanbul).

Ultimately, though, Franco I am not going to argue with you essentially because I think that you are right in much of what you say. My reaction was simply not as polarised as yours...

For those of you who haven't seen it is an interesting and mature film (such a rare quality...) that is very much worth a look...

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Le Feu Follet
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:14 pm
Location: Reading, UK

#2 Post by Le Feu Follet » Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:10 am

I saw this film yesterday with my girl-friend. I liked it, but not as much as many reviewers did. The main protagonist, played by the director, seemed pretty unpleasant all round. I didn't see much point in the film. I was puzzled when my g-f friend didn't agree with me that he was a rapist. What do others think?

I thought the best bit was when he said to the taxi driver 'It would be nice to have someone else in the picture for once.'

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franco
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 7:32 pm
Location: Vancouver

#3 Post by franco » Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:47 pm

Thanks for starting the thread Don Lope! Despite my initial reaction, Climates has stayed with me since, and each time I read an enthusiastic review, I can't help feeling that I should have liked the film more. Perhaps my extremely polarized reaction had something to do with the fact that Uzak is in my top 3 favorite films of all time.

The review that cooled off my disappointment comes from filmbrain, who also listed Climates as his top film from 2006. I really like his comparing Climates with Hong Sang-Soo's movies - mostly about selfish and dysfunctional male characters.

I almost forgot about the bit with the taxi driver. Thanks for reminding us Feu! I will probably get the DVD when it's on sale anyway.

EDIT: January 23?? I can't believe I didn't catch this thread when it started! I feel ashamed.

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Don Lope de Aguirre
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:39 pm
Location: London

#4 Post by Don Lope de Aguirre » Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:32 am

I almost forgot about the bit with the taxi driver.
It reminded me of that wonderful moment in Uzak when he's in the country with his cousin and he sees what would make a great photograph - and then can't be bothered!

I am very surprised to see you guys describe the main character as
pretty unpleasant all round

and (to take slightly out of context)
selfish and dysfunctional
.
This is a trend in virtually all of the reviews I have read and one that, I think, is unfair. Precisely what is brilliant about the characterization is that it is -to a large extent- "realistic" (or should I say recognizable)... This is a guy who is introspective, frustrated, who doesn't know what he wants... I think simply labelling him 'nasty' is reductive. (For God's sake compare him to those moronic characters you see in Scorcese's The Departed a film much praised by members of this forum who really should know better)!
I was puzzled when my g-f friend didn't agree with me that he was a rapist. What do others think?
To be honest, it never crossed my mind. Yes, she was fighting him but it's hardly what you would call reluctance (or resistance)...

Like you Franco, with time this film grows on me too especially when compared to the droves of nonsense out there. I'm surprised (and saddened) that his two previous features are not out on DVD yet...

spencerw
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 7:01 am

#5 Post by spencerw » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:51 am

Don Lope de Aguirre wrote:I'm surprised (and saddened) that his two previous features are not out on DVD yet...
Do you mean The Small Town and Clouds of May? If you do, they have both been released on Turkish DVDs. The transfers are not stellar, but the discs do have English subtitles. Details can be found on Ceylan's webpage.

By the way, the Independent newspaper recently published a piece on Ceylan by Jonathan Romney .

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Don Lope de Aguirre
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:39 pm
Location: London

#6 Post by Don Lope de Aguirre » Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:27 pm

Details can be found on Ceylan's webpage.
Thanks for the info! Maybe it's my work computer but a lot of those links seem to be dead though.

Interestingly, Artificial Eye plan on releasing both Kasaba and Clouds of May (box set) on 28/05/2007... =D>

spencerw
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 7:01 am

#7 Post by spencerw » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:30 pm

Don Lope de Aguirre wrote:Interestingly, Artificial Eye plan on releasing both Kasaba and Clouds of May (box set) on 28/05/2007... =D>
How sure of that are we? I notice that this article from 2004 suggests that the AE boxset was once due out on 28 May 2004. Just coincidence?

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Don Lope de Aguirre
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:39 pm
Location: London

#8 Post by Don Lope de Aguirre » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:47 pm

I sincerely hope it is a coincidence...
Uzak is screened tonight at the NFT, London SE1, and goes on general release on May 28. The Kasaba, Clouds of May and Uzak trilogy are also be released as a boxed DVD set by Artificial Eye.
The text makes no mention of a DVD release date (that I saw). The film itself went on general release on May 28 2004. The DVD box set (according to retailers like Amazon, Play.com etc) is released on 28 May 2007. Nice symmetry...

spencerw
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 7:01 am

#9 Post by spencerw » Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:04 pm

Don Lope de Aguirre wrote:The text makes no mention of a DVD release date (that I saw)
Yes, that's just casual and careless reading letting me down again, alas.

This DVD set has, though, been talked about since Uzak appeared in the UK in 2004. Let's hope it's worth the wait.

AE are distributing Climates in the UK. I guess we shall see a DVD of that from them in the not too distant future. Zeitgeist, I see, has already announced its R1 DVD for sometime this year.

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franco
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 7:32 pm
Location: Vancouver

#10 Post by franco » Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:38 pm

Don Lope de Aguirre wrote:Precisely what is brilliant about the characterization is that it is -to a large extent- "realistic" (or should I say recognizable)... This is a guy who is introspective, frustrated, who doesn't know what he wants... I think simply labelling him 'nasty' is reductive. (For God's sake compare him to those moronic characters you see in Scorcese's The Departed a film much praised by members of this forum who really should know better)!
Please pardon my inappropriate adjectives. I do totally agree that Ceylan's character can be both realistic and recognizable. Well, that's after a few months of rumination, when I finally got over his lack of courtesy in the middle part and his utterly unpleasant decision in the last few minutes. I think his characterization runs a high risk of actually disturbing the viewers, perhaps exactly because his actions make so much sense.

... unlike, as you pointed out, the monkeys in The Departed. Let's not mention that movie no more. It made almost everything I saw last year a masterpiece, including Lady in the Water.

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