Sunday, March 21, 2010

反基督?反理性?──《失落伊甸園》

拉茲馮特艾爾(Lars von Trier)的《失落伊甸園》( Antichrist )究竟是否 misogynistic 似乎是個熱門話題。不見得片中包含女人自殘和張狂的性愛場面就是 misogynistic 和折磨女演員吧?看高達那種愛女人又認定女人等於不忠無腦飄忽兼會害死自己(或者巴望對方慘死)才叫 misogyny 。而我始終認為最侮辱女演員和女性的電影,一定是《巴黎最後探戈》( Last Tango in Paris )。《失落伊甸園》只是很忠實地拍攝一個女人迷亂崩潰的狀態,一切皆為必須,我絲毫看不到為折磨而折磨。

影片其實簡單不過,夏綠蒂甘斯堡( Charlotte Gainsbour g)與威廉笛福( Willem Dafoe )的幼兒在他們激烈做愛時墮樓死亡,甘斯堡嚴重内疚抑鬱,笛福希望用專業精神科知識拯救她。甘斯堡在自由聯想時總喃喃訴說夫婦在山間的小屋,他便帶她遷入山林深處,在這裡,最深層的秘密終於漸漸揭開,而且事態不可收拾……馮特艾爾泡製了一個夢魘般的人間地獄。

笛福並沒有嘗試了解甘斯堡的狀態,只一概宣判為非理性(其實她怎會不知那是非理性?問題是,她需要的不只是裁判),希望用理性的力量征服她(他的用詞是「幫助」她),甘斯堡則以女性本能,也是感情、感性的本能一直對抗。

甘斯堡在康城影展的訪問說,覺得自己演的就是馮特艾爾。事實上,本片怎麼看都是以女性的聲音──或者「感性」的聲音,與代表理智與秩序的男性聲音抗衡。當然除了感性,也絕對是抑鬱症、驚恐症病人的聲音,馮特艾爾通過甘斯堡一語道出了抑鬱症、驚恐症最困擾的地方:我們根本不知道促使我們憂鬱、恐懼的是甚麼,而且完全控制不了,外人的理性分析,也一點幫不上忙。我懷疑未曾有過這種經歷的觀眾,很自然地把甘斯堡看成一個瘋癲女人,甚至惡魔,因而會有 misogyny 的說法。

為甚麼山林小屋這麼重要?除了是另一件創傷事故發生的地方,它更是甘斯堡意識深處的象徵,甘斯堡的深層意識在這裡甦醒,正象徵女人與自然的精神感通;某晚笛福與甘斯堡玩角色互換,甘斯堡便稱呼笛福──即自己──為「自然」(Mr Nature),就連笛福在山林裡遇到的動物──後來的「三丐」,也都是陰性的象徵:正在產子的母鹿、自舔傷口的狐狸、洞穴中的烏鴉(而他面對三獸的態度,則是漠然、恐懼及冷血)。認為女性更屬於大地,屬於天然,這是馮特艾爾對女性聲音的擁抱。

「回歸」自然後,脆弱的女人竟成了危險的女人,變得歇斯底里且兇殘,是恐怖片慣有的橋段,但《失落伊甸園》當然志不在此,它關心的是甘斯堡的精神狀態。所謂「兇殘」,其實並不貼切,因為入山林後她已進入潛意識狀態,做事不分動機,也不是有計劃地進行殘害或報復,只是出於本能地反抗加諸她的批判和壓逼,所以片中她殘害笛福的行為,可解,又不可解,可以憑感情理解,不可憑理智解釋。笛福的舉動(殺妻)才是真正的報復和兇殘,因為他一直是理智的(而且出奇的冷靜)──這當然亦順手顛覆了恐怖片「毀滅惡魔」的公式。當然你也可以從精神分析角度看:甘斯堡因過度內疚將自己想像成兒子,因而自殘性器,傷害丈夫,引他殺害自己作報復。但我認為這些都不可能是影片的終極解讀。

上文提到本片是以感性的聲音抗衡理性的支配,也提到馮特艾爾擁抱女性聲音,卻並不代表感性一定比理性正面,一如理性不一定比感性正面;感性發展至極端,便成歇斯底里。這個世界其實一直是這兩種力量的互相抗衡,而感性一直處於下風,本片的三個章節,其實也就是以女人為代表的感性之歷程:悲傷( Grief ),但得不到理解,反而遭否定、因而痛苦至迷亂( Pain (Chaotic Reigns) ),最終還是以絕望、被扼殺告終( Despair (Gynocide) )。

中世紀教會焚燒女巫是基於恐懼和排他,將異教徒或質疑教會的人宣判為女巫。在《失落伊甸園》裡,笛福也基於恐懼、排斥歇斯底里以及不理解妻子而殺妻;本片名為反基督,也是反以拯救者自居的男人,或理性。這一則寓言好玩的是,假如觀衆認為甘斯堡是邪惡的女人,那麼小心,導演反的正是你!

(原載香港電影評論學會網頁)



Thursday, March 18, 2010

則為你如花美眷,似水流年......

則為你如花美眷,似水流年......



Tuesday, March 16, 2010

In an Artist's Studio

One face looks out from all his canvases,
One selfsame figure sits or walks or leans:
We found her hidden just behind those screens,
That mirror gave back all her loveliness.
A queen in opal or in ruby dress,
A nameless girl in freshest summer-greens,
A saint, an angel - every canvas means
The same one meaning, neither more nor less.
He feeds upon her face by day and night,
And she with true kind eyes looks back on him,
Fair as the moon and joyful as the light:
Not wan with waiting, not with sorrow dim;
Not as she is, but was when hope shone bright;
Not as she is, but as she fills his dream.

- Christina Georgina Rossetti



Monday, March 15, 2010

戀物與自戀──《單身男人》

(我看《單身男人》當然是為了 Colin Firth ,不過坦白說 Colin Firth 欠缺神采,我甚至不認為他夠資格做影帝......)

假如要以一個形容詞概括《單身男人》,那必然是「自戀」。

故事簡單直接:中年教授在同居十六年的同性情人身亡後,頓覺失卻生存意義,寂寞無處排遣,雖然有摯友扶持,身邊也有其他男子出現,仍暗暗決定了結殘生……沒有千迴百轉的相思,沒有切烈的悲痛,也沒有曖昧纏綿的情慾,就是調情、接吻都簡潔、節制,總知一切乾淨,抽離。

影片格局恰如哥連卓夫一身熨貼的西裝,工整得有點過份,劇情比較習作式,包含起承轉合;而美術、攝影、構圖、當然特別是服裝陳設,則全都一絲不苟。影片的美術經營一如 Tom Ford 的時尚觸覺,別具格調且無可挑剔,因此場面亦幾近賞心悦目的超班時尚廣告,對「物」的戀慕俯拾皆是,樹叢中的玻璃屋、平治房車、時鐘、眼鏡、香煙、火機、西裝、領帶、女人的洋裝濃妝與嘴唇,甚至手鎗等等的蒙太奇,優雅簡潔而不俗艷,比男性胴體更具挑逗意味。

當然,Tom Ford 的電影美學亦有獨到之處,他沒有耽於唯美,鏡頭也沒有故弄玄虛,反而傾向低調,以一部初試啼聲的首作來看,一切都算是恰到好處。佐治下課後駕車離開學校,畫面正有點《迷魂紀》的味道,汽車便停泊在一幅巨型的《觸目驚心》海報跟前,女主角珍妮李的半張臉呈海藍色涵蓋了整個畫面,便是異色懾人的一幕,也呼應後來佐治在浴室的一場戲,是別出心裁的致敬。

影片前半段以淡色調拍攝,酷似脫色的六十年代菲林,目的自然是襯託佐治乾涸的内心──只有在與情人阿占相對時,影片的燈光方温潤起來,佐治也才見血色。王家衞的《花樣年華》以現代人的眼光想像六十年代的人情與情慾,色彩瑰麗誇張,《單身男人》在這方面則更貼近當時人的眼光,極力重塑一種更寫實的懷舊。不過這種對時代氛圍的掌握,只停留在視覺上:影片的背景是古巴飛彈危機時期,亦是存在主義流行的時代,影片算是在校園發生,然而美國社會瀰漫的虛無感,其實拍得蜻蜓點水。特別的是,佐治與學生堅尼在海灘夜泳時,因為佐治心態豁然開朗,不但燈光回復活力,演員的氣質神態也脫離了身處的時代,時空儼然忽爾拉到現代,也許是一種永恆的表示。

雖然《單身男人》的重點不是同性愛,甚至不是愛情,就如 Tom Ford 所言,是人所共有寂寞與疏離,然而「情」還是劇情肌理很重要一環,偏偏這亦是影片最弱的地方。正因為 Tom Ford 對畫面鋪排的一絲不苟,及潔癖一般的偏執,佐治與阿占相對的場面便似硬照般生硬拘謹,兩個男人各有各表現自己的魅力,缺乏情感交流,他們邂逅時缺少激情,日常生活的點滴中也不見共渡十六年的溫馨與默契;後來佐治邂逅西班牙美男子、與學生共渡一宵,亦欠缺火花,不覺銷魂,與《魂斷威尼斯》那種焦渴,貪戀,艷羨與執迷,不能同日而語。佐治擁抱的其實是他自己──或許應該說,Tom Ford 只是陶醉於塑造哥連卓夫飾演的佐治,或這個潔淨、矜貴、講究、有教養(假如同時帶點憂鬱)的中年男人形像(一如他自己?)。

影片最動人的,反而是佐治與舊情人夏莉的知心。兩人喝醉後細說前塵,翩翩起舞,他對她體貼入微,是片中最親蜜(intimate)的時光(當然亦暗帶男同志的刻薄:女人?我可以對你溫柔,然而就是不愛你),彼此完全坦誠,兼有一種放任的享樂精神──我必須申報,這並非因為我是女觀衆,而正正因為這一段沒有誘人的小伙子,只有一個失婚婦人,Tom Ford 似乎無須刻意經營演員們的坐姿、方位、表情、語調,正好成就一種自然美。夏莉雖然被身為同志的Tom Ford 刻劃為一個可悲(pathetic)的女人,她的陰性(femininity)卻絕對滋潤了影片。

說起上來,這部同志導演拍的同志戲,竟然不覺陰柔。同性戀本來有自戀的特質:對自身的戀慕,投射到情人身上;《單身男人》的基味,大抵就在自戀。

(連 Ebert 也說,這樣[自戀]的人才不會自殺 such a man will never kill himself 。弔詭的是, Tom Ford 的主角最終未赴黃泉,倒是 Alexander McQueen 先行一步。我就覺得他比較是性情中人,果然......RIP)

(原載香港電影評論學會網頁)



Saturday, March 13, 2010

淡極始知花更艷。

淡極始知花更艷。



Friday, March 05, 2010

Tasmania a Wild Peace-land

一到埗,便愛上 Tasmania 。

Tasmania 是澳洲南部的一個島,自成一角,並不是熱門的旅遊地區,我稱之為未被旅遊業污染的世外,保留著它獨有的質樸和粗野,我希望它一直如此,因為它將會是我們日後常到的地方。

I fall in love with Tasmania immediately.

Tasmania is a lovely island in the South of Australia, staying in is splendid isolation from the overwhelming influence of tourism because it is not among the most popular tourist spots. Not just some countryside but a wild land that retains its rusticity and naturalness. I wish it would always retain such beauty because it will be the place we are going to visit from time to time.




有點像電影裡看過的美國西部,天與地連成一綫,一丁點城市氣息都沒有(除了一兩個港口附近比較大規模的市鎮),只有烈日當空、大片的平原、罌粟田、稻麥田、不修邊幅的車道—— Tim 的父親 Moss 特意不走高速公路,好讓我多看自然風景——、路上常會見到被撞斃或野獸噬咬過的動物屍骸,他們稱之為 Road Kills 。 Tim 的父母05年初次來渡假,一見傾心,當即買下一塊地,連同一大片樹林, Moss 親自建了一座小屋(!),每年到那裡小住三兩月。小屋位處山上,面向廣闊的草原和農地,寧靜的 Mountain Roland 座落遠方,守護著這一片風景。屋外鳥聲蟲鳴不絕,晚上還會有野兔、刺蝟、負鼠、沙袋鼠和貓頭鷹四出活動;晚飯後把骨頭丟到屋外,第二天起來已不知所蹤。

Just like the landscapes I saw in some Western movies, there is no trace of city/urban life at all (except perhaps one or two major towns). All that we have are enormous plains, opium fields, wheat fields right below the high noon, alongside the rough and sometimes twisty roads – Tim’s father Moss stayed away from the highways on purpose so that I can enjoy more views - , and road kills are but a casual view you catch every day. Tim’s parents went to Tasmania for the first time in 2005 and fell in love with the place immediately that they bought a piece of land on a hill with a handsome little forest. Moss built a house with his own effort (!) and they travelled down to Tassie for vacations every year. Every morning I woke up to be greeted by a beautiful view of plains, lawns, trees and farmlands with the tranquil Mountain Roland standing at the far end, looking after this beautiful view. The birds’ chirping and the insects’ chanting composed an enjoyable piece of music all through the day and when night fell, little rabbits, echidnas, possums, wallabies and even owls would creep out to enjoy the millions of silver-white stars, if also the food and the bones we left in the bushes, with us.

屋外風景

傍晚(還是清早?),另一景像

屋外的樹林

屋外的樹林



初到埗的黃昏,我們坐在游廊上吃芝士,喝Tim 買的香檳,看日落,我想起普魯斯特在到到巴爾貝克(Balbec)的火車上看到的平靜鄉郊風景。普魯斯特常提到 veranda ,他看海濱少女,他的 Albertine 的地方,我一直當作是陽台,這次去 Tasmania 和 Brisbane ,看過他們的房子,終於知道 veranda ——通常是客廳外有蓋的游廊,在日本房子也常見。有些人家會在游廊封上玻璃窗,變得密不透風,明顯我們並不喜歡那樣做。怎麼捨得把空氣與樹木的氣味,午後的陽光排除在外?在最自然的地方寫作、看書、吃茶、看風景,是我們的 luxury。

We sat at the veranda on the first evening and watched the sunset while enjoying good cheese and Jacob’s Creek rose champagne (which becomes one of my favourite). The view reminds me of Proust’s account of the country views he saw on the train to Balbec. Veranda, veranda is one of Proust’s favorite place in his beloved Balbec where he often settles to look at the shadow of young girls in flower, his Albertine…. Due to my limited experience and exposure I used to imagine a veranda to be something sort of a balcony, only to learn what it is after this trip to Tasmania and Brisbane. Some people like to cover up the veranda with glass windows but Moss and Elsie’s houses all have “open” verandas which are exactly the way Tim and I enjoy. The smell of the air and the bushes and the natural sunlight make it an ideal place for tea, reading, writing or simply being idle.

Tasmania 的氣候變幻莫測,今天萬里無雲,碧日晴空,第二天早上起來卻可以變得濃霧氤氳。那兒的霧卻是清新的,一點不覺霧靄沉沉——或許因為我們身處的地勢高,有一種朦朧的仙氣,那霧濃得觸手可及,四野淡白,美得令人出神。

Weather in Tasmania is capricious, ranging from a chilly cold like the day we arrived to a sweating heat in the day that follows, and one morning after a fine bright day we woke up to find ourselves in the midst of a thick fog gently pervading from the veranda and balcony. Unlike that in London (or in Hong Kong recently) which often conjures up melancholy, the fog - perhaps due to our location in a highland- was light and poetic, and it evokes a celestial lightheartedness.

我們在 Tasmania 住了八天。 Moss 每天駕著一輛七十年代的 Kingswood 汽車,帶我們穿越 Tassie 北部近十個小鎮。 Kingswood 令我興奮的是前座可坐三人,Moss 讓我坐在中間,兩個可愛的男人—— Tim and Moss 在我兩旁, Elsie 則在後排。每個小鎮都有它的特色,規模都很小,只有基本的士多、雜貨店、餐聽,賣日常食品用品,絕對絕對沒有 luxuries 。當然也有一些賣紀念品的店鋪,也有各種古董店,玻璃彩繪店,而且貨品價值不菲,不過你不會見到旅遊城市排山倒海的商業味。

During our 8 days of stay, Moss drove an old Kingswood (which captured me at first sight) to drive us across more than 10 towns in Northern Tasmania. As if in a movies in the 60’s or the 70’s, I was so spoilt they let me sit at the front with two lovely men at both sides, whereas Elsie reigned the back and impressed us all the time with her wits. Moss was a sweet husband he always asked if Elsie is doing fine at the back. Shops are minimal in towns, selling mostly daily necessities and luxuries have absolutely no place here (YEAH). Of course, there are shops selling souvenirs and Moss and Elsie had brought us to some really fascinating novelty shops, murano shops and antique shops where the prices are HIGH, but like I said, there is hardly any disturbing harassment of commercialization and consumerism.





兩老本來有意思把小屋賣掉,已經跟地產商接洽,不過見我玩得這樣興奮,他們說,現在不賣了!

And the most exciting news being, Moss and Elsie has given up their idea of selling this lovely lovely house!

接下來再按圖寫一點點。待續。
To be continued with more stories with pictures.