Daily Movie Rec 7/12/2023
Wittgenstein (1993)
"To imagine a language is to imagine a form of life. It's what we do and who we are that gives meaning to our words."
Directed by: Derek Jarman
Cinematography by: James Welland
Country: United Kingdom/Japan
Plot:
A good-humored biopic examining the brilliance and rather tortured genius of the esteemed Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein as he attempts to understand the limits and gaps in human communication.
Reasons to watch:
From threadbare sets in Edward II (1991) to a complete absence of sets in Wittgenstein, Jarman continued to reduce form as his impending death crept closer and closer. Wittgenstein is little more than actors and props set against a black void, almost as if the characters themselves are navigating a liminal afterlife beyond our own, trying to make sense of it all, even in death. And by stripping away the inessentials, Jarman forces the viewer to focus on Wittgenstein's cerebral and exacting theories - a rare but satisfying treat to see the impressionist director forefronting thoughts over emotion (he's very good at both). Ultimately, the eponymous philosopher becomes a vehicle for Jarman to confront life's finality, muse on humanity's unending struggle to understand each other in an absurd and often confusing existence, and come to peace with what one leaves behind.
The Criterion Channel/Mubi/Kanopy
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