MISANTHROPE SEARCHES FOR HEART IN 'INTRUDER'.Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic French director Claire Denis Denis, king of Portugal: see Diniz. ("Beau Travail TRAVAIL. The act of child-bearing. 2. A woman is said to be in her travail from the time the pains of child-bearing commence until her delivery. 5 Pick. 63; 6 Greenl. R. 460. 3. ") has said in interviews that she wants to keep pushing the boundaries of narrative, creating movies that rely simply on images to tell her story. With her latest, the visually ravishing rav·ish·ing adj. Extremely attractive; entrancing. rav  ish·ing·ly adv. and all-but-impenetrable "The Intruder," it's safe to say "mission accomplished." But that's about the only certainty in this baffling baf·fle tr.v. baf·fled, baf·fling, baf·fles 1. To frustrate or check (a person) as by confusing or perplexing; stymie. 2. To impede the force or movement of. n. 1. , beautiful movie. What we do know: There's a misanthropic mis·an·throp·ic adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a misanthrope. 2. Characterized by a hatred or mistrustful scorn for humankind. loner loner Psychiatry A single young man estranged from society and family, who suffers from psychogenic pain, and tends to live 'on the edge', vacillating between aggression and depression; loners often have unrealistic goals, but are unable to work towards those goals named Louis (Michel Subor) living in a forest home on the French - Swiss border. The physically robust Louis is a back-to- nature kind of guy, roaming the woods in his birthday suit, playing with his dogs,taking leisurely swims in the lake. During one of these interludes, Louis suffers a mild heart attack, confirming what he already knows - he's not long for this world, and no amount of exercise or right living can stem the inevitable. This sets Louis on a journey, described by Denis, around "the curve of the Earth." Louis needs a new heart, but he also needs something approaching closure or, perhaps, like Sam Shepard's lost cowboy in "Don't Come Knocking," he needs a sense of homethat has been missing all these years. Who knows? You could pick any number of meanings from Denis' surreal pageant of images. Louis' mission takes him first to Korea, then to Tahiti. Given the movie's title, it's worth noting the number of scenes in which nature and/or cultures are violated, not to mention the obvious fact that Louis' new heart is an alien organ in his own body, and this foreign element doesn't seem too fond of its new home. Foreignness has always been a big theme in Denis' films. It's probably best not to go into any preconceptions. Just let the characters' expressions and the sensual images wash over you (mind-altering substances optional), while Stuart Staples' music messes with your mental equilibrium. The movie's last image sums its effect and (perhaps) intent up as well as anything: actress Beatrice Dalle, wild and crazy and oozing oozing exudation of fluid. sex (as always), blasting through a snowy landscape, pulled by a team of wild dogs, laughing maniacally, alive - for the moment, in the moment - and running from the devil. Glenn Whipp, (818) 713-3672 glenn.whipp(at)dailynews.com THE INTRUDER - Three stars (Not rated: sex, nudity; disturbing, violent images) Starring: Michael Subor, Beatrice Dalle. Director: Claire Denis. Running time: 2 hr. 10 min. Playing: Landmark's Nuart Theatre in West Los Angeles
In a nutshell: Beautiful but baffling film continues French filmmaker Claire Denis' look at foreignness in a sensual world. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: BEATRICE DALLE |
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