THE GRADUATE (Mike Nichols, 1967, USA) Benjamin Braddock is about to graduate from teenager into the static adulthood of his listless parents, a prisoner who is emotionally overwhelmed by annoying prattle; a young man about to become a slave to conformity. Ben doesn’t want his parent’s lifestyle because he doesn’t know exactly what he wants, but that doesn’t stop everyone from telling him what he should desire: a trophy wife, a high-paying job, and all the physical trappings of material success. Director Mike Nichols begins the film as Benjamin literally comes down to earth in a daze, his fish tank a backdrop to his tired visage metaphorically implying his drowning personality, while his parents fully eclipse his identity. Nichol’s montage editing is outstanding as he quickly allows himself to become seduced by the drunken (but gorgeous) Mrs. Robinson: images of Ben floating in his pool are cut to him lounging on her bed, or his jumping on his plastic raft cuts quickly to him mounting her slender physique. Ben is under the illusion that he has regained control of his life, floating above the water instead of submerged in the abyssal depths: he is still dependent on compressed air and filtered from the world in an armored suit, his spear gun nothing more than showpiece. As his resentment grows, his affair becomes tenuous and he realizes he has been consumed by the voracious appetite of an older women, who denies him Elaine…the love he so desperately desires. THE GRADUATE is about rebellion, fighting back and chasing a dream, and Benjamin pursues Elaine with hope of a future but she is disgusted with his perverse affair with her mother. But Elaine’s epiphany is realized at the last moment as she sees through to harsh reality; as Ben screams her name from above, her own parents and fiancé are vicious caricatures baring fangs and hatred. As Ben and Elaine run away together, neither suspects that their future will be together: Nichols doesn’t show them kiss or embrace, only a thousand yard stare into the unknown. The yellow public bus looks like a school bus as it disappears, Ben and Elaine framed in the back window, implying they have much yet to learn. (A)
It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem really real when you viddy them on the screen.
Monday, June 22, 2009
THE GRADUATE (Mike Nichols, 1967, USA) Benjamin Braddock is about to graduate from teenager into the static adulthood of his listless parents, a prisoner who is emotionally overwhelmed by annoying prattle; a young man about to become a slave to conformity. Ben doesn’t want his parent’s lifestyle because he doesn’t know exactly what he wants, but that doesn’t stop everyone from telling him what he should desire: a trophy wife, a high-paying job, and all the physical trappings of material success. Director Mike Nichols begins the film as Benjamin literally comes down to earth in a daze, his fish tank a backdrop to his tired visage metaphorically implying his drowning personality, while his parents fully eclipse his identity. Nichol’s montage editing is outstanding as he quickly allows himself to become seduced by the drunken (but gorgeous) Mrs. Robinson: images of Ben floating in his pool are cut to him lounging on her bed, or his jumping on his plastic raft cuts quickly to him mounting her slender physique. Ben is under the illusion that he has regained control of his life, floating above the water instead of submerged in the abyssal depths: he is still dependent on compressed air and filtered from the world in an armored suit, his spear gun nothing more than showpiece. As his resentment grows, his affair becomes tenuous and he realizes he has been consumed by the voracious appetite of an older women, who denies him Elaine…the love he so desperately desires. THE GRADUATE is about rebellion, fighting back and chasing a dream, and Benjamin pursues Elaine with hope of a future but she is disgusted with his perverse affair with her mother. But Elaine’s epiphany is realized at the last moment as she sees through to harsh reality; as Ben screams her name from above, her own parents and fiancé are vicious caricatures baring fangs and hatred. As Ben and Elaine run away together, neither suspects that their future will be together: Nichols doesn’t show them kiss or embrace, only a thousand yard stare into the unknown. The yellow public bus looks like a school bus as it disappears, Ben and Elaine framed in the back window, implying they have much yet to learn. (A)
