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As a reflection of Varda's life lived in various places near the sea, the film opens on a beach where Varda and young crew is setting up mirrors. Some reflect the sea, some the shore and dunes, some reflect other mirrors--and create the layering effect that is also a great metaphor for memories. Varda also walks backward through many of the early scenes as a visual symbol of traveling back in time. It's an interesting journey, with footage from her films as well as behind-the-scenes shots. She was the only woman filmmaker linked with the group called The French New Wave (Resnais, Godard, Truffault), and shared some of their esthetic philosophy although not necessarily their fame, clout, and bankability. She has a remarkable sense of place, even for southern California, where she lived for a time with her husband, Jacques Demy. Les Plages d'Agnes (French title) seems to echo Demy's La Baie des Anges (The Bay of Angels, 1963). She combines this connection to physical space with a wonderful whimsy that feels lighter and less cerebral than the surrealism of some of her male counterparts. The final sequence of The Beaches of Agnes has a surprise that creates an interesting bookend to the opening scene's multiple mirrored images. In between, memorable bits include a public spectacle of jousting from platforms on boats, Varda filling the street in front of her Paris studio with sand, and Varda celebrating the new small-form video cameras by filming one hand with a camera in the other. It's in French with subtitles. Easily one of this reviewer's favorite films.Read full review
Agnes Vardas at work; a remarkable eye! One of the greatest film makers and photographers of the last hundred years.This film of Agnes Vardas/about Agnes Vardas. Genius.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
One of the best directors!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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