RoweReviews
  • Viewing Log / Reviews
  • Search
  • Ramblings
  • Contact Me

Cleo from 5 to 7 (1963) - Agnes Varda

7/31/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Agnes Varda's Cleo 5 to 7 tells the story of Cleo, a french singer who is on edge while she waits to hear back from her doctor about recent test results.  The film begins at a fortune teller's establishment where we find Cleo desperate to be told everything is alright. The fortune teller does not give her such news, telling Cleo that she sees a complete transformation in the near future which could symbolize death.  Unable to hear anymore, Cleo leaves in a panic, cruising the streets of Paris in an effort to take her mind off of her greatest fear - death.  Cleo 5 to 7 is an expertly well-crafted character study of a vapid woman who begins to slowly realize she is nothing more than a pretty face, merely something to be displayed for her employers' financial benefit.  This is a film about the transformation of Cleo, a vapid, narcissistic woman who is only interested in herself, viewing beauty as the most important thing in life.  Agnes Varda's direction throughout this film is very impressive, making fascinating visual decisions that only aid in elevating the overall themes and emotion of the film.  While Cleo's views and overall narcissism is abundantly clear from dialogue alone, Varda brilliantly takes it one step farther in the early scenes of the film,  using an over-abundance of mirrors to visually symbolize both the narcissistic tendencies of her main protagonist while also signifying the notion that she is simply visual stimulant for society.   Varda uses point-of-view style insert shots to perfection as well, capturing the head-space of Cleo, a woman who believes the world revolves around her.  Taking place around the time of the crisis in Algeria, Varda juxtaposes this crisis with Cleo's mixed up priorities throughout the film, using radio broadcasts, overheard background banter, and of course the soldier.  Cleo's fear of death pushes her to finally wake up from her vapid reality, understanding that there are far more important things in life than appearance.  Towards of the end of the film, Cleo meets this aformentioned soldier, a man who is interested in her thoughts as well as aesthetics.  This man is  headed to Algeria, which effectively closes out the film on both a character and thematic level. 



Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Love of all things cinema brought me here.  

    Archives

    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Viewing Log / Reviews
  • Search
  • Ramblings
  • Contact Me