The Lighthouse new movie by Robert Eggers, director of The Witch*

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by justanotherhifienthusiast, Aug 21, 2019.

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  1. smilin ed

    smilin ed Senior Member

    Location:
    Durham
    Is that the one based on the Flannan Isle poem/story?
     
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  2. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    Yup. Psychological thriller/drama. Circa 1900. Lighthouse. Inexperienced worker/veteran worker. Rising tensions...

    Doesn’t have the supernatural elements of Eggers’ film, but I preferred the more straightforward story. 86% on RT from the critics, though audiences are less enthusiastic.
     
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  3. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    You have the wrong “Vanishing” film. This isn’t the Dutch film from 30 years ago (or the mediocre US remake). Check the trailer I posted and you should see some similarities to the film we’re discussing.
     
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  4. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    I will see the photo delivered to really good monologues and they were nice crazy monologues to but I still felt it didn’t congeal as well as it should’ve
     
  5. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    When I first heard about this film early this year I thought it
    might be the story Edgar Allan Poe left unfinished that Robert
    Bloch completed in 1969:

    The Light-House - Wikipedia

    It's also in a couple of Bloch's short-story paperback collections.
    And yes, there are similarities to Eggers' film only he makes a
    very new and different story out of it in the end.
     
  6. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US

    That should have read: “I will say Willem DaFoe delivered two really good monologues.”
     
  7. MekkaGodzilla

    MekkaGodzilla Forum Resident

    Location:
    Westerville, Ohio
    [​IMG]
     
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  8. TheDailyBuzzherd

    TheDailyBuzzherd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northeast USA
    Rewatched "The VVitch" and found it even more engrossing than in the initial viewing.
    I'd managed to forget some of the more graphic elements and they surpass the horror
    we may find in a, say, Hammer or Amicus production. Of course, those films are now
    over 50 years old.

    I found the ending of "The Lighthouse" a bit enigmatic but satisfying.

    "Never hurt a sea bird."
     
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  9. TheDailyBuzzherd

    TheDailyBuzzherd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northeast USA
    Between this and "The VVitch", I'd say the film that bears the closest
    resemblance is Bergman's "Hour of the Wolf". Same vibe.
     
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  10. thegage

    thegage Forum Currency Nerd

    I saw it last night. Depending on your interpretation it can be seen as having many supernatural elements.

    For example the Proteus/Prometheus connection. Or whether there really was a mermaid. Or if Thomas/Ephraim is caught in some sort of hell where he's forced to relive his life as both his younger and older self at the same time (for example how to read the one scene where Tom/Thomas swap pipe and cigarette; or where it seems to indicate that as Thomas/Ephraim falls down the lighthouse steps he breaks his leg)
     
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  11. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    I just re-read my review of "Witch" and will feel tempted to cut and paste when I review "Lighthouse", as they both play out with similar strengths/weaknesses.

    Best line in the movie:

    Alright, have it your way. I like your cookin'.[/quote]
     
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  12. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    My comment about the lack of supernaturalism was regarding the film “The Vanishing”, which I’d linked to in post 48. I was elaborating on THAT film, per the question in post 51, and pointing out what I felt were a number of similarities to The Lighthouse...
     
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  13. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    The worst part of the film, and which said to me it was a shaky story was the
    mermaid
    who pops up for the equivalent of a jump scare and otherwise served the story little. After the exquisite "The Witch" (what happened to the director of "It Follows," BTW? I liked that film a lot.) I'm calling "The Lighthouse" a sea shanty full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. High quality student film. What propelled the Witch was it naturalism, this went to wild and wacky experimental theater and film and felt like it.
     
  14. TheDailyBuzzherd

    TheDailyBuzzherd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northeast USA

    I preferred to watch the mermaid than any of "Winslow's" wanking.
     
  15. TheDailyBuzzherd

    TheDailyBuzzherd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northeast USA
  16. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    Eggers goes to far with the wanking. Too much screen time is spent on it.
    Wanking precedes supernatural events in the film which may be his way
    of telling us it's 1) all a wet dream or 2) a wet dream is causing it. Or
    something like that. But, the point is, his over-emphasis on wanking is
    a fatal flaw.
     
  17. Solaris

    Solaris a bullet in flight

    Location:
    New Orleans, LA

    "Admit it, yer fond of me lobster!"
     
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  18. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    "Lighthouse" is an art film that often feels like a parody of an art film. It's so freaking overly-dramatic, with lines no human would ever actually utter - such as the Dafoe rant that precedes the quote I offered earlier - that it seems like Eggers is in on the joke.

    Dafoe's B-movie pirate accent seems like a wink, too.

    It's also another "unreliable narrator" tale ala "Joker". We get plenty of cues that a lot of the story doesn't actually take place as seen - and not just stuff like the mermaid.

    I'd kinda like to see Eggers make a movie where he backs off the pretensions. B&W movie with a funky aspect ratio kinda smells of "Trying Too Hard Syndrome".

    That said, it's an interesting movie - weird enough to be provocative but not so oddball that it becomes off-putting...
     
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  19. TheDailyBuzzherd

    TheDailyBuzzherd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northeast USA

    Gross, but not a fatal flaw. Of course mermaids were conjured up
    in the lonely minds of the separated or horny. Which is probably
    what's going on here: The dreams and private musings of the
    individual become reality, not the mermaid, but the violent designs
    building within Winslow. For one, Thomas is on to him and Winslow
    suspects that Thomas is giving him a hard time based upon that
    reference ( intentionally vague as to not spoil ), not just seniority.

    But I suppose those moments made some viewers look at their
    popcorn bucket more than once.
     
  20. TheDailyBuzzherd

    TheDailyBuzzherd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northeast USA

    So you dug it?

    I see your point but I don't think that's what the performers were communicating.
    Remember, the text is informed by well-researched writing, some of it directly
    lifted from notes of antiquity. I think the dialogue absolutely is authentic. People
    still spoke this way, particularly those of such persuasions as light keeping, well
    into The 19th Century. The same rigorous research informed the dialogue of
    "The VVitch" as well. The producers aren't winging the language.
     
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  21. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    The fatal flaw to the story for me is.. the story is pure bullcrap. Nonsense. Let's see: Is it all in Winslow's head? Is it all a wet dream? Are they in Hell? Is Thomas a vengeful sea god?

    Answer: Possibly, maybe, quitely likely... all of the above?

    I knew the story was in trouble everytime Dafoe/Popeye has to spout out exposition and possibilites ("Are we really in Hell?) Gimme a break. Poor writing.
     
  22. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    I don't want to watch movies in which actors wank. I don't want to watch
    wanking period. Not many people pay (in my case) $11 to sit thru a dozen
    episodes of wanking. Not only is it repeatedly and relentlessly vulgar but
    it is also repeatedly and relentless tedious. When the writer has to rely on
    it that much he needs to start thinking about other ways to express his
    story. We know the characters are lonely and frustrated; he doesn't have
    to keep proving it to us over and over again.

    Glad you pointed this out.

    No, they're not winging the dialog. The archaic language is correct to the time
    and place, and vernacular is correct to the vocation. This is one of the things I
    love about Egger's work, thus far: the language.

    I think the film is about 15-20 minutes too long.
     
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  23. TheDailyBuzzherd

    TheDailyBuzzherd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northeast USA

    Holy Smokes! you got off cheap. I paid TWICE that for the abuse.
    Kidding. I hear you, but it does make sense in the context of the
    personalities involved. Winslow has been without for quite some
    time we imagine and Eggers fills us in. But yeah, I closed my eyes.
    Eccch. And Lulz for the performer who has to do it. Well, at least
    he was paid, heh-heh!
     
  24. TheDailyBuzzherd

    TheDailyBuzzherd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northeast USA

    The first time I saw "The VVitch", it was more personal interpretation.
    I'm cool with that. The second time, the story was more literal.

    I enjoy films in which we interpret what the director's served us.
    I also appreciate that American producers are more open to giving
    us bummer endings. For example, "Get Out" had a Hollywood ending.
    Not realistic. In what America would THAT happen?
     
  25. TheDailyBuzzherd

    TheDailyBuzzherd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northeast USA
    Pattinson is featured on Terry Gross' "Fresh Air" today.
     
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