Here's an essay about Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and some things we might see in their movies, as cartoonists:
The films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger can feel foolish---but not in the way bad art feels foolish. Their art is like a very charismatic person---with a lot of important and valuable things to say to you---who often lets a false line slip out. There’s the bit in “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp” where a soldier drives a car with such bravado that he can only look ridiculous. Or the famous last scenes of “Black narcissus”---extreme close ups of Mr. Deans face. And then there’s the bluntness of our hero in “The Small Back Room” being plagued by a visual manifestation of his worst fears---a gigantic beer bottle.
But I can’t imagine anyone with any sensitivity for people or for stories caring about the oddness of these moments---they break any hold Powell and Pressburger have over a “balanced” film, but in turn they break any desire I have for a film being balanced. The garish moments in Powell and Pressburger are products of their daring artistry---and “daring” applies very specifically to Powell and Pressburger. As filmmakers, they didn’t care about embarrassing themselves. In fact, their films seem to say that embarrassment is unavoidable if you’re going to live and make art of any consequence. If you’re going to bring out the shining parts of yourself and show them to others through art, then you will frequently show the less composed parts of yourself as well.
In comics, we tend to reign ourselves in, don’t we? Often, an artist commits to a certain tone and then begins to refine that tone for the rest of their career. But more than that, there’s a hesitancy to go out and declare how one feels about a certain type of behavior---to say “when people act in such-and-such a fashion, I’m moved.” Powell and Pressburger made statements like these over and over again in their films, which lends their work a certain breadth and scope that I so rarely feel in comics.
Their expression can be too naked. In “I Know Where I’m Going” the reveal of Torquil MacNeil’s (played by Roger Livesey) noble ancestry is beyond melo-dramatic. But Livesey’s pride, his strength finally being given its due, renders any foolishness of the dramatics of the moment irrelevant. It’s a thrilling moment of someone expressing what their true worth is and we feel elated for Livesey and perhaps elated for ourselves---happy for whatever is true and worthwhile about our own lives. While I cringe to watch this scene in a theater full of people, it’s as worthwhile a piece of art in my own life as any other.
Powell and Pressburger strove for that scene. A lot of its power comes from their technical prowess and from Livesey’s likeableness. But what separates Powell and Pressburger from countless other films that had a skilled director/skilled actor pairing is their affection for the situation. Powell and Pressburger feel quite keenly what it means for Livesey to reveal to Wendy Hiller that he is in fact the noble son of the island that her wealthy fiancé has rented and misunderstood, They present the moment somewhat ham-fistedly, but it’s a unique kind of affection the filmmakers have for Livesey at that moment---affection often comes off a bit foolishly.
Comics, despite a wave of “sincere” works that were quite popular a decade ago, haven’t learned that kind of easy, lived-in warmth yet. We’ve had our moments, sure, but affection is in embryo with us. The “sincere” comics were largely about the thrill of being an enthusiastic person. A fine start---but it might be time for us to let our guard down. Less painting of ourselves---or, rather, less meticulous rendering of how we want others to see us---and more of an embrace of the wide cast of characters the world offers up. Even if it means saying foolish things and being uneasy about what we’re getting ourselves into.
10 comments:
Gosh this is so exactly what's been on my mind for the past few weeks! The entire idea of 'self expression' as I've conceived it seems really flawed. There is a benefit to being less human, and more corporate - treating characters as characters rather than people. I think those 'sincere' comics are very related to the idea of autobiography in comics, and being 'honest' in those portrayals. I am seeing more and more value in the idea of 'detachment' rather than earnestness, as terrible as that may sound.
But I like earnestness and honesty too. I think maybe that's part of it---some comics that are "honest" come across more as self advertisement---"look how sweet I am!" whereas P and P are more auto-biographical, in a way, since they really tell you how they feel about a character.
Austin,
I nominate both Xaime and Beto Hernandez as representatives of what you're advocating. Seconds go to Jim Woodring for his Frank comics.
I adore xamie and beto, and they are a bit of what Im talking about. but the pleasure I get from them is usually more abut their relentless pursuit of perfection in drawing and storytelling. I LOVE the thrill of that---but the stories themselves, while dear to my heart, are less big in my life then powell/pressburger stories.
i dunno...i love them though. i love penny century era stuff the most from jamie, and i find it hard to say anything bad about beto without feeling like im lying to myself. but, still, there's something in powell/presburger (or in jane bowles, emile zola,etc) that i think we can still take some notes from...
Good piece, Austin.
P&P's Black Narcissus, in particular, is worth studying for the visuals. But it sounds like what you value in P&P is their skill at melodrama -- not in the pejorative sense in which that word is often used, but as a legitimate genre that paints emotion in bright, broad strokes. (The Exorcist, Raising Arizona, and Lord of the Rings could be called melodramas in this latter sense.)
I think some comics succeed in that department. Bone and The Dark Knight Returns come to mind, along with certain story arcs in Terry and the Pirates.
maybe i'm on the wrong page with this one
but i get the feeling they'r use'n the forth wall openly but not breaking it or do'n cinemsverte but are being openly aware of it with us and copping to the fact that your watching a movie and giving us some respect as they'r audience
joke'n around a bit and being fully human with out all the accademic garbage that so many "hot shots" feel they need to put in so they hold up to a creep reviewer
the whole door to another world that sucks you in is a common fantasy among artists and rightly so but not the only way to go
like a tree falling in a forest dose not give a rip if your there or not to hear it
and if you are there it still don't care
too cool
i don't know if i could claim any comics maker as a consistent example of this but that's cool too
since it gives us a new basket to play in
i like tank girl in this way but won't say it's the counterpart of what austin's say'n about P&P
i'm totally gonna peep out more of they'r jams
thanks austin
There aren't a lot of comics that achieve the balance you're talking about Tim - the fine line between self-awareness and going balls out & not giving a shit, but it's something interesting to strive for. It would be difficult for most of us uber-self-conscious guys to be completely "sincere" in the way that, like, some outsider artists (Rudy Ray Moore, for instance, but not Fletcher Hanks, apparently) might appear without seeming willfully naive and bullshit. Music's thorny as hell to get into, but I can think of lots more examples there of bands blurring the binary between honest self-expression and calculated cultural artifact.
That said, I'm aware (after the fact) that I look like an idiot in my blog postings often. I tend to lack circumspection and "go for it" more than I probably should. I reign myself in a lot with comics, though, by employing techniques to make it take even longer than usual to make strips. That way I can leave the good spontaneous eruptions while not embarrassing myself too much. Now to go make a mini in a week!
Oh, and good post Austin!
tim- yes! yeah...i mean, they are so "arty" but it's like "where gonna fade out to a full blue screen here...ok?" you're totally in it with them and get the thrill of it...the thrill they probably had with it. arty but easy to get into but somehow not "dumbed down."
Post a Comment