The Beaches of Agnes

I have come to love the Royal Cinema.(608 College St.) It is almost guaranteed that any film that plays here is noteworthy. I actually didn’t even know what this film was about. The Royal Cinema is in the midst of ‘Little Italy.’ You step outside of the theatre and you are in the midst of a dozen restaurants all lively and offering great food. The street has a beat. Red Pegasus is a gift shop just west of the cinema. I always stop in here for a look and I always find some little piece of jewelry that is creative, colorful and inexpensive.

The film was a delight and so informative. Agnes Varda is a brilliant French director. This retrospective documentary is a film made by Agnes herself. What a colorful character!

Her hairdo remains the same throughout the film but the color often changes. She wears very bohemian clothes and looks very much like the artiste that she is. We learn a lot about her childhood from photos and her story. She uses the photos in creative ways in order to tell her story. In her early days she introduces us to some of the actors with whom she worked. Pictures of a very young Depardiieu were very funny. Harrison Ford tells the audience that he was advised to forget being an actor because he had no talent

At various times throughout the film we see Agnes walking backward. I suppose this is the symbolic gesture of her going back in time to tell her story.

Much of her work centers on beaches. We visit beaches in California and in Europe. In one scene she arranges mirrors in the sand around the beach. We are able to see the action through the mirrors. It is a unique way of filming. For one of her films she actually sets up a beach in front of her house. The street is covered with sand and you would believe you are on the beach. Only when the camera strays do you realize that the filming is all taking place with a one block area.

Jacques Demy was also a famous director in France. Agnes and Jacques were married. We see their two children when they are very young. We meet them again as adults. Jacque dies of aids and you feel the pain felt by Agnes.

The cinematography is so unusual and quite magnificent. My only complaint is that the picture needs a bit of editing. There is so much factual information thrown at the audience. It is fascinating but too much to take in. I think a little editing would have improved this film. It truly is a one of a kind art film.