Le Jetee

Le Jetee is my favorite movie that we have watched in class this year. Directed by Chris Marker in 1962. This film was obviously different than any other we had watched previously. Shot almost completely in photographs (except for one scene in which “the woman” opens her eyes), the film portrays a disturbing view of the future. Everyone lives underground, which reminded me of the vegetarians in Delicatessen and a race of German scientists are controlling everything. Like many other films we have watched, WWII seems to be a major influence on the creative minds of the directors of the films. People who lived through this time period were genuinely afraid for the future of the world. It is instances such as these, or national droughts, or any traumatic experience, that I see as a catalyst for these films. I thought that the movie also was creative in its concept of time travel. The full circle ending was not expected and I enjoyed it very much. I feel as though the director made past, present, and future, all appear bleak in their own separate ways. The past seemed to be mummified and holding onto an even farther past. The present was dark and depressing. The future was desolate and emotionless. The only points of happiness in the movie are in memories. I feel like the point the director is trying to say is that memories can be powerful but we cannot ignore the present, we have to make do with what we are given. We cannot live in the past.