Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

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zedz
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Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#1 Post by zedz » Mon Nov 04, 2019 4:35 pm

nitin wrote:
Mon Nov 04, 2019 2:45 am
I had never seen Neomie Merlant in anything before this and was utterly transfixed on every little thing she did, it was like a Moreauesque performance (and coincidentally having just seen Moreau bewitch her way through Malle’s The Lovers a few days ago, I don’t think I am reaching too far).
This reminds me that a couple of days after I saw Adele Haenel in [Portrait de la jeune fille en feu], I saw her in the absolutely bonkers Deerskin, which gave me a serious case of aesthetic whiplash.

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domino harvey
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Re: Le daim (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#2 Post by domino harvey » Sun Nov 10, 2019 6:05 pm

I think three subsequent thread splits may be a record! Le daim is indeed quite bizarre, but plays its weirdness straight. Though it is a fool's errand to ever truly guess what Cahiers will praise, I imagine this one will be featuring in their contributors' year end top ten, what with the constant self-reflexivity of Jean Dujardin's "filmmaker" documenting with a small digital camcorder his quest to eradicate the world of jackets other than his own. I don't know if the film has US distribution yet (though I just Googled it and it will be playing the AFI in Silver Spring in December as part of their European showcase fest, for any DC-area members), but I can see this getting a Scream Factory treatment since the film unexpectedly turns into a
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slasher movie in the back half, climaxing in the unforgettable sight of a deered-up Dujardin gallivanting through the small provincial town carving up jacket-wearers with a sharpened ceiling fan blade
You have to give props to two of the biggest stars in France, Dujardin and Haenel, for taking the leap of faith to star in such a strange exercise as this. I've read some complaints that the film is too slight, but I wish more films had such a succinct clarity of vision-- I don't think the film needed to be any longer than the 76 minutes it is, and I wish more modern films erred in this direction rather than the Lav Diaz one

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knives
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Re: Le daim (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#3 Post by knives » Sun Nov 10, 2019 6:25 pm

Sounds like typical Dupieux nonsense which is something I like.

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swo17
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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#4 Post by swo17 » Sun Nov 10, 2019 6:36 pm

Same here

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lzx
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Re: Le daim (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#5 Post by lzx » Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:45 pm

This happened to be my first Dupieux, and I had a blast, though I suppose it represents his off-kilter style very well and wouldn't convert anyone who dislikes the sensibility (roughly a third of the audience walked out of my screening before things got truly crazy). Its length is certainly an asset, as is Dujardin and Haenel's perverse chemistry. One thing that really tickled me was how Haenel's character initially comes across as an ingénue who totally falls under the manipulations of Dujardin's character, only for her to
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reveal at the end that she knows him to be a sham all along -- though what she hopes to gain from this parasitic relationship is never explained!
The film does have US distribution; Greenwich plans to give it a theatrical run early next year.
domino harvey wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 6:05 pm
I wish more modern films erred in this direction rather than the Lav Diaz one
Having seeing this and The Halt within days of each other, I couldn't agree more.

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therewillbeblus
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Re: Le daim (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#6 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Nov 11, 2019 3:07 am

lzx wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:45 pm
One thing that really tickled me was how Haenel's character initially comes across as an ingénue who totally falls under the manipulations of Dujardin's character, only for her to
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reveal at the end that she knows him to be a sham all along -- though what she hopes to gain from this parasitic relationship is never explained!
I took this to be a similar kind of urge to be seen or to obtain and hold onto a sense of purpose in a meaningless world.
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Her willingness to go along with the whole scheme and with gusto, throwing away tons of money, time, and allow herself to be lied to, simply to be given an opportunity to engage in her passion matches his obsession to be unique. The complete self-focus exists in both characters, his with vanity and hers with a purpose of her own in step with each other on the same plain of narcissistic personality. There isn’t much to go on regarding the rest of the world as tonally ‘off’ except for the hotel manager nonchalantly disclosing the suicide and presenting as numb to socially acceptable behavior, but that was enough for me to see this as a kind of alternate- or more aptly, exaggerated- reality. It’s also significant that despite Dujardin‘s vanity, he shoos off all followers, from the prostitute, to the boy following him, and even Haenel, as if he wants to be special and seen but when this actually occurs he retreats as the fantasy is flooded with his true antisocial nature. At the end when she ignores his dead body, takes the jacket and films herself, Haenel only shows affect in her solipsism when she is doing the shooting and as she sees herself as the subject with his jacket on and becomes important in a new way. What elevated everything for me as icing on the cake was the final reveal that, despite our attention throughout the narrative on his bizarre behavior, Dujardin is actually not alone or special in this absurd egotistical mindset and this only accentuated the joke of the film.

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#7 Post by swo17 » Sat Jan 04, 2020 2:58 pm

I love this movie so much. I want it to be the only movie that exists

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therewillbeblus
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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#8 Post by therewillbeblus » Sat Jan 04, 2020 3:11 pm

swo17 wrote:
Sat Jan 04, 2020 2:58 pm
I love this movie so much. I want it to be the only movie that exists
Sorry, only I can see it. Please get rid of your copy.

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swo17
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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#9 Post by swo17 » Sat Jan 04, 2020 3:15 pm

Alright, fine. Would you also like all of my money?

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#10 Post by therewillbeblus » Sat Jan 04, 2020 3:37 pm

Nope just the movie, I already have an Adèle Haenel

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swo17
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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#11 Post by swo17 » Sat Jan 04, 2020 3:55 pm

This hasn't worked out like it did in my head

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#12 Post by therewillbeblus » Sat Jan 04, 2020 4:04 pm

Same, I was thrown off by the money line but tried to adapt

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swo17
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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#13 Post by swo17 » Sat Jan 04, 2020 4:23 pm

In all seriousness this is exactly the kind of movie I could see myself making if someone would just give me a Camcorder already. The absurdism is so broad it could fit as an allegory for any number of narratives (addiction, political ideologies, how we find meaning in life) and the satire just lands. As has been said it certainly doesn't wear out its welcome, though I could've watched 5 hours of this

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#14 Post by therewillbeblus » Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:09 pm

The existential reading of meaning coupled with psychology of the perception of the isolated is the one that comes easiest but you’re right that its broadness is the strength that allows for both a black hole of analysis and just a wild good time. Addiction isn’t something I considered before, but the destructive behavior and analogy of taking casualties under a blanket obstruction of solipsism fits in the realm of the active addict’s profile and the psychology fits what’s already been said, so I’m intrigued by that reading.

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#15 Post by swo17 » Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:13 pm

Or it could just be a movie about a really sick-looking jacket

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therewillbeblus
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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#16 Post by therewillbeblus » Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:28 pm

Well what’s more meaningful than killer style

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Slaphappy
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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#17 Post by Slaphappy » Sun Jan 05, 2020 6:36 am

I love the relaxed ease of Dupieux’s film making and how his movies breeze past effortlessly. Deerskin is his most thematically solid work so far and still only the ending seemed just slightly forced scriptwise. It boils down the Truman Show syndrome to it’s bare essence. Bravo!

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#18 Post by therewillbeblus » Sun Jan 05, 2020 1:23 pm

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But what better way to end an absurd film about a character forcing his will on others than to absurdly force will onto him?

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Slaphappy
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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#19 Post by Slaphappy » Mon Jan 06, 2020 5:21 am

therewillbeblus wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2020 1:23 pm
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But what better way to end an absurd film about a character forcing his will on others than to absurdly force will onto him?
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Hah, true, but it still seemed almost too neatly wrapped up when she picked up the jacket and not only the camera.

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#20 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jan 06, 2020 8:49 am

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I can see that, but what do you think about my reading in the post upthread re: the ending and how the idea of being important in wearing the jacket and filming herself hits home all the themes via passing of the torch of solipsism

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Slaphappy
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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#21 Post by Slaphappy » Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:40 am

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Sure, but I just found it too neatly absurdist, that not only does she take the place of the subject in the solipsistic fantasy, but also takes on herself the personality and pursuit of the previous subject. Having a killer look was the passion project of a middle-aged man. I think it would have been an interesting open-ended final if the viewer would be left to wonder how the torch of solipsism would be carried by a young woman with ambition to become a movie editor. I suppose you still can, but for me putting on the jacket was just too heavy-handed move even if it was absolutely the more dramatic climax.

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#22 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jan 06, 2020 10:37 am

Slaphappy wrote:
Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:40 am
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Sure, but I just found it too neatly absurdist, that not only does she take the place of the subject in the solipsistic fantasy, but also takes on herself the personality and pursuit of the previous subject. Having a killer look was the passion project of a middle-aged man. I think it would have been an interesting open-ended final if the viewer would be left to wonder how the torch of solipsism would be carried by a young woman with ambition to become a movie editor. I suppose you still can, but for me putting on the jacket was just too heavy-handed move even if it was absolutely the more dramatic climax.
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I hear you, I just personally saw the jacket as a "broad allegory" like swo mentioned, resembling the idea of this existentialism run riot, rather than a specific one tailored (no pun intended) to the context of him vs. her (vaguely 'being important' vs. 'having a killer look and being given attention as a middle-aged man'). Honing in on the more concrete personal meaning of the jacket is fun to toy with, but would minimize the fun of the movie if I took it at face value.

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#23 Post by Slaphappy » Mon Jan 06, 2020 10:58 am

therewillbeblus wrote:
Mon Jan 06, 2020 10:37 am
Slaphappy wrote:
Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:40 am
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Sure, but I just found it too neatly absurdist, that not only does she take the place of the subject in the solipsistic fantasy, but also takes on herself the personality and pursuit of the previous subject. Having a killer look was the passion project of a middle-aged man. I think it would have been an interesting open-ended final if the viewer would be left to wonder how the torch of solipsism would be carried by a young woman with ambition to become a movie editor. I suppose you still can, but for me putting on the jacket was just too heavy-handed move even if it was absolutely the more dramatic climax.
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I hear you, I just personally saw the jacket as a "broad allegory" like swo mentioned, resembling the idea of this existentialism run riot, rather than a specific one tailored (no pun intended) to the context of him vs. her (vaguely 'being important' vs. 'having a killer look and being given attention as a middle-aged man'). Honing in on the more concrete personal meaning of the jacket is fun to toy with, but would minimize the fun of the movie if I took it at face value.
Ok, cool! I love Dupieux’s weirdness because to me it is so character driven, so I hold on to my interpretation. [-( :D

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#24 Post by swo17 » Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:13 am

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The film could've easily followed her in the jacket for another hour, and ended up a nice parallel piece with In Fabric, which is also about multiple owners of a mysteriously alluring piece of apparel
I think I just realized I have a new favorite subgenre

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Re: Le daim [Deerskin] (Quentin Dupieux, 2019)

#25 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:59 am

Slaphappy wrote:
Mon Jan 06, 2020 10:58 am
I love Dupieux’s weirdness because to me it is so character driven, so I hold on to my interpretation. [-( :D
I don't see how they're mutually exclusive (being character-driven and also broad) and I wasn't trying to uproot you from said interpretation just trying to engage in discussion. However, in bringing up Dupieux's tendency toward "character-driven" weirdness, I'm more curious about and open-minded to your reading when looking at the inconsistency of bizarre in his milieu. While someone like Lanthimos may implement a more apparently consistent method across behavior, psychology, and lack of social skills in his bizarro worlds, Dupieux's lack of consistency in character creates an even more absurd world. While we get very little of the eccentricities of characters outside of the two leads, there is the night manager of the hotel, the prostitute, and even the hunter and his son who all present with their own kind of strange. And then there are all the people Jean Dujardin encounter who seem completely normal, though some of them maybe satirized around the lack of self-preservation when blinded by a moment of fame. That's a good point and one that I didn't really think about that creates even more vague possibilities at dissecting the film from a broad focal point or one of more concrete characterization like yours. Not as a replacement reading but as a complementing one, which I think is something this film affords and even welcomes.

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