Violet Lives Upstairs

It seems to me that "hiroshimamonamour" has some very personal conflicts about the film.

For me, telephone conversations are incredibly exciting -- as is the languid camera, pastel and dizzy lines of the woman's apartment and the camp (but truthful) lovingly made lampshade.

The actress' performance was perfectly pitched and expresses all the frustration, humor and inner world necessary. The casting also ascribes an alienating quality to this "sort of woman" and "sort of story". Her heavy Polish features are reminiscent of Barbra Streisand -- and the gestural style of acting puts the emphasis on the irony and playfulness of the story. A naturalistic style of actress would have made this film "mawkish" but it is clear the reader has no understanding or historical reference for camp aesthetics or style.

People neglect camp cinema because they've never had to experience being on the outside or fringe of society. They have grown up with religion and dogma -- and have never had to see their life from more than one angle. This is why it took the world so long to catch on the Hartley, Allen, Almodovar, Waters and Haynes..... Like the gay guy in high school -- most people feel frustrated by their lack of so called "truth" because the truth is not represented in the way they want it to be represented.

The camp nature of this sort of aesthetic is pertinent for a mills and Boone type story such as this : the material comments on itself and is critically savvy. Afraid of being overly earnest or raw -- the film reflects the woman's fear in it's style and execution with excellent control.