MUBI

I had seen THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD before, but to be honest, I was not familiar with Guy Maddin’s overall world or work.
I suppose one could say that Maddin is entirely in love with silent films, surrealism, and raw filmmaking. To an extent, he is.
This film is a genre bending and stream of consciousness style narrative semi-biography which combines fantasy, truth and delirious fictions.
It tells the the story of Guy Maddin, his life in an lighthouse orphanage run by his tyrannical mother who watches from her mechanical pedestal on the tower, his mad scientist father who uses the orphans for a rather sinister and twisted purpose, his sister, Sis, a delinquent, and Wendy Hale, the love of his life, but sadly is ignored when Wendy is truly in love with Sis, and decides to masqurade as her brother, Chance.
There is much thematic-bending, with morals called into question as well as allegorical musings about what could be child-hood fantasies, taboo practices, memory, nostalgia and pain, Nancy Drew mysteries, Gothic horror, and science fiction.

It’s a definite stew pot that is uncomprimising. you either follow or don’t. But it’s truly a raw piece that is essentially one’s emotions being laid bare on the screen, and that is truly captivating.
A more harsh critique might see it as masturbatory, but it doesn’t feel self-congratulatory, self-indulgent or any other such categorization. Rather, it is self-depricating, fully tied to technique, and, most importantly, not really about guy Maddin at all.
The bio-opic genre is utliized to talk about some emotional themes dealing with family and happiness….or the illusion of it. Who knows? Madness? It’s not so much as madness, as it is people who seem to be captivated with themselves, their OWN self-indulgences…

BRAND UPON THE BRAIN is important; it strikes an emotional cord that, even if one doesn’t understand, one cannot shake off.
For all his facetiousness, Maddin is being very serious and it’s clear that he hopes his audience will understand.

I suppose I should mention the fact that this is a silent film, with an orator who both narrates action and adds drama with temporary voice acting, sound effects and other interesting touches. The small orchestral score is stunning; lush and emotional.
There are also numerous foley sounds that permeate the film, enhancing its already dream-like texture.

Some side info: the film was originally shown in numerous cities as live events, with live orchestras, live foley artists and a celebrity taking on the role of the orator.

The version I saw is one with all the pre-recorded music and sounds, though there are several different people used on the Criterion edition. Isabella Rosellini is the default, and she is quite suitable for the job, quivering between maudlin overacting and subtle whispery tenderness. Madness, when required, is also welcome. There are other notable people involved, but I sadly cannot recall their names.

Influences abound: german expressionism, surrealism, Murnau, Fritz Lang, GREED, Lord of the Flies, Luis Bunuel, Pandora’s Box, G.W. Pabst, Charlie Chaplin, Frankenstein, the Jazz Singer, and more.

It’s inspiring. I’ll be honest, watching this film makes me want to go out and make my own crazy movie.
Guy Maddin only used Super 8 cameras and Super 8 film, filming in tiny, scant sets and on location with minimal lighting and portable lights, without storyboards and with a small crew (still a big production but almost miniscule compared with other ‘independent films’ now).
And you know what? None of that matters. The technique, boldness, feelings, and honesty come through anyway.

At this moment, the only other film that comes to mind (and one I haven’t seen yet) is INLAND EMPIRE by David Lynch. Granted, I know nothing about David Lynch, but I do know that he made an epic on a small budget and on a small digital video camera. Regardless of content, what this shows, I think, is the possibility of personal cinema. Now every person can show us their feelings in such an immediate fashion. The possibilities are endless.

Maybe that’s a little starry eyed but truly, if anything, BRAND UPON THE BRAIN, is proof that it’s all up here, in the brain.