Boredom. What a boring word. One boring vowel, two boring syllables. Maybe — maybe — you can get adventurous with the B, but that’s as far as that’s going. But damn it all if Alain Robbe-Grillet doesn’t make boring erotically beautiful.

This film is about hallucinations. Hallucinations of bored children, who’s only means of “going out” is the cafe Eden. Eden, filled with mirrors, windows whited out with blinding light, seems limitless in it’s space, it truly is heavenly. There is one picture especially that brings me to my knees with anticipation. It’s a picture very similar to Gena Rowland in A Woman Under the Influence:

The picture speaks in volumes. Now, I do not know if Robbe-Grillet wanted it to be similar to the afore shown picture, but underneath Gena Rowland’s calm beauty lied a certain insanity. And that’s what Eden, and subsequently, life is for the children of Eden and After. Without the games played, the imagination tested, boredom would aid in their slow decay into madness, into insanity.

The first such game played, is a little game of cat and mouse. Though with many cats, and one beautiful mouse. Upon cornering, the mouse is raped by one of the cats. The other cats students look on, even the waiter of Eden looks and carries on, as if he’s used to it. It’s the first red flag of the film. There are games, but this seems a bit too far. And that’s the point, we never truly knows whether it’s reality or the cruel imagination of the students.

This is a beautiful film, in all aspects. From costume design, to cinematography (Igor Luther), to art direction (Anton Krajcovic), to, of course, the actors. That’s one thing Robbe-Grillet does well, and that’s cast. He is a true philogynist. For anyone that has yet to divulge in Robbe-Grillet’s genius, I’d suggest going in chronological order. His writing in Last Year in Marienbad is given do justice by Alain Resnais, and while I think L’immortelle is his weakest film, it’s still a great film, and he only gets better. Eden and After is his magnum opus, every cord is struck with precision, by one who’s mastered his craft.