Wrong Cop - Quentin Dupiex

This month feature in Cahier du Cinéma, there is a detailed coverage of Quentin Dupiex. And Dupiex, himself wrote an "auto critiques" for all his movies (most) with a little commentary and how much he rated them out of 10. And Wrong Cop is the front runner with 8.5/10 (Rubber only got 5.5/10). Of course I am extremely intrigued by the fact that Wrong Cop is his personal favourite and naming it more matured and well developed then his other works.

I started to notice his style. First, the music he uses. He creates his own music, (Dupiex is also an electronic musician under the name Mr. Oizo.) It's not like Daft Punk or Justice. It's not like deep house, I would say something in between and I found it suits his story telling very well. Second, an epic monologue (in my opinion, even he said he is leaving the imagination to the audience but he is consciously guiding us to the way he wants us to think.) And third his subtle humour. Slow, but it's funny. 

Wrong Cop is basically about how corrupted the cops are. There is a saying in Chinese, "Police are just well dressed gangsters". It sums up the movie pretty well in terms of the plot. From selling drugs to blackmailing and sexually harassing people. 

The way he thinks is very interesting, however, it's really subjective. Personally, I found the idea behind Rubber is way more intriguing. Not that Wrong Cop is any less. What he tries to portrait in Wrong Cop was a bit more political and visual. The understanding of the universe. I would say the idea came across quite clear, less mysterious. It makes me wonder what is more important,

True, Wrong Cop does have a more developed plot but it misses the "shock" factor Rubber gives us. 

Rubber - Quentin Dupieux

I felt like every month I'm learning a little more about the cinema world. Exploring different genres, styles and their theories. Last month I went full force with Larry Clark and almost ended in a really  bad note. I guess I will take some time off from him and revisit his works later. Back to my curious  but yet quite positive about this new "experiment" - Quentin Dupieux.*

I have heard a lot about "a movie about a tire who kills people". According to different people around me, artists, film lovers, my boyfriend and people who don't go to the cinema often told me it is a Cult movie which I shouldn't miss. Finally, found an excuse and time to actually sat down and watched it. (I can't believe even my boyfriend had watched and I, a self-claimed movie-lover hadn't!)

It's actually quite funny, really subtle humour. Don't let the killer thing fool you, it's just a candy wrapping. What's really inside is way more interesting. Rubber starts with a really promising concept. A movie about "no reason". Why people make movies,  no reason, why people are thinking, no reason, why we do this or that, no reason. This is no such thing as no reason, everything we see, we touch, we feel, there are reasons behind them. Are they a solid reason maybe maybe not. And  Duplex knows it and he plays along with it pretty well. He is actually leading your nose without you noticing (Maybe I am interpreting too much). According to one of his interviews, he said his movies are more for people to interpret, "to make the movie your own."

I will break the movie down in 3, one: the spectators, two: the "Actors", and three "the tire". Why those 3 things, no reason. Dupieux gave them something more than their lines (one literally no line). Something bigger then they are to tell us something. Things just happen for no reason, stop doubting yourself and just be a tire. Or questioning the authority, or just be a bystander. Which one you prefer?

*Dupieux' new movie Réalité is going to be in cinema this month and as usual there is a detailed feature in Cahiers du Cinema. (and yes I sort of got the idea from it, and still I refuse to read anything until I watch the movie.)