Intertwining the Past and Present in Le Confessional - Essay Example

Intertwining the Past and Present in “Le Confessional” Introduction The ability for a film to create a deeper understanding and meaning not only through the plot line, but also in regards to the surrounding society provides several dimensions to the same movie. In “Le Confessional” by LePage, there are several integrated plot lines that complicate what occurs in the movie. This is done not only to provide a basic theme surrounding the confession of sins. More important, this provides insight into social commentary that is associated with both the past and present of modern Quebec. The movie combines this with the theory of how the past history integrates into the present day in which individuals create within their society. Controversies of the Seal of the Confessional The first concept that is seen with the movie “Le Confessional” is based on the controversy of the confession. This remains an apparent theme throughout the movie by LePage and creates a sense of mystery over the secrecy of the confessional as well as the way in which it complicates different concepts in society. The first confessional is one that is not seen through the main character, Rachel, but is displayed through the filming of Hitchcock’s movie, “I Confess,” which is a murder mystery about a murderer who confesses in the church about killing another individual. Because of the seal that swears secrecy the murderer doesn’t go to trial. The second confession is from the girl, Rachel, who finds herself pregnant at 16 and which the father of the child is sworn into secrecy. The third confession comes from the son, Marc, who is a display of homosexuality and which shows the opposing side to the confessional (LePage, 1). The concept which becomes controversial is with the seal of the confessional. All three of the confessionals that are displayed throughout the movie show how there is an intertwining with the past confessionals and the present as well as how each creates an unraveling effect that creates a change in the next generation (Gude, 72). The confession of Rachel is one which directly impacts Marc and Pierre as they search for the past and live a lifestyle that displays the misunderstandings of the past. The same type of complexity arises with the confession of the murderer and the way it creates different concepts that intertwine problems in the future from the past. This particular problem was one which was noticed in Canada and other regions in the 1950s, specifically because there were several who were committing crimes and not being tried because of the seal of secrecy. The opposition was toward the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure used as well as the belief that those who heard the confessionals had a sense of privilege because of the concept of sacredness of the confessional (Ann, C, 339). The philosophy of the director about the impact this makes on the future is the main concept which appears and which links directly to the social controversies which were occurring at this time about the seal of secrecy. Social Stigmas and Sexuality Another philosophy that LePage shows throughout the movie is based on the concepts of sexuality and how this is impacted directly by society and what is accepted. In the 1950s, the concept of a 16 year old being pregnant outside of marriage was unacceptable. Rachel, being a maid of the church makes the situation more complex because of the reputation which is held among Catholic churches about celibacy. This is followed by the secrets of the past that add into the puzzle piece of the story (Boonstra, 7). The particular stigma that was a part of this time period is displayed through Rachel as she moves through the pregnancy and into trying to hide the situation of being pregnant from others for the church and family’s reputation. The depth of this controversy of morals during this time becomes a central issue that is displayed throughout the film. The link to 1989 is one which is based on the controversies of sexuality that are disregarded in society in a different manner. During this time, it was considered immoral to be gay or lesbian and those who were practicing this were often shunned in society. AIDS, partnership rights and the ability to have equal rights were some of the main displays that were occurring in the US, UK and in Canada during this time, which equated into the understanding that homosexuals were treated unfairly because of sexual orientation (Curry, 11). LePage shows a specific link that intertwines with Rachel during the 1950s and the homosexual lifestyle of the 1980s as well as how the social stigma surrounding sexuality remains the same while those who are in this lifestyle have no choice and are shunned because of this. There are several scenes where Rachel is caught hiding or running from individuals who don’t accept her situation. The same types of situations are shown with the chosen lifestyle of her son. These are each are used to show how there is an intertwining of stories, characters and lifestyles that are misunderstood in society (Robinson, 319). These two specific concepts are used with a sense of intertwining throughout the film to show the depth of the controversy. The social life that is created is one which is displayed with a form of intrigue with the presentation created, specifically which creates entertainment to the spectators. However, it also presents a sense of the other in which most of the spectators aren’t a part of or can’t understand in forms of the experience. Lepage combines this with a social and physical space that the viewers can’t understand, such as the secrets behind the confessional, the exclusive clubs and the private lifestyles. Creating a sense of otherness and misunderstanding, LePage is able to show a disassociation and disconnection between the social stigma that surrounds the main controversies (Lajoie, 35). The concept of disassociation is furthered by tricks that LePage uses with the camera. For instance, there are scenes where LePage shows one thing and then shows that it means something else. At one point, a man is shown over a sink with red spilling down it. Because of the filming of “I Confess,” one is led to believe that this is a murder. When LePage moves out of the scene, one sees that it is a man that is painting with a red color. Other images, such as a museum, a labyrinth with several mirrors and the lost carnations create the same type of imagery and misunderstanding. By creating the disconnections, changing assumptions of the spectators and creating a connection between different themes works with the subtle metaphors and overall meaning. Not only does LePage create an understanding of the misunderstandings of social stigmas, but is able to show how there are connections which are often misunderstood because of the accepted social norms. Techniques of Intertwining Memory and Cinema The presentation that LePage uses are an intertwining of memory and the present day through the controversies arising internationally and nationally, as well as through the personal stories that are told. LePage moves in and out of different scenes and flashbacks to create this technique and to show how memory is one which is strongly associated with the present day and what occurs. This is done not only by the main stories, but also by framing different political actions as excerpts throughout the movie. For instance, LePage shows snippets of the bombing of Tiedemann Square and other political movements that are taking place during the same time. While many believe that this doesn’t have a connection to the movie, LePage is able to show at an individual level how everything affects others in the future and toward the present. The clips of other memories then create the same question of how the things told in the confession and which swear secrecy could change from memory and into the present moment (Simons, 835). The concept that is used for the memory influencing the present day is furthered with the technique of motion used through the film, also known as bridge spotting. LePage uses a technique where he moves between different flashbacks and contemporary problems in a way that takes out the organization of the movie. When adding in the snippets of the national and international affairs, it further takes out the chronological order of the film. The memories, different associations with the filming and the confessional as well as the way in which each of the stories intertwine with each other can then be highlighted. LePage uses a form of bridge spotting where he moves from one scene and to the next without a chronological order. This creates the memory and the present moment into the same scene with only a slight distinction to show the differences of the time but to relate similar controversies between time (Clandfield, 2). The concept of bridging is one that LePage doesn’t only use with the basis of the plot and intertwining of stories between past and present and with the various controversies taking place at each time frame. There is also a specific association with using a synthesis of styles for an experimental presentation on what is occurring. The synthesis includes different ways of portraying the plot with the camera shots and angles, lighting and way in which different scenes are projected. Instead of keeping similar types of camera angles and shots throughout the movie, LePage experiments with changing camera angles, light and dark and different formations of the characters and plot. This is done to show how each of the individual elements can intertwine together, even though they seem to be more distant (Dundjerovic, 7). Conclusion The techniques and themes that LePage uses in his creation of film move into the experimental while creating multiple layers of meaning. LePage focuses on intertwining the past and the present, as well as combining international incidents with ways in which this reflects the personal ideals of individuals. This is furthered with the personal stories that interconnect with memories and the present and show how each relates. LePage uses these stories to take out the timeline of incidents and instead to show the controversies of the confessional that continue through time as well as social stigmas that cause misunderstandings and disconnection. The subtle techniques as well as the practical methods which LePage uses is then able to show how the spectator is separate from the understanding of what occurs without realizing that the past and the present are intertwined into a complex plot. Works Cited Ann, C. “Privileged Disclosures to a Clergyman.” Indiana State Law Journal 5 (2), 1948. Boonstra, Heather. “Teen Pregnancy: Trends and Lessons Learned.” The Guttmatcher Report on Public Policy 5 (1), 2002. Clandfield, Peter. “Bridgespotting: Lepage, Hithcock, and Landmarks in Canadian Film.” Canadian Film Studies 12 (8), 2005. Curry, Ann. “Collection Management of Gay / Lesbian Materials in the U.K. and Canada.” Libri (50), 2000. Dundjerovic,Aleksandar. The Cinema of Robert Lepage: The Poetics of Memory. Wallflower Press: New York, 2003. Gude, Mary Louise. The Text as Confession. Romance Monographs : Mississippi, 1979. Lajoie, Mark. “Imagining the City in Quebecois Cinema.” Cahiers du Gerse (3), 2001. LePage, Robert. Le Confessional. Canal Productions: Canada, 1995. Robinson, DJ. “The Queer Career of Homosexual Security Vetting in Cold War Canada.” Canadian Historical Review 75 (3), 1994. Simons, Tony. “Screening Quebec: Quebocois Moving Images, National Identity, and the Public Sphere.” The Modern Language Review 100 (3), 2005. Read More