The Movies of Gaspar Noe, Ranked
Gaspar Noé is a French filmmaker known for his provocative and often controversial work. He has directed several significant movies over his career that have pushed the boundaries of traditional storytelling. Let’s look at some of his best films.
1. Enter the Void (2009):
Enter the Void, in my opinion, is more of an experience than a film. An aesthetically spectacular movie that explores life, death, and rebirth from the viewpoint of a Tokyo drug dealer. The film provides a unique study of these universal topics with its trippy imagery and engaging storytelling. This is not the one for you if you have sensory problems. Viewers were given a tour of Oscar’s (Nathaniel Brown) afterlife and rebirth through a perspective-shifting shot.
Just as we were beginning to get to know our protonogists, we get this huge shock — our “hero” dies far too soon. However, this shock quickly gives place to a concept, a framework: we gradually discover that the entire film revolves around that one moment and our attempts to comprehend it. The structure is a loop, and it’s going to force us to look at the loops in our own lives He never truly breaks free from his own cycles, even with his ambitious plans to travel to Tokyo, do drugs, then deal drugs, and so on. It all began when he was a child, when all the mechanisms were set in action.
Not only is the movie’s title catchy, but it also serves as a clear directive. The ultimate dissolution of the individual into Nirvana, or the death of desire, is the aim in Buddhism. A essentially Buddhist cinematic framework is perplexing since we’re familiar to thinking in terms of hedonistic objectives. After our desires are met, we want the credits to start rolling. That isn’t the point, though. The idea is to recognize the pattern, accept it for what it is, and break free from it.
2. Irreversible (2002):
I watched it, saving you the trouble. I believe that this is one of Noe’s best films, and you will too. Sure, it’s not pleasant at all, but that’s hardly the whole idea of seeing a movie directed by Gaspar Noe. Most people won’t want to put themselves through this test because it is so brutal and aggressive. However, it is frank about the crime of rape. It doesn’t take advantage of it. It’s been claimed that pornography defends what it reveals, regardless of what it professes to be. “Irreversible” does not imply porn.
Fundamentally, Irreversible is a character-driven melodrama. It is driven on by a man’s search for the person who raped and beaten his girlfriend horribly. It begins at the end and travels backward through the night to the pleasant day before these horrifying events, employing a somewhat creative narrative method. This accomplishes two goals: it heightens the film’s surreal atmosphere, which is further enhanced by shaky hand-held shots and ominous, maze-like interiors; also, it gives emotional depth to the film’s closing moments and narrative opening. The concept of the movie going backwards appealed to me in some way since it explores a very human reaction to tragic events.
It features characters in a society with clear-cut ethical norms and morally repugnant acts. The story may elicit different reactions from the viewers depending on their personal ethical upbringing. This consequently affects how they understand the cause-and-effect story that Noé tells in reverse. That being said, despite the morally repugnant scenes in the movie, one could still see it as excellent art. The movie’s characters can be held ethically accountable for their deeds, but only if one questions whether they are capable of free choice.
3. I Stand Alone (1998):
“I Stand Alone”, Gaspar Noé’s debut feature film, is a sequel to his 40-minute short “Carne”. It presents an unsettling depiction of an alienated man. A significant portion of the film’s narrative and perception is communicated through the protagonist’s offscreen narration. The film features two intensely violent scenes — one at the beginning and another towards the end, with an unusual warning to “leave the cinema” before the latter scene unfolds. Notably, both victims of these violent acts are women.
The film creates a complex narrative structure in which our imagination and the butcher’s (protagonist) are not only difficult to separate from each other but virtually impossible to distinguish from the events of the story. This intricate intertwining of perspective and narrative adds to the film’s grim tone.
The unflinching exploration of isolation and the film’s overall somber mood underscore Noé’s talent for diving into the dark corners of the human psyche. The stark portrayal of the protagonist’s alienation and mental landscape creates a compelling, if disturbing, cinematic experience.
The butcher gives a frenetic monologue that combines homophobic and xenophobic outbursts with his sexist acts, squeezed between the film’s two horrific crimes against women and some unsettling images from a pornographic movie. Here, Noé reveals something about the fascist impulses of the typical Frenchman, who regards people as nothing more than “cocks and holes.” Words like “morality” and “justice” come up all the time, usually in textual contradiction. This butcher, masterfully played by Philippe Nahon, is a stolid, almost indifferent mass with a tense temper. While a pistol may provide justice and a warm gun may bring happiness to the butcher, I Stand Alone employs a cannon ball to shatter the psychological horror at the core of human society.
Although it is difficult to absorb, the content is quite powerful. He’s revolting yes, but he’s also incredibly fascinating.
4. Climax (2018):
- “It’s about losing control… it’s a catastrophe movie” — Gaspar Noé
If a group of people loses control due to the influence of drugs, what happens? We witness a rehearsal by a group of talented dancers. . Everything starts as a fun and innocent dance party; sangria is consumed, people dance, and they get to know each other. Later, and quite late into the event, it becomes apparent that LSD has been added to the sangria. The film gradually takes on a chilling tone. The film doesn’t explicitly tell us about the presence of drugs; the audience deduces it from observations, dragging the situation into a more horrifying state. It becomes clear that what’s happening cannot be merely attributed to the sangria. Although no one can predict what will happen next, everyone understands that the film will not proceed well.
The film employs scenes that are reversed, upside-down, or spinning, bird’s-eye views, and psychedelic techno tracks in the background, all intensifying the violence portrayed.
LSD therapy, which began to be researched by chemist Albert Hoffman in 1938 and gained prominence in the 1950s with the involvement of psychiatrists, is discussed. This therapy involves the repeated use of low doses of drugs at various intervals to allow the therapist to delve into the patient’s innermost thoughts and attempt to address the problem at its core. The filter of the mind is removed, allowing for a vulnerable and open experience. It is believed to expedite the therapy process. However, the use of LSD in Climax is quite different; although the theory behind LSD therapy remains the same, the effect is vastly different. We can observe the effects of LSD in the dialogues. Conversations about which dancer is more attractive between two dancers evolve into violent fantasies towards the end. Secrets are revealed: pregnancies, sexual curiosities, hidden fantasies, incestuous thoughts… It takes us to the darkest places humanity can go: self-harm, rape, emotional, and physical violence.
The character Selva emerges as the most affected by the drug due to drinking the most sangria. Sofia Boutella’s performance is breathtaking at this point. She plays a character who is aware of the experience but increasingly losing control, and she portrays it authentically. The terror in her eyes is transferred to the audience. Selva, who is aware of everything, experiences this cerebral nightmare to the fullest.
If there is a lesson to be learned from this film, or from Gaspar Noe in general, it is that nobody is as they seem. The film doesn’t lead us to a conclusion, nor does it reconcile. The focus of the film is on the journey rather than the destination. It’s not an easy film to watch, but whether you enjoy it or not, it will undoubtedly have a significant impact on you.
