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    Review - Perfumed Nightmare

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    Mikki Eugenio
    The Magic of Protest Kidlat Tahimik may be unfamiliar to the normal movie-goer. He's not a producer of mainstream movies,in fact he distances himself from it. But still this doesn't prevent him from producing movies of the magical kind-his movies balances social issues and comic humor,just like his first movie,”Perfumed Nightmare.” This “amateur” movie has been hailed by film critics and won the International Critic’s Prize at the Berlin Film Festival in 1977. The Film Western viewers always int

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    Review - Perfumed Nightmare

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    Mikki Eugenio
    421 views5 pages
    The Magic of Protest Kidlat Tahimik may be unfamiliar to the normal movie-goer. He's not a producer of mainstream movies,in fact he distances himself from it. But still this doesn't prevent him from producing movies of the magical kind-his movies balances social issues and comic humor,just like his first movie,”Perfumed Nightmare.” This “amateur” movie has been hailed by film critics and won the International Critic’s Prize at the Berlin Film Festival in 1977. The Film Western viewers always int

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    The Magic of Protest Kidlat Tahimik may be unfamiliar to the normal movie-goer. He's not a producer of mainstream movies,in fact he distances himself from it. But still this doesn't prevent him from producing movies of the magical kind-his movies balances social issues and comic humor,just like his first movie,”Perfumed Nightmare.” This “amateur” movie has been hailed by film critics and won the International Critic’s Prize at the Berlin Film Festival in 1977. The Film Western viewers always int

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as odt, pdf, or txt
    421 views5 pages

    Review - Perfumed Nightmare

    Uploaded by

    Mikki Eugenio
    The Magic of Protest Kidlat Tahimik may be unfamiliar to the normal movie-goer. He's not a producer of mainstream movies,in fact he distances himself from it. But still this doesn't prevent him from producing movies of the magical kind-his movies balances social issues and comic humor,just like his first movie,”Perfumed Nightmare.” This “amateur” movie has been hailed by film critics and won the International Critic’s Prize at the Berlin Film Festival in 1977. The Film Western viewers always int

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as odt, pdf, or txt
    of 5

    The Magic of Protest Kidlat Tahimik may be unfamiliar to the normal movie-goer.

    He's not a producer of mainstream movies,in fact he distances himself from it. But still this doesn't prevent him from producing movies of the magical kind-his movies balances social issues and comic humor,just like his first movie,Perfumed Nightmare. This amateur movie has been hailed by film critics and won the International Critics Prize at the Berlin Film Festival in 1977. The Film Western viewers always interpret Perfumed Nightmare as a movie on the magic and nightmares of technology. But in the Filpino (or a third-world point of view),the movie may seem to be a critique on the Filipino's fanaticism on anything foreign,as influenced by the country's long history of foreign rule. The main character (played by Kidlat Tahimik himself) seems to be a symbol of this fanaticism he listens to the Voice of America,he's the president of the Werner von Braun club,he wants to go to America and be an astronaut. Film in Neoformalist Perspective The movie uses certain neo-formalist techniques to effectively convey its purpoted message, mostly using techniques in narration (Bordwell & Thompson,Ch. 3) Use of time is influential in the course of the film most of the time,the film is presented in the present,but flashbacks (sign of temporal order) and repetition (with some variations,sign of temporal frequency) are also used in the film. Narration is influential to understand the whole course of the film. Our confinement to what we know in the film depends of the narration itself (voiced by Kidlat himself.) Even if Perfumed Nightmare is considered a Third Cinema movie,it shares certain characteristics of the classic Hollywood Cinema. The main character, Kidlat, becomes the causal agent which drives his choices and others' choices as well. There is a desire (in this case,Kidlat's dream to be an astronaut) and closure (in the end,he resigned from

    the Werner von Braun fan club and went back home using a giant chimney.) Film and Other Comedies Perfumed Nighmare is always classified as a comedy in different reviews of the film. But if we are going to examine it side by side with the genre,specifically examples of Filipino comedy,the film has certain qualities which makes it similar and unique. When we talk about Filipino comedies (such as movies of Dolphy,Vic Sotto and others),most of the time they are either incorporated on action or comedy dramas,usually slapstick in character. Another recent variation is the romanic comedy, popularized by love teams such as the ones of John Lloyd Bea and others. In a way,Perfumed Nightmare is different as a comedy for,as we watch the movie,it is really intended to be serious. (The opening scene seems to have a serious tone,getting less light as the film progresses.) We may call Perfumed Nightmare a predecessor of social comedy - comedies aiming to discuss social issues in a comical tone. Films in the 80's up to the present (e.g. Temptation Island or Ang Tanging Ina) usually reflects to certain changes or issues happening in society,somewhat relative to Kidlat's film on a certain extent. Film and Philippine Cinema Before Kidlat Tahimik's win at the Berlin Film Festival,no one really knew who he is. Even if the Filipino cinema scene,which was literally flourishing at that time,Kidlat tried to distance himself from the normal film makers,identifying himself to the ideals of the Third Cinema. The ideals of the Third cinema dictates the use of film as a medium of propaganda, the director as part of the collective. In this case, Kidlat's film somehow reflects this ideals as he established his statement. Beyond the comedy in the film,it tries to convey a message (against neocolonialism) which led the director to try experimenting,and at some point making the film primitive and amateurish. Still,Perfumed Nightmare is,no doubt,a Filipino film. It tries to relate as much as

    possible to the Filipino and the Filipino way of life. The jeepneys,the saints,even political events in the era became prominent figures in the film. Culture has played an important role in shaping the events (such as the traditional tuli or the normal everyday landscapes). But in this case,Kidlat did not just used the Filipino way of living as means to makes his film attractive and sellable - he makes it his points to prove what he wants to talk about. Film and Socio-Cultural Reflections Beyond the entertainment value of Perfumed Nightmare,the film gives us a reflection on how Filipinos are so inclined (or fanatic) to the traditions and customs of the West. The way Kidlat tells his story is comical,but in the end,it makes us see that we are really what the characters in the film are. Since the Marcos era is known for discipline and control, films like Kidlat Tahimik may be offensive and be labeled as leftist. Somehow it's true in the film Marxist elements has an influence on how the story goes out. On the opening scene, the bridge,as narrated by Kidlat, is used by those who make big profits...and small profits. This somehow tells the point of the inequalities plaguing the capitalist system. Another scene reflects how the imperialist nations control the third world. Kidlat represents the third world,the American who brought him to Paris represents the imperialists - those who take advantage of the third world for their own profits. In this light,Kidlat is admirable for balancing the best of both worlds. He tried his best not to make his film too much of a protest but rather an insighton how things in the country works out. Instead of using the traditional stereotypes on Marxist literature and art (the farmer,the worker or the capitalist), he used himself as a representation to show that things are really not fair. As the ending rolls out,viewers are left to ask how their actions mirror that of the film. Also,the film is also a critique on the Filipino way of life. Examples of Filipino living , whether they are good or bad,dot the whole stretch of the film. Our fanaticism to anything foreign,dependence on religious traditions,and even our politics and history is given as bad

    examples that we should change. But this was balanced with the good things Filipinos do,like our ingenuity and close kinship.

    Summary The New York Times' review on Perfumed Nightmare states that As a general rule one should be skeptical when a film maker is described as a primitive. Kidlat Tahimik sure has a long way to go when he produced this film,but its success has shown that there are endless possibilities in making great films for as long as you are creative enough. Perfumed Nightmare is admirable for it allows us to magically escape time while we learn and reflect unconsciously. We are left to imagine,to be with Kidlat as we join him to his escape to his dreams,or maybe become in his position. Indeed, it is possible to show a point while being comical as possible. The magic of his protest is not on hard-line rhetoric or over-used cliches,but rather on his use of personal reflections. The film allows us not just to accept an idea, but to reflect on it, not just for ourselves,but on how Filipino society works out. Works Cited Ajero, Sanriel Chris. "Mababangong Bangungot (1977)." Lessons From the School of Inattention. 2 Feb. 2007. Web. 14 Feb. 2011.

    Bordwell, David, and Kristin Thompson. Film Art: An Introduction. 2004 ed. Boston: McGrawHill, 2004. Print. Canby, Vincent. "Movie Review - The Perfumed Nightmare - FROM PHILIPPINES, 'PERFUMED NIGHTMARE' - NYTimes.com." Movie Reviews, Showtimes and Trailers - Movies - New York Times - The New York Times. 28 Nov. 1980. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. David, Bordwell, and Thompson Kristin. "Chapter 3: Narrative as a Formal System." Film Art: An Introduction. 2004 ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2004. 68-103. Print. "History of Philippine Cinema." Life's a Journey. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. "Kidlat Tahimik." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 14 Feb. 2011.

    "Third Cinema." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. "Third (World) Cinema: What Is Third Cinema?" Third (World) Cinema: Then and Now. Web. 14 Feb. 2011.

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