If you aren't familiar with the monastery, it's located in an absolutely breathtaking valley in the French alps. The Carthusians are the strictest order of Christian monks. They make Chartreuse liqueur, although we didn't get to see any of that in the movie. Ironically, they also have a web site.
On one hand, the film was brilliant. It mimicked the monks' repetitive, silent lives and monotonous existence. However, three hours of exposure was asking too much of my attention and we didn't bring snacks. I know the filmmaker spent the past 17 years trying to get permission to do the documentary, but it shouldn't feel like I'm sitting in the theatre for 17 years watching it.
There was some very subtle symbolism and beautiful cinematography. One of my favorite parts was how the director zooms in on the monks' ears when they are praying or reading silently. It seemed to emphasize the loudness of the silence. I also enjoyed the director's portrayal of the individual monks, many of whom are quite elderly and made me wonder how much longer this cloister can survive.
There's even a little glimpse into monk humor, when we get to see the monks conversing on one of their Sunday walks - the only time they leave the monastery's walls of silence. One of them makes a joke about Trappists.
We endured 2 1/2 hours of near-silence; the only audio in this movie came from the welcome ringing of bells and some Gregorian chants.
When the filmmaker appeared to be dedicating ten full minutes to a monk gluing the sole of his shoes together, we just couldn't stand it anymore. I draw the line at watching glue dry. It's a sign we need to leave when my stomach growling is louder than the movie and the guy sitting behind us who clears his throat every three minutes.
Afterward, went to the Rockslide to debrief, drink beer and eat nachos and burgers. Good times, good times.
We endured 2 1/2 hours of near-silence; the only audio in this movie came from the welcome ringing of bells and some Gregorian chants.
When the filmmaker appeared to be dedicating ten full minutes to a monk gluing the sole of his shoes together, we just couldn't stand it anymore. I draw the line at watching glue dry. It's a sign we need to leave when my stomach growling is louder than the movie and the guy sitting behind us who clears his throat every three minutes.
Afterward, went to the Rockslide to debrief, drink beer and eat nachos and burgers. Good times, good times.
