THE PARTY - NATURE MORTE

Germany, 1991, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Tilda Swinton, Feodor Atkine.
Directed by Cynthia Beatt.

The Party - Nature Morte is a stylish black and white film, taking place over one evening as a couple host a party for their intellectual friends in Berlin. The clash between the couple is quite striking, their handling of their guests - the man drinking and ignoring his guests, the woman flirting and patronising the guests, the guests with their various artistic and philosophical backgrounds talking seriously, often pretentiously about the meaning of life. Relationships suggests themselves, shatter.

Writer-director Cynthia Beatt intended the film as a comment on Berlin, especially after the reunification of East and West Germany. The brittle relationships, the stagnant relationships, the pretensions - questioning the future of a united Germany and the capacity for people to produce substantial Germany. English actress, Tilda Swinton(best known for her performances in Derek Jarman films like Edward II) is quite striking as the hostess of the party. The black and white photography is also striking, the musical score varied and elaborate. A specialist film, alienating its audiences from the characters and their behaviour, it is an intellectual and social portrait of Berlin at the end of the 1980s.

1. The perspective on Berlin and Berliners? Portrait, characterizations, interactions, relationships? The critical and negative perspective on the characters?

2. The quality of the black and white photography, the interiors? The credits and the roaming around the apartment? The apartment as home, as place for the party? The editing and pace?

3. The range of the musical score, records, classics, contemporary songs? Piano improvisations?

4. The portrait of Queenie and Burrpie? Waking up in the ii-morning, the immediate clash, abuse? The beginning of a day - and the antagonisms with the touch of violence? The humiliations? The breakfast? The plan for the party?

5. The purpose of the party, Queenie as hostess, Burrpie and his not wanting to be at the party? Her glamour, being the hostess, welcoming the guests? His drinking and ignoring them? The ranges of the variety of guests and their interaction? Black and Queenie attention to him, flirtation, the dancing, the relationship - and the seduction? The night moving on, the changes of moods, sexual encounters?

6. The interspersing of the screenplay with poetry, prose quotations from novels and philosophisers, the singing of songs both classic and modern, the piano playing? The art? The pretensions of the group - and the observations on their attitudes and characters?

7. The transformation of Queenie and Burrsie during the night, Burrsie and his being drunk and opting out? Queenie and her clutching at being hostess, in power, controlling people?

8. The build-up to the finale with the political comment, the pianist, the comments on the Common Market, on Rupert Murdoch's papers, on the role of France in the Common Market - and the validity of the observations about European unity in the 80s?

9. German aggression and antagonism, the hollow and pretentious Germany, its place in the growing Europe - and the critique of Germany?