LIVING IN OBLIVION
US, 1995, 86 minutes, Colour, Black and White.
Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, James Le Gros, Dermot Mulrooney.
Directed by Tom di Cillo.
Living in Oblivion is a very funny brief, small-budget movie. A nightmare about making a small-budget movie. Steve Buscemi is believable and hilarious as the harassed director trying to please everyone. The rest of the cast are excellent including the diffident leading lady (Catherine Keener), the self-absorbed cameraman (Dermot Mulrooney), the dumb heartthrob (James Le Gros) and, even, the director's daffy mother and a dwarf.
Basically, it is the story of shooting three scenes and the various mishaps, misunderstandings and frustrations which require take after take after take. In fact, it is not a bad look at how films get made, despite everything. Steve Buscemi went on to direct Trees Lounge and Animal Factory. Catherine Keener went on to stronger parts in more mainstream movies.
1. An entertaining film about film-making? The technical details? The temperaments about personnel? Possibility of accidents and disruptions? Exasperation for all concerned? The great moments when things work?
2. The black and white dream for the opening? The film in black and white later? The contrast with the colour sequences and fiction and reality?
3. The film's description of its shots, the audience watching the set-ups, the technical details of each person involved on the set, the actual filming, the mistakes? The film itself and its style?
4. The title, the title of the film within the film? In each of the three scenes - with the mother, with the star, the dream sequence with the dwarf?
5. The three scenes and the various takes, the humour of the things that could go wrong? The scene with the mother, things getting in the way, the sound interruptions, the boom, actors forgetting their lines? The irony of the run-through and the full emotion given to the words when the camera was not running? The scene with the star, his vanity, coming up with creative ideas, behind the actress, out of the frame, her having to turn round, his playing with her hair? The growing exasperation? The third scene with the dwarf, the performance of the actress, the temperament and criticisms of the dwarf, his refusing to laugh and wanting to know the reasons, the political correctness about his size? The irony of the mother doing it so well? The three scenes as a learning process for the audience about film-making?
6. Nick, his personality, his wanting to make a small-budget film? His trying to please everyone? His nightmare, the scene with the mother and everything going wrong? His exasperation when seeing how marvellously the performers did it while not on screen? His waking up from the nightmare? His presence in the set, his waiting in the car with the actor for Nicole, the scenes with the actor, trying to placate him, Nicole overhearing his comments about her, his trying to reassure her, his exasperation with the actor and letting him go? The clashes with Wolf about hand-held cameras, about shots? Wolf and his relationship with his girlfriend and the tension? The dream sequence, his aims, the lack of smoke, too much smoke, interactions with the dwarf, interactions with Nicole? His final desperation in wanting to give up, angry with everyone, attacking them for all their faults? His mother's arrival, her wandering around? Seeing her performance, filming it, the possibility of a film after all?
7. Nicole, her lack of confidence, her film with Richard Gere, everybody's comment on it? Her chats with the taxi driver? Her interactions with the actress playing the mother, her performing well, her patience, the scene when not on film and the intensity of emotion? Her relationship with the star, coming in the taxi? The performance, her exasperation with him, his putting her behind him? Overhearing the comments, her anger, Nick having to placate her in the street? The dream sequence, her trying to act it? Her future - and imagining that she would be making hamburgers?
8. The star, his self-confidence, vanity, the one-night stand with the actress, deceiving Nick, waiting in the car? His performance, trying to be creative, wanting the eye patch (and persuaded by Nick that he looked somewhat gay)? His spoiling all the scenes? His wanting to get rid of Nicole? Nick placating him, then turning on him?
9. Wolf, his photography, skills, drinking the sour milk, being sick and missing the scene? At home with his girlfriend, their clashes, her wanting to pick up the star and go to the jazz concert? The fight, his eye patch? On the floor, wanting the hand-held camera, the altercation with Nick, his calming down? His girlfriend, as assistant director, her exasperation, doing the calls, trying to get everything in order? Getting Nick's manuscript from his home? His mother turning up?
10. Nick's mother, the same actress playing the mother in the scene? His own relationship with his mother, her being in the institution? Nicole and her playing the scene with the mother and it being reminiscent of her own childhood? The mother's arrival, wandering around the set, doing the scene with the apple?
11. The other technicians, their skills, mistakes? The writer and his wanting to give the manuscript to the star, slipping it into his taxi? Their arguments, success and failures?
12. The thirty seconds of room silence - and each of them imagining the future, Nick and his receiving his awards, Nicole and her going to do hamburgers, Wolf and his girlfriend together, the technician and his imagining eating a hamburger?
13. The humour of the film, the timing, the characters, the insights into film-making?
