A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE

Sweden, 2014, 101 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Roy Andersson.

Swedish writer-director, Roy Andersson, does not make many films. However, his two features previous to this film work, are, to say the least, existential: Songs from the Seventh Floor and You, the Living. The films are episodic, have unusual characters, and many reviewers tend to use the phrase, absurdist comedy.

This film begins in a museum, the glimpse of a pigeon sitting on a branch in a glass case, along with other glass cases including prehistoric creatures. Then, there are three quick sketches of three deaths, indicating that death, life and its meaning, its futility and unpredictableness will be important to the film.

While much of the film concerns to salesmen of novelties, not very successful, but demonstrating vampire teeth, a laughing bag and a mask, there are many scenes in a restaurant – one of which goes back to 1943 and the proprietor, Limping Lena and sailors lining up for a drink paying with a kiss. Then there are episodes from the 18th century with King Charles XII going off to war with Russia, returning bedraggled from defeat and needing the toilet at the restaurant.

And so on. Visual meanings, reflections, a kind of cinema poem of the absurd.

1. The third film in Roy Andersen’s trilogy? The meaning of life, reflections on life? The comic touches, serious touches, absurdist?

2. The Swedish settings, the restaurant, the hospital, the dance class, street, the barbershop, the apartments and corridors? The variations on the American songs: John Brown’s Body, When the Saints come marching in?

3. The camera style, the fixed camera, action within the frame? The subdued colour? The scenes from the 18th century, costumes and style? The musical score?

4. The present in the past, the interlude in 1943 at Limping Lena’s bar, the same bar as in the present, the song, the sailors, kissing Lena? The impact of this interlude?

5. Going back to the 18th century, the leader, ousting the women from the bar, the King of Sweden, the song, the troops, the pompous descending from his horse over the men, the gay proposal to the barman? Coming back later, wounded, the sobbing in the bar, the widow? The King wanting to use the toilet, being occupied, his lament about the Russians, needing more horses? The song about Charles XII, the couple on the beach, the song, the dog?

6. The prologue and the Museum, the cases, the dinosaur, the man contemplating, the pigeon on the branch?

7. The significance of the three death sequences: the man at home, popping the cork on the wine bottle, his collapse? The mother, dying, her children, clutching her handbag, wanting her possessions, the son trying to get the money and the jewels? The man collapsing, the dinner, the authorities, having paid for the meal?

8. The dance hall, the young man, the instructor, her fondling him, the dancing style? His leaving, seen at the restaurant, his leaving the instructress? Her disappointment?

9. The military man seen outside the restaurant during this action, his phone call and his making an error, his later visit to the bar and his explanation of getting to the talk, all the accidents that went wrong, his saying “of course�,

10. The many sequences in the bar, the proprietor, the sequence with Arne and his 60 years there?

11. The focus on the men selling the novelties, one at the barber, the barber’s speech about his brother-in-law absent, his military training and how he would cut hair? The novelty man leaving? The men in the bar, the issues of payment, their owing money, money owed them? Their novelties, the masks, the vampire teeth, the mask, the funny bag? Their wanting to let people have fun? Their failures, their accommodation, the rooms, the corridors, getting depressed, the scenes on the road? Trying to acquire their money, their being accosted?

12. The kiosks scene, the woman with a stone in the shoe, the novelties and everybody leaving?

13. The storekeeper, the chase?

14. The two men, the fact that they were the only friends? The corridor, the repetition by the caretaker that people wanted to sleep because they would work the next day?

15. The Homo sapiens, the chimp, the woman on the phone?

16. The British soldiers, speaking in English, whipping the Africans, the cries, embarking, the cylinder, setting fire, watching, it rotating? Reflected in the glass door, the elderly guests emerging, evening dress, the wine refills?

17. Jonathan, alone, knocking, the story about something horrible?

18. The final sequence, the bus stop, the range of characters, the reassurance that this was still Wednesday?

19. The cumulative effect of this kind of experience, reflection?