CLIMATES
Iran, 2007, 100 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Mohammed Mahdi Asgarpur.
Climates is a psychological thriller. It is obviously modelled on the conventions of such films as Gaslight with Charles Boyer haunting Ingrid Bergman to make her go mad. The same theme was used in the Australian film, Irresistible, with Anne Turner and Susan Sarandon and Emily Blunt.
The film focuses on a wife, wealthy, who is nervy but is being haunted by dreams and seemingly strange incidents. Her husband has heart trouble and is in hospital. During her visits she is also disturbed, receiving strange phone calls.
Audiences would generally think that there was something wrong with her mind, that she was suffering illusions – though gradually the film moves to suggest that something more sinister is taking place. The husband is so sympathetic that audiences would not entirely suspect him.
The film moves to a rather dramatic and brutal climax – and the revelation of the truth. There is a bizarre ending with a road crash which is seen at the beginning of the film and the husband passing by. He drives out into the desert and wanders with his bad heart, leaving the perpetrator of the murder locked in the boot of the car. (Or is this final sequence an imagination as he lies dying in the car accident?)
1.The popularity of this kind of psychological thriller? The mentally disturbed wife? The loving marriage? Suspicions? Hauntings? The final revelation of the truth?
2.The affluent Tehran settings? The wealthy home, offices? Hospital? The city and its background, on the roads, the cars? The musical score?
3.The title – emotional climates?
4.The opening car accident, the red car, overturning, the victim being dragged from the car before it exploded? The ending and Emad, passing in his wife’s car, seeing the accident, driving out into the desert, wandering with his bad heart, leaving the murderer in the boot…?
5.The focus on Sara, her wealth, her loving marriage to Emad, the memories of their visit to India and the photos? His being in hospital and her being disturbed? Her waking up, her dreams? Her being paranoid, going to the psychologist in the institution? The discussions about the suspicious phone calls, the strand of blonde hair in the bed? Her suspicion of one of the nurses? Her relationship to her father, to the lawyers, especially the lawyer who wanted to marry her? The other relations and their visit? Her husband’s partner? (All possible suspects?)
6.Sara at home, the disturbed room, calling the police and all being well? Her discovering the clothes laid out on the chairs? The strange presence in the house? The bridal veil? Her thinking she was mad? Her discussions with her husband, his reassuring her? With her father? Her going to all the fortune tellers – and the range of people who looked at cards, looked at coffee dregs etc? The continued effect on her?
7.As a sympathetic character? Her being a victim? Her loving her husband? Her suspicions – yet wanting to give him rights over her property?
8.The background of the hospital, the doctors, the nurses, the suspicious blonde nurse, the other visitors?
9.The murder, the impact on the audience of Sara’s death? Her husband being in the car and therefore not killing her? The mystery? The irony of his being arrested, in jail, the effect on him, the visit of his partner? His being let out after the discussion with Sara’s father and his compassion?
10.The prosecuting lawyer, the past suitor for Sara, his knowing that Emad was responsible? Their confrontation – especially at the end as Emad drove off in the car?
11.The reality of the plan, Emad’s return home, the woman turning up with the meal, the revelation of what she had done? Her lying to Emad? The visualising of her killing Sara after the wig was torn off? Her not telling Emad the truth? His bundling her in the boot of the car – and leaving her there?
12.The conventions of this kind of melodrama? Plan for greed? Hauntings and murder? Iranian style?
