Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind...

[kickatruckx]

Just to get things going, I will be back later.

How did you feel about how the techniques played into the story of the film?

Discuss...

[LeCercleRouge]

Inseparable

[Surf Monkey]

Rather than post the same thing again, here's my review of Eternal Sunshine from the Now Playing forum.

[Marq]

It is a bit premature I'd say to start up a Film Discussion on such a recent film that already has a fairly lively discussion in Now Playing (although the thread here for The Passion of the Christ, so it's a tricky position perhaps). Overall, a thread like this might get less discussion since people are still seeing it in theatres and reacting to it in the Now Playing topic.
Here's my thoughts on it, from that thread:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

[Morticia]

Well, just to play "Devil's Advocate" here --

Now Playing doesn't always have in-depth discussions of film techniques. Certainly not without the "liked it/didn't like it" folded in there.

Film Discussion is primarily to discuss film techniques and styles of particular films or films of an actor/director.

[airjosh]

I think that this film really was able to capture the feeling of being inside of the mind and also kept track of the little things that tie our experiences together. Some techniques felt a little inconsistent as the director would use something once and then it doesn't show up again. This can be tricky when dealing with "heady" movies because the rules go out the window as soon as we start dealing with the psyche.

The only part of the filmmaking that didn't work for me was when he brings her back into his childhood. Under the table started to get a little weird, but the sink bit seemed like an "In Living Color" skit. I think that they are important scenes and played about as well as they could be, but it is hard to put Jim Carrey into rediculous environments (like being bathed in a giant sink) without it feeling over the top. These scenes borderlined on silliness with the dialog and it was the only time in the movie where I felt like I was watching Jim Carrey and not the character.

[Surf Monkey]

So, an an interesting anecdote, Eternal Sunshine saved my relationship. My GF broke up with me just a week before the film came out. We both saw it on opeing weekend (not together of course) and it seemed to both of us as though they'd taken our lives and placed them up on the big screen (though I'm not nearly as boring as Joel and my GF isn't nearly as flakey as Clementine.) It struck such a chord with both of us that we did some serious re-evaluating of our relationship and eventually came back together and worked things out. I believe that it would never have happened if it weren't for Eternal Sunshine.

That makes it the second movie that ever changed my life. The first was The Kids Are Alright which I saw when I was 14. I went out and bought a bass the very next day and I've been playing in bands ever since.

[clemato]

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

Inseparable

Absolutely. The techniques are so much part of the story. We are inside Joel's mind. We tag along as he valiantly tries to get back control of his memories again.

We really share in his experience. You are a part of the story, not just an observer.

The American Cinematographer article on this was very insightful. Often it is hard for me understand what some filmmakers are talking about, but what Ellen Kuras went through to try and meet Michel Gondry's vision is fascinating.

I'm very impressed with the kitchen scene. It was edited so precisely that I couldn't find it unbelievable. Also, the beach house and sand scene was very good - it looked real, looked genuine.

One thing I was impressed with was the format of the story. We didn't bounce the Tarantino way this time. That's become very grating on my patience lately. Rather, we instead get to just start and the end and end at the end.

Compared to films like The Rings movies or The Day After Tomorrow, ESOTSM is impressive because there really isn't that much CGI. It's primarily organic. And, I can see why Michel Gondry insisted on natural lighting (or nearest he could get) - it really made the film intimate. You were there, you were in the room.

The soundtrack also touched me, it's very prominent in the movie and evokes so much emotion (as if we needed more).

Finally, the unscripted Elephant scene was just magical. It was so wonderful and I don't even know why. Maybe it's just knowing that it was spontaneous, like real life is.

***

That makes it the second movie that ever changed my life.

Stand and Deliver for me.

[jonesmm9]

The first time I saw this in a crappy theater I was tired and didn't think much of it, but after watching it again(and countless times since) it is, to me, a masterpiece. The little things in the movie, just add to it's greatness. IE: in the begining when Joel says he has never heard of Huckelberry Hound, and later on when he is asleep he is singing the song to Clemintine. Also in the end when Joel offers Clemintine a drink, and gives her a small serving, he says: "I thought there was more." well there was until Patrick, Stan, and Mary drank it all.

Also on a side note, I do not understand why this is classified as a comedy by most people. there are a few funny moments in the film but they are only for small laughs. Sure Jim Carrey is in it but that doesn't make it a comedy. While they are at it they should put it in the action genre also for when the car hits the ground and the house falls apart. This movie is a drama.

[Bantam]

I love the way the movie develops. I like having no idea what is going on in a movie and then gradually figuring it out as it goes along.

[Midnight Cowboy]

I like the movie very much. Another clever script by Kaufman, great performances by the actors. It was fun, yet also strangely moving.

[djp_phillips]

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowboy

I like the movie very much. Another clever script by Kaufman, great performances by the actors. It was fun, yet also strangely moving.

It made tears come to my eyes.

One thing I don't understand is Joel's friend Naomi, okay so he lived with her when he met Clementine, everything is okay, but once Joel has his memory earased and he gets home from his day off sick, in the deleted scenes he phones Naomi to tell her that it's not going to work, and then phones Clementine, now I don't understand this and it is maybe the reason for it being deleted, so what happened to Naomi after Joel went to the beach party? and what was Naomie while Joel and Clementine were going out?

[djp_phillips]

Originally Posted by Surf Monkey

That makes it the second movie that ever changed my life. The first was The Kids Are Alright which I saw when I was 14. I went out and bought a bass the very next day and I've been playing in bands ever since.

Wow that's great, it makes other films like action ones seem like not a real film...
this film made me cry and has changed the way I think about the past and esspecially my GF, and when Joel kept loosing Clementine in his mind, I felt as if I was on the screen and got really upset.
One of only two films to have made my cry, the other was: The Family man

Anyone can do the maths between the two films? I think what they have in common is the What if element and the unknown, living something that isn't real or will one day could be forgotten.