‘Film is not analysis, it is the agitation of [the] mind; cinema comes from the country fair
and the circus, not from art and academicism.’ - Werner Herzog
Was Herzog being prophetic when he talked about the clash between these two
ideals in Inarritu’s Magnum Opus?
Birdman, as a film, speaks to us on multiple levels. At the forefront, it is a story
about a washed-up superhero-actor who is trying to get back to his last shot at
glory in a Broadway play written by Carver where he risks everything he’s got.
But, as the story moves forward, we realize that we’re not only watching this final
outreach towards glory in the life of an actor-trying-to-be-artist swansong but
we’re also watching all his subconscious layers of wishful thinking unfold
prophetically right before us.
Cerebral, smooth and scintillating. The film begins with a shot of Riggan/Birdman
from behind wearing nothing but his white underwear. From that point onwards,
the entire film is shot in the form of a single take, a technique first established by
the master of suspense, Hitchcock himself in Rope (1948). This is meta-filmmaking
at it’s finest. The theme of the unhinged, uninterrupted rhapsody of Broadway is
transcended, all across the silver screen, as night changes into day and day
dissolves into night as our characters laugh, cry, explode -revealed in front of us -
all of this smoothly tied to the central dilemma of the main character – I don’t
exist. I’m not even here – Riggan/Birdman
Michael Keaton, as you may know, was the first Batman on screen in the 1989
version directed by Tim Burton. Lauded by filmgoers and critics alike, that film
was a resounding success and is still watched by fans of the Caped Crusader.
Although, the funny part is that after Batman, Keaton completely fell off the
radar, much like Riggan in Birdman. It’s almost as if we’re watching the actor and
character become one in another surrealistic technique of metamorphosis taking
place on screen in an absolutely riveting fashion.
The screenplay is tight and crisp, complemented by some brilliant performances
by Emma Stone as the drug-addict daughter and Edward Norton as the egotistical
actor trying to get his spotlight any which way he wants, both posing problems for
Riggan’s final swansong.
All three of these able actors, Inarritu as director and writer have been nominated for the Oscars which are to take place in a week.
Also deserving notable mention is Zach Galifianakis as the lawyer-friend, Naomi
Watts as the debutante actress and Amy Ryan as the supportive ex-girlfriend.
All in all, Birdman is a masterpiece. It’s the sort of film that grows on you long
after you watch it and stays in your head hours after you leave the auditorium.
The questions it poses and the statements it makes are best left to Interpretation.
But that’s the beauty of the film. It allows you to make your own choices. Just like
Birdman. Touché?
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