Because the river is there-"About the Four Warriors of the Rapids"

Zaria 2021-12-07 08:01:42


As Godard said to the film's director John Bulman: the most important thing to make a film is courage. This is also the most important lesson about film that I learned from Herzog. Herzog would like this movie, but if it were made by him, the drama of the story would definitely be diluted, and it would be more of a poetic gaze.
If you have to follow the traditional theme first, the theme of this film is to explore the conflict between urban civilization and natural civilization. Four prosperous urbanites came to a torrent that was about to become a lake, and started a standard "heroic journey" with two kayaks. If this story were to be placed in Homer more than two thousand years ago, he It is estimated that it will be written according to this story structure. Such heroic stories have been narrated by humans for thousands of years, and they will certainly continue to be narrated by humans.
John Watt (who has sexy thick lips like his daughter) is undoubtedly the so-called "hero" of the film. This city man, according to the character Lewis in the film, his house is big enough and money There are enough, the wife is beautiful, and the son is smart enough, but with such a rich middle class, why do you want to venture into this barren mountain? The author may use the mouth of another character in the play to tell some reasons: among these green mountains and rivers, there are things that are lost in our city. The story revolves around the contradiction between man and nature. If Qiang Water, a cowardly middle class, wants to grow into a hero in the so-called Greek mythology, the first challenge he must face is wild nature. The role of Tarzan Lewis in the modern version of the play can be regarded as his growth mentor. It was Lewis who dispelled his worries about canceling the trip. It was also Lewis who stood up to save him when he was almost sodomized. It was also Lewis who made him reflect on the laws and morals of the city (from the initial passive cover-up of the murder to the later self Take the initiative to make up stories). However, when the story reached its climax, Lewis was injured, and he gave the dominance of the story to Ed. Because only in this way can heroes grow independently. From the initial panic when hunting the deer to the last arrow hitting the mountain people who chased them, Ed completed a self-salvation and Deliverance (the film title. Rescue)
People living in cities always have wishful thinking about nature. However, this film presents its two features to the audience, both the beautiful and tender side, and the wild side that devours life. The mountain people who represent them are also the same. They will not only chase them violently, but also keep their promises and drive the car to the designated place. Wishful beautification or defacement will only be far away from nature itself.
The film’s photographer, Sigmund, likes the film very much, probably because it is a visual film. The image of this film is also quite good. If you have to find out the shortcomings, it is probably the night scene that shot the mountain people. If you guessed it correctly, it should be processed by day and night shots, because according to the sensitivity of the film at the time, It is impossible to shoot at night, and lighting at night in such a large environment is also impossible. The processing of day and night movies still looks a bit fake, and the atmosphere is not created enough.
Why did this group of people come here? Maybe I only answered part of it. A local resident asked them: "Why are you here?" Lewis said, "Because the river is there." Yes, the river is there, and the river has been flowing there for hundreds of millions of years before humans came to live there, but because of people In the transformation, the river will not be there, but deep down, it will continue to flow. It's like a person encloses himself in a safe and secure city building, and then opens a window to create a stinking ditch several meters wide, which is called a river-view room. However, this artificial nature does not really make people settle down. The call of the wild will wake us up in dreams from time to time, just like the hand hidden in the lake in the film will occasionally appear in the dream and break us. Quiet city life. Settlement and wandering are the themes of eternal circulation. We settle here just for a short rest for the next wandering. Don’t ask me why I set off, because the river is there...
March 3, 2014 at Shenmeng Tower, Qingyun Mountain

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Extended Reading
  • Garfield 2022-04-22 07:01:27

    I don't know what to say--

  • Israel 2022-03-25 09:01:08

    It is amazing to integrate multiple types, elements and themes into such a seemingly simple but meaningful story!

Deliverance quotes

  • Mountain Man: What do you want to do now?

    Toothless Man: [grinning] He got a real pretty mouth ain't he?

    Mountain Man: That's the truth

    Toothless Man: [to Ed] You gonna do some prayin' for me, boy. And you better pray good.

  • Doctor: Explain this to me again. I didn't know somebody could shoot themself with their own arrow.