This is
definitely one of those ones you feel rather than understand. It’s one you
watch with your gut as well as your eyes. And boy does director Peter Strickland
make himself at home there. Re-watching the rather dreamlike and mesmerizing trailer I have a feeling that this will be
divisive. Some people will probably find it pretentious and a little too arty. But
others will note its sheer beauty and be drawn in – like the proverbial moth to
the flame – and hopefully, be in store for as pleasant a surprise as I was…
The Duke of
Burgundy definitely doesn’t have straightforward storyline and the storyline
that does exist is only half the story. Cynthia (Sidse Babet Knudsen) and
Evelyn (Chiara d’Anna) are lovers. Cynthia is a scientist –or rather an
academic - she studies moths and
butterflies. On the surface they are a couple like any other – albeit the fact
they are lesbians does raise eyebrows in the older members of the little town they
live in. However, Cynthia and Evelyn aren’t quite your average couple. This is
a sado-masochistic relationship, complete with all manner of punishments you
can (or can’t) imagine… And yet, love is love and relationships are
relationships. They all suffer from the same hiccups and doubts. And as the two
women explore the limits of their relationship, it becomes more and more
questionable whether their love will survive at all…
If you are
starting The Duke of Burgundy with the hope it’s some rather highbrow version
of porn, I would strongly suggest you back up right now. Yes, the film is by
its nature intensely sexual. But it is also both beautiful and heavily
psychological. And when I say beautiful I most definitely do NOT mean just the actresses. I also mean the film
itself and its visual qualities. The cinematography is flawless, the
photography is stunning and the whole film sustains the mesmerizing, dreamlike
quality throughout and the whole mood sticks with you for quite a while after
watching it.
As for the
film itself, well there is so much to say… I will, sadly, stray into the realm
of spoilers for a little but please bear with me. When the film first begins we
are confronted with the typical dominant – submissive scenario. For a full half
hour this is the reality we watch on screen. But then, slowly, we realize that
even in the world of the film and this relationship these are precisely what
these are – scenarios. As the story unfolds it becomes less and less clear who
really “dominates” the relationship and who really is wearing the proverbial
pants.
Because as
we all know, it never is that simple, is it… No relationship ever is. Be it
romantic, familial or friendly, bonds between human beings are never set in
stone. They are fluid, they change with the people that form them they grow
they expand, they contract… I don’t want to give too much away but as we (and
the two ladies) get deeper and deeper into this story, this exploration, the
film does a very good job of showing us how changeable these seas truly are. I
especially loved the way Cynthia ends up celebrating Evelyn’s birthday… If
there ever was a scene where the worm truly turned… But I should really let you
discover that one for yourself.
You will
really need to just stop and figure out what just hit you once you finish
watching The Duke of Burgundy. You will reevaluate your own relationships, have
a quiet cup of something or other and if you are anything like me be unable to
watch another “serious” film that day. It’s definitely not for the faint
hearted and rest assured I do not just mean sexually, although the film does
not shy away from the physicality of a sado-masochistic relationship for one
moment (although, kudos to Peter Strickland the director, it doesn’t for one
minute fall into the trap of making the women overly sexualized or “cheapened”
in any way). It will, however, make you go to some interesting places in your
own head. If you can overcome the strength of the story and the in places
abstract story telling that is… This one is in short, a bit of hard work but definitely
worth the effort…
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