La flor (Mariano Llinás, 2018)

[Red Screamer]

Francophones who haven't picked up a copy yet: the French blu is more than half off at Fnac, 20€.

[denti alligator]

I've just started this, taking it an episode at time, at least as far as this is feasible. I can't seem to tell the lengths of the episodes. Internet searches bring up the lengths of the divisions into four parts, not six. The first is 1 hr 20 (with the prologue), the second I'm assuming is 2 hrs 10 mins (based on the remaining time left in the file I have that has the first two episodes together). I read somewhere that the third part is over 5 hours and that the last two are 20 minutes each. Can someone confirm these times and the length of the fourth so I can better plan my continued viewings. Thanks!

[therewillbeblus]

I spoiler’d the answers to the runtimes just a few posts up here… BUT -

*Zedz rightfully asked for this to be placed in a spoilerbox given reasons he lists (that you should not spoil for yourself) in his post after mine. If I were you I’d just go with it, without clicking to check, especially given that you have no concept of time for the best and most structurally surprising episode that’s the key to the whole thing!

[denti alligator]

Thanks. Not sure my family will be as patient and forgiving as I am. I think we'll do episode two tomorrow, and then (if they're hooked), we can aim to watch in bigger chunks in the following week.

[zedz]

I think it is safe to tell you that episode three is the biggest chunk (and the less you break it up the better), so I'd recommend an early start and to keep going as long as everyone can stand it.

[denti alligator]

It took us over a month to finish, and while I’m sure that diminished some of the impact, it was still a powerful experience. We watched episodes 4-6 over the last two days. I will join the praise the film is getting here (and elsewhere) and don’t have the time and energy right now to write a lot, but I will say that what’s remarkable about it is how it works *as* narrative, both despite and by virtue of the fact that it’s constantly taking away what conventional narrative usually offers. This is especially remarkable because I think what the film ultimately succeeds in doing (that is, what makes it “work” as a film) has less to do with the narrative “play,” the clever ways it references itself across the 14 hours, the set ups and jokes, etc., than with a kind of narrative satisfaction that is very carefully structured, built up, and delivered with poignancy and dramatic effect. Ok, that was confusing: what I mean is that despite all its ironic playfulness with story expectations, the key sequence of the film where everything coalesces (the end of episode 4) is neither ironic nor playful. Nor is it even particularly *narrative* (in any conventional sense)—and yet it still provides a kind of satisfaction that is up there with the best of stories. And of course, it only works because of what precedes it. And its power increases with the subsequent codas. I can’t wait to rewatch this—next time over three days!

[isakorg2]

Good Lord. I see where (Amazon, DaaVeeDee) there is a blu-ray available, w/English subtitles, from a German company. But it's on one disc. When I was a kid, there was an old bit about the Gettysburg Address engraved on the head of a pin. This offering sounds comparable. Does anyone know about blu-ray?

[Peacock]

3 disks.

Haven’t watched mine yet but all the reviews I saw online and from members on here said it’s a good release.

[denti alligator]

What are the chances of Criterion picking this up? It was on their channel for a while, right? A nice edition with some extras would be welcome.

[Glowingwabbit]

What are the chances of Criterion picking this up? It was on their channel for a while, right? A nice edition with some extras would be welcome.

It's with Grasshopper.

[therewillbeblus]

What are the chances of Criterion picking this up? It was on their channel for a while, right? A nice edition with some extras would be welcome.

It's with Grasshopper.

They also aren't currently planning a physical release, though a few of us have been urging them quite a bit in their dedicated thread!

[zedz]

Who do we have to kidnap to make this happen?

[domino harvey]

Adrian Martin on the film

[therewillbeblus]

Adrian Martin on the film

Darn, thought this would be a new appreciation - but it's just a repost from 2020

Still waiting for Grasshopper or someone to commission him for a commentary and give us a proper release