So 2 weeks later and I’m still thinking about Holy Motors, last week in class we discussed Denis Lavant’s role in the film. This allowed me to establish the sheer importance of character and acting within a film. Without a believable portrayal of a character audiences do not relate to the film as much nor do they retrieve a sense of realism into the narrative.

Source of image: http://en.unifrance.org/directories/person/118407/denis-lavant

Lavant a french actor played 11 roles in Holy Motors; but instead of naming the all I want to focus on one or two characters that really stood out to me and how his communication of the character really resinated with me.

The first is Mr Oscar when he is rides in the limo and changes, in these parts which are constantly referred back to in-between his change of characters. He appears quite mundane and subtle especially compared to the other characters he plays. He holds a lack of emotion in these scenes as compared to the rest of the film’, if anything he just gets more fatigued and expressionless. His body movements are slow and direct each with a purpose to get ready for his next appointment. Its quite  a raw portrayal as physically he is exposed with a bald head, no shirt on and no make up. In some ways this character portrayal is a person for audiences to relate with the (so we think) most truthful representation of who he is.

 

The second I really liked was the portal of the man who wears wears green suit with red hair and a beard. His character appears very jittery, out there and wild as he walks around eating flowers from a graveyard. His body language was very large, big arm movements and fast walking that was very unpolished and all over the place, his wide eyes made him seem crazy and quick twitches all combined to represent this bizarre man whose so quirky and unusual. His portrayal is almost quite humorous due to his inquisitive nature of his surroundings. Overall I think he really played this part well, for me he really captured my attention just to the sheer oddness of this character and I love how the people react to his behaviour in the movie.

It is without a doubt that Denis Lavant’s acting within this film is what really sets it apart. For one man to convey 11 different characters and make each so different and individual in such an engaging and convincing way is pretty incredible. Despite whether or not we understand the narrative, Lavant’s communication of the characters allow us to at least understand motivation of who he portrays within every scene.

Source of both videos: Youtube, original clips from Holy Motors film directed by Leos Carax