A visual feast! Unfortunately, the story isn't quite on par with the great cinematography (especially noteworthy are the heavy use of wide-angle lenses like in The Cremator and the "cat POV" very low angle tracking shots) and the music. And I'm relieved that I wasn't the only one that didn't realize they're played by the same actress (which gives Viktoria's early remark that Klara has an annoying face a little twist). The make-up artist and the wig made a good job if that was intentional (I somehow like the idea of taking the same actress for both part and then concealing it).
The story itself suffered from the censorship: it actually revolved around a schrizophrenia twist - Viktoria and Klara are actually the same person. I'm not a fan of this kind of plot twist anymore but I guess most of the exploitation of it was done by later films. Would the movie even be more hallucinogenic if both characters had drunk the poison?
Overall, it doesn't quite reach the heights of my beloved Cremator but it's a sensory pleasure. And the story definitely isn't bad and well-executed, even if we'd reduce it to the poisoned glass - Viktoria's doubt (trying to prevent her sister from drinking it at first) and feeling of guilt (the scene were she watched a red fluid dilute and subsequently doesn't want to drink her tea from clear glasses anymore) to the accidental killing of the titular cat with the hypnotic blue eyes - there's lots of great moments and details.
8-/10
Sadly going off the 500<400 list this year but I hope it'll come back.
Further reading:
http://sensesofcinema.com/2017/cteq/morgiana/
http://nothingbutthenight.blogspot.com/2015/03/morgiana-1972.html
http://w-cinema.blogspot.com/2012/05/morgiana-1972.html
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nymets138
Watch it with English subtitles here: https://vimeo.com/379175352Melvelet
A visual feast! Unfortunately, the story isn't quite on par with the great cinematography (especially noteworthy are the heavy use of wide-angle lenses like in The Cremator and the "cat POV" very low angle tracking shots) and the music. And I'm relieved that I wasn't the only one that didn't realize they're played by the same actress (which gives Viktoria's early remark that Klara has an annoying face a little twist). The make-up artist and the wig made a good job if that was intentional (I somehow like the idea of taking the same actress for both part and then concealing it).The story itself suffered from the censorship: it actually revolved around a schrizophrenia twist - Viktoria and Klara are actually the same person. I'm not a fan of this kind of plot twist anymore but I guess most of the exploitation of it was done by later films. Would the movie even be more hallucinogenic if both characters had drunk the poison?
Overall, it doesn't quite reach the heights of my beloved Cremator but it's a sensory pleasure. And the story definitely isn't bad and well-executed, even if we'd reduce it to the poisoned glass - Viktoria's doubt (trying to prevent her sister from drinking it at first) and feeling of guilt (the scene were she watched a red fluid dilute and subsequently doesn't want to drink her tea from clear glasses anymore) to the accidental killing of the titular cat with the hypnotic blue eyes - there's lots of great moments and details.
8-/10
Sadly going off the 500<400 list this year but I hope it'll come back.
Further reading:
http://sensesofcinema.com/2017/cteq/morgiana/
http://nothingbutthenight.blogspot.com/2015/03/morgiana-1972.html
http://w-cinema.blogspot.com/2012/05/morgiana-1972.html