Ritter der Finsternis

Iosseliani in this film takes Robert Bresson's great approach to cinema yet to a higher level. An amazing film, a must see.

I caught this extraordinary think-piece in a rep house (remember them?) in the late '80s -- and was struck by how such a tremendous film could be so little-known. In following the complex activities of a bunch of seemingly-unrelated Parisians, Soviet-Georgian-born director Otar Iosseliani does indeed suggest a world wider than any one city could contain. It's like watching a beehive, with a cast of crazies and/or criminals buzzing around manically, mostly missing one another but occasionally intersecting. In this, Favorites of the Moon somewhat recalls Nashville, Short Cuts, and Magnolia -- yet Iosseliani is less interested in "explaining" and tying-up loose ends than either Altman or Anderson. He just presents these people and their peculiar doings (some of which are very, very funny), then lets viewers figure it all out for themselves. Fascinating!

In fact, the only complaint I have about Favorites of the Moon is how difficult it is to find!

OK, this film is terrible. There are just a few far-fetched reasons why someone would like it. It got an award at Venice International Film Festival (that must mean something, right? RIGHT?) It has a decent portrayal of the 80ies, so if you are feeling nostalgic, it might do the trick. And it has an unorthodox approach of not having a conventional story per se, but rather mixes up a bunch of different characters, tying them up a little as time goes on.

Other than that this film is a disaster. Most of the characters are terribly miscast. Most of the time they are walking around or talking with pretty much zero emotions. There is no character introduction or development whatsoever. Some scenes are so cheesy they are painful to look at (ie the scene of a bomb selling gone wrong).

Trying to figure out any sense in this mess is a lost cause, but I'm sure there are people who will find it anywhere given enough time and motivation. Don't listen to them.

Otar Iosseliani's films are like huge patchworks sewed out of minute urban scenes. The title of this movie is based on Falstaff's remark from the play King Henry IV by William Shakespeare: "Let not us that are squires of the night's body be called thieves of the day's beauty: let us be Diana's foresters, gentlemen of the shade, minions of the Moon." Favourites of the Moon is a quilt of underworld activities and associations of the criminal world with the world ordinary. This splendid comedy is permeated with delicate irony and it shows so many curious aspects of city life. Otar Iosseliani is one in the top dozen of my most favourite directors.

I've watched a lot of movies. Some of my all time favourites include Taxi Driver, The French Connection, The Godfather Pt2, The Servant, and a bunch of Kubrick and Coen Brothers films. But Favourites of the Moon is also one of my all time favourites and it like, Richard Linklater's wonderful Slacker is a whole different kettle of fish to the previously mentioned greats. If it bugs you that there doesn't seem to be a plot to this film, all I can say is "Relax!" Let go of your expectations and trust that Ioselliani knows what he is doing. I've seen Favourites of the Moon maybe six or seven times and I still don't really understand it, but I just really enjoy each little story contained within it and on each viewing I notice a little more of what is linking them. And to those who think this is a terrible movie, I would say you're trying too hard, or you're demanding that a story be only a certain narrow form. Cinematic bedfellow of Slacker. Both great films.