The Power of Plotlessness

The Holy Moment - 'Waking Life'

"Cinema, in its essence, is, well it's about an introduction to reality, which is that, like, reality is actually reproduced. And for him, it might sound like a storytelling medium, really. And he feels like,... literature is better for telling a story. You know, and if you tell a story or even like a joke, like you know "This guy walks into a bar and, you know, he sees a dwarf." That works really well because you're imagining this guy and this dwarf in the bar and there's this kind of imaginative aspect to it. But in film, you don't have that because you actually are filming a specific guy, in a specific bar, with a specific dwarf, of a specific height, who looks a certain way, right?....

...Truffaut always said the best films aren't made ... the films ... The best scripts don't make the best films, because they have that kind of literary narrative thing that you're sort of a slave to. The best films are the ones that aren't tied to that slavishly. So I don't know. The whole narrative thing seems to me like, um ... Obviously, there's narrativity to cinema 'cause it's in time, just the way there's narrativity to music. But, you know, you don't first think of the story of the song, and then make the song. It has to come out of that moment. And that's what film has. It's just that moment, which is holy." -Caveh Zahedi and David Jewell discuss the work of André Bazin and François Truffaut.

Richard Linklater is a film maker; producer, director, writer and actor whose work (as quoted by IMDb) attempts to examine "the youth rebellion continuum”. His films are atmospheric and moving. Often set in snapshots of a specific period of time such as twelve hours or twenty four hours, he is able to tap into the emotional core of the characters (in the film sense and the 'personality' sense) that he portrays. His films carry a somewhat obscure and tangible thread that is indirect and not obvious, yet present and enduring. He has a remarkable capacity to effectively carry the viewer through an experiential journey.

Richard Linklater has a keen eye for talent development, often working with actors that he has an established relationship with, and able to, somehow, inspire breathtaking performances out of his cast. He has worked not only on the deep, exploratory and unconventional films that are my favorite, but also in more mainstream and comedic projects and always brings an exceptionally high level of artistry and quality.

He highlights the unconventional and refreshing and has a unique ability to capture significance and poignancy in seemingly everyday interactions. Unlike most films that try to make a specific statement or arouse an certain emotional response, It’s hard to condense and express a definitive message he is trying to convey. His films are moving and effective; the effect being positive, opening, encouraging and supportive.
In my mind Richard Linklater is a storyteller, not in the sense of inventing narratives but observing and interpreting. He consistently captures moments on film with notable sympathy and insight.

His first full length film was ‘It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books’ which I have not yet seen. Wikipedia has this to say about the plot: "In its minimal and non-traditional plot, the protagonist travels about the country meeting with various acquaintances when not taking part in various mundane, day-to-day activities. There is no real rising action or climax, and Linklater's character does not change substantially throughout the course of the film."
A description which is not very encouraging, yet with my experiences of his other films, I can't help but to feel that although it may seem to demand a bit more form the viewer in conscious attention, I can be certain the reward will be great.

"On really romantic evenings of self, I go salsa dancing with my confusion.”

Speed Levitch - Waking Life

The first Richard Linklater film I saw was ‘Dazed and Confused’. Mind-blowing and life altering, I'm still holding on to the hope that it's effects will be beneficial in the end.

Although slightly quirky and atmospheric this film does contain a definite narrative, led by a central protagonist and carried by a selection of characters as they progress through twenty four hours or so of a pivotal moment in coming of age: the last day of school.
From watching it I had no idea of the true nature of the creative intellect I was exposing myself to. I didn’t really notice the insightful somewhat slow, ‘observant’ nature of the movie.
The story and the characters are engaging, in fact the movie wholly captured my attention and shifted my emotions. It’s effects on me were ‘mind-blowing’, liberating. It is a penetrating exploration of youthful anti-establishment counterculture. Struggles of youth, peers and authority, romantic relationships and freedom are portrayed.

A few years and mid way through the psychedelic adventures of my own life that 'Dazed and Confused' had contributed to inspiring, I first saw 'Waking Life'.

Clips from Waking Life

This masterpiece of creative film output is the real standout for me. At the time, and although both films feature Jason London in the lead, I had no idea that it was made by the same director as ‘Dazed and Confused’ and knew nothing about the director.
The movie was a complete surprise to me. It was revelation at the time for me to discover that there were other human beings who were asking themselves the questions the movie wrestles with.
‘Waking Life’ was produced entirely using Rotoscoping whereby the film is traced over by animators forming a realism/ animation hybrid. A look perfectly suited to the apparent subject matter of the film: lucid dreaming.
The body of story development consists almost entirely of discussions and soliloquies about a variety of interrelated topics such as philosophy, arts, society and consciousness. These intellectual expositions and conceptual explorations are carried forward by the experiences of the protagonist as he navigates his way through a period of significant occurrences. The Rotoscope technique portrays perfectly the blending of seemingly real-life occurrences with the dream world. The result, the experience of watching the movie affects the mind to mimic a dreamlike state in which realism is interspersed with illogical and irrational happenings.

"The trick is to combine your waking rational abilities with the infinite possibilities of your dreams. Because, if you can do that, you can do anything."

Guy Forsyth - Waking Life

Dreaming and dream exploration, in my view, serve merely as a setting used to explore concepts that although are related, are in fact, more profound and inevitable. While accomplishing this, Richard Linklater is also conveying a wealth of practical information regarding dream exploration, deep and engaging philosophy as well as a plethora of related topics. Deeply captivating and engaging, I found the ending to appear out of the narrative somewhat abruptly. The effect is striking and leaves me with a sense of wonder, partly yearning for the discourse to continue. Waking Life Transcript

‘A Scanner Darkly’ based on a novel by Philip K. Dick is also produced using Rotoscope, yet is quite a different kind of story to ‘Waking Life’. It was after seeing ‘A Scanner Darkly’ that I began to take an interest in who exactly the director of these two movies was. Because of the similar look to these two films I began to form some idea of Richard Linklater still not aware that he in fact made one of he movies at influenced me so greatly: (‘Dazed and Confused’)and still ignorant though of his greater body of work.

"Now in the dark world where I dwell, ugly things, and surprising things, and sometimes little wondrous things, spill out in me constantly, and I can count on nothing.”

Philip K. Dick - A Scanner Darkly

‘A Scanner Darkly’ follows a tumultuous period in the life of an undercover narcotics agent in a future time when society has become dominated by a new drug known as substance ‘D’. In stark contrast to the apparent reactionary control by the state though surveillance and censorship, a drug fueled undercurrent of anti-establishment counterculture runs rife. The animation technique is used in this film to blur the lines of reality as experienced by the characters who exist in a state of heavy drug use characterized by detachment from rationality, hallucination and paranoia. The story is a masterful rendition of the theme of an agent who goes so deep undercover that lines of which side he is on become blurred. Be it Philip K. Dick's novel or Richard Linklater’s direction, I am blissfully unaware that this is in fact a common plot device. It is done here in such a captivating and original way.
'A Scanner Darkly' is direct, emotional, personal and tragic as well as being filled with unconventional, challenging and startling perspectives presented by the characters interactions and musings. Lines of loyalty and betrayal as well as lines of reality and hallucination are tight roped and crossed. Questions of identity and personal history are explored through flashbacks juxtaposed with current events, retrospectively building up a backstory that begins to reveal the developments and motivations which lead towards a heartrending and cathartic denouement.

What Does a Scanner See?

Having realized there was a genius at work in those two Rotoscope movies, I began to do my research. Finally discovered the greater body of work that is Richard Linklater's contribution to the arts.

"Honor thy error as a hidden intention."

Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt - Oblique Strategies

Through my research I discovered ‘Slacker’, his second full lenght film, which is decribed by IMDb as; "an insightful, virtually plotless look at 1990s youth culture". It has no easily discernible narrative but is a collection of quotable skits and discussions presented through portrayals of characters and interactions within the youth counter-culture society of Austin Texas. The time frame features a typical Richard Linklater ‘day in the life' format, highlighting diverse but somehow intangibly related perspectives on relationships, society, crime, psychology and creativity. There is a dramatic framework which begins to emerge surprisingly towards the end of the film. Highly thought provoking and inspiring, but not in a way that is typically considered so. I feel that if I had somehow missed out in being exposed to this intellectual gem, my conceptual framework of existence would somehow be lacking in proper depth. Slacker - Full Movie

"I've had a total recalibration of my mind, you know. I mean, it's like, I've been banging my head against this 19th century type, um, what? Thought mode? Construct? Human construct? Well, the wall doesn't exist. It's not there, you know. I mean, they tell you, look for the light at the end of the tunnel. Well, there is no tunnel. There's just no structure. The underlying order is chaos."

Having a Breakthrough Day - Slacker

Thank You for reading!