sloth

What a beautiful film. I did some research and learned that it technically isn’t colour grading, but the colours and lighting, along with the framing, make nearly every shot look like a European painting. The landscapes ESPECIALLY have a Romantic beauty to them, while the interiors become increasingly claustrophobic, as Barry climbs further into the hell that is aristocratic society. One detail I loved was the recurring shot of the exterior of Castle Hackton, with the weather getting worse each time we return to it. The framing of the shot also varies, from open, to obscured, and back to open the final time, coinciding with the plot’s progression. Barry himself is a tragic character of Shakespearean quality. His downfall arises from greed, in every sense of the word: for status, wealth, possessions and women. Even after showing Bullingdon mercy in their duel, he loses his leg for it. Their dynamic in the second half is possibly my favourite aspect of the film. Barry is our protagonist, but by this point he has become increasingly difficult to sympathize with. Bullingdon, however, is an antagonist, despite being entirely understandable and quite “good”. The performances are phenomenal across the board. Lady Lyndon, Lord Bullingdon, Le Chevalier, the Reverend, Potzdorf, and of course Barry Lyndon deliver some of the most believable performances in accordance to the story’s period. And the classical score is just as good. It sounds respectively grand and beautiful, or deeply threatening, depending on which it need be. The epilogue was also a great addition. After three hours of watching people destroy themselves over somewhat trivial things, the film finally reminds us that none of it mattered. Whether they were good or evil, beautiful or ugly, rich or poor, they are all equal in death. For a three hour film made over half a century ago, Barry Lyndon never felt dated to me. It is funny, tragic, cynical, historically rich and unbelievably beautiful. This is what I would consider a perfect film. also i was convinced that barry lyndon and sam gamgee’s actors were related and am now disappointed