9
“You only see your life clearly once, when all protective walls have crumbled. You stand there, naked and cold, seeing yourself just the way you are. Once only.”
Summer Interlude is a meticulous ride through a series of emotions, it’s sweet, wholesome, sad, grim, and yet hopeful all in one package. Each tone shift and outlook on life is characterized brilliantly by atmospheric cinematography, despite being black and white the movie remains gorgeous.
We see the contrast of youthful innocence and a bleak outlook on life and aging, the juxtaposing of the two. We see what was once ambition become a burden in ballet dancing for the main character, Marie. She walks among a valley of memories that reopen a past that looks very different, bringing a bright and romantic tone to the film as we wear these youthful lenses. Suddenly it ends with Henrik’s death, and the viewer is flung into despair just as Marie is. It becomes a sad and bleak watch as Marie has made her life, building up walls that keep her distant and guarded off emotionally and succumbing to her predatory uncle’s grooming.
By the end of the movie it is fully put into perspective, all the themes it has been tackling beforehand. Youth, aging, hope going away with maturity. But as she passes off Henrik’s diary to her current lover, a burden is lifted. Maybe she let her walls down, maybe she simply realized her life isn’t over. There is more joy to be felt, she can be happy again if only she allows herself. Her past doesn’t need to shape her, what’s done is done but there’s still much future left. That is what the movie is about.
9
“You only see your life clearly once, when all protective walls have crumbled. You stand there, naked and cold, seeing yourself just the way you are. Once only.”
Summer Interlude is a meticulous ride through a series of emotions, it’s sweet, wholesome, sad, grim, and yet hopeful all in one package. Each tone shift and outlook on life is characterized brilliantly by atmospheric cinematography, despite being black and white the movie remains gorgeous.
We see the contrast of youthful innocence and a bleak outlook on life and aging, the juxtaposing of the two. We see what was once ambition become a burden in ballet dancing for the main character, Marie. She walks among a valley of memories that reopen a past that looks very different, bringing a bright and romantic tone to the film as we wear these youthful lenses. Suddenly it ends with Henrik’s death, and the viewer is flung into despair just as Marie is. It becomes a sad and bleak watch as Marie has made her life, building up walls that keep her distant and guarded off emotionally and succumbing to her predatory uncle’s grooming.
By the end of the movie it is fully put into perspective, all the themes it has been tackling beforehand. Youth, aging, hope going away with maturity. But as she passes off Henrik’s diary to her current lover, a burden is lifted. Maybe she let her walls down, maybe she simply realized her life isn’t over. There is more joy to be felt, she can be happy again if only she allows herself. Her past doesn’t need to shape her, what’s done is done but there’s still much future left. That is what the movie is about.
