Annette Explained: The secret behind Leos Carax, Sparks and Adam Driver's movie musical

Рет қаралды 3,012

Жыл бұрын

Annette is a movie musical directed by Leos Carax, written by Ron and Russell Mael of art-rock band Sparks, and starring Adam Driver, Marian Cotillard and Simon Helberg. In this video essay, I offer an alternative explanation for what this film is about, and it's meta as hell. My theory is that the movie's plot is an allegory for the screenwriting process followed by the Carax and the sparks brothers.
Adam Driver singing, So May We Start, Mais oui, now start, you used to laugh.

Пікірлер: 35

@16Sirens Ай бұрын

The creative expressions & modalities that were incorporated in this film are very powerful. It's a modern therapeutic cinematophic masterpiece. Beautiful splashes of existential consciousness 🔆🌙♾️

@MetaSparks Ай бұрын

It’s true, and I believe it’s far more intricately put together than people realise. Thanks for watching.

@n3rddegree869 Жыл бұрын

I think it actually goes a little deeper. I feel like this is about their long running film project with Tim Burton that never got made. Henry represents the money side of things, only caring about success and fostering his own cult of personality. He can be an analogy for the producer. Ann represents the artist. She gets swept up by someone who recognizes her beauty but doesn't understand why she is revered by her fans. When the art becomes more important than success it gets destroyed. The accompanist is pretty much the desire to make something that's at least good and keeps to the original spirit of the art, very literal metaphor there. However even he has his limits. When Annette is reduced to a spectacle where the lyrics don't matter he balks. He even says that he is the true father of the piece. Henry removes him from the picture. Unfortunately this also means the show ends as well. The one trying so hard for success winds up with nothing and the project will never be seen by the world. To summarize, it can be seen as the battle between financial success, artistic intent, and professionalism. The ending shows that none of the points of view thought enough about the end product, Annette, but it was ultimately the extreme push for financial success that drove her away.

@MetaSparks Жыл бұрын

Thanks. It’s an interesting take and has some crossover with how I see it. I hope to get my follow-up video out soon and it makes a strong case for the movie Annette being all about the movie Annette :)

@TovarishLucy Ай бұрын

I ADORE this movie and was so happy to listen to this analysis

@MetaSparks Ай бұрын

Thanks, there’s so much to say about this amazing film, and I plan making a follow up soon.

@Acqua99 Жыл бұрын

Great analysis as always Paul! This movie completely broke me, also considering the connections with Carax real life: his wife died by depression and he always felt guilty towards his daughter. I saw the last scene 100 times and Adam Driver "transformed" in Leos Carax that talks to her daughter is one of the most powerful endings I ever seen!

@MetaSparks Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, I always appreciate your kind words. That closing scene is devastating, and had me welling up even with no idea of LC’s back-story. I still don’t know much about his life but your comment explains why his daughter appears with him at the start -Thank you! I’ve written tons more about this movie but could never finish it - so hard to explain it! Hopefully you’ll enjoy part two.

@Acqua99 Жыл бұрын

@@MetaSparks really looking forward for part 2!!

@vehemently1 Жыл бұрын

I'm so glad I saw this - now i need to watch Annette again!

@MetaSparks Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I’ll be starting on part 2 soon and I hope you like that just as much!

@canadianstudmuffin Жыл бұрын

Enjoyed your explanation. I thought the movie was brilliant but I could see some viewers disliking it, even Sparks fans. I loved the ending when the puppet came alive, such great acting by the little girl.

@MetaSparks Жыл бұрын

They certainly didn’t make an easy movie, but it’s so rewarding, and I couldn’t agree more about that closing scene. It’s so powerful!

@petabulmer3317 11 ай бұрын

Since my last comment,i have I have gotten my own copy on DVD, and i love this movie so much!

@MetaSparks 11 ай бұрын

It’s a work of genius, and gets better every time I watch it!

@petabulmer3317 11 ай бұрын

@MetaSparks I am going to watch it again as soon as I can. I do have questions, and I look forward to more videos about Annette when the time comes!

@MetaSparks 11 ай бұрын

@@petabulmer3317 Questions would be really useful for me. I’ve got a clear view of what Sparks and Carax are saying with this movie, but I’ve got to figure out the best way to explain it. I’m glad of any chance I get to talk about this movie, and I want it to click for other people in the same way, there’s real genius in there!

@gbernardwandel4174 Жыл бұрын

Nice I loved the movie and saw it twice in the theater I plan on getting it some day and analyzing it some more Overall I agree with your sense of it I had some trouble “selling” it to my friends They wanted to know if it was “good” I said yeah, however it’s very dark and depressing It’s a musical (they all know I love musicals ) it’s Sparks( most of them know I love sparks ) it’s avante garde cinema (which they know I have a penchant for ) and it’s deeply psychological which in a horror context I do not like but here it all makes sense It’s kinda like it was made for me! Some went and liked it ok Others deigned it as a movie I could only like so they didn’t go They’re not completely wrong about that but obviously they’re not right Glad you fleshed things out I look forward to hearing more

@MetaSparks Жыл бұрын

Good to meet a fellow fan of Annette! I’m obsessed with it (as you can probably tell). I always thought a Sparks musical would be the perfect showcase for the warm and funny side of the band, so I was shocked when I first saw this. It’s a hard sell but the film is absolute genius, and I listen to the soundtrack album all the time. Love it.

@broederbond60 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the enticer Metasparks, I'll definitely order a DVD. I always appreciate your insightful and intellectual overview.

@MetaSparks 8 ай бұрын

I hope you enjoy it as much as me. It divides people but it’s one of those films where if it clicks you can watch again-and-again.

@jimwickham9205 13 күн бұрын

Paul, Once again, I'm delighted to see that you've turned your laser-like analytical skills to 'Annette'. I love the movie. After one viewing, I knew it was going to take some work from me - but that's the perverse joy of everything from the Maels - you can get something out of their material with only a brief acquaintance, but deeper digging ALWAYS produces pure gold. :) I can't find part 2 of Annette here. Have I missed something? PS I don't line to get all school masterish, but - if they're your text additions over the movie, 'disdain' is misspelt.

@MetaSparks 12 күн бұрын

Thanks again, I feel exactly the same way about the Maels - their work always rewards repeated listens and Annette is no exception. Part 2 of this video is still pending for now but I’m eager to return to it because I have some interesting theories. I’m even tempted to make it a series, scene-by-scene. The typos make me cringe - this is quite an old video of mine and hopefully my quality control is better now.

@petabulmer3317 Жыл бұрын

I had seen a live video of "may we start" is it called? And I had no idea what this Annette thing was about. I also like Simon Helberg, so it is a treat to know of another film he is in. He also plays piano in the Florence Foster Jenkins film. I await your other videos about Annette with eagerness!

@MetaSparks Жыл бұрын

Thank you! I didn’t know Simon Helberg before this other than a cool video of him improvising on the piano on a US late night TV show. He was amazing in Annette and stole the show as far as I’m concerned.

@petabulmer3317 Жыл бұрын

@@MetaSparks I first discovered him on the TV show The Big Bang Theory. He plays Howard. He's a bit gross but learns not to be!

@marcbergeron8690 Жыл бұрын

The first times I heard Anette I strongly disliked it. But with 3-4-5 more plays I came to appreciate some music, especially on the Unlimited Edition. It is true that I still find We Love Each Other So Much insupportable, but now I like Six Women Have Come Forward, You Used To Laugh, on the Unlimited Edition, sung by Russel and not by Adam Driver. Who incidentally, is not a bad singer. Best song: Sympathy For The Abyss, preferable once again from the Unlimited Edition. Not in the top Sparks albums however.

@MetaSparks Жыл бұрын

It’s right up there with their best for me, but that’s the amazing thing about Sparks -other people’s favourites don’t dent my top 20. The unlimited edition is definitely the way to enjoy this album in my view - so much better than what we hear in the film itself.