How Annette Uses Audience to Define Character

Leos Carax' latest mind-melting spectacle sees a couple grappling with the pressures of fame, as they welcome a new child into their lives. The characters of Annette serve a multitude of functions within Carax and Sparks' musical odyssey, but I'm fascinated with the inclusion and emphasis on audience throughout - and the ways in which this helps us understand the characters within the world of Carax' musings on fame. Let's look at how Annette uses audience to define character.
A huge thanks to MUBI for the help with this one - you can watch ANNETTE over on MUBI from TODAY (I've watched it far too many times already and i'm still not sick of it, so go catch it if you haven't already).
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LFF 2021 COVERAGE: • LFF 2021
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#Annette #Mubi #VideoEssay

[@StuTalks]

Hey folks! Hope you enjoy this deeper dive into one of my favourite films of the year! This one was a huge project for me, so please like and share if you liked it if you want to really help me out! 🙏🏻

[@annabackman3028]

Thanks, you put light on things I had overlooked! On the other hand, here are a few things I missed in this very well presented analysis. The conductor. The only relatively sane adult around Annette. Who still loves Ann. Who also watches everything shatter. He also carriesä an anger, but handles it the opposite way from Henry. The conductor knows in his heart that Henry practically murdered Ann, he wishes he could stand up firmly against Henry, but is also terrified of what he is able to. Henry enjoys the feeling of power over the conductor, and yet, ironically, one little thing, a song causes the final meltdown in Henry's head. Indirectly the conductor's little dream and hope that Annette actually was his daughter let all Henry's demons out. Suddenly the conductor became a threat, and must be gone. And that is a chilling thing, Henry knows he does wrongly, but he has no other way to handle his own feeling of weakness, if someone makes him feel threatened, that person must go. He has that typical psychopath sensibility, where he doesn't really see it like murders, like he actually kills someone. He eliminates them. And still he cares for Annette. Which makes the last scene heartbreaking. Annette arrives as the puppet, Henry's own little puppet. He believes, but suddenly, when he looks at her, she looks strong, certain, and he realizes that she is a real girl with her own ideas. What we se, that Annette has become a human girl (AMAZINGLY portrayed by the at that time only FIVE years old Devyn McDowell) is what is happening in Henry's head. Her toy monkey, of course "The Ape of God", he wanted her to love HIM, even if he wasn't there. The scene is played almost to the end, when the lyrics, Annette's part goes "Now you have nothing to love" Henry replies "Why can't I love you? I can love you!" "No, not really daddy, it's sad but it's true; now you have nothing to love." That is a very emotional moment. Notice the word "nothing" to love. Not "no one", which is more likely to use about a person. "Nothing", no thing. You don't have a puppet to love anymore, because she has become a human being. When she leaves with the guard, both the puppet and the monkey is still in the room. The remains of what is no more, and the monkey, ape. She won't love him, wherever hi is. Much love to everyone 😍💖💖💖💖

[@gonzalosepulveda7684]

This is the greatest KZbin video of all time

[@StuTalks]

I agree. I am also biased. Slightly.

[@GameOverMovieReviews]

Holy shit Stu, you've gone and made something very special here! A veritable smorgasbord of delicious edits and razor sharp writing. And the aping of the Leo pointing meme - that's the chef's kiss of chef's kisses.

[@StuTalks]

Peter you king 👑 Thanks for watching dude!! I will not stop until I become Leo!!

[@ajford3973]

Bruh. There’s a reason I look up to you as a critic, this is one of those reasons. LEGENDARY VIDEO👏

[@StuTalks]

God tier comment THANK YOU

[@nikolassodiant2595]

Amazing work !! I' m a massive fan of Carax, and your work is very precise, inspiring & a great tool for what i would call : beginners in the Carax world ! Merci ♡♡♡♡

[@andysiegel725]

Incredible work Stu! Love this analysis and would love to see more stuff like this!

[@StuTalks]

Thanks dude - i’ve got some more films im dying to do essays for, so eyes peeled! 👀

[@Themightybossk]

This is absolutely fantastic Stu!! Beautifully edited and intelligently written. Might have to give this a rewatch my friend.

[@StuTalks]

Cheers Theo! Too kind 🙏🏻 and yes, definitely think a rewatch is a great shout 😉

[@kris_241]

I loved this film and your video explained in richer detail everything a print article could never do. The audience, character relationship makes that last line in Annette so tragic, i felt so uncomfortable afterwards. Thnx for the amazing insight! 🙏

[@StuTalks]

Thank you so much for watching! And so glad you loved this film too! So much going on that I had to cut from the video, but damn the end of this film is so so good right! Wish I could’ve squeezed in some thoughts on the breaking of the fourth wall by Henry in that final moment..

[@alix4935]

incredible video! annette is incredible. to add to your point, we have the fourth wall breaking opening number which is so explicitly addressing us as the literal audience and henry at the very end saying "stop watching me..."

[@StuTalks]

Thank you! Yes, so much I could have said about the explicit fourth wall breaking (but I cut from the script for time on this video 🙈) all being connected to Henry’s “abyss” - so many details to pick up on with rewatches too!

[@osamudiamenamienghomwan8831]

Wonderful video, Stu. Will definitely be sharing this one. Well done.

[@StuTalks]

Thank you so much!!

[@stellwegleestvoor3562]

Immensely enjoyed this astute analysis of a fascinating film. And beautifully edited indeed.

[@Indietrix]

Congrats Stu! Looking forward to more video essays from you.

[@StuTalks]

Thank you dude, means a lot 🙏🏻

[@andressa-jw6br]

Great movie, great video, great editing!

[@StuTalks]

This comment is poetry. Thanks for watching!

[@CaptainVitusShow]

Finally watched Annette last night to prep for this video and holy shit I think I found a new all time favorite!! Stu this video kicked all sorts of ass, bravo my lord!!!

[@StuTalks]

Ash you hero!! Can’t tell you how much this means dude!! Big love 🙏🏻

[@girlscarf]

first time viewer here. great analysis, thanks for the video! my only wish is for the background music to be less loud.. i feel i have trouble hearing you at multiple points of the vid.

[@StuTalks]

Thank you so much for watching and I’ll take that into consideration!

[@efdidier]

Wonderful video about a wonderful film! Thanks!

[@efdidier]

I would also add that the audience in the film also plays the same role as the choir in ancient Greek tragedies, while the tacky news breaks, in a way, are a bit like the messenger of the Gods, but maybe I have been reading to many classics lately!

[@annabackman3028]

@@efdidier The entire story has a lot in common with the classical dramas.

[@nikolassodiant2595]

Genius movie ♡♡♡♡