The Many Layers of Tár | A Film Analysis

[@stofu92]

One insightful comment I saw is how the film's editing contributes to Tár's feeling of time...over time. In the beginning, when she feels in control of the present, takes are long and cuts are relatively infrequent. She is in control and so time revolves around her. By the end of the film, days would be shown for mere seconds. As Tar loses control over time, she no longer gets to control when it begins or ends. She is merely a bit player.

[@MaggieMaeFish]

I can't remember if I make that point in the video but that was definitely in my notes haha! Yes absolutely.

[@looney1023]

The editing is so good. Later on we literally have key pieces of information being edited out and it's disorienting and confusing, but totally with intentional

[@theseal6099]

yep, her downfall happens so fast. Only a matter of days

[@JordanS-ww4eu]

@@MaggieMaeFishyou’re my best friend I really like you ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@sarahs.6838]

I interviewed a female conductor of a Legend of Zelda concert when I was a journalism student. She told me she and the performers all had a clicker/metronome in their ear to keep time with the visuals. So, at the end, Lydia is now being controlled by time and, in some ways, has made herself redundant, which in a way, she always was. Fantastic essay!

[@angrynerdgirl]

I've sung in that concert a few times (and the Final Fantasy one) and that's absolutely correct. Those concerts are really fun. I love singing for an audience who is SO excited to be there!

[@DeviantDork]

No

[@DarkadeTV]

I scrolled to the comments to write exactly this. She is now subject to the time of the pre rendered video they are playing to. I think there's still merit to a director doing that, but in the context of Tár and Maggie's essay it's very interesting

[@ahmedibnadam3796]

​@@DarkadeTV Maggie's essay?

[@mrebear9758]

Conductors are crucial to classical music performances. They are not, and cannot, be redundant in the performance of that music. But your observation that she has gone from someone who controlled the time to one who is controlled by time by the finale is an apt one.

[@kelseycarlisle6916]

As a classical music student, I don't necessarily identify with the "dating students" part of the movie, but the way the masterclass is portrayed when she is not familiar with the "new music" hits right home. Most of these professors and prominent classical musicians have no idea how to approach music outside of the usual canon. For many of them, if it was not composed between the 17th and 19th centuries, it's nothing more than a novelty. I went out of my way to try to play newer works by American composers, especially Black composers, and it was very apparent in lessons that I had done more research on the music than the people who were supposed to teach it to me. I have never met a music student in my own education that wouldn't appreciate the music of someone like Bach because of their race, gender, sexuality, etc., but the disconnect and false authority over the music presented in that scene is present every day in the classroom.

[@justcommenting4981]

Cool! Yea that remark struck me as very shallow and a bit absurd. Unfortunate that the rest of the scene is an accurate echo of reality.

[@angrynerdgirl]

Former opera singer: that masterclass scene was so visceral, it shot me back to undergrad. I still remember a great opera singer telling a young soprano "if you have a tendency to be fat, don't." And a famous black singer telling a black student to "check your color at the door" when starting any gig. You're right in that I can't see a lot of musicians dismissing composers in "the canon" based on their identity (though I have met a few who refuse to perform Strauss or Wagner due to their antisemitism). Sadly, I've had far too many friends and colleagues taken advantage of by conductors, coaches, and teachers, so that part of the movie was very real and very upsetting to me. I truly hope things are better now and wish you all the best in your career!

[@stevielove4778]

There is a very LOUD truth in the portrayal of the type of folx who {achieve and hold} *prominent positions like this also being extreme control freaks (narcissistsCOUGH) unwilling (or unable) to hear any perceived criticism, or admit to any single thought/concept they have not already known about and become an expert of.

[@balloonfiesta15]

i think the argument the agender student makes provides some really nuanced subtext that a lot of american audiences aren't equipped to get. not saying that as a diss, just saying its really complicated and its not often we get art from americans on that level. i think a lot of us who are younger and socially progressive can very easily find ourselves projecting onto the agender student and then feeling like whats being represented is a strawman of socially progressive ideologies. however, i'm sure most of us have encountered peers playing a confused version of the identity politics game on an arbitrary and nonsensical basis like that of the agender student. twitter's political culture comes to mind where progressive or leftist ideology is more about social elitism than actually making a valid point. i remember when a beloved underground rapper passed away, a friend of his who happened to be white was sharing fond memories of their friendship. a gen z progressive then jumped in using the confused argument that he was "profiting from blackness" by simply mourning the loss of his friend. when people responded genuinely confused, they were vitriolically and sanctimoniously accused of being "anti-black". it only spiraled from there. so this sort of argument can definitely be a real thing. with that being established, what the sequence portrays is a dichotomy of ideologically opposed power dynamics. Lydia resists the progression and diversification of classical music for the sake of maintaining her systemic power. the agender student resists the foundations of classical music to maintain a sense of social and cultural power in an age where any sort of progressiveness is synonymous with heroism. and while many politically incorrect people have lauded the scene as a condemnation of cancel culture, the reality is the scene is using deeply layered subtext to mock these people. politically incorrect people are terrified of the social power behind being cancelled despite ample evidence that being cancelled isnt even that real a thing. (i.e. louis ck selling out madison square garden and countless other examples) so this sequence is pitting these oppositional power dynamics against each other and showing the reality that the misguided socially progressive person, while attempting to assert social power, ultimately has very little power at all. it is Lydia who has and maintains the power. even towards the end, as the clips of her classroom tirade go viral, its still portrayed as fairly inconsequential. of course, its frustrating to Lydia seeing as she is a complete power hungry narcissist, but its ultimately the consequences of her abuse of power against young women that brings about her downfall. i know this is an overly long comment that no one will likely read or care about but i thought i'd put it out there anyways in hopes that people who feel confused and frustrated by that scene can maybe gain a new perspective.

[@willdenham]

I have to say that I did think, in the class scene, that Tar had a point when Max just wrote off Bach because he was CIS white. But I also can't imagine any Juliard student dismissing Bach just for that reason alone.

[@LBAW]

A thing I noticed was when Tar lost control of time it was a VERY quick fall. Like, the fallout and when the consequences get really serious for her is in the last 50 minutes of the film. When her time was up it was UP.

[@lloroshastar6347]

It's wonderful to hear about America's first African-American filmmaker being a silent filmmaker, because what's really depressing about being British is that the first black British filmmaker, Horace Ové, directed his first narrative feature length film in 1976. Not only that, but the film was banned for a few years by the people who initially backed it (the British Film Institute) because it featured police brutality.

[@JessieGender1]

Quite literally, every time I watch Maggie talk about a movie, I feel like I've learned so much more then I ever could have on my own and I wanna just go back and rewatch it with Maggie's commentary in mind. You kill it every time

[@maxmccarty3131]

Same tho! Tar gets better every time I watch it, and seeing this essay just made me wanna go right back

[@MaggieMaeFish]

Jessie!! 💖💖 You're the best !!!

[@CanuckMonkey13]

In this case, she made me really want to watch something that I might never have even heard of - not to mention watched - otherwise.

[@Zectifin]

I have no interest in many of the movies Maggie talks about, and yet I can't wait to watch her talk about them because she always has something profound to say about it.

[@merbst]

Me too!

[@MaggieMaeFish]

The video got copyright claimed, but that's over and NOW IT'S VIEWABLE EVERYWHERE!! It's time to Tar! And Tar to time!!!

[@ItIsRobG]

Goddamn SHAME that this CLEAR REVIEW of a Hollywood production got copyright claimed within the first hour it's posted because YOU, Maggie Mae Fish, are a KZbin ROCKSTAR! Never heard of the movie before but your perspectives kept me HOOKED! Strong work, love! 🥰

[@SteveJubs]

Noooo! This is one of your absolute best. Really hope you get it back!

[@SteveJubs]

Edit: Really looking forward to that next video on Nebula!

[@AlexanderWitchfinder]

Still unavailable here in Germany. Accessing through VPN, though. Hope it get solved soon anyways.

[@solvseus]

You're like the 3rd creator I watch THIS WEEK who's had this problem. And it's only Tues. Massive drop in viewership here as far as I can tell, and completely unwatchable on anything that doesn't have an adblocker. Google, or whatever it is now, really needs to get it's act together.

[@miss-behaving901]

I saw another video where someone said that what makes Tar so interesting especially with the twist of making the character female instead of male. That it proves that power transcends gender and shows how patrichary is really about power and can be upheld by both men and women and it's about the system itself because in a twisted way, anyone can hold power.

[@iidoyila]

you say power but i feel like you mean dominance . striving to hold (or share) power is admirable . dominance is implicitly overbearing .

[@carolinewheeler77]

Also I think that Lydia trying to gain power by acting like a man is eternally a more interesting watch. Like how she calls herself her daughter’s father in German when telling off her bully.

[@cheribogummy]

@@carolinewheeler77 i was interested in that read as well, in some ways she takes a masculine role in her relationships in regard to being the stoic, "king of the house" who takes it upon herself to "ease" the emotional baggage of her partners (while secretly seeing seeing this role as a burden), dresses in top-buttoned dress shirts professionally and at the home, etc. but i don't like the idea that it's purely to emulate powerful men. i tried to read it more as whatever masc identity she expresses being muddled in her overall desires to be larger than gender, and thus larger than the power structures that derive from gender. she also plays into the feminine stereotypes imposed upon her to match society's ideal of a woman (watching her weight, keeping her hair long, brushed, and silky, pulling out her ponytail in a classically flirtatious way to get the attention of her student), and so can never really be fully comfortable in whatever masculinity she's subconsciously be driven towards - and would likely rebuke that definition from others out of the belief that she and society are gender-blind. but i don't know the director's intent 😆 it's one of the few character studies into (who isn't even necessarily) a masc lesbian & i hope it's not that surface level.

[@PhotonBeast]

In that sense, it seems that in trying to be 'larger' than gender, she draws upon the prime examples of power/dominance she knows - that of toxic masculinity and the expressions of power of that. To her, that is the 'blank default' when it is, in fact, not at all the default nor above gender. To wit, she has embedded that idea so firmly within herself that she's thrown away all other possible supplements and expressions - she throws away soft skills, family, her own background, all so that there is only - in her mind - the singular conductor. To try and talk to her as a fellow parent, as a woman, on any other level other than a conductor would be absolutely confusing to her because to her, what else is there? Why does it even matter to be good with people?

[@rv706]

Let's not be idiotic now: if the person in power is female, it's not patriarchy. Period.

[@theenglishman]

Something else to consider: Lydia is reduced to conducting video game music on a click track. Composing dynamic video game music can be very creatively liberating - *but* it requires working with audio engineers and programmers to shape the music to the player's actions, and trust in the player themselves that their gameplay will make their music sound good. In other words, things that Lydia would never be able to do. She must be in total control of the speed, length, and context of her work.

[@christinafrancis713]

Can you please recommend similar movies

[@khaniaaaa]

@@christinafrancis713 Whiplash, Black Swan, Anatomy of a Fall

[@christinafrancis713]

@@khaniaaaa thank you! Watched all three! Lol

[@acollierastro]

The first all female space walk was scheduled in 2019(!) and was then canceled because they realized they didn’t have two medium sized space suits…and yet people claim nothing is holding women back… This video was so good. Instantly one of my favorites from your channel!

[@malik-ug6cs]

The first female space walk was achieved by the brilliant Svetlana Savitskaya In December 1983. She was also the second ever woman in space after Valentina Tereshkova. Both part of the more gender diverse soviet cosmonaut team

[@malik-ug6cs]

This is not to discount the injustice done to the women of the 2019 mission

[@acksawblack]

Are you just making stuff up? The first all woman space walk went ahead and happened in October 2019??

[@Br0ckR0cket]

Ya ever stop and think that if your argument that "society" is prejudiced against women and you have to pull out that "the first all female space walk was cancelled because they didn't have two medium sized space suits" to make your point, that maybe, just maaaybe, you're reaching a bit too far? Like, ferreal, do you not recognize how incredibly out of touch and esoteric a complaint that is? Damn lady, go touch grass or something, because you must be incredibly sheltered or terminally online to not realize how crazy you sound when you make that your complaint. Seriously, you're complaining about two women not being able to be out in the vacuum of space at the same time because of a logistical issue about spacesuits not fitting them. Your complaint isn't that there are no female astronauts, nor is it that no women are allowed to go on space walks, it's that two women can't go on a space walk together at the same time. Are you trying to say it's because of the insidious machinations of "the patriarchy" that prevented this historical footnote from occurring? How the hell does that effect the rest of the female population on earth? You know, Roe v. Wade got repealed, right? And that's just a super easy, super obvious thing to focus on, one that will have devastating effects on many unfortunate women. But sure, go ahead and tell us how it's the patriarchy's fault that the "first all female space walk" didn't happen. Christ, the amount of casual privilege and lack of self awareness that's contained in your sentence is truly staggering. Do better.

[@han090]

@@acksawblack It was scheduled to happen in March, and had to be cancelled because of suit issues. It eventually did happen in October. Both can be true.

[@revevague6256]

Finished 'Tár" yesterday after watching your video, both are fantastic! As a musician I'm always hesitant to watch films like this and "Whiplash" ( I went to music school and don't need to revisit some of that...) but this one really stayed with me. As talented as Lydia is, she's also a masterful manipulator; there's so much about musician politics in the film that feels so familiar. I have more friends than I can count who should be household names in the jazz world but simply don't have a selfish bone in their body; they could never behave like Lydia. It's inferred that she clawed to the top of the hierarchy and placed loyalists (like the 1st violinist, her wife) in key positions to consolidate her power. I wonder how many artistic institutions are much the same? I was stunned that her wife isn't very upset about her indiscretions, just whether her position is now vulnerable. Sharon is still playing first chair after Lydia is replaced, and she even mentions how their relationship is transactional at an earlier scene in their home. When Lydia arrives home after her exile, the scene watching Bernstein VHS clip is powerful; it confirms in me that she really does in fact love, understand and NEED music in her life but her brother calling her "Linda" moments later tell me her aspirations, reinvention ("American Dream") and need to succeed at any cost end up destroying her. A lot to unpack. Looking forward to your next video Maggie!

[@holyworrier]

Thank god there was very little playing of Mahler in the flick.

[@Backinblackbunny009]

There's so much about the vicious bourgeois scrabble for a high spot in the capitalist hierarchy that you definitely tell the writers have read all of marx and his bestie Engels

[@IsaacMayerCreativeWorks]

A poem by Yehuda haLevi, a medieval Hebrew poet (translation mine): Slaves of time are slaves of slaves A slave of God alone is free And though each person desires their portion My portion is God, says my soul to me I wrote a new compositional setting of that in college. It was performed once by my a capella group and then shelved because people preferred songs from the seventies that they knew

[@DeviantDork]

Plus stuff about god is stupid, because god didn't exist. FYI

[@c.w.8200]

That's beautiful, I've heard that name so often, I've walked on Yehuda Halevi street in TLV but never knew who that is!

[@c.w.8200]

@@DeviantDork I'm an atheist myself but as a European I can't imagine rejecting all religious art and music, you'd have to throw away centuries. For me personally I've redefined what God means to me as a sort of sum of human achievement and ability to imagine concepts way beyond our physical experience and that idea has sustained me, I respect people's religious beliefs and feelings even when I don't agree with organized religion.

[@maxmccarty3131]

Great episode Maggie! It's fascinating to see this film become something embraced by conservatives for the isolated scene where she "DESTROYS" that student with "FACTS AND LOGIC" when really she's just providing a twisted justification for her own bad behavior while exerting control. Such a damning scene, and really neat that Field shoots it in a single take while Lydia is still very in control of time. Really appreciated you identifiying all the ways Lydia distorts the truth with her references to classical composers/conductors throughout because that stuff flew way over my head!

[@MicoDossun]

I think there’s a really clever meta layer to the writing of Lydia. She won’t let herself be wrong and talks until anyone else stands down and if you aren’t paying attention it draws the viewer into the same grift she puts on the characters. But once you listen to what she’s actually saying you realize that it’s a lot of name drops and quips that don’t actually mean anything besides give the illusion that she’s saying something important. Her speeches all contradict each other because they aren’t meant to give a comprehensive understanding of the character, they’re built in the moment to make the other character specifically lose to her

[@Jimmy1982Playlists]

That's an absolutely _amazing_ scene!

[@micahcook2408]

Oh the irony with conservatives using that scene as proof, when ultimately, imo, it showcases her hypocrisy on so many levels. Like specifically, she's berating him for his "ego, narcissism, and hubris" for trying to "get rid of the old with the new" but does similarly with her own narcissism, etc. For example: her interests in younger women when she has a wife, or how in the interview scene she discusses how the intent of the composer compliments the intent of the conductor but chooses to not do that with the student with the newer piece of music, or how she knows that before the invention of the conductor was the first chair violinist who would keep time but doesn’t share any of that same information with the student to help converge his knowledge of violin and timekeeping with conducting, or how certain genius bread in the music scene was done out of curiosity and a want of change (or “rebellion”, so to speak), or how the first chair cellist isn't the one to lead the solo, or how she wants to rotate out the long time elderly assistant conductor, Sebastian, for a younger one... She makes it seem as if the student should believe in meritocracy, and moreover, putting in your dues by elevating and working on established historic compositions because that’s what she had to do, instead of instilling these young people with forging their own paths lol But even that’s sort of ironic because she only got to where she is by aggressively and unabashedly spying in on the politics in the musical scene and taking on the masculine traditional role of her conducting forefathers and contemporaries… Even her Wife states that she’s played the system but it seems as if she’s lost herself in the grift (which, like Maggie brought up, there’s a reason why with her suit(s) and/or the photoshoot that she doesn’t choose any female composer iconography; plus she takes this role so far that she ends up in the same sexual misconduct allegations like a few of them as well) and can’t stand see a younger generation not want to play by those same rules and invent/do things by their own means, although she uses those younger women for her own means, giving them hopes of their "meritocratic future" ... And besides, even if Todd Field didn't intend to have that meaning (or just didn't put in that scene altogether), it's evident that she won't even give that newer piece that the student came in with the same "imaginative and emotional license"/time of the day as she did with her favorite historical figures’. Like... that's what Art is all about... creating and being influenced by older and newer art. And it's so funny to me, because in real life, you will sometimes have to come into contact with newer art (whether as a job, or to help with it, or it just being in your sphere of influence) that you’ll have decipher what it says, feels, and means to you and a wider audience… I mean, that's why Art is still highly revered to this day because there is still a place for it and always will be. Imagine if all movies were just different takes on Psycho, Rear Window, or Gone with the Wind (yes, I know there are remakes, people referencing it in their newer films, and people inspired by it, but that's not the point I'm trying to make). Like, I understand wanting to honour the past, and/or not censor the past, and/or needing humanity to be aware of the past genius that came before us/paved the way, but there’s a way for great Art to also be holding firm hands with the complex realities and the acknowledgment of truth of these figures and the times they lived in. Especially if an individual finds it regressive and can’t support it lmao Like, it’s just crazy to me that traditionalist conservative values like those say we have no choice and no options. That we aren't allowed to ignore product from certain problematic figures as individuals and be open to Art we'd rather support instead, when ironically, they do the same with ignoring Art (new and old) that they deem as “woke”, or militant, and/or not necessary lol

[@Zectifin]

@@micahcook2408 its a perfect comparison for most conservatives. They call people asking for rights, progress, and equality egotistical and narcissistic, when they are reacting that way because they are egotistical and narcissistic. They couldn't possibly be wrong and they are unwilling to accept the idea that they might have a leg up on everyone else.

[@DeviantDork]

No, you're wrong about this. I'm not conservative at all, that boy was completely an ass and needed to be put in his place. I think only the under 25 crowd idiots would disagree.

[@bestiestclair]

Loved your analysis! One of my friends was initially dismissive of this movie because, according to her, to portray a woman conductor in such a negative light seemed misogynistic. However, as a woman myself with two degrees in music I have met actual women professors during my education who are eerily similar to Lydia Tár (derogatory). I was once targeted in a masterclass in a very similar way to the student in Tár's masterclass. I too would love more media about women conductors who aren't pieces of shit and at the same time there are absolutely people like Lydia out there whose behavior deserves critique! It helps no one but those in power to sweep bad behavior under a rug just because the person misbehaving is a woman.

[@MaggieMaeFish]

I definitely see where they're coming from! For me, it's a commentary on why women like Lydia are able to succeed -- i.e., they side with the Patriarchal structures and ultimately make it harder for the way awesomer women (like your friend!) who don't. We need the other types of stories as well for sure though.

[@nzapa21]

The person in the back of the Julliard scene is Francesca. It was part of her and Krista's effort to bring her down

[@allhailthealgorithm]

Another great moment of hypocrisy - much later, after Tár's whole rant at Juliard, Andris unknowingly insults her to her face by saying "Schopenhauer measured a person’s intelligence against their sensitivity to noise." And she fires back with "Didn’t he also famously throw awoman down a flight of stairs who later sued him?" and then Andris, taking Tár's position from earlier in the film, says "Yes, though it’s unclear that this private and personal failing is at all relevant to his work." Just another example of the fact that she has no moral code beyond what suits her in the moment.

[@individualvideos]

tar is easily my favourite big release movie of last year. its so refreshing to finally see someone talk about it in the way its feels like it was meant to be talked about. awesome job!

[@mango78910]

Omg Maggie this was so amazing. I’m not gonna lie I was starting to think I hadn’t payed enough attention during the movie bc people kept saying “tar is a bad person but she was correct” and It was confusing. So freshing to see someone not go down that route. Great job with this one! 💕

[@agls1086]

I don't think there is a single point where she is correct hahaha

[@vii9901]

common daughter of the chapel W

[@kieleleron85768]

its interesting that 4:33 is brought up bc i was thinking about it the other day when i was reading about an anechoic chamber in Minnesota where its so silent no one has been able to stay in for longer than 45 minutes. 4:33 is the first think I thought about in relation to that story bc that's the only place you might actually "hear" silence as music. After this video I looked it up and it turns out an anechoic chamber is what actually inspired cage to create 4:33 in the first place! So cool!

[@MaggieMaeFish]

Yup! He loved listening to the sound of his own blood lol

[@emilyrln]

Whoa, that's really neat!

[@sheren_b]

This helped add a lot of context, i had seen the movie last month ago and it was a perplexing watch to me on a number of levels but especially the ending, where it felt really orientalist, which from Lydia Tar's perspective makes sense, and compared to triangle of sadness which i think did a better job of representing filipino people i was disappointed that Tar would treat filipino people so poorly. so having a better understanding of the theme of time, its more interesting to me and makes me want to revisit my feelings about the movie.

[@DeviantDork]

Nobody understands what you're talking about.

[@brianschofield4419]

@@DeviantDork speak for yourself. makes sense to me

[@DeviantDork]

@@brianschofield4419 you really think this movie was about Filipino people?

[@brianschofield4419]

@@DeviantDork I agree, it was not about filipino people. It should have been

[@noahkarpinski1824]

I honestly can't wait. MM Fish is one of the best channels on this website

[@sbrevoltuion5]

The one thing I really dislike, especially as a former classical music student and formerly aspiring conductor, is the way that the video game music is seen as the “failure” when it’s bringing people together. She’ll never appreciate that, which proves that she wasn’t taught by berenstain

[@sweetsnejinka9411]

I'm super bothered by that as well. I love that score.

[@critiqueofthegothgf]

but it isn't deemed a failure; at least not by the film (director) itself. it represents this sort of insidious irony, in which tar has been stripped of and loses the essence of what she claims is the purpose of a conductor; to direct time, by conducting video game music at the end, which involves a metronome with its purpose being to guide the conductor along. she essentially becomes a 'robot' herself, which is everything she did not want to be

[@reubenm.d.5218]

This is the best video essay I’ve seen in ages. Nothing felt like a leap just to connect it to a topic you already knew about, rather it was clear that you had gone out of your way to learn new things. The detailed explanation of the interview scene blew my mind and I’m heading back to the cinema to enjoy Tár with this new context

[@SuperNicktendo]

I think it's really important to bring up the effort that you put into the content. Even my casual videos take time and I have had friends start their own projects saying "no offense, but I can do what you do" and eventually they quit a couple months later. But if we dare complain about it, we're quickly reminded that this started out as a hobby and since there is so much media available we should be thankful that anyone watches much less reimburses us for our time. Then they wonder what happened to creative videos and why the more popular content is formulated for low production cost to, maximize the profit.

[@drdiva70]

Yes, but how are the prices for the bluray trending? Should I buy now or wait?

[@SuperNicktendo]

@@drdiva70 if you're a horror or criterion fan you want to snag them now. Other delisted movies should be a priority as well. Otherwise more and more companies are releasing 4k ultra movies but some are color graded differently. So if that matters then keep an eye out for the blu ray counterpart

[@drdiva70]

@@SuperNicktendo thanks for the quick response! Love your channel! Working my way towards an OG xbox collection. Seems like a good place to shop now. Sort of gave up on GC stuff

[@SuperNicktendo]

@@drdiva70 yeah OG Xbox is undervalued for sure.

[@mango78910]

Oh thank god, I’ve seen no good video essays on tar and I know you’ll have a good take!!!! Ahhh I’m so excited

[@Allonsy305]

Maggie, seeing that you made a video on my 2nd favorite film of 2022 made me so excited. This tackled "cancel culture" in a way that felt perfectly ambiguous and nuanced.

[@romeochapola3857]

What I love most is that throughout the film you get to see just how outside herself Lydia is, and hearing Cate talk about Tár’s backstory only amplifies that. I think it's very intersting to consider Sartre’s bad faith and Foucault’s theory of power here because Lydia is very blocked off from herself. She attempts to define herself soley by her talent, negating all else, and so objectifies herself. Her unidimensional view of herself leaves her incredibly self-concious, so by pursuing a career in classical music in an era that upholds “straight austro-german churchgoing white guys” as the epitome of talent we see time exert its power over her. She never really is in control of time even when she thinks she is, we see time exert its power over her again when it progresses (as it often does). She is stuck in the past but time is not so when see her confrontation at Julliard she’s not battling the student per se but time, it threatens the preception of her talent. Lydia thinks she can beat time into submission if she uses her influence to impart the belief to her community to separate art from artist. Yet she will always be subserviant to time, how she will be viewed at any point in time will be determined by the dynamics of power then. Who has the power, what perspectives do they hold and what are their values? As we aprroach the end Lydia sort of comes to, the framework for her self-definition collapses and realizes that time is indomitable. Tár is now open to examining how she used her power and its consequences on others as she wrestled with this internal struggle. Lydia Tár has deaf parents, misophonia, is gay, and a woman educated in an allodynic white, male ethnoculture. None of these components define her, however, when she constructs Lydia, Tár attempts to “obliterate” these parts of herself. This is a show of bad faith and she is actually never succesful in doing so. Mitigating sound, upholding tradition, abasing students, witholding techniques, sabotaging other, even performing as “Lydia” are the products of power and Linda Tar’s repression. In this context her the source of her writer’s block becomes apparent, when she is her talent composing is simply an expectation, however, when she is a lover of music writing is an expression of her passion.

[@tatehildyard5332]

It’s always so interesting hearing about that deaf parents angle that never even wound up in the movie. It’s not an essential piece of information, yet it colors in so much of Tar’s past and the way she copes/fails to cope with people she can’t connect to on her terms.

[@unseenmolee]

aaaa tysm for saying the pandemic isnt over!! ive been feeling like everyone is just trying to forget that it ever happened/is happening and its depressing. like i get that its hard to process, but ignoring whats happening is just dooming us yk

[@ShellsGhost1]

The saddest thing for me about streaming is the loss of commentaries. Criterion being the exception but I loved buying a movie and watching the director and actor's commentaries. My favorite was always final destination as the directors referenced all the symbolism and references and the actors were blissfully unaware and laughed over the production and shooting particular scenes. My point being you should get paid 6 figures for doing these sorts of introspectives at your leisure.

[@unoriginaljames]

EveryTIME i watch one of your videos I think about all of the extra TIME and effort you put into your research while also taking the TIME to discuss issues facing marginalized communities. Thank you for all the hard work, your videos are consistently great. TIME.

[@emilyrln]

They're consistently a great TIME, too! 😉

[@ElBailes]

Thank you for mentioning women talking! That film is also phenomenal as you said and it was really shocking it received so little discussion not Oscar nods.

[@DeviantDork]

Probably because it wasn't very good.

[@eatatjoes6751]

Quite literally I am in love with how tár opens on the people that normally go uncredited in the film industry.

[@joshthecellist]

This is a fascinating watch, both from the perspective as a cellist and a composer. (Was gonna write a long ass comment, but tl:dr you ain't wrong in basically every aspect of your analysis). Also low key, the archetype that this conductor embodies is scarily accurate to how so many people who make way too fucking much money to do their job take themselves seriously. It's a whole mood.

[@JimBob4233]

Speaking of the upper classes using time as a means of control and Tár's claim that she decides when the clock runs, there were specially made clocks in early cloth factories that had two faces - one was attached to a pendulum and ran constantly, the other was attached to engines running the machines and only ran when there was work being done. Guess which decided when people got to go home.

[@giants2k8]

The sheer quality of these extraordinary film essays are exquisite and I’m still shocked 6 months- 1 year after subscribing that you still have under 200k subscribers, because everything is brilliantly executed; from the audio, the presentation, the content and the subject. I am consistently engaged with your videos throughout and I never find my mind wandering. If anything your channel makes me want to watch films I was previously unaware of. I guess the point I’m trying to poorly arrive at is that your channel deserves and feels like it has at least upwards of 500k subscribers. I look forward to your future content, and I plan on binge-watch a few of your videos tonight. Even ones I’ve seen like the Wes Anderson and the Twin Peaks one. Since both Lynch and Anderson are two of my favorite directors of all time.

[@HuplesCat]

She isn’t promoted by KZbin. I stumbled across her a week ago by accident

[@PogieJoe]

Yet again, you have taken something right in front of my eyes and peeled it a layer further than I would have thought to explore. Thank you, Maggie.

[@AlexanderWitchfinder]

Dear Maggie, I went to the theater today to watch Tár here in Germany, and right after I came back to my VPN to watch your essay again - and thankfully I noticed I mostly forgot some crucial information you gave beforehand, being able to watch it with "fresh eyes". When I first watched your video by the day it went online, I had the impression that the movie was just "another Hollywoodian attempt to create an anti-hero" (something that seems to be a contemporary formula of success since The Sopranos), but wasn't expecting what I saw. And being honest, it was something way better than I predicted. It was one of the few Hollywoodian films I really enjoyed in the last 15 years... I guess that the crucial point was exactly the fact that the film dedicates enough time to show us the story rather than telling it - although it might sound a bit contradictory judging by the first scene, in which Francesca makes her first appearance, explicitly "telling" who Tár is (or how she wants us to see her). In that sense, it is crazy to think that someone would ever think about the possibility of writing Tár thinking on a male protagonist - the score greatest achievement is exactly to show how even a woman could try performing a patriarchal role. The scene in which she confronts Petra's bully by saying she was "her father" was a cherry on the top of the cake regarding that aspect. And I love how the movie also gives "the other side" of the impacts of the "cancel culture" - the fact that it wasn't something "unfair against someone misunderstood", but rather the opposite worked really well. Another thing that also makes Lydia Tár one of the "greatest men of our generation" (rather than women) is how her "downfall" is portrayed: she's somewhere else, being able to enjoy prestige and even given flowers (how symbolic!). Her "rock bottom" is following a musical tempo that she's not able to control herself, but is dictated by the image of the movie that she follows with a musical score - and in that sense, I think it was a warm-hearting link that you evidenced exactly your episode on Tarkovsky in the end. But back on the subject, I'm afraid that in the real world the "downfall" of women would be way harsher than Lydia's. In that sense, she's still being granted the power of the patriarchal structure that she benefited from, despite being a woman. Or as the famous Brazilian pedagogue Paulo Freire once said: "When the education is not liberating, the dream of the exploited is to become the explorer". Thanks for the video once again - a precious gem! - especially starting the week in which the International Women's Day is. And although I comprehend the importance of Nebula on your personal artistic freedom, let me beg you to never abandon KZbin. Best regards, Alex.

[@DeviantDork]

Tar was right

[@tiergas98]

This video about Tar and time takes on a great new meaning, since Todd Field has stated that tar will likely be his last film and in that interview “But if something is really yours, and really matters - and it had better matter, for the length of time it takes to make a film - you have to give it everything. And as you get older, you realize how valuable time is; there’s only so much time in that hourglass. I’m not in my 20s or 30s anymore - I’ll be 60 in year and a half. You start thinking about these things.” Great video as always Maggie!

[@TheJackawock]

This was a very good essay. I’ve been thinking about this film a lot since watching it for the first time recently and I really appreciated hearing your thoughts and interpretation.

[@jacobbair6116]

It’s so hard to meet my impossible expectations and you do it every single time.

[@Zettabyte7]

Everyone else has already pointed out what a great video this is, but I want to give a shout out to Maggie's makeup and costume work. She obviously puts a lot of time into them and they are always great.

[@Mallory-Malkovich]

In the future, we will look back at the 21st century as a time where we had to patiently and repeatedly explain to men that "but I was horny!" Is not a valid defense for committing crimes be they personal, or against humanity.

[@MicoDossun]

One other thing that I think that’s notable about the emergency tone that haunts Tár is the way that she responds. Before she finds the source she tries to use it in her music, naive to its origin but willing to steal it completely. Taking the harm of someone and making spectacle. Not only does it make her seem childish, it kinda shows that she is incapable of creating any real genuine art. The thing she composes is both hollow and amateur at best without any connection to the heart of the inspiration. The only time we see Tár ever attempt true art it shows the reality of her: she has no connection to true human suffering and thus she’s not special or valuable

[@careymcmanus]

One thing I noticed in the film was that even though the orchestral music world uses screens to hide the person auditioning to remove bias the sound of ones shoes can give away so much information. Specifically the scene where the celloist that tar was attracted to was given away by the sound of her boots and confirmed by the gap between the divider and the floor.

[@sethrogaine]

Can't wait for the sequel Re:Tar

[@grmgt]

This is one of your best videos. You are amazing. I am in awe of you. Thanks for all the hard work. Enhanced the movie even more!

[@PullingTheBasement]

Thank you for making this. I have a master's in music, and based on my experiences in classical music, I knew I would be affected by Tár if it were at all accurate in its depiction of that world; and it was, and I was. But I couldn't explain why. Turns out I noticed maybe 10% of what you talked about. It was all right there in front of my face!

[@jeffreyhinzmann945]

This is the best video you have ever done. You have moved beyond 'youTube critic' to an actual legitimate critic and artist yourself.

[@Zectifin]

I honestly like it when youtubers don't cut out every background noise. My favorite is when they play their reaction to a helicopter or lawnmower or something. We're on youtube. It feels more real, just like the videos we watch and the youtubers we watch. (yes, i understand everyone has some kind of mask or facade, but youtubers are mostly more authentic and in touch than most hollywood personalities.)

[@belly-avrill]

This has quickly become one of my favorite YT essays. I was already a huge fan of this movie but this video has made me aware of so many details and so much thematic nuance that'd gone right over my head when I watched Tar that's it just made me appreciate the film so much more.

[@Alanthewhite]

I don't agree with everything you say, but I want more people to make serious and well made videos about films like this. It's rare to find a KZbin video that has such intricate opinions and uses very good reasoning to defend it.

[@sweetsnejinka9411]

Yes.

[@fehzorz]

Got to admit, this is a movie I didnt really get when I watched it on a plane a month ago. It all just clicked into place watching this essay and for that I'm grateful

[@4Mr.Crowley2]

The beautiful filming of this film reminds me of the use of mirrors and lighting etc in Black Swan

[@Moon_Julez]

The way my heart jumped when I heard the ícaros. I had no idea Tar started that way with that music. I had the immense privilege of participating in a Shipibo healing ceremony last year. It was beyond beautiful and transformative. I can’t describe how absolutely breathtaking their songs are. I have to watch this movie now. The sound of the singing in the video immediately brought me back to the healing ceremony. Wow. 🥹 Also, since their songs come from nature and from the plants, the plants speak through the singer. That means the healing song received by the singer for the recipient is unique for that healing journey. Tar was hearing, and ignoring, an ícaro (a healing song) that was specifically for her coming from the natural world in order to heal her wounds that need healing.

[@dukerstheartist]

Personally, a MaggieMaeFish video is worth the time. Thanks for all you do

[@grantkistel3411]

Maggie, I love your videos, the shining/lost highway video honestly has had me working at scripts to finally start making my own essays. This is without a doubt the best video essay I’ve ever seen. You expanded upon a movie I considered amazing to a point of near perfection. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to everything you do!!!:333

[@joesjoeys]

Absolutely love the longer form video! Always need me more Maggie Mae Fish in my life!!

[@prajwaljayaraj5887]

This video is just filled with genius insight and flipped my own perceptions of Lydia Tár and her intentions

[@MaggieMaeFish]

time time time time time time time time

[@laurentlbm]

Time? This is no time to argue about time. We don't have the time.

[@elrhunadan]

oh, I thought you were gonna talk about thyme

[@FastLawyer]

I had never heard of this movie, yet I found myself completely riveted from start to finish by your analysis. Great video essay.

[@indigoemory]

absolutely phenomenal analysis! as a doctoral student in music composition, a lot hit home in this film--especially the masterclass scene. i really enjoyed your breakdown of time in tar; gave me a lot to think about!

[@marvellousm]

This video was fantastic. I had read about this movie and decided that it was not for me and your video has reassured me I was correct. Thank you!

[@Ancusohm]

I hadn't heard of this film. Thank you so much for talking about it. You gave me such important information and context.

[@logancheney8536]

First time seeing one of your videos - instant subscribe! What got me was the editing you did at 3:38 Great video

[@critiqueofthegothgf]

this was so ridiculously insightful, it's seriously one of the best video essays I've ever watched. i watched Tàr twice, back to back, one day and then the next and did not pick up on even half the aspects you mentioned. I may just be 'slow' but as someone who enjoys subtle cinema, I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things I missed, on my second viewing, let alone after having seen this. newfound appreciation for both the movie and just you, in general. you're a genius

[@vidsantoro]

I'm not even halfway through,but you are doing the shit out of this

[@vidsantoro]

My god, this was good

[@anthonycondon5833]

I was having a terrible day, then I discovered your channel! Thanks! I both simultaneously loathed this movie while thinking it was absolutely excellent. Watching this has helped me understand both of those feelings. Great analysis!

[@unpredictableaxolotl3762]

Y'all finally got me to crack on the Nebula thing. All the cool kids are doing cool kid stuff over there and I wanna see.

[@Gaby-bx3cv]

Maggie, thank you for covering the film. Definitely a great watch and listen.

[@thedarkercarter]

I had wanted to catch Tar when it was on theaters ... and now I want to watch it more. Great video.

[@jesseboyd8412]

You're so brilliant - definitely worth my time (sry)! I'm so grateful for the time you give us ♡ I am a better person because of it

[@BeepSmile]

It's 41 minutes past midnight. I'm 15 minutes into this video. At this point I've been awake for 34 hours, approx. This video isn't keeping me *awake* because it's so good that it's dragging me into alertness; though that is a thing that it has done. It's caused me to decide to post this and then go to bed, because it's so good I want to be properly cogent to best engage with the information being communicated.

[@josephteller9715]

I enjoyed your work on this, as always. I've been a Nebula subscriber for some time, and use it to watch that which isn't available here on KZbin, but I do dislike the lack of an ability to give feedback on that platform and that's why I only watch Nebula exclusives there, along with the fact that it refuses to properly stream thru my Chromecast M1 onto my TV set for long pieces, while KZbin does so seamlessly.

[@ephemeraldgames]

after 10 years as a classical musician and quitting due to burnout this is one movie I've had negative interest in seeing, but I'm really glad I watched this to confirm that, yep, it sounds like they got it exactly right what a hellscape that world is

[@Aranock]

This videos an absolute masterpiece and I really appreciate how you dissect the way that this medium is heavily constructed at the end there. The films decision to alter the power dynamics subtly by changing the characters gender, and thus explore how harmful hierarchies can occur even from people who experience marginalization in some way, is really valuable imo in an age where people who centralize their proximity to privilege in order to gain success by harming others has become unfortunately common.

[@MaggieMaeFish]

I didn't bring up the part where she calls herself a "U-Haul Lesbian" as a way to skirt criticism... when she is literally the furthest thing from a "U-Haul Lesbian" lol.

[@Aranock]

@@MaggieMaeFish OMG I haven't seen the film yet but thats hilarious and amazing.

[@reasonablyskeptical]

cage also had the idea to put 4:33 on repeat for musak, because the piece was some part of his hatred of elevator music

[@blahblahh1507]

All the videos I've seen explaining Tar, were 10 times more entertaining than the movie itself

[@methos1999]

I haven't really heard much about Tar so this was an excellent piece of analysis. Also I had never really thought about the issue of getting silence to record a video. Of course then when I think about it and consider the call for "silence on the set" and it's now "duh" obvious.

[@Genevieve1023]

There's a podcast called "The Next Picture Show" that did a really good piece on it.

[@deanna5280]

This was such a great video, I feel like I need to rewatch Tar and will see it in an entirely new way

[@weetdoog]

i recently watched tár and i couldnt make any sense of it, i kind of understood that its about her obsession with control and power, but your video really helped put things into perspective, thanks!

[@thelestercorp]

Thank you for this. I don't comment very often, but I felt compelled to give you your flowers in this case for a job superbly done. I wish there was some way I could hold on to this forever as a companion to my blue ray. You've worked hard on this and it shows. Perfecto!

[@jacobjavaherian8235]

I agree with your general point about the 4'33" and listening, but when Tár is talking about it she says "a 4'33"" and I think that to her that is any piece that is purposely ambiguous and meant to be interpreted by everyone involved. Granted she doesn't seem to like what Max is conducting at the beginning of the scene and literally calls the composers intent vague. Still, I think she's trying to say that the students need to have their own interpretation of the piece when they're up there conducting.

[@CheesecakeMilitia]

I loved how the movie is edited like Lydia herself actively not thinking about the cause of her problems. Always glossing over important plot details and luxuriating in pompous bullshit the audience can see right through.

[@akebjornblad9478]

wow your use of the word "feels" in the voice over, with Tar doing finger quotes at the same time... brilliant

[@SIBIRIAKcom]

my every adoration for an actor ends with they play a role of a professional musician.

[@goldbrick2563]

Who were the other actors you adored? Ethan hawke as chet baker? Don cheadle as miles davis?

[@Guard4Product]

It's great how in naming the movie Tar its declaring that this is Tar, frozen in time, forever for the record.

[@thisbydumplings]

wowww i've watched this like 5 times. the amount of info you can pack into 40 minutes is astounding. so good!

[@nicole-ls4jb]

You've actually convinced me to watch Tár. Brava.

[@thomasfahey8763]

Fascinating. I too have thought about this film for months without anything to show for it. You at least have your fine video. You could justify at least three more on various aspects of this pousse-café of a movie. Thank you for including the Bernstein Norton Lecture clip as her persona seems to heavily ape his. She even quotes the title. (Speaking of apes; her crack about Goldsmith stealing from Varèse triggered me, but I survived it.) What intrigued me initially was the sheer weight of this persona she has constructed and the burden of carrying it. Stripping it away piecemeal may seem painful or tragic to watch, but in the end it’s liberating. She is at her core, I think, somebody worth knowing.

[@saxmanmel]

I've seen several ads for Nebula, but your pitch was the one that finally got me to cave. As someone with their doctorate in Human Sexuality Studies, I yearn for mature explorations of it within media. I'm really looking forward to seeing these videos!

[@merbst]

Thanks for those months you spent creating!

[@lexthanexpected]

Great video, well made and good bits of humour. Glad to hear it was filmed in Thailand which is what I assumed before reading after watching and learning it was supposed to be the Philippines. Also 34:12 is that not Francesca filming?? Didn’t notice first watch.

[@catherinedesrochers]

Instant follow 👏 And there are multiple other small details that quite interesting in term of sound : Her phone ring is the default sound of the iPhones alarm clocks When she train, she hit the bag on the tempo of classical songs

[@alekshy467]

Thank you for the work on this video! Been thinking about Tár for months.

[@a_level_70_elite_raccoon]

A great production, as always. Just signed up to Nebula, so I'm looking forward to catching up on Unrated and everything else.

[@태이씨]

I discovered your channel yesterday, and I'm still binging. So underrated! Great videos 🔥

[@juliettedemaso7588]

Omg little children! I forgot about that film. I could never decide how I felt about it, but wasn’t sorry I watched it. It’s okay sometimes to feel a bit unsettled by someone else’s storycraft. That’s my takeaway.

[@babylonian.captivity]

I watched that movie a lot during a certain period of my life and I'm still not sure exactly why. Kate Winslet is great (she's great in everything) and I love the movie's thematic material (basically like Revolutionary Road, which she's also in, and lots of others), but there's something off about it. A little ham-fisted, maybe? Or just kind of over the top? The performances are all maybe just a little too broad? And yet, like I say, I watched it over and over so something about it obviously engaged me.

[@madskatz8932]

this was a fantastic video, thank you! this really expanded my appreciation for the movie

[@paintdry84]

I just have one note about 4’33” which is that its actually three movements wherein you are supposed to listen first to the sounds of your body, then to the building around you, then to the people around you. You kind of got it with his commentary but most scores do still rely on a conductor turning the page to transition to the next movement.

[@unnamed5007]

Are you sure about this interpretation? Cage left the meaning of 4'33'' purposely ambiguous, but the interpretation that is most in line with cages intent is as far as I know, to question the meaning of silence itself. The interpretation you have given is a fairly wide spread, but by many considered wrong. Many point to the piece "One³", when arguing against it. When listening to One³, the listener should take in their surroundings. And because it is considered unlikely, that composers compose two pieces with the same meaning, this rules out the interpretation that 4'33'' is to be interpreted that way.

[@babylonian.captivity]

Such an incisive and perceptive video. I'm grateful for it. Really rich and rewarding. Thank you! :)