I was amazed and thrilled to see this clip in such high quality. It is one of my favourite films. I'm hoping this means a DVD is available somewhere. It's wonderful that "Jules et Jim" and other films of Truffaut have been reissued hundreds of times, but this film? I'm still searching. Congratulation to you! Have a safe and wonderful year. 😺
I hope this comment will not be taken the wrong way. I came to this clip out of learning that it is based on Henry James’ short story Altar of the dead, which I have read a number of times (James is not an easy read). I don’t know a thing about the film and I can’t imagine, if it is so, that the green room is a substitute for the altar, as the altar is a public space, in a church, and this seems a very private one. This, however, doesn’t trouble me as I am guessing it is clear when one sees the film. What troubles me is, from this clip, the obsessive (and creepy) nature of his devotion to his late wife (who in the story is his late fiancée) Indeed, the concept of honoring the dead, Mary Antrim, his fiancée, may have been his most serious loss is actually arrived at by the death of his former best friend, Acton Hague, his nemesis, whom he decidedly will not honor. His altar of the dead will not have a candle to honor Acton Hague, except that it does, a single candle lit by the unnamed female character who regularly visits the altar. Now I know based on doesn’t mean a faithful rendition, however, from this clip alone I have determined that this is not a version of the James story. It is completely out of character of the male protagonist. I cannot expect that any faithfulness could follow. This is not to say it is not a good film. I have no opinion of that, not having seen it. The short story Altar of the dead is not “drenched in heavy layers of grief, melancholia” but does have some supernatural whisps in the final paragraphs. Having said all that, I came to RUclips to find the film, but now I’m satisfied that I need not look for it for my stated purpose, but may look for it on its own merits.
Just a little revision. I have now seen the other clip and see the green room is not the altar, and that there is an altar (an over the top altar) so I assume, that his devotion is both public and private. Still not true to the source, but more so than I had thought.
![The aesthetic of the Image: [world] cinema clips](http://yt3.ggpht.com/2dVbj2BL1FHr7YxL_TR11gpIYgz_kJebitFF2JXLuDj7CWfeEMsvFx8a8CFvoZJncK3F-j-ZhqI=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj)
I was amazed and thrilled to see this clip in such high quality. It is one of my favourite films. I'm hoping this means a DVD is available somewhere. It's wonderful that "Jules et Jim" and other films of Truffaut have been reissued hundreds of times, but this film? I'm still searching. Congratulation to you! Have a safe and wonderful year. 😺
I hope this comment will not be taken the wrong way. I came to this clip out of learning that it is based on Henry James’ short story Altar of the dead, which I have read a number of times (James is not an easy read). I don’t know a thing about the film and I can’t imagine, if it is so, that the green room is a substitute for the altar, as the altar is a public space, in a church, and this seems a very private one. This, however, doesn’t trouble me as I am guessing it is clear when one sees the film. What troubles me is, from this clip, the obsessive (and creepy) nature of his devotion to his late wife (who in the story is his late fiancée) Indeed, the concept of honoring the dead, Mary Antrim, his fiancée, may have been his most serious loss is actually arrived at by the death of his former best friend, Acton Hague, his nemesis, whom he decidedly will not honor. His altar of the dead will not have a candle to honor Acton Hague, except that it does, a single candle lit by the unnamed female character who regularly visits the altar. Now I know based on doesn’t mean a faithful rendition, however, from this clip alone I have determined that this is not a version of the James story. It is completely out of character of the male protagonist. I cannot expect that any faithfulness could follow. This is not to say it is not a good film. I have no opinion of that, not having seen it.
The short story Altar of the dead is not “drenched in heavy layers of grief, melancholia” but does have some supernatural whisps in the final paragraphs. Having said all that, I came to RUclips to find the film, but now I’m satisfied that I need not look for it for my stated purpose, but may look for it on its own merits.
Just a little revision. I have now seen the other clip and see the green room is not the altar, and that there is an altar (an over the top altar) so I assume, that his devotion is both public and private. Still not true to the source, but more so than I had thought.