Notes for Eternity And A Day

Film: Eternity And A Day

Year Of Release: 1998

Director: Theo Angelopoulus

Notes from viewing number 1 (12.10.2021)

Rating: 10/10

- This film is my introduction to the work of Greek legend Theo Angelopoulos. I was happy to find a film by him as his films as incredibly rare and I have wanted to check out his work for a long time. Did it live up to the hype? Yes.

- Eternity And A Day's opening scenes are drenched in nostalgia and melancholia, and when it is revealed that those opening scenes are the memories of a dying man, it hits hard. We connect with this man in the first 5 minutes without knowing anything about him. That's the power of good filmmaking.

- Angelopoulos' style of filmmaking is some of the most poetic I have ever seen, right there alongside Tarkovsky and Ozu. There's a scene towards the start where we are told that the old man has only had contact with the outside world through his neighbor who plays the same music as him. It's a small moment, and its significance is seemingly non-existent, but it's incredibly poetic, and managed to move me.

- The cinematography brings Greece to life. The white walls and clothes, the sunny beaches and the blue waves are all captured with great beauty and melancholia.

- This film may be confusing to some, as it smoothly blends reality, fantasies, dreams and memories together. The film is an exploration of a dying man's memories and regrets, and presents this beautifully.

- The main plot is about the dying man trying to help a boy avoid Greece's political climate. It's in many ways a film about the old man's final act of kindness, but may also be a possible jab at the political climate of Greece.

- I think it's a bit early to call Eternity And A Day one of my favorite films ever made, but after a few rewatchs, I probably won't even hesitate. It's a poetic experience that moved me greatly. I will without any doubt revisit this masterpiece soon.