DVD Mini Review - Last Year at Marienbad

I never saw this classic Alan Resnais so when I found out that it was coming out on DVD I was quite excited. I loved Hiroshima mon amour.

Last Year at Marienbad is a beautifully shot, fascinating film. But there is something quite pretentious about it.

A man and woman meet at a fancy hotel. He claims that they had an affair the previous year. She claims that she never met him. He goes back in time and tells her what happened the previous year. She denies that this ever happened. He claims that they are supposed to go away together. Added into the mix is her "husband."

Is this real? Is this a fantasy? Is it a mixture of both? Who knows. The dreamlike quality of the film is beautiful to look at. But there is an emotional element missing here. One review I read compared it to Bergman's Persona. I can't get over that comment. Persona is one of the greatest films ever made (not to mention the fantastic acting by the two actresses). Last Year at Marienbad is an interesting film but not the masterpiece that some think it is. Oh, yes, anyone into cinema should see it. I can see how it was quite groundbreaking at the time. But it just didn't grab me.