"Perfume" the movie

Arts & Sciences Arts & Entertainment
#1

Not having read the book or having heard anything about it, I saw this on a whim. My feelings are ambivalent, but it interested me enough that I’d like to discuss it and probably get the book, which - given the subject matter - must certainly be better executed.

The ending left me torn between my artistic sensibilities and my moral outrage. On the one hand, poetically it was perfect. There’s both a circularity and a sense of self-inflicted justice to it. On the other, I was raised to abhor waste, and to have all those women slain and lives ruined, simply to have him become disillusioned and throw away his life’s work…with the last drop spilling un-noticed on the ground…all those sacrifices (while of course never justifiable in any case) became completely meaningless.

Also, not sure what point was being made by the fact that every one of his “benefactors” accidentally dies or else is executed as soon as he exits their life. Is it karmic retribution for their part in bringing him into being? Or is it punishment for each of them having treated him in such a mercenary fashion?

#2

It’s a fantastic book.

HG

#3

Ok, here’s a question for you: which is more disturbing, the book or the movie (for those who have experienced both)?

#4

Neither. I find them both deeply comforting.

You are only thinking about the plot if you find it disturbing. The murders are a plot device.

#5

Agree with Buttercup.

I read the book at least a decade ago. I recently unfurled the movie half drunk and with a stack of another 12 up my sleeve and turned it off less than a third of the way through.

I for one don’t think the devices have aged well.

HG

#6

Yeah, but I enjoyed watched the hot redheads get zapped.

I loved the book when I was a kid. Bought loads of copies as presents.

The point of his ‘benefactors’ dying is that they all tried to take something from him but couldn’t. However shitty they were, they didn’t leave a dent on his ability or power at all. The man who ‘swindled’ all the formulas from him gained nothing and Grenouille gained a lot. The point is, our ‘genius’ is not diminished or added to by others in any way. They can teach us skills, but they can’t ‘steal’ from us because we are born with an inate sense of self and a unique set of gifts. Pain and abuse makes us stronger and simply hones our ability to use what we have.

Achieving perfection is worthless. Trying is everything.

#7

[quote]The point of his ‘benefactors’ dying is that they all tried to take something from him but couldn’t. However shitty they were, they didn’t leave a dent on his ability or power at all. The man who ‘swindled’ all the formulas from him gained nothing and Grenouille gained a lot. The point is, our ‘genius’ is not diminished or added to by others in any way. They can teach us skills, but they can’t ‘steal’ from us because we are born with an inate sense of self and a unique set of gifts. Pain and abuse makes us stronger and simply hones our ability to use what we have.

Achieving perfection is worthless. Trying is everything.[/quote]

Excellent analysis. Right on the mark. I’m getting rusty.

Hence, I said I was torn between my artistic and moral sensibilities. Even as a lit major in college, I was always opposed to reading (or watching) fiction impassively as an art critic would view a painting, commenting on the brush strokes, proportion and other aspects of execution - or else on the other hand, looking entirely beyond the actual representation into the Platonic realm of symbols and metaphors.

The fact is, if a movie or story is good, it should be BOTH meaningful AND draw us to care about what happens in the story. Hence I cannot help but be disturbed not only by Grenouille’s Ayn Randian pursuit of his goal with no regard to the cost inflicted upon others, even to the point of discarding his creation once he’d achieved it. Plot device or no, the man’s “Zen revelation” came at the expense of at least 14 human lives!

Of course, it is worth pointing out that the act that draws the most outrage from the audience is probably also the least worthy of condemnation - as the final victim - having already been sold out by her father - actually submitted willingly to her own slaying.

#8

In the novel Grenouille always describes himself as a tick. He never judges the rights or wrongs of his own actions any more than a tick would. He knows what he is doing is not considered proper, but he has no control over his desire to satisfy his appetite. For him, as for the tick, it wouldn’t be proper not too.

He hears you, but he’s not listening.

I think the brilliant thing about the novel, not having seen the movie, was that you do care about Grenouille. You want him to succeed in his quest.

The other side of the story is that Grenouille is a collector, a materialist driven by a greedy instinct that can’t be satisfied by anything short of perfection. He’s more greedy than the vile blood suckers that try to live off him, and they are some greedy monsters, but they’re not in his league.

The device of taking you on an empathetic journey with Grenouille and the showing you that you will willingly follow tells you that there is a bit of blood sucking tick in all of us.