A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (2014)
Every scene a painted living masterpiece.
Presentation:
Although this is arguably one of the weaker Andersson film, it’s my favorite. It may be because this is the first film of his I watched and I think whichever Andersson film you watch first will be your favorite as it has the strongest novelty. With the switch to Red digital cameras, this feels like his most polished work to me as the modern image fidelity complements his visual style and makes his complex compositions more clear. There’s a lot less story in this one with overarching themes instead. That doesn’t really stop this film from feeling like disjointed and random vignettes. The beginning was outrageously outlandish and I was greatly entertained, but without a cohesive story I did begin to feel bored toward the end. That being said, I still feel like Andersson’s distinguishing trait is his visual style and this is one of his better looking films as he further masters his framing abilities. For younger cinephiles, A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence could be the perfect place to start.
Conclusion:
I don’t really care that this feels like a dozen loosely connected commercials. In fact, that may be what I like about it the most. As this film deals with existential pointlessness, it not that far off to say the lack of structure is thematically fitting. The Swedish director’s visual style seems to be converging to this point. Through the advent of technology, Andersson’s vision has never been more solidified than it is here. And that is what makes this my favorite Andersson film as appreciator of cinematography. How I envy the Swedes, being able to watch this without subtitles interfering with the cinematography.
Recommendations
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