Papillon (1973)
There’s only one way off Devil’s Island.
Presentation:
If you loved Sorcerer, this feels just like Friedkin’s work except with the epicness of a David Lean film. This may perhaps lowkey be one of the greatest prison break films for the sheer globetrotting scale. It starts out as a simple prison break drama then transforms into something deeper with strong symbolism you’d see in future Lynch films. The vistas are vast and exotic yet tangible through the use of deep focus realism. The locals look real, the sweat looks real, the desire for freedom looks real, and probably because it all was real. This was back when actors went the extra mile and actually suffered on screen for their craft - losing weight, subjected to blazing heat and irritability. Even the alligator was real! There’s no cinematic sleight of hand, everything is authentic to allow us to feel just as hopeless as the prisoners. The blood effects and editing in this film aren’t perfect, but I think it all adds to that nostalgic classic charm.
Story:
The dream sequences in this film are really well done to capture the motivation for this persistent prison escapee. “A wasted life is the most terrible outcome.” As this film was adapted from a book, there are some rich metaphors like the butterflies, which is what papillon translates to if that wasn’t apparent. Butterflies represent transformation and in this film our protagonist transforms, though not necessarily for the better. He relentlessly survives and endures hardship, which is nobly and even heroically presented.
Conclusion:
This may be one of the greatest adventures of escape in cinema. The hard lighting and number of people resemble a David Lean feature, but I can’t help but love the intimate nature of this film more. Despite the formal presentation, the POV shots allow us to live in the shoes of Papillon and share his hardships and dreams. Freedom never felt more tangible. In cinema, we normally watch a film from the comfort of our seats but with the harshness bluntness and futility presented so masterfully, audiences can actually feel the torture and suffering. I’ve never really been able to relate to prison break films, which normally feel like cheerleading experiences. But Papillon is an experience that feels thematically existential, a journey we’ve been going through our entire lives. Now I understand what the pursuit of freedom is really all about.
Recommendations
There’s only one way off Devil’s Island.