TotalTelly.co.uk

Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

Waking Life [2002]


RRP: £12.99
Our Price: £3.62 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Richard Linklater goes off-kilter with his sixth film, Waking Life. Without a linear plot line, stable images and offering the kind of conversations you normally only find in a University seminar, it's clear that Linklater--despite his commercial success with independent films--is determined not move into the mainstream. By taking Wiley Wiggins away from his Dazed and Confused life into a dream which has no structure, and flitting from one philosophical question to another, Linklater presents a filmic discussion into the nature of physical awareness, consciousness and unconsciousness that most surrealist artists would be proud of. However, Linklater goes one step further and removes all notions of the real world by filming the actors then transferring them into animation, employing 31 artists to input their vision onto the film.

The result is a startlingly honest portrayal of the confusion we all face about the difference between life and death, dreaming and awareness, and the unknown as a whole. All the characters Wiggins meets seem to have their own thesis on the unknown, just as in life we are all aware or feel differently about our own self. In addition there are discussions regarding film as a dream-like form, with theorists aligning the sensation of watching a film to that of dreaming, taking your own consciousness into the lives of others. This is what makes Waking Life such a brave and well-structured film. By breaking down the barriers of narrative and reality, Linklater has probably made one of the most realistic films in recent history.

On the DVD: Waking Life transfers well onto to DVD but disappointingly has no extra features. With just a language selection, scene selection and play all section the only real added advantage of the DVD format is the ability to play back the dream sequences to allow for greater understanding, something impossible to do in the "waking life". --Nikki Disney


Too irritatingly difficult to take in
Review date: 2007-12-28 Rating: 4 out of 10

To be honest I found the whole film rather pretentious - its message wasn't very engaging. If you're going to make a film about philosophy at least use that medium to its full potential (some kind of plot and characterisation would have been nice!), otherwise write a book.
The rotoscoping technique created some sort of an atmosphere, at least, although I didn't find it quite as dissociating or effectively done as in 'A Scanner Darkly' (see it - it's much better).

Similar Products

Reviews


Wake Up!
Review date: 2007-12-18 Rating: 10 out of 10

When I first saw this in the cinema, I thought: yes, it's visually appealling, yes it reminds me of discussions and lectures in my undergraduate years and yes I should like it, but I didn't really. I thought it was trying a bit too hard.

I was in fact missing the point. I watched it on DVD some years later on a hungover Saturday morning and I finally got it. I can only describe it like looking at the stars one night and thinking "oh look there are the stars" and then looking at them again another night and realising, those aren't just stars, that's the entire universe!

Linklater has a message in this film and it's subtle and very, very deep. It bravely tackles the huge questions; the ones that scientists are scared of and only philosophers and theologians properly engage with. And he suggests answers that are beautiful and positive (1. "Yes", 2 "Wake Up!"). Don't try to intellectualise while watching this film, it's about love and life and eternity.

I feel recharged every time I watch this film.

not quite as clever as it wants to be, but clever all the same
Review date: 2007-08-12 Rating: 6 out of 10

If nothing else, I'm sure that you'll never have seen a film quite like Waking Life before. Whether or not you'll *want* to watch another film like it is another matter; but never mind, at least it scores high on originality. It's a series of disconnected philosophical discussions between animated characters, none of whom seem able to decide whether or not they are living in a dream. Some are happy about this, others less so; some are simply looking to take whatever they can get from the experience of 'lucid dreaming'. The structure of the film is supposed to mirror the surreal, disconnected experience of dreamtime. There is no narrative to hold things together, and not really anything in the way of coherent characterisation. You just have to do the best you can to hang on to the dialogue as it whizzes past on its way to obscurity, and console yourself by enjoying the highly imaginative visual aspect of the film.

The animation is very clever indeed and superbly executed. The artwork is superimposed on top of real film footage -- I believe the technique is called 'rotoscoping'. The fact that it's animated means, of course, that visually there's a far freer rein to slip into 'surreal' mode -- but always there's the underpinning of the real-life film footage underneath it. So it's an interesting blend and it blurs reality in a way that fits very well with the general idea in the film that you can never quite know what reality is, whether or not you're awake, whether or not you even exist.

As far as the philosophy goes, I must say, there's not much here that would trouble anyone who's taken a few introductory evening classes in the subject. It's the kind of stuff teenagers come out with when they get high for the first time and start thinking they're a genius. There's a fair bit of guff about 'true creativity', 'infinite possibilities', 'reaching our real potential', and so forth; a lot of it sounds closer to a Sunday supplement lifestyle pullout than anything out of a philosophy seminar. Still, though, it got my mind working a little, and I'm always happy to watch a film that can do that.

I think of this film as a kind of 'prelude' to Linklater's recent A Scanner Darkly, another animated movie that also deals with similar 'reality / unreality' issues, but does so in a rather more engaging way in the form of a proper story with more well-rounded, believable characters. I give Waking Life four out of five for being a film that tries something different, and manages it quite well, even though it comes out looking a bit pretentious at times. No extra features whatsoever on the DVD means another star gets knocked off, so only 3 out of 5 in the end. Still worth a look, though.


superb
Review date: 2007-01-30 Rating: 10 out of 10

My favourite film of all time- exhiirating, challenging, powerful and extremely repeatable. The art is symbolic on its own, and the thickness of the philosphy is enough to bowl you over for many viewings.
Linklater draws on his influences (PK Dick, Lorca etc) and becomes himself an influence on the way you think after you've watched this. THe thing is, there is no plot- and there are no major character conflicts. It just makes you think about what our waking life is and whether we're dead or alive. It's simply superb. The soundtrack is unique too.

Self Indulgent Tripe
Review date: 2007-01-28 Rating: 2 out of 10

I bought this film as I had been wanting to see it for ages but never had the chance, I wish I'd just left it on my "to do" list. I physically could not stand to sit through this film, biting my lip after 20 minutes before actually rushing to turn it off at the scene about mid way through with two women in a cafe. Don't get me wrong, it is interesting subject matter but it is portayed in such an abundantly (I'm sorry I really can't think of a better word)wanky way you'll be screaming for it to stop. The "cast" (for want of a better term) are your very annoying University Academic types, the kind of people who like the smell of their own farts. The kind of people that were beat up in school for a *reason*. The sorry fact is that most of the "philosophy" discussed is the kind of stuff you'll get talking to your mates about at 4 in the morning after a heavy night. You'd get a better understanding of philosophy from reading a Terry Pratchett book or even comics such as Hellblazer or even Preacher. At least then it won't be being forced down your throat by the kind of people who, quite frankly, make suicide seem like a viable alternative to being in their company. I'm finding it hard to clearly describe just how annoying this film is so just buy it to see for yourself. It'll make you feel good to smash it to pieces and the box is quite handy.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Lorelei Linklater
Ethan Hawke
Trevor Jack Brooks
Wiley Wiggins
Glover Gill

Creators:
Ethan Hawke (Primary Contributor)
Trevor Jack Brooks (Primary Contributor)
Richard Linklater (Writer)
Anne Walker-McBay (Producer)
Caroline Kaplan (Producer)
John Sloss (Producer)
Jonah Smith (Producer)
Jonathan Sehring (Producer)
Palmer West (Producer)

Director(s):

Recording label: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
EAN: 5039036011679
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Animated, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2003-02-24
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2001
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired)

Add to Cart

© 2006 Darren Hester, DesignsByDarren.com, Some Rights Reserved.
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional