Postmodern City & Space of Flows

Cosmos & “In the Various Restaurants”

Outline

Cosmos “In the Various Restaurants”

The spaces of flows in these two texts: Café, diner, TV station, taxi, hotel, restaurant, streets.

They don’t have stable identity or distinct histories; they are spaces for chance and/or brief encounters.

People in the Spaces of Flows

Cosmos: Background

Predecessor: Montreal vu par – made in the 80’s, by the six film “auteurs.” (Four Quebecois and 2 English—Rozema and Egoyan)

Cosmos – the six directors first films, not dealing with the typical themes of Quebecois films (such as father-son relationship; sense of guilt; loss of identity; sense of community, etc.)

Taxi Drivers at Montreal -- mostly immigrants

(e.g. from “The City Cab”) Q’s language policy

[Cosmos (1997)] INTRODUCTION

SIX EPISODES

THEMES:

THE LINKING PERSON--- COSMOS

Between two genders, two friends

Chance Encounter among 3 generations THE CITY & ITS

LURKING DANGERS TECHONOLOGY vs.

Agriculture or the past

INTRODUCTION OF THE SIX EPISODES Why is the movie “black and white?”

A. BOOSTYannie, Jeol

THE TECHNETIUM Morille, Tekno

JULES AND FANNYFanny, a lawyer, her ex-boyfriend (Jules/Julien)

L’ INDIVIDULThe killer

AURORE AND CREPUSCULEDawn, Dusk

COSMOS AND AGRICULTURECosmos, Janvier

BOOSTYannie, Joel

THEME (1): “Jules and Fanny”:Between two genders -- Sex and Work Ethics

How do the ex-lovers deal with the issue of enlarged breasts? Is the issue of work ethics involved? (clips 14, 15, 16, 17)

Jules

-- Worried about the death of the matter

-- Mixes pleasure with work; wants to have sex with F

Fanny

-- “new body,” present partner = future ex-lover

-- stripping is what matters

-- Does she compromise her ethics?—almost.

-- Seductive

THEME (1): “Jules and Fanny”:Between two genders -- Sex and Work Ethics

How are the two scenes in contrast with each other?

THEME (1): “Boost – Yanni and Joel” Between two friends—Friendship and Uncertainties in Life

Comic view at the terrifying situation: What’s funny? What’s sad? Funny – the car, their way of

entertaining themselves, (9, 18)

Sad – “homosexuals are a protected race.” afraid of being HIV positive, the car dead again

THEME (2): Chance Encounters – Differences among the 3 ENERATIONS

How are the younger generation presented in this film? (e.g. “Technitium” “Dawn and Dusk” “Cosmos and Agriculture”)

THEME (2): Chance Encounters – Differences among the 3 ENERATIONS

How are the younger generation presented in this film? (e.g. “Technitium” “Dawn and Dusk” “Cosmos and Agriculture”)

Web TV station (also hair salon)at “Technitium,” robbers at “Cosmos and Agriculture” -- Superficial and playful superficial:

Emphasis on appearance (hair) Care about instant fame (e.g. Cyberdog)

rapid pace, uncertain about relationship and the future

Yanni and Joel two-minute interview (Maurille Maurice)

THEME (2): Chance Encounters – Differences among the 3 ENERATIONS

“Technitium” – Morille and the past ignored

War, hostage, fear, Tension about work

and self-presentation

THEME (2): Chance Encounters – Differences among the 3 ENERATIONS

“Dawn and Dusk” (clips 19, 20)

Dawn vs. Dusk: their differences?

Possible Dangers? Romanticize the old

man

THEME (2): RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE 3 GENERATIONS

Youth Yanni & Joel, Dawn & her

boyfriend Web station

• 30’s - 40’s

• Fanny & Jules

• Morille

• Serial killer

50’s – 60’s

•Dusk

Minorities:

Javier Cosmos

THEME (3): THE CITY & its LURKING DANGERS

Characteristics of Montreal presented Fluidity--- urban setting: hotel, subway, apartment

building for rent, roads, suburban wilderness, chance encounters the youngsters’ Aimlessness and nostalgia Fast-Pace & Rootlessness – no one is shown at home.

Lurking Dangers Vulnerable groups (women

& children) (“Individul”) Sense of suspense and fear in the subway, bathroom,

department store, and apartment. Danger not understandable e.g. gaps in the film;

clips 6, 7

THEME (3): TECHONOLOGY vs. agriculture

Are all the city’s problems caused, as Javier puts it, by 1. Seasons, 2. “Agriculture”?

The role of machines and technologies in this film Cars and subway Breast enlargement Video and internet in “Technitium” Instant

transmission of messages by the web station, empty of content

THE LINKING PERSON--- COSMOS

Two other links: Dawn as a coffee shop waitress (tries to stop Morille from drinking too much), Antoine as a hotel waiter (sees the conflict in Jules between his intellect and his “material aspirations”)

IMPORTANCE OF COSMOS & HIS ROLE ASSOCIATION with all the other characters (clips 1, 4,

7, 11, 21) HIS PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE (23) –connect the positive

with the positive, negative with the negative. The final episode – what do you think about his

response? (24, 25)

“In the Various Restaurants”

Starting questions: How do we characterize Nicola, the narrator and

their relationship? (What does it mean to be “friends, but never close”? 153)

How are the other artists presented? Why are the restaurants important to the

narrator? Does the fact that the author, Daniel Jones, later

commit suicide influence your reading of the novel?

Nicola and the narrator, 1983 –1992 “Not a Love Story”?

The narrator needs some clarification 145 Similarities: wary of burden or long-term

commitment Aspiring writers switching from poetry to narratives. Nicola on her marriage (151) The Narrator: does not know what he wants; “The

thought of close friends frightens me.” (152) Can understand each other. Do not speak when meeting on the street, no

kiss or touch when leaving each other, no photos, no talk on the phone, etc.

The narrator

The narrator: about to publish in 1983 (age 24 N age 17),

Unstable life; Alcoholic, suicidal; (144) keep careful records of the past, repeated actions

(“always” 143) Self-obsessed, but also self-critical of his attraction

to Nicola.146 Married in 1985. Feels distant from her at the moment of her

confession (149); turns to look at his own wound. Does not know what he wants 151

Nicola: a self-protective artist

her voice 141; frightened by him when meeting first; can

form a relationship with him only thru’ writing. 145

Pre-occupied by her novel writing; afraid of his depression;

Infatuated by a man (a Divinity student), or with the idea of writing poems to him; 147

Her story of nervous breakdown; 147-48

The narrator’s view of Toronto

The two meet: “Always for lunch, in various restaurants.”

Only knows restaurants; 152 There are so many things to talk about, . . .

153

Life and Art

The narrator’s wanting to write a story about Nicola. 150.

Collection of short stories by Daniel Jones: Obsessions: A Novel in Parts.

People in the Spaces of Flows

愛情萬歲﹑城市飛行 Drifting and toiling at work, desiring, supporting each other when they can;

愛情來了 ﹑ Showing support despite the lack of proper channels

Cosmos – brief reunion; brief outing before a life-and-death moment; chance encounters romance or accidents;

“In the Various Restaurants” – with their own problems, meeting and parting, understanding without committing themselves.