Themroc (1973)
AKA: –
Directed by: Claude Faraldo
Starring: Michel Piccoli (Themroc), Beatrice Romand (Themroc’s sister/daughter), Marilù Tolo (Secretary), Francesca Romana Coluzzi (Neighbor-wife), Jeanne Herviale (Mother), Coluche (Neighbor-husband), Patrick Dewaere (Worker)
Country: France, Effed Up French Films
Language: –
Runtime: 01:49:02
Genres: Bizarre-Absurdist, Cannibalism, Incest, Family
Plot – Spoilers:
Themroc is a balding Frenchman who suffers the drudgery of being alive as a small cog in the working-class wheel. There are a few bright moments in his life though, like when he catches glimpses of his half-naked sister/daughter. These are however often quickly dullened by the appearance of his frazzled mother who never fails to remind him that he’ll be late for work if she didn’t prod him along.
Then one day, Themroc shores up his room with blocks of stone, building himself a cave, and decides he’s gonna live like a stone-age man.
The language in Themroc is interesting. There are no distinct words or language spoken through the film and muffled words appropriately litter the din of the have-not rabble Themroc is a part of. So in a way, well before he turns into a caveman, Themroc is already one, who just happens to be living in relatively modern times. When the haves talk, the words are refined, almost enough to resemble a language. But this changes to gruff sounds when they interact with the have-nots and French as a language appears only on signboards.
Reminds me *grunts in French* of being somewhere I don’t speak the language; or of *hovers big French snout over sister-daughter’s naked sleeping body* the incommunicable despair of being alive. It’s giving es-que tu veux les fromage avec cette? With what? Language and the limits of language, spectral endurance exercises, official-looking archetypes of authority whose job is to sit at a desk and lift a pencil from the surface of the desk and press the pencil against a plate until it breaks off the lead of the pencil and then take that broken pencil and put it in a pencil sharpener and sharpen the pencil until all of the problems the pencil sharpener created to begin with are solved, nihilism in 1973, “the attitudes of animals in motion”, trip-wires and repetition and the illusion of difference in a subtly unvarying world… and the French have had an oeuf! Themroc converts his bedroom into a cave and becomes a caveman. Confrontation strains toward deeper meaning. Deeper meaning does not exist. People live and die and win and lose and work and sleep and eat and grunt and fuck and laugh and cry and shit and all is nothing and nothing is all. Long and drawn-out but not unenjoyable, sarcastic and silly but not stupid, the discontent of yesteryear *eats pussy in French* is the inarticulable upset of today.
Pretty sick movie, brilliant in its own terms… I’d cut it down a bit though, trim it here and there. First minutes I thought i’d hate it and I had no idea where we were going but then I definitely appreciated it and it tripped me away.
Kafkian. Strong and original conception. You can really say “one of a kind”. Not a pleaser and probably not of very easy access, but unapologetically so: it does what it does cause it wants to do it and it doesn’t really mind if you don’t like it or don’t care for it or you can’t find your way in.
Wassup fuckers
fell asleep 5 times,, it were utter bowlox
I hope this is fun.
Thanks Admin, for posting this cult classic. This was very popular in Europe, in the 70s, when I was a student. Questions to those in their 20s and 30s, living in the US: is there still individuality in these times of social media, a meaning to words in this world of ‘alternative facts’, aren’t we back to the 19th century in these times of Amazon work ethics? Put it differently, is there really that much of a difference with present time USA and the dystopia portrayed here? The director seems to believe that any form of ‘civilization’ will end up as a dystopia, and that the only answer is a return to an anarchistic, ‘animal-like’ behavior. What do you think?
great movie i feel like that sometimes
Well… It wasn’t bad at all. . Not entirely sure what it was a satire of except for the banality of the rat race.. the daily grind of a commute… Work … Existing to be a.slave and it was a definite gesture to I guess French neubauten and the rise of cheap modern housing possibly for a cheapened modern workforce… Hmmm makes one think.
Tried to watch but couldn’t finish. Made it about 30 minutes or so in and just couldn’t take all the gutteral noises. Maybe try again in the winter when there is nothing else as an option.
I dunno Zed. It was becoming a tiresome bore and very juvenile in places.. now I’m gonna watch this French film. Let you now my thoughts in a bit. . . Cheers friends and EUM posse
EUM guys, going back to the old style of commenting is like going from fillet steak back to sausages. Will the updated comments come back and when do you think it will be, if ever. The good and bad emojis were a great success, I think and it also gave ppl the chance to comment without actual words. All the best in getting your problems sorted out, I am sure all of us commenters are behind you. Cheers.