- Bonus Movie Event: The Beast in the Jungle / La BeteCarolina Theater, Durham, NO
I know, I know. Fool me once… But unlike our last ill-fated attempt, this time the date and showtime have been confirmed. And, as a show of good faith, I even bought my ticket already.
So… **Let’s go see The Beast at the Carolina Theater!**
Here’s a description of the film I have shamelessly stolen from the internet: The year is 2044: artificial intelligence controls all facets of a stoic society as humans routinely “erase” their feelings. Hoping to eliminate pain caused by their past-life romances, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) continually falls in love with different incarnations of Louis (George MacKay). Set first in Belle Époque-era Paris, Louis is a British man who woos her away from a cold husband, then in early 21st Century Los Angeles, he is a disturbed American bent on delivering violent “retribution.” Will the process allow Gabrielle to fully connect with Louis in the present, or are the two doomed to repeat their previous fates? Visually audacious director Bertrand Bonello (Saint Laurent, Nocturama) fashions his most accomplished film to date: a sci-fi epic, inspired by Henry James’ turn-of-the-century novella, suffused with mounting dread and a haunting sense of mystery. Punctuated by a career-defining, three-role performance by Seydoux, The Beast poignantly conveys humanity’s struggle against dissociative identity and emotionless existence.
And here’s a link to the trailer, which promises that the film will be gorgeous but which is otherwise entirely impenetrable to me: The Beast at the Carolina Theater
As always, there is no requirement to read the source work in advance. But for one am super excited to read it and try to figure out how a Henry James novella got spun into a dystopian sci-fi epic.
For those readers who like to read, several options for free, full-text files are available here: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1093
For those readers who like to listen, two separate free audiobooks are available here: LibriVox: The Beast in the Jungle
The film is at 6:40, but I’ll get there a little early in case any new folks have trouble finding us. Would love to do dinner, drinks, and discussion at some walkable little spot after the movie!