Michael Haneke : Mourning and Melancholia in European Cinema

Janina Falkowska

Michael Haneke : Mourning and

Melancholia in European Cinema

Media – Kultura – Komunikacja Społeczna 10/2, 85-104

Michael Haneke. Mourning and Melancholia

in European Cinema

Słowa kluczowe: kino europejskie, psychoanaliza, melancholia, żałoba, współczesna

Europa, Michael Haneke

Key words: European cinema, psychoanalysis, melancholia, mourning, contemporary

Europe, Michael Haneke

Introduction

In se v e ra l in te rv ie w s, M ic h a e l H a n e k e h a s d ecla re d t h a t th e s p e c ta to r shou ld th in k a b o u t w h a t h e see s on th e sc re e n an d should en g ag e a ctiv e ly w ith th e film . In d eed , H a n e k e ’s film s re q u ire th e v iew er to u n d e rta k e a good d eal o f in te lle c tu a l effort, b u t also, I w ould su g g est, to h a v e som e d eg ree of in n e r p eace an d em o tio n a l fo rtitu d e if h e or sh e is to w ith sta n d th e em o tio n al a n x ie ty cau sed by th e fe a r an d h o rro r h is film s in c ite . W h ile th e s e o b serv a ­ tio n s could e a sily apply to any co n v e n tio n a l h o rro r film , H a n e k e p laces th e actio n o f h is film s in co n te x ts w ell-kn ow n to a ty p ica l v iew er; h e c r a fts h is film s in su ch a w ay t h a t th e situ a tio n s on th e scre e n see m n o t im p robable, b u t r a t h e r deeply in g ra in e d in th e h e re an d th e now o f co n tem p o rary E u rop e (an d th e co n tem p o rary W e ste rn w orld in g en eral).

W h a t m a k e s th e s e film s p a rtic u la rly in te r e s tin g is th e fa c t t h a t a lm o st a ll o f th e m ta k e p lace in co n tem p o rary E u ro p e a n c itie s su ch as P a r is and V ien n a, or in m id d le-class su m m er h o u ses in th e A lps - th o se icon ic c e n tr a l E u ro p e a n w eeken d an d h o lid ay g etaw ay d e stin a tio n s. A t th e sa m e tim e, h is film s b rin g o u r a tte n tio n to a n o th e r E u ro p e , th e one over-involved in p ro b lem s lin k e d to in te r n a tio n a l u n ifica tio n an d g lo b alizatio n . H a n e k e ’s film s m u s t be seen in th e c o n te x t o f th e r e c e n t h is to ry o f E u ro p e : th e d isso lu tio n o f th e com ­ m u n is t sy ste m , G e rm a n u n ifica tio n , te rro rism , m a ss m ig ra to ry m o v em en ts in E u ro p e , an d in c r e a s in g h o m o p h o b ia an d te r r o r is t p a ra n o ia , as w ell as g e n e ra l g lo b a liz a tio n an d u n ifica tio n tre n d s w ith in th e new g lo b al econom y an d th e W e ste rn w orld. Y e t th e p a ra n o ia an d fe a rs p re s e n t in a ll h is film s re v e a l a m u ch d eep er p reo ccu p atio n w ith th e s ta te o f th e co n tem p o rary w orld e x p re sse d in fe e lin g s o f m o u rn in g an d m e la n ch o lia , w h ich s u rre p titio u s ly em erg e from plot, c h a r a c te r m o tiv atio n an d film a e sth e tic s.

H a n e k e e x p re sse s m e la n ch o lia in h is e a r ly film s an d m a s te rs its e x p re s­ sion in h is la te r acco m p lish m en ts. T h e re is a co n siste n t a u th o ria l th re a d in a ll h is film s, w h e th e r th o se only w ritte n by him , th o se w ritte n an d d irected , or th o se d irected an d produced. In a ll h is film s, s im ila r p reo ccu p atio n s a re

p re se n t: m e la n ch o lia an d m o u rn in g lie b eh in d th e film s’ p lots, deeply p erv ad ­ in g ev ery la y e r o f th e film . T h u s, th e g oal o f th is e ss a y is tw ofold: firs t, to show how m e la n ch o lia is c in e m a tic a lly co m m u n icate d by H a n e k e ; an d se c­ ond, to arg u e th a t th e lo st o b je ct in th e s e deeply m e lan ch o lic film s is a fam ily th a t u n c a n n ily and sy n ecd ochally re p rese n ts/ep ito m iz es th e d isa p p ea rin g or d efu n ct n a tio n -s ta te , w h ich su pposedly h a s no p lace in th e new p o litica l and le g a l sy ste m o f th e E u ro p e a n U nion.

A s p o rtra y e d b y H a n e k e , a fa m ily /n a tio n -s ta te is lin k e d w ith tra d itio n and a se n se o f co h eren ce and u n ity , w h ile p o st-n a tio n a l re a lity an d g lo b ali­ z a tio n a re d istu rb in g ly n eg ativ e. T h e new so cia l and p o litica l d evelop m ents re la te d to g lo b alizatio n ra is e c o n s ta n t and re p e titiv e q u estio n in g s o f id en tity , a d eco n stru ctio n o f sp ace an d a re co n sid e ra tio n o f bo rd ers. T h e se u nconsciou s fe a rs t r a n s la t e in to a m e la n c h o lia t h a t re v e a ls it s e l f th ro u g h re p e titio n of, am on g o th e rs, c e rta in frig h tfu l im a g e s; th ro u g h th e a lie n a tio n o f th e p rotag o­ n is ts ; an d th ro u g h an a tm o sp h ere o f th r e a t and u n c e rta in ty . H a n e k e draw s from , an d co n tin u es upon, e a r lie r te n d en cies in E u ro p e a n cin em a, in w hich e x is te n tia l an d p h ilo so p h ical re fle c tio n s d om inated . T re n d s o f m o u rn in g and m e la n ch o lia a p p e a r in It a lia n and F re n c h film s o f th e 1 9 6 0 s an d 1 9 7 0 s b y a r t ­ is ts re p re se n tin g th e Seco n d It a lia n R e n a is s a n c e and th e F re n c h N ew W ave, resp ectiv ely . L ik e E u ro p e a n film m a k e rs, M ich elan g elo A n ton io n i an d A lain R e sn a is , w hose m o u rn in g ex p ressed g e n e ra l e x is te n tia lis t fe a rs lin k e d to th e post-W orld W a r I I tr a u m a , H a n e k e also r e la te s m o u rn in g to sp ecific so cia l and p o litica l scen ario s. H is fe a rs a re p o litica lly an d so cially grounded, re la te d to th e n a tu re o f d em ocracy, to th e d eclin e o f th e n a tio n s ta te , an d to v ariou s p ercep tio n s o f E u ro p e ’s fu tu re by W e ste rn E u ro p e a n s.

Mourning and Melancholia

F re u d ’s th o u g h ts on m e la n ch o lia , la te r developed an d a n a ly sed w ith th e focus on “lo st o b je ct” by M e la n ie K lein , re p re s e n t p erh ap s th e b e s t s ta rtin g p o in t for a n a n a ly sis o f th is topic in H a n e k e ’s film s. In 1 9 1 5 , F re u d com p leted h is p ap e r M o u r n in g a n d M e la n c h o lia , in w h ich h e d escrib es th o se tw o p h e­ n o m en a to g e th e r b ec a u se b o th a re re a ctio n s to th e lo ss “o f a loved person , or to th e lo ss o f som e a b s tra c tio n w h ich h a s ta k e n p lace o f one, su ch as o n e’s cou n try , lib erty , an id eal, and so on”1. H ow ever, w h ile h e co n sid ers m o u rn in g as a n o rm a l re a c tio n to som e loss, m e la n ch o lia re q u ire s tr e a tm e n t b e c a u se it co n tin u e s over a lon g tim e an d is u ltim a te ly “u se le ss or ev en h a rm fu l”2. M e la n ch o lia in clu d es “p a in fu l d ejectio n , c e ssa tio n o f in te r e s t in th e o u tsid e w orld, loss o f ca p a city to love, in h ib itio n o f a ll a c tiv ity an d a low erin g o f th e

1 S. Freud, Mourning and M elancholia, in: The Standard Edition o f the Complete Psy­

chological Works o f Sigmund Freud, ed. J. Strachey, London 1953-1974, vol. 14, p. 243.

se lf-re g a rd in g feelin g s to a d eg ree t h a t find s u tte ra n c e in self-re p ro a ch and self-rev ilin g , an d cu lm in a te s in a d elu sio n al e x p e cta tio n o f p u n ish m e n t”3.

W h a t is e x tre m e ly in te r e s tin g re g a rd in g F re u d ’s o b serv a tio n s is t h a t w hile th e lo st o b je ct is cle a rly id e n tified by th e m o u rn er, for a m e la n ch o lic th e lo st o b je ct is “o f a m ore id e a l k in d ”:

[T]he patient is aware of the loss which has given rise to his melancholia, but only in the sense th at he knows w h om he has lost but not w h at he has lost in him. This would suggest th at melancholia is in some way related to an object-

loss which is withdrawn from consciousness, in contradistinction to mourning, in which there is nothing about the loss which is unconscious4.

T h e w o rth le ssn e ss, m o ra l d esp ica b ility an d in fe rio rity re s u ltin g from th e m e lan ch o lic m u sin g s a b o u t loss “p o in t to a loss in re g a rd to h is ego”5 and “th e self-re p ro a ch e s a re re p ro a ch e s a g a in s t a loved o b je ct w h ich h a v e b ee n sh ifted aw ay from it on to th e p a tie n t’s own ego”6. T h e se sam e fin d in g s w ere la te r exp an d ed upon by K le in in h e r w ork on th e co n cep t o f th e “lo st o b je ct.”

In Kleinian theory, we may say th at to some extent it is out of pain th at the internal object is born. The Freudian hallucination of the object is translated in Kleinian fantasy as a primitive form of projection th at is reintroduced anew... For Klein, anxiety about object loss is primarily connected to aggressive fan­ tasies of destruction of the object. In her view, fear of the disappearance of the object may be experienced in a paranoid form - the predominant anxiety being th at of being attacked by the object - or dep ressiv e fo rm - the fe a r o f losin g the

in tern alized g o o d object7. [Italics mine - J.F .]

A n o th e r ap p roach to m e la n c h o lia w h ich I fin d p a r tic u la r ly in s p irin g is th a t o f E lia s C a n e tti, w ith h is focus on b e in g “devoured”: a m e lan ch o lic feels g u ilty and “th in k s o f o n e se lf as p rey ”8:

Melancholia begins when flight-transformations are abandoned because they are all felt to be useless. A person in a state of melancholia feels that pursuit is over and he has already been captured. He cannot escape; he cannot find fresh metamorphoses. Everything he attempted has been in vain; he is resigned to his fate and sees him self as prey; first as prey, then as food, and finally as car­ rion or excrement. The process of depreciation, which makes his own person seem more and more worthless, is figuratively expressed as feelings of guilt. Guilt was originally the same as debt (in German there is still one word for them both). I f one is in debt to someone one is to th at extent in his power9.

3 Ibidem. 4 Ibidem, p. 245. 5 Ibidem, p. 247. 6 Ibidem, p. 248.

7 E. Sanchez-Pardo, Cultures o f the Death Drive. Melanie Klein and Modernist Melan­

cholia, Durham 2003, p. 53.

8 E. Canetti, Crowds as Power, London 1962, p. 347. 9 Ibidem.

F re u d an d K lein , in p a rtic u la r, a re h e lp fu l in th e w ork o f c u ltu r a l th e o ­ r is ts , w ho h a v e u sed th e above con cep ts to e lu cid a te m a n y m od ern w orks of a r t. F o r in s ta n c e , C h r is tin e R o ss in A e s t h e t ic s o f D is e n g a g e m e n t d escrib e s re c e n t in s ta lla tio n w orks, p hotog rap hy , an d liv in g scu lp tu res in lig h t o f th e se th e o rie s, w h ile E s th e r S a n c h e z -P a rd o in C u ltu r e s o f t h e D e a t h D r iv e a n a ly ses th e w orks o f V irg in ia W oolf, D ju n a B a r n e s , C ou n tee C u llen , an d R e n e e M a ­ g ritte . T h e d etailed an d in sig h tfu l a n a ly se s o f th e s e tw o a u th o rs h a v e served as g r e a t in sp ira tio n to m y own a n a ly sis o f E u ro p e a n cin e m a s, an d to th e w ork o f M ic h a e l H a n e k e in p a rtic u la r.

Haneke - The Filmmaker

I f ir s t h e a rd and re a d a b o u t H a n e k e on th e occasion o f th e r e le a s e o f his

B e n n y ’s V id e o (1 9 9 2 ) an d a g a in w ith th e la te r F u n n y G a m e s (1 9 9 7 ), an d w as

soon fa sc in a te d by th e h o n e sty in h is p re se n ta tio n o f a so ciety ’s a n x ie tie s and u n c e rta in tie s . M an y y e a rs la te r , I decided to d iscu ss H a n e k e and h is film s in cla ss and even d ared ta c k le C o d e I n c o n n u (2 0 0 1 ) in m y w ork w ith stu d en ts, in co n fe re n ce p r e s e n ta tio n s an d e v e n tu a lly in p u b lica tio n s. I sa y “d a re d ” in te n tio n a lly , b ec a u se H a n e k e ’s film s re v e a l la y ers o f co m p lexity im p o ssib le to p e n e tr a te in one re ad in g , slow ly re v e a lin g th e m se lv e s only th ro u g h an ag oniz­ in g p rocess o f n eg o tia tio n an d ra tio n a liz a tio n o f p a rtic u la r fra g m e n ts an d of th e ir in co m p lete v isu a l an d a u r a l m e ssa g e s. W h en C a c h é (2 0 0 5 ) w as re leased , I decided to give H a n e k e ’s film s th e ir due, to tr y to p re s e n t m y th o u g h ts abou t h is film s on p ap er.

H a n e k e w as b orn in M u n ich , G erm an y , in 1 9 4 2 . H e sp e n t m o st o f h is life in V ie n n a , how ever, w h ere m a n y o f h is film s w ere m ad e; la te r , h e also m ade film s in P a ris . A stu d e n t o f philosophy, psychology and d ra m a in V ie n n a , he b ec a m e a p la y w rig h t w ith th e S u d w e stfu n k T h e a te r C om p an y fro m 1 9 6 7 ­ 1 9 7 0 an d la t e r w ro te sc rip ts for G e rm a n te le v isio n w h ich “m a te ria liz e d ” in se v e ra l film s m ad e for T V . A m ong th e m a re A ft e r L iv e r p o o l (1 9 7 4 ); S p e r r m ü ll (1 9 7 5 ); D r e i W eg e z u m S e e (1 9 7 6 ); L e m m in g e T e il I A r k a d ie n , T e il I I V er-

la tz u n g e n (1 9 7 9 ); V a r ia t io n (1 9 8 3 ); W er w a r E d g a r A l l a n ? (1 9 8 4 ); S c h m u t z

(1 9 8 5 ); an d F r a u le in (1 9 8 6 ).

H is f ir s t fam o u s film , T h e S e v e n t h C o n t in e n t (1 9 8 9 ), a ttr a c te d a g r e a t d eal o f a tte n tio n . T h e sto ry o f a m id d le-class fa m ily w ho u n e x p ecte d ly and u n a ssu m in g ly k ill th e m se lv e s in an a c t o f collectiv e su icid e opened a se rie s of film s t h a t a n a ly se th e s ta te o f co n tem p o rary society. L a te r film s, B e n n y ’s V i­

d e o , 71 F r a g m e n t s o f a C h r o n o lo g y o f C h a n c e (1 9 9 4 ), an d F u n n y G a m e s only

re in fo rce th e s e fir s t d ep ressin g p o rtra y a ls o f society. To th is m a tu re sta g e of film m a k in g also b elo n g two a d a p ta tio n s o f g r e a t lite r a r y w orks, D ie R e b e llio n (1 9 9 3 ) an d D a s S c h lo s s (1 9 9 7 ). T h e se a d a p ta tio n s also exp lore th e ab su rd , th e in co m p re h e n sib le, an d th e b iz a rre , o ften re s u ltin g from th e in co m p re h e n sib le n a tu re o f ch an ce. H is m o st b r illia n t film s, C o d e I n c o n n u , T h e P ia n o T e a c h e r

(2 0 0 1 ), T h e T im e o f t h e W o lf (2 0 0 3 ) an d C a c h é , openly ad d ress th e a n x ie tie s o f th e co n tem p o rary p erso n in th e W e ste rn w orld, an d esp e c ia lly in E u rop e.

Austria - Haneke's Creche

A s n o te d above, H a n e k e h a s sp e n t m o st o f h is a d u lt life in A u stria , a s m a ll, m od ern , an d b e a u tifu l co u n try in C e n tr a l E u ro p e , w ith a ric h co­ lo n ia lis t h is to ry in th e 1 7 th an d 1 9 th c e n tu rie s an d one o f m u rk y a llia n c e s w ith th e N a z i re g im e d u rin g W orld W a r I I . A fte r 1 9 4 5 , A u s tr ia em b race d n a tio n a lis tic v a lu es, y e t evolved in to (or r a th e r re tu rn e d to) a s ta te o rg an ism w h ich , lik e th e A u stro -H u n g a ria n e m p ire , e m b ra ce d in te r n a tio n a l a c tiv ity and m on itored d evelop m ents in n e ig h b o u rin g co u n tries. In th e decad es since, A u s tria h a s m a n ife ste d its w ish to p lay an o ffic ia l p o litica l ro le w ith in th e b ro a d er E u ro p e a n co m m u n ity. In th e 1 9 6 0 s, it p a rtic ip a te d in th e E u ro p e a n F r e e T ra d e A sso ciatio n an d C h a n c e llo r K r e is k y ’s foreig n policy in itia tiv e s ; it m ad e effo rts to jo in th e E u ro p e a n U n ion as e a rly as 1 9 8 9 (A u stria officially jo in e d th e E U on J a n u a r y 1st, 1 9 9 5 ). Y e t th e s e o fficia l te n d e n cie s tow ard glo­

b a liz a tio n and p a rtic ip a tio n in E u ro p e as a w hole w ere also accom p an ied by d is tru s t an d h e s ita tio n on th e p a rt o f th e g e n e ra l pop u lation, who ex p ressed a stro n g a n x ie ty in view o f grow ing im m ig ra tio n an d th e g e n e ra l re la x a tio n o f b o rd er policies.

T h e im p a c t o f new im m ig ra tio n p o licies h a s b e e n e sp e c ia lly v is ib le in th e c o u n try ’s c a p ita l, V ie n n a , w h ere H a n e k e s t ill re sid e s an d w o rk s; it is a c h a rm in g city , y e t so m ew h at p ro v in cial an d sleep y, sh e a th e d in its storied p a st. V ie n n a h a s w itn e sse d se v e ra l w aves o f im m ig ratio n , esp e c ia lly d u rin g th e la te 1 9 7 0 s an d a g a in sin ce th e e a r ly 1 9 9 0 s - m a in ly from esca p e e s o f th e co m m u n ist sy ste m in P olan d , R o m a n ia , B u lg a r ia , an d E a s t G erm an y . E s p e ­ cia lly a fte r 1 9 8 9 , V ie n n a h a s becom e a tru ly in te rn a tio n a l city due to g re a t n u m b ers o f im m ig ra n ts (both le g a l an d ille g a l), com ing from th e e a s t an d th e sou th . Y e t w ith its rich h isto ry , its g r e a t a r c h ite c tu r a l b e a u ty an d its cu ltu re and scien ce, V ie n n a h a s b ee n alw ay s p erceiv ed b y A u stria n s as th e q u in te s ­ sen ce o f th e ir own n a tio n a l id en tity .

P o litic a l h isto ria n G eorge Sch op flin m ay re fe r sp ecifically to V ie n n a w hen h e m ak es th e follow ing g en era l sta te m e n ts in th e co n tex t o f n a tio n a l identity:

[The city is] a premier space for collective action and... [an embodiment] of the collectivity itself. There is, equally, a direct relationship between the nation as a political entity and its expression in the form of a city. The link between citi­ zenship and the city is more than etymological. The city then becomes a part of the symbolic landscape of the nation10.

H ow ever, w ith g lo b a liz a tio n an d u n ifica tio n , V ie n n a h a s b ecom e a p o st­ n a tio n a l and globalized p lace, a h yb rid ized and dialogued so cia l and p o litica l

o rg an ism . H a n e k e re a liz e d t h a t th e c h a r a c te r is tic s o f a city as a locus o f n a ­ tio n a l id e n tity h a s becom e o b so lete; h e a rtic u la te s in w ritin g s an d in terv iew s th a t h e u n d e rsta n d s th e s e new tre n d s b u t is n o t e n tire ly e n th u s ia s tic abou t th em . Y e t a lth o u g h h e is n o t sp e cifica lly n a tio n a lis tic or a n ti-g lo b a liz a tio n in h is film s, h e re v e a ls th e s e a ttitu d e s in th e w ays h e p re se n ts la rg e c itie s in his film s. S t a r tin g w ith T h e S e v e n t h C o n t in e n t an d on th ro u g h B e n n y ’s V id e o ,

71 F r a g m e n t s o f t h e C h r o n o lo g y o f C h a n c e , C o d e In c o n n u an d C a c h é , th e di­

re c to r h ig h lig h ts su ch p h e n o m e n a a s grow ing violence, ille g a l w ork, im m ig ra ­ tio n and iso la tio n in th e cities.

Early Films

O n e o f H a n e k e ’s f ir s t film s m ad e for te le v isio n , D r e i W eg e z u m S e e , is a tw o-hou r a d a p ta tio n o f a sh o rt sto ry by In g eb o rg B a c h m a n . T h e film te lls a sto ry o f a n a g in g p h o to g rap h er, E v a (p lay ed b y U r s u la S c h u lt), w ho “r e ­ liv e s ” h e r life in a s e r ie s o f ta lk s w ith h e r fa th e r an d o f re c o lle c tio n s an d m em ories sh e p re se n ts in q u ie t m onologues d elivered v ia voiceover. E v a is in h e r fiftie s an d h a s no fa m ily ex cep t for h e r fa th e r, w hom sh e re g u la rly v isits once a y ear. S h e re m in isce s ab o u t h e r p a s t w h ile sh e w alk s in th e woods, lies in bed, or rid es th e tr a in . S h e is co m p letely su bm erg ed in h e r p a s t and h a s no co n cern for h e r p re s e n t w ell-being.

T h e a e s th e tic s o f th e film co rro b o ra tes h e r s ta te o f m ind: th e p re s e n t is conveyed in d ark , g rim colours, as i f it did n o t e x is t in re a lity , w h ile th e p a st is b rig h t an d c le a rly d elin e ated . H a n e k e th u s a c c u ra te ly p o rtra y s a m e la n ­ ch olic w ho se e s th e p a s t a s a lo s t o b je c t to be m ou rned an d d esired a t th e sam e tim e. E v a see s h e r p a s t cle a rly in h e r m o m en ts o f re flectio n , a se rie s o f p a ssio n a te love a ffa irs, ea ch o f w hich h a s la s te d for tw o or th r e e y e a rs and ended b itte rly . As a w ell-know n p h o to g rap h er, sh e h a s b ee n a b le to fu lfil h e r life p ro fessio n a lly an d to tr a v e l a ll over th e w orld, b u t h a s proven u n a b le to m a in ta in a stea d y ro m a n tic re la tio n sh ip an d th u s now liv es alone.

T h is film re v e a ls H a n e k e ’s e a r ly p re o ccu p a tio n s: life c r is e s an d m o ra l d ilem m as; gloom y and su bdu ed a e s th e tic s ; an d su dden in tru sio n s o f m em o­ rie s or th o u g h ts in th e form o f rap id film in s e rts a p p e a rin g in sudden fla sh e s (ea ch la s tin g 2 to 3 seconds), h a v in g n o th in g to do w ith th e c u rre n t m o m en t o f th e film - su ch a seq u en ce ap p e ars a t th e v ery b eg in n in g o f D re i W eg e z u m

S e e , to be ex p lain ed an d co n te x tu a liz e d only la te r . T h e scen e ta k e s p lace in

th e a irp o rt h o te l a t w hich E v a is stu ck b etw ee n flig h ts; sh e a cc id e n ta lly e n ­ te rs th e w rong co m m u n al b a th ro o m and e n co u n ters a you ng b la c k m a n in th e w h ite room . H ow ever, w h a t w ould o th erw ise b e an e a s ily e x p la in a b le ev e n t a cq u ire s a d re a m lik e a u r a o f m y ste ry b e c a u se i t is show n as a b r ie f fla s h ­ b a c k a t th e very b e g in n in g o f th e film . W ith th is sim p le te ch n iq u e , H a n e k e in tro d u ces an e le m e n t o f forebod ing t h a t d o m in ates th e r e s t o f th e film . T h e sp e cta to r longs for th e m y ste rio u s e v e n t to b e g iven som e ex p la n a tio n , w hich

fin ally , only b ela te d ly , a rriv e s. ( I t is w o rth n o tin g t h a t th is e a rly te ch n iq u e fin d s its m a tu re an d b r illia n t re a liz a tio n in C a c h é , in w h ich th e sc e n e o f a y ou n g M id d le -E a s te rn boy w a sh in g h is blood ied h a n d s is c r u c ia l to th e ex p lica tio n o f th e m a in th e s is o f th e film itse lf.)

E v a c a n n o t ch an g e h e r life; sh e m e rely re m in isce s ab o u t an d broods over h e r p a st. N e ith e r does sh e p u rsu e a m e a n in g fu l re la tio n sh ip w ith h e r fa th e r; in ste a d , a t th e film ’s closing , sh e le a v e s h im an d decides n e v e r to re tu rn . H er in a ctio n , h e r in e rtia , m a k e s h e r deeply m e la n ch o lic in th e se n se o f a m e la n ­ cholic a s th e one who, “p e rsu ad ed o f th e fu tility o f a ll actio n , r e tir e s to h is or h e r own in te rio rity to brood an d m e d ita te upon th e v ery con d itio n s o f th e im p o ssib ility o f a ctio n i t s e l f ’11.

A s im ila r in a b ility to a c t, a profo u n d a p a th y , is p r e s e n t in S c h m u t z , d ire cte d b y H a n s M ic h a e l F r u h b e r g b u t for w h ich H a n e k e w as a w rite r/ d ra m a tu rg e ; th e film could e a s ily h a v e b ee n m ad e by H a n e k e h im self, given its th e m e s an d c h a r a c te ris tic s . T h e w ord s c h m u t z m e a n s “d irt, filth , or sm u t” in G e rm a n an d a p tly d escrib es th e co n te n t o f th e film . T h e film te lls th e story o f a d ecrep it police sta tio n in a n aban d on ed in d u s tria l d istric t; it is a sp ra w l­ in g in d u s tr ia l b u ild in g in a te r r ib le s t a te o f d isre p a ir. W a lls u n p a in te d for y e a rs, its in te rio rs d irty, th e b u ild in g is on th e v erg e o f co llap se; it is in fa ct due to be d em olished. A s a w orkp lace, it is a lm o st u n u sab le.

A g ain , h e re , H a n e k e a c tiv a te s th e m e s o f d isru p tio n an d d isa p p ea ra n ce in th e film : p erh ap s, h e p o stu la te s, o n e’s se n se o f se c u rity an d sig n ifica n ce ce ase to h a v e a n y m e a n in g w ith in th e p rocess o f d esta b iliz a tio n , or m ay b e th e ru in s an d ch ao s also fo re c a s t th e deep a n x ie tie s o f H a n e k e an d h is co n tem p o ra r­ ie s co n cern in g ch a n g es t h a t th e p ro cesses o f u n ifica tio n w ill b rin g a b o u t in E u rop e. In a n y ca se, th e d y sfu n ctio n a l police s ta tio n b rin g s to m ind closed down an d aban d o n ed fa cto rie s an d g o v e rn m en t in s titu tio n s in m a n y tow ns o f E a s te r n G erm an y , la rg e an d sm all, a fte r th e u n ifica tio n in 1 9 9 0 . A t th a t tim e, E a s t G e rm a n fa cto rie s an d b u sin e s se s w ere re g u la rly closed down b e ­ ca u se th e y did n o t com ply w ith W e s t G e rm a n sta n d a rd s. T h o u san d s o f people b eca m e d isp ossessed , w ith n e ith e r jo b s n or m on ey to su rvive. O th e rs h ad jo b s b u t h ad n o th in g to do - lik e th e p ro ta g o n ists o f S c h m u t z a t th e d efu n ct police sta tio n .

A s th e film op en s, a n e w ly -tra in e d p o lice m a n is s e n t to th is p o st and tr ie s to p erfo rm h is jo b acco rd in g to th e ru le s h e h a s b ee n ta u g h t. H ow ever, n o th in g ev e r h ap p e n s a t th is police sta tio n : h e h a s n o th in g to re p o rt and no one to ta lk to. T h e only o th e r police officer th e r e sp en ds h is tim e d rin k in g , w a tc h in g p orn ograp h y film s, an d sed u cin g lo cal w om en, w h ile th e P olice C on ­ tr o lle r “o v e rse e s” th e w ork o f th e s ta tio n only from a fa r; s till, a n im p osin g fig u re, im m a cu la te ly d ressed , th e C o n tro lle r tr ie s to en fo rce ord er an d a sen se o f w ork e th ic s in to th e tw o s ta te re p re s e n ta tiv e s - w ith little re su lt. F in a lly , h e fire s th e fo rn ica to r an d le a v e s th e o th e r officer to h is own fate.

T h e new p olicem an tr ie s to m a in ta in th e façad e o f n o rm alcy by m a k in g th e sam e g e stu re s o f o p en in g th e r e g is te r o f “ca se s to be solved” and m a in ta in in g a p ro fessio n a l a p p e a ra n ce (com bin g h is h a ir and k ee p in g h is u n iform and his own room in order). H ow ever, as tim e goes by, b o th h is e x te rio r an d in te rio r façad es d isin te g ra te , an d h e slow ly d escen d s in to m a d n ess and d esp air. H is b eh a v io u r becom es e r r a tic ; h e b eg in s to see s tra n g e c r e a tu re s arou n d h is s t a ­ tio n (for in sta n c e , a p eacock ); h e a tta c k s th e C o n tro lle r w h en th e la t te r trie s to p e rsu a d e th e p ro ta g o n ist t h a t h e should ca lm ly an d re sp o n sib ly co n tin u e h is d u ties.

F in a lly , th e d eran g ed officer k ills a you ng g irl in w h ite who m y ste rio u sly a p p e a rs o u t o f n o w h ere (in a n u n c a n n y re fe re n c e to F r itz L a n g ’s M , 1 9 3 1 ) an d sh o o ts a t p igeon s fly in g a b o u t in th e ru in s. W h e n d em o litio n w o rk ers a p p e a r w ith a n ord er to d estro y th e bu ilding, h e k ills one an d trie s to k ill th e o th e r one. W h en o th e r police forces arriv e, th e b u ild in g is on fire and co llap s­ es sp e cta cu la rly . A ptly, a t th e en d o f th e film , an im ag e o f th e A u stria n flag ap p e ars as i f it w ere a p o litica l sta m p upon th e in n e r d estru ctio n t h a t re su lts in th e o u ter d estru ctio n .

T h e film ap p ro p ria tely illu s tr a te s m a n y m e a n in g s o f “filth ”: sm u t, sex u a l “d irt”; id eological d irt; p o litica l; a e s th e tic . T h e se x u a l d irt d efin es th e sex u a l re la tio n sh ip s depicted in th e film : th e tw o w om en show n a re b o th se x u a l ob­ je c ts , p re se n te d in se x u a l poses as se x u a l v ictim s. F o r in sta n c e , one o f th e m is a lm o st k illed , consu m ed, by a fire e ru p tin g ju s t as sh e and h e r p a rtn e r e n ­ g age in a se x u a l a ct. T h e film n o ir a e s th e tic s re in fo rces th e feelin g s o f u n c e r­ ta in ty an d deep sad n ess th e sp e cta to r feels w h en w itn e ssin g a slow p rocess o f h u m a n d isin te g ra tio n . N ot su rp risin g ly , th e g rim a e s th e tic s c h a ra c te riz e s th e in sid e o f th e sta tio n only, fu ll o f shadow s and filth y co rn e rs. W h en i t com es to th e e x te rio rs, th e lig h t su dd enly ch a n g es to b rig h t su n lig h t in w hich dem oli­ tio n w o rk ers go a b o u t th e ir b u sin e ss. T h is c o n tra s t is so consp icu ou s t h a t it m u s t sig n ify th e im p o rta n c e an d obvious r e lie f t h a t th e d em o litio n b rin g s abou t. O nly th ro u g h d em olition, d estru ctio n , or d ea th ca n th e new p o litica l o rg a n ism be b u ilt.

T h e sy m bolic fu n ctio n o f fire , in its p u rify in g an d d estru c tiv e fu n ctio n s, lin k th is film w ith th e m u ch la te r 71 F r a g m e n t s , in w hich a you ng m a n shoots rand om ly a t th e cu sto m ers o f a g as sta tio n and th e n com m its su icid e by sh oot­ in g h im s e lf in th e h ead . In b o th film s, th e fire e lim in a te s th o se m e m b ers of society who ca n n o t cope, for w hom th e co n tem p o rary re a lity o f A u stria and of a ch a n g in g E u rop e is too m u ch to b ea r. A gain, g u ilt com bines w ith loss - h ere, loss o f p u rity an d in n o cen ce - m a k in g th is film a deeply m e la n ch o lic s t a te ­ m e n t ab o u t th e lo st o b ject in w hich th e p ro tag o n ists a re n o t only “sick o f con­ scio u sn ess and co n scien ce,” b u t who also fin a lly die as i f u n a b le to clim b out

from the deep ditch of melancholia, devoured by remorse for the absence of “the other,” for the emptiness or privation one believes oneself to be responsible for,

a belief th at explains one’s striving to confirm loss by enacting it, that is, by destroying both oneself and the loved one12.

T h is m o m e n t o f d e s tru c tio n p o in ts to th e film ’s deep m e la n c h o lia , its see m in g a b a n d o n m en t o f a ll hope in a situ a tio n h a v in g no p o ssib le solu tion. A fte r all, th e you ng p ro ta g o n ist in S c h m u t z ca n n o t leav e th e sta tio n d esp ite th e fa c t th a t th e re is no w ork for h im to do. S im ila rly , th e k ille r in 71 F r a g ­

m e n t s see s no sen se in liv in g h is a b su rd and sad life.

T h e se th e m e s o f in te r n a l a lie n a tio n and d esp a ir p reoccu pied H a n e k e for som e tim e b efore S c h m u t z . In 1 9 8 4 , h e m ad e a film for te le v isio n - W er w a r

E d g a r A l l a n ? - w h ich a d d re sse s th e m e s o f o b se ssio n in th e fa te o f E d g a r

A lla n P oe, w hose life th e film illu s tr a te s . T h is b e a u tifu l film , w ith its n oir a e s th e tic s and w ell-cra fte d tr a v e lin g sh o ts, p o rtra y s a you ng p a in te r liv in g in sq u alid co n d ition s in V en ice. H is only fa sc in a tio n s a re a r t an d cocain e, w hich to g e th e r b rin g h im on a jo u rn e y in to m ad n ess an d desp air.

A s im ila r d esp air, b u t in th e co n te x t o f am o u r fou, is p re s e n t in H a n e k e ’s o th e r film fo r te le v isio n , F r a u l e i n . H e re, th e w ife o f a c a p tu re d W W II so l­ d ier fa lls in love w ith a F re n c h w o rk er in G erm an y . W h en th e h u sb a n d r e ­ tu rn s from th e w a r cam p, h e is sick an d d ep ressed , u n a b le to love h is w ife. S h e co n tin u es h e r a ffa ir w ith th e lover for m an y y e a rs a fte r th e end o f th e w a r d esp ite th e fa c t t h a t b o th lo v ers h a v e re m a in e d m a rrie d to o th e r peo­ ple an d h a v e ch ild re n in th e s e u nio n s. In th is re sty lin g o f T h e M a r r ia g e o f

M a r ia B r a u n (F a ssb in d e r, 1 9 7 9 ), it is n o t th e re co n stru ctio n o f G e rm a n y th a t

H a n e k e d eals w ith , b u t r a th e r th e d estru ctio n o f th e fa m ilie s o f th e lovers, w ho c a n n o t r e s is t th e grip o f am o u r fou ’s m ad n ess.

Broken Families

H a n e k e o ften tr a n s la te s a lon g in g for th e co h eren ce o f a n a tio n s ta te in to one for th e co h eren ce o f a fam ily u n it, w hich in h is film s is th r e a te n e d con­ siste n tly . A lread y in H a n e k e ’s e a r ly film s, fra ctu re d fa m ilie s a re c e n tra l. In 1 9 8 9 , h e sh ock ed E u ro p e w ith h is f ir s t fu ll film m ad e for cin em a, T h e S e v e n t h

C o n t in e n t ; h is o th e r fam ou s film s, B e n n y ’s V id e o and F u n n y G a m e s , re p e a t

th e s e th e m e s o f d y sto p ian fa m ilie s. A ll th e so c ia l u n its h e p re s e n ts in h is film s - fa m ilie s, cou p les, fa th e r -s o n re la tio n s h ip s , m o th e r-d a u g h te r dyads, frien d s and lov ers - a re s e t in opposition to w h a t th e p ro ta g o n ists o f h is film s m o st d esire. T ig h t so cia l u n its a re som ehow e ith e r b ro k en or prove n on -ex­ is te n t, or e lse th e y a re th r e a te n e d b y d isru p tio n or co llap se , w h e th e r from in te r n a l or e x te r n a l forces. T h e m em b ers o f th e s e fra ctu re d fa m ilie s e x p ress th e ir lo n g in g for m ore m e a n in g fu l h u m a n co n ta ct, a c o n ta c t w h ich is p a in ­ fu lly needed. N o th in g com es o f th e s e d esires, thou gh, an d H a n e k e ’s film s a ll

12 Ch. Ross, The Aesthetics o f Disengagement. Contemporary Art and Depression, Min­ neapolis 2006, p. 3.

end on a n e g a tiv e note. A sp e cta to r is u su a lly le ft y e a rn in g for m e a n in g s and feelin g s t h a t a re q u ite sim p ly n ow here to be found in h is film s.

In T h e S e v e n t h C o n tin e n t, a n a fflu e n t m id d le-class fam ily , com p rised of fa th e r G eorg, m o th e r A n n a, an d d a u g h te r E v a , co m m it su icid e to g eth er. D e­ sp ite liv in g a seem in g ly happy, su cce ssfu l an d n o rm a l life, th e y h a v e co n flicts th a t p re v e n t th e m from co m m u n icatin g w ith one an o th e r. E v a, in p a rtic u la r, su ffers sile n tly from th e ir in a d e q u a te com m u n ication. In ord er to g e t h e r p a r­ e n ts ’ a tte n tio n , sh e p re te n d s t h a t sh e h a s lo st h e r vision. In s te a d o f see k in g an e x p la n a tio n from h e r d au g h ter, how ever, or try in g to console h er, A n n a b ru ta lly p u n ish e s E v a . O ne day, th e fam ily clo se down th e ir b a n k accou n ts and in fo rm frie n d s an d fam ily t h a t th e y a re going aw ay on v acatio n . In ste a d , th e y lock th e m se lv e s in th e ir a p a r tm e n t an d slow ly b eg in to d estro y th e ir hom e b it by b it; th e y also g e t rid o f th e ir m oney by flu sh in g it down th e to ilet. F in a lly , th e y co m m it su icid e an d a re found dead, s till in fro n t o f th e ir flic k e r­ in g TV , by th e police.

T h e la t te r p a r t o f th e film is filte re d th ro u g h b lu ish colours, w h ich som e­ how add to th e d esp air. T h is m e lan ch o lic h u e sig n ifies life on th e su rfa ce of e x iste n ce an d an in te r n a l im p o ssib ility to ex p re ss r e a l feelin g s an d th o u g h ts. D e sp a ir see m s e v e rla s tin g for th is fam ily an d h a s to en d w ith th e su icid a l d estru ctio n o f everybody. U n lik e D e c a lo g u e (1 9 8 8 ), in w h ich K rz y sz to f K ie s ­ low sk i p a tie n tly an d co m p a ssio n a te ly tr ie s to u n ra v e l se v e ra l h u m a n liv es in te n film s ta k in g p lace in a p a rtm e n t com p lexes, h e re H a n e k e avoids p a tie n t e x p la n a tio n s an d p re s e n ts peop le w ith o u t apology or e x p la n a tio n , rou g h ly and g rittily .

In B e n n y ’s V id e o , th e you ng p ro ta g o n ist B e n n y k ills a school frie n d w ith ­ o u t an y reason . In te re s te d only in how pigs a re sla u g h tered , h e ap p lies th e sam e m eth od to th e g irl; h e e le c tro c u te s h er, ex p e rim e n tin g d isp a ssio n a te ly an d re co rd in g th e a c t a t th e sa m e tim e . T h e m u rd e r is p a r tic u la r ly h o r r i­ fy in g b e c a u se it is h id d en fro m th e s p e c ta to r, only to be re v e a le d la t e r on a V C R ta p e a cc id e n ta lly discovered by th e boy ’s p a re n ts. B e n n y h a s reco rd ­ ed th e m u rd er, fa scin a te d by th e a c t itse lf, n ev e r re a lly pon d erin g its m o ral an d e th ic a l co n seq u en ces. T h e te rrifie d p a re n ts slow ly ab so rb th e en o rm ity o f th e ir so n ’s deed, y e t th e y do n o t re p o rt th e ir son or th e m issin g g irl to th e police. T h e w h ole fa m ily is c a u g h t in a h o rrific d ream , a s i f su sp en d ed in a K a fk a e sq u e u n -re a lity w h ere m o ra l im p e ra tiv e s n e v e r m a te ria liz e .

O nly once does th e m o th e r w a k e up fro m th is d ream , w h en sh e b u rs ts ab ru p tly in to te a r s d u rin g a v a ca tio n w ith B e n n y ; w h en th e y re tu rn hom e, how ever, th e y co n tin u e th e ir liv es as i f n o th in g h ad h ap p ened . T h e h o rrific d ream d escend s once ag ain , an d th e re is no m o ra l ex p lica tio n given. H o rror is n o t co m m u n icated v erb ally , n o r is it ex p la in e d v isu a lly in an y w ay, le t alon e con fessed ; th e deed is n e v e r p roperly acknow led ged or forgiven. T h e fam ily co n tin u e th e ir d aily e x is te n c e in co m p licit silen ce. U n lik e th e p ro ta g o n ists o f T h e S e v e n t h C o n tin e n t, th e fam ily in B e n n y ’s V id e o do n o t d estroy th e m ­ selv es, b u t co n tin u e to live w ith fu ll aw a re n e ss o f th e m u rd er in w hich a ll o f

th e m a re co m p licit. T h e film en d s w ith w h a t S a n c h e z -P a rd o c a lls a “p a r a ­ noid -schizoid ” situ a tio n for th e fam ily m em b ers:

[S]ubsequent losses reactivate the primitive paranoid-schizoid position. They are negotiated mimetically, and it is difficult to break the circle of aggression, fear of retaliation and defence th at originates at this point [...]. [A] fantasy of dispossession of both a social and a psychic space is at work. Reality is per­ ceived as an object destructive space13.

T h e film ’s fin a l scen e, show ing th e fam ily e a tin g d in n e r in a c tu a l silen ce, ep ito m izes th is s e c re t, d eran g ed so cia l g am e - U n h e im lic h - w ith in w hich th e fam ily h a v e decided to su b m erg e th e m selv es. T h e a c t o f m u rd er h a s b e ­ com e a s e c r e t (th e H e i m lic h ) an d a n y fe e lin g s o f g u ilt or sorrow tu rn in to a sile n t, im p e n e tra b le d esp air. T h e m e m b ers o f th is ir re trie v a b ly lo st fam ily u n it c a rry on b eh in d a façad e o f su p e rfic ia l ap p ro p ria te n e ss an d com p lian ce w ith th e co n v e n tio n a l ru le s o f society.

H a n e k e is even m ore sh o ck in g and ru th le s s in h is d estru ctio n o f a fa m ­ ily in F u n n y G a m e s . T h is film te lls a sto ry o f a m id d le-class A u stria n fam ily - A n n a, h e r h u sb a n d G eorg, and th e ir son S c h o rsc h i - who go to th e ir co ttag e in th e co u n try sid e for a w eekend. T h e re , th e y a re ap p roach ed by two c h a rm ­ in g y ou th s, P e te r and P a u l, w ho in itia lly w a n t only to borrow som e eggs, b u t la te r ta k e ad v a n ta g e o f th e fa m ily ’s n a iv e ty , in c a p a c ita te th e f a th e r by s h a t­ te rin g h is k n e e cap w ith a g o lf club, an d p lay a cru e l g am e o f life and d eath w ith th e m o th e r an d th e son. In a se rie s o f “g a m e s” (one o f th e m b a se d on h id e -an d -see k ), th e y f ir s t k ill th e fa m ily ’s G e rm a n sh ep h erd , th e n th e little boy; fin ally , a fte r m alicio u s to rm e n tin g o f th e w hole fam ily , th e y n o n c h a la n t­ ly k ill th e m o th e r by th row in g h e r ou t alive, bound w ith tap e, in to th e lak e.

T h e w hole n a rra tiv e , p ro g ressin g w ith H itch co ck ia n d yn am ism , is e le g a n t­ ly played o u t in b e a u tifu l su rro u n d in g s o f th e A u stria n A lps: th e m o u n tain s, th e la k e , th e m a n icu red law n s and e le g a n t co tta g es a ll provide a fa m ilia r and p la u sib le b ack g ro u n d to th e h o rrific ev e n ts u nfold in g on th e scree n . B o th in ­ v ad ers an d in vad ed sp e a k th e la n g u a g e o f E u ro p e a n m iddle cla ss - th e y a re w ell-beh av ed , polite, an d eloq u en t. P a u l an d P e te r a re accep ted by th e fam ily b e c a u se th e y b elo n g to th e sa m e so cia l m ilieu . T h e ir p o lite n e ss an d k now ­ ledge o f th e fa m ily ’s c u ltu r a l b ack g ro u n d fu n ctio n s as a sm o k e screen to th e ir r e a l in te n tio n s. T h e cro ssin g o f th e p ro p e rty ’s bou n d ary , th e fro n t g ate, also im p lies t h a t th e tru e th r e a t to th e u n ity o f th e fam ily w ill com e th ro u g h th e fro n t, n o t th e b a c k door. W h e th e r th ro u g h p o litica l decisions or d em o raliza­ tio n from w ith in , th e fam ily as a hom ogeneous u n it w ill c e a se to e x ist.

A t one p o in t in th e film , H a n e k e lite r a lly h a s P a u l “rew in d ” th e film in w h ich h e is a c h a r a c te r, for th e u nfold in g scen e w ould provide too o p tim is­ tic a n end ing. In itia lly , in th is scen e, th e m o th e r g ra b s th e gun an d shoots P a u l; th e n , th e scen e revolves in to th e one in w h ich P a u l g rab s th e gun and shoots th e son. I f th e f ir s t en d in g w ere le ft in p lace, th e film w ould be m erely

a co n v e n tio n a l th r ille r . B y in tro d u cin g th is m o m en t o f “rew in d in g th e ta p e ,” H a n e k e im p lica te s th e au d ien ce in th e p rocess o f fa b ric a tin g v io le n t im ag es for th e ir own viciou s an d v icario u s en jo y m en t. T h e actio n s o f P e te r and P a u l p o in t to th e s e n se le ssn e ss o f em otion s. T h e y don’t e x is t in P a u l’s an d P e t e r ’s w orld - em otion s a re irre trie v a b le , aban d on ed o b jects w hich h a v e no p lace in th e film world.

F a m ily is also m ad e d efu n ct in 71 F r a g m e n t s , w h ich te lls th e co n c u rre n t and in te rs e c tin g sto ries o f se v e ra l people, e a c h lon ely an d d esp era te for h u ­ m a n co n tact. A ch ild less couple y e a rn s to h a v e a child, b u t w h en th e y adopt a y ou n g A u s tria n g irl, sh e re fu se s to co m m u n ic a te w ith th e m an d in s te a d clin g s fra n tic a lly to a b rig h t w in te r ja c k e t . In a n o th e r seq u en ce, an old er m an se e k s co n ta ct w ith h is e stra n g e d d a u g h te r who w orks a t a b a n k ; in ord er to ta lk to h e r p riv ately , h e sta n d s in lin e a t th e b a n k w h ere sh e w orks. S h e r e ­ lu c ta n tly lis te n s to h is co m p lain ts w h ile o th e r cu sto m e rs sta n d in lin e beh in d h im . E lse w h e re , a you ng m a n p lay s ta b le te n n is obsessiv ely ; h e fa ils to ta lk ab o u t h is p e rso n a l p roblem s w ith h is frien d , and a t th e end o f th e film h e goes to a g as sta tio n w h ere h e sh oots a t p a ssin g s tra n g e rs an d th e n k ills h im self. T h e re p e titiv e ta b le te n n is p ra c tice by th e y ou th , w ith o u t a n y e x p la n a tio n , re p lic a te s th e m onotonous, re p e titiv e p on d erin gs o f a m elan ch o lic, who m ay re h e a rs e sad ev e n ts an d th o u g h ts t h a t m ay or m ay n o t h a v e h ap p en ed in h is life and, la te r , co m p letely exclu d e h im s e lf from th e r e a lity su rro u n d in g him .

71 F r a g m e n t s is an e m o tio n a lly b r u ta l an d m e rc ile s s film in te rs p e rs e d

w ith new s clip s sh o w in g m a s s a c r e s an d w a rs. U ltim a te ly , th e f in a l v ictim o f a ll th is m a y h em is a lon ely boy, an ille g a l im m ig ra n t from R o m a n ia ; ju s t as h e m a k es fir s t co n ta ct w ith th e w om an who y e a rn s for ch ild ren , h e is le ft alon e a g a in w hen sh e is sh o t an d k ille d by th e you ng g u n m an . T h e boy does n o t fin d refu g e in A u s tria b e c a u se h is e rsa tz fam ily is th u s e lim in a te d a t th e s ta r t. T h e m o th e r fig u re h a s b ecom e a “lo st o b je ct,” an d A u s tria a co u n try in w hich h a p p in e ss proves im p o ssib le. As R ob in W ood ex p la in s in h is a n a ly sis o f C o d e I n c o n n u , y e t in w ords t h a t ap p ly e q u a lly to H a n e k e ’s o th e r film s, H a n e k e co m m u n icate s “a se n se o f d esp a ir w ith ou r civ ilizatio n , its fu tu re and u ltim a te ly w ith th e h u m a n ra c e its e lf”14.

In C o d e I n c o n n u , as w ell, life in P a r is is p re se n te d in a m o saic o f loosely- r e la te d e v e n ts. In th e d o m in a n t fra g m e n t, w e see A n n e, an a c tr e s s in th e m iddle o f m a k in g a th r ille r film . H e r b o y frien d G eo rg es is a p h o to g ra p h er w ho ta k e s p ic tu re s o f w a r a tr o c itie s in K osow o. G e o rg e s’s b ro th e r J e a n is try in g to escap e th e fam ily fa rm in g b u sin ess. In a n o th e r p a ra lle l fra g m e n t, M a ria , an ille g a l im m ig ra n t, b eg s on th e s tr e e ts o f P a r is ; sh e is ca u g h t w ith ­ o u t h e r p a p e rs an d d ep orted . S h e re tu r n s to h e r h u s b a n d D rag o s an d h e r fam ily in R o m a n ia an d lie s to th e m a b o u t fin d in g a good jo b as a sch o o ltea ch ­ e r in P a r is . F in a lly , b u t n o t ex clu siv e ly , th e re is a fra g m e n t w ith A m adou, a te a c h e r o f A frican d escen t. (T h e film s ta r ts w ith A m adou, in fa c t.) In th e b e g in n in g seq u e n ce, A m adou see s J e a n in so le n tly d ropping a p a p e r b a g in

th e lap o f b eg g in g M a ria . W h en h e tr ie s to force J e a n to apologize to M aria, h e is ta k e n aw ay by th e police. T h is seq u en ce s ta r ts a w hole se rie s o f ev e n ts th a t slow ly re v ea ls th e p ro ta g o n ists o f th e film .

In o th e r sc e n e s fo rm in g th e co re s o f th e s e fra g m e n ts, w e see in d iv id u ­ a ls only loosely re la te d to th e m a in c h a r a c te rs , su ch as A m ad ou ’s uncle, who tr ie s to solve th e p ro b lem o f h is you ng nep hew . T h e m a n y su p p o rtin g c h a ­ r a c te r s co n trib u te to th e o v era ll p ictu re o f a so ciety t h a t it s e lf is lik e an in ­ co m p lete an d p a tc h y m o saic. U n lik e A ltm a n ’s S h o r t C u ts (1 9 9 3 ) an d P a u l T h o m a s A n d e rso n ’s M a g n o lia ( 1 9 9 9 ), w h ich o rg a n iz e th e ir fr a g m e n ts in a ch ro n o lo g ica l an d lo g ic a l ord er, C o d e I n c o n n u ’s c h a r a c te r s a re seclu d ed : th e y do n o t co m m u n icate am ong th e m se lv e s, n or do th e y co m m u n icate even w ith th e c h a r a c te rs occupying th e la r g e r sp aces o f th e ir p a rtic u la r fra g m e n ts. N e v e rth e le ss, to g eth er, as in h a b ita n ts o f E u rop e, th e y m a n a g e to co m m u n i­ ca te to th e v iew er a m e ssa g e o f d esp air, lo n e lin e ss, an d profound iso la tio n . T h e y tr y to find a p lace, a m e a n in g in life w ith o u t id e n tifia b le fa m ilie s, s ta te s , n a tio n s, or co m m u n ities.

In fa ct, th e so cia l u n its in C o d e I n c o n n u a re once ag a in d efective an d false. A m adou th in k s h e b elon gs to F ra n c e , b u t is a tta c k e d by “h is own” people. N or do h is A frica n re la tiv e s h a v e a sen se o f id e n tity . T h e y do n o t know w h e th e r th e y belo n g to F r a n c e or A frica. (So m e o f th e m do n o t even know w h ere A fri­ ca is.) A n n e th in k s sh e h a s a m e a n in g fu l re la tio n sh ip w ith G eorg e an d is p a rt o f th e co m m u n ity o f d w ellers in th e b u ild in g w h ere sh e liv es, only to re a liz e th a t it is a ll fa lse . N e ith e r h e r re la tio n sh ip w ith G eo rg e n o r t h a t w ith th e com m u n ity o f n eig h b o u rs is h o n e st or b a se d on p rin cip les o f love an d resp ect. A n n e allow s a you ng g irl to be ab u sed in th e sam e b u ild in g d esp ite th e fa c t th a t sh e h e a r s h e r crie s, an d sh e p re te n d s t h a t h e r re la tio n sh ip w ith G eorge is sin cere. S im ila rly , h o n e st an d c a rin g fam ily re la tio n s a re a fa n ta s y in th e ca se o f G eo rg e’s b ro th e r, J e a n , w ho ru n s aw ay from th e fam ily farm , an d of M a ria , who lie s to h e r fam ily a b o u t th e n a tu re o f h e r w ork in P a ris .

B o th 71 F r a g m e n t s an d C o d e I n c o n n u exp lo re th e th e m e o f in co m p lete fa m ilie s in a k in d of a n o n c h a la n t an d d is ta n t w ay. In b o th o f th e s e film s, as in th e e a r lie r S c h m u t z an d D re i W eg e z u m S e e , fa m ilie s a re in th e p rocess of d isin te g ra tio n . In h is la te r film s, su ch a s T h e H o u r o f t h e W o lf an d C a c h é , th is p rocess o f d isin te g ra tio n is m ore ex p licit.

Of Borders

M an y o f H a n e k e ’s film s also exp lore people in c r itic a l situ a tio n s o f sieg e or in v a sio n by o u tsid e an d so m etim e s in sid e forces. T h e situ a tio n is ra re ly e x p lain e d b ec a u se th e p ro b a b ilistic scen a rio is u n im p o rta n t to th e d ire cto r’s p u rp o ses; h e w a n ts to p r e s e n t peop le in e x tre m e s itu a tio n s , w h ere m o ra l ch oices a re d icta ted by th e b a sic n eed s o f life - access to food, w a te r, an d s h e l­ te r, for in sta n c e . In T h e H o u r o f t h e W o lf, people slow ly b u t sy ste m a tic a lly

becom e in d iffe re n t b e a s ts . T h e y tu rn in to ru th le ss b u llie s and su b ju g a te th e w ea k er, fo rcin g th e m to en d u re a ll k in d s o f h u m ilia tio n s. B y show ing su ch a n e g a tiv e p o r tr a y a l o f so ciety , H a n e k e r e v e a ls a deep a n x ie ty a b o u t its p re s e n t s ta te and, b y in v ersion , a lo n g in g for th e ir re trie v a b ly lost: a n id e a l fam ily, a n a tio n (or n a tio n -s ta te ), or, m ore ap tly , an id ealized u n ity w ith th e m o th e r fig u re, a lo ss so a cu te an d in d e scrib a b le t h a t h e re p e a ts it in a ll its p e rm u ta tio n s. H a n e k e sees th e d isru p tio n o f fa m ily u n ity th ro u g h th e com ­ p rom ise or collap se o f its bo rd ers, a s i f i t w ere a n a tio n or p o litica l region.

[A socio-political unit] literally contains forces th at mount up against and amongst one another under the centripetal pressure borders naturally exert. Those forces and pressures may often be uncomfortable, even repressive, and today they may be (seen as) arbitrary and dismissible, but borders provide constant orientation; for most citizens within them, they are like the walls of a house, reassuring rather than confining15.

M ic h a e l H a rd t an d A ntonio N e g ri in s is t th a t

[O]ne of the defining characteristics of the contemporary postmodern world is the decline of the nation-state, which is associated with the real and imagina­ tive porosity of borders. This is opposed to the real divisions and imaginative closures of space on which (modern) societies of discipline and colonialisms were previously bu ilt16.

T h is porosity o f bord ers is seen by E u ro p e an s as d istu rb in g and th r e a te n ­ ing, as is openly portrayed by H an e k e in F u n n y G a m e s and T h e H o u r o f th e

W olf. In both o f th e se film s, th e p rotag on ists exp erien ce u n u su a l in v asio n s into

th e p rivacy o f th e ir hom e w hen th e y are invaded by th e re p re se n ta tiv e s o f th e ir own k in d in th e form er film and by th e outside en em ies in th e la tte r one.

Homophobia and Racism

B y fa r th e m o st sh o ck in g film o f H a n e k e ’s oeu vre - b u t also, in a cu riou s w ay, th e m o st c le a r - is C a c h é , w h ich openly re v ea ls a t le a s t a g r e a t p a rt of th e re a so n for th e d estru ctio n or im p losion o f its bou rgeois fam ily: th e a b a n ­ d on m en t o f a sm a ll A rab ch ild b y its p a re n ts b a c k in th e 1 9 5 0 s. T h e film is ab o u t a P a r is ia n fa m ily com posed o f G eorg es L a u r e n t, a T V h o s t o f a lite ra ry ta lk show, h is w ife A n n e an d th e ir te e n a g e son, P ie rro t. O ne day, th e y receiv e m y ste rio u s su rv e illa n ce video ta p e s w hich r e v e a l d e ta ils from th e ir p riv a te lives. T h e sou rce o f th e ta p e s is so in sc ru ta b le t h a t th e police c a n n o t give th e fa m ily a n y h elp a t all. G eorg e tr ie s to fin d th e p e rp e tra to r on h is own and com es a cross h is form er adopted b ro th e r, M ajid , a n A lg e ria n boy. M a jid de­

15 A. Dudley, An Atlas o f World Cinema, in: Remapping World Cinema. Identity, Culture

and Politics in Film, eds. S. Dennison and S. Hwee Lim, London 2006, p. 25.

16 Quoted in: P. Rosen, Border Times and Geopolitical Frames. The Martin Walsh Memo­

n ie s th e fa c t an d la te r co m m its g risly su icid e in fro n t o f G eorg es. T h e stu n n ed fam ily slow ly d isin te g ra te s as a r e s u lt o f th e s e ev en ts.

C o n fla tin g is su e s o f ra c is m w ith th e d isru p tio n /d e stru ctio n o f a fam ily , H a n e k e p re s e n ts a n in trig u in g th e s is : th e o t h e r , th e im m ig ra n t boy, is as m u ch p a rt o f th e E u ro p e a n fa m ily as th e w h ite boy. B y g e ttin g rid o f th e M id ­ d le -E a s te rn boy, th e fa m ily e ffectiv ely cu ts aw ay a n e c e s s a r y p a r t o f itse lf. T h e aban d on ed son la t e r tu rn s on th e fa m ily in a so p h istica te d a c t o f v en g e­ an ce, w h ich in clu d es v o y e u ristic s ta lk in g an d a ta c tic o f te rro r th a t lead s r e ­ le n tle s s ly to th e p ro ta g o n ist’s d ea th by su icid e an d to th e su b se q u e n t d e stru c­ tio n o f th e w hole fam ily . N e ith e r th e m o th e r n or th e fa th e r u n d e rsta n d w h a t is h ap p en in g , n o r do th e y u n d e rsta n d th e ir own son, P ie rro t, w ho seem s to be sid in g w ith th e m y ste rio u s op p ressors. P e rh a p s th e son h im s e lf o rc h e stra te d th e e n tire se rie s o f ev e n ts le a d in g to h is own f a th e r ’s su icid e an d th u s fig u ­ ra tiv e ly e lim in a te d a w hole g e n e ra tio n o f p re ju d iced E u ro p e a n s w ith th e ir deeply in g ra in e d racism . N e v e rth e le ss, th e p a s t e r a seem s to be gone, e ra se d w ith one c u t to th e n eck o f M a jid (now a n eld erly m an ), w ho co m m its a g risly su icid e in fro n t o f G eorg es, th e w h ite m an , w a tc h in g th is a c t o f su icid e in h o r­ ror. In its p lace is a s ta te o f confu sion an d u n c e rta in ty w ith n o th in g c le a r or obvious.

In h is a n a ly sis o f th e situ a tio n o f in E u ro p e in th e 1 9 9 0 s and 2 0 0 0 s , Schop- flin co n sid ers th e n a tu re o f d em ocracy in E u ro p e and its la c k o f accom m od a­ tio n for im m ig ra n ts as one o f th e m o st im p o rta n t E u ro p e a n d ilem m as, “how an d w h e th e r th e W e s t ca n d efin e it s e l f w ith o u t a n a lie n o th e r t h a t i t can re g a rd as e x te r n a l to it s e lf an d e q u a lly w h e th e r E u ro p e or p ossib ly ‘E u ro p e ’ is fle x ib le enou gh to accom m od ate c u ltu re s t h a t a re sim u lta n e o u sly a lik e and u n a lik e ”17. T h e se w ords serv e a lm o st as a d ire ct illu s tr a tio n to th e th e m e s o f H a n e k e ’s d istu rb in g film s, in w h ich th e s e in te r c u ltu r a l accom m od ation s, or r a th e r th e la c k o f th em , fe a tu re p ro m in en tly.

W h ile W e ste rn E u ro p e a n s ex p e rie n ce u n sp ecified a n x ie tie s re la te d to th e new , p o st-n a tio n a l sta g e in E u rop e, E a s t C e n tr a l E u ro p e a n s also stru g g le w ith u n c e rta in ty . W h ile W e ste rn E u ro p e a n s m a y r e a c t w ith d isg u st an d co n tem p t tow ard poor im m ig ra n ts from R o m a n ia or B u lg a r ia , th o se E a s t E u ro p e a n s also re m a in ap p reh en siv e as to w h a t a w a its th e m in th e W est. U su a lly , th e ir lofty e x p e cta tio n s o f a g en erou s an d a fflu e n t W e s t a re n o t fu lfilled , an d th e y fe e l profoundly d isap p oin ted by th e la c k o f com p assion from W e ste rn e rs. T h is p a rtic u la r is su e cle a rly em erg es in C o d e I n c o n n u , w h en a R o m a n ia n w om an b eg g in g in th e s tr e e ts o f P a r is is tr e a te d w ith su sp icion an d contem p t.

C entral and E a st Europeans are looking for security, stability, prosperity, iden­ tity, status; everything indeed, from which they feel history has deprived them, from membership of their elusive Europe or “Europe,” for ju st as the West cre­ ates the image of the E ast, so the E ast creates its own image of the W est18.

17 G. Schöpflin, Nations, Identity, Power, Washington 2000, p. 170. 18 Ibidem.

T h is confu sion an d u n c e rta in ty em erg es in H a n e k e ’s film s and m a n ife sts it s e lf in th e la y e rs o f m e la n ch o lia th a t sm o th er, i f n o t con su m e E u ro p e a n s. W e s te r n E u r o p e a n s a fra id o f th e d elu g e o f im m ig ra n ts , a n tic ip a te so cia l ch an g e w ith fe a r and g u ilt. T h e y a re consu m ed n o t only by th e a n x ie tie s r e ­ la te d to th e s e ch an g es, b u t also by g u ilt b e c a u se th e y fe e l th is w ay.

The Lack of Communication

In a ll h is film s a b o u t d esp a ir en d in g in su icid e or m u rd er, H a n e k e d eals w ith th e th e m e s o f co m m u n icatio n (or r a th e r th e la c k o f it), o f a lie n a tio n and em o tio n a l d e ta ch m e n t - th e feelin g s only p a rtly displayed, th e re a so n s for a c­ tio n in e x p lica b le. L ik e A n ton io n i in h is fam ou s trilog y , L ’A v e n t u r a (1 9 6 0 ), L a

N o tte (1 9 6 1 ), an d L ’E c lis s e (1 9 6 2 ), as w ell as in h is p ow erful fo u rth film , T h e R e d D e s e r t (1 9 6 4 ), H a n e k e lin k s th e la c k o f co m m u n icatio n w ith th e g e n e ra l

crisis an d u n c e rta in ty in th e W e ste rn so cieties.

T h e P ia n o T e a c h e r only re in fo rces th e p arad ig m o f a deeply d y sfu n ctio n al

fam ily in w hich th e la c k o f co m m u n icatio n is its m o st profound ex p erien ce. E r ic a and h e r m o th e r form a n a b e r r a n t fam ily u n it, com posed o f a p o ssessiv e and d estru ctiv e m o th e r an d a w om an -ch ild re m a in in g in a ch ild lik e s ta te for­ ever. T h e film , w h ich w on th r e e aw ard s a t th e C a n n e s F ilm F e s tiv a l, in clu d ­ in g th e G ra n d P rix , h a s b ee n ca lle d v a rio u sly “p o rn o g ra p h ic,” “d eg rad in g ,” an d “too r e lia n t on e x cessiv e v io len ce.” N e v e rth e le ss, i t d eals ap p ro p riately w ith th e fa ilu re o f a fam ily and w ith th e d iscrep a n cie s b etw ee n th e la n g u a g e o f th e body an d th e la n g u a g e o f speech.

T h is film ab o u t a cold an d u n resp o n siv e p iano te a ch e r, E ric a , who sed u ces h e r p ro sp ectiv e stu d en t, W a lte r, d eals w ith v isce ra l, bodily co m m u n icatio n, w hich is in co m p atib le w ith th e v erb a l. E r ic a ca n co m m u n icate th e U n h e im ­

l ic h only - th e deep d esires o f h e r body - b u t is u n a b le to co m m u n icate in

so cia lly a cc e p ta b le co n te x ts. H e r body co m m u n ica te s its d esire or in e x p lic ­ a b le lo n g in g s th ro u g h se lf-m u tila tio n , v io le n t an d se lf-se rv in g s e x u a l a cts, an d th e d em an d for sile n c e w h en E r ic a m a k e s love to th e boy. E r ic a ca n n e ith e r co m m u n ica te a n g e r to w ard s h e r a p p a llin g m o th e r n o r h e r feelin g s for W a lte r. In th is sa d istic b u t also m a so ch istic scen ario , E r ic a ’s la c k o f se lf­ e ste e m em erg es as a sym bol o f m e lan ch o lic E u rop e, m e rcile ssly scru tin iz in g th e o th e r an d also itse lf. B y rem ov in g a n y se m b la n ce o f an e m o tio n a l r e la ­ tio n sh ip in h e r d ealin g s w ith W a lte r, h e r you ng se x u a l o b je ct o f d esire, E r ic a re v e a ls th e e m p tin ess in h e rse lf, a d ra m a tic v acu u m . S h e is doom ed, lo s t in h e r own se x u a l ob session s, ab le to h u r t h e r o b je ct o f love an d even to destroy it, as H a n e k e re p e titiv e ly d estroy s th e loved o b je ct in a ll h is film s. T h e o b ject m ay be a p erson, a fam ily, or a so cia l group, or it m ig h t be E u rop e, or it m ay b e a d e-cen tred , h etero g en e o u s, postm od ern society in th e s ta te o f in sta b ility . A s E r ic a m e la n ch o lica lly devours W a lte r, so does H a n e k e d estroy th e sp e cta ­ to r’s id e a ls o f so cia l in te g rity , film a fte r film .

N o t only T h e P ia n o T e a c h e r b u t also a ll th e o th e r H a n e k e film s p re se n t d istu rb in g m isco m m u n ica tio n s - d istu rb in g b e c a u se , w h ile so m etim e s su b ­ tle an d p e rv erse , th e y to u ch a n erv e o f th e m e m b ers o f th o se co m m u n itie s in w hich fam ily tie s, so cia l id e n titie s an d e th ic a l p rin cip les h a v e b ee n a b a n ­ doned, d e ra ile d an d a lm o s t im p e rc e p tib ly ch an g ed . In th is e m o tio n a l g la ­ cia tio n , h e re fle c ts upon co n te m p o ra ry E u r o p e ’s con fu sion an d u n c e rta in ty a m id st its grow ing p ro sp e rity an d ch a n g in g so cia l lan d scap e.

T h e w orld o f H a n e k e is s im ila r in its g rim n e ss and d esp a ir to th e w orld p re se n te d in a r t w orks su ch as in s ta lla tio n s , videos w ith looped seq u en ces, ev e n ts w ith re p e titiv e actio n s, an d co n tem p o ra ry g ra p h ics, a ll o f w h ich e x ­ p re ss “boredom , s tilln e s s , co m m u n ic a tio n a l ru p tu re , lo ss o f p le a su re , w ith ­ d ra w a l... an d th e fo rm a l s tru c tu re o f th e w ork (in clu d es) slow ing down, n e a r im m ob ility , op acity , an d looped r e p e titio n o f th e im ag e, b y w h ich a lo ss o f se n se o f tim e an d re la tio n to th e o th e r endow s th e re la tio n sh ip b etw ee n th e v iew er and re p re s e n ta tio n ”19. In th e film s o f H a n e k e , we see o b sessiv ely r e ­ p e titiv e actio n s, su ch as p lay in g th e dru m s in C o d e In c o n n u or th e g am e of ta b le te n n is in 71 F r a g m e n t s . T h e se g e stu re s do n o t solve a n y d ilem m a or a n ­ sw er an em o tio n a l n ee d ; th e y a re lik e th e re p e titiv e ra v in g s o f a m e lan ch o lic p erson w ho se n se le ssly re p e a ts g e stu re s or actio n s to m a s k th e r e a l p ain o f u n fin ish ed or in co m p lete m o u rn in g for th e lo st o bject. To re ite ra te ,

Melancholia arises as an acute response to the dangers and lethal traps with which external reality threatens our objects of love, admiration, and idealiza­ tion. In a desperate attem pt to safeguard the object at risk, its incorporation and preservation inside the psyche seems to be the most effective manoeuvre, but it has a very high cost. Along with the loss, the effacement of the object, a retreat of the subject from reality is also present in acute melancholic states- manic depression and involuntary melancholia. Melancholia is a measure of the intolerance and rejection th at external reality imposes upon the individual20.

Haneke, a Melancholic?

In ex p lo rin g H a n e k e ’s film s, I h a v e m oved fro m e x a s p e ra tio n to u n c e r­ ta in ty , from sad n ess to a k in d o f am azed jo y . I h a v e b o th h a te d th e g ra n d e u r h e e x h ib its in h is film s an d en jo y ed th e film s ’ s p a rk lin g b rillia n c e , t h a t e f­ ferv e sce n ce o f sp irit, h is so p h istica tio n in p re se n tin g th e v isu a l a rg u m e n ts in h is film s. A t th e sa m e tim e, I h a v e d etested H a n e k e ’s d id acticism , h is b ru ta l ex p o sition s o f u gly tr u th s ab o u t in h a b ita n ts o f m e g a -citie s in c e n tr a l E u rop e, and h is w illin g n e ss to ju d g e people from h is su p erio r p osition o f fi l m m a k e r -

p h i lo s o p h e r . H a n e k e le a v es no hope in h is film s, b u t th row s th e sp e cta to r into

a s ta te o f d esp a ir and p ain th a t see m to b e re g u rg ita te d in th e m elan ch o lic se a rch for a lo s t o b ject. In th is, H a n e k e h im s e lf seem s to d isp lay th e n a rc issism

19 Ch. Ross, op. cit., p. xv.