Jean-Luc Godard: Passion (1982)

In addition to sheer wackiness -- even moments of slapstick -- what jumps out from Jean-Luc Godard's Passion (1982) is the repeated appearance of tableaux vivants, staged recreations of master paintings by, among others, Francisco Goya (1746-1828). These are stunning, especially amid the tumult of other activities swirling around them.  

Passion's cast includes heavy hitters like Isabelle Huppert, Hanna Schygulla and Michel Piccoli. Their characters have noticeable features or tics ranging from stuttering to sucking on what looks like a cross between a flower and a lollipop, to deaf-muteness and harmonica playing, not to mention short hair.  One can see this kind of strangeness in all sorts of movies and series, anywhere from a Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western to David Lynch's Twin Peaks.  

Tableaux vivants convey an ancient tradition. In more recent times, they have been used to circumvent censorship, starting with photographic images. In daguerreotypes in the 19th century, they were often painted to add yet another effect while (seemingly) bringing them back in line with the original paintings. 

Contemporary photographer Cindy Sherman has done a lot with the tableau vivant, carrying its uses even further by "recreating" sometimes fictional images that nonetheless feel as familiar as a moment of Déjà vu.   

Add excellent music and some semblance of traditional plot and what've you got? Another pensive, interesting and somewhat esoteric Godard film. Colorful dreams follow.  

Today's Rune: Protection.