The Great Silence -- A Movie from God...

Tonight I rebelled against term papers and homework and went to see "The Great Silence," a new documetary film about the Carthusian order. Sixteen years after German director Philop Groning wrote to the Carthusian monks requesting permission to film a documentary on them, they replied with an affirmative answer. The result is well worth the wait.
Groning, all by himself and without the aid of artificial lighting, follows the monks around and films them throughout four seasons of work, prayer, and play. He shoots in both high-quality digital and a grainy super-8 (film buffs, correct me), in the process getting stunning images in both formats. The film lasts for 2 1/2 hours, with only a few minutes of chanting and conversation throughout the entire movie. Most of the film is spent a silence punctuated by the sounds of nature, church bells, and the monks at work. Truth be told, it felt like the longest 2 1/2 hours of my life, and a handful of folks deserted the theater starting about the 10-minute mark. I felt the slowness of the film to be a gift -- a miniature retreat, seemingly tailor-made to calm me down during this tough time of year.
The end of the film is particularly moving, and the entire effort has made me want to slow my life down and spend more time in prayer. As a work of art, this documentary does exactly what great art must do: it makes an unflinching statement, it demands effort from the beholder, and it raises the dignity of the beholder and points to God. Nothing else is required.
Regardless of your beliefs, I highly suggest this film. Clevelanders can check it out at the Cedar-Lee theater. Others can look for local art-theaters. Below is the website. To quote another reviewer: "I recommend this film as an antidote to those OTHER films...."

My grade: 4 and 3/4 out of 5 Golden Marek Points.

http://www.diegrossestille.de/english/