SOMETHING INSIDE

The Inner Scar, d. Philippe Garrel (1972) 

The Inner Scar is just one hour long and comprises of around twenty five shots, most of which feature German actress and singer, Nico. The film is in a number of different languages, but has no subtitles, nor does it have credits. As you may surmise, it's so arty that it hurts your head to watch it, and your ears, as Nico's speaking voice is a terrible, sickening thing: simultaneously guttural and piercing (I say this as a major fan of her singing). 

The film is basically really irritating, but it stays watchable simply because the locations are astonishingly beautiful: a desert, some salt flats, a black beach, a waterfall, an ice floe, the edge of an active volcano and a stalactite and stalagmite festooned cave. The actors stiffly superimpose themselves onto these eerie but amazing landscapes, stomping around and pausing to strike statuesque poses - in Pierre Clementi's case whilst completely naked except for a bow and a quiver of arrows.  

It's hugely and unashamedly pretentious, of course, but, then, if it's the nineteen seventies and you're a French art film director and you're NOT making hugely and unashamedly pretentious films then you need your beret knocking off.