Persepolis at the Riverview Theatre


We checked out Persepolis at the Riverview Theatre this past weekend.
The movie is based on a graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi.

The film, like the graphic novel, unfolds chronologically as a flashback - an autobiographical account of a girl, Marji, who is raised against the violent backdrop of Iran during the Iranian Revolution.

Possibly my favorite aspect of the film was the animation philosophy - if such a thing exists. I'm no artist, FYI. See, the violence in the film is tamed because much was left in the shadows and to the viewer's imagination. The shadows are stunning in this film. Implied, horrifying acts become more horrifying when the act itself is not depicted, but rather the reactions of those who have witnessed the terror are dipicted. The act itself is left in the black of a shadow.

It is a sad story, with humorous moments interlaced. A little sappy, a little sentimental - imagine a punked out version Ramona Quimby dropped in the middle of the Iranian Revolution. No happy ending, no resolution - just a story.

English subtitles mean you'd better wear your glasses, or be fluent in French.



[where: Riverview Theatre, Persepolis, 55406]

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