Postmodern City & Space of Flows

1. Postmodern City & Space of Flows Cosmos & “In the Various Restaurants”

2. Outline • Cosmos • “In the Various Restaurants” • The spaces of flows in these two texts: Café, diner, TV station, taxi, hotel, restaurant, streets. • They don’t have stable identity or distinct histories; they are spaces for chance and/or brief encounters. • People in the Spaces of Flows

3. Cosmos: Background • Predecessor: Montreal vu par – made in the 80’s, by the six film “auteurs.” (Four Quebecois and 2 English—Rozema and Egoyan) • Cosmos – the six directors first films, not dealing with the typical themes of Quebecois films (such as father-son relationship; sense of guilt; loss of identity; sense of community, etc.) • Taxi Drivers at Montreal -- mostly immigrants (e.g. from “The City Cab”) • Q’s language policy

4. SIX EPISODES THEMES: THE LINKING PERSON--- COSMOS Between two genders, two friends Chance Encounter  among 3 generations THE CITY & ITS LURKING DANGERS TECHONOLOGY vs. Agriculture or the past [Cosmos(1997)]INTRODUCTION

5. INTRODUCTION OF THE SIX EPISODESWhy is the movie “black and white?” BOOST Yannie, Joel THE TECHNETIUM Morille, Tekno JULES AND FANNY Fanny, a lawyer, her ex-boyfriend (Jules/Julien) L’ INDIVIDUL The killer COSMOS AND AGRICULTURE Cosmos, Janvier AURORE AND CREPUSCULE Dawn, Dusk

6. THEME (1):“Jules and Fanny”:Between two genders -- Sex and Work Ethics • How do the ex-lovers deal with the issue of enlarged breasts? Is the issue of work ethics involved?(clips 14, 15, 16, 17) Fanny -- “new body,” present partner = future ex-lover -- stripping is what matters -- Does she compromise her ethics?—almost. -- Seductive Jules -- Worried about the death of the matter -- Mixes pleasure with work; wants to have sex with F

7. THEME (1):“Jules and Fanny”:Between two genders -- Sex and Work Ethics • How are the two scenes in contrast with each other?

8. THEME (1): “Boost – Yanni and Joel”Between two friends—Friendship and Uncertainties in Life • Comic view at the terrifying situation: What’s funny? What’s sad? • Funny – the car, their way of entertaining themselves, (9, 18) • Sad – “homosexuals are a protected race.” afraid of being HIV positive, the car dead again

9. THEME (2): Chance Encounters – Differences among the 3 ENERATIONS • How are the younger generation presented in this film? (e.g. “Technitium” “Dawn and Dusk” “Cosmos and Agriculture”)

10. THEME (2): Chance Encounters – Differences among the 3 ENERATIONS • How are the younger generation presented in this film? (e.g. “Technitium” “Dawn and Dusk” “Cosmos and Agriculture”) • Web TV station (also hair salon)at “Technitium,” robbers at “Cosmos and Agriculture” -- Superficial and playful superficial: • Emphasis on appearance (hair) • Care about instant fame (e.g. Cyberdog) • rapid pace, uncertain about relationship and the future • Yanni and Joel • two-minute interview (Maurille Maurice)

11. THEME (2): Chance Encounters – Differences among the 3 ENERATIONS • “Technitium” – Morille and the past ignored • War, hostage, fear, • Tension about work and self-presentation

12. THEME (2): Chance Encounters – Differences among the 3 ENERATIONS • “Dawn and Dusk” (clips 19, 20) • Dawn vs. Dusk: their differences? • Possible Dangers? • Romanticize the old man

13. THEME (2): RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE 3 GENERATIONS Youth • Yanni & Joel, • Dawn & her boyfriend • Web station • 30’s - 40’s • Fanny & Jules • Morille • Serial killer • 50’s – 60’s • Dusk Minorities: Javier Cosmos

14. THEME (3): THE CITY & its LURKING DANGERS • Characteristics of Montreal presented • Fluidity--- urban setting: hotel, subway, apartment building for rent, roads, suburban wilderness, • chance encounters • the youngsters’ Aimlessness and nostalgia • Fast-Pace & Rootlessness – no one is shown at home. • Lurking Dangers Vulnerable groups (women & children) (“Individul”) • Sense of suspense and fear in the subway, bathroom, department store, and apartment. • Danger not understandable  e.g. gaps in the film; clips 6, 7

15. THEME (3): TECHONOLOGY vs. agriculture • Are all the city’s problems caused, as Javier puts it, by 1. Seasons, 2. “Agriculture”? • The role of machines and technologies in this film • Cars and subway • Breast enlargement • Video and internet in “Technitium”  Instant transmission of messages by the web station, empty of content

16. THE LINKING PERSON--- COSMOS • Two other links: Dawn as a coffee shop waitress (tries to stop Morille from drinking too much), Antoine as a hotel waiter (sees the conflict in Jules between his intellect and his “material aspirations”) • IMPORTANCE OF COSMOS & HIS ROLE • ASSOCIATION with all the other characters (clips 1, 4, 7, 11, 21) • HIS PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE (23) –connect the positive with the positive, negative with the negative. • The final episode – what do you think about his response? (24, 25)

17. “In the Various Restaurants” • Starting questions: • How do we characterize Nicola, the narrator and their relationship? (What does it mean to be “friends, but never close”? 153) • How are the other artists presented? • Why are the restaurants important to the narrator? • Does the fact that the author, Daniel Jones, later commit suicide influence your reading of the novel?

18. Nicola and the narrator, 1983 –1992 “Not a Love Story”? • The narrator needs some clarification 145 • Similarities: wary of burden or long-term commitment • Aspiring writers switching from poetry to narratives. • Nicola on her marriage (151) • The Narrator: does not know what he wants; “The thought of close friends frightens me.” (152) • Can understand each other. • Do not speak when meeting on the street, no kiss or touch when leaving each other, no photos, no talk on the phone, etc.

19. The narrator • The narrator: about to publish in 1983 (age 24  N age 17), • Unstable life; Alcoholic, suicidal; (144) • keep careful records of the past, repeated actions (“always” 143) • Self-obsessed, but also self-critical of his attraction to Nicola.146 • Married in 1985. • Feels distant from her at the moment of her confession (149); turns to look at his own wound. • Does not know what he wants 151

20. Nicola: a self-protective artist • her voice 141; • frightened by him when meeting first; can form a relationship with him only thru’ writing. 145 • Pre-occupied by her novel writing; afraid of his depression; • Infatuated by a man (a Divinity student), or with the idea of writing poems to him; 147 • Her story of nervous breakdown; 147-48

21. The narrator’s view of Toronto • The two meet: “Always for lunch, in various restaurants.” • Only knows restaurants; 152 • There are so many things to talk about, . . . 153

22. Life and Art • The narrator’s wanting to write a story about Nicola. 150. • Collection of short stories by Daniel Jones: Obsessions: A Novel in Parts.

23. People in the Spaces of Flows • 愛情萬歲﹑城市飛行 Drifting and toiling at work, desiring, supporting each other when they can; • 愛情來了﹑ Showing support despite the lack of proper channels • Cosmos – brief reunion; brief outing before a life-and-death moment; chance encounters  romance or accidents; • “In the Various Restaurants” – with their own problems, meeting and parting, understanding without committing themselves.