On Film and Film Language: “ The Hours ”

1. On Film and Film Language: “ The Hours ” Team: Brânzoi Monica Crăiţă Nicoleta Moscu (Radu) Mădălina Negru Nicoleta

2. ON FILM AND FILM LANGUAGE: • “THE HOURS” • 1. Overview / Introduction • Novel: published in 1998, based on Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs Dalloway” (1925) • Novelist: Michael Cunningham – journalist, political analyst and professor at Brooklyn College (English Department); received Pulitzer Prize for the novel “The Hours” (1999) • Film: screenwriter – David Hare; director: Stephen Daldry; Oscar nominated (2002) • Starring: Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Meryl StreepRelease date(s) December 25, 2002) (United States); February 14, 2003) (United Kingdom) • Music: Philip Glass • Language: English • 2. Description of genre • In the film world, medium format has moved from being the most widely used film size (1890s through 1950s) to a niche used by many professionals and some amateur enthusiasts, but one which is still substantially more popular than large format. • In “The Hours”, the action takes place within the span of a single day in three different years (1923, 1951, 2001 i.e. after World War I and World War II) and alternates among them throughout the film. • It is the story of how the novel "Mrs. Dalloway" affects three generations of women, all of whom, in one way or another, have had to deal with suicide in their lives. • Although the action takes place within the span of a single day in three different years, the three main female characters seem to be connected through Virginia Woolf’s novel, Mrs. Dalloway. In one way or another, each of them has a troubled existence, trying to constantly fight against the social constraints of their times.

3. When it comes to geography, the action takes place in post-World War I London, and post-World War II Los Angeles and New York. It depicts post-war attitudes and conflicting feelings of the characters towards the decaying societies they live in. One important thing to be mentioned about geography is that water poses a threat to the characters in The Hours, beginning with Virginia Woolf’s drowning in the prologue, but it also creates a boundary space in which the characters can observe their lives from a distance and understand their situations with greater clarity. • Where key visual signs are concerned, one should mention that colours are not very strong, which gives us an idea about the rather dark inner world of the characters. • When it comes to sounds, music especially, one of its functions is to shuttle the viewer seamlessly from one story to another, without drawing their attention from the important events in the film. • The language / verbal content of most characters is quite easy to understand, with the exception of Virginia Woolf’s servants, whose cockney accent poses a great deal of troubles in translating the frames where they appear. • 3. Moves, frames, environment, strategies • An advantage film has as an art form is the opportunity to create meaning through editing, cutting from one scene to the next. This is most strikingly noticeable in the beginning of the film where similar scenes are juxtaposed: putting up hair, looking into the mirror, putting flowers in a vase, writing/reading the same sentence, cutting from script to book, from pen to pen. The three women are in addition relatively physically alike, something which makes it easy to see them as one. • 4. Multimodality, context of situation and culture • The three main characters in “The Hours” search for meaning in their lives and evaluate suicide as a way of escaping the problems they face. Virginia, Clarissa, and Laura are incredibly sensitive and perceptive to the world around them. • The women of “The Hours” try to define their lives within the roles that society has set out for them but without sacrificing their own identities.

4. 5. Myth and intertextuality • Water • Water poses a threat to the characters in “The Hours”, beginning with Virginia Woolf’s drowning in the prologue, but it also creates a boundary space in which the characters can observe their lives from a distance and understand their situations with greater clarity. • Flowers • Flowers are the subject of the famous opening line of “Mrs. Dalloway” and appear throughout the “The Hours” as tools to brighten moments of charged emotional intensity. In “Mrs. Dalloway”, the story begins with the eponymous character leaving her house to buy flowers for the party that evening. • “The Hours” as a whole represents a special kind of intertextuality, where one work proceeds as a homage to another particular work. It is inspired by, and follows the patterns of, Virginia Woolf's “Mrs Dalloway”. • “The Hours” follows three women through one day in their lives. One of the narrative strands explores the day in 1923 when Virginia Woolf begins to write “Mrs. Dalloway”. Another centres around a day in the life of Laura Brown, an American housewife, in 1949, in which she spends part of her time reading “Mrs. Dalloway”. The third narrative takes place on a day in the late twentieth century, in which Clarissa Vaughn hosts a party for her poet-friend Richard. The chapters alternate with rough regularity between these three main characters. The prologue details the suicide of Virginia Woolf. She leaves notes for her husband and sister, then walks to a nearby river. She selects a large stone from the bank, places it her pocket, and wades into the water. Cunningham uses what was called in the 17th and 18th centuries "imitation": the making contemporary of some esteemed original - a translation that is an updating. Clarissa Vaughan's walk through Manhattan is meant to evoke Clarissa Dalloway's shopping trip in London and to show us how Woolf has given a model for the pleasures of urban pedestrianism.

5. Film sequence : from 1h 19’ 22’’ to 1h 24’ 23’’

6. 9. 1:19:44 – 1:19:46 • Virginia, trebuie sã mergem acasã acum. • Nelly pregãteşte cina. • 10. 1:19:46 – 1:19:50 • A avut deja o zi foarte grea. • E datoria noastrã sã luãm cina. • 11. 1:19:50 – 1:19:53 • Nu existã o asemenea datorie. • 12. 1:19:53 – 1:19:55 • Nu existã o asemenea datorie. • 13. 1:19:55 – 1:20:00 • -Virginia, ai o datorie faţã de sãnãtatea ta. • Am suportat pânã acum îngrãdirea. • 14. 1:20:00 – 1:20:03 • - Am suportat închisoarea asta. • Virginia… • 15. 1:20:03 – 1:20:05 • Sunt prizoniera doctorilor. • 16.1:20:05 – 1:20:10 • Orice aş face, sunt prizoniera • Doctorilor care ma informeaza asupra • Intereselor mele • 17. 1:20:10 – 1:20:13 • - Ei îţi cunosc interesele. • Nu, nu le cunosc! • 18. 1:20:13 – 1:20:16 • - Nu vorbesc în interesul meu! • Virginia, pot... • 19. 1:20:16 – 1:20:19 • Îmi dau seama cât e de • dificil pentru o femeie cu... • 20. 1:20:19 – 1:20:22 • - Cu ce? Cu ce? • Cu talentul tãu sã nu poatã • 21. 1:20:22 – 1:20:25 • ...hotãrî singurã ce e • mai bine pentru ea. • 22. 1:20:25 – 1:20:28 • Dar cine altcineva poate • hotãrî mai bine? • 23. 1:20:28 – 1:20:30 • Boala ta are nişte precedente! • 24. 1:20:30 – 1:20:35 • Ai fost închisã sub supraveghere. • Te-am adus în Richmond pentru cã • 25. 1:20:35 – 1:20:40 • ...ai anumite stãri, dispoziţii, • leşinuri, auzi voci… • 1. 1:19:22 – 1:19:25 • Domnule Woolf, • ce plãcere neaşteptatã • 2. 1:19:25 – 1:19:28 • Poate îmi spui totuşi ce crezi • ce faci…? • 3. 1:19:28 – 1:19:31 • - Ce fac? • Te-am cãutat şi nu erai acolo. • 4. 1:19:31 – 1:19:33 • Lucrai în grãdinã • şi n-am vrut sã te deranjez. • 5. 1:19:33 – 1:19:35 • Mã deranjezi atunci când dispari. • 6. 1:19:35 – 1:19:37 • Nu am dispãrut. • 7. 1:19:37 – 1:19:40 • - Am ieşit la o plimbare. • La o plimbare? • 8. 1:19:40 – 1:19:44 • Atâta tot? • Doar o plimbare?

7. 43. 1:22:01 – 1:22:04 • E timpul sã ne mutãm înapoi la Londra. • 44. 1:22:10 – 1:22:13 • Mi-e dor de Londra. • 45. 1:22:13 – 1:22:18 • Mi-e dor de viaţa din Londra. • 46. 1:22:18 – 1:22:20 • Asta nu eşti tu, Virginia. • 47. 1:22:20 – 1:22:23 • - E o consecinţã a bolii tale. • E vocea mea. • 48. 1:22:23 – 1:22:26 • - Nu e vocea ta. • E vocea mea, numai a mea. • 49. 1:22:26 – 1:22:29 • - Nu, asta auzi… • Nu! Este a mea, este a mea. • 50. 1:22:29 – 1:22:32 • Mor în oraşul ãsta! • 51. 1:22:37 – 1:22:40 • Dacã ai gândi limpede, Virginia ţi-ai aminti cã Londra te-a nãruit. 26. 1:20:40 – 1:20:45 Te-am adus aici ca sã te salvãm de rãul pe care ţi l-ai fi produs. 27. 1:20:45 – 1:20:52 Ai încercat sã te sinucizi de douã ori! 28. 1:20:52 – 1:20:53 Trãiesc zilnic cu ameninţarea asta. 29. 1:20:53 – 1:20:57 Eu am înfiinţat…noi am înfiinţat tipografia nu doar 30. 1:20:57 – 1:21:00 ...de dragul de a avea o tipografie, 31. 1:21:00 – 1:21:05 ...ci şi pentru ca tu să ai o preocupare şi un remediu. 32. 1:21:05 – 1:21:07 Ca un fel de croşetat? 33. 1:21:07 – 1:21:09 Am fãcut-o pentru tine! 34. 1:21:09 – 1:21:13 Ca sã te însãnãtoşeşti. • 35. 1:21:13 – 1:21:17 • A fost un lucru fãcut din dragoste. • 36. 1:21:17 – 1:21:21 • Dacã nu te-aş cunoaşte mai bine, • aş numi asta nerecunoştinţã. • 37. 1:21:21 – 1:21:23 • Nerecunoscãtoare, eu? • 38. 1:21:23 – 1:21:27 • Îmi spui cã sunt • nerecunoscãtoare? • 39. 1:21:27 – 1:21:34 • Mi s-a furat viaţa. • 40. 1:21:34 – 1:21:38 • Trãiesc într-un oraş • în care nu vreau sã trãiesc. • 41. 1:21:38 – 1:21:41 • Trãiesc o viaţã pe care • nu vreau sã o trãiesc. • 42. 1:21:45 – 1:21:48 • Cum s-au întâmplat toate astea?

8. 52. 1:22:40 – 1:22:45 • Dacã aş gândi limpede?... • 53. 1:22:45 – 1:22:50 • - Dacã aş gândi limpede… -Te-am adus la Richmond pentru linişte. • 54. 1:22:50 – 1:22:54 • Dacã aş gândi limpede, • Leonard, ţi-aş spune • 41. 1:21:38 – 1:21:41 • Trãiesc o viaţã pe care • nu vreau sã o trãiesc. • 42. 1:21:45 – 1:21:48 • Cum s-au întâmplat toate astea? • 43. 1:22:01 – 1:22:04 • E timpul sã ne mutãm • înapoi la Londra. • 44. 1:22:10 – 1:22:13 • Mi-e dor de Londra. • 45. 1:22:13 – 1:22:18 • Mi-e dor de viaţa din Londra. • 46. 1:22:18 – 1:22:20 • Asta nu eşti tu, Virginia. • 47. 1:22:20 – 1:22:23 • - E o consecinţã a bolii tale. • - E vocea mea. • 48. 1:22:23 – 1:22:26 • - Nu e vocea ta. • E vocea mea, numai a mea. • 49. 1:22:26 – 1:22:29 • - Nu, asta auzi… • Nu! Este a mea, este a mea. • 50. 1:22:29 – 1:22:32 • Mor în oraşul ãsta! • 51. 1:22:37 – 1:22:40 • Dacã ai gândi limpede, Virginia • ţi-ai aminti cã Londra te-a nãruit. • 52. 1:22:40 – 1:22:45 • Dacã aş gândi limpede?... • 53. 1:22:45 – 1:22:50 • - Dacã aş gândi limpede… -Te-am adus la Richmond sa-ti ofer linişte. • 54. 1:22:50 – 1:22:54 • Dacã aş gândi limpede, • Leonard, ţi-aş spune 55. 1:22:54 – 1:22:57 …cã mã lupt singurã 56. 1:22:57 – 1:23:01 …în întuneric, într-un întuneric adânc, şi cã numai eu ştiu 57. 1:23:01 – 1:23:05 ...numai eu îmi pot înţelege boala. 58. 1:23:05 – 1:23:10 Spui cã trãieşti cu acea ameninţare. Cu ameninţarea morţii mele. 59. 1:23:10 – 1:23:15 Leonard, şi eu trãiesc cu ea. 60. 1:23:18 – 1:23:21 Acesta este dreptul meu. 61. 1:23:21 – 1:23:23 E dreptul oricãrei fiinţe umane. 62. 1:23:23 – 1:23:27 Nu vreau anestezia sufocantã a acestei suburbii, 63. 1:23:27 – 1:23:31 ...ci tumultul violent al capitalei, asta este alegerea mea. • 64. 1:23:31 – 1:23:36 • Chiar şi celui mai nenorocit, • ultimului dintre pacienţi i se permite • 65. 1:23:36 – 1:23:39 • ...sã aibã o opinie • despre ceea ce i s-a prescris. • 66. 1:23:39 – 1:23:42 • Prin asta îşi defineşte umanitatea. • 67. 1:23:51 – 1:23:55 • Aş fi dorit, pentru tine, Leonard, • sã pot fi fericitã în liniştea asta. • 68. 1:23:59 – 1:24:04 • Dar dacã ar fi sã aleg între • Richmond şi moarte... • 69. 1:24:04 – 1:24:06 • Aleg moartea. • 70. 1:24:17 – 1:24:21 • Foarte bine, atunci, Londra. • 71. 1:24:21 – 1:24:23 • Ne întoarcem la Londra.

9. Comments: • The language of the subtitle is built on simple sentence structures with no excessive use of subordinate clauses or digressions • Dialogue dashes are used to easily identify speakers. • The word obligation was translated datorie and was written in Italic characters because the character wants to enhance the irrelevance of Leonard’s argument (in frame 12). • Custody was translated îngrădire because the character points out her condition as a patient surrounded by doctors, forced to live in a place she has no wish to live in (in frame 13). • In frame 19, suspension dots are used to highlight Leonard’s hesitation to expressing his actual opinion about his wife’s condition. Instead, he prefers to pause and choose his words carefully, so as not to hurt her feelings. • The Romanian genitive a mea, was repeated and written in Italic characters because the character desperately wants to reaffirm her freedom in Leonard’s eyes and also to emphasize the fact that she can decide her own faith and make her own decisions. ( in frame 52) • The superlative the meanest was translated by cel mai nenorocit, a Romanian adjective that has an accentuated negative connotation and underlines Virginia’s state of mind, her desperation in the given situation, that of being a patient. ( in frame 69) • Suspension dots were used to introduce a continuation of someone’s speech in the next frame. • ( 59 and 60 / 69 and 70). • Most frames last less than 3-5 seconds due to the high speed of the characters’ speech. • Repetitive patterns (“me, I , myself ”) are used to point out Virginia’s need for affirmation and her need to be heard.