it's been long since my last entry.
i watched perfume the story of a murderer. i have no knowledge of its original source. so this journal will be based on the movie solely.
it's a long movie, about two and half hours. but for me, it did not feel that long. it's a very good movie. the atmosphere of the movie had a fairy tale feeling. it was narrated throughout the film. the story was about a man with a speical ability of his nose. he had an acute sense of smell since his birth. his mom was executed because she tried to leave him to die right after he was born. this man was not liked by other children in the orphnage. he's a loner all his life. in a chance encounter, he killed a girl by accident because he was so attracted to her scent. he suddenly had a goal in his life after that chance encounter. he wanted learn to preserve the scent of all things. during this request, there're some events made him even more mad. he started to relently murdering girls to gather their scent for his own perfume. he was caught in the end of course.

this movie was interesting for i saw this man like a scientist. so many films portrayed mad scientists treating people like something else other than human. and in this instance, this man, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, was just like that. i am not talking about purpose behind his action. because i doubted he himself would go that deep in his heart to search for his intention for his action. for him, it's simple throughout the whole movie, he's searching something that he desired coupled with a relentless action. he's a perfumist, his work was almost like a scientist. he was guided by his perception of nose. throughout the story, there's no interaction between him and fellow humans. whenever there're interactions, his goal to preserve a smell he longed was there. he was in his world alone. since no other people could understand him anyway.

whenever i see a movie, i want to see if it could arouse awareness in me. this film does it at the end when this perfumist finally revealed his last creation. As he revealed his creaiton, everyone, who was going to watch his execution with satisfaction, was drunk in the perfume he made. everyone was there forgetting themselves, a huge and comical orgy scene assumed. Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, the protanist, was enjoying a moment of pride. however, that pride was short lived. everyone sunk into their own worldly pleasure, nobody cared about him anymore. he became a nobody once again by his own creation. and here was where the movie shine. it revealed a huge secret deep down in Jean-Baptiste Grenouille heart, and probably in all humanity's sub councious. the secret was a longing to be loved, with a heart and soul. it's not anything outside by the sight, by smell, by the sound, or by touch. throughout life, he was a loner because his perception, people did not understand him. without human interaction, the only thing that he could depends on was his nose, the sense of smell. when he met the first girl, who he accidently killed, he was so attracted to her. that was the first time he felt the wanting to be close to somebody. however, without any social rationale, with only perception of nose, he realized nothing but that smell. but that was not he was strifing for, although he did not realized it. and this became his doom.

the whole movie was well paced, the story was clearly shown without too many confusion. it's an interesting movie, not only because of the story, but also because it's a story about the sense of smell. with visual and sound, the director and the main actor were very successfully bringing us into Jean-Baptiste Grenouille's world of perception. i'd think it's a great achievements. i'd say though this movie was not for everyone, since there're some very disturbing scenes. it's a very good movie.

I love almost every bit of the movie. this is truly a emotional presentation for the Bible believer. I mean cast wise, Mel Gibson did a great job, and for every movie I consider actor casting is the first thing to rate a movie. the actor not only needs to fit in the charactor profil, he also needs to be able to deliver what a story ask for, and fit in with other characters in movies. Generally, US movies always did a great job on this one! Although I think Monica Molluci's character here is a little bit of vague, but I like her performance here! It showed that she can really act. As Jesus' mom, [color=#800080]Maia Morgenstern[/color] is top choice, with strong jaw, and strong feature, and the most importantly, her acting is absolutely beautiful!! When she was holding Jesus's corpse, I just couldn't believe those eyes, so empty, so sad! the actress really did an incredible job! The most important character, Jesus, is awesome too! The actor showed that Jesus might be afraid of what's coming, but when he stumps the snake's head with such a strong force, he seemed suddenly become strong again. even the jew, who helped Jesus carried cross, was good.


For the plot, the movie basically stick to the Bible, with a little bit interpretation from Mel Gibson, the director. I think he did his homework well! Most of the script is from Bible directly. And there are flashbacks from last supper, Jesus teaching at mountain and his connection his mother. Although i think the part with his mother was overdone, but it's a conventional view of christianity. Generally, it's a very well thought script.


For the violence, I have to say that, movie is different from books, and modern movies are very different from old movies, just like audience nowadays is very different from past. I felt the violence in this movie was well thought! To see how humiliated Jesus was, it did it's job on the audience. To connect audience to the movie, it's a necessary. The audience will ridicule the jewish crowd because of their unreasonableness. The audience will suffer when they see Jesus suffer. The audience will feel the pain inside a Mother's heart. I don't think the movie is appropriate for Children though.


People argue that why Satan was in the Movie, well, why not. Satan is this world's true ruler for now. He has to be there! He has to be there when the Christ's heart was weakened. How could he not knowing what Jesus is here for? Satan is smart and beautiful. He will know. And he will do anything to stop it. I think it is a good interpretation! The only thing that I don't understand is what does the infant Satan hold in his arms mean? I think I need somebody to give me the answer!