Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) directed by Maya DEREN

Meshes of the Afternoon (Maya DEREN, 1943) portrays the key structure and characteristics of the growing surrealistic cinema movement. Linking to the contemporary style of post-modernism and Jean BAUDRILLARD’s formulation of concepts such as simulation and hyperreality. The dream and reality are meshed and interlaced together, at some moments in the film, the gap between her dreams and reality is unclear.  

Specifically, with the use of obscure symbols and motifs of the key, the knife, and the flower. The film follows a non-linear narrative that is unpredictable and disorientated; thereby reflecting the woman character’s dreamlike state. The editing and cuts are utilised to present this abstract and non-linear style, as they cut from different locations and symbols. This creates a disconnect in the narrative, pulling the attention of the audience from one to another. In her dreams, she faces the challenge of chasing and catching a mysterious hooded figure, however her failure to reach the figure leads to her being caught in the loop. The diegesis of her dream changes and adapts, improving to the struggle she faces in mastering the space and rooms around her. Presented through canted angled shots and slow motion of her climbing the stairs as they seem to rotate. The character’s dreamlike state is also denoted through the use of subjective POV shots, giving the sense of the event happening all inside of her head. How the motif of the key can easily turn into the knife suggests the character’s dark and seemingly destructive imagination. Sitting at the table with other versions of herself, they all take a turn to hold the key, by which the one who turns the key into the knife has their hand covered in black. The colour black is symbolising and foreshadowing the character’s death in her sleep. This could convey a conflict within the character’s mind, presented through she manifests an image of herself in order to die. Her dreamlike state is further emphasised by the lack of justification or explanation for the character’s actions, shown by how the film cuts between locations and focusing on a close-up shot of her feet as she walks towards herself, asleep on the chair. Even the chair follows the motif of flowers. Seemingly the female character wakes up, a subjective POV shot reveals a man standing over her, she follows the man up the stairs and into the bedroom. This sequence echoes back to the same way in which the hooded figure placed the knife onto her pillow. I think that the relationship between the man and the woman is quite possibly violent, suggested by how she acts submissive and follows him. This idea is highlighted by the woman’s attempt to kill the man; however, her attempt fails as in a twist she is still in her dream. The mirror smashes into pieces as the truth is finally uncovered. Next, the narrative perspective shifts to the man, entering the home to find the woman, lying dead in the chair. This acts as the ultimate narrative twist connoting that the woman felt tormented and held captive. And her view of reality is seemingly the same as her dreams, leading her to the truth of the death in her sleep. 

Overall, I took inspiration from Meshes of the Afternoon (DEREN, 1943) because of its uses of surrealism and hyperreality, this film technique and style would best fit the themes and messages I would present in my project. The lack of diegetic sound and the use of subjective employs the sense of the events occurring in the character’s mind that could reflect their development throughout the film.