During the Cold War, aliens in cinema reflected deep fear
over the invasion of a ideology different than capitalism. The alien ‘other’ is shown to be free
from inhibitions and emotionless so as to succeed in the mission to cleanse
earth of human stain. The aliens became friendlier with Spielberg’s Sci-fi
adventures. The visit of cinematic aliens became less frequent and they also
appeared in non-threatening forms. These gentler aliens were much more than
devices for entertainment. Their on-screen study of humans addressed our
species’ corruption, stupidity, and demonstrated the human dread over
technology and ever-changing reality. If the alien in Robert Wise’ The Day the
Earth Stood Still (1951) brought a very didactic message to human race, the
later era cinematic aliens in John Carpenter’s Starman (1984), Nicolas Roeg’s
The Man who Fell to Earth (1976), and John Sayles’ The Brother from Another
Planet (1984) profoundly orchestrated the meditation on human existence in the
whole-wide universe.
In the same vein, Argentinian film-maker Eliseo Subiela’s
Man Facing Southeast (Hombre Mirando, al Sudeste, 1986) possesses the most
ambiguous humanoid alien in cinema. The visitor from the space is named Rantes
(Hugo Soto), who propagates altruism: to assuage the suffering of the poor,
dispossessed, and mentally challenged. He mysteriously shows up during a
bed-check in a Buenos Aires insane asylum and the narrative unfurls from the
point of view of head psychiatrist Julio Denis (Lorenzo Quinteros). Unlike the
other precisely defined cinematic humanoid aliens, Rantes could simply be
afflicted by delusions and has probably sought the asylum to escape from his bruised
past. Nevertheless, his enigmatic nature is maintained throughout the
narrative, giving enough weight to his otherworldly attributes.
The basic story line of Man Facing Southeast was replicated
in the American sci-fi drama K-Pax (2001) starring Jeff Bridges and Kevin
Spacey. The Hollywood movie was based on Gene Brewer’s 1995 novel and the
stacks of similarities between the novel and Subiela’s script led to the suing of
Universal Studios. Mr. Gene Brewer maintains that he knew about the Argentinian
film only after writing the novel and that the similarities are purely
coincidental. But beyond the basic plot structure, even the philosophical crux
of Man Facing Southeast remains the same in K-Pax. So, Brewer’s claim isn’t
very believable. Those who are confused about which is the better version can
without hesitation go for the Argentinian film. It’s more thought-provoking,
less melodramatic, and a visually superior feature than K-Pax.
Dr. Julio Denis is already living in his personal hell when
the film starts. A traumatized, mentally-challenged patient pours over his
emotional malaise, although Denis drifts apart, submerged in the swamp of his
depressed existence. Dr. Denis has lost interest for his profession. He has come
to a conclusion that there’s no possibility of cure for the asylum patients.
From the asylum, he goes back to the empty apartment, passionately playing the
saxophone and passively listening to the voice messages of his longing kids. It
seems Denis is recently divorced and mostly ignores answering his children’s
calls. He takes them out in the weekend, but he prefers watching the old film
stock footage of his happy family than really spending time with them. To put
it simply, Denis is a man living in the past consumed by existential boredom. Dr.
Denis is awakened from the figurative slumber by the arrival of a mysterious
inmate who calls himself Rantes. He claims that he is coming from a different planet and
that he doesn’t have any human feelings. Rantes further adds that he is only a
hologram projection sent from another planet to study humanity and alleviate
their torment.
Denis couldn’t trace Rantes’ alleged past. His finger-prints
don’t yield any records. And, to everyone’s surprise, Rantes possess genius
abilities. He is a brilliant organist whose divine music soothes the volatile patients. He shows interest in studying pathology, to investigate the stupidity
& complexity of human race and exudes greater self-confidence which is absent even
among the doctors. Although Rantes rarely betrays his emotions, at one
circumstance he touches the forehead of a catatonic patient and the patient
responds when Rantes places a jacket around his shoulders. Denis confronts
Rantes why he emotionally responded to the guy despite his claims to have no
feelings. Rantes responds, “I am merely programmed to respond to stimuli. I’m
more rational than you. I respond rationally to stimulus. If someone suffers I
console him. If someone needs my help I give it”. While none of the patients
are miraculously cured, Rantes’ compassion brings about a change in the blank
faces of the inmates. Everyday he stands in a trance for hours in the yard,
facing Southeast direction. Rantes says that’s the efficient method to transmit
and receive messages from his planet.
Day by day, Denis becomes more fascinated by Rantes (his
interest in life is kindled). He declares him insane, but doesn’t conduct
painful treatment methods to break the alleged delusion. Gradually, the other
professionals in the asylum lose interest in Rantes which allows him to wade
outside the campus to meet other people. On one such occasion, Rantes displays
his telekinesis powers to feed an impoverished mother and three daughters,
forlornly sitting in a diner. Later, a beautiful and equally mysterious woman
named Beatriz (Ines Vernengo) who identifies herself as Evangelist visits
Rantes, asserting to Dr. Denis that he has helped the slum kids and even
delivered babies like a doctor. At an earlier point, Denis teasingly compares
Rantes to Christ figure after considering the charisma he displays among the
patients. Moreover, Denis compares himself to Pontius Pilate. The
ever-deepening friendship between Denis and Rantes, however, doesn’t prevail
over this earlier, prophetic comparison.
Eliseo Subiela’s script is different from the usual
politically-charged Argentinian films of the era. Yet, fitting political
parallels could be found in the narrative. For example, despite Rantes’ claim
that he can’t feel, his level of awareness is much higher than the cognizing
abilities of experienced psychiatrists. It’s considered as a metaphor for the stupidity
and cruelty during Argentina’s brutal military junta (between 1976 and 1983).
Rantes’ comment on Beethoven’s Ode to Joy (“There are torturers who love
Beethoven, who love their children….”) also traces the relationship between the
seminal music and Latin American dictatorships. Apart from these little
political touches, Man Facing Southeast is largely a universal tale of
mankind’s alienation and imbecilic attitude.
Writer/director Subiela raises deep
philosophical questions about the confines of our reality, the boundaries separating
rational and irrational behavior (inquires whether mankind’s greatest virtues
like compassion originates from rational or irrational thoughts). Most
importantly, the film reflects on our rigid societal values, which harshly
judges and labels those who are different (as Rantes asks to Denis that if they
have the same kind of brain, then why one is called ‘doctor’ and the other
‘insane’). The definition of insanity is particularly confusing in a world
that’s led by bunch of power-hungry lunatics, who are elected to office by
indifferent herds of population. “If God is in you, you murder God every day”
tells Rantes to Denis, the truest expression from the person labelled ‘insane’.
Director Subiela adds fine complex layers to the characters
of Denis and Rantes. Initially, Denis aims to break Rantes’ alleged delusion.
But the dynamics between them changes once the doctor understands that his
patient is much more superior to him. Rantes connects with Denis’ children in a
way the father never could. After Beatriz’s arrival and comprehending the
unbreakable wise nature of Rantes, Denis feels little envious and becomes
complicit in the system’s aim to destroy Rantes. Though Denis can feel emotions
unlike Rantes, he is always at a loss to understand other people’s feelings. He
is totally baffled by Beatriz’s confession at the end. Like Pontius Pilate (or
anyone with authority), he inevitably chooses to dwell in personal hell than
search for salvation. Director Subiela cloaks each frames with somber lighting.
He opens the film with the shots of empty corridors of mental asylum, focusing
on the alienation that’s rampant in the atmosphere. Rantes is introduced with a
brilliant close-up shot, indicating his inner radiance. Towards the end, when
Denis asks Rantes about an old photography, they both are placed at one corner
of the frame, signaling that Rantes’ has become yet another negligible living
being of the estranged world.
Like every other gentler cinematic extra-terrestrials with
human features, there’s lot of parallels between Rantes and Jesus Christ. Rantes,
like a messianic figure perfectly belonged on earth, yet his home is a different, faraway place. The displays of telekinesis powers and the shots of patients
touching his shoulders as Rantes passes by have clear parallels to Christ. When
Rantes’ conducts Ode to Joy in the huge arena the patients back in the asylum
are also strangely overwhelmed by feelings of euphoria. When he lies flat in the
bed after being subjected to painful treatment, the shot resemble Jesus
crucifixion (Rantes’ cries out ‘Doctor doctor, why have you forsaken me?’). At
the very end, the circular gathering of inmates in the open yard resembles the
disciples’ waiting for the resurrection. Furthermore, director Subiela lends
weight to the popular notion about second coming of Jesus Christ: that the
humanity would once again forsake the messiah as before. In the misguided
attempts to pursue wealth and desires, human race will keep on crucifying the
odd ones, who speak of equality and compassion.
Man Facing Southeast (105 minutes) is one of the important
and deeply thoughtful movies in the benign alien sub-genre. The predictable
beats of its narrative are easily overcome by robust performances and the
meditative imagery.
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