So anyway caught up with this week's #WidowsBay episode and best fly since #BreakingBad and best use of "The Rhythm of the Night" since #BeauTravail -- it is truly an excellent show.

Claire Denis loosely adapts Melville's Billy Budd- a story about the human desire to destroy something pure and beautiful, with a sensual, languid imagery. Arid, rocky Djibouti backdrop clashes with smooth, muscular bodies of young Legionnaires as they carry on their boring daily routines with no real enemies in sight. Galoup, a seasoned military man takes an immediate dislike to a beautiful, righteous new recruit Sentain and looks for excuses to destroy him. His feelings are mixture of desire, jealousy and envy. It's Lavant's physicality on full display here. His pockmarked face and athleticism dominate the screen. I thought Galoup's narration was unnecessary at first since it doesn't add anything much to the plot. Then again, Denis has little concerns for that. On this viewing, I can see how it accentuates Galoup's loneliness and isolation. The ending is definitely my favorite movie ending of all time.
#beautravail #clairedenis #denislavant #grégoirecolin #hermanmelville #billybudd