Children's Corner: A strange little dream that lingers

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, that depends on your patience level for things that don’t really tell you what they’re doing. If you want a punchy plot, stay far away. You will probably find it boring as all get-out. But if you like films that feel like they were pulled from an attic, give it a shot. 🕰️

It’s very much a mood piece. Marcel L'Herbier isn't interested in holding your hand through a story, which is honestly refreshing. It feels like he just wanted to film things that looked pretty or felt odd.

The texture of the thing

There’s a scene where the lighting hits a piece of furniture in such a specific way that it distracted me for a good minute. I wasn't even watching the actors anymore. I was just looking at the dust motes. It’s that kind of movie.

It’s a bit like watching Caprelles et Pantopodes in how it focuses on the texture of the world. It’s not about the people, really. It’s about the space they occupy. Sometimes that works, and sometimes you feel like you’re waiting for a train that isn’t coming.

Odd bits and pieces

• The framing is sometimes tight enough to make you feel claustrophobic.
• The music choice is... a lot. It doesn't always match the visual tone.
• There is a specific chair in the parlor that shows up in three different shots, and I’m convinced it has more character than the lead.

Watching this made me think of Secrets of the Orient, if only because both films feel like they belong to a lost language. They don't speak to you in ways we're used to today. You have to work for it.

Some of the editing choices are just plain weird. A cut happens right in the middle of a gesture that feels totally incomplete. Maybe it was an accident? Maybe it was a choice? It’s probably both. I liked it regardless. It’s nice to see something that doesn't feel sanded down by a studio. 🎞️

If you're looking for a coherent narrative, you're looking in the wrong place. But if you want to sit in a room for a while and feel like you're spying on a different century? Sure. Why not.