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A definitive 7.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Nocturno remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Should you watch Nocturno today? If you’re the type of person who digs through archives to find something that feels like a half-remembered dream, yes, absolutely. If you need a movie to tell you exactly what’s happening every five minutes, you are going to hate this with a passion. It’s quiet, it’s frayed at the edges, and it doesn't care if you're keeping up.
The whole thing feels like it was filmed in a house where someone just left the lights off on purpose. Gustav Machatý has this way of framing a room that makes you feel like you’re eavesdropping on a conversation you weren't invited to. It’s not polished, and honestly, that’s the best part.
There’s a scene where Renee Gerhart just stares out a window for what feels like an eternity. Most directors would cut that. Machatý lets it sit there until the silence starts to feel a bit uncomfortable, which is exactly where the character is living anyway. You can practically hear the clock ticking on the wall.
It’s not as manic or scattered as The Mad Game, which feels like it’s vibrating on a completely different frequency. Instead, Nocturno wants you to slow down. It wants you to notice the way smoke curls in the air or how someone hesitates before answering a simple question.
Is it a masterpiece? No. But it’s got this weird, sticky quality that stays with you. It’s not trying to win any awards for clarity. It’s just trying to exist, and that’s rare enough these days. 🎥
Don't expect the pacing of Circus Daze here; this is a slow burn that might actually just be a smolder. Sometimes the camera movements are so jittery they feel like they’re struggling to keep up with the actors. It’s charming, in a clumsy, forgotten-treasure kind of way.
I’m still not sure what half the characters were actually after by the end of it. Maybe they didn't know either. That feels honest. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯