An Ode to the Simple Things in Life

As interesting (albeit long) as I found Nekes' "Film Before Film" to be, it was the pair of short films made by the Lumiere brothers that affected me the most last Thursday evening. Perhaps it was the juxtaposition of Nekes' incessant, drawn-out piece with the simple, fleeting pair of films that followed, but there was just something about that brevity and that narrowing of subject that made the films seem to radiate clarity and peace of mind. In class we asked 'what is so interesting about people leaving work?' I wondered about this and about what has changed since then. People paid money to see these miniscule films about everyday life because cinema was something new and extremely exciting--we watched them in part because they are a seminal piece of the early history we have deemed so crucial to avant-garde film. This is true, but I would watch these films again, and I have, not for their historical value, but for their beauty out of that context. It was wonderful to see the multitudes of women pouring from the factory doors, many with looks of relief and exhaustion on their faces. And it was triumphant when the train finally pulled into the station; I felt myself at ease at that moment. Sure, people would be outraged if they paid modern movie prices to see a film that was as short or as simple as these. But this is a different kind of satisfaction. For me, watching these films offers a moment of clarity and simplicity in a busy, fast-paced day.