The film opens with the image of Rose Hobart sleeping alone behind white sheets. According to Freud, it is through dreaming that we discover subconscious emotions and attitudes; therefore, as the camera slowly moves forward into the room, the viewer is invited into her dream world, or subconscious mind. The setting in which she sleeps is also very comfortable, far away, relaxed, and presents an atmosphere that resembles a fantasy. Additionally, Cornell omits the dialogue, uses a blue tint for effect, and inserts a fun and explorative melody. As a result, the film immediately sets up a fantasy world focused on the female. As suspected, the images presented thereafter center around power, sexuality, and independence.
The very next image presented is a burning flame, possibly representing the main character's vitality, soul, inner torment, or sin. The flame seems to draw us further into the darkness of this woman. We witness a few images of Rose before she leans over a balcony and discovers a ball dropping into water. The incredible sexual imagery presented here is obvious. The texture of the water (as viewed through the blue tint) and the action being performed seem symbolic of female sexuality. Additionally, the concentric circles that disperse out resemble an explosion of some sort, adding on to the idea of desire.
After these introspective scenes, the scenes move outward, focusing on Rose's physical appearance. She is often seen standing alone, constantly looking at someone. As viewers, we rarely see the person she is staring at. Either the person is simply not there, or he is unattainable. Either way, it enhances the feeling that she is alone; she is watching but not being a part of something. She seems distanced. But her facial features reveal a fierce and independent quality, conniving, innocent, and at the same time unsure of herself. The emotions evoked toward her are heightened when she hides a gun in her purse, appearing sexy, dangerous, and willing to defend herself. At this point, the viewer senses a sort of anxiety or danger. It seems natural that directly after this we are finally introduced to some of the male characters and discover that she is living in a jungle.
Various other symbolic images appear before us: an erupting volcano, a person intruding in her bedroom, the solar eclipse, ect. At one point, another female enters the picture and can be seen randomly throughout. As a viewer, it is difficult to tell whether or not the other female is a threat, a companion, or perhaps another love interest?
What is interesting about the film is that the last few scenes focus on the solar eclipse and the ball dropping into the water. Nothing ever becomes of the gun, and there doesn't seem to be a resolution. The viewer is left with a feeling that Rose has not come to a conclusion, that her sexuality is still rooted deep within her unconscious. Yet she is still invariably a woman, and we are ultimately left feeling as if we have entered into her unconscious and discovered something there.
The very next image presented is a burning flame, possibly representing the main character's vitality, soul, inner torment, or sin. The flame seems to draw us further into the darkness of this woman. We witness a few images of Rose before she leans over a balcony and discovers a ball dropping into water. The incredible sexual imagery presented here is obvious. The texture of the water (as viewed through the blue tint) and the action being performed seem symbolic of female sexuality. Additionally, the concentric circles that disperse out resemble an explosion of some sort, adding on to the idea of desire.
After these introspective scenes, the scenes move outward, focusing on Rose's physical appearance. She is often seen standing alone, constantly looking at someone. As viewers, we rarely see the person she is staring at. Either the person is simply not there, or he is unattainable. Either way, it enhances the feeling that she is alone; she is watching but not being a part of something. She seems distanced. But her facial features reveal a fierce and independent quality, conniving, innocent, and at the same time unsure of herself. The emotions evoked toward her are heightened when she hides a gun in her purse, appearing sexy, dangerous, and willing to defend herself. At this point, the viewer senses a sort of anxiety or danger. It seems natural that directly after this we are finally introduced to some of the male characters and discover that she is living in a jungle.
Various other symbolic images appear before us: an erupting volcano, a person intruding in her bedroom, the solar eclipse, ect. At one point, another female enters the picture and can be seen randomly throughout. As a viewer, it is difficult to tell whether or not the other female is a threat, a companion, or perhaps another love interest?
What is interesting about the film is that the last few scenes focus on the solar eclipse and the ball dropping into the water. Nothing ever becomes of the gun, and there doesn't seem to be a resolution. The viewer is left with a feeling that Rose has not come to a conclusion, that her sexuality is still rooted deep within her unconscious. Yet she is still invariably a woman, and we are ultimately left feeling as if we have entered into her unconscious and discovered something there.
Hey Nicole,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your post and agree with it. She is very much presented as this unattainable, strong woman, which I kind of took to be Cornell's own fetishisation of her, or his ideal image of her - strong, independent but at the same time, as you say, seemingly awaiting someone out of shot, which I think Cornell liked to think is himself. I love how his editing and lack of sound make her seem like a better actor than the real Hobart probably was - you're right to say that even the smallest gesture is given a greater significance in the film, as without sound we rely on her physical acting to give us clues on her character, which I'm sure is far more developed and 3 dimensional than the one in East of Borneo
Nicole, this is such an interesting view of the short film!
ReplyDeleteI had similar responses to Rose Hobart, but i feel that he was exploring femininity specifically (which includes all your interpretations of the film, perhaps he was exploring the corruption of femininity?). Although my view of the female character was that she was, initially, an unattainable and 'pure' female, but as the king character(?) was introduced her purity and feminine innocence was corrupted. This interpretation was mainly through Cornell's choice of sequences and his placement of them. Cornell chose parts of the film where she was alone (bedroom, playing with monkey etc) in the beginning to characterise her as an idealised figure of femininity, but one who was alone and almost there for the taking. Later throughout the short clip he showed clips where she seems unstable, melancholy, and weak. I feel that he did this to symbolise the corruption of the presence of a man in her life. I agree with your take on Cornell's exploration of the female unconscious but i feel that he is exploring the femininity of Rose Hobart because of his fandom of her, it's more specific to a certain type of femininity, which in my view is the hollywood girl during his time, the tamed sort of femininity that is domesticated and pure. Cornell sees Rose as this type of idealisation, and because it is unobtainable to him, it is corrupt when obtained by another.
Hey Nicole,
ReplyDeleteThis was a really interesting and some what unique approach to understanding this film. To be honest, I hadn't really considered Rose as an empowered individual, given that I chose to focus on Cornell's control over the film more so than the smaller instances that take place in the film such as Rose carrying a gun that you picked up on. As such, I found what you said really interesting, and it definitely provided me with some food for thought. However, I am probably still of the persuasion that due to Cornell's overarching control of the film, and his abillity to manipulate all of Rose's movements and mannerisms, places him as the power figure, and Rose as his subject.
Hey i found this reading of Rose Hobart really interesting. While i agree with what you're saying, I'd love to know how you think the music, which is quite unsuited to the images, works with your ideas. You only really touched on the music saying "a fun and explorative melody. As a result, the film immediately sets up a fantasy world focused on the female." Do you think such odd music only lends itself to a dream like state?
ReplyDelete