You noticed so many details that reveal additional genius to the film! I'm due for a rewatch. Definitely one of the best of the decade thus far (although Aftersun is my number one for the time being).
Album cover scene: The foot might be Francesca’s, but it could also be anyone’s.
On your “themes laid out in the Gopnik interview”: see also “TIME is the thing” compared to the final concert. For me also a parallel to the underlying midlife crisis theme.
„The assistant, clearly jealous” is more likely to be simply annoyed because it’s certainly not the first time she’s witnessing such a behavior of her boss. She’s very professional and they’re in a hurry.
Francesca “lingers on, clearly angling to have an extended—maybe overnight—visit”: Possible, but we don’t see any such thing. Tár is always showing an adequate distance towards Francesca.
“In the hotel room the next morning”: no, it’s still the same evening, she’s expecting the fan with the red handbag.
Book gift by Krista: Interesting theory, but I have the impression Tár at first looks curiously at the book, then understands the message, and she then realizes it’s from Krista (and she believes she sees the drawn pattern).
Thanks. One of the virtues of the film is that Field keeps everything just ambiguous enough to allow multiple interpretations. As Scorcese said, it's not a film that takes you by the hand. You may well be right.
• On the foot tapping the album, true it could be anyone, but we see Francesca in that flat several times... and the next shot shows Francesca carrying an album-shaped package into Bandstetter's shop. Why introduce a random character?
• Great point on the issue of Time. The conductor's ability to start, bend, and even suspend time has a lot of resonance with Lydia's feeling that she can control everything in her life.
• There's one line when Lydia is talking about "The Right of Spring." She says, "It's the "eleven pistol shots—it's a prime number—that strike you as both victim and perpetrator." That's Tár herself—both victim and Perpetrator.
• You may be right that Francesca is merely being a professional time-manager, but I've run that scene many times and her glances, sighs, and eye-rolls seem to me to have more in them than mere impatience.
• Thanks for correcting the time... It is not the next morning. She's listening to NPR's "All Things Considered" which is their evening news show.
He’s back!!!! Welcome.
You noticed so many details that reveal additional genius to the film! I'm due for a rewatch. Definitely one of the best of the decade thus far (although Aftersun is my number one for the time being).
We’ll done, Michael! Obviously I missed a lot and need to re-watch.
Great essay! Some additional thoughts of mine:
Album cover scene: The foot might be Francesca’s, but it could also be anyone’s.
On your “themes laid out in the Gopnik interview”: see also “TIME is the thing” compared to the final concert. For me also a parallel to the underlying midlife crisis theme.
„The assistant, clearly jealous” is more likely to be simply annoyed because it’s certainly not the first time she’s witnessing such a behavior of her boss. She’s very professional and they’re in a hurry.
Francesca “lingers on, clearly angling to have an extended—maybe overnight—visit”: Possible, but we don’t see any such thing. Tár is always showing an adequate distance towards Francesca.
“In the hotel room the next morning”: no, it’s still the same evening, she’s expecting the fan with the red handbag.
Book gift by Krista: Interesting theory, but I have the impression Tár at first looks curiously at the book, then understands the message, and she then realizes it’s from Krista (and she believes she sees the drawn pattern).
Thanks. One of the virtues of the film is that Field keeps everything just ambiguous enough to allow multiple interpretations. As Scorcese said, it's not a film that takes you by the hand. You may well be right.
• On the foot tapping the album, true it could be anyone, but we see Francesca in that flat several times... and the next shot shows Francesca carrying an album-shaped package into Bandstetter's shop. Why introduce a random character?
• Great point on the issue of Time. The conductor's ability to start, bend, and even suspend time has a lot of resonance with Lydia's feeling that she can control everything in her life.
• There's one line when Lydia is talking about "The Right of Spring." She says, "It's the "eleven pistol shots—it's a prime number—that strike you as both victim and perpetrator." That's Tár herself—both victim and Perpetrator.
• You may be right that Francesca is merely being a professional time-manager, but I've run that scene many times and her glances, sighs, and eye-rolls seem to me to have more in them than mere impatience.
• Thanks for correcting the time... It is not the next morning. She's listening to NPR's "All Things Considered" which is their evening news show.