Gaspar Noe has definitely made a name for himself in film by being one among many that have decided to shock and titillate the audience in his own unique fashion. It takes a lot to actually shock the audience into watching what a director wants to show, and there’s always the risk of someone being offended enough that they walk out and proclaim the work to be a flop. But if history has shown us anything it’s that enough people that will do this don’t outweigh those that will stand up for the film and the director in some way, stating that expression is one of the most important things there is to being human. So some people feel the need to shock us into silence and create something that’s less than what we were expecting, or so much more that we can’t handle it. That’s human nature, to be surprised and to be underwhelmed in equal measures.
Here’s a few things you might not have known about Gaspar.
10. He likes to use strong neon lighting in his films.
If anything can assault the senses it’s strong neon lighting since it tends to overwhelm the picture at times and can be a huge distraction. How it’s used usually depends on what the director is going for and what angle they’re trying to pull on the audience, if any.
9. His philosophy is that you can make art out of anything.
This is a great philosophy actually but many would disagree since his use of the term ‘anything’ literally means ‘anything’. His views aren’t popular with everyone, but then they don’t need to be since he has his own way of doing things and everyone else has their own idea of how things should go as well.
8. He cites the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey as the film that changed his life.
There are those films that make us see the world in a different way and allow us to think about how things could be different, what could be, what should be, and so on. Gaspar was obviously inspired by this film in a way that was fundamental to his character and allowed him to express himself through film.
7. He’s been active since 1985.
You could say that he’s an old hand at this no matter how many people have heard of him or not. The trick is that sometimes you won’t know the name of the person behind the camera since like it or not, they’re not the main point of the film, nor are they the face that drives it. But they are of the utmost importance since they’re the brain behind it.
6. He’s a big fan of Stanley Kubrick films.
Kubrick certainly had his own style, and it managed to inspire and drive a lot of people to create their own unique and individual styles that were in many ways just as odd and individuals any other.
5. He’s an atheist.
There’s a discussion for a lifetime, as atheism is not as bleak or as depressing as others might paint it to be. Some folks choose not to believe in a divine force that drives the world and the reality we live in, and for that they are continually looked at askance by many in the religious community. It’s an ongoing schism that many thankfully let rest more often than not.
4. He’s won several awards throughout his career.
As odd as his films might get and as confrontational as his subjects seem to be he’s still managed to impress the right people in his career and it shows since he’s been nominated and awarded with many different accolades during his career.
3. He makes good use of fourth-wall breaks.
Fourth-wall breaks have been used for much longer than people seem to realize since they’ve been a plot device for decades. But to be honest now that people are starting to notice them it’s almost as though they’re a new inventions. Truthfully they’ve been around for a long time and are interesting to see.
2. He’s directed several music videos.
Gaspar has stretched his directing talents a bit in his career and has made it quite evident that films are not the only venue in which he feels comfortable enough to display the thoughts that run through his head.
1. Some of his work has been confrontational and meant to provoke a reaction in the audience.
At times this is the wisest move since deciding not to challenge those that watch and those that criticize can lead to boredom and stagnation that doesn’t allow for any further growth and the necessary development that the film industry needs so badly. If you don’t challenge anyone then you tend to fade off into the ether.
He might not be everyone’s favorite director but he’s taken his own direction and despite how that might make him seem a bit fringe at times it also makes him an innovator.
