Often, it takes a sequel to provide obscure films an entrance into the realm of recognition or remembrance. This is entirely the case with the film Nightwatch. This weekend, Daywatch (the sequel) is coming to several theaters in the area. In recent days, the PTFC has been reflecting on the nature of the first film (Nightwatch). We all remember the film with noted excitement, and it seems entirely necessary to explain the reason for the pleasureable associations which this film connotes.
One of the main reasons that the film originally garnered so much attention, besides the incredible visual composition inherent in each frame, was something which might actually seem insignificant to those who have not seen the film; the subtitles. Yes, the subtitles encourage a continuing fascination.
Nightwatch facilitates a suprising system of comprehension. When language becomes an issue in film criticism there are generally two binaries of consideration. There are those that insist that language creates a barrier; one is distracted by the subtitles at the bottom of the screen. Many believe that relying on the subtitles contributes to the increasing failure of the audience to fully appreciate/process the visual images with which the audience is presented. Of course, something is always “lost in translation.” Then, there are those that insist on viewing an entire catalogue of foreign films in order to appreciate the medium itself. Generally, these people tend to be film elitists that insist that foreigness is a prerequisite to quality; perhaps a move that allows others to understand that they are “cultured.” The subtitles encountered while viewing Nightwatch insist that one understand this in an entirely different light. With this film, one must consider subtitles as a work of art within the frame (for this is, undoubtedly, how the film’s producers considered them). Nightwatch is not the first film to incorporate this type of hyper-interaction. During the opening credits of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, one is confronted with humorous subtitles that work effectively with the credits.
Interestingly, the reason Nightwatch is innovative, is that it provides subtitles which reflect/portray emotion, or at least, sheer volume. Although the subtitles remain consistant for extended portions of the film, particular scenes deliver dramatic shifts. When the action intensifies and a character shouts, the subtitles reflect the raw emotion; the volume. The subtitles become much larger, and consume more space on the screen than is typically alloted. Nightwatch suggests a more thoughtful consideration of language; an awareness of the way that language works and the way that it is processed. This is the type of consideration that is absent from many works.
