6 Things To Watch After The Lighthouse
These selections are perfect companion pieces to The Lighthouse.
The dust has settled on the Oscars and the headlines in its immediate aftermath were always going to be dominated by the winners of Hollywood's most glamorous evening. Parasite was a worthy champion that few people in the online film community will begrudge glory. Yet, the nomination snubs still hurt. No Uncut Gems. No Midsommar. The Lighthouse only received one for cinematography. If it feels bad now, how will it look 20 years from now?
The cult status of movies like The Lighthouse will only grow. We recommend seeing it in a cinema if you haven't already. It is a mad work of genius that further underlines the talent of Robert Eggers. A fine addition to the careers of both Robert Pattinson and William Dafoe, both could have deservedly been nominated for Academy Awards.
The Oscars shouldn't get too much clout though. There are other ceremonies in town and the Film Independent Spirit Awards honoured Dafoe the night before that glitzy LA bash took place. The manic-looking veteran gives an incredible performance as a deranged lighthouse keeper that goes beyond acting and becomes embodiment. There are so many scenes and quotes that will be recalled for years to come that it's worth seeing to simply stay in the loop.
Plus, seeing this visionary work could set you on the path to discovering so much more by directors and actors of a similar cloth. We've compiled a list of perfect companion pieces for you to check out after seeing The Lighthouse.
6. The Work Of Sascha Schneider (1870-1927)
A left-field entry to start off with, the work of German artist Sascha Schneider clearly influenced The Lighthouse.The clearest homage being made to 1904 painting Hypnosis, remade with Dafoe (Old in the script) as the beacon-eyed antagonist.
The scene is one of many that are left open to interpretation. It appears to be from the perspective of Pattinson's Young character (as he called in the script), who may be suffering a fever dream brought on by hysteria and intoxication. Young tries turning over the familiar foreman figure from his past only to find his doppelganger staring him in the face. He is then whipped around by the vice-like grip of the naked Old, who holds him hostage to his spell.
Young is clearly captive to the power that Old holds over him, even before Old shines a blisteringly bright light into his face. It is a powerful image, the kind that can be found across much of Schneider's work. An interest in the male form is a consistent theme among his paintings. This homoeroticism was accepted while Schneider's sexuality had to be repressed, due to it being a dangerous time in history to be homosexual.
The reference to Hypnosis could lend credence to the many queer readings of the film's subtext.