30 - Happy End

Eavesdropping at the Movies

Michael Haneke's precise, layered Happy End takes on - what else? - the bourgeoisie, and sees Eavesdropping welcome 2018 and iTunes availability at last! Opening with praise for the extraordinary image quality provided by the mac's 4K projector, we consider the film's surprising comic sensibility, its observation of different social strata, how our expectations shaped our experiences of what we saw (or didn't see), Haneke's careful craft and subtle subversions of cinematic conventions, and his continued exploration of violence as a central theme. And, finally, in a revelation to rival Psycho and The Sixth Sense, we nervously admit that we enjoyed the film as one would enjoy a Hollywood comedy or a trip to the zoo. Even now it's tough to come to terms with that. Perhaps that is Haneke's greatest achievement and truest subversion. We never before knew that he wanted us to have a good time. Recorded on 7th January 2018.