Institute Benjamenta
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''Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life'' is a 1995 drama film by the
Brothers Quay Stephen and Timothy Quay ( ; born June 17, 1947) are American identical twin brothers and stop-motion animators who are better known as the Brothers Quay or Quay Brothers. They received the 1998 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design for t ...
in their feature debut. Based on
Robert Walser Robert Walser (15 April 1878 – 25 December 1956) was a German language Swiss writer. He additionally worked as a copyist, an inventor's assistant, a butler, and in various other low-paying trades. Despite marginal early success in his lit ...
's novel '' Jakob von Gunten'', the film stars
Mark Rylance Sir David Mark Rylance Waters (; born 18 January 1960) is an English actor, playwright and theatre director. He is known for his roles on stage and screen, having received numerous awards including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Oliv ...
,
Alice Krige Alice Maud Krige (; born June 28, 1954) is a South African actress and producer. Her big break came in 1981, when she starred as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon in the British historical film ''Chariots of Fire'', and as Eva Gall ...
and
Gottfried John Gottfried John (; 29 August 1942 – 1 September 2014) was a German stage, screen, and voice actor. A longtime collaborator of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, John appeared in nine of his films between 1975 and 1981, the year before Fassbinder's d ...
.


Plot

Jakob, a young man, enters a servant school run by siblings Johannes and Lisa Benjamenta. The teachers teach the students that they are unimportant. Jakob finds the school oppressive, and does not enjoy the lessons in subservience. He challenges the Benjamentas and attempts to shift their perspectives. Lisa is attracted to Jakob, spending time with him and showing him the secret labyrinth below the school. Lisa soon dies and the institute closes. Herr Benjamenta also shows a strange attraction to Jakob, and the film ends with them travelling together.


Cast

*
Mark Rylance Sir David Mark Rylance Waters (; born 18 January 1960) is an English actor, playwright and theatre director. He is known for his roles on stage and screen, having received numerous awards including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Oliv ...
as Jakob von Gunten *
Alice Krige Alice Maud Krige (; born June 28, 1954) is a South African actress and producer. Her big break came in 1981, when she starred as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon in the British historical film ''Chariots of Fire'', and as Eva Gall ...
as Lisa Benjamenta *
Gottfried John Gottfried John (; 29 August 1942 – 1 September 2014) was a German stage, screen, and voice actor. A longtime collaborator of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, John appeared in nine of his films between 1975 and 1981, the year before Fassbinder's d ...
as Johannes Benjamenta * Daniel Smith as Kraus * Joseph Alessi as Pepino * César Sarachu as Inigo * Jonathan Stone as Hebling * Peter Lovstrom as Jorgenson * Uri Roodner as Schilinksi * Peter Whitfield as Null


Relation to the novel

Though the film follows the same basic structure as the novel, its plot is more limited. The film does not depict the ending of the novel, in which Jakob travels to a nearby city and meets his brother. The film remains almost exclusively focused on the institute once Jakob arrives there. The Quays have characterized the film as a parallel universe of the novel. The film sometimes makes figurative aspects of the novel into literal objects in the film. One reccurring theme in the film is that many objects are seen vibrating, such as forks or bells. Parallels have been drawn between these vibrations and the frequent theme of music in Walser's writing. Also, in one passage of the book Jakob describes a staff member at the school as like a monkey, but in the film a literal monkey takes the role. In addition, while Jakob wonders about the activities of Herr and Lisa Benjamenta in the novel, the film clearly displays an incestuous relationship. The conclusion of the film, however, differs from the book. It shows Herr and Jakob's departure from the institute in a surreal scene of the two in a fish bowl rather than Jakob's literal journey back to town in the book.


Themes

The film has been described as thematically similar to a fairy tale, a fantasy, or a dream world. Writing in the journal ''Adaptation'', David Sorfa argues that many of the projects of the Brothers Quay discuss the idea that a "metaphysical interior" may exist. Sorfa argues that this film does not attempt to reveal a hidden meaning, but rather argue that a realm of hidden meaning, though unreachable, may exist nonetheless. Ariel Swartley of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' has drawn a comparison between Jakob's efforts to "turn himself into a machine" as a servant and the animation of objects that the Brothers Quay have focused on in their previous stop-motion films. (''Institute Benjamenta'' was their first
live-action film Live action is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live action with animation to create a Live-action animation, live-action animated feature film. Live action is used to define ...
). Stephen Quay has said that they sought to convey a similar sense of "otherness" through the actors as they had done through puppets in previous projects. Laura Marks has argued that "non-sentient life seems to take precedence over human life" and that the film includes a "tide of non-human life".Marks 2005, p. 126 Sorfa contends that the number zero is used as a sort of parody of a
MacGuffin In fiction, a MacGuffin (sometimes McGuffin) is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. The term was originated by Angus MacPhail fo ...
in the film.


Reception

The film has been compared to ''
Eraserhead ''Eraserhead'' is a 1977 American independent surrealist body horror film written, directed, produced, and edited by David Lynch. Lynch also created its score and sound design, which included pieces by a variety of other musicians. Shot in bl ...
'' due to its unconventional narrative and black-and-white filming style. Parallels have also been drawn between the film and Expressionist film of the 1920s. Silke Horstkotte has argued that the gestures of the actors and surreal aspects of the school also recall
silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...
conventions.Horstkotte 2009, p. 186 The imagery used in the film has been characterized as "befuddling", "puzzling", and "mysterious". Peter Stack of the ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...
'' said that several scenes featuring miming were particularly well made. Phil Hall of ''
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'' praised what he described as the "marvelous tension" between Rylance and Krige. He also applauded the focused and controlled performances by the rest of the cast. David Sorfa praised Rylance's portrayal of Jakob's emotions as "subtle". Michael Atkinson praised the film's originality, stating that at times it is comparable to the "inevitable grip of the best David Lynch". He did note that he found the film confusing at times, and characterized it as possessing "Freudian secrecy". He suggests that the film should be seen as a mood, rather than as a narrative. He also lamented that the film saw a limited releaseThe film was shown at approximately 50 theaters in the United States in the spring and summer of 1996. and would likely only be seen by those who already have an interest in
art film An art film, arthouse film, or specialty film is an independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made prima ...
. Horstkotte noted that the film's "unusual aesthetic" would be viewed as very unusual to individuals who typically watch
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
films. The Quays themselves later stated that they regretted the length of the film. They suggested that it would have been more effective as a short film or a very long film, rather than average length.


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * *


External links

*
The Institute Benjamenta
' at
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* {{Robert Walser Films directed by the Brothers Quay German black-and-white films Films based on Swiss novels German drama films Japanese drama films British drama films 1995 drama films 1990s German films 1990s Japanese films 1990s British films