The Lighthouse (Mayak)(2006) Destruction, and the paralysing state of grief (Review)

Generational gaps are the essence of this depressing run-through of Armenian warfare. The Lighthouse adapts the distance of family and the wasteful nature of death around characters who are doing what they feel is best. That difficulty to connect a younger age group to the seniors is as frustrating as it is real. Mariya Saakyan, director of this wonderfully horrible feature, adapts the pains and strains of old age with competency. Settled into their way of life, Saakyan’s issue is not the underappreciated value of how routine becomes a way of life, but of the impact it will have on the individual and their close friends to not break such a routine. Sinister moments and achingly good camerawork make The Lighthouse a tense, dialogue-driven tour through a town not prepared for the second bout of warfare.  

Burnt pages of what should be books, blocks of rubble that should be attached to the barely standing buildings behind them. The Lighthouse’s greatest asset is the detail that surrounds characters who are clearly struggling but aren’t accepting of that. Don’t doubt the fear of these people. Rough aesthetics and miserable surroundings seem almost beautiful when held for this long, but that is before we see the violence that caused them. What The Lighthouse fixates on so well is the destruction, and the paralysing state of grief. These are the homes of a community, and upping sticks is far harder than they would first anticipate. Even in war, there is friendship, and The Lighthouse’s washed-out look keeps that ideal intact.  

It is not all warfare and strife. Fulfilling moments can still happen in times of struggle. Happier times flow through, and a community spirit is showcased rather nicely. Dancing in the street, the quiet moments of acknowledgement between people as they wander the streets in hopes of finding something to fill the time with, to stave off the inevitabilities that come from not leaving their homes. Mist and fog encapsulate much of The Lighthouse, although there are some liberties to be taken with how these are effective. For all the great character drama and beauty that comes from their surroundings, some scenes offer little. They are meant to defer the pragmatically sound theme that runs through it. Take the scene of drunken friends around the table, and the lady who finds a shotgun. There is no impact from either the blast or the intended message that lies within.   

Despite its relative recency, The Lighthouse was all but lost before this Second Run release. One of two 35mm prints is all we have to extract some brilliant character development. A fine job indeed from the team at Second Run, whose efforts here make The Lighthouse’s aesthetic qualities match the tones of spirituality and bitterness found within. Plenty of extras are included in this Second Run release. A 28-page booklet reprinting a 2011 interview between Second Run and Saakyan makes for a delightfully interesting read, and the short film from Saakyan, Farewell, is marvellous. These extras are of a quality consistent with the excellent feature and the touch-up it receives.  

Short, bitter and even a tad hopeful, the characters and consistency found within The Lighthouse tugs at the heartstrings well enough, but never quite welds together the technical merits with the strong performances. A state of disrepair is presented and focused on, but the lighting and choices of camera angle do not make much sense. Likewise, the exceptionally beautiful landscapes and touching, emotional portrayals rely so heavily on the framing and diegetic sound. It is their disparity that they fear, and to live without acceptance of that is to live a life of potential safety, even when the soldiers are barrelling down the street. The Lighthouse is a feature that showcases the inability to grasp reality, because the shift that would occur would quite simply eradicate their way of life. Sometimes comfort in death is more important than terrifying life in the new-grey sky. Saakyan presents that debate well throughout this predictably grim feature.   

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THANKS FOR READING EWAN’S REVIEW OF THE LIGHTHOUSE

Reportedly drummer Dave Rowntree still finds this film unwatchable; Graham and Ewan are a little more generous. That said, the film’s main asset is the one director Matthew Longfellow barely seems to notice: it depicts the band on the verge of releasing Modern Life is Rubbish, an album which saved them from one-hit wonder status and set the agenda for the next decade of British rock music. POP SCREEN

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