Young, handsome bin man, Sergio (Ricardo
Meneses) is the protagonist in the 2000 Portuguese-made film O Fantasma by João Pedro Rodrigues. The
film resembles an intimate fly on the wall documentary, with the use of
handheld camera as Sergio is seen roaming the streets of Lisbon both during his
job as a waste collector and in his free time as he stalks his prey in search
of his next sexual victim.
The title O
Fantasma (The Phantom) seems fitting as Sergio, who lives alone in an empty,
banal apartment, haunts his city alone at night. Moreover, shot mainly in the
dark of the night, each scene including interactions with other characters is
followed by various others of him in his solitude, or with Lordes, his company
mascot, hiding as he haunts his objects of desire, only being seen when and if
he wishes it.
Extra care is also taken in highlighting
Sergio’s animalistic nature in line with his apparent “ghostliness” through
exaggerated scenes of violence and sensuality such as sniffing the crotch of
those he’s interested in, like Fatima and the Policeman, and marking his
territory by peeing on the bed of a man he has taken to be his sexual prisoner.
This, along with his self-isolation, creates an abjectified character, one who
struggles to understand social norms and instead flouts them, deliberately
choosing to detach himself from others and live as an outsider alongside Lordes.
Sergio’s lustfulness and homosexual promiscuity
further amplify his abjectification – the scenes of him strangling himself whilst
masturbating in the shower and soliciting sexual relations with male strangers
in public spaces – and further displays his slow descent into a more primal and
animalistic being, far from the normal
humans around him.
For the average Western viewer, a film of this
nature would undoubtedly provoke anger, confusion, even disgust. However, winning the prize
for Best Feature Film in the New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, implies
that a sexually provocative film is what director Rodrigues wanted. By the end
of the film, as Sergio takes to the streets in his gimp suit we sense a loss in
his human identity, he embraces his solitary and animalistic nature and assumes
his self-abjectification, a role in which he appears more than comfortable. From
a personal point of view, Rodrigues succeeded in his intentions with the film.
For a picture that so closely denotes a week in the life of a gay porn star,
Sergio’s obsession with sexual violence, and domination within it, becomes as
captivating as it is confusing, so much so that the viewer is forced to ask the
question: “Honey, how did you get this way?”
You’re completely right. I am completely confused by the movie and was lightly disgusted by some of the scenes. My first reaction was that Sergio’s character was suffering from some sort of mental problem for him to act like that! Apart from the sexual violence and dominance, I see this film as a grand metaphor in how an individual really casts themselves out of society, pushing past the barriers of what is regarded a ‘social norm’.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea of Sérgio’s animalistic nature – this trait is supported when looking at his sexual conquests and general behaviour throughout the film. Although his actions do provoke confusion and disgust, the viewer recognises the struggle he faces in understanding his sexual identity and, as a result, may even sympathise with him.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that this was a confusing and disturbing film, and idea of the abject and animalistic are there. However I believe this is probably exactly what the director was trying to achieve in world where we are still shielded from homosexuality and fetishes. I don't think the film necessarily closely denotes the week in the life of a gay porn star.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the blogger, the film reinforces the notion that Sergio is like a ghost living removed from society. Furthermore the director also plays with light (more specifically the absence of it) to obscure Sergio’s movements as he lurks in the shadows.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Krishan; I did not feel that the character could be linked to that of a gay porn star, but rather an exploration of desire, sexuality and sensationalism. Sergio is a culmination of fetishes and sexually violent desires, social taboos which do not normally make an appearance on-screen.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with Joanna and Krishan that Sergio shouldn't be likened to a gay porn star, nor should the film necessarily be categorised as LGBT cinema. I think the film successfully portrays Sergio, as an individual, as a reject of the norms of society in terms of his relationships and fetishes. Whilst tough to watch at times, I also think that by the end the viewer may feel some kind of sympathy for him.
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ReplyDeleteI enjoyed The Phantom but the erotic asphyxiation scene, for me, was quite uncomfortable to watch. Despite this, any censorship wouldn’t have created such a captivating masterpiece. I would further Gregory’s point; the lighting is a technique employed by Rodrigues to reinforce Sergio's animalistic characteristic. My only worry with this film is that viewers may see Sergio’s actions as a representative of the gay community.
ReplyDeleteI also disagree that the film ‘denotes a week in the life of a gay porn star’, for the same reason members of the LGBT community were unhappy with the depiction of homosexuality in the film – it is not a representation of a group of people but merely the life of Sergio as an individual.
ReplyDeleteI think what you say about him deliberately choosing to detach himself from society is really important. It is his choice and I think he’s aware of how different he is and embraces it, obviously seen at the end when he fulfills his desires kidnapping and raping the biker and running off in his gimp suit.
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