Waking Life
From the free-spirited abandon of Slacker and Dazed and Confused to the Oscar-nominated odyssey Boyhood, writer/director Richard Linklater has long been one of the most adventurous, thoughtful and innovative filmmakers in the world of independent cinema. His 2001 effort titled Waking Life is a shining illustration of his singular voice. It also contains many of the elements that have preoccupied him throughout his career; mainly in its use of non-actors, its exploration of complex themes like existentialism, and its boldly imagined challenge to traditional narrative form and structure.
The story - or what there is of it - concerns a young unnamed protagonist who questions the reality of his existence. Is he awake, or is he living an endless dream? This dilemma is compounded by the many peripheral characters he encounters along his journey, which are portrayed by the likes of actors Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, radio host Alex Jones, philosopher David Sosa, director Steven Soderbergh and Linklater himself. Each of them pontificates on the meaning of life, the expansion of consciousness and the notion of free will as the lead character stands mostly silent and listens attentively.
Some viewers may find this exercise ponderous and dull. But those attuned to its curious and searching tone will find much to relish. The story may be light in incident and action, but it's enormously rich in ideas.
Upon its release, Waking Life generated most of its press ink due to the style in which it was made. Linklater shot the film on digital video and then cut it together in a traditional editing suite. He then recruited a talented team of artists to paint over each individual frame in a unique process known as interpolated rotoscoping. This was a strange, outside-the-box approach, especially for a film that consisted largely of conversations and not otherworldly set pieces. The end result, though, is not only technically admirable, but organic to the thematic content of the film. It's like real life with a coating of the surreal.
Waking Life is an essential and challenging work in the career of one of our greatest cinematic artists.
Seems to me, those that thought this video was extra special would be those that would be causing the very problems the video pointed out. "Yeah! be responsible for yourself", as they vote for more socialism and enslavement.
What was thought long ago, comes around again in this video.
Cartoonization was a distraction rather than an addition ...and disrespectful to some or several of the characters ...however much easier to portray the dream state.
One person's "genius" is another person's obviousness and partial errors in thinking.
Keep your balance grasshopper, if you are dreaming, you are not doing. Also pointed out by the 4 young guys who came upon an old guy up a pole.
I have always wondered why people choose to use poisonous chemicals including alcohol, when their mind can take them anywhere they want to go. Freedom is also being free of addictions. What are you addicted to?
Brilliant thank you
Ah now i get why its a documentary... mostly a combination of a bunch of philosophical conversations.. interesting and better than expected! (as a philosophy fan) ... and that's Alex Jones im perr shure at 31:00 lol! ?
Unfortunately, not everyone has the mental capability of understanding the pure genius encompassed in this film of living truth vs. dead dogma. This is the best movie for humanity.
"WOW", That was fun. Is it possible there are still dreamers alive on the planet since the catastrophe? Everywhere i've looked for years i've found nothing but empty buildings, empty streets, vacant houses,shops full of goods and no proprietors, and then one day the sound of voices arose. As I strained to hear they faded, so I chased after it. Then before my eyes stood (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )!
Ive only just found this movie at 17 in 2016, its resurfaced a lot of enlightening moments and feelings, Ive aready watched it twice today. This is the greatest film ever made. I feel honored to be able to watch this a really connect with it. I will pass it on to anyone who will listen.
Loved this movie when it first came out. Figured out how to control my dreams and could pretty much do whatever I pleased .. fly. Pilot aeroplanes. Become a vampire. Cure vampirism. Basically started with being in a situation unfamiliar I didn't like.. so I tried to change it and next thing I've jumped half way round the world to a concert. Find it difficult now when I realise I'm in dream state to alter anything but like the movie, it's good to just go with it. Though I do miss being able to change things.
documentary, movie, who gives a damn really, the discussions in this film really opened my eyes to thinking about consciousness as a whole; which is pretty cool, thumbs up from me :)
I understood the whole movie except that part when the man in boat-car states that his vehicle is a window onto to the world, in which every moment is a show. He glides along, remaining in a state of constant departure, while always driving. The ride he states, doesn't required any explanation, only occupants. So can anyone tell me what does it means ?
unbelievably imaginative, artistic,and intelligent. Loved this
great movie! so glad I've found it after so long time I've seen it for the first time!
You get something new every time you watch this. I do not mean sit down and watch it several times in a row. Instead, watch it every year or so and you will be amazed at how much more you can connect with what is being said in this movie.
The first time I saw this movie was in the first philosophy class I ever took. I remember enjoying it, but not really understanding it. I watched it again a few years later and found the storyline more interesting than the philosophy. This time I watched it, now as a philosophy student and the philosophy really jumped out at me and the storyline really took a backseat. The idea that we can control our dreams brings you to the notion of free will. It starts with a lecture on
existentialism, the idea that we are who we create. The notion that free will is what determines who we are is essential. Like in dreams our conscious control of our waking lives is what makes us human. If we view ourselves, as some people, the movie argues, want us to, we will never realize our full human potential and we will view ourselves as seaweed in the ocean. It is the ability to choose and our responsibility to those choices that makes us human. The movie also touches on how we can consciously combine those choices, made over the course of our lives to build as story whose author is the individual and that we do not have to accept any given storyline, but create for ourselves. Overall I thought this really did a good job exploring and opening the conversation on topics such as free will.
oh. i am so happy this is here because my copy was lost in a house fire and i'm trying to reference one of the speakers in the movie but i can't remember his name or exactly what he was saying...just the gist...so yeah...this is great!
Edit: does anyone know the point in the video in which there is a male speaker talking about his vision of the coming evolution of...i think he says something about the evolution of values vs. the evolution of physical biology...i can't find the point in the video.
thanks
It is important that unlike many other films or documentaries with similar trends of thought, Waking life has an artistical and abstract approach that doesn't intend to sell a particular idea but rather absorbs you into this dream-like state in which everything seems enigmatic and possible at the same time and it is because of this that the atmosphere gives way for you to question the reality of absolutely everything. It is this development of critical thinking, this atmosphere of questioning that we as a people lack and need, and that is what is so great about art, such as this.
We all need a dose of this, its like music, gymnastics or drugs; they are neccesary in a propper dose.
because if philosophy was taught in highschool society would no longer be puppets to the social world. We would no longer need the latest tv or gucci that powers the higher ups to control the life cycle
If there was ever a film that made ontological exploration fun, this is it.
“A book is like a mirror; if an ass peers into it, you can't expect an apostle to look out.”
? G.C. Lichtenberg
The beauty of free will. I can enjoy watching this film and disagree with it!
I think maybe people are taking this movie a little too seriously. It's in the top ten on my "RFB Go To List", RFB meaning Ready For Bed.
Reasons why this is a RFB Classic:
- Thoughts not deep enough to keep me awake (as even the whisper of profound thoughts will do) are nice to drift off to instead of hearing something I instantly have to google and go searching through my library to expand on.
- The music is tasteful and unobtrusive.
- If I happen to actually fall asleep, there are no shocking, violent, loud, or frightening moments to startle me awake.
- If I happen to stay awake, it's interesting enough to keep me hooked, but lighthearted enough to let my mind wonder into other thoughts. There are no heart breaking emotional appeals or images of "aliens" that scare the s*** out of me, etc.
Mind you, I am in my 20's, and I first watched this movie when I was a teenager, so it was profound for me at a time when I was going to festivals and camping for days with strangers, just to "find myself". lol. Taking that into consideration, I know that this movie will always have a meaning to me that it may not to adult first time audiences.
I think that maybe the Peyote had the Oscar winning performance!
Hey boy! Great movie, Incredible art work too! Im gonna watch it trew last part at my next dream. Good night evryone.
amazing film! Gets me excited about reality! nothing is concrete and nothing is certain in our lives and perhaps not even in our death either.
I did not see this film on this site, but now that I noticed it is uploaded, I'll share my experience with it:
This is one of my favourite movies of all time.
Well, that being a Hollywood-production. Even though...
The movie has little new or revolutionary to say, but the focus in the film and the setting - plus all the dream talking - makes it a perfect kickstart. It's really motivating and inspiring. A kickstart for greater awareness, maybe?
Its cartoon style makes it un-pretencious and surreal, both, at the same time. And that was really worth my time. I really enjoyed listening to all the philosophers in this movie as well. I just love this movie. Well, Mikey Baggarocks below me here... I suppose he's right in a kind of mocking and respectless way, but that doesn't change my point of view. I enjoy thinking, and this movie is far away from downdumbing like many other real documentaries! This one is probably more down to earth than a major part of documentaries available for the mainstream out there.
I'm lovin' it! Duh, duh, duh, duuuh duuuh...