In watching Sia, a movie about a young African virgin woman chosen to be sacrificed by the oracles of the village in hopes that doing so would stop the immense poverty occurring in the village. I found the editing to be very helpful in portraying the overall feel and message of the movie. The editing effectively reflected the chaos that was happening in Koumbi and the underlying evil that was creating such a troubled village.
The movie had a very disconnected feel to it. It often just jumped from one scene to another. However, I think that was the feeling the editors hoped their audience would feel for as author of A Short Guide To Writing About Film Timothy Corrigan says editing is often done to “make a statement of some sort” (69). An example of the disconnected feel can bee seen right at the beginning as the movie jumps from the ceremony the oracles were performing to Kerfa , the village madman, rambling at the women in the river. Due to the lack of transition I initially had no idea what was happening or what the movie was about. However, looking back now the choppy editing really did help illuminate the extent of disarray the village of Koumbi was experiencing. The choppy editing also reflects how divided the village is over the decision to kill Sia. Some villagers like Sia’s father think that “ Customs should be protected”, and others such as a townswoman sing “ sacrificing human beings how appalling”. There is really no cohesion and that is mirrored in the editing.
Toward the end of the movie the editing really does make a significant impact. When Sia is brought over to the oracles for her supposed delivery to the snake god the editing makes it seem that there was a significant time gap between the moment the oracles received her and when her fiancée comes to supposedly save her from the snake god. When they find Sia she is withdrawn and discovered to have been rape. Not showing the violent rape scene makes it seem as though it was not important enough to be shown. I felt that skipping all that reflected real life as the fact that Sia was raped is not really acknowledged by the men who rescued her. They think it was no big deal. Lastly, another important edit happened at the end when Sia refuses to be the Queen as she finally sees the truth. She is awakened and realizes how ridiculous all of society’s customs really are. The edit happens as she is seeing leaving her fiancée practically nude in front of the whole village cutting to her raving as a madwoman in the city. She is now Kerfa the madman who no one could understand. Therefore, it plays at the message that because one speaks the truth that they are considered crazy. In this scene, she is all decked out in village clothing and raving as a madwoman in the city greatly contrasting the mundane village life she was once content with. This edit really does play at the idea of how quickly things can change and how crazy society’s parameters really are. So crazy that if you speak against them you are considered a madman or madwoman.
There is a definite lack of footage covering the rape scene and I think it would have better revealed the seriousness of it to the audience if it in fact had been shown. The beheading of the priests was also left out, probably so as not to steer the plot of the story in a direction the editor didn't want to take it. Another part of the story which de-emphasizes the seriousness of this crime against Sia occurs with Sia and Kerfa in Kerfa's dwelling when she makes the pointed statement that: "I don't want to die." Cutting off the scene there, with no resolution to this problem or meaningful consolation by Kerfa either drugs the viewer into mindlessly accepting the outcome or sticks a needle of agitation into our brains as some sort of vodo-via-t.v. What's multiplies this viewing effect is the fact that Sia is still sitting up with a look of bewilderment on her face while Kerfa snores his cares away just a few inches from her.
ReplyDeleteBut is it essential for the rape to be shown? Some would argue that there is more of an impact when things aren't shown. I don't know but I think it is more of a clear mark of her transformation into a Kerfa-like character. She sees how the power structure still look out for themselves and worry about keeping face rather than changing society for the better. She sees how trivial they make the throne. So I see it more as the transition into her current state. Though she seemed numb for the whole finale, there was a jarring cut from her disrobing in the palace to her walking the streets, ranting and raving. It was well done and I agree that it shows how quickly someone's world can change.
ReplyDeleteThough she is seen as crazy, as Kerfa was, are they the only ones that see the truth?