If there’s one phrase that sums upHoly Motorsperfectly it’s this: there’s certainly nothing else like it. Across its two-hour runtime, directorLeos Caraxtakes his viewers on a fantastical ride through the streets of Paris, guided by the mysterious Céline (Édith Scob), the driver of an equally mysterious white limousine. Her passenger is Mr. Oscar (Denis Lavant), a man who appears to be an actor, although (as with many things inHoly Motors) the exact nature of his job is ambiguous. Over the course of a single day, Oscar is driven to various “appointments” that see him taking on a variety of roles, ranging from an estranged father picking up his daughter from a party to an eccentric red-haired man who kidnaps a model and forces her to live in the sewers. No matter what happens, everything reverts to status quo when he returns to the limousine. It gives the film the appearance of a series of vignettes rather than a fully-formed narrative, but Carax sprinkles just enough clues throughout the runtime to hint at a larger plot. The bizarre nature of its premise, combined with the coyness (and, to some extent, smugness) that Carax presents everything with, sawHoly Motorsreceiving both highly positive and highly negative reviews when it premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Ten years on, its love it or hate it vibe remains just as strong as ever.
But while the film may give the impression of an acclaimed filmmaker using their well-earned reputation as an excuse to indulge themselves in a story only they have a chance of comprehending,Holy Motorsis instead one of the greatest love letters to cinema ever conceived. Its unique story gives Carax an opportunity no director could resist, and the result is a film bursting with creativity as it hurtles itself from one set piece to the next with little regard for how we got there. In just two hours, Carax covers practically every genre of film there is, and the abundance of references to classic films ensures any budding cinephile will have a field day as they write their dissertation on what it all means. As with other films about films (such asMulholland Driveand8½), no answer satisfies every question, but that’s the point. Carax knows exactly what he’s doing, and by focusing on exploring all the possibilities of the medium rather than getting caught up on silly little things like logic, he’s able to craft an experience no moviegoer will forget in a hurry. No other film captures the beauty of filmmaking like this, ensuringHoly Motorsis a journey everyone should embark on.
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The premise ofHoly Motorsis simply genius, and gives Carax a fantastic reason to justify all the escapades Oscar gets up to while still providing a logical throughline to stop it from becoming incomprehensible. While nothing is confirmed for certain, the film implies that everything is being orchestrated by an unseen third party who has hired Oscar to perform these acts for unknown reasons, although we never see either his employer or the cameras that are apparently filming everything. This concept allowsHoly Motorsto avoid the issue many arthouse films fall victim to: that the film becomes so lost in its myriad of themes and ideas that it quickly crosses the line from intriguing to infuriating. Ambiguity is one thing, but some kind of solid foundation is needed otherwise the filmmaker risks losing the viewer in an ocean of pretentious nonsense.Holy Motorsdoes not have this problem, with the limousine serving as a pitstop into the world of normality that allows the viewer to catch their breath before the next outlandish adventure starts up. While we never learn the reason behind their actions, this mysterious employer has provided Oscar with nine appointments for that day, in turn providing Carax with nine opportunities to showcase his love for all things movies, and he certainly isn’t going to let that go to waste.
Over the next two hours Carax jumps from drama and comedy all the way to musical and full-fledged surrealism, ensuring boredom is the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. The most famous of these sequences sees Lavant becoming the character of Monsieur Merde, an outlandish red-haired creature who inhabits the sewers of Paris, and who previously made his debut in the anthology filmTokyo!(for which Carax directed a segment). It’s the longest of Oscar’s appointments, and the one that encapsulates the peculiar world ofHoly Motorsthe best. Minutes earlier we were watching Oscar partake in an erotic motion-capture dance to create a sex scene between a pair of animated snakelike creatures, and now we’re watching him march through a cemetery while dressed as a leprechaun, eating flowers and causing havoc for the locals before kidnapping the model Kay M. (Eva Mendes) while she’s in the middle of a photoshoot and forcing her to live in the sewers with him. It’s a prospect that will perk the interest of anyone in a five-mile radius, and given its overly comedic tone, it’s no surprise Carax put this sequence early in the runtime. We only get to spend 15 minutes with this absurd creation before Oscar is whisked away on his next appointment, but Carax takes advantage of every second. Right from the moment it starts, introducing Merde via a bird’s eye shot as he emerges from the sewer, cigarette in one hand and a desire to cause mischief in the other, it’s clear Carax is using this film as an excuse to proclaim his love for all things cinema. The use of an iris shot to direct the viewers' attention to the utility hole evokes memories of the silent era when such techniques were commonplace, but the use of the classicGodzillatheme in the background makes for an odd piece of juxtaposition. It’s as though Carax was unable to decide which reference to go with and instead just went with both, an everything but the kitchen sink approach that the rest of the film is more than happy to uphold.
It’s an approach that gives the film the appearance of a greatest hits album, with Carax as a metaphorical DJ running through decades worth of classics with all the joy of a child on Christmas Day. What’s more impressive is how seamlessly he implements them into the wider narrative, ensuring the pacing never falters despite the endless conveyor belt of Easter eggs. Those familiar with theGodzillatheme will find a whole new layer of satirical fun as Merde rampages through Paris, but for those unaware of the reference it will just sound like standard action music that they won’t think twice about. It’s an approach the film commits to for its entire duration, and one that is a vital component of why its cinematic tributes are more effective than other like-minded films.Holy Motorsis a film by cinephiles for cinephiles, and Carax trusts that his audience will be able to catch the mountain of references without feeling the need to shine a spotlight on every one of them, in turn making the search for them all the more rewarding.
While Carax is well deserving of praise, it cannot be understated how much Lavant brings to the film. He plays a total of 11 characters, and given how little we know about how deep this rabbit hole goes, it’s possible we never see the real person hidden behind the makeup. Given the enormous range he showcases, combined with the fact that there’s barely a second when he’s not onscreen, it’s reasonable to think thatHoly Motorswas created just for Lavant to reinforce his claim as one of France’s greatest actors. The commitment with which he throws himself into these personas is nothing short of phenomenal, and while he clearly relishes the freedom the script is providing him with, he also knows when to rein things in and deliver a more subdued performance. Despite the craziness that much ofHoly Motorsoperates on, Lavant is careful not to let himself off the lease too much, ensuring that the film never becomes too overwhelming. If Carax is the mad scientist throwing everything in sight into the same mixing bowl, Lavant is the assistant making sure it isn’t about to explode at any moment, and their coupling together is the key ingredient forHoly Motorsgreatness. While the pair had already achieved great success withBoy Meets GirlandLes Amants du Pont-Neuf(among others), their work onHoly Motorsoutshines any of their previous collaborations.
ThroughoutHoly Motorsthere’s a constant feeling of self-reflection. Given Carax’s mindset while he was making the film, it’s perhaps not surprising. He hadn’t directed a feature-length film in 13 years, an entire millennium in the world of filmmaking, and fans around the world would be forgiven for thinking he had quietly retired. In retrospect it’s a silly idea, and whileHoly Motorsmay once have felt like the desperate call from a fading artist still grasping for relevance in whatever way he can, now it feels like a master auteur refamiliarizing himself with the reasons that made him fall in love with cinema before he embarked on a new golden-age in his career. In the endless ocean of interpretations thatHoly Motorscalls its home, the unseen third party may be Carax himself, turning the film into a meta fourth-wall docu-drama about how he and his favorite collaborator embarked on their most imaginative adventure yet. But, as with all films of this nature, the truth could be half the world away, and that’s assuming there even is a truth to be found.
Holy Motorsis one of cinema’s greatest celebrations about itself, and one every self-respecting moviegoer should experience… assuming you’re willing to leave the more rational part of your brain at the front door, that is.
