The central figure in Theorem—the Terrence Stamp character—does his authenticity represent judgment or love?
PASOLINI: This character has come out ambiguous, half-way between the angelic and the demoniac. The visitor is good-looking, and good, but there is something vulgar about him as well (since he, too, is a member of the bourgeoisie). There are no uncultured bourgeois who are not vulgar; only culture can purify. So there is this element of vulgarity in him, which he has accepted so as to descend among these bourgeois people, so he is ambiguous. On the other hand, what is authentic is the love that he arouses, because it is a love without any compromise, a love which provokes scandal, which destroys, which alters the bourgeois’ idea of themselves; what is authentic is this love, and the cause of this love is this ambiguous person.So there is no relation with St. Matthew’s Christ, your Christ?
PASOLINI: This character cannot be identified with Christ; rather with God, God the Father (or a messenger who represents the Father). It is an Old Testament, not a New Testament visitor.
Au hasard Balthazar // dir. Robert Bresson
Tilda Swinton:
The only film that I’ve ever seen that’s made me want to be an actress is a film by Robert Bresson called Au hasard Balthazar about a donkey.What was so inspiring?
Tilda Swinton:
It’s the greatest performance you’ve ever seen.The donkey?
Tilda Swinton:
Absolutely. It does no acting and that’s got to be a good performance.
