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#75 - You and the Night
2013, MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY
Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of a group of strangers who come together for a night of lovemaking, storytelling, and spiritual revelations.
(11/3/23)
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
2013, MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY
Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of a group of strangers who come together for a night of lovemaking, storytelling, and spiritual revelations.
(11/3/23)
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC NUDITY AND SEXUAL CONTENT. LISTENER/RESEARCHER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Upon discovering and enjoying the French electronic band M83, I decided to learn more about it. Among other things, I found out that its creator and lead singer, Anthony Gonzalez, not only has a brother, but that brother, Yann Gonzalaz, had made a movie, its soundtrack composed by none other than the very band I was researching. But my excited curiosity cooled more than a bit when I learned it was an Erotic film. Paradoxically, I think my own personal awkwardness with regards to real-world sex played a role in my decision to watch this movie, so that I could try to approach and discuss the topic with more honesty and respect, in fiction if nothing else. That I succeeded in watching from start to finish was only one surprise.
On a bitter cold evening in France, preparations for a private party are underway. The three hosts are pansexual couple Ali and Matthias, and their transvestite maid and mutual lover, Udo. They have invited a select group of individuals—none of whom any of them have ever met before—to their home for a night of lustful pleasures and intimate reveries. But there is an undercurrent of misgiving between the trio that threatens to ruin more than just the mood. Nevertheless, one by one, the four guests arrive: the Stud, the Slut, the Teen, and the Star. As the extraordinary and unbelievable histories of each participant come to light, their realities gradually give way to fantasies and desires more awe-inspiring than anything they’ve ever experienced, until each must decide how to face the aftermath when the night comes to its inevitable end.
My second surprise regarding You and the Night? For a movie with this kind of premise and officially in the Erotic category, it wasn’t nearly as graphic as I was expecting. Heck, it has a lot more making out than genital exposure or literal intercourse. I have to admit, though, a very small part of me was relieved in a way. Now, this doesn’t come from any prudishness. I treat fictional sex the same way I do fictional violence; I don’t mind a copious amount as long as it means something in the story. And Gonzalez, for better or worse, really does his best to make the eroticism here mean something.
I think this lack of gratuitousness has much to do with the plot’s similarity to John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club. On the surface, you have a group of very different individuals who normally wouldn’t meet under ordinary circumstances, spending almost the entirety of the movie in a single place baring their souls in between messing around with each other, and ultimately finding empathy and common ground with one another. Going deeper, though, it’s as if Gonzalez wants to show sensuality in a more sacred light in a situation that could have easily become flat-out pornographic. I’m particularly impressed with the compassion the participants have for their sexual partners. A masterful illustration of this occurs upon Star’s arrival. Standing at the door, she agrees to enter and join only if everyone makes love to her in complete darkness. They all comply—until Slut arrogantly turns the lights back on, sending Star into a fit of despair. This is not a woman acting vain or a bit of kinky fun being ruined. The others are genuinely angry and disappointed that their fellow lover’s trust has been betrayed in such an insensitive manner, as expressed by Stud giving Slut a hard slap to the face.
(The lights come on abruptly; Star screams and rushes to the door but finds it locked.)
STAR: (In pure anguish) Everything is ruined. Let me go!
STUT: (Casually, as Star rushes to the other side of the room with her face obscured) No way. I’m far too curious for that. (Playfully jangling a set of keys) And I hate making love in the dark.
(Everyone looks at Slut with a mixture of dejection and resentment)
MATTHIAS: (Shaking his head with a snort of disgust) Idiot!
STUD: (Marches resolutely past the others up to Slut at smacks her in the face; she stares up at him in shock)
Each guest harbors a deep insecurity due to being “labeled” according to a societal stereotype, yet the fact that they never reveal their real names and are thus credited as said labels is intriguing. Each “name” represents a distinct aspect of the character’s sexuality and/or sexual preference, while also signifying their imprisonment in what is otherwise a highly liberating activity.
Stud is a kindhearted middle-aged man who is exceptionally well-endowed, attracting a very generous number of lovers, while also losing his real true love: poetry.
STUD: The whole town knew. I felt like a circus freak. Worst of all, I loved it. I felt powerful. Irresistible. My [manhood] became my obsession. I forgot poetry. I adore my [manhood]. [. . .] But sometimes I feel it’s not the real me. I’m a poet. An artist. I curse the [organ] that has torn me from my destiny.
Slut, a tough twenty-four-year-old, has a near-insatiable sexual appetite stemming from repressed grief and sad dreams of her deceased mother.
(We see Slut’s dream in which she is wandering through vast hallways filled with naked bodies; she comes across a nude female torso—presumably that of her mother—and embraces it)
SLUT: This scent . . . Mom? Is it you?
VOICE: My darling . . . I’ve missed you so much.
SLUT: (Rubbing her face in her mother’s breast like a child) Mommy . . . my sweet mommy.
Teen is a reticent young runaway, dissatisfied at home after being, as he puts it, called to the night, exchanging sexual favors for survival and preferring to learn about life and love on the streets.
TEEN: [. . .] I feel I’m meant to follow a solitary path. I’m propelled by a force I can’t define. Something like the night. Its encounters, its inhabitants. I quit school two months ago. But in the drink of a drunk, I learn. In the rage of a switchblade, I learn. Then there’s sex. I love sex and its creatures. I love those who do it, at night . . . [. . .] When only vampires and lunatics lurk.
Star, the oldest and most painfully self-conscious about her age and appearance, is seeking her lost son, with whom, against all laws above and below, she fell deeply in love.
STUD: Who is he?
STAR: It’s him. My heart. The love of my life. My son. I left everything for him. [. . .] For months, it continued. We were so close, dying to touch, but never daring. Each day ended with the same prayer.
Proper and improper names aside, the same unease applies to the hosts. Ali is haunted by dreams of a mysterious, faceless lover, and Matthias has not only grown increasingly weary of these parties, but is also torn between his desire for Ali’s happiness and his jealousy of all the lovers she takes. Their passion and devotion to each other aren’t lacking, yet it seems to be that same passion and devotion shared with others, indeed, their very pansexuality, which poses a threat to their relationship.
MATTHIAS: (Trembling) I don’t want to die. I’m afraid of leaving you alone.
ALI: (Trying to reassure him) Everything will be fine. Tonight, you’ll regain your strength. Your color.
MATTHIAS: (Turning away) But for how long? I’ve had it with these parties. All these people you give yourself to.
ALI: (Serious) Matthias . . . promise me you won’t be jealous this time. You know . . . you always want to stay. But you don’t have to.
MATTHIAS: I enjoy seeing you so happy.
ALI: You’re the one I love. I will always love you.
MATTHIAS: (Sighs) “Always” is a bore. A dead bore. “Now” is what matters. Tell me.
Udo is the loyal and devoted glue that helps keep the couple together, the impish “servant” who keeps the fun going, and the wise protector of the sanctity of love. Beneath her flirtatious dialogue and seductive manner is a deep respect and understanding of the heart, its emotions, its desires, its pains. Though she, too, wants to reap all the benefits of this and any other orgy, it is never at the expense of her partners’ own pleasure.
SLUT: (Her arms lazily on Stud’s shoulders) Wanna show us the goods?
UDO: Patience. (Turning the music off) We have plenty of time. Someone’s still coming. (Crossing her arms in subtle disapproval) Can’t we get to know each other? Ever heard of class?
[. . .]
ALI: (Miserable) I have nothing to offer.
UDO: (Perceptively) You have more than you know. Before the war, I observed you and Matthias. I’ve never known a more luminous, intoxicating couple. [. . .] You will have eternal life, like me. Together we will reap the pleasures of youth.
ALI: (In wonder) You’re like Jesus.
UDO: (Almost carelessly) Yes, only worse.
Not unlike The Breakfast Club, which I feel could easily be enacted on stage, You and the Night as a surreal play-like feel to it, not only because of the deliberate character typecasts and romantic dialogue, but because of how the characters’ stories, when shown on screen, feature enclosed spaces, fake-looking “props,” and “extras” with exaggerated personalities, and require a great suspension of disbelief from both the in-film audience and the real audience. The most telling example is Ali and Matthias’ story. Without delving into spoilers, their supposed history is nothing short of a fairy tale, complete with impossible odds and love conquering all. But belief or disbelief in these stories isn’t the point. The point is escape from dull and treacherous reality. Everyone in their own way seems desperate not to destroy the safe, comforting, and magical illusion they’ve created inside the bubble of the apartment, held together only by their nonjudgmental views and boundless imagination.
STAR: (Irritated) Honestly, don’t tell me you bought all that!
STUD: (Calmly) Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. It’s their story. Have you lost your ability to believe?
[. . .]
ALI: And now?
MATTIAS: Now, we leave.
STAR: Away from this sadness?
UDO: Yes, all together.
STUD: On the streets. The deserted city. On the road, to the forest.
SLUT: Is this a dream?
TEEN: It’s a journey. Coming?
SLUT: Yes.
To make yet another Breakfast Club comparison: the soundtrack. If you were to swap the end credit themes of both of these films— “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds and M83’s “Un Nouveau Soleil” —the result may not be as jarring as you think despite the former’s 80’s Rock and the latter’s French Electronic. Granted, the pieces here are much more bittersweet; stunning and transcendent in the moment, but laced with sadness and loss. Still, just like the “Brain,” “Athlete,” “Basket Case,” “Princess,” and “Criminal,” these assorted misfits don’t know what the future will bring when their time together is over, but in the end, one can hear their hopeful, even triumphant, vow to cherish the memories they’ve made as they say their farewells for the night—and possibly for the last time.
What began as a chance to both indulge in one of my favorite bands and expand my storytelling genre horizons ended in a greater knowledge, if not understanding, of the human condition through sexuality. Many, of course, won’t like You and the Night, due to its minimal plot, blatant promiscuity, unapologetic obscenity, apparent pretentiousness, or any combination thereof. But it may help to go in expecting not a celebrated masterpiece of French auteurism, but rather, an interesting filmmaking experiment and an exploration of how and why humans can make sex somehow cruder and more sublime at the same time. And what can be more deliciously mysterious than the human heart?
CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” - Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
Upon discovering and enjoying the French electronic band M83, I decided to learn more about it. Among other things, I found out that its creator and lead singer, Anthony Gonzalez, not only has a brother, but that brother, Yann Gonzalaz, had made a movie, its soundtrack composed by none other than the very band I was researching. But my excited curiosity cooled more than a bit when I learned it was an Erotic film. Paradoxically, I think my own personal awkwardness with regards to real-world sex played a role in my decision to watch this movie, so that I could try to approach and discuss the topic with more honesty and respect, in fiction if nothing else. That I succeeded in watching from start to finish was only one surprise.
On a bitter cold evening in France, preparations for a private party are underway. The three hosts are pansexual couple Ali and Matthias, and their transvestite maid and mutual lover, Udo. They have invited a select group of individuals—none of whom any of them have ever met before—to their home for a night of lustful pleasures and intimate reveries. But there is an undercurrent of misgiving between the trio that threatens to ruin more than just the mood. Nevertheless, one by one, the four guests arrive: the Stud, the Slut, the Teen, and the Star. As the extraordinary and unbelievable histories of each participant come to light, their realities gradually give way to fantasies and desires more awe-inspiring than anything they’ve ever experienced, until each must decide how to face the aftermath when the night comes to its inevitable end.
My second surprise regarding You and the Night? For a movie with this kind of premise and officially in the Erotic category, it wasn’t nearly as graphic as I was expecting. Heck, it has a lot more making out than genital exposure or literal intercourse. I have to admit, though, a very small part of me was relieved in a way. Now, this doesn’t come from any prudishness. I treat fictional sex the same way I do fictional violence; I don’t mind a copious amount as long as it means something in the story. And Gonzalez, for better or worse, really does his best to make the eroticism here mean something.
I think this lack of gratuitousness has much to do with the plot’s similarity to John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club. On the surface, you have a group of very different individuals who normally wouldn’t meet under ordinary circumstances, spending almost the entirety of the movie in a single place baring their souls in between messing around with each other, and ultimately finding empathy and common ground with one another. Going deeper, though, it’s as if Gonzalez wants to show sensuality in a more sacred light in a situation that could have easily become flat-out pornographic. I’m particularly impressed with the compassion the participants have for their sexual partners. A masterful illustration of this occurs upon Star’s arrival. Standing at the door, she agrees to enter and join only if everyone makes love to her in complete darkness. They all comply—until Slut arrogantly turns the lights back on, sending Star into a fit of despair. This is not a woman acting vain or a bit of kinky fun being ruined. The others are genuinely angry and disappointed that their fellow lover’s trust has been betrayed in such an insensitive manner, as expressed by Stud giving Slut a hard slap to the face.
(The lights come on abruptly; Star screams and rushes to the door but finds it locked.)
STAR: (In pure anguish) Everything is ruined. Let me go!
STUT: (Casually, as Star rushes to the other side of the room with her face obscured) No way. I’m far too curious for that. (Playfully jangling a set of keys) And I hate making love in the dark.
(Everyone looks at Slut with a mixture of dejection and resentment)
MATTHIAS: (Shaking his head with a snort of disgust) Idiot!
STUD: (Marches resolutely past the others up to Slut at smacks her in the face; she stares up at him in shock)
Each guest harbors a deep insecurity due to being “labeled” according to a societal stereotype, yet the fact that they never reveal their real names and are thus credited as said labels is intriguing. Each “name” represents a distinct aspect of the character’s sexuality and/or sexual preference, while also signifying their imprisonment in what is otherwise a highly liberating activity.
Stud is a kindhearted middle-aged man who is exceptionally well-endowed, attracting a very generous number of lovers, while also losing his real true love: poetry.
STUD: The whole town knew. I felt like a circus freak. Worst of all, I loved it. I felt powerful. Irresistible. My [manhood] became my obsession. I forgot poetry. I adore my [manhood]. [. . .] But sometimes I feel it’s not the real me. I’m a poet. An artist. I curse the [organ] that has torn me from my destiny.
Slut, a tough twenty-four-year-old, has a near-insatiable sexual appetite stemming from repressed grief and sad dreams of her deceased mother.
(We see Slut’s dream in which she is wandering through vast hallways filled with naked bodies; she comes across a nude female torso—presumably that of her mother—and embraces it)
SLUT: This scent . . . Mom? Is it you?
VOICE: My darling . . . I’ve missed you so much.
SLUT: (Rubbing her face in her mother’s breast like a child) Mommy . . . my sweet mommy.
Teen is a reticent young runaway, dissatisfied at home after being, as he puts it, called to the night, exchanging sexual favors for survival and preferring to learn about life and love on the streets.
TEEN: [. . .] I feel I’m meant to follow a solitary path. I’m propelled by a force I can’t define. Something like the night. Its encounters, its inhabitants. I quit school two months ago. But in the drink of a drunk, I learn. In the rage of a switchblade, I learn. Then there’s sex. I love sex and its creatures. I love those who do it, at night . . . [. . .] When only vampires and lunatics lurk.
Star, the oldest and most painfully self-conscious about her age and appearance, is seeking her lost son, with whom, against all laws above and below, she fell deeply in love.
STUD: Who is he?
STAR: It’s him. My heart. The love of my life. My son. I left everything for him. [. . .] For months, it continued. We were so close, dying to touch, but never daring. Each day ended with the same prayer.
Proper and improper names aside, the same unease applies to the hosts. Ali is haunted by dreams of a mysterious, faceless lover, and Matthias has not only grown increasingly weary of these parties, but is also torn between his desire for Ali’s happiness and his jealousy of all the lovers she takes. Their passion and devotion to each other aren’t lacking, yet it seems to be that same passion and devotion shared with others, indeed, their very pansexuality, which poses a threat to their relationship.
MATTHIAS: (Trembling) I don’t want to die. I’m afraid of leaving you alone.
ALI: (Trying to reassure him) Everything will be fine. Tonight, you’ll regain your strength. Your color.
MATTHIAS: (Turning away) But for how long? I’ve had it with these parties. All these people you give yourself to.
ALI: (Serious) Matthias . . . promise me you won’t be jealous this time. You know . . . you always want to stay. But you don’t have to.
MATTHIAS: I enjoy seeing you so happy.
ALI: You’re the one I love. I will always love you.
MATTHIAS: (Sighs) “Always” is a bore. A dead bore. “Now” is what matters. Tell me.
Udo is the loyal and devoted glue that helps keep the couple together, the impish “servant” who keeps the fun going, and the wise protector of the sanctity of love. Beneath her flirtatious dialogue and seductive manner is a deep respect and understanding of the heart, its emotions, its desires, its pains. Though she, too, wants to reap all the benefits of this and any other orgy, it is never at the expense of her partners’ own pleasure.
SLUT: (Her arms lazily on Stud’s shoulders) Wanna show us the goods?
UDO: Patience. (Turning the music off) We have plenty of time. Someone’s still coming. (Crossing her arms in subtle disapproval) Can’t we get to know each other? Ever heard of class?
[. . .]
ALI: (Miserable) I have nothing to offer.
UDO: (Perceptively) You have more than you know. Before the war, I observed you and Matthias. I’ve never known a more luminous, intoxicating couple. [. . .] You will have eternal life, like me. Together we will reap the pleasures of youth.
ALI: (In wonder) You’re like Jesus.
UDO: (Almost carelessly) Yes, only worse.
Not unlike The Breakfast Club, which I feel could easily be enacted on stage, You and the Night as a surreal play-like feel to it, not only because of the deliberate character typecasts and romantic dialogue, but because of how the characters’ stories, when shown on screen, feature enclosed spaces, fake-looking “props,” and “extras” with exaggerated personalities, and require a great suspension of disbelief from both the in-film audience and the real audience. The most telling example is Ali and Matthias’ story. Without delving into spoilers, their supposed history is nothing short of a fairy tale, complete with impossible odds and love conquering all. But belief or disbelief in these stories isn’t the point. The point is escape from dull and treacherous reality. Everyone in their own way seems desperate not to destroy the safe, comforting, and magical illusion they’ve created inside the bubble of the apartment, held together only by their nonjudgmental views and boundless imagination.
STAR: (Irritated) Honestly, don’t tell me you bought all that!
STUD: (Calmly) Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. It’s their story. Have you lost your ability to believe?
[. . .]
ALI: And now?
MATTIAS: Now, we leave.
STAR: Away from this sadness?
UDO: Yes, all together.
STUD: On the streets. The deserted city. On the road, to the forest.
SLUT: Is this a dream?
TEEN: It’s a journey. Coming?
SLUT: Yes.
To make yet another Breakfast Club comparison: the soundtrack. If you were to swap the end credit themes of both of these films— “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds and M83’s “Un Nouveau Soleil” —the result may not be as jarring as you think despite the former’s 80’s Rock and the latter’s French Electronic. Granted, the pieces here are much more bittersweet; stunning and transcendent in the moment, but laced with sadness and loss. Still, just like the “Brain,” “Athlete,” “Basket Case,” “Princess,” and “Criminal,” these assorted misfits don’t know what the future will bring when their time together is over, but in the end, one can hear their hopeful, even triumphant, vow to cherish the memories they’ve made as they say their farewells for the night—and possibly for the last time.
What began as a chance to both indulge in one of my favorite bands and expand my storytelling genre horizons ended in a greater knowledge, if not understanding, of the human condition through sexuality. Many, of course, won’t like You and the Night, due to its minimal plot, blatant promiscuity, unapologetic obscenity, apparent pretentiousness, or any combination thereof. But it may help to go in expecting not a celebrated masterpiece of French auteurism, but rather, an interesting filmmaking experiment and an exploration of how and why humans can make sex somehow cruder and more sublime at the same time. And what can be more deliciously mysterious than the human heart?
CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” - Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONG:
“Secret Admirers” - Sean Zarn
https://www.facebook.com/sean.zarn
“Secret Admirers” - Sean Zarn
https://www.facebook.com/sean.zarn
All other music and sound clips are from You and the Night (directed by Yann Gonzalez; production by Sedna Films and Garidi Films; distributed by Potemkine Films).
OST SONG:
“Un Nouveau Soleil” - M83
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
You and the Night on Wikipedia
Yann Gonzalez on Wikipedia
You and the Night on IMDb
You and the Night on Rotten Tomatoes
You and the Night at Barnes & Noble
You and the Night on Amazon
You and the Night on eBay
^^ Back to Movies, Short Films, and Other Works of Cinema
OST SONG:
“Un Nouveau Soleil” - M83
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
You and the Night on Wikipedia
Yann Gonzalez on Wikipedia
You and the Night on IMDb
You and the Night on Rotten Tomatoes
You and the Night at Barnes & Noble
You and the Night on Amazon
You and the Night on eBay
^^ Back to Movies, Short Films, and Other Works of Cinema
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