The Erotic Dream Machine: Interviews with Alain Robbe-Grillet on His Films

by Anthony N. Fragola, Roch Charles Smith

In a revealing series of interviews, Anthony N. Fragola and Roch C. Smith examine all nine of Robbe-Grillet’s films, specifically exploring the cultural milieu to which the films are closely related. Readers are encouraged to view Robbe-Grillet from a variety of as the auteur who probes various stylistic techniques and devices, especially the use of eroticism as a structural metaphor; as the international artist; as the detached observer; and as the impassioned creator. The nine films covered are Last Year at Marienbad, L’Immortelle, Trans-Europ-Express, The Man Who Lies, Eden and After, N Took the Dice, The Progressive Slidings of Pleasure, Playing with Fire, and La Belle Captive. Along with interviews available nowhere else, this book includes a gallery of illustrations from Robbe-Grillet’s films as well as a filmography and bibliography of work by and about Robbe-Grillet.

Genres: Film

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can be more obscure (therefore cool) than a collection of interviews with the chief architect of the 'new novel' about films he made that one cannot see. Alain Robbe-Grillet has always been part of my Grove Press 60's collection. His work is very sexy by the way - but I imagine the films must be amazing. He's now around 80, and just put out a new novel in France. How great is that!

But back to this book, you know someone is going to put out the complete films of Robbe-Grillet on DVD, and with this book I am going to be way ahead of the gang. And saying that, the interviews are really interesting.

[Ebrahim Barzegar · Rating 5 out of 5]

کتابی برای دوستداران سینما و ادبیات

[Adam Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crucial series of interviews with Robbe-Grillet and his films. Worth checking out if you’re interested in that sort of thing.

[Shane James Bordas · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, Robbe-Grillet articulates just about everything I had wanted to hear about the manipulation, and ultimate power, of film art. At last, I now have a reference which affirms my deepest held suspicions in regards to the plasticity of a film's narrative and the greater function of the medium as a whole.

Having discovered Robbe-Grillet's films more recently, I was distressed at the apparent lack of thought available on his works in English so this book was a godsend discovery. Speaking as a no-budget DV filmmaker, this slender tome has revitalized my outlook and is one I will most certainly re-read and re-read.