Scattered Notes on Super Deluxe: “What Does It All Mean?”

What Does It All Mean? [A Note About the Movie's Much-Celebrated Interconnectedness After Its OTT Release]

Now that Super Deluxe is available online, can someone write about what the allusions and echoes between disparate strands, so consciously and painstakingly constructed, actually amount to? Rewatching different segments only points to more and more consciously laid out elements. (A lot of them visually in the backdrop and/or as ambient sound. There are some echoes in similarity of scenarios/situations but they aren't baffling and produces *some* effect.) I find the reading that "you viewer might be tempted to interconnect these arbitrary incidents but no, these are mere accidents" more than a bit humourless for a film that formally invests in designing and constructing the overlaps. I'm myself convinced that's not Kumararaja's idea (though I remain baffled as to why he plays out these plotty allusions then!) and more curious about discussions on how the film coheres into a commentary on sex, taboo, faith or what have you,... that leans towards any philosophical position.

[Another round of exchange with @alokranj]

@alokranj: This from that ending monologue is one of the keys: 

"Understanding patterns, reasoning, and rationalizing

moved humans to the next level in evolution. But when we started connecting unrelated events, and concocted meanings, beliefs and religions were born."

So just like in the real world, the events we just saw over the last couple of hours were random, unconnected and meaningless in themselves but it is up to us to ascribe connections & meanings on to them. Also the idea of sex as the key to the essential mystery (and hence the beauty) of life and also the tentative and partial nature of truth & morality are also alluded to in that monologue. That last 10 minute is a masterclass in editing, writing, filmmaking.

@equanimus: Oh yeah, I'm also referring to the bit about "connecting unrelated events" in the monologue, as to how the whole film reflects on it. We already debated what to make of things said at the ending here: https://twitter.com/equanimus/status/1122261741373542400. (I hope I don't belabour the same arguments again which I'm sure will make you regret responding here!) I'm in agreement with the point that the film suggests "it is up to us to ascribe connections & meanings on to them." But would perhaps add that it is in some ways just a tautological statement.

What's perplexing is the extent of formal investment in creating these overlaps in the artwork, sound and so on. Of course, the medium is everything and I wouldn't question artists going to obsessive levels to realise things. But if the idea is that "I as the storyteller have placed *only a 'not unusual' level* of overlap in these events but you as a viewer might go overboard," I find that a nonexistent distinction and the premise a bit amusing. Especially for a film (even if not otherwise plot-heavy) whose key strokes rely on actual twists (most of it fairly early in the film but some later as well; diamonds inside statues? the only bad guy is killed after all?!). As opposed to portraying something more internal to the characters. I don't mean more monologues and such but simply where the characters are not stuck with plot situations to deal with till the end. And a film which explicitly designs/places all these elements. Isn't the good old suggestion that the storyteller/filmmaker is like god in his/her universe (and the filmmakers having some storytelling fun with this) simply the truer position to take here?

But yes, (coming to your second point) the idea of sexuality as the key in all these strands, much differently as they play out, is a compelling dimension, and what kept me glued till the ending. (The contrast of the absurdly frivoulous and strange story of the boys to the utterly grave situations in other strands is particularly effective.) The startling ending is one of the film's high moments and undeniably charming. But, in my viewing, it is also a heady turn to dazzle us, more pleasurable than meaningful. What was also really disappointing was the many broadish things said, often not cohering with everything we've seen until then and in some bits not even within the monologue. To my mind, (at the risk of coming off as the dull long-faced person in the room who can't have fun) only more issues emerge. Let me expand on some of the complaints I previously made about philosophical ideas being glib, not cohering and such.

Firstly, "the tentative and partial nature of truth": Surely, what we see in the film is much more of perversions of some people harming/torturing others than people judging/ostracising people based on morality? Stated differently, it's not like bad things we witness happen because of misplaced moralities? Sure, some characters use it as justification but the distinction between people who harm and not is very clear within the film! Berlin or Leela's son are not simply ostracising Vaembu or Leela but are out to 'sinning' even if one sticks to the oldest of moral traditions! OTOH, other characters who are affected in some way simply find their way to accepting things. And (this is apparent only in subsequent viewings) even the reflection "In a world where so much good exists..." sits awkwardly in the universe of this story. I'd argue, the implausible happy endings (the film intends them to be that way, not my characterisation) and the pleasant music just segues us into buying this idea. What's otherwise the unusual good we have witnessed till then?!

And what makes this "10000 feet view" philosophizing even accessible/palatable to contemporary ethical discourse/today's liberal viewers (whom I don't mean to skewer at all here) is that there's a clear indictment of some things that are so current and immediate; and of those who don't let others live and overstep their time here by imposing arbitrary (and sometimes convenient) moral codes on people around them. All this is par for the course for a liberal film today, but going about the "yin and yang" unity of good and evil et al. is a roundabout way to assert something as straightforward as this.

And what do we make of the lines just before this? "In a way, this colossal universe exists only for you" It comes off like a mis-rendering of nondualism for contemporary individualist/hedonist world. (It's not a subtitle issue of "in your view" becoming "for you." In Tamil, it's even clearer: "ஆக, இந்த அண்டசராசரம் அனைத்துமே உன்னொருவனக்காகத் தான் படைக்கப்பட்டிருக்கு.") Isn't the underlying idea here of "living life to the fullest" minimally at loggerheads with the idea of "live and let others live" platitude we see above?

Which brings me to the "we are all one" bit. Isn't this played out like we all were always meant to be in a universal harmony, all parts of a universal whole, and out of our lack of understanding the universe and ourselves, we stage struggles and conflicts within ourselves? To be fair, here it's just a passing reference; even if this was put forth very seriously and rigorously, I'd still have a philosophical disagreement. But it's a telling indication of how many "nice to hear" things get mixed up here. My own view (pardon the dropping of quotes) aligns with the view Slavoj Zizek puts forth here, superbly questioning this idea: https://ytcropper.com/cropped/U95d32b4b6183c9.

@alokranj: Very illuminating. I specially liked your point about the contrast between how serious the portrayal of evil was as compared to the feebleness of philosophising about perspectives, prejudices & truth. In the monologue there is also a line about good and evil like day and night but ultimately being the same. This is a sticky territory, but a lot of religious and mystical philosophy does say the same thing. I don't agree with it but I find it interesting to think about.

I wanted to ask you something - can you tell me what is written in tamil on the advertisement outside of the porn theatre (just when the three kids enter it) - it is about 10 minute to the ending. The advertisement is about "super deluxe" icecream. There is something written in Tamil on the board.

There is  also a super deluxe signboard where the alien girl is talking about the oneness of everything.

@equanimus: Yeah, the tag line for the ice cream brand. It is "கடைசி துளி வரை இன்பமே" (just double-checked). Roughly translates to "Pleasure until the last drop."

@alokranj: thanks, wonder if there is any sexual double entendre implied here😛😛

@equanimus: No doubt about that.😀