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Raymond at La Pantera Rosa IN ANOTHER LIFE

posted 12 years ago by famousmortimer-2
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When Raymond meets Peck at the cop hangout early in the film, Peck tries to tempt him with Kee.

Raymond looks her over and politely states “in another life.”

Peck cannot help but smirk at Raymond’s goody-goody uprightness and replies “You may not get another life.”

Later, when Peck has driven Raymond to the dark place and caused him to turn on his wife, Raymond ends up at his cousin’s divey dance club La Pantera Rosa.

In his drunken delirium, a red-bathed land of carnal pleasures, he sees Kee and is about to be dominated by her in the back room when Peck approaches with that same smirk. That Raymond shoots Peck in his dream only to shoot him again in close to the same spot at the finale gives everything an otherworldly quality. Raymond was powerful enough to resist Peck on the other side and therefore can triumph in their final confrontation in reality.

This sequence and the set up at the cop hangout touch on the idea of the night journey (also explored in Eyes Wide Shut) and reinforces just how well this film works at all levels.

[–] Sonofcelluloid 11 years ago

It's interesting that Kubrick used the same 'blue effect shot' in Eyes Wide Shut to convey character's inner thought of his wife making love to another man.

I wonder if Kubrick saw Internal Affairs and lifted the idea from there or was this just coincidence?

[–] famousmortimer-2 11 years ago

I have the feeling he not only screened INTERNAL AFFAIRS, but probably had Figgis out to his estate for dinner. Apparently Kubrick entertained many younger filmmakers that had his attention re their craft. Roman Polanski, Michael Cimino, James Cameron, Neil Jordan, etc. Kubrick was always eager to keep his skill set sharp.

I think the lift is intentional and loving. The same as his gliding dolly shots owing to Ophuls' work.