As fully expected, Peter Greenaway’s latest endeavour, Goltzius and the Pelican Company, is a sexually charged, surreal and abstract feature film. Fans of the unique auteur, or simply those familiar with his work, will be nonplussed as to the unconventionality of the piece, and fully aware of what they’re getting themselves in for. Conversely, those who haven’t yet seen a Greenaway production, will be wondering just when they’re going to awake from this somewhat deranged daydream.
Ramsey Nasr plays Goltzius, a printmaker who hopes to convince the distinguished, if erratic, totalitarian The Margrave (F. Murray Abraham), who we’re introduced to when on the toilet, calmly peeling an apple. The aim is to convince him to part with some of his wealth, in exchange for live entertainment, performed by Goltzius’ elaborate troupe. However the several vignettes they display provoke much controversy and discussion, as they explore the great taboos of sex and religion, influenced, primarily, from biblical tales.
Greenaway, as he often does, explores sexuality so fervently and candidly, in this instance looking at the taboos that have existed throughout the entirety of mankind, as the company of actors first perform the tale of Adam and Eve, with the clear and succinct message that as a race we’re so inherently similar, led by lust and desire. Goltzius is intrigued by the more debauched, libidinous side to sex, ranging from adultery to prostitution to voyeurism. The film avoids ridicule however, and the illicit nature of the acts are normalised and made to feel instinctive, as Greenway plays on the notion of imperfection, and how as a race we’re flawed.
The study of the marriage between sex and culture is a fascinating one too, as each act displayed or commented upon, is embellished by the use of art – be it Samson and Delilah, or the story of Pero and Cimon in Roman Charity, we see various artistic interpretations on screen, with paintings from across centuries, depicting the act. The theme of voyeurism is one also studied in depth, and done so in a somewhat self-referential manner (enhanced by the eponymous protagonist’s narration to camera) and how cinema as an art-form is a form of voyeurism itself, and we, the audience, are the voyeur.
Yet in spite of the various fascinating elements to this narrative, where Greenaway struggles, is by attempting to cover too much ground, and he can perhaps be accused of being over-ambitious in that regard. Sex and religion are naturally key themes, but race is also thrown into the mix, as The Margrave has a collective of slaves working for him – though many of them aren’t played by black actors, but caucasians painted black. Each theme explored is rich enough to warrant a whole movie of its own, and there are only so many messages to convey in a film, and taboos to tackle, and this struggles to cope with the myriad of topics.
Goltzius and the Pelican Company is undoubtedly a film that many people will despise, but Greenaway isn’t making this for them, and instead the established, loyal audience he has collated across the many years he has been in this industry, who are likely to appreciate this offering. Even those unsure will be able to admit it’s certainly a memorable piece, complete with a distinctively baroque aesthetic that is somewhat difficult to forget – whether you like it or not.
