KinoTopia 070: The Beast (Bertrand Bonello, 2023)
Resident scientist Madeleine H. puts THE BEAST under the microscope
The Beast
(Bertrand Bonello, 2023)
DCP Courtesy: Rialto Distribution
Classification: M
Screening only at Cinema Nova
Words by Madeleine Harris
When the KinoTopia editors suggested I review Bertrand Bonello’s new film The Beast (La Bête), after seeing the trailer at the cinema, I was sold. Despite my initial hesitation upon taking Bruno’s offer for me to be KT’s official ‘Science Attache’, this finally seemed like a film that might fall upon my cinematic jurisdiction. I work in the field of human genomics (basically an expanded version of genetics) and always enjoy seeing a bit of biology seep into cinema. Upon my second watch of the trailer, wow I thought, the concept of DNA purification, could this be epigenetics?
For anyone unacquainted, epigenetics is the study of changes to DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid if you want to get technical) that affects the output without actually changing the genetic code (GTAC to bring back high school biology lessons). Epigenetics causes changes to gene expression resulting in a change of the end product. Importantly, epigenetic changes can affect multiple generations, this is called transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Going into The Beast, knowing it was based over multiple generations and linking experiences across them, I wondered if this film was the director’s own take on epigenetics and how experiences across multiple generations and the genetic memories of one’s own ancestors could shape one’s life. I was looking forward to possibly seeing this explored in more detail.
The film is set across three generations and follows what could be described as a love story between Garielle (Lea Séydoux) and Louis (George MacKay). The present day is 2044 and artificial intelligence has taken over, humans are assigned to menial and mindless jobs as their emotions are seen to cloud their decision-making capacity. Humans are only able to progress to a job with more responsibility once they have under-gone ‘DNA purification’, which removes the emotional impact of past-lives and therefore improves human’s judgement and reasoning skills. This is where I thought the parallel of epigenetics may come into play, possibly the emotional impact is akin to transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Séydoux’s character decides to undergo the purification process as she has become bored with her job. She expresses some hesitation but ultimately decides to go ahead.
Once the purification process begins, we are transported back to 1910 in Paris where Gabrielle meets Louis at a party. Louis describes the first time he met Gabrielle many years ago, and recounts that she told her about her fear that something awful is going to happen to her. This is a theme that continues throughout the rest of the film and is inspired by Henry James’ 1901 story ‘The Beast in the Jungle’. The next DNA purification event, Gabrielle recounts her past-life from 2024, in Los Angeles. She is a French wannabe actor trying to make it in LA. We also meet Louis, who plays a man who sees himself as hard-done by and feels owed something by the world. In the present day, a quiet, spare and seemingly post-AI Paris in 2044, Seydoux’s Geibrielle meets the current iteration of Mackay’s character, who also plans to undergo the DNA-purification process.
I’m not going to lie, after watching, I was disappointed about the lack of science, it is no Gattaca per se. The DNA purification appeared to be more sci-fi than science, it only was a minor part and wasn’t the focus of the film. If I had to make a comparison, I’d say the DNA purification process was more akin to gene editing than epigenetics. Interestingly, gene editing is possible and has been shown to be an effective tool against disease (e.g. sickle cell gene therapy using genetic editing). But for now, gene editing to remove emotions, memories or past lives appears impossible especially when this is not controlled genetics alone! I will say, what The Beast lacked in science it made up for in indulgence, and despite Bonello's crimes against logic, the film was thoroughly enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The Beast seamlessly traversed continents, centuries and a range of genres ranging from (melo)drama, fantasy, sci-fi, incel-thriller (think Spree) and ultimately horror.
It’d be remiss not to mention Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which shares at least thematic and lots of pseudo-scientific similarity to The Beast. But where Jim Carey’s pixie-dream girl romance verged on cringe, The Beast’s century spanning romance, despite how outlandish the whole premise is, felt truthful. Another major difference between the two films is the casting, yes the Y2K coded performance of Winslet will live long in lookbooks and moodboards for centuries, the imperious Lea Séydoux played her various roles with a slight paradoxical mix of intensity and vulnerability, with Seydoux masterfully suppressing certain emotions between iterations of her lifetimes. Similarly, I felt that MacKay, who KT editors assure me is a career-best turn for the actor, performed his multiple roles, which range from French aristocrat to rampaging incel was an incredible poise. I’ve only seen Mackay star in what one of the KT editors would label as a ‘stinker’, including recently a hideous British comedy called A Guide to Second Date Sex, but after this and some reflection, but seemingly with an ambitious script with more than a few French lines, MacKay can ‘very much tread the boards’.
Finally, the film’s two hours and 26 minutes felt excessive, like so many films with a similar run time, it could have been cut down to two hours without harming either the plot or character development. But given the entire film is at the whim of Bonello’s indulgence, maybe it was just right. If I were a judge ruling over crimes against scientific reason, I'd be forced to lock Bonello up and throw away the key. But luckily I’m a humble genetics researcher with a penchant for arthouse cinema, and in this iteration of my soul's journey through history, I think The Beast is worth the watch.
A final tip - don’t do as I did and leave as the credits roll, make sure to stay for the mid-credits scene!
WEEKLY FILM LISTINGS
Thurs 20 June - 27 June
Matinees
Focus on Ousmane Sembène
Hirokazu Koreeda, 2023
Screening Thu 20th - Sun 30th
The Teachers’ Lounge
Ilker Catak, 2023
Screening Sat - Sun
Blackboards
Samira Makhalbaf, 2000
Screening Wed 26 June 7pm
Two-Legged Horse
Samira Makhmalbaf, 2008
Wed 26 June 8:40pm
New Voices in Australian Cinema
Art + Film: Grape Steak
Jen Atherton & André Shannon, 2023
Tues 25th June 6:30pm
AFW + NFSA #66 Paul Winkler - Australian Visions
Tues 25 June 7:30pm
ASTOR CINEMA
Un Chien Andalou + The Golden Age (Double Feature)
Luis Buñuel, 1929 + 1930
Screening Sun 23 June 2:00pm
Commando With Vernon Wells Live!
Mark L. Lester, 1985
Screening Tuesday 25 June 7:00pm
Terminator 2: Judgement Day with Robert Patrick Live!
James Cameron (never doubt him), 1991
Screening Wed 26 June 7:00pm
BBBC CINEMA (GALLERYGALLERY BRUNSWICK)
Go here for program
No screening this week
CHINATOWN CINEMA
Haiku!! The Dumpster Battle
Susumu Mitsunaka, 2024
Screening Daily
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Wes Ball, 2024
Screening Daily
CINÉ-CLUB (Carlton)
Closed for winter
No screening this week
New Release
The Beast
Bertrand Bonello, 2023
Screening Daily
All About my Mother
Pedro Almodovar, 1999
Screening Daily
Radical
Christopher Zalla, 2023
Screening Thursday
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
George Miller, 2024
Screening Daily
A Great Friend
Eric Besnard, 2023
Screening Daily
General Release
The Way, My Way
Bill Bennett, 2024
Screening Daily
The Three Musketeers: D'artagnan
Martin Bourboulon, 2023
Screening Daily
Housekeeping for Beginners
Goran Stolevski, 2023
Screening daily
Monster
Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2023
Screening daily
Parasite (B&W and in Colour)
Bong Joon Ho, 2019
Screening 27 June 20:30
Fremont
Babak Jalali, 2023
Screening Daily
The Taste of Things
Tran Anh Hung, 2023
Screening Daily
The Teacher’s Lounge
Ilker Çatak, 2023
Screening Daily
Challengers
Luca Guadagnino, 2024
Screening Daily
Freud’s Last Session
Matt Brown, 2023
Screening Daily
Evil Does Not Exist
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, 2023
Screening Daily
La Chimera
Alice Rohrwacher, 2023
Screening Daily
DOGMILK DEGUSTATIONS: @ Miscellania
No screening week
Check the Facebook
GAY24 (Bar Flippy’s)
No screening this week
HITLIST (9 Gertrude St, Fitzroy)
Shut for now
LIDO / CLASSIC / CAMEO
General Release
Radical
Christopher Zalla, 2023
Screening Thursday
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
George Miller, 2024
Screening Daily
The Way, My Way
Bill Bennett, 2024
Screening Daily
Housekeeping for Beginners
Goran Stolevski, 2023
Screening daily
Golda
Guy Nattiv, 2023
Screening Daily
Monster
Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2023
Screening daily
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
Neo Sora, 2023
Weekend Screenings
Fremont
Babak Jalali, 2023
Screening Daily
The Taste of Things
Tran Anh Hung, 2023
Screening Daily
The Teacher’s Lounge
Ilker Çatak, 2023
Screening Daily
Spy X Family Code White
Takashi Katagiri, 2024
Screening daily
Challengers
Luca Guadagnino, 2024
Screening Daily
Freud’s Last Session
Matt Brown, 2023
Screening Daily
Evil Does Not Exist
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, 2023
Screening Daily
Late Night with the Devil
Cairnes Brothers’, 2023
Screening Daily
Civil War
Alex Garland, 2023
Screening Daily
OVA CLUB
No screening this week
THE MELBOURNE CINÉMATHÈQUE (ACMI)
THE APPLE
Samira Makhmalbaf (1998)
Wednesday 7:00pm
TWO-LEGGED HORSE
Samira Makhmalbaf (2008)
Wednesday 8:40pm
TOP OF THE HEAP (Tramway Hotel)
No screening this week
No screening this week
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY: SCREENING IDEAS
No screening this week
PALACE BALWYN / BRIGHTON / COMO / KINO / PENTRIDGE / MOONEE PONDS / WESTGARTH
German Film Festival - Tickets Here
General Release
Radical
Christopher Zalla, 2023
Screening Thursday
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
George Miller, 2024
Screening Daily
A Great Friend
Eric Besnard, 2023
Screening Daily
The Way, My Way
Bill Bennett, 2024
Screening Daily
The Three Musketeers: D'artagnan
Martin Bourboulon, 2023
Screening Daily
Fremont
Babak Jalali, 2023
Screening Daily
The Taste of Things
Tran Anh Hung, 2023
Screening Daily
Challengers
Luca Guadagnino, 2024
Screening Daily
Freud’s Last Session
Matt Brown, 2023
Screening Daily
La Chimera
Alice Rohrwacher, 2023
Screening Daily
Late Night with the Devil
Cairnes Brothers’, 2023
Screening Daily
Civil War
Alex Garland, 2023
Screening Daily
No screening this week
General Release
Radical
Christopher Zalla, 2023
Screening Thursday
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
George Miller, 2024
Screening Daily
The Way, My Way
Bill Bennett, 2024
Screening Daily
Housekeeping for Beginners
Goran Stolevski, 2023
Screening daily
Golda
Guy Nattiv, 2023
Screening Daily
Monster
Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2023
Screening daily
Fremont
Babak Jalali, 2023
Screening Daily
The Taste of Things
Tran Anh Hung, 2023
Screening Daily
Challengers
Luca Guadagnino, 2024
Screening Daily
Freud’s Last Session
Matt Brown, 2023
Screening Daily
Robot Dreams
Pablo Berger, 2023
Screening Daily
La Chimera
Alice Rohrwacher, 2023
Screening Daily
Late Night with the Devil
Cairnes Brothers’, 2023
Screening Daily
La Chimera
Alice Rohrwacher
Screening Thursday, Sat, Sun, Tues
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
George Miller, 2024
Screening Friday, Wed
High and Low - John Galliano
Jevin Macdonald, 2024
Screening Friday, Sunday, Mon, Wed
La Haine
Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995
Screening Saturday, Mon
UNKNOWN PLEASURES @ Thornbury Picture House
No screening this week - shut until July