How I’ve decided to translate this film for THE BEARD is with frozen frames. The main focus being juxtaposing the first and final moments Jean-Baptiste appears and disappears. The images have been purposely placed together to infect and cure each other. The female essence in this film is distilled forming liquid scent. Jean-Baptiste’s own absence of scent turns him into a thief. What he steals is what cannot be taken separate from breath. In Grasse on a mountain on the French Riviera, he awakes with a beard, unable to smell himself, for the first time in his life he realizes he has no smell of his own. This series of stills mixes the discovery of scent throughout the film, with the beginning and end combined. Desire and immortality are explored through the expressions of mortal stenches produced by human passion and biology. With each corpse Jean-Baptiste comes closer to his unique creation, a creation which brings all sense in humanity and even the church to its knees. Physical divine honours his self sacrifice in this film.
Giuseppe Baldini “Just like a musical cord a perfume cord contains four essences or notes, carefully selected for their harmonic affinity. Each perfume contains three cords, the head, the heart and the base, necessitating twelve notes in all. The head cord contains the first impression lasting a few minutes, before giving way to the heart cord the theme of the perfume lasting several hours, finally the base cord the trail of the perfume lasting several days. The ancient Egyptians believed one can only create a truly original perfume by adding an extra note one final essence that will bring out and dominate the others.” ....
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille “The soul of beings is their scent. You said that master.” Giuseppe Baldini “Did I?” Jean-Baptiste Grenouille “I will make you as many perfumes as you want but you have to teach me how to capture the smell of all things. Can you do that?” Baldini “Well, I’ll try.” Jean-Baptiste Grenouille “Then teach me everything you know. And I’ll make you the best perfume in the whole world.”
CONSTANTIN FILMS translated for THE BEARD Editor: sanadivine@gmail.com