The Book of Life (1998)

Director: Hal Hartley

Over the course of nine years, Hal Hartley came a long way thematically from his examination of small-town affairs in films like The Unbelievable Truth (1989): the plot of this hour-long feature revolves around the impending apocalypse. Yet in tone The Book of Life is no less intimate, or less characteristic of Hartley, than its predecessors.

For fans, this feeling is perhaps aided by the fact that the roles of Jesus and Satan are filled by Hartley regulars Martin Donovan and Thomas Jay Ryan respectively, and that their personae here bear some similarities to those in previous films. Any fan of innovative American independent cinema, however, whether Hartley admirer or newcomer (as I was when I first saw this masterpiece), can appreciate the intelligent, witty dialogue, which is engaging and thought-provoking without being pretentious; the pitch-perfect performances, which balance eccentricity and poignancy without straining; and the endearingly murky, often slow and washed-out digital camerawork, which works well with the fantastic ambient soundtrack to create a trippy, dreamy atmosphere.

The apparent low budget adds to the sense of intimacy, and shows how a great writer-director can use constraints to their advantage if they are creative enough. Another triumph from one of the most consistently imaginative voices in modern cinema.