‘World of Glory’: Roy Andersson’s stunning comeback
When we discuss some of the most enigmatic filmmakers working today, the name of Swedish auteur Roy Andersson inevitably pops up. Having won the hearts of cinephiles all over the world with masterpieces like Songs from the Second Floor and You, the Living, Andersson’s unique sense of humour is the perfect fit for the cinematic medium. His absurdist brand of comedy is always transgressive, pushing the audience to think about the images on the screen.
Andersson found success early on in his career, with his debut feature – A Swedish Love Story earning critical acclaim all over the world. A fresh graduate of the Swedish Film Institute, the emerging filmmaker was influenced by the Czech New Wave to make a refreshing film about young love. However, the success of A Swedish Love Story adversely affected Andersson, who became depressed about being constantly associated with that particular cinematic style.
During a conversation with MUBI, Andersson explained: “I couldn’t find the so-called ‘realism’ or ‘naturalism’ interesting any longer. My first movie, Swedish Love Story—it was good, I think. It’s very good for that style. It has good acting, and it’s very spiritual and very impressive. But I felt that I couldn’t go further with that style. So with Giliap, I started the process of finding the style I’m at now. More abstract, more planned. More abstract visually.”
The filmmaker added: “Even in art, I’ve become closer to abstract painting. I haven’t gone to the non-figurative. I like it both figurative and abstract. All of these things you and I are talking about now—expressionism, impressionism, simplicity—I think that, within us, we have all of these things. My abstract side was always there. After having passed naturalism and realism, I found that side of myself. I used it to condense and purify and simplify the scenes.”
Despite Andersson’s efforts to reinvent himself with his 1975 drama Gilliap, the project turned out to be a catastrophic financial and critical failure. Although the director insisted that the world wasn’t ready for Gilliap, Andersson took a long hiatus from cinema and ventured into the world of commercials instead. That’s why his critical comeback, the 1991 film World of Glory, surprised many since it was the first time Andersson’s characteristic cinematic style was on full display.
It’s a fairly simple collection of vignettes following a man who presents various parts of his life and the overwhelmingly bleak world he inhabits. However, Andersson doesn’t pull any punches. Right from the opening shot of children being gassed in the back of a truck (or a mobile death unit), it is evident that this is the work of a filmmaker who doesn’t know fear. That opening shot is actually the perfect introduction to Andersson’s delightfully depressing body of work.
Devoid of any emotions, the man guides us through his job as a real estate broker and other segments of his ordinary life, but it’s the world that generates the most curiosity. Andersson’s cinematic universe doesn’t operate on the same logical frameworks as ours, coming across as a grotesque extension of the worst parts of our society. While Andersson would go on to reach greater artistic heights, World of Glory will always stand out. Inspired by the great Krzysztof Kieślowski, Andersson’s return to cinema is a glorious one, unlike the dreadful world featured in the film.
Watch the film below.
