AmbivalenceandDisplacementinMichaelHanekesCach MaryCaputi DepartmentofPoliticalScience CaliforniaStateUniversity,LongBeach mcaputi@csulb.

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Cach:CinemaasTrauma InhisreviewofMichaelHanekes2005filmCach,criticRogerEbert (2007)declaredthatthefilmsucceedspreciselybecauseitleavesushanging (Ebert2007).Ebertwasreferringtothemannerinwhichthefilmsstoryline remainsunresolved,sincethemaincharacters,GeorgesandAnneLaurent, neverdiscoverwhoisresponsibleforsendingdisturbingvideostotheirhome. Thesevideosofferaneerilystraightforward,eerilyfocusedtapingofthefamilys life.SomeindulgeavoyeuristicimpulsetostarelongandhardattheLaurents townhouse,situatedonaquietParisiansidestreet,wheretheylivewiththeir twelveyearoldson.Verylittlehappensinthesevisualchroniclesexecutedwith steelyprecision:occasionallythereisapasserby,oracarenroute,orsomeone emergingfromabuilding.OthervideostakeustodifferentpartsofParis,and eventothehomeinthecountrywhereGeorgesgrewup.Thesteady,silent gazeoftheunknowncameramanischilling,anditsunwaveringpresence suggestsahardenedintention. Morevideos,evenmoredisturbing,beginarrivinguntiltheLaurentfamily istrulyterrorized.Onevideoagainrecordsthestreetwherethefamilylives,this timeaccompaniedbyachildishdrawingofafacespittingblood.Themonotony andquietoftheserecordings,alongwiththeirunwaveringfocus,alloweveryday

eventstoassumeanuncannyquality,asthoughthecamerawereintenton capturingaluridundersideoftheLaurentsdailylife.Importantly,theviewerof Cachbeginstoseesimilaritiesinthefilmingstyleofthevideos:i.e.,inthe distanceofthecamera,thefrontandcenterangle,thefactthatthecamera nevermoves.Thevideosallseemtobetheworkofonepairofeyes.But whose?Andwhatisthesecretthattheyaretryingtounveil? Asthefilmunfolds,webegintounderstandthattheunblinkinggaze focusedontheLaurentsinfactrevealsadimensionofthesurroundingsocietyat large.Justastheunknownfilmmakerseekstodisclosesomethinghidden cachaboutGeorgesLaurent,sodoesHanekeaimatdisclosingadimension ofcontemporaryFrenchsocietythat,tomany,remainshidden.Andthathidden dimensionistheimprimaturoftrauma.Boththefilmitselfandthevideosthat makeupitsstorylineunmaskthefrequentlydisguised,frequentlyburiedtrauma ofacolonialpastwhosescarsgounseen,butwhichcanbeobservedbythe discerningeye.Intentuponthepresent,thesevideosbearwitnesstoatraumatic colonialheritage,andtothescarringtraumaofanongoingpostcolonialcondition fromwhichthenationasawholehasnotyethealed.Throughthestoryofthe LaurentfamilyrecordedinCach,wethusencounteramicrocosmforalarger culturalmalaisethatpermeatesFrenchsocietyandbyextension,allsocieties thatclaimacolonizingpast. Traumaisdefinedasexperiencewhich,becauseofitsdisturbingcontent, cannotbeintegratedintolifeslargernarrative.Itisadeeplyunsettling experiencethatdoesnotmeshwiththestorylineintowhichitissupposedtofit.

Traumaisthusoftenexperiencedasflashbacksthattheindividualcannot integrateintohisorherlifestrajectory,giventhattheirupsettingnatureso contravenethepersonssenseofself.InE.AnnKaplans(1999)words,it remainsunprocessed:

Traumaischaracterizedbyacollapseof symbolizing...(Itis)usuallyexperiencedinthe formofimagesinaflashbackoranightmare... (that)cannotbegraspedcognitively,andassigned meaning.Rather,itremainsunprocessed...not knowledgeintheusualsense(Kaplan,1999, pp.146147).

PeriodicallythroughoutCach,wearepresentedwithfragmentsof unprocessedmemoriesthathauntGeorgesasagrownman,memoriesall connectingbacktotheFrenchAlgerianWar.Georgesgrewupduringthiswar, andinthoseyearshisparentsemployedanAlgerianfamilyattheirhome.This familyhadayoungsonnamedMajidwhoseparentswerekilledduringthe ParisianmassacreofOctober17,1961.WhenGeorgessmothermadeplansto adoptMajid,thenewsdidnotsitwellwithsixyearoldGeorgeswho,outof jealousy,rivalry,covetousness,andfear,sawtoitthattheadoptionnevertook place.Heinventedtales:Majidwasill,Majidspitupblood,Majidneededa childrenshospitalandnotanewhome.Nowtormentedbythisscurrilouseffort tokeeptheforeigneroutsoastonotpartitionthenativesonsblessings, Georgeshastroublingflashbacks.Andinkeepingwiththenatureoftrauma, theseflashbacksareneverfullyintegratedintothestorylineofCach. They appearoutofnowhere. WeseeMajidandGeorgesasboysinashedwe

witnessMajidkillingachickenwefindGeorgescominguponMajidwhosits alone,coughing. Chargedwithmeaningandemotionalweight,thesescenes appearatrandom,disruptingthestorylinewithoutclearindicatorsofwhatthey mean. InKaplans(1999)words,theseintrusivescenesrepresentcinema and/astrauma,anexcellentmediumforencodingthespecifictraumaof colonialism,itselfamajorcomponentofmodernity(Kaplan,1999,p.148). Althoughthequestionofwhoismakingthevideosisneverfullyanswered, farmoreimportanttoCachsthematicsisthedisturbingrealitywhatHomi Bhabha(1994)termsthetransgressiveandtransitionaltruth(Bhabha,1994, p.113)thatthevideosreveal. Thisisthedisturbingrealitythatwhatliesburied inthepostcolonialsettingistheabilitytoinvalidatetheverypremisesofcolonial ruleinthefirstplace.Here,thistransgressiveandtransitionaltruthistheguilty contradictioncontainedinGeorgesunwillingnessasaboyandindeedasa mantosharetheculturethathesopromotes. Itisthecontradictioncontained inhisunwillingnesstoextendtheprivilegesofFrenchsocietytotheformerly colonized,despitethefactthatsuchunwillingnessfliesinthefaceof colonialismsfirstprincipleregardingthesuperiorityanddesirabilityofFrench civilization.Georgesmaywellbelievethisprinciple,yethehasnotpracticedit visvisoneAlgerianseekingentryintohisclub. ItwouldbehardtodescribeGeorgesasflatlyxenophobicorracist.Heis ahighlycultivatedandcosmopolitanperson,ashisbooklinedhomeindicates. Aneducatedmanwithavisibleprofile,heisthehostofaliterarytalkshowon Frenchtelevisionwhichfeaturesconversationsaboutbooks,authors,andliterary

themes.Likehiswife,heisanavidreaderwithhiseartothegroundregarding politicalevents,culturaltrends,andintellectualcurrents.Yetinmanyways, GeorgesisanadvocatespecificallyofFrenchhighculture,apersonwho defends,promulgates,transmits,andsustainsthequalitiesofFrenchcivilization ofwhichheissoproud.Thushisfewsmilingmomentsoccuralmost exclusivelyduringthefilmingofhisshow,ashisguestsengageinlively intellectualreparteesonsuchtopicsasthehomosexualityofArthurRimbaud. TheseconversationsamongFrenchliteratibringoutthebestinhimandputa sparkleinhiseye.Happyreading,statesabeamingGeorgestothecameraas hisshowconcludesoneday,andthankyouforyourwideningsupport(Cach, 2005). AnemissaryofFrenchcivilization,Georgeshasnotfacilitatedthat civilizationsreceptionamidstthecountrysnumerousmigrs.Theshifting demographicsofFrenchsociety,withitsincreasinglyvisibleimmigrant population,thustriggersenormousguiltinhim,andforceshimtorecallthe traumaticeventsthatalienatedhiswouldbebrother.Suchanunwillingnessto shareFrenchculture,tospreadFrenchwealth,toextendtheaffectionsofFrench parentstothecolonizedOtherthusgivesthelietocolonialismspretenseata universallydesirable,universallyacclaimedculture.Itexposestheproblems thatoftenaccompanyapurportedlyallembracinghumanism,onethatadvances theEnlightenmentasatrulyuniversalphilosophicalmovementwhiledenying EuropeanprivilegetoanorphanedAlgerian.Itgivesthelietolibert,galit,

fraternitasauniversalistrefrainwheninpracticebrotherlyloveiswithheldand accesstoFrenchsocietyisdenied.

GeorgesandMajid:aNeuroticOrientation BehindthetelevisedsmilethatGeorgesofferstohisliterateaudience, wethusdiscernthecorrosiveresidueofthecolonialsetting.Bothheandhis wouldbebrotherwerecaughtinthedestructiveirrationalityofthepostcolonial settingandsubsequentlyshackledbytheidentityassignedthem.Inthewordsof FrantzFanon(1967),colonialismdeliversapathologicaldisposition,for[t]he (darkskinned)enslavedbyhisinferiority,thewhitemanenslavedbyhis superiorityalikebehaveinaccordancewithaneuroticorientation(Fanon,1967, p.60). Tobesure,oneofthemostprofoundinsightsofFanonsanalysisinBlack Skin,WhiteMasksishisobservationthatneithercolonizernorcolonized escapesthedamagewroughtbytheinterlockingsufferingofthecolonial condition.Colonialismestablishesadeepandneuroticsymbiosisbetweenthe raceswhichisasinescapableasitisunhealthyagainstthebackdropofa supposedlycivilizingmission,itsetsinmotionafoliedeuxwhoseinsanity lingers. Longafterdecolonizationhasoccurred,eachracecontinuestodefine itselfintermsoftheotherinwaysthatensureadehumanizedexistenceforboth. ThusthereisnoracialidentitynoAlgerianexperience,noFrenchculture apartfromtheidentitythatemergedwithinthecolonialsetting.Thatsettings attendantpathologiesguaranteethecolonizersguilt,whilesimultaneously ensuringthecolonizedsstruggletoapproximatethecolonizersnorms.Thetwo

areinextricablylockedinaneuroticorientation(Fanon,1967,60)justlikethe twochairsstucktogether(Cach,2005)thatMajidobservedonGeorgesstalk show. ThuswithinthenarrativeofCach,bothcolonizerandcolonized,French andAlgerian,carryscarsfromthepastoveranadoptionthatnevertookplace. Francescurrentrelationshipwithitsimmigrantpopulationsmightbeviewedina similarlight,asitisstrugglestocometotermswiththeviolencethatalways accompanycolonialismspaternalisticstance.Thisviolenceisindeedslowto recedeasdramatizedwhenGeorges,uponvisitingMajidshomeforthesecond time,ismadetowitnessthelatterslithisthroat.Thesplatteredbloodthatcovers thewallandfloorestablishesaclearconnectionwiththebloodreportedly spewedbyMajidasachild:whatGeorgesperhapsinventedasachildthe storyofMajidspewingbloodisnowpainfullyreal.Apermanentlinkisthus forgedbetweenthetwomen,thewouldbebrothers,foreverlockingthemintothe neuroticorientationthatcharacterizescolonialismspainfullegacy. Ofcourse,oneofFanonscentralaimsinwritingBlackSkin,WhiteMasks istohelptheblackmantofreehimselfofthearsenalofcomplexesthathas beendevelopedbythecolonialenvironment(Fanon,1967,p.30). Suchan emancipatoryagendaobviouslyreliesheavilyuponthetimehonoredhumanist conceptsasfreedom,thesanctityoftheindividual,truth,andselfdetermination. ItisanagendathatrevealsitsindebtednesstothetraditionoftheEnlightenment andtotheideologyoftheRightsofManasthesehaveinspiredcountless movementsofliberationsteepedinidentitypolitics.Iammyownfoundation,

(Fanon,1967,231)Fanonwritesinagesturethatbowstothetriumphof Westernhumanismandeighteenthcenturyphilosophy. YetBhabhamaintainsthatsuchdeferencetohumanismismerelya faadeintendedtocoveroverthedeepestinsightsofBlackSkin,WhiteMasks. Suchinsightsgostraighttotheheartofhumanismsfailure,anddaretoadmit thatinvocationsoftimehonoredcategoriesinfactundermineandundercuttheir privilegewhileunravelingthemendacityoftheirclaims.Indeed,astudyof colonialismsneuroticorientationwouldbeincompletewithoutrecognizinghow thatneurosisexposestheinauthenticityofcolonialpremises:itexposesthe falsehoodofraceandethnicity,ofnationalidentity,ofcountryandcultural enclaveascategoriestowhichwecanclingfordeepandabidingmeaning.The profoundesttruththatcolonialismdeliversisthusthevulnerable,contingent, evanescentqualityofthesecategoriesoverwhichwarsarefoughtandcountless liveslost.AccordingtoBhabha,Fanonseemsawareofthisdeconstructive premisecontainedintheveryarticulationsuponwhichcolonialpowerresides. Heseemstounderstand,oftenwithoutfullyarticulatingit,thateventhe humanismhesorespectsis,atbottom,amisconception.Becausehuman identityisfarmoretentativethanthehumanisttraditionwilladmit,ourmomentof trutharrivesonlywhenwerecognizetheinsaneundersideoftherationalexterior uponwhichcolonialismrelies.Fanonsboldassertionthat[t]hereisnoNegro missionthereisnowhiteburden,(Fanon,1967,p.228)maythereforebehis best,foritexposestheextremeambivalenceofcolonialrelationsandthepathos

ofcolonialviolence.TheNegroisnot.Anymorethanthewhiteman(Fanon, 1967,p.231). Racerelationsespeciallyunveilthelimitsofhumanism,suchthatunder currentconditionstheBlackorbrownbodystandsasareminderthatthe Enlightenmentsmissioncannotbeproclaimedasuccessgiventhatpersonsof colorhavenowcometostandforthetroublingundersideoftheenlightened episteme.Thedarkbodythanksonlytocolonialismsdisturbedlogicand disturbinglegacyinvokesinsanity,inhumanity,andirrationality. Recallingthe extremeambivalenceinherentinthecolonialsituation(Fanon,1967,83),ithas cometodenotetheuncivilizedantidoteofthecolonialmission,theinhuman undersideofthecolonizerandtheirrepressiblesideofthecolonized.Thedark bodyisthereforenottheotheroftheEuropeanortheAmerican,buttheOther ofusall,theinsane,untamedsideofusthatisrefractorytotheclaimsof humanism.Itisthestrangerandthestrangenessinusall,castinthisrolebythe veryforcesthatbelievedintheuniversalizingmissionofWesternculture.This castingmaybewhyFanon,trainedasapsychiatrist,resignedhispositionata militaryhospital.Herealizedthatpersonsscarredbycolonialismsdeep neurosisandprofoundbrutalitycouldnotreacclimatetoaworldclaimingto displaythecommonsense,rationality,andhumanitarianqualitiesofWestern enlightenment.Bhabha(1994)explains:

Theanalysisofcolonialdepersonalization alienatesnotonlytheEnlightenmentideaofMan butchallengesthetransparencyofsocialreality, asapregivenimageofhumanknowledgeThe

Blackpresenceruinstherepresentativenarrative ofWesternpersonhood:itspasttetheredto treacherousstereotypesofprimitivismand degeneracywillnotproduceahistoryofcivil progress,aplacefortheSocius(Bhabha,1994, pp.114115).

Inkeepingwiththislogic,thehiddensecretalludedtointhedisturbing videosthattormentGeorgesisasmuchthesecretofidentitysambivalenceand readydisplacementasitistheuntoldstoryaboutanadoptionthatnevertook place.ForaccordingtoBhabha,therealityoftheformerlycolonizedpresence signalsthefrailtyofcolonizersidentity:here,theAlgerianistheOther containedinFranceslibert,galit,fraternit,andstandsreadytodisplaceits meaningsandunsettleitstradition.TheAlgerianremindstheformercolonizerof identitysimplosion,andthusruinstherepresentativenarrativeofWestern personhood(Bhabha,1994,p.115)uponwhichthecolonialsettingrests. Georgessunwillingnesstoaccepttentativenessandfrailtyintheculturethathe soreveresonlyaddstothetraumahealreadyexperiences.Inthisway,Majids reentryintohislifenotonlycausesapasttraumatoresurface,butbringsinto focusanother,moreinsidioustraumathatformulatesbeforeGeorgesseyes: Franceischanging,andhecannotemotionallyintegratethoseelementsthatrun countertohisunderstandingofwhathiscountrymeanstohim. Unassimilated intothewhole,theseelementsretainthecharacteroftrauma. Thismaybewhythecameraworkofthemysteriousvideomakerso resemblesGeorgesstroublingdreamattheendofthefilm.Homeinbed,

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Georgesdreamsofthatmomentinwhichhehidintheshedoutsidehis childhoodhomeandwatchedMajidbeingtakenaway.Thelatter,stillhopingfor theadoption,goesreluctantly,andeventriestoflee.Yetheisforcedintoacar andtakenawaytoalifeofunderpriviledge.Georgessdreamhasallthe qualitiesofthevideossenttohim:thedistanceofthecamerafromitssubjects, itsfrontandcenterangle,thefactthatthecameranevermoves.Theeyesinthe dreamseemtobethesamepairofeyesmakingthevideos.Isitpossible,we wonder,thatGeorgeshimselfismakingthesevideosandsendingthemtohis homeandworkinanactofselftorture?Isthisyetanotherlayerofsecretsthat hekeepshidden?Onarationallevel,thisisanunlikelyexplanationwhich doesntappealtocommonsense.YetthefactthatGeorgessdreamsharesall thequalitiesofthevideossuggestthatheis,inanutterlyillogical,irrational sense,theproducerofthisstoryevenifonlyonanunconsciouslevel. Heis thepurveyorofthetransgressiveandtransitionaltruth,theoneawareof humanismsfailurewhothusexperiencestraumainamannerthatcannotbe assimilated.TheOtherofGeorges,ofMajid,ofFrance,andofMan,this possibleyetinsaneexplanationensuresthatthisstoryhasadeeplyirrational sidetoit.Likecolonialismitself,itmakesamockeryofWesternhumanismand takesustotheothersideofreason.Mindfully,deliberately,andartfully,then, thisfilmmakesnosense.RogerEbertisright,nooneshouldtrytoexplain Cach. Itsucceedspreciselybecauseitleavesushanging.

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WorksCited

Bhabha,H.(1994)RememberingFanon:Self,Psyche,andtheColonial Condition, in:Chrisman,L.andWilliams,P.ColonialDiscourseandPostcolonialTheory. NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress. Cach(2005)[Filmdrama]directedbyMichaelHaneke.Paris:LesFilmsdu Losange. Ebert,R.(2007)Cach,[Online]availablefromhttp://www.metacritic.com. [Accessed11January2008]. Fanon,F.(1967)BlackSkin,WhiteMasks,translatedbyCharlesLam Markmann.NewYork:GrovePress. Kaplan,A.E.(1999)Fanon,Trauma,andCinema,in:Alessandrini,A.C.,Frantz Fanon,CriticalPerspectives. LondonandNewYork:Routledge.

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