Call Me by Your Name is Art

Call Me By Your Name, released in 2017, is a cinematic masterpiece that is undeniably a must-watch. This life-changing movie has allowed me to encapsulate what true love and the real pain of intimacy are supposed to look like. Throughout quarantine, my unlimited free time allowed me to broaden my eye and taste for cinema. Discovering it on Prime Video, I sat in awe for two hours soaking the movie in. After finishing the film, I could not help but revel in what I had just experienced.  Based on Andre Aciman’s critically acclaimed novel, director Luca Guadagnino was able to capture this body of art outside its natural text. Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter, Guadagnino is a genius that has been successfully able to depict the message of this novel within film. 

The movie initially sets the scene with statues in Italy and Philosopher Aristotle’s words of friends who are supposed to love each other for their own sake and wish good things for one another. Elio, played by Timothee Chalamet, is a 17-year-old boy who lives in Crema, Italy, which is in the region of Lombardy. Oliver, played by Armie Hammer, is a 24-year-old American who resides in Italy for the summer to work under Elio’s father. Creating a narrative outside of heterosexual norms, this movie demonstrates that love can occur throughout any age, color, or sex. The pain of gay love in the 1900s is represented clearly, as well as the difficulty of acceptance for being homosexual from their families. 

Music

In every movie, it’s imperative that the soundtrack resembles the message portrayed in the film. Director Luca Guadagnino does a wonderful job encapsulating the raw pain, joy, love and ultimately heartbreak this movie expresses through the soundtrack. We hear an array of artists included in this film, however specifically, Sufjan Steven provides a raw lens of this movie through his compositions. One song in particular entitled “Mystery of Love” is perhaps the face of this movie, as we constantly hear snippets of this song play as the two characters Elio and Oliver are falling in love. The inevitable heartbreak of this movie felt even more personal with the comfort of music as the song “Visions of Gideon ” played in the background of the final scene of the movie. 

Cinematography

The nature of the film in its entirety was truly a beautiful and breathtaking experience. The audience was able to experience the intimate moments that appeared on-screen through the different camera angles and lighting. The beginning of the movie is bright, representing the new and exciting love, such as when they are riding bikes on the cobblestone pavement in the summer sunshine. The end of the movie is darker, symbolizing the heartbreak that has occurred. This can be symbolized in the ending scene with Elio at the fireplace as he quietly reminisces on his summer affair. Between the swaying trees and the flowing rivers, the audience is able to feel the relaxation and at peace through the aesthetically pleasing scenes. The lighting in this film felt almost poetic at times because of the different contrasts of it throughout the scenes. The lighting was able to capture the emotions that filled the space of the rooms in the house as well as the scenes in the yard. 

Dialogue 

Specific dialogue scenes between Elio and Oliver depict the art and true love that the two young men once shared. Arguably one of the most vital parts of the movie, the following scene shows the peak of their intimacy. All of the uncertainty and tension come to a point where they mutually understand their feelings for one another but struggle with how to express it with words. 

Elio: “I know nothing Oliver. Nothing, just nothing” 

Oliver: “You know more than anyone around here”

Elio: “If you only knew how little I know about the things that matter.”

Oliver: “Why are you telling me this?”

Elio: “Because I thought you should know.”  

This signifies the beginning of their relationship, allowing Oliver to know Elio’s true feelings for him, and finally profess to Elio that love is required.  

The two-hour film in its entirety was a mind-blowing experience. This film allowed the audience to develop a new and different perspective on homosexual relationships. The wonderful and creative mind of Luca Guadagnino grasped the meaningful words written in the literature and perfectly expressed them in the film. If you have not yet watched this piece of art, it is highly recommended. 

• call me by your name
• cinema
• LGBTQ+