| Splendor | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Gregg Araki |
| Produced by | Gregg Araki Graham Broadbent Damian Jones |
| Written by | Gregg Araki |
| Starring | Kathleen Robertson Johnathon Schaech Matt Keeslar Kelly Macdonald Eric Mabius |
| Release date(s) | 1999 |
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
Splendor (1999) is a film directed by Gregg Araki starring Kathleen Robertson, Johnathon Schaech, Matt Keeslar, Kelly Macdonald and Eric Mabius. The film narrates the lives of the characters Veronica (played by Roberston) Abel (played by Schaech) and Zed (played by Keeslar), and how a relationship forms between these three characters that is equivalent to a menage a trois. It is likely the most accessible and mainstream of all the films directed by Araki.
Like many productions by Gregg Araki, the film deals with ambiguous sexuality, the problems of living within a modern world, and somewhat cynical or skeptical approaches to love and relationships or "normality". However, unlike Araki's other films, Splendor tends to bring a more mainstream aesthetic and plot-line to the screen, bringing on the tone of romantic comedy, yet still with some of Araki's ironic and darker approaches to the portrayal of the human experience.
The film is shot in high contrast, with strong lighting and the aesthetic of commercial cinema, and less recognizably of the rough, soft light of Araki's other films that can be more easily recognized as independent cinema. The film generally appears to be appealing to a mass market audience, and therefore Araki's previously more alternative production values are less present. It might be suggested that unlike in previous films, the relationship between Abel and Zed seems diluted in comparison to Araki's previous works such as in Three Bewildered People in the Night or The Doom Generation. Perhaps to appeal to a wider audience, there is a sense of greater heteronormativity and a female "chick flick" perspective. This is evident from the constant referral back to Robertson's character Veronica, where she comments on how her life and relationships are progressing whilst talking directly into the camera lens, with bright light reflecting off her eyes, as she details the bizarre situation she has found herself in.
Both Kathleen Robertson and Johnathon Schaech have appeared in Araki's films before, Robertson in Nowhere (1997) and Schaech in The Doom Generation (1995). This reflects Araki's trend of utilizing the same actors across various films and projects, as with James Duval.
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