Watch Perfumed Nightmare

Perfumed Nightmare is a unique film by Filipino filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik. The movie follows the journey of a young Filipino man named Kidlat who lives in a small village outside Manila. Kidlat works as a jeepney driver and also dreams of becoming an astronaut. His fascination with the cosmos leads him to build his own spacecraft in his village.

Despite his simple life, Kidlat's dreams are complicated by his encounters with Western culture. He is impressed by the forced simplicity of living in rural Germany and is shocked by the hedonistic excess of Paris. Kidlat finds himself in a culture shock in Europe, where he feels like a stranger in a strange land. Asking himself questions about identity and the nature of the Filipino soul, he meets various characters in his travels.

One of the people Kidlat meets is a German scientist named Werner Herzog, who is visiting the Philippines to study volcanoes. Herzog spouts off his nihilistic and fatalistic attitude towards life, and Kidlat tries to defuse his negativity with his own innocence and optimism. Another character is an American woman named Stephanie, who fascinates Kidlat with her liberation and sexuality.

Perfumed Nightmare searches for a deeper meaning than just its quirky narrative style. It is a story about the conflict between tradition and modernity, and what it means to be a Filipino in the 20th century. Kidlat becomes a talented filmmaker, and the film further explores themes around revolution and the impact of decolonization. Despite his dream of space exploration, it becomes clear that Kidlat's real mission is to explore the complexities of his culture and identity.

One thing that sets Perfumed Nightmare apart is its unique camerawork, which is deliberately anti-Hollywood. Kidlat uses a lot of static panning shots to capture the beauty of the Philippine countryside, and his film also features intertitles, which are used to both drive the narrative and provide social commentary. Kidlat's camera seems to be like the eyes of a child, marveling at the world he sees around him.

The film also includes moments of surrealism and humor. For example, Kidlat's spaceship is essentially a jalopy with a tinfoil hat. He and his crew of "merry men" even make a stop in Moscow, where they witness a flying angel and become infiltrated by KGB spies. There are also hilarious scenes showing Kidlat trying to understand Parisian culture, like trying to peel a banana with a fork and knife in a fancy cafe.

Ultimately, Perfumed Nightmare is a remarkable achievement in cinema that explores profound themes with a whimsical, humorous touch. Kidlat Tahimik is a gifted filmmaker, and his work captures the essence of what it is like to be a Filipino in a rapidly changing world. With its blend of surrealism, humor, and social commentary, this movie is a must-see for any lover of great and original cinema.

Perfumed Nightmare is a 1978 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9.