This week on Every Rom Com we begin the “Before” trilogy with Richard Linklater’s 1995 cult classic, “Before Sunrise.” We talk about the movie’s place as a Gen-X movie, ponder whether the story would work in the smartphone era, and gush over some of the most romantic scenes ever put to film. We deal with death, time, the battle of the sexes, and at one point we’re pretty sure we’ve figured out the meaning of life. We uncover a pretty cool Easter egg involving an Auden poem. And since it’s the travel series, we also introduce you to some of the movie’s great Vienna filming locations and other recommended stops on a Vienna tour. Whether you’re a first time viewer or a lifelong aficionado, this episode will almost definitely uncover a new aspect of the film. And since we laughed and almost cried while recording it, we’re hoping it’ll make you feel as well as think.
0:00-8:20 Introduction, Guest Host Zöe Wroten-Heinzmann
Zoë is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Monadnock Underground, a small independent publisher and literary magazine in Southern New Hampshire. Their projects include the just-released This Is Not Ordinary Time, about spiritual searching and the desire for community during times of upheaval, anthologies of mostly-local speculative fiction and spiritual writing, and a sporadic podcast of their own, Underground Over the Air. She rounds out her days embarking on homeschool adventures with her kids, working as a Religious Educator, learning Tai Chi, and tending her fruit trees and chickens.
Learn more about Monadnock Underground: https://www.monadnockunderground.com/
8:20-17:44 Trailer, Basic Info, General Opinion of the Movie
17:44-25:13 Director Richard Linklater, Writers Richard Linklater & Kim Krizan
Kim Krizan interview on Popcorn Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvOSiSIQ4XM
Info on Making of the Film, Cited throughout this episode: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/movies/before-sunrise-ethan-hawke-julie-delpy.html
25:13-38:29 Before Sunrise as a Gen-X Film, Jesse’s Cable Access Idea/Reality TV
38:29-45:56 Set-Up of the Film, On the Train, Jesse’s Proposal
45:56-53:50 Disembarking, The Austrian Actors, What city would you want to wander around in overnight?
Before Sunrise movie locations, used throughout the episode - see this article for details on how to get to locations: http://movie-locations.com/movies/b/Before-Sunrise.php
53:50-1:01:55 Would this movie be possible in the smartphone era? Getting to Know You Questions
Rick Steves on Vienna’s trams, Line 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jPVdtqthQc
We cut this from the episode, but here are some alternative questions to get to know someone new: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/09/style/no-37-big-wedding-or-small.html
1:01:55-1:12:16 The Listening Booth Scene, Cemetery Scene, The Ferris Wheel Scene
Record Store Location: Teuchtler Schallplattenhandlung, Windmühlgasse 10 (U: Kettenbrückengasse, Line U4)
A story about visiting the record store in Before Sunrise https://lithub.com/traveling-scene-to-scene-in-the-streets-of-vienna-before-sunrise/2/
To get to the cemetery, Friedhof der Namenlosen (Cemetery of the Nameless): “To reach the cemetery, take Line U3 to Enkplatz. From the U-Bahn station, turn right along Simmeringe Haupstrasse to Krausegasse, from where you can catch the 76A bus to Alberner Hafen (which is the end of the route). It’s about a 20 minute journey and buses are every hour. From here, follow the small signpost - you’ll still have a ten minute walk through an unlovely industrial estate before you reach the small flight of steps leading into a spot of green shade.” Source: http://movie-locations.com/movies/b/Before-Sunrise.php
Vienna’s ferris wheel https://wienerriesenrad.com/en/home-2/
1:12:16 SPOILERS BEGIN
1:12:16-1:21:27 Palm Reader Scene, Poet Scene, The Meaning of Life
“I’d rather die knowing that I was really good at something, that I had excelled in some way” - Jesse
“You know I believe that if there was any kind of god, it wouldn’t be in any of us, not you or me, but just this little space in between. If there’s any kind of magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone, sharing something. I know it’s almost impossible to succeed, but who cares really. The answer must be in the attempt.” - Celine
1:21:27-1:30:09 The “Telephone” Scene, The Park Scene
Cafe Sperl, where they play the telephone game: https://www.cafesperl.at/en_home.html
“Listen, if somebody gave me the choice right now, of to never see you again or to marry you, alright, I would marry you, alright. And maybe that's a lot of romantic bullsh*t, but people have gotten married for a lot less.” - Jesse
1:30:09-1:43:44 After Sunrise - The Next Morning, Themes: Death & Time
The Poem Jesse Recites in Part, “As I Walked Out One Evening” by W.H. Auden: https://poets.org/poem/i-walked-out-one-evening
Article on the themes of Death & Time: https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/4427-transitory-figures-one-scene-from-before-sunrise
1:43:44-1:54:13 Themes: Men vs. Women, The Ideal vs. the Real in Love
1:54:13-1:59:04 More Vienna Filming Locations, Vienna Travel Recommendations, Did you think Jesse & Celine would meet again?
More Filming Locations:
- Maria Theresienplatz - located between the Naturalhistorisches Museum and the Kunsthistoriches Museum
- Churches in church scene: Exterior - Mariam am Gestade (also seen in “The Third Man”), Interior - Mariahilferkirche
- Donaukanal/Danube Canal - poet scene
- Arena Club Cafe - musician, pinball scene
Travel Recommendations:
- Kunsthistoriches Museum: https://www.khm.at/en/
- Works of Gustav Klimt: https://www.wien.info/en/sightseeing/sights/art-nouveau/klimt-in-vienna-349890
- Mozart birthplace: https://mozarteum.at/en/museums/mozarts-birthplace/#info
- Side-trip to Salzburg for Sound of Music tour: https://www.bigboytravel.com/europe/austria/salzburg/soundofmusicfilmlocations/
1:59:04-2:06:44 Double Feature Recommendations
