Thunder

Thunder begins with the suicide of a young girl named Innocente. Her sister, Elisabeth (Lilith Grasmug) was sent away to a convent to train to become a nun when she was 12 years old, and she barely remembers her family. After Innocente’s death, they send for Elisabeth to return, temporarily, to help the family with chores and other labor. She had two younger siblings who didn’t recognize her at all. At first, they believe she’s the Devil. Elisabeth tries to talk to her mother about what happened, but her mother says that they won’t speak Innocente’s name in their house. She brought shame to the family, and now her lost soul wanders in a kind of limbo between life and death, forcing Elisabeth to confront the truth of her sister's life.

Struggling with reckoning her religious beliefs and the power of the words she read in her sister’s diary, Elisabeth goes on a journey of sexual self-discovery herself–but this isn’t some slice of Emmanuelle meets 1970s nunsploitation. It’s not exploitative at all. It is, first and foremost, a journey of her mind and understanding that these feelings, however “sinful” they may be, are natural, particularly for a person her age. There is a sex scene, but as filmed by director Carmen Jaquier, it eschews typical lurid fixation on nudity. It’s a spiritual moment for her, where she believes she comes closer to God through the act. It’s not long before she’s the talk of the town, like her sister was, and the townspeople are labeling her things like “devil” or “whore.” Her mother demands she stay inside, away from temptation, washing her abrasively until her skin is red in an attempt to cleanse her spirit. 

A story of sexual awakening, particularly for a young person, is a tough one to make. It’s difficult to convey those feelings without coming off as salacious, and to Jaquier’s credit, Thunder never feels guilty of that. It always feels more interested in the evolution of Elisabeth than in getting to the next lascivious thrill. I admired Thunder for its ability to tackle difficult subject matter without feeling dirty or like it was taking delight in it. Throughout, the film is beautifully composed and lensed, with terrific scenery, wonderful music, and powerful (yet subtle) sound design. 

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Thunder comes to Blu-ray in a single-disc release, housed in a standard case. Spanning the inside, on the reverse of the cover art, is a screenshot from the film. There is also a 14-page booklet included, with an interview from director Carmen Jaquier, a piece written by director of photography Marine Atlan and a piece written by composer Nicolas Rabaeus.

Thunder was shot digitally using a Red Helium camera, with cinematography by Marine Atlan. The film is about as gorgeous as I can imagine films being capable of. The mountain landscapes, with our characters silhouetted in front of them, are filmed with a sense of awe, appropriate for a movie that’s about, in many ways, how we communicate with God. The greens of the rolling hills are sharply contrasted with the reddish hues of skin tones. Nighttime sequences are filmed with an inky blackness, particularly one sequence where the only visible elements are the spark from a flame drifting into the air. Unlike a lot of movies shot digitally, Thunder doesn't try to be pristine in its imaging, crystal clear throughout. There is a film-like grain throughout that works well in its favor, a grittiness achieved, I believe, through naturalistic lighting.

Viewers have two options available, a 5.1 surround mix and a 2.0 stereo mix, both in French with English subtitles, and encoded in DTS-HD MA. While I recommend the stereo mix for folks using their TV speakers or a two-channel soundbar, for viewers with a sound system capable of 5.1 playback, this surround mix is top-notch. Subtle in all the right places, but always abuzz with atmospheric activity, Thunder is surprisingly robust in its sound design. The sound design is always cognizant of where action would occur, with the camera representing our placement on the soundstage, with many effects occurring to the rear and piping through the satellite speakers. Nicolas Rabaeus’ classical-yet-modern wraps around the entirety of the soundstage and envelops the viewer throughout.

Outside of the booklet, film-specific supplements are limited to just the one feature, an interview with writer/director Carmen Jaquier, where she explains the film’s themes and her creative process. However there are also three short films made by her throughout the years.

• Interview (HD 19:00) - With writer/director Carmen Jaquier
• The Girls’ Grave (2011) (HD 18:57)
• At the Mermaid Parade (2013) (HD 24:39)
• The River Under the Tongue (2015) (HD 19:01)
• Theatrical Trailer

Thunder is a story with difficult subject matter, sensitivity handled and told by writer/director Carmen Jaquier that never exploits its characters for cheap thrills. Instead, we watch as she comes to terms with herself (and her desires) in a time and place where such things were considered wicked. The film is beautifully shot and the surround sound design is surprisingly active for a subtle, talky picture. Thunder, from Dekanalog and OCN Distribution is Recommended.