In this blog post, we’ll explore how Michel Gondry’s film ‘The Science of Sleep’ blurs the boundaries between dreams and reality, and how it uses this to reveal the worlds of love, imagination, and surrealism.
When I first saw the title, I wondered if it was a documentary about sleep. But after looking at the poster and a few stills, I thought, “At least this won’t be a boring movie.” It turned out to be a film by Michel Gondry, whose work I’d enjoyed in the past. That fact alone was enough to get me excited.
Stephane, originally from Mexico, moves to Paris after his mother tells him she’s secured a good job for him, only to find himself working at a mundane calendar company where he can’t express his artistic talents at all. Stephane, who has never been able to clearly distinguish between dreams and reality since childhood, becomes infatuated with Stephanie, his new neighbor, and begins to believe that they share a fateful connection through their dreams.
A mind-reading machine, a one-second time machine, and a running horse figurine. Stephanie gradually finds her heart stolen by the innocent Stéphane, who showers her with these charming gifts. However, as work-related stress mixes with his romantic feelings, Stéphane becomes consumed by increasingly extravagant and out-of-control dreams. His reckless behavior leaves Stephanie bewildered, and the two gradually find themselves caught in a situation that genuine feelings alone cannot overcome.
The film is unusual from the very beginning. What on earth is this small, broadcast-studio-like space labeled “Stephan TV”? It’s clearly not a typical broadcast studio. The walls are covered in egg cartons, and the camera is made of a cardboard box. And on the screen, Stephan himself appears. This space seems less like reality and more like a visualization of Stephan’s inner world.
When Stefan visits a calendar production company to apply for a job, he confidently presents a drawing of an exploding airplane while explaining his vision. He even mimics an airplane pilot as he passionately describes it. These drawings are works he created himself to be used in the calendar. The problem, however, is that every drawing depicts a disaster. For example, February shows a swarm of locusts, March a flood, and July an earthquake. Ultimately, the entire year—from January through December—is filled with disasters. The calendar company’s president is baffled, asking who would buy such a calendar, but Stefan counters that it’s actually people’s lack of imagination that’s the problem.
The scene where Stefan swims in his dream is also striking. As a free spirit who can go anywhere, Stefan looks incredibly at ease. It seems the word “sleep” wasn’t included in the movie’s title for no reason. In fact, a significant portion of Stephan’s story in the film unfolds within dreams.
Stephanie, the film’s female lead, is also an intriguing character. Stephan and Stephanie—the similarity of their names, making them sound like siblings, seems like an intentional choice. The two end up living in the same building after Stephanie moves in. Stephan, explaining that he originally wanted to be an inventor, shows Stephanie one of his inventions: a pair of 3D glasses. Most people probably didn’t have high expectations. I didn’t either. But, surprisingly, the flat images actually look three-dimensional. Stephan might just be a genius after all.
Stephan and Stephanie quickly grow close as they develop a peculiar affection for one another. There are many scenes where they play together innocently; while some might find it childish, I think many people actually sensed a sense of purity in it.
The scene where water flows out of the sink is also unique. At first glance, it looks like water, but it’s actually cellophane. It’s unclear whether this is solely Stephan’s imagination or a shared fantasy between the two, since Stephanie also says it’s cellophane. Are they seeing the same world? There’s also a scene where they have fun throwing wads of cotton at the ceiling. Stephan plays the piano, saying he needs a melody to fit the scene, and as the right notes ring out, the wads of cotton float around like clouds. The concept itself is incredibly unique.
In reality, Stephan is passive and shy, but in his dreams, he’s the complete opposite. He’s bold, brimming with confidence, and sometimes even seems arrogant. In the scene where he falls asleep while writing a letter, a machine that looks like a spider’s leg types for Stephan. Although he isn’t an inventor in the real world, he is clearly one in his dreams. His ability to recreate the objects he sees in his own unique way is enviable.
Company documents from the real world also keep appearing in his dreams, though they’ve grown abnormally large. This seems to symbolize just how difficult and overwhelming his work feels to Stefan. The walls are covered with photos of old singers, and vinyl records are scattered across the floor. Just as he imbues clouds with melodies, he believes that every object has its own music. This belief is likely influenced by the music he has encountered throughout his life. At the same time, these scenes illustrate the process by which Stefan gradually loses the ability to distinguish between reality and dreams.
The scene where he invents a helmet capable of reading others’ thoughts is also intriguing. He hands Stephanie a deck of cards, asks her to mentally select one, and then accurately identifies the card she was thinking of from among the others. Following his success with the 3D glasses, Stefan succeeds at guessing the card as well. This makes his true identity even more intriguing. Meanwhile, his friend standing nearby watches the two of them with an expression of bewilderment.
In the scene featuring Stefan’s mother and stepfather, the two windows look just like Stefan’s eyes. In his dreams, he can freely summon people, and they speak to him as if they were real. The characters in his dreams fall into two main categories: those who exist in his memories, and those created according to his hopes. His nagging mother still tries to lecture him even in his dreams, while his stepfather—whom he dislikes even more—appears in a ridiculous guise, getting under his skin. Throughout the early and middle parts of the film, references to his father are made repeatedly, revealing just how much Stefan misses him.
In his dreams, Stefan is a god-like figure. He demolishes cities and builds new ones. The cardboard tubes left over from used toilet paper rolls become the skeletal framework of his buildings. Some might find this childish, while others might consider it original. In the city he creates, not only the buildings but even the modes of transportation are made entirely from toilet paper tubes. Windows can simply be cut wherever he wants.
Stephanie’s reaction—being angry at Stefan for failing to distinguish between dreams and reality—is perhaps understandable. After all, while they can talk and play together, she cannot share his dream world. They may have even gotten married in his dreams, but in reality, the two are still just close neighbors. Stefan dreams again. Although his surroundings have transformed into something resembling a cave, the space is essentially no different from Stephanie’s house. There, Stephanie continues her hobbies of sewing and knitting. And Stefan admires and selects the items she’s made. From a phone shaped like a cushion to a moving blanket featuring animals woven from yarn, everything is adorable. Stefan says, “I like the things she makes.” This single sentence alone shows just how sincerely he cares for Stephanie. That’s why Stephanie, too, finds it hard to hate a man like Stefan.
Stefan unveils yet another invention: a machine that lets you travel one second forward or backward by pressing a button. Every time Stephanie presses the “one second forward” button, Stefan moves a little closer to her, trying to hug her. But Stephanie pushes him away. She’s bold in her dreams, but in reality, she’s still timid.
A few months later, when they used the illustration of “The Year of Disasters” that Stefan had drawn for an actual calendar, the response was overwhelmingly positive—contrary to expectations. He becomes a rising star at the company. They celebrate by having a good time at a bar, but Stefan himself is actually feeling down because Stephanie is dancing excitedly with another man. He’s still living in his dream world, while their relationship in reality remains that of close neighbors.
Then one day, Stephanie formally asks Stefan out on a date. It’s an opportunity for their relationship to take the next step. But Stefan worries whether she’ll actually show up, and he finds himself dreaming even as he heads to the meeting place. Just as he’s about to arrive, a distorted message appears in his dream telling him that Stephanie is at home. Even though he’s only a few steps away, he runs back home. He knocks on Stephanie’s door, but of course, no one is there. Blaming himself, he bangs his head against the door. Meanwhile, Stephanie keeps waiting for him, hoping against hope. Stefan remains consumed by anguish and regret.
Shortly thereafter, Stefan, who is set to return to Mexico, visits Stephanie’s house one last time before leaving. Unable to bring himself to leave due to his lingering regret, he falls asleep while gazing at the sculpture they had once made together, which sat beside her bed. And he has the sweetest dream. Stefan and Stephanie, riding a horse puppet, galloping off somewhere. The two of them charging toward a ship filled with trees. Although it is only a dream, the film ends with them looking happier than ever before.
Everyone sleeps and dreams. Dreams are not reality. Yet they are also a world that transcends reality. There exists something we clearly perceive but cannot explain precisely. I believe this aspect is closely connected to surrealism. The reason I chose this film among many surrealist works is that I felt the relationship between dreams and surrealism is by no means distant. As I often feel when watching surrealist films, it’s still difficult to fully grasp exactly what the bizarre and strange scenes mean. This film is no exception. I understand that the numerous actions unfolding in the dream reflect Stéphane’s desires and unconscious mind, but I haven’t been able to fully grasp the meaning of every single symbol. However, I think that as I study more and experience more works in the future, I’ll be able to gain a slightly deeper understanding of Surrealism.
