Call Me by Your Name...(and I'll call you by mine)

“Is it better to speak or die?”

This review contains some spoilers.

I stumbled across this story first and foremost through the 2017 film adaptation of the novel, and fell in love instantly. It only occurred to me in the past month or so that I should really try and read the book as well, as people often claim it as their "favourite book of all time".

I loved the film the first time I watched it, but I found I got so much more out of it after my second and third viewings, having read the book. The film is cast with incredible actors, who play the characters with such care and attention to detail in regards to their portrayal in the novel. Furthermore, I loved André Aciman's writing style, which I know is controversial and polarising, as some find it pretentious and distracting. I thought the novel was such an amazing portrayal of a young boy's infatuation and obsession, which is so rife amongst young people who experience love for the first time. I thought that the film expressed this well, as it is difficult to portray such detail within a film medium, rather than a first-person novel.

“Time makes us sentimental. Perhaps, in the end, it is because of time that we suffer.”

It was also of interest to me that the film was shot on film stock rather than digitally, which I thought really added to the overall style and vintage feel, as it is set in 1983. Because film was used, the pastel colour palette is really soft and subtle, which echoes their youthful naivety and perhaps reflects the events that took place through a rose-tinted lens. Similarly, when events happen which put Elio in a darker place, for example at the end when he finds out Oliver is getting married, a darker colour palette is used to reflect this inner conflict and disappointment. The colourist for the film, Chaitawat Thrisansri said in an interview that he tries "to maintain the emotion and atmosphere when they love and hate each other.". He then further reflects on his choice of colours in the final sequence of the film, stating that in his opinion, "the story is about two people. Summer-time is full of brightness, coming of age, and puppy love. But in the end, what the character feels is sorrow.". If you're interested, you can read the full interview here: https://liftoff.network/chaitawat-thrisansri-interview/

I am generally quite a slow reader, but I really raced through this novel, and loved all the details of the Northern Italian town and summer experience. The love between Elio and Oliver felt so well described by Aciman, and this was definitely transferred through to the film as well. This was one of those novels (and films) where after finishing, I felt throughly affected and different, which in my opinion is a sign of a good novel. My only wish is that I hadn't read the book already, so I could experience it for the first time again.

“We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster than we should that we go bankrupt by the age of thirty and have less to offer each time we start with someone new. But to feel nothing so as not to feel anything—what a waste!”

The film had a few different details to the novel, which I found surprisingly quite effective. The end in particular I found much more satisfying in the film. The book travels forwards in time 15 years to when Elio visits Oliver in the US. Whilst I enjoyed this part, I enjoyed the way the directior, Luca Guadagnino, left the ending of the film slightly more ambiguous. We still find out that Oliver is to be married soon, but what I find really compelling is the end scene, where we get a very long shot of Elio sitting at the fireplace crying. I think this scene is more effective than any words could have shown. We feel Elio's pain, yet there is some happiness and contentment somewhere in there too.

I also really loved the soundtrack of the film, which I thought really encapsulated what I imagined that summer to be like in 1983. I thought the music reflected their shadow-dancing, and encompassed their moods and feelings throughout the film.

Here are my top 5 favourite songs and musical interludes from the film:

• 'Une barque sur l'ocean' by André Laplante

• 'Mystery of Love' by Sufjan Stevens

• 'Love my Way' by The Psychedelic Furs

• 'Visions of Gideon' by Sufjan Stevens.

• 'Hallelujah Junction' by John Adams.

If there is one piece of advice I could give to you, it would be to read and watch Call Me by Your Name (in that order!). It has changed the way I view the world and love, and I actually envy anyone who hasn't stumbled across this story yet and is planning to, as I wish I could experience it for the first time again.

"Nature has cunning ways of finding our weakest spot."

Overall, I rate both the film and novel 5/5.