I think that was the point... same with Repulsion. Lull the audience into a kind of slow place, then once the tension starts, it feels ever MORE ramped up because of the change of pace. It's very calculated.
It's what films nowadays are lacking... pacing. Everything now is a constant rush, constantly loud and in your face, and you can't create anything emotion that way. It becomes dull and boring.
Yes, I am well aware of that. I prefer films where the storytelling allows some deeper character development. As much as I loved the film, I just felt it was at times too slowly paced, intentionally or not.
I know this isn't Criterion related, but there is currently no Cohen thread.
After two stellar reviews and the bargain basement price of $10.79...I pulled the trigger on "The Thief of Bagdad" today from Import CDs. I wonder when they will ship? They haven't been shipping weeks before release date like they used to.
I know this isn't Criterion related, but there is currently no Cohen thread.
After two stellar reviews and the bargain basement price of $10.79...I pulled the trigger on "The Thief of Bagdad" today from Import CDs. I wonder when they will ship? They haven't been shipping weeks before release date like they used to.
How would people rank Band of Outsiders in regards to other Godard films?
I'd personally rank it lower than most of his 60s films, but my opinions on them tend to me different than everyone else's. I really didn't see much of a point (or any point, unfortunately) in Weekend, but it has received a lot of praise here.
Antichrist: A Beautifully Controversial Film That Explores The Meanings Of Human Nature
Note: This review may contain spoilers, so please read it at your own discretion.
Lars von Trier's "Antichrist" is one of the most controversial movies ever made. With that being said, it is probably the most unique film that I have seen to date. Antichrist's main focus is on the nature of human beings and the temptations and struggles that we each face day in and day out.
One of the most unique elements about this entire film is the story's structure. I have never seen a movie with such defined chapters that specifically explores a different aspect of the human being and in such great profession. The film opens up with a prologue sequence before moving on to four subsequent chapters that each show the decline in the main characters' emotions and personalities. Antichrist finally ends with an epilogue sequence that concludes the film brilliantly.
The film opens up with a beautifully edited black and white prologue sequence where the two main characters, He (portrayed by Willem Dafoe) and She (portrayed by Charlotte Gainsbourg), are making love. During the course of their love making, their young son Nic climbs out of his crib, makes his way downstairs, climbs onto the kitchen table, and falls to his death out of an open window. The interesting thing about this prologue sequence is that the soprano aria "Lascia ch'io pianga" is playing throughout it. The lyrics to this melody describe weeping and suffering, among other things, which in my opinion, foreshadows the entire suffering that follows the death of Nic. While He has a hard time dealing with the death of his son, She takes it the hardest. She is full of guilt and grief that seems almost impossible to cure. In an attempt to make her feel better, He takes She to the Eden Woods where he plans on using exposure therapy to help her overcome this tragedy. The result is nothing short of a nightmare with both characters growing further apart and struggling with strange visions and delusions.
Antichrist gives the viewer plenty of room for interpretations with the enormous amount of metaphors and symbols that manifest themselves throughout this film. Lars von Trier also does a great job of leaving it up to the viewer to make sense of what is unveiled during these 108 short minutes. As a result, I do not think that a film has made me think as hard or as much as Antichrist has. I personally think of Antichrist as a film that explores the evil that exists in nature - both human nature and outdoor nature. Included in this interpretation are elements of religion and religious doctrine.
While He was off working, She would frequently go to the Eden Woods with Nic in order to work on her master thesis. She's thesis was on the subject of "Gynocide", or the killing of members of a specific gender. While doing her research, She developed a "male-centered" ideology and came to believe that all women were inherently evil - a concept steming back to Adam and Eve, where Eve is, to this day, held responsible for the original sin that came about from temptation. As we later see in the film, She wants He to hit her and engage in other masochistic practices in order to inflict harm on herself. This leads the viewer to wonder if She believes that she is in fact an evil person and must be punished accordingly or if she is in fact trying to bring about the evil out of man through He. I personally believe that she feels she is an evil person, as denoted by her heavy guilt and depression. Throughout the film, we see She constantly engaging in intercourse with He in an attempt to get her mind off of the death of Nic. As we later learn in the film, She witnessed Nic leaving his crib while her and He were having sex during the prologue. Due to feeling overbearing responsibility, She self-mutilates herself through the cutting of her clitoris. I think that one of the biggest issues that is weighing on She's mind throughout the course of the film is the fear of being alone. She constantly tells He that he cannot leave her and she even goes so far as to screw a weight into his leg to keep him from moving. Regardless of what it means, there are a lot of underlying meanings and interpretations that can viewed in numerous ways.
As far as evil in nature is concerned, the best example of evil in nature throughout this entire movie is the Eden Woods. In the Bible, Eden was the place where Adam and Eve were tempted by the devil, who was disguised as a serpent. One could therefore argue, by this example, that evil does exist in nature. Throughout the film, we see She referring to the Eden Woods, or nature in general, as "Satan's Playground". If this is in fact true and She constantly tries to get in touch with nature, does this mean that she is possessed, that she is trying to get back in touch with her roots, or that she has some other evil element within her that transcends ordinary good and bad? In order to get a better understanding for what his wife is going through, He also tries to become one with nature. His experiences are not as pleasant and he witnesses three animals in distress instead. The first animal is a female deer who has a stillborn fawn hanging out of her womb (representing grief). The second animal is a male fox who is disemboweling itself while also chanting "Chaos Reigns" (representing pain). The third animal is a crow whose gender is unknown. The crow was buried alive and when beaten, refuses to die (representing despair). Many may see these animals as just characters in a story or three anti-Wise Men beings, but I personally believe that these animals represent He, She, and nature. Like She, the mother deer's baby was dead. Like He, the male fox was struggling with its own pain, both literally and figuratively. Lastly, like nature, the crow tends to represent evil, while also refusing to die.
Is this film a modern interpretation of the Adam and Eve story, but with an extremely darker element? Was She actually possessed and took on the role a "feminine" Antichrist? As I already stated, there are a lot of underlying meanings and interpretations to this film. I personally do not feel that there is any right or wrong answers, as everybody sees films differently. Regardless, this film is very controversial and has a handful of extremely violent and disturbing moments. I would definitely recommend watching this film by oneself and not with other people. Many people will be turned off by some of the moments in this film, and as a result, will not be able to appreciate the film for what it truly is - a masterpiece.
The Criterion Collection gives Antichrist the treatment that it deserves by showcasing the wonderful directing by Lars von Trier in stunning high definition quality. The audio quality, in my opinion, was lacking quite a bit and I found myself turning the volume up quite a few notches, but overall, I am extremely happy with the turnout of this film.
Antichrist is defining moment in cinematography history and it truly opens up the viewer to a wider range of directing styles and editing techniques. I cannot recommend this film highly enough.
How would people rank Band of Outsiders in regards to other Godard films?
It's my second favorite, behind Breathless.
My favorite Godard films are Breathless, Band of Outsiders, and Vivre Sa Vie.
I like the early Godard stuff a lot better. Pierrot Le Fou is great as well, then Godard sort of stepped off the Kurtz boat and his methods became unsound.
A film I do feel asks those big questions is The Thin Red Line, in fact it may be the most anti-War film ever made...Scratch that, without a doubt it's the most Anti-War film ever made.
I take it you haven't seen Peter Weir's Gallipoli.
How would people rank Band of Outsiders in regards to other Godard films?
I find the film enjoyable, and I will be picking it up, but don't expect anything top quality along the lines of The Carabiniers or Vivre sa Vie. If anything, this film is just Godard having fun, and while it can be entertaining, it's not major impact like most of his other 60s output.
I know this isn't Criterion related, but there is currently no Cohen thread.
After two stellar reviews and the bargain basement price of $10.79...I pulled the trigger on "The Thief of Bagdad" today from Import CDs. I wonder when they will ship? They haven't been shipping weeks before release date like they used to.
Mine shipped a couple of days ago, rkish, along with an Olive title.
How would people rank Band of Outsiders in regards to other Godard films?
Band was my first Godard and I rank it just about midway in the scale of his 60s work, it's certainly one of his most accessible films. I enjoy it more with every watch.
Mine shipped a couple of days ago, rkish, along with an Olive title.
Thanks Dude! And to all those others that fed back on my question as well. Since I ordered this around noon in NY today...maybe they'll ship before 5 :00 PM PST. I would assume they might ship tomorrow, but I've never placed an order with them on a weekend.
Edit: Just realized the shipping will bring it to the amount on Amazon, so a waste.
Yeah, that's why I never buy a single title from them. I wait until they get a few pre-orders I want up and then make an order of at least 2 or 3 titles to save on shipping...otherwise sometimes it's just not worth it.
Yeah, that's why I never buy a single title from them. I wait until they get a few pre-orders I want up and then make an order of at least 2 or 3 titles to save on shipping...otherwise sometimes it's just not worth it.
Yeah...I learned that the hard way. I wanted to add Thief to my Keaton order, but I would have had to cancel my Keaton order first and then ordered both together. For a couple of bucks, it just didn't seem worth the hassle to me. I'll eat the difference this time.
Well...unless Yami has set another new thread up I bought my first Flicker Alley release. I highly recommend Judex. I watched the first episode and am loving it so far. Great job by FA and a wonderful score by Robert Israel. I know we have a UK poster by that name.
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I bought my first Flicker Alley release. I highly recommend Judex. I watched the first episode and am loving it so far. Great job by FA and a wonderful score by Robert Israel. I know we have a UK poster by that name.
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