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Post by luke on Jul 26, 2006 5:59:00 GMT
It's the only von Trier film I've seen, and I'm happy to actually own a copy. A great documentary on sadism and masochism on a grand scale. The Five Obstructions was recently released here so I bought it and I think it's great. I really like the ways which Jørgen Leth rises to the challenge of the obstructions and creates some fantastic 'short films,' I guess. I also did agree with Leth's thought that being given free reign over his remake was the cruellest of all the obstructions, even after the obstruction in Bombay. Another aspect of the film I enjoyed was watching Lars von Trier try and torment Leth. For example when von Trier asks Leth if he would film a child dying in a refugee camp, and then accompany the footage with the words from The Perfect Human, and also when Leth half says to himself that he would like to build a room or use a screen to film The Perfect Human in Cuba, and von Trier immediately counters with "What a shame, in that case you can't do that." They have a really interesting chemistry.
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Post by theotherjohn on Jul 29, 2006 22:04:33 GMT
This is extremely short notice but if anyone is nearby West Yorkshire (or Bradford to be more precise) tomorrow on the 30th July, they should definitely make a visit to the National Museum of Photography Film and Television. There's a showcase of Tracey Emin films made between 1995 and 2001 (including 'Why I Never Became a Dancer'). It's on from 1pm til 3pm at the Cubby Broccoli cinema inside the museum, with a 30 minute introduction before (not by Emin sadly). What's more, it's free admission!
Apparently it was on earlier today but annoyingly I only found out this 15 minutes after it had finished, wish they advertised it a bit better! There's barely any decent links or info for this on the net, even on the NMPFT's site there's no mention. Hopefully I've said everything you need to know above if you're going. I'll be going tomorrow for sure, I've been wanting to see her video/8mm works for ages now.
Speaking of Emin, has anyone managed to see Top Spot yet? I'm intrigued to know whether it's any good and worth forking out the money for it.
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Post by Magdalene Laundress on Jul 30, 2006 14:13:01 GMT
I am viewing this now, at ten to three. Cack. Mind you, think I've seen quite a few of them. 'Why I Never Became a Dancer' is quite good, the final shot of her whirling around in a gallery to the song 'Mighty Real' manages to be ludicrous and emancipating at the same time. Tracey Emin used to stand for everything I hated about art when I started at Art school, and I held her responsible for inspiring and justifying a lot of really bad tragic sob story artwork. However I've become more sympathetic to her, realised certain aspects of the way she makes art are useful in a wider context outside her massive ego, and give her credit as a working class woman done good, particularly in the face of the dismissive attitude of many male conceptual artists to her work. What started me changing my mind about her was one of my more intellectual tutors making the witty remark- 'Oh yes, Tracey Emin; Why I Never Became an Artist'. Still not seen Top Spot, so I can't help you there.
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Post by theotherjohn on Jul 30, 2006 15:45:55 GMT
The films that showed were Why I Never Became A Dancer; How It Feels; Sperm; CV Cunt Vernacular; The Interview; The Crystal Ship; The Bailiff; and Riding For A Fall.
I found some of her videos quite interesting, especially the more personal works like 'Why I Never...' with its 8mm cine-snapshots of Margate (and her dance as you mentioned) and 'How it Feels' with her retelling of her forced and botched abortion, but some of her other works seem more like bad music videos (The Crystal Ship) or embarrassing dramas (The Bailiff). I guess they work better as art installations rather than on their own ground. I really do like listening to her talk about her past as I do find her fascinating but I wish she would try another subject other than herself for once! 'Why I Never...' is the best summation of Emin's video work though and should try and be seen if the opportunity arises.
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Post by Magdalene Laundress on Jul 30, 2006 18:10:39 GMT
I really do like listening to her talk about her past as I do find her fascinating but I wish she would try another subject other than herself for once! Emin has made a career out of being fascinating. She is incredibly insightful about herself and her situation in life, but not really about anything else. Her columns in 'The Independent' attest to this- yawn. This is both her failing and the secret of her success, and she has been very astute in utilising this. I find many women I know far more fascinating than Tracey Emin, but they are unlikely (nor would they care) to find their stories plastered over the 'qualities'. Most women could narrate a story of petty triumphs and humiliations comparible to the one in 'Why I Never Became a Dancer'. However it is much easier for our society to give an individual special attention, than acknowledge this as a collective female experience. I suppose Emin is trying to show this with 'Top Spot', from what I've heard, but it's still all about 'ooh, has Tracey Emin made a good film?'. Anyway, enough diatribe, I wanted to suggest some films members might like to investigate: Memories of MurderThis was doing the rounds with other extreme South Korean movies 'Old Boy' and 'Sympathy for Mr Vengeance', but seemed to get overshadowed by the other films. I find this strange, because out of the three films, I found this the best. The film is based on the true story a series of unsolved, sexually motivated murders which took place around one villiage in South Korea in the 80s. Imagine if someone released a movie now in the UK about the Yorkshire Ripper, and you can kind of get an idea of the controversy this film generated on its release. The tone of the film is very strange- it's not a gorefest, so don't approach it expecting that. Instead it goes for a Hitchcockian suspense, and focusses on the social situation at the time, with the police more interested in controlling the rioting population than catching the killer. The violence and characterisation are pure comic-book, with the police detectives interrogating and torturing suspects in a darkly comedic way. There's also a beautiful attention to detail, the way the director focusses in on sounds and objects achieves a closeness I've rarely experienced in cinema. I found something about the final scene subtly chilling, as if the killer achieves supernatural dimensions, taunting the police for not catching him. If you get this on DVD, I advise you to not watch any of the extras until you've seen the film a couple of times. They are for the most part totally mundane, and showing you how they achieved a crappy CGI effect spoilt my enjoyment of the whole film. Also L'Ennui is another one to search out. I think it's based on a book by someone or other. It's all terribly French and existential, but it's got a bit of tongue in cheek (literally). The basic plot is that a philosophy professor tries to intellectualise his vacuous carnal relationship with a teenage girl, but is driven to the edge by his obsession with her, and desire to control her. They do have one of the most horrible on-screen relationships I've ever seen. The comedy is provided by his ex, who observes his breakdown, and generally just seems to think he's being a sad bastard. I love the final lines of the film- 'I've been having suicidal thoughts; I tried to die, really; But now I believe one shouldn't die of despair; One should feed off one's despair, live off it; Live, at any price" Too much!
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Post by knuckles on Jul 31, 2006 2:00:17 GMT
I once had to write a retort to a guy on the WH yahoo list who accused me of being purile and immature or something when I posted my opinion on Emin. Might still be in the archive somewhere - but I still stand by both. Needless to say she's as insular as the United States. It's like an author who's only works are autobiographical.
No wonder her dog ran away...
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Post by traynor on Jul 31, 2006 5:17:31 GMT
Recently saw "Body Without Soul" - Essential documentary about teenaged boy prositutes in Prague. Most entertaining is the second half in which the filmmakers interview a pathologist family-man who makes kiddie porno in his free time for German distributors. I don't want to spoil anything else...
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Post by sarcomasign on Sept 10, 2006 23:53:36 GMT
BENNY'S VIDEO
MICHAEL HANEKE
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Post by dat500 on Sept 26, 2006 14:56:16 GMT
Just to recap on some of the films that others have mentioned and add a couple of my own favourites.
Irreversible and I Stand Alone are both masterpieces, Cannibal Holocaust is also wonderfully misanthropic, elevated above anything from the cannibal/gore genre. Salo and Man Behind The Sun are incredible in their almost reportage style, particularly the latter.
I'm also a fan of the first two Guinea Pig Films, Flower of Flesh and Blood, The Devil's Experiment, and Nacho Cerdá's Aftermath.
Possibly one of the strangest films I've seen is the uncut version of Emanuelle in America, a pretty dross film, but bizarre in its juxtaposition of porn and snuff.
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Post by motownoni on Sept 26, 2006 21:24:33 GMT
from here to eternity!
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Post by drillbitch on Sept 28, 2006 15:30:10 GMT
Just to recap on some of the films that others have mentioned and add a couple of my own favourites. Irreversible and I Stand Alone are both masterpieces, Cannibal Holocaust is also wonderfully misanthropic, elevated above anything from the cannibal/gore genre. Salo and Man Behind The Sun are incredible in their almost reportage style, particularly the latter. I'm also a fan of the first two Guinea Pig Films, Flower of Flesh and Blood, The Devil's Experiment, and Nacho Cerdá's Aftermath. Possibly one of the strangest films I've seen is the uncut version of Emanuelle in America, a pretty dross film, but bizarre in its juxtaposition of porn and snuff. Try watching D'Amato's Porno Holocaust for even more bizarre porno/gore too
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Post by kristian on Oct 7, 2006 11:27:10 GMT
Watched Children of Men yesterday which is a good vision of where Britain is heading.
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Post by lethal on Oct 7, 2006 12:07:41 GMT
Just to recap on some of the films that others have mentioned and add a couple of my own favourites. Irreversible and I Stand Alone are both masterpieces, Cannibal Holocaust is also wonderfully misanthropic, elevated above anything from the cannibal/gore genre. Salo and Man Behind The Sun are incredible in their almost reportage style, particularly the latter. I'm also a fan of the first two Guinea Pig Films, Flower of Flesh and Blood, The Devil's Experiment, and Nacho Cerdá's Aftermath. Possibly one of the strangest films I've seen is the uncut version of Emanuelle in America, a pretty dross film, but bizarre in its juxtaposition of porn and snuff. Try watching D'Amato's Porno Holocaust for even more bizarre porno/gore too porno holocaust - sounds wild
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Post by lethal on Oct 7, 2006 12:10:36 GMT
Just to recap on some of the films that others have mentioned and add a couple of my own favourites. Irreversible and I Stand Alone are both masterpieces, Cannibal Holocaust is also wonderfully misanthropic, elevated above anything from the cannibal/gore genre. Salo and Man Behind The Sun are incredible in their almost reportage style, particularly the latter. I'm also a fan of the first two Guinea Pig Films, Flower of Flesh and Blood, The Devil's Experiment, and Nacho Cerdá's Aftermath. Possibly one of the strangest films I've seen is the uncut version of Emanuelle in America, a pretty dross film, but bizarre in its juxtaposition of porn and snuff. isn't Emanuelle in America the one with the horse wank scene? thats a happy horse !! i guess the sound of delight are dubbed on tho'. Won't be seeing that on sky anytime soon.
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Post by drillbitch on Oct 7, 2006 19:49:18 GMT
Try watching D'Amato's Porno Holocaust for even more bizarre porno/gore too porno holocaust - sounds wild Unfortunately not quite as wild as the title suggests but very schlocky and strange and worth it just for the death by monster cock ;D
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