"Cinema is simply a matter of what's in the frame, and what's out." - Martin Scorsese
Rules of Engagement:
1. Respect the opinions of the people on the blog and the filmmakers who's films we are talking about.
2. Be careful with your spoilers. Try to avoid spoiling the movie for others. If you post something that might involve heavy plot details be sure to mark it with spoiler tag in big bold letters like so: ***SPOILERS***
3. If you start a new topic, please attempt to write out something full. It doesn't have to be a full review of the film, but at least enough to get a discussion going.
4. Have fun! We want to hear your opinions! Post as much as you see fit!
We sat through all 2.5 hours of this thing... waiting for something to happen... waiting for the movie to make sense... waiting for a narrative... waiting for a plot... waiting for something to be explained...
We're still waiting...
Dan and I really enjoy symbolism and depth in films... we even like some obscure and challenging stuff that some wouldn't take the time to delve into...
We were stumped on this one... it's "about" a small town in Germany before the outset of WW1... and all the random and fucked up stuff that happens to the townspeople... but... ummm... we didn't care...
characters just wandered on and off the screen... there were long long takes where we watch a character walk down a hall and into a room... and we stare at the shut door, with no music... for like 45 seconds at a time... and then the character walks out of the room and into another room... and we stare that door for 45 seconds... and then the character walks out and back into the other room... end scene... umm... ok...
the cinematography was cool... it was shot b&w and the film really looked like it was shot in the 30's or 40's. But it did not save this film... this is an obscure as hell super weird, German ART HOUSE film... and this is coming from a guy who likes "arty" movies... i think the director is the only person who gets it...
It really was an odd and confusing movie. Much like what John said, there doesn't seem to be any running plot or character arcs. The film is layered in indecipherable symbolism (at least for us).
The cinmatography was cool...but again strange. The 60 seconds of the camera sitting on a closed door was strange. Very strange. Very perplexed by the film.
a doctor falls off his horse... the horse was tripped by a wire...
there are a bunch of kids in the village (who are always sneaking around and being nosey and are weird) and they're taught by the narrator/school teacher who plays piano and likes this Babysitter he sees riding through town...
there is a priest... the priest has a few kids... one of the boys masturbates so the Priest ties his hands to the bed at night... the priest has a bird and the daughter gets mad at the priest so she kills the bird.
there is a farmer who's wife dies... and the son goes and chops up the local Baron's cabbages... and the later the Dad yells at the son... and then hangs himself.
the Baron's son is kidnapped and beaten... the Baron's wife leaves for Italy with the kid. the baron is upset. (we don't see this tho...)
the Teacher/Narrator goes to the adjacent town to try and marry the babysitter... her Dad says wait a year... he says ok... they go on a carriage ride and she kisses him...
The doctor comes back into town after being in the hospital. He molests his 14y/o daughter and degrades his maid/midwife/girlfriend as basically a whore who he used for pity sex but now she disgusts him... she has a retarded son... the retarded son gets kidnapped and beaten badly.
the Baron's wife returns with her son... the Preist's kids beat up the Baron's son and steal his whistle... the Baron's wife says... "I cheated on you in Italy..." she wants to leave... then a guy comes and basically says WW1 started
the midwife/exlover/maid is seen sneaking out of her house... the teacher asks her where he retarded son is... she asks for his bike... she leaves... the kid and the doctor and the 14y/o daughter is no where to be found...
and then the teacher suspects the kids are the ones doing the beatings and stuff (i think they also started a fire in a barn) he goes to the priest who tells him not to make stuff up about his kids... and then there is another voice over where the narrator says he was drafted into WW1 then came back and married the chick and had a shop in another town... he never saw the town again...
Oh God...
ReplyDeleteDan will have to help me out on this one...
We sat through all 2.5 hours of this thing... waiting for something to happen... waiting for the movie to make sense... waiting for a narrative... waiting for a plot... waiting for something to be explained...
We're still waiting...
Dan and I really enjoy symbolism and depth in films... we even like some obscure and challenging stuff that some wouldn't take the time to delve into...
We were stumped on this one... it's "about" a small town in Germany before the outset of WW1... and all the random and fucked up stuff that happens to the townspeople... but... ummm... we didn't care...
characters just wandered on and off the screen... there were long long takes where we watch a character walk down a hall and into a room... and we stare at the shut door, with no music... for like 45 seconds at a time... and then the character walks out of the room and into another room... and we stare that door for 45 seconds... and then the character walks out and back into the other room... end scene... umm... ok...
the cinematography was cool... it was shot b&w and the film really looked like it was shot in the 30's or 40's. But it did not save this film... this is an obscure as hell super weird, German ART HOUSE film... and this is coming from a guy who likes "arty" movies... i think the director is the only person who gets it...
Eh... I was going to pass on this anyways. I hated both versions of "Funny Games" and, I could care less about Michael Haneke.
ReplyDeleteIt really was an odd and confusing movie. Much like what John said, there doesn't seem to be any running plot or character arcs. The film is layered in indecipherable symbolism (at least for us).
ReplyDeleteThe cinmatography was cool...but again strange. The 60 seconds of the camera sitting on a closed door was strange. Very strange. Very perplexed by the film.
here is a little bit of the "plot":
ReplyDeletea doctor falls off his horse... the horse was tripped by a wire...
there are a bunch of kids in the village (who are always sneaking around and being nosey and are weird) and they're taught by the narrator/school teacher who plays piano and likes this Babysitter he sees riding through town...
there is a priest... the priest has a few kids... one of the boys masturbates so the Priest ties his hands to the bed at night... the priest has a bird and the daughter gets mad at the priest so she kills the bird.
there is a farmer who's wife dies... and the son goes and chops up the local Baron's cabbages... and the later the Dad yells at the son... and then hangs himself.
the Baron's son is kidnapped and beaten... the Baron's wife leaves for Italy with the kid. the baron is upset. (we don't see this tho...)
the Teacher/Narrator goes to the adjacent town to try and marry the babysitter... her Dad says wait a year... he says ok... they go on a carriage ride and she kisses him...
The doctor comes back into town after being in the hospital. He molests his 14y/o daughter and degrades his maid/midwife/girlfriend as basically a whore who he used for pity sex but now she disgusts him... she has a retarded son... the retarded son gets kidnapped and beaten badly.
the Baron's wife returns with her son... the Preist's kids beat up the Baron's son and steal his whistle... the Baron's wife says... "I cheated on you in Italy..." she wants to leave...
then a guy comes and basically says WW1 started
the midwife/exlover/maid is seen sneaking out of her house... the teacher asks her where he retarded son is... she asks for his bike... she leaves... the kid and the doctor and the 14y/o daughter is no where to be found...
and then the teacher suspects the kids are the ones doing the beatings and stuff (i think they also started a fire in a barn) he goes to the priest who tells him not to make stuff up about his kids...
and then there is another voice over where the narrator says he was drafted into WW1 then came back and married the chick and had a shop in another town... he never saw the town again...
the end
wtf!?!?!?!?!?!?