Lars Von Trier's Antichrist

  On 10/29/2009 at 7:47 AM, xxx said:

I think because of that, there were some motion artifacts from time to time but no big deal.

Actually there is some artifacts in some shots. They look like there is some glitches in the lens itself.

  On 10/29/2009 at 7:47 AM, xxx said:

Beloved wee Willem did great; when von Trier shot him lying on the cabin floor, his face looked like Gizmo when he closes his eyes and sings.

fucking lol, hahahaha. I was trying to figure out what he reminded me of in that scene and you hit the nail on the head!

regarding your spoiler:

all interesting comments as usual. Yeah I forgot about the raven beat-down, that was so absurdly comical (unintentionally so?) that it snapped me out of the film, as did the gonad-knock-out.

Kind of interesting how he is the one who discovers each of the 3 beggars, she seems oblivious to them. I don't usually like delving into the symbolism of any work of art as ultimately it's all a bunch of pish if the human interactions and dialogue don't sell the concepts. I also don't feel compelled to peer too deeply into Von Trier's films as, as I was saying, I think he only half believes what he's saying and is also in it to be provocative and play the role of bad boy. Which is what makes him less deep than, say, Tarkovsky, but also more entertaining imo.

I did think the film was a pretty realistic portrayal of that madness that can lurk in the souls of women, and was interesting for that alone. In a way I can chart my romantic life in terms of my attraction to this very thing. It's one of the main reasons I spend so much time with hookers, my addiction to women with multiple sides to their personalities. This film spoke directly to that, so I liked it. But I fully realize the film probably resonates much less for people who have never had brushes with really far out women. I have known women who were essentially no different from men, and women who embody some fathomless, dark mystery. I think I'm not alone in being drawn to the latter.

saw this recently. lots of stuff to interpret, but goddamn those slow-motion nature scenes were grotesque. really, very chilling and effective

About the cinematography...

I'm wondering if Anthony Dod Mantle can get nominated for an Oscar for his beautiful shots even though the movie is European? I don't know what the rules are like for the Cinematography award?

  On 10/30/2009 at 4:50 PM, xxx said:

  On 10/30/2009 at 11:40 AM, Squee said:

About the cinematography...

 

I'm wondering if Anthony Dod Mantle can get nominated for an Oscar for his beautiful shots even though the movie is European? I don't know what the rules are like for the Cinematography award?

And the Oscar for Best Cinematography goes to:

Slumdog Millionaire (UK) 2009

Pan's Labyrtinth (Spain) 2006

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (China) 2000

 

and I'm sure others--this is just recent memory. Realistically speaking, I'm not sure if it would actually nab best cinematography, especially as there are 10(!) movies up for Best Picture. I feel like it should nab something though. Dafoe deserves some accolades fo shizzle.

Ah - nice!

Personally, I'd say that it's the most beautiful film I've ever watched. There was not ONE scene that didn't look like a million dollars.

Well I know this will probably bring on cries of facepalm and "pussy", but watching this movie tonight, it literally made me sick. About 3/4 in, I literally could not hold back the incoming sob-omelette. Fuck, and I've seen Irreversible among others, this one takes the cake. This movie, what I've seen of it, is impeccably shot, but also utterly utterly disgusting.

Fuck me... when I get up tomorrow morning I'm going to do something ridiculously happy.

:wtf:

i won't call you a pussy, but surely the face smashing in irreversible was worse than anything in antichrist?

  On 11/9/2009 at 5:02 PM, lumpenprol said:

i won't call you a pussy, but surely the face smashing in irreversible was worse than anything in antichrist?

Exactly, and the rape scene as well.

Time will tell I guess.

sleep

irreversibles face smashing scene didnt affect me atall, but the rape scene, dear god. ive never felt so uncomfortable in my life.

cinematography is ace for both tho

  On 11/10/2009 at 2:33 AM, messiaen said:

irreversibles face smashing scene didnt affect me atall, but the rape scene, dear god. ive never felt so uncomfortable in my life.

lol yeah I was watching this with my dad... squirm city...

the punching and kicking in that rape scene are horrific, but I've always found the idea of the penetration part of rape to be kind of silly: "I'm going to assault you and dominate you with the small piece of hanging tissue between my legs! take that!" Being violated is traumatic I'm sure, but a penis used as a weapon just seems so underwhelming...when I watched that scene and he rolls over with his limp CG dick hanging out, twas funny...speaking of which I wonder how many rape assailants actually manage to penetrate their victims, as opposed to just chafing up against their inner thigh or something...

just got done with this. i dunno. not what i expected at all. everything written about it is basically wrong and overblown; there's some very quick torture sequences but who gives a shit. the whole movie played out like a nightmare, and on that alone i have to give it a very good rating. it's almost impossible to convey the structure of a dream in any artistic medium, but this came very close while still applying a narrative of sorts. dafoe was pretty amazing. i'm not a fan of charlotte gainsborough (she looks a bit like an orc from lord of the rings) but i have to admit her acting was very good in this. and what lumpenprol has said about having to have been in a relationship with a crazy woman to really appreciate this is completely true. extra points if she's asian.

there were some missteps in the film, but the first forest sequence and the deer with the stillborn were extremely effective. in fact that special effect in particular was amazing. the cinematography was some of the best i've seen in anything. some of the religious allegory or symbolism was a bit obvious and heavy handed, and, admittedly, i'm at a loss to sum up exactly what this film is supposed to mean, but on a first viewing it's one of the more notable films i've seen in the last couple years.

this reminded me of in the realm of the senses, more than say salo or don't look now or tarkovsky (i really really don't see the similarity on that last one).

i knew that would come up. But seriously, out of all things to be assaulted with, a penis seems sort of absurd...it is interesting how the human mind blows things out of proportion isn't it? I mean you can get pushed to the ground by a bully as a kid and remember it your whole life, even if you didn't get a scratch. Clearly rape functions the same way, it's all about the psychology of it (unless, as in Irreversible, there's a horrific beating involved too). Fear is such an incredible, debilitating force.

Glad zaphod liked Antichrist!

anyone else think that gainsbourg was basically playing von trier in this? that might put some of the accusations of misogyny to rest at least, as i saw the film as her character being a representation of him, trying to heal himself after this long depression he was suffering. and then the dafoe character was a lot more simplistic in a way, which is why his acting should be lauded.

thinking about it, this actually did remind me of solyaris...

hm, I don't get that, simply because

I do think it's quite possible she represents Von Trier's depression, though - this slippery beast that twists your thoughts and warps your best impulses.

As I was saying I don't mind that the film can be read as misogynistic as if the world can have its Hannibal Lecters, Patrick Batemans, etc, surely it can stand one Charlotte Gainsborough. I mean if there was a feminist film that ended with a final scene of a bunch of men on all fours in a muddy trough squealing like pigs, I'd probably clap! I like ballsy filmmaking that has an element of truth to it.

by the way I like your comparing it to a dream, and completely agree about the first deer sequence, it's certainly one of the most intense short sequences I've seen on film.

yeah i certainly don't mind it being read as misogynist. like, oh no, a movie with a female lead who is crazy! that's so far from reality!

and after watching it, i'm more baffled by the reviews and the outcry than the film itself. it was downright subdued at points and the "torture porn" was neither torture or pornographic. i find it especially odd that pbn can read an author like cormac mccarthy, who regularly puts his characters through more intense, sustained violence than anything in antichrist, but be so offended and have nightmares from a mere description of this film. very odd. i also took everything in the movie with a comedic grain of salt, especially the opening. i know there's some intended humor, however black, in the ridiculous pretentiousness of the prologue. and the fox, i mean, lol...

  On 11/9/2009 at 4:36 PM, verticalhold said:

Well I know this will probably bring on cries of facepalm and "pussy", but watching this movie tonight, it literally made me sick. About 3/4 in, I literally could not hold back the incoming sob-omelette. Fuck, and I've seen Irreversible among others, this one takes the cake. This movie, what I've seen of it, is impeccably shot, but also utterly utterly disgusting.

 

i'm definitely going to watch it now

  On 11/12/2009 at 5:57 AM, zaphod said:

i also took everything in the movie with a comedic grain of salt, especially the opening. i know there's some intended humor, however black, in the ridiculous pretentiousness of the prologue. and the fox, i mean, lol...

yeah, that's why i was saying even if Von Trier was trying to make something in the spirit of a Tarkovsky film, he could never do it due to his sick sense of humor. Tarkovsky, like Malick, doesn't seem to have much of a sense of humor, unlike say Herzog or even Kubrick.

The first time I saw Breaking the Waves I cried, but was also really angry at Von Trier for his mocking chapter titles and the end sequence with the bells. I just felt he was this mocking, sadistic filmmaker who had made this immensely moving tragedy and then laughed at it for no apparent reason. But now I'm more at peace with Von Trier the man, and I find his sort of wannabe bad boy impulses to be at the very least unique and "fun." I compared him to Tarantino but he's also sort of like the RDJ of the arthouse stable. Even looks a bit like him!

funny thing about the B&W intro - from what I understand Tarkovsky was forced to splice B&W into his color films simply due to budget constraints, but you can just see Von Trier thinking "if I'm gonna do a B&W sequence, I at least have to mock serious artsy films!" He couldn't leave well enough alone...

Penelopé Cruz has just been announced as the lead actress in Lars von Trier's new movie called Melancholia.

I'm sure all you Penélope Cruz fans can look forward to a couple of shots of her amazing body in all its glory.

Irreversible is ridiculously overrated, i liked antichrist a lot more. at least the entire movie didn't hinge on two really long gratuitous scenes of rape and CGI head crushed (yes its not practical effects, looks like bad cgi) by a fire extinguisher