The Barbarian Invasions

[cine]

I want to see this movie , even blind buy it, but I've been told that it works better if you've seen Decline  .  Advices?

It really does work better that way, and I'm a bit surprised that it's worldwide success hasn't led to a Decline DVD release... However, I'd still recommend it to anyone. It's not essential to have seen Decline, just preferable.

I haven't seen Decline of the American Empire but I still loved the Barbarian Invasions. It's clearly a continuation but you can appreciate it as a film without seeing the first one, in my opinion.

[ono]

Here's a somewhat-depressing story; a companion piece to this somewhat-depressing film: I haven't seen it yet.  I wanted to very much, but missed it when it came here.  I was intrigued by the poster -- it looked like Happiness's poster, no?  One girl, an acquaintance of mine who did go to see it, said it was totally not for us (being a college audience) -- she was bored by it, and so were the others who were with her.  She said it wasn't for a "college audience" so there was no point in bringing it to the campus.  I don't know, this kind of irked me.  Don't know why I'm bringing this up except to get some more learned opinions on the film itself.  What films is it like?  I don't really have the traditional college taste, I guess, and I'm thankful for that, because I'm perfectly capable of sitting through a movie about older adults and life and death (Magnolia, 21 Grams -- and those are even somewhat mainstream compared to more esoteric films that would deal with this kind of thing).  M'eh.  I would consider blind-buying it if I had the cash come July 13th -- I just want to SEE it.  Oh, and what do you think about the Happiness poster connection?

[cron]

Oh, and what do you think about the Happiness poster connection?

I know. Both are drawings and have a bunch of people who look worried. Also, the fact that the Happiness poster has a yellow/orange background and the Barbarian Invasions poster's is blue.   Blue and yellow are opposites.

[Julke]

Hey, since I am from Quebec, I can assure you there is a DVD version of The Decline of the American Empire. We have several copies at the video store where I used to work.

Don't know if it's available in America or the rest of Canada for tat matter, but it is in Quebec. I am nowin Australia, should get back at the end of June, so if any of you want it on DVD if it hasn't been released yet, let me know and I'll hook you up.

I believe there is an English track, but who cares, there defenitely are English subtitles.

Hope the info helped.

[cine]

I believe there is an English track, but who cares, there defenitely are English subtitles.

Ugh, I wouldn't want an English track. I laughed my ass off with subtitles.

[godardian]

Here's a somewhat-depressing story; a companion piece to this somewhat-depressing film: I haven't seen it yet.  I wanted to very much, but missed it when it came here.  I was intrigued by the poster -- it looked like Happiness's poster, no?  One girl, an acquaintance of mine who did go to see it, said it was totally not for us (being a college audience) -- she was bored by it, and so were the others who were with her.  She said it wasn't for a "college audience" so there was no point in bringing it to the campus.  I don't know, this kind of irked me.  Don't know why I'm bringing this up except to get some more learned opinions on the film itself.  What films is it like?  I don't really have the traditional college taste, I guess, and I'm thankful for that, because I'm perfectly capable of sitting through a movie about older adults and life and death (Magnolia, 21 Grams -- and those are even somewhat mainstream compared to more esoteric films that would deal with this kind of thing).  M'eh.  I would consider blind-buying it if I had the cash come July 13th -- I just want to SEE it.  Oh, and what do you think about the Happiness poster connection?

It's more along the lines of a Woody Allen drama, as far as feel and propulsion, than the films you mention. It's very stoic, very grown-up, very much about baby boomer regrets, how they thought they were going to change the world and failed. This may be what your friend meant, but if it is, that's rather narrow and a little ageist. Isn't college a time in your life and mental development when you should start (if you haven't already) being open to things that don't strictly match your demographic? It's a very good film, succeeds in every way something like The Big Chill fails: It's not a self-congratulatory baby-boomer movie. It's about life and death, but it's not metaphysical in any way; it's very accepting of death and very incisive about life as it's lived in North America and what that has meant, does mean, and will mean.

[Julke]

That's what I meant by who cares. I hate translation like most of us here I believe. And anyway, my first language is French so I couldn't care less.
I just checked and you can get the DVD on amazon.ca.

Enjoy