Dogville

Started by Weak2ndAct, July 12, 2003, 04:39:50 AM

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Chest Rockwell

I probably wont get it for a couple of weeks, sadly.

Finn

It might just stay in limited release. Ebert & Roeper surprisingly gave it "thumbs down", but I was a little confused by their review. They said it was three hours long (which they thought was way too long) but everything I've read about it says that it's two hours. Which is it really?
Typical US Mother: "Remember what the MPAA says; Horrific, Deplorable violence is okay, as long as people don't say any naughty words."

modage

Quote from: MacGuffin
Quote from: rustinglasssad news: I heard that the american release will be the butchered 117min version :(

Quote from: Weak2ndActPsst...

Dogville WILL NOT be cut down for american release.  I know this for a fact.

Yep. According to today's Los Angeles Times review, the running time is 2 hrs. 57 mins.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Chest Rockwell

Is this to say that the 2 hour version is better than the uncut 3 hours?

rustinglass

Quote from: A wiser man than myself once Filmcritics are like assholes, everyone is one.

The long version is better.
"In Serbia a lot of people hate me because they want to westernise, not understanding that the western world is bipolar, with very good things and very bad things. Since they don't have experience of the west, they even believe that western shit is pie."
-Emir Kusturica

BonBon85

I went to see it last night at the Angelika. I got stuck in the back right corner because the moron I was with wanted to get drinks first so we didn't get to the theater until five minutes before it started. (And don't think I wasn't tempted to ditch the moron to find a closer single seat). The lack of walls in the film wasn't distracting, although the people who laughed every time somebody knocked on an invisible door were. I'll agree with the other comments that the beginning is a tad slow. Overall, I'm mostly just surprised more of a fuss hasn't been made over this film in the US. Maybe von Trier lucked out by releasing immediately after The Passion, so people decided to focus more on that movie since it has a higher profile. I was already surprised by how harshly he was critiquing America in the film itself, and then the credits roll and he just pounds you over the head with the idea. The credits were a bit much.

Henry Hill

ebert and roeper tore this film apart on their show this morning. i couldnt believe it. i thought ebert would like it. they did though go on and on about how von trier hates america and that this film could be seen as  anti-american. ebert then went on to say that a lot of movies are probably anti-american and that he enjoys them. its just on top of that this film was horrible. long and boring. and you know roeper, he gives a thumbs down for almost everything. dating back to last weeks show he gave Jersey Girl a thumbs down, and then all movies on todays show. funny.
The Ladykillers
Dogville
Scooby-Doo 2: Monster Unleased
Never Die Alone
Hellboy

BonBon85

Looking at what I wrote before, I guess I didn't make it clear that I'm glad I saw it and I would recommend it. It didn't have the same emotional impact on me as Breaking the Waves or Dancer in the Dark, but it's still very powerful.

A Matter Of Chance

It's a great movie, I think.

modage

Quote from: BonBon85Looking at what I wrote before, I guess I didn't make it clear that I'm glad I saw it and I would recommend it. It didn't have the same emotional impact on me as Breaking the Waves or Dancer in the Dark, but it's still very powerful.
its pretty easy to be powerful though, especially when being so emotionally manipulative to an audience by abusing your lead.  see also: The Passion.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

BonBon85

Quote from: themodernage02
Quote from: BonBon85Looking at what I wrote before, I guess I didn't make it clear that I'm glad I saw it and I would recommend it. It didn't have the same emotional impact on me as Breaking the Waves or Dancer in the Dark, but it's still very powerful.
its pretty easy to be powerful though, especially when being so emotionally manipulative to an audience by abusing your lead.  see also: The Passion.

I totally agree (though I'm waiting for the DVD to see The Passion).  Although von Trier's films are always blatantly manipulative, I still find watching them a worthwhile experience.

Pubrick

Quote from: BonBon85although the people who laughed every time somebody knocked on an invisible door were.
that is a stupid audience. damn.
under the paving stones.

Pwaybloe

Quote from: Pubrickthat is a stupid audience. damn.

...Nicole Kidman fans.

samsong

fuck Ebert and Roeper... I have little respect for both.  Well, not true... I like reading Ebert's Great Movies essays.  Roeper on the other hand has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.  

Dogville...anti American... wow, what a revelation.  I knew when I saw this last year that it was going to be HATED in the US for that very fact.  And yes, it's anti-American.  Blatantly at that.  Lars isn't shy about it either.  During a press conference he said he sees a lot of shit going on in America.  So what?  How does that effect the work as a whole?  If Ebert and Roeper and others who will be offended or unsettled by the anti-American nature of the film, that's on them.  The film has so much to offer but if they want to get stuck on that, that's fine. I personally found the anti-american-ness thought provoking and very resonant in terms of truth... I felt that von Trier was simply holding up a mirror to the country as well as being an unflichingly pessimistic view of humanity that almost felt Orwellian.  It may be a mirror that only shows the negative but it's a powerful reminder of the state of things... or that's what I thought at least. Then they go on to say that they've seen somewhat anti-American films that they actually liked but did they name one?  As I said, fuck them.  They lick so much public ass it's ridiculous.

The manipulative nature of Lars von Trier's films is nothing new... it's what he does.  But there's an undeniable integrity behind von Trier's sadistic insanity, and I find his films, albeit brutal and emotionally pornographic, very endearing.  Again I think it has a lot to do with where the filmmaker is coming from and I've never had a problem with him thus far... actually everything I've seen from Lars von Trier I adore, The Idiots being my favorite.  I dont know, Lars von Trier's films have always been love-or-hate and I'm not surprised by the reactions towards Dogville... I personally love it.  Stylistically it's one of the most interesting films I've ever seen... I was totally into the theatrical aspect of the film and was completely and utterly fascinated.  It was refreshing to see a film where the storytelling is as basic as it is in Dogville.  I love John Hurt's narrations, the chapter stops.. it creates this safe, comfortable environment of having stories read to you before going to bed as a kid, only this bedtime story leads you into a realm of that will probably have you feeling shitty by the end.  Maybe I'm going too deep into it but there's a quality about Dogville that sucked me in and spat me out completely shooken up and ecstatic about what was achieved.  I hear people bring up the pacing as a negative but I never found the film to be dull or slow at any point.

Lars von Trier is cinema's best friends, as he is constantly reinventing himself and opening new doors.  In terms of technology goes he's the absolute best.  His use of it in his films is exactly how it should be done... sparingly and intelligently.  It's never superfluous or serves any other purpose than to further his vision.  He's one of the true visionaries of the new breed of filmmakers (or the 90s new breed, anyway) and can't wait till S (which I think is Manderlay) and A of the USA trilogy come out.

modage

Quote from: filmboy70they did though go on and on about how von trier hates america and that this film could be seen as  anti-american. ebert then went on to say that a lot of movies are probably anti-american and that he enjoys them. its just on top of that this film was horrible. long and boring.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.