Arthouse Atrocities - Where Art and Eyegouging form an uneasy peace

[Phurious]

Oh yeh, the comparisons inescapable and done purposefully I'd say.

I love the scene where they leave a taxi and go into the red light district - reminiscent of Enter The Void.

In fact the titles are very Noe come to think of it.

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[Slippery Jack]

Originally Posted by Phurious

Oh yeh, the comparisons inescapable and done purposefully I'd say.

I love the scene where they leave a taxi and go into the red light district - reminiscent of Enter The Void.

In fact the titles are very Noe come to think of it.

Hmm I don't remember it that well enough - hopefully the shipping from US won't take too long!

Yet to see Enter the Void - got a feeling I wouldn't enjoy it . . .

[Demoncrat]

Originally Posted by Slippery Jack

Hmm I don't remember it that well enough - hopefully the shipping from US won't take too long!

Yet to see Enter the Void - got a feeling I wouldn't enjoy it . . .

Dont like i did watch it pissed. oooh my heid etc. but then most of Noe's work is like being battered with a hammer IMO. NOT a criticism btw.

[Phurious]

Originally Posted by thehamish

Dont like i did watch it pissed. oooh my heid etc. but then most of Noe's work is like being battered with a hammer IMO. NOT a criticism btw.

...or with a fire extinguisher?

[Phurious]

Nicolas Winding Refn.

His Pusher trilogy and Bleeder are not within the realm of 'arthouse', but Fear X, Bronson undoubtedly Valhalla Rising (and at a push Drive) are.

Existential, surreal, graphically violent, playful, sombre, questioning, hilarious, extreme and fantastically well made, could all be applied to the above films.

I think Fear X is such an underrated film and I know Refn had a nightmare making it, but to still come out with a film that good looking and intriguing is a testament to his tenacity and skill as a film maker.

Bronson is magnificently done and seems to call up the spirit of Kubrick in playful mode. Hardy is show stealing, but Refn's stamp of creativity is all over the movie.

And Valhalla Rising? An existential viking, micro budget movie shot digitally that had me utterly absorbed form the opening seconds. Bravura film making right there.

As for Drive, I seriously doubt any other film will knock my socks off as successfully as this has.

[Make Them Die Slowly]

I've only seen "Bronson" and "Valhalla Rising", VR being my favourite of the two. I found it an oddly spiritual film that could be read as both Christian and Heathen in view.

Of course, the best thing about Refn is the fact that he recently purchased a few Andy Milligan films for possible release. Now there's an artist!

[Phurious]

Originally Posted by Make Them Die Slowly

I've only seen "Bronson" and "Valhalla Rising", VR being my favourite of the two. I found it an oddly spiritual film that could be read as both Christian and Heathen in view.

Of course, the best thing about Refn is the fact that he recently purchased a few Andy Milligan films for possible release. Now there's an artist!

He's one of those directors for me, where it's really hard for me to pick a favourite of his work.

VR definitely has a 'spiritual' feel to it, but ultimately for me it has the same kind of existential quaities of something like Two Lane Blacktop - people searching for answers. To what - not exactly sure (some kind of fulfilment I guess), but bloody hell, it's an interesting journey.

I can't recommend his other stuff enough, particularly Fear X, which really is an absolute gem. And of course the Pusher trilogy particularly the third I'm The Angel Of Death, which push comes to shove, I'd say that I enjoyed the most.

[Phurious]

The Great Ecstasy Of Robert Carmichael

Read a handful of reviews and you can see that this film is the very definition of divisive, but I'm firmly in the 'like it' camp.

It's not an easy watch and probably because it lacks a clear message (like the recent Cherry Tree Lane) this has somewhat irked people, but I think it's a fascinating portrayal of disaffected youth and the factors that 'may' account for this phenomenon.

It's well acted, confidently directed for a debut feature and superbly shot by Girogos Arvantis (who also shot the equally controversial Anatomy Of Hell) and will probably leave you feeling a bit

I'm also a fan of Clay's follow up Soi Cowboy, which is a different kettle of fish altogether.

There's an iffy French trailer here:

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Baseball Fury

When it comes to modern arthouse, for me, it's Herzog, Haneke and Todd Solondz. he's an incredible film maker, and Palindromes absolutely blew me away when I first saw it.

I loved Happiness - one of my favourite films.

Another I'd like to throw into the arena is Taxidermia:

[Pete]

I didn't like TAXIDERMIA, I felt the director was trying to hard to be different and far out.