life on the farm
I just finished watching Manderlay, which is the sequel to Lars von Trier's Dogville, starring Nicole Kidman in one of her best roles. If you've seen any of von Trier's films, you'd know that they're not easy viewing. Dancer in the Dark starring Bjork, was very, very sad. A great movie, but so very, very sad. I get sad thinking about it. And it was a musical, too, but still. So sad. It's really worth watching if you want to be compelled to drink whisky in bed, curled up in the fetal position and crying your eyes out all night. I didn't do that when I saw it, mind you, but I'm sure the thought crossed my mind.
Dogville wasn't as sad, but it trumped the sadness card by being very, very disturbing. It was very, very disturbing in a kind of matter-of-fact way, which made it even more disturbing. I think I only saw it once, but I can still remember it so vividly. Nicole Kidman's amazing in it portraying the central character, Grace, whose role is reprised by Bryce Dallas Howard in Manderlay. Grace is a helpful kind of character. She means well, or at least that's how it seems, but perhaps she's idealistic to a fault. I don't want to go too much into it, because I still haven't made up my mind about her. It's a fascinating character, though. Anyway, in Dogville, Grace happens onto a small town by the same name in Colorado, I think. She's running from something but no one's sure what. I exchange for hiding her out there, Grace does stuff to help the town's inhabitants, and then shit gets fucked up.
In Manderlay, Grace happens on to a plantation in Alabama, even though it's the 1930s. It's a powerful film with amazing peformances. I was happy to see Danny Glover in a prominent role, because I haven't seen him in a film in a long time, and he was really good in it. Bryce was excellent as Grace also. I wasn't sure how I'd take to her considering Kidman was so good in Dogville, but I thought she did an amazing job, even though the fact that she obviously doesn't carry the same star power diminished her somewhat early on. Usually, I'd rather see an unknown, but there was something about seeing that role played by a big name actress that made it even more effective. That's just my opinion though. I really liked Bryce, and I hope she comes back and does the third part of the trilogy.
That might not happen, though, because I've heard stories about von Trier. The man's an amazing and provocative director, but he doesn't have much of a bedside manner, so to speak. I heard that Kidman really wanted to come back and reprise the role of Grace, but working with von Trier was such a trying experience, she refused to work with him again. I thought maybe this was just an isolated incident, but I also heard that Bjork, after completing Dancer in the Dark, was so distraught from her experience with von Trier that she not only refused to work with him again, but also said she never wanted to do another movie again. Ever. That's crazy. I'm not sure if that's true, but it's fun to spread rumors anyway. I mean, if the guy's so insane that fucking Bjork won't go near him, you know something's up. That bitch communicates with elves!
PS. Since Bjork could probably unleash valkrye-like fury on my ass, I retract the bitch comment. It was used simply in a failed attempt to be colorful.
Dogville wasn't as sad, but it trumped the sadness card by being very, very disturbing. It was very, very disturbing in a kind of matter-of-fact way, which made it even more disturbing. I think I only saw it once, but I can still remember it so vividly. Nicole Kidman's amazing in it portraying the central character, Grace, whose role is reprised by Bryce Dallas Howard in Manderlay. Grace is a helpful kind of character. She means well, or at least that's how it seems, but perhaps she's idealistic to a fault. I don't want to go too much into it, because I still haven't made up my mind about her. It's a fascinating character, though. Anyway, in Dogville, Grace happens onto a small town by the same name in Colorado, I think. She's running from something but no one's sure what. I exchange for hiding her out there, Grace does stuff to help the town's inhabitants, and then shit gets fucked up.
In Manderlay, Grace happens on to a plantation in Alabama, even though it's the 1930s. It's a powerful film with amazing peformances. I was happy to see Danny Glover in a prominent role, because I haven't seen him in a film in a long time, and he was really good in it. Bryce was excellent as Grace also. I wasn't sure how I'd take to her considering Kidman was so good in Dogville, but I thought she did an amazing job, even though the fact that she obviously doesn't carry the same star power diminished her somewhat early on. Usually, I'd rather see an unknown, but there was something about seeing that role played by a big name actress that made it even more effective. That's just my opinion though. I really liked Bryce, and I hope she comes back and does the third part of the trilogy.
That might not happen, though, because I've heard stories about von Trier. The man's an amazing and provocative director, but he doesn't have much of a bedside manner, so to speak. I heard that Kidman really wanted to come back and reprise the role of Grace, but working with von Trier was such a trying experience, she refused to work with him again. I thought maybe this was just an isolated incident, but I also heard that Bjork, after completing Dancer in the Dark, was so distraught from her experience with von Trier that she not only refused to work with him again, but also said she never wanted to do another movie again. Ever. That's crazy. I'm not sure if that's true, but it's fun to spread rumors anyway. I mean, if the guy's so insane that fucking Bjork won't go near him, you know something's up. That bitch communicates with elves!
PS. Since Bjork could probably unleash valkrye-like fury on my ass, I retract the bitch comment. It was used simply in a failed attempt to be colorful.
2 comments:
I'm surprised she didn't beat the crap out of him like she did that reporter. That was awesome. She was a little bundle of Icelandic fury flying at that woman.
i still have to see that video. i want to see bjork throw down.
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