FILM FEST FEVER –MAMI 09-2
Helloo, its Halloween time! The second day of the fest seems planned to shock- and- awe viewers who were lambasted with raw violence, explicit sex and convoluted exposition of religious fervour. As predicted the theatre started filling up 45 minutes before the show. Within minutes enthusiasts began to plonk themselves on the steps in the aisles. The expected delay notwithstanding, film awaited with bated breath this Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist.
The horror genre was well represented by two extreme, outrageously gory films Antichrist and White Lightnin. When placed back to back it leaves you numbed by the violence unleashed on the screen. Antichrist won an award for the Best Female lead at Cannes this year.
LARS VON TRIER’S ANTICHRIST
Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist stars just two characters, Willem Dafoe (of Superman fame) and Charlotte Gainsborough. a married couple whose efforts to come to terms after the death of their child. As snow falls gently outside, the child escapes from his crib and falls through an open window. The two are lost in ecstatic love –making and are blissfully unaware. The contrast of angelic innocence and sinful desire scene is played out in slow motion with the operatic aria from Handel’s Rinaldo in the background in this unforgettable scene.
The mother cannot come to terms with the loss and guilt and needs hospitalization and psychiatric care. The father is a therapist and decides to take her treatment in his own hands. He suggests that they retire to their secluded cottage in the woods where he can apply his psychological theories and help her face reality. The husband displays the usual male condescension for her thesis on Gynocide (history of mythic violence against women), her doctors and their medicines and even her pain. There is a slow build up of anger even as her sexual desires become uncontrollable even as she conquers her fear of the natural surroundings.
Like the operatic music the action escalates to a slow crescendo leading to an explosive outburst of more sex, violence and gore. Even if you tell yourself this is cinema the film shatters you with deliberate and unexpected force. It is difficult to describe the action on screen in words as it something one has to experience. Female sexuality, revenge and ancient mythology all come alive in the last few moments where again the director leaves us with stunning visuals.
The director faced criticism for its extreme violence and sexual vignettes and as the Director of the Festival , Srinivasan Narayanan said in his introductory speech, there were many doubts about whether it can ever be shown in India. Watch it if you have the stomach for horror not subtle, not hidden in shadows but out there in the open.
WHITE LIGHTNIN’ -DIRECTOR DOMINIC MURPHY
The director of White Lightnin Dominic Murphy presented his film and was greeted with a warm applause.
The story is inspired by Jessco White the popular singer who was born in Bandytown in West Virginia. His father Donald Ray was one of the greatest mountain dancers in the US. Of course we are never really sure whether fiction overtook reality at some point in this film.
Despite a loving family background and generous parents the child veers to the bad and ugly side of society even as a child. His He is introduced to sniffing gasoline and experiments with stronger drugs as he grows up. Jail, reformatory school and mental institution does not help bring him back on track. His father initiates him into dance but Jesse is hell bent on self destruction.
An older woman (Carrie Fisher) whose car he plans to hijack leaves her family to live with him. These are the only happy days in his life (‘she washes my clothes, cooks and comes on long drives just like real family’). He performs in pubs with his dad’s friend on the guitar and girlfriend in tow. A couple of drunks kill his father on the road. Like many criminals religion, pain and revenge accommodates his limited understanding. (‘The past comes and messes up my life in the present’).He becomes obsessed with seeking out his dad’s killers (‘I love my dad and always will’). One does not feel any sympathy for the handsome young man (actor Edward Hogg) although he makes half-hearted attempts to correct himself. Towards the end he degrades his flesh and blood in retribution and guilt
The director has used narration by the protagonist to connect his viewers with the rationale of events. The cinematographer Tim Maurice –Jones has done splendid work in this film. The overall visual treatment is sepia tint and grey which leaves one depressed and repulsed by the meaningless violence.
Tags: 11 Mumbai Film Festival, Antichrist, Dominic Murphy, Lars von Trier, MAMI, MAMI 2009, MAMI09; Antichrist;Lars Von Trier;White Lightnin';Dominic Murphy;, White Lightning
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
the opening scene of Antichrist was the best i have ever seen…but the movie stopped making sense as it neared its end…