Confession: I do not plan on seeing Lars Von Trier's "Antichrist" even though it features Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe, two performers that I admire immensely. Even the theme of the film--that "nature is Satan's church"--is something I can get behind. Suffice to say I don't like spending time anyplace that doesn't have artificial climate. Why, then, am I avoiding this movie? Simply put, my days of cinematic endurance tests are behind me and this movie was tailor-made to create a heavy emotional response. Also, while the genital mutilation is what seems to be earning the majority of the public's collective cringe-response, I'm just totally not-digging on the animalstuff. Yeah, I know--baby-doom and weiner-stabbings are fine, but when was the last time a baby bird cut YOU off in traffic?
HOWEVER, I'm glad the movie exists because it's occasioned some really interesting criticism from several of my favorite blogs. While I'm over here, not-watching "Antichrist," I urge you to check out some of these fantastic reviews:
Kindertrauma's take on "Antichrist" [I love Unkle Lancifer and Aunt John more and more EVERY SINGLE DAY, friends]
7 comments:
Yeah, I loved Kindertrauma's review of it. I loved it so much that I'm not going to ever watch Antichrist especially.
Aw TK,
Right back at you with the love and then some. You have made a wise decision my friend, staying clear of this one. Here it is nearly a week later from when I saw it (Thanks for ruining my Halloween Lars!) and I'm still trying to chase the Eeyores out of my head. Who would have thunk somebody could swipe the "Most bat shit crazy horror flick of the year" award away from Rob Zombie?
Thanks also for pointing me towards the Cinema Suicide and Paracinema posts--great reads both!-Unk
maybe it's a case of being too well-adjusted, but I found Antichrist fairly silly and laughable, save for the odd gory moment. Guess a lot of that had to do with South Park and the Christmas episode with the satanic animals - for all the "von Trier suffered a major depression at the time of writing and is exorcising his own demons in public" talk, there really are to many saimiliarities to take the movie all that seriously.
Should go over well with the gorehound and "I watch arthouse, hence I'm superior" crowd though
Thank you for the link :)
Looks...interesting (at least to some o' us Bobby Perue -heads), but.......perhaps you could tell me, about the ...n-factor, as in ...yes..nun-ex.
Real demonic flicks got to have some ho's in habits taking it up the a** for JC, or who the F. cares
Thanks for linking to those T-Kate. As an overeducated art FEELM fan, I kind of felt guilty about skipping this but now I know what it's all about without having to actually watch it.
I don't need depressing right now. I think I need to track down "Black Dynamite."
Amen to THAT, Igloo Keeper! I haven't the emotional fortitude. I don't look it, but I'm *delicate*.
Unk, I'm putting "Antichrist" firmly in the "films that are interesting to read ABOUT" category, along with some of the rougher Japanese offerings. I like other people's ideas thereabout, but I just can't handle witnessing such madness for myself!
Anon, there's a lot to be said for one's headspace upon approaching a deliberately provocative movie. I still get pissed at myself for being emotionally manipulated by long distance phone service commercials, so I daren't go toe-to-toe with this one...!
You're welcome, Christine! Thanks to you and your blogteam for watching the movie and having such interesting commentary to share :)
J--salient point, friend. Being-as-how this appears to be naughty-nun-free, p'raps our time's better spent with "Malabimba." Again. For SCIENCE.
No prob, Joan! I've leapt on enough cinema-grenades for one lifetime. Having pals basically sit there and say "this one ain't for you, cupcake" in so many words" is helping to alleviate any pangs of remorse.
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