Melancholia - Lars Von Trier's newest film

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Post by Sonic Youth »

Uri wrote:No one, but no one, should mess up with us Jews. Hasn't Von Trier seen Inglorious Basterds, for God's sake?

Poor Lars has just been interviewed on the evening news here in Israel, being very awkwardly humble and all about the holocaust being the greatest crime against humanity ever, the respect he has for Jews and the fact that part of his family is Jewish, and that his harsh criticism is all about official Israel's conduct toward the Palestinians has and not about Jewish or Israeli people. He did however refuse to apologize but stated he was sorry if his statements were misunderstood and erroneously conceived as offensive.
I take it back. I don't think Von Trier meant to provoke for the sake of provocation. He's just a piss-poor public speaker.

I don't think he should have left, but he's likely better off. It wouldn't have been a pleasant rest-of-Cannes for him anyway.
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Post by Sabin »

I think Lars von Trier should be allowed to say what he wants and I think the Cannes Film Festival should be allowed to ask him to leave if they like. I don't really agree with their choice because it adds validity to his statements which should vanish like gas in the wind.

Really though, this accomplishes two things:

1) Lars' persecution complex will be heightened and he will make another movie that's likely an even more interminably juvenile slog than Antichrist.

2) I haven't seen it yet but the sight of Lars von Trier apologizing must be unbelievable. Has he ever done that before? After decades of being the most ungracious, infantile recipient of awards he deems beneath his station, now he is forced to humble himself and apologize. He must sound like Fonzie apologizing.
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Post by Uri »

No one, but no one, should mess up with us Jews. Hasn't Von Trier seen Inglorious Basterds, for God's sake?

Poor Lars has just been interviewed on the evening news here in Israel, being very awkwardly humble and all about the holocaust being the greatest crime against humanity ever, the respect he has for Jews and the fact that part of his family is Jewish, and that his harsh criticism is all about official Israel's conduct toward the Palestinians has and not about Jewish or Israeli people. He did however refuse to apologize but stated he was sorry if his statements were misunderstood and erroneously conceived as offensive.
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Post by Sonic Youth »

Cinemanolis wrote:
Sabin wrote:I think Dogville is a masterpiece.
I second that.
Dogville is the only Von Trier film I've liked, although I don't think I'd want to sit through it again. He's an extremely skilled filmmaker. It's his ideas, his philosophies and his sophmoric vision of humanity I find unsufferable. It's a clash of personalities, really.

Offtopic: Is anyone else having the worst time trying to access this site today? 2 out of 3 times I keep getting an error message.
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Post by Cinemanolis »

Here is the video from the press conference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LayW8aq4GLw&feature=player_embedded

lol. Kristin Dunst's reactions are priceless.
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Post by Sonic Youth »

OscarGuy wrote:Sonic & Sabin: I wasn't referring to Cannes' response, they had to do something when the ADL and other groups are causing a stink about it. He'll publicly make up with them and everything will be ok when his next movie comes out.

Sonic: My issue is with the ADL and all the others who have made some huge outcry over this and many other supposedly Nazi-related issues while sitting back while it happens in other parts of the world. Instead of going after one or two insensitive comments made, if they put their money where their mouths are and actually PROMOTED an end to genocide around the world and actually focused on it instead of what media attention they can get off an eccentric, loudmouth filmmaker, the world might be a better place instead of what it is.
This is the only "condemnation" I'm aware of. Foxman - uncharacteristically, I'll add - seems bemused and bewildered by it rather than offended. Doesn't look anything close like a huge outcry to me on their part.

And if they want to condemn his statements, why not? Everybody's statements are allowed to be condemned by everyone. Big deal. What should they do, endorse his statements? I think the statements are too stupid to condemn, and even the ADL seems to think so.

Did something touch a nerve? You're not wholly wrong (although you're making lots of assumptions about how other people address atrocities in other parts of the world, which I won't ask you to back up), but is it really worth the level of exasperation you're exhibiting?
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Post by Cinemanolis »

Sabin wrote:I think Dogville is a masterpiece.
I second that.
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Post by OscarGuy »

I don't know about everybody. The ADL did issue a statement condemning his comments. Others have expressed outrage (even a lefty like Rod Lurie made a stink on FB about it). I wasn't as outraged and obviously a lot of people here who already know what to expect from him weren't specifically outraged. But even if it were everybody, then perhaps they need to speak up when genocide happens in other parts of the world.

After all, nothing in his comments was particularly antisemitic...there is hate speech going on throughout our country and this is what people throw a fit about?
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Post by Sabin »

(OscarGuy @ May 19 2011,11:25)
Sonic & Sabin: I wasn't referring to Cannes' response, they had to do something when the ADL and other groups are causing a stink about it. He'll publicly make up with them and everything will be ok when his next movie comes out.

And then he'll say something else. It's what he does. It's his favorite thing.

(OscarGuy @ May 19 2011,11:25)
Sonic: My issue is with the ADL and all the others who have made some huge outcry over this and many other supposedly Nazi-related issues while sitting back while it happens in other parts of the world. Instead of going after one or two insensitive comments made, if they put their money where their mouths are and actually PROMOTED an end to genocide around the world and actually focused on it instead of what media attention they can get off an eccentric, loudmouth filmmaker, the world might be a better place instead of what it is.

I'm confused, Wes. Unless I'm mistaken, it's not the ADL that has a problem with what Lars Von Trier said. It was everybody. Am I wrong?




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Post by OscarGuy »

Sonic & Sabin: I wasn't referring to Cannes' response, they had to do something when the ADL and other groups are causing a stink about it. He'll publicly make up with them and everything will be ok when his next movie comes out.

Sonic: My issue is with the ADL and all the others who have made some huge outcry over this and many other supposedly Nazi-related issues while sitting back while it happens in other parts of the world. Instead of going after one or two insensitive comments made, if they put their money where their mouths are and actually PROMOTED an end to genocide around the world and actually focused on it instead of what media attention they can get off an eccentric, loudmouth filmmaker, the world might be a better place instead of what it is.
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Post by Sabin »

It's Lars Von Trier. They invite him, he generates controversy, and then they shuffle him away like an over-caffeinated child. I don't think this is a case of censorship or insensitivity. It's just frog vs. scorpion. The cycle will continue. He'll be back in two years and claim to be inside the corpse of Bin Laden or something else.

I think Dogville is a masterpiece.

LAST MINUTE NOTE:
Also, why is Lar Von Trier calling himself a Nazi news? I feel like I knew that already. The headlines should be LARS VON TRIER CONFIRMS WHAT WE ALREADY KNEW.




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Post by Big Magilla »

He's an insensitive, uniformed jerk and always has been.

He made one good movie - Breaking Waves, and one inexplicably popular one - the one with Bjork. After that, what? Dogville was dogshit and so apparently is everything he's made since - I say apparently because I have not any inclination to watch anything since. How he still gets all these A-list actors to make his films I don't know.

As Kirsten Dunst said, he likes to run his mouth, and what comes out often gets him free publicity but this time he created an international incident that I don't think will forgotten by next year, if ever. Prince Harry he's not. He's not any kind of a prince.




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Post by Sonic Youth »

Let's please not fall into the trap Von Trier set for us by overthinking this sideshow too much. The festival didn't ask him to leave in order to punish him. They asked him to leave in order to save their own face, what with the international media scrutinizing what their next move will be. I'm sure they and Lars had a pleasant but firm discussion about how best to handle this, shook hands and said "See you next year."

As for the rest of your message, Oscar Guy, I seriously have no idea what point you're making, and I guess I'll leave it at that.
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Post by OscarGuy »

Hitler is often suggested as one of the most effective and charismatic leaders in world history. Should those who believe that be castigated and rejected?

He's a provocateur. We know that. We've always known that. Why is one comment here any different than one comment there? Just because of the subject matter? We will not forget what happened in Germany, but we let it happen in Rwanda and other African countries without stopping it. Not forgetting is not the same as doing something to stop it from further occurring.

Shouldn't these people who speak for the Jewish state also be speaking out and encouraging participation in operations to stop genocide in other countries instead of sitting on their hands? The Holocaust was bad. I do not deny that. But I find it fairly hypocritical of people to grouse about comments like von Trier's or costumes like the one Prince William wore (or was it Henry? I've forgotten now)?
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Post by Big Magilla »

This thread should probably be re-named Lars von Trier is a Jerk, but we all know that, right?
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