Cannes Film Festival View of America

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by monolith94
It makes you a hypocrite to say that it's ok for hollywood to depict foreign territories on american soil but terrible for foreign movies to depict America on their soil.

What does that have to do about being critical of directors making movies about real world locations they have never been to in thier life, in this case that would be America?

[The Templar]

Originally posted by monolith94
It makes you a hypocrite to say that it's ok for hollywood to depict foreign territories on american soil but terrible for foreign movies to depict America on their soil.

Actually, Hollywood loves to depict the US on foreign soil. Toronto is a popular proxy for New York - and I've heard that Montreal is often used to depict New Orleans. (I guess all you need is the one stock shot of Jackson Square and the Cathedral followed by some cops whooping @$$ on Bourbon Street.)

[VetLegion]

Great post Rufus

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by VetLegion
Great post Rufus

Thanks.

[HershOstropoler]

Re: Cannes Film Festival View of America

Originally posted by Adam Smith
"Dogville" is set in a fictional town in the Rockies. Kidman plays Grace, a desperate stranger who asks Dogville's residents (played by Lauren Bacall, Paul Bettany, Stellan Skarsgard, Chloe Sevigny and others) to hide her from ruthless gangsters. Initially portrayed as homespun and considerate folk, the people of Dogville turn out to be morally despicable individuals who are variously treacherous, fear-driven and even rapacious. … In the movie's biblical scheme of things, they get their just deserts.

Sacre bleu! Now let's burn all those evil anti-french movies by Luis Bunuel, shall we? Just think about it, how eg Belle de Jour portrays french men as either pathetic weaklings or brothel going perverts, and french women as masochistic wannabe whores.

[FrustratedPoet]

What a load of fuss about nothing.

Would there be any complaints if von Trier had made an extremely pro-American film without ever having been there?

It's just a film, and from the sounds of it a really bad one (Nicole Kidman? Bleh! ). It's a work of fiction set in a fictional town, only the most brain-dead simpleton would consider it a realistic portrayal of American society. Especially when it isn't meant to be.

[Adam Smith]

Rufus:

Honest question (not a provocation): have you ever lived abroad (and I mean really lived abroad, not lived on a military base or some other "Little America")?

I've traveled in Europe several times, and my impression is somewhat different than yours. But then, I have not lived on or near military bases or other American enclaves, and tend to avoid the most touristy areas. When in France I would order a Coq Monsieur for lunch (in French), not "Le Boat Burger".

Tingkai:

How do you know it is critical of the US?

Did you read the link, or any of several other similar reviews, including some from Europe?

FrustratedPoet:

It's a work of fiction set in a fictional town, only the most brain-dead simpleton would consider it a realistic portrayal of American society. Especially when it isn't meant to be.

Consider von Trier's comment in yesterday's NY Times

"I know that America doesn't look like that," Mr. von Trier said, "but I also know that America does look like that."

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Adam Smith
Rufus:
I've traveled in Europe several times, and my impression is somewhat different than yours. But then, I have not lived on or near military bases or other American enclaves, and tend to avoid the most touristy areas. When in France I would order a Coq Monsieur for lunch (in French), not "Le Boat Burger".

Of course; I'm the same way. But it is impossible to spend a whole day in a major Turkish city without at least being reminded of the existence of America and its international power. It might be passing a McDonalds or a Burger King; in might be the transaction you engage in that is negotiated entirely in dollars, not lira; it might simply be the encroachment of English on the native language (where diet cola, for example is not called "Cola Sekersiz" but "Diet [pronounced Dee-et ] Cola"). By contrast, I could spend whole years in Pittsburgh going about my business and never be asked to think of Turkey -- or Denmark, for that matter. What I'm saying is that most Americans have the luxury of forgetting, day-in and day-out, that the rest of the world even exists. But the rest of the world does not have the luxury of forgetting that we exist; we've made damned sure of that. At this point, at least in the West, everybody lives in America, at least just a little.

[FrustratedPoet]

Originally posted by Adam Smith
FrustratedPoet:
Consider von Trier's comment in yesterday's NY Times

Well, I suppose that comment could be used to argue the case either way, but the only thing it really proves is that von Trier is a pretentious fool, which I think most people can agree on.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
but the only thing it really proves is that von Trier is a pretentious fool, which I think most people can agree on.

Agreed.

[Hueij]

I would order a Coq Monsieur for lunch

You would order a what???

Anyways, a movie that has Lauren Bacall in it is by definition a masterpiece!

[Adam Smith]

Originally posted by Hueij
You would order a what???

@#$%^&* americans can't remember its spelled c-r-o-q-u-e.
Let me tell you about the pomme de terre pie I ordered for dessert. ....

Originally posted by Hueij
Anyways, a movie that has Lauren Bacall in it is by definition a masterpiece!

I would agree in every case but this.

[Hueij]

I would agree in every case but this.

Oh well, I guess I'll watch The Big Sleep instead tonight

[Dinner]

Euros have just as many bigots as the US does only they're still trying to pretend the Emperor has clothes and that their pot isn’t black. Still it’s funny to watch prejudice in action. Viva Cannes!

[Alex]

I watched Stigmata a few weeks ago on TV, and I was ROTFL when I saw that the fictitious Brazilian city in the movie was actually a mexican city!