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Yer actual Keith Telly Topping blagged himself a freebie to go and see the press-showing of Lars von Trier's controversial movie
Antichrist yesterday. Well ...
that was certainly an experience I'm not going to forget in a hurry. It's a very well made film, I have to say that up front. It's astonshingly well-acted by Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. In fact, it's got a lot going for it. It's just ...
unwatchable. Graphic, gratuitous, disturbing, angry, wretched (in the broadest meaning of the word) and shocking. And, in places,
sick. I mean, there is one particular bit in it - and, anybody who's read the plot will know, specifically, the bit I'm thinking of - where I almost spilled the breakfast that I didn't eat before going to see it. And, I am
really not a squeamish man, I managed to sit through
Last House of the Left without even blinking.
Tame, compared to this. The closest thing I can think of to compare it to would be something like Passolini's
120 Days of Sodom - quite possibly a masterpiece, in its own convoluted way, but you really wouldn't want to watch it for
pleasure. So,
Antichrist - highly recommened, then.
If, that is, your idea of "fun" is genital torture. Others may want to give it a miss. Although, admittedly, the talking fox was
way-cool!
A necessary PS: This review does not mean,
in any way, that I associate myself with the views of
Daily Mail. Just thought I'd point that out in case anyone was wondering. I was also rather amused by the assertion of the girl from
The Times that the film proves von Trier 'hates women.' I think, if there's one thing that
Antichrist proves
overwhelmingly it's that Mr von Trier hates pretty much
EVERYONE - including himself. (
Anti-Everything would've been a much more appropriate title.) And, I - genuinely - don't have a problem with that or with him making films which reflect it. It keeps him off the streets, if nothing else. I just don't particularly want to watch them, that's all.