Only movie I couldnt stomach to finish...

volcano

volcano

Carbonite Member
Yes, having seen a lot, this is the one made me realize 'where not to cross the line as a director'... Never before I knew the meaning of manipulation, taking advantage of actors so badly... We all have rights to be pretentious, childish, ignorant, but i think none of us has a right to destroy the DIGNITY of a human being in the process of making a film.
Oh, the movie is JAPON by Carlos Reygadas...
 
The film has a 6.7 on IMDB. what bothered you so much? i havent seen it but apparently there's a sex scene with an older woman.

would be nice to post more than just "in movie x the director crossed the line" unless its some major spoiler, but in that case why even post this?

CallaghanFilms said:
Ocean's Twelve for me.
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And that's just funny. And I totally agree. Complete waste of talent and resources there, was probably more fun to film than what ended up on screen. My wife actually fell asleep.
 
Ocean's Twelve for me.
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Strange choice,
I wasnt only talkin about bad movie making; one that abuses, exploits the actors, not the viewers.. ;)
 
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how did the director exploit and abuse the actors? give an example. was he like whipping them in the BTS feature or something?
 
how did the director exploit and abuse the actors? give an example
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I think you should see it yourself and share your opinions...Of course there is no torture abuse, I am talking about mental abuse... A scene where neither actors, nor cameraman, nor director is feeling comfortable doing it... Why do it then?
 
Now, let me see if I've got this right. This was a movie you couldn't stomach to watch and yet you are recommending others see it?
 
This was a movie you couldn't stomach to watch and yet you are recommending others see it?
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Haha, got me there!
I personally couldnt finish it, but hey maybe you can... ;)
I am also aware of the fact that it is sort of promoting the film, however it is not the point... We are here in this forum to share & learn...I wanna see if any fellow filmmakers feels the same way, or bring a different opinion that would benefit us as filmmakers...
 
OK, after this I think I'm done posting in this one. Dood, I mentioned a scene in an earlier post, is it THAT scene? If it's another one why don't you give us a little help here with a basic description of the scene(s) you have an issue with?
 
if it's another one why don't you give us a little help here with a basic description of the scene(s) you have an issue with?
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Ok, i give up... Yes it is that scene... But it is not the scene itself, you can see more degrading scenes in ton of weird porns... It is the atmoshphere, feeling, directing, making of that scene...
 
Two things.

Completely agree on Oceans Twelve. Horrible, horrible movie. Can't believe it was made. But I almost never don't finish a movie if at all possible. And I sat through it all. Terrible waste of money, talent, time, etc.

On a much more serious note, I watched a series of short films recently and there was a short that portrayed a young boy raping a girl and then raping a woman as an adult. I was really disgusted by the film. It used many devices (camera work, nudity, music, which were supposed to titilate. I am no prude and I give art films a large berth in terms of what is and is not okay. But this was not at all okay. The camera work and general tone was that of excitment. And the story didn't go anywhere to justify the imagery. The film was just wrong.
 
I was really disgusted by the film
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And the story didn't go anywhere to justify the imagery. The film was just wrong.
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It sounds you'd feel the same upon seeing Japon then... What was disturbing for me is director's often allusions to Tarkovsky(both on screen, and behind the scenes), whom I admire dearly, was his excuse to justify his act... Tarkovsky would have rejected the movie btw...
 
the director was able to make you feel uncomfortable with his imagery and surrounding audio, i'd say he achieved his goal. any time you can give your audience true feelings in regard to your work you are on the right path. He also spured you to make a comment about it on here which is a discussion of his work, again hes on the right path. if you want to see a movie that makes you uncomfortable nearly the entire time watch "happiness"
 
I really liked JAPON. The discomfort I felt as the viewer mimicked the discomfort of the protagonist. That's a sign of a talented filmmaker to me. A more accessible film (I admit JAPON is not particularly viewer friendly) that does this is PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (my favorite romantic comedy). Within the first 5 minutes of that film you're in the neurotic shoes of Sandler thanks to several stingers/surprises that leave you wondering when the next thing will startle you.

JAPON'S imagery is certainly intended to provoke a reaction. In all fairness, I'm not so sure you can tell what Tarkovsky would have said about the film. Sometimes these things hit you at your core and you can't help but be moved.

I'm looking forward to seeing Reygadas' follow-up film, BATTLE IN HEAVEN.
 
the director was able to make you feel uncomfortable with his imagery and surrounding audio, i'd say he achieved his goal.
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There are directors and movies done that(Come and See, Salo etc), but not Japon...I guess i am gonna see Japon again to figure out what it meant to me...
if you want to see a movie that makes you uncomfortable nearly the entire time watch "happiness"
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I have seen that, very entartaining...Todd Solonz is great in catching the misery of western civilazation (no pun intended)
 
I really liked JAPON. The discomfort I felt as the viewer mimicked the discomfort of the protagonist.
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Interesting point...
That's a sign of a talented filmmaker to me.
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He might be...
A more accessible film (I admit JAPON is not particularly viewer friendly) that does this is PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE
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I like that one too, but i fail to see any similarity between two...
In all fairness, I'm not so sure you can tell what Tarkovsky would have said about the film.
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I read about Tarkovsky a lot, and that experience made me comment on that: His reaction to an experimental movie showing real birth... He does have taboos when it comes to filmmaking, which i have no intention judging it...
I'm looking forward to seeing Reygadas' follow-up film, BATTLE IN HEAVEN.
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I probably will too... From amazon:
Battle In Heaven, Carlos Reygadas’ follow-up to Japón, opens with a controversial oral sex scene involving beauty, Ana (Anapola Mushkadiz), and the beast, Marcos (Marcos Hernández)
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Hah, he strikes again! ;)
 
Yeah, but at least she's hot this time.

My comparison of JAPON and PDL were only that both make you feel the discomfort of the protagonist, albeit in very different ways.

Also wanted to comment that I liked HAPPINESS enough to own it and have seen it several times. Maybe I'm just twisted.
 
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