Dogville (2003)
I'm giving you a disclaimer right off the bat: this movie isn't for everyone. There's no scenery, no buildings. Everything was filmed on a large sound stage with white tape on the floor to mark the places of buildings, streets, and even the dog. Props are kept to a bare minimum. The film is also a few minutes shy of running a full three hours.
That said, Dogville is utterly amazing. It is one of those rare occasions in which everything really is carried by the acting.You forget that everything is bare within fifteen minutes of the film and become engrossed in the story. Nicole Kidman plays Grace, a woman on the run from the mob. The people in the isolated Colorado town of Dogville agree to hide her in exchange for work, but Grace soon learns that she'll have to pay a much higher price.
Director Lars Von Trier's masterful storytelling becomes an engrossing study of human nature. The film also has an incredible cast that includes the likes of Paul Bettany, Lauren Bacall, James Caan, Patricia Clarkson, John Hurt, and Chlöe Sevigny.
Freaks (1932)
When this movie was released in 1932, it was immediately banned in several countries. Heck, it's still banned in Sweden! It was shelved by MGM amidst all of the controversy and was kept alive mainly through its cult following. So, what's all the fuss about?
There was a question of ethics while making this film, which is about circus sideshow "freaks" that are treated cruelly by the "normal" people. Every one of those characters was a real-life "freak." Furthermore, the plot of the film mostly revolves around a male midget's romantic interest with a beautiful, "normal" circus performer. The thought of a "freak" and a "normal" person carrying on a romance was as controversial as an interracial on-screen kiss in the 1950s! Freaks was released on DVD mid-2004.
I'm giving you a disclaimer right off the bat: this movie isn't for everyone. There's no scenery, no buildings. Everything was filmed on a large sound stage with white tape on the floor to mark the places of buildings, streets, and even the dog. Props are kept to a bare minimum. The film is also a few minutes shy of running a full three hours.That said, Dogville is utterly amazing. It is one of those rare occasions in which everything really is carried by the acting.You forget that everything is bare within fifteen minutes of the film and become engrossed in the story. Nicole Kidman plays Grace, a woman on the run from the mob. The people in the isolated Colorado town of Dogville agree to hide her in exchange for work, but Grace soon learns that she'll have to pay a much higher price.
Director Lars Von Trier's masterful storytelling becomes an engrossing study of human nature. The film also has an incredible cast that includes the likes of Paul Bettany, Lauren Bacall, James Caan, Patricia Clarkson, John Hurt, and Chlöe Sevigny.
Freaks (1932)
When this movie was released in 1932, it was immediately banned in several countries. Heck, it's still banned in Sweden! It was shelved by MGM amidst all of the controversy and was kept alive mainly through its cult following. So, what's all the fuss about? There was a question of ethics while making this film, which is about circus sideshow "freaks" that are treated cruelly by the "normal" people. Every one of those characters was a real-life "freak." Furthermore, the plot of the film mostly revolves around a male midget's romantic interest with a beautiful, "normal" circus performer. The thought of a "freak" and a "normal" person carrying on a romance was as controversial as an interracial on-screen kiss in the 1950s! Freaks was released on DVD mid-2004.
