Anatomy of Hell

[dwatts]

Damn, I've been thinking about this film for a day now, trying to figure out what I made of it. Anyone here seen it? You can get it R0 from Tartan in the UK.. Obviously the feminist dialog and ideas are going to put off those not able to see passed it (or.... gosh.... those not willing to listen in order to actually learn something.....), but I think it's worth a look. It certainly had a few "what the!" moments.

Okay, it's not a genre movie, but the Director Catherine Breillat sure knows how to grab your attention. I'm going to write a lengthy diatribe on it, but my initial thoughts right now is that we ought to be open to get shocks from places other than genre films. Breillet showed me, incase I didn't know it, that the ability to shock an audience doesn't at all rely on SFX, monsters, or even simple rape.

It's a wow, for sure.

[dwatts]

Heh heh. No takers huh? Here's a snippet from my written comments:

You see, Anatomy of Hell offends by being ordinary. One can debate the ideas and insinuations behind the film, but you can’t dismiss the visuals. You see, unsuspecting audiences – and to be frank, I was one – are likely to be pounded by what is graphically shown. First time through, I missed a lot of the point of this film, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Catherine Breillat must have known she was throwing down the gauntlet. It worked, because I was a bit dumb-founded. Thinking of the second viewing (oh the joy of DVD), I am better prepared to sit and think about the bigger picture, of what things mean. And yes, ever so slightly less shocked.

At its heart, the film shocks by ignoring hyperbole and fictional extremes. In other words, it’s a little too close for comfort. These people are so damn normal, yet the things they express, the things they do, are abnormal, without it being portrayed as such. It’s unsettling. Everything is muted in the film, from color schemes, to lighting, to the performances. No-one and nothing is straining at the leash for attention. However, what it makes us face is the base nature of ourselves, portraying us as mucus, bodily discharge, and collection of pre-cum, spittle, piss, tears, blood and snot. Yes, these are the things of beauty, of all of us, and at the end of the day we’ve not really come to accept this about ourselves, let alone about members of the opposite sex.

Make no mistake; this is an intelligent and thoughtful movie. Sure, it challenges because it has an agenda, a point of view. And hey, you might not be ready to be confronted by some of the ideas. Why do most people look for affirmation in the films they view, dismissing – and getting actually offensive/defensive – about films that have central ideas they disagree with? Have we lost the ability to intellectually consider alternative views, to sit and take them in without getting into a fit about it?

[killit]

She's absolutely brilliant, my favourite quote from the doc is, "ever since childhood we are taught to fear everything organic". So fucking true, she's a true intellectual, brilliant film.

[Cydeous]

I really like Breillat's films. She likes to push the envelope in ways, but she does it with great style. "Anatomy of Hell" really put the fact that we are sexual animals in place... for me at least. I remember seeing the conclusion of "Fat Girl" at a festival and the woman next to me started crying out of shock... her husband was next to her... I think that he realized that he won't be gett'n any for a long time. Poor bastard :)

[legnadibrom]

i downloaded it, i'll watch it at some point then

[Luna]

I really enjoy the Catherine Breillat films I've seen so far, I suppose as much as one can enjoy them anyway. I have this one, but just haven't watched it yet. I suppose I should, given this review! :D

[dwatts]

--i downloaded it, i'll watch it at some point then--

Man - you're SOOOOOOO clever... and lame.

Hey Luna, give it a go. As you say, it's edu-tainment really, but hey, it's at least interesting

[legnadibrom]

that's called a comment, not an attack