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Reviews
Girl 27 (2007)
I saw this terrible film at Sundance
This film appalled me when I saw it at Sundance. It was one of the worst I viewed there.
This could have been an interesting - possibly touching - film, the underlying story has all such elements. A naive girl abused by a Hollywood salesmen and then betrayed by her mother - it is fascinating; yet Stenn ruins it all. Mr. Stenn seems less interested in bringing the victim's story to life and more interested in thrusting himself into the camera and showing off. It is like an extended promotional reel for a D grade ham actor.
The scene of him dancing on the grave (yes *literally* dancing on the grave) of the girl's abuser sickened me. Stenn clearly has no sense of decency or dignity.
Le sang des bêtes (1949)
Terrible beauty
A film of great and terrible beauty.
This short 1949 film by Georges Franju - about 20 minutes or so in length is narrated by Georges Hubert and Nicole Ladmiral and was the winner of the 1950 Grand Prix International du Court Sujet.
Filmed in black and white - I doubt it could be watched by many in colour - this film weaves an effective documentary of Paris's various abattoirs out of startling yet non-contrived surrealist images. The scenes of death are presented coldly, without sentimentality but also, in my view, without lessening the suffering of the animals - an indeed the men.
Grizzly Man (2005)
A Herzog film for all?
This is the only Werner Herzog film that has received such universal acclaim amongst the circle of individuals I know. People who have never seen another Herzog film and would doubtless shrink in confusion from Stroszek or from Jeder für sich und Gott gegen alle quit simply loved this film.
Wonderful Herzog touches bring to mind Woyzek in sweeping shots of grasses blowing in the Alaska wind and these will delight the fan. Herzog proves himself a master documentarian and a charismatic screen presence even when he brings a slight touch of absurd comedy to the film (knowingly perhaps?) in having the Grizzlyman's "widow" destroy the tape of his brutal death.