Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Film Mad 'House': Wanna See Something You'll Never Forget?
Posted by Jim Ridley on Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 4:58 PM
A friend described the movie's first half as an experimental film made by an 11-year-old girl, and that fits: avant-garde devices such as screens within screens may be underscored with pancake-syrupy pop, or framed with the kind of gauzy borders a kid might sketch around a doodled unicorn. And the second half? Why spoil some of the only surprises to rattle movie screens all summer? I don't think this is giving away too much: There's an evil housecat, and it convinces a piano to eat one of the girls.If you find the above clip bizarre, this will send your jaw clattering to the floor. It's a vintage 1970s ad for Mandom deodorant spray, made by House director Nobuhiko Obayashi. You'll recognize the devil-may-care romantic pitchman: Charles Bronson.
Comments (3)
Showing 1-3 of 3
like
dislike
For House or for the Charles Bronson ad? Either way, it's unnecessary. Watch House on acid and you'll be eating all your meals through a funnel.
Would you believe me if I said the clip above is not the craziest scene in the movie? Out of curiosity, Gnome, what's the wildest movie you've ever seen?
I've not seen many experimental or psychedelic films. If I am in the mood for something a little different I'd rather watch a 17 minute fisheye one take from 'I Am Cuba' than loud, strange, cut, cut, cut, cut takes of donkeys standing in a disco while the floor melts and geysers of brightly colored fluids shoot from the ceiling.
I do think both Gilliam & Lynch have managed to do a pretty good job of balancing narratives with strangeness.
