LT (Harvey Keitel) is a corrupt New York cop who is addicted to drugs and gambling. He tries to redeem himself whilst investigating the r*pe of a nun. I remember going to see this with a friend on its original release. Except that the friend in question was a born-again Christian. It was quite the …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 30- Bad Lieutenant (1992)
Larry Clark’s film follows Marty, who confides in his new girlfriend, Lisa, about his bullying and the invalidation he faces from his friend, Bobby. Lisa suggests the ultimate remedy- Bobby’s murder. They call some friends to help with the plot. Bully has an atmosphere all of its own which veers from goofy comedy to something …
From IMDB- ‘During World War I, a patriotic young American is rendered blind, deaf, limbless, and mute by a horrific artillery shell attack. Trapped in what's left of his body, he desperately looks for a way to end his life.’ Well, this is quite the film. It has a huge emotional pull, amazing performances (Timothy …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 28- Johnny Got His Gun (1971)
Kerry, on the surface, appears to be a normal, happy 10-year-old girl. But it's shown that her home life is massively dysfunctional with her parents having an extremely volatile relationship. Even more shocking than that is that they are abusing her. On studying the films on Taste of Cinema’s Shocking Films list, I was waiting …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 27- No Child of Mine (1997)
Just before the First World War, a Protestant village in northern Germany starts to come apart. While riding a horse, a doctor is brought down by a wire strung between two trees on his land. A farmer’s wife dies. A child is tortured. The pastor ties white ribbons on his children as a reminder to …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 26- The White Ribbon (2009)
In a working-class London neighbourhood, Janet, a widow, has welcomed relatives into her home. In addition to her elderly mother, Kath and her son, Billy, Janet lives with her daughter, Valerie and Valerie's abusive, alcoholic husband, Ray. This mix proves explosive. I thought my family was dysfunctional. Nil By Mouth is brutal, violent and utterly …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 25- Nil By Mouth (1997)
The Heke family are Maori and live in modern-day Auckland, New Zealand. The family is led by the violent, fiercely patriarchal Jake. I first saw Once Were Warriors when I was living in Australia and it really opened my eyes! It unflinchingly deals with such weighty topics as domestic violence, dole culture, child abuse, alcoholism …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 24- Once Were Warriors (1994)
In this 1971 pseudo-documentary by British filmmaker Peter Watkins, new prisoners are given a choice when all US prisons are full. They can either choose prison time or three days in punishment park where they must trek 50 miles in that time in punishing heat whilst the relevant authorities try to hunt them. Water and …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 23- Punishment Park (1971)
Stan Brakhage’s 32-minute film is soundless footage captured during autopsies in a Pittsburgh morgue. The film’s title is a literal meaning of the word ‘autopsy’. Obviously, don’t watch this whilst eating a meal (the first time I watched The Exorcist was whilst eating an evening meal with my dad. But that, as they say, is …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 22- The Act of Seeing with One’s Own Eyes (1971)
Mr Lazarescu, an elderly man who likes a tipple and lives with his cats, becomes ill but, firstly, getting an ambulance to come out to him and then getting him to a hospital that will actually provide the appropriate care for him becomes nearly impossible. This Romanian film is admirably directed by Cristi Puiu, with …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 21- The Death of Mr Lazarescu (2005)
