Friday, September 24, 2004
Today's movie, a NYTimes1176BestFilm, is/was the first film produced under the Dogme Manifesto or Chastity Agreement between a group of Danish film directors. Of course, since one of the first principles is that we cannot tell you who the director is, we will have to skip that.
It is a powerful film. It is not difficult to see how all the energy of this new movement fed the process of producing this family drama. None of this manifesto stuff is apparent as the story unfolds. It is simply one of the most energetic and innovative movies we have seen in quite a while. It is a movie movie. Despite, or perhaps because of, the constraints, the film is just incredibly involving and exciting.
I cannot tell you a lot about the story. It would be a major spoiler to do so. Enough to say that the clans of two famlies have come together to celebrate the 60th birthday of Helgé the patriarch. It is all as happy as Danes can be at such a celebration until son Christian makes a toast. The happy gathering slowly, then quickly, deteriorates and evolves into truth telling so fierce that all who are involved in the party are swept into the maelstrom. Is that a mixed metaphor? Well, I am trying to suggest the mood without spilling the story.
This film unusually has an 8 plus rating on the IMDb film site. Very high. We will give it a 5 on the Netflix5 scale.
Those Danes sure like to party. I have been to a few Scandinavian affairs and can attest to the atmosphere. The Danes are always the instigators of the premeditated fun and stay in the thick of things; manipulating and organizing. There are songs, group and solo; there are games and stunts; the cocktails last a long time; the dinners are rich and, well, Scandinavian, like smørgasbiørd sitting down.
The rituals are thick on the ground. Everyone gets drunk. If you don't get loaded, like me, it is pretty horrendous to watch the weird combination tightly regimented partying combin with wild-ass, throw-up, make a complete fool of yourself debauchery. This is, of course, all followed by an overlay of good manners which basically ignores the fact that 'all that' happened. Such is the festen in the film; the frequent product of a repressed and suppressed society; uptight until the pressure valve opens. Then, Katy bar the door!
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.The film is an obvious metaphor. The deeply flawed father; the errant children. There is an awful racist bit in the middle of the party. It is a sidebar. But, just at this writing, the right-wing government of Denmark has passed the toughest immigration regulations in Europe. It has not always been this way. Of all the Scandinavian people, the Danes have most prided themselves, and justifiably so, on their liberality, open society, and personal freedom. It has been pointed out as the most American of European states. Of course, this is 20-30 years ago. There you are. Right turns all over the place, huh? Maybe they are still the most American of European states.
