another movie that everyone else has seen already, and a seemingly unrelated fannish ramble

[floatingleaf]

I watched Bent last night. For the first time. I don't honestly know how this movie managed to escape my attention until now, since it was made in 1997, and it's exactly the kind of movie I normally fall over myself to see as soon as I know about it. And it floored me. It's possibly the darkest and most disturbing Holocaust-based film I have ever seen (and that's saying a lot - I grew up in Poland, remember?... there were scores of Holocaust-themed and war-themed movies on TV throughout my childhood and youth, and they often gave me nightmares)... and yet the wry British humor with which the story is related creates such a strange and powerful mixture with its inherent tragedy that I just sat there transfixed, open-mouthed and gasping, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. It's unbelievably courageous (btw, despite the infinite number of Holocaust-themed movies I had seen as a kid, I didn't hear about pink triangles until much, much later; the taboo was strong enough for most filmmakers not to mention homosexuality even in terms of Nazi prosecution) and absolutely brilliant. Clive Owen's performance is stunning. Ian McKellen's little episode is great too... and Mick Jagger in drag OMG. And the dialogue... a masterpiece of ruthless black sarcasm and pure insanity. It seems so irreverent... and yet the message is profoundly positive - at least in my perception - and it smacks you right in the face with its raw, uninhibited power. I can't remember another movie affecting me in such an ambivalent way, evoking such conflicted emotions. Life Is Beautiful, perhaps, to some extent - but not nearly as much. I just kept thinking, since the beginning: "Wow, I have to watch this again before I send it back"; and then: "No, I can't handle this, why did I ever decide to see this?"; and then: "I have to watch this again if it kills me". Final conclusion? I probably will - with the exception of the entire sequence on the train (I am assuming that anyone who has seen the film will know what I'm talking about; and I'm not giving any spoilers, other than a severe "not for the faint of heart" warning, to those who haven't). I honestly don't think I can stomach that part again anytime soon. *shudder*

I also meant to talk about some yaoi comics I've been reading... but it just doesn't feel right after this. Not that there's anything wrong with appreciating both ambitious cinematic art AND porny comics... but you know. Maybe in another post.;) It's just that sometimes I wonder at how my fascination with dark, angsty drama in movies relates to the addiction for fluffy romance and obligatory happy endings in yaoi or fanfic. Seriously, I pretty much hate 'romantic comedies' on screen - unless they're very unique or clever (or gay, lol). And yet, I'm all about fluffy Viggorli and completely unrealistic 'eternal love' between waif-like characters in X-rated manga.:P WTF?... Is it only the het version of this kitsch scenario that irritates me?... Why do I need this predictability of happiness in slash, when about 90% of my favorite on-screen love stories, het or gay, end in tears?... Why do I snort with derision at soap operas, while at the same time getting helplessly hooked on weird gay AU's where all problems disappear as soon as character A & character B end up in bed together?...;) (or better yet, confess their mutual profound affections to each other?) Is it just me, or does that strange discrepancy happen to anyone else?... I'm really curious, you know.

Comments

[surreysmum.livejournal.com]

I saw "Bent" as a play in 1980, from the second row of a very small theatre. Not surprising I still remember it vividly. Haven't seen the film though - that may have been deliberate, since my memories of the play were so strong.

Did you know Viggo acted in Bent on some small stage in LA, and made a very big impression in his relatively minor role as the SS guard at the end? (*shudder* I can just imagine.)

I'm with you in being bemused at how different my tolerance for the romance pattern is in het and in slash. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that in slash, they aren't automatically tied into the alpha male and beta female gender roles. There's more of a possibility of equality, or of switch-at-whim.

[dissonant-dream.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen Bent so I can't comment on that, but regarding fic... I can read books that tear my soul (e.g. The Road but in general I avoid fic that will hurt me. I don't want death!fic or trauma. I want fluff and romance and the obligatory happy ending. Which is possibly completely daft. Maybe it's that I love these characters/people so deeply and I hate the thought of anything but romance and happiness. Sure, I don't mind them going through trials, so long as they end up together. ;) Or maybe it's that fic is my happy place where I retreat from all the crap that's going on in life. I don't pretend to understand it, but I am happy all the same.

Well this was a useless ramble. Apologies. I'm just happy to be back in touch. :)

[romi.livejournal.com]

It seems like a very interesting film.

I so recognize your thoughts about not being able to stand fluffy het romance while I love it in slash :)

[taelyn-sass.livejournal.com]

Bent is on my Netflix queue. Thanks for the review before I watch it.

I think most people approach various genres of media with different expectations for each. I know I do.