MIFF - Day 09
![[ Run don't walk! ]](http://hooverdust.com/version2/wp-content/images//miff_day_09.jpg)
Film Screened: Experimental Shorts Programme
Time: 5:00pm
Type: Shorts
Genre: Various
See it for: The hell trippy short Gestalt and the funny and moving Polish Your Shoes.
Avoid it if: You like your viewing logical.
Celebrity Sighting: None
Rating: N/A
The second last day of my MIFF 2004 experience was an excursion into the bizarre, sometimes intriguing but ultimately dull experimental shorts programme. Maybe it’s just me, but experimental cinema has never been an avenue I’ve fully appreciated (or understood) since sometimes things get so abstract, that I just sit there and go “Okay. Now the image is still but the colours keep changing. Fine.” 5 mins pass. “Wow. I’ve seen all the colours of the spectrum! Fantastic.” 10 mins pass. “Still that same image. Ooo! A purple I haven’t seen yet”. 12 mins pass. James is asleep.
But maybe I’m missing out on something entirely about experimental short films. I think I’ve figured out what it is too - drugs! Had I been handed some acid at the door, I think the entire experience would have been completely different. Take the German 5 minute short Gestalt. A mix of morphing computer animation and a solid sound design, this would have probably sent me running out of the theatre thinking I had entered the mind of a serial killer or Ralph from The Simpsons. Either way, it would have been an ‘experience’.
Perhaps the most immediate short in the entire programme was the British black and white 11 minute short Polish Your Shoes about six London-born brothers and sisters who recall memories of their dead father. A true testament that you can create a rollercoaster of emotions within a 10 minute time frame.
And btw, you probably all haven’t noticed but I missed the Hong Kong film Running on Karma. Not a great loss since I heard it wasn’ t that good.
![[ What's behind the Cellar Door? ]](http://hooverdust.com/version2/wp-content/images//dd_dc.jpg)
Donnie Darko Director’s Cut
Before I go ranting about the Donnie Darko director’s cut, I briefly just want to say that the new SBS Movie Show sucks major dogs bollocks. Apart from their little segments on cinema and genre (such as the ‘Director’s Cut’ segment Wednesday night), I can\rquote t seem to warm to the show. Everybody already knows (and shares) my thoughts on Megan Spencer as a film reviewer but Jaimie Leonarder is definitely the most painful to watch of the three. He comes across as arrogant and self-righteous and even though he obviously knows his cinema, he really gets on my nerves. I think the producers need to think about what makes a good TV film critic. And I don’t think it’s just a love of cinema. Am I alone on these thoughts?
Anyhoo, back onto the topic at hand - the Donnie Darko director’s cut. Mark your calendar’s all you fellow Aussies for next Thursday (the 15th) because it’s back in the theatres, with 20 minutes of extra footage. Now I haven\rquote t seen it yet although I do own the original DVD which is just awesome. On the DVD it has deleted scenes, some of these re-inserted back into the film for the director’s cut and some footage is brand-spanking new. Now one thing Megan Spencer and I do agree on is the original film and her report on the SBS Movie Show claimed the director’s cut to be one of the ‘better’ director’s cuts made ala Blade Runner. I sincerely hope she’s right but I think Richard Kelly, the director, is a smart enough chap not to fuck up his great feature debut. Those wondering what else Mr Kelly has been up to will be happy to know he’s currently busy on his next flick Southland Tales starring Buffy, Stifler, Brodie and Silent Bob (the actors not the characters of course). And with any Kelly film comes a trippy website so check out the official one. The music you should be hearing on the site is an unreleased track with Moby and Trent Reznor.
Hooverdust Happenings
A few people have recently pointed out that the music section of the site hasn’t been updated in a while. There are a couple of reasons for this: (1) I haven’t heard any new music that has blown me away lately and (2) that old enemy - Time. I’ve decided that in the future version of Hooverdust I’m going to incorporate the music reviews into the main blog and ditch that section altogether. I’m definitely not hardcore on music as I am on film so I’ll still keep the film review sections. And you know you love my amazingly brilliant film reviews! Not! But Muahahhaha they’re staying anyway in their own section!
Final Day’s Screenings:
Bright and early for a look at some Skinheads in Skinhead Attitude (which is sure to wake me up) and then Aussie filmmaker Paul Cox will hopefully provide the best film of the festival in Human Touch.
5 Responses to “MIFF - Day 09”
I’ve never seen Donnie Darko so I am eager to see the DC on the 15th. Since people obviously love the original version, I hope the new one just extends scenes and polishes others up. The ending should stay the same, surely?
I have enjoyed most longer DCs and extended versions. Some claim that pacing suffers, but if I like a film, I’d prefer to have more of the story’s world and characters to experience. Why not? Although…I am wary of studios milking a property for more cash, but if that means the creative types can have their way, then great!
You’ve never seen Donnie Darko Rod? I’m pretty sure you’ll end up loving it. Everyone else does that comments on this site ;D As for the additional scenes, I suspect we’ll get a little more character development and overall depth while the ending will most likely remain the same. But that’s just a wild guess. But I’ll definately review the director’s cut on this site.
One director’s cut I can think of off the top of my head that has divided some people is The Abyss. The most obvious addition is the reasons why the underwater aliens intervened as opposed to leaving things ambiguous. I’m still undecided which version I prefer although the director’s cut also adds more character development so I partial to that one. Of course, Mr Cameron isn’t the most subtle director so I can see why he added the cliched alien rationale in his DC.
Right on James!!! Jaimie Leonarder is a pompous fuck
Don’t worry James about Running on Karma, its the worst film i’ve ever seen…..and i’ve seen Crossroads (Britney Spears film not the cool 80s film with the karate kid)
One director’s cut i’m looking forward to is Matrix Reloaded, at the end of the year its scheduled for release at the end of the year as apart of a NINE DVD BOX SET….shit I have to sell all my matrix DVDs on eBAY…
Okay. As another big fan of Donnie Darko, I have some major reservations about the DD directors cut. (Rod and others who haven’t seen Donnie Darko, please skip this post.)
BEGIN SPOILERS
What I liked about the original was the ambiguity of it. Was it about a parallel universe that Donny had to “make right”, or was it about Donny’s mental illness? I thought the film left this uncertain, and I liked this uncertainty - although the evidence in the film does led you towards the former conclusion that Donny’s not actually ill, it doesn’t definitively rule this out.
Apparently the DC of DD resolves this ambiguity, making it EVEN CLEARER that it’s all about time travel, etc. Boo, I say. Boo! What’s wrong with having a few floating meanings? There’s nothing I hate more than a director who looks at people coming up with a range of interpretations of his work, and thinks - well since some of those are WRONG, I need to STAMP THEM OUT.
Hopefully the article I read is based on misinformation and this isn’t in fact what the DC is all about. I guess we’ll see when it comes out.
Hmmm OK…well I’ll see the DC of Donnie Darko in a virginal state and report back on my opinion. I’ve seen it in the shops but I have to admit that the cover artwork and name did not move me to hire it! Sadly I probably hired a piece of shit like Dungeons and Dragons instead!!