Lars Von Trier is in the Cinema
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Big Brother Von Trier"]
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Yesterday's screening of Antichrist was certainly something at New York Film Festival. It marked a couple of firsts from a nearly packed Walter Reade Theater, a q&a press conference done via Skype and my first sighting of Armond White. It was like Christmas mixed in with genital mutilation and acorns.
But we'll get to Antichrist later. The main event of yesterday was LVT and a buzzed-up, caffinated crowd praying for a repeat from his earlier Cannes press conference. Everyone was prepping Flip cams, propping up recorders and I could do both at once thanks to my magical iPhone.
Perhaps the strangest part was the open disdain being given off from the crowd. While at the press conferences for Sweetgrass and The Art of the Steal, no one so much as chuckled unless the directors related some charming anecdote. In the set-up to Von Trier, the crowd was in stitches, heckling and calling out at the screen as Big Brothers Lars lorded over his people.
"I'm happy to see all you people in New York," Von Trier said. "If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere."
That was the answer to a question about whether or not he was glad Antichrist had been making the rounds and was now in the city. It wouldn't be the end to the minor technical difficulties that ranged from low-speakers to Huffington Post folks relating five minute long questions about Nietzsche, Von Trier's view of him of the philosopher and then repeating the question. Twice.
That leads to another press conference favorite of mine: the "I have a couple of questions." This is the preferred M.O. of Boston Herarld's Stephen Schaefer, nailing three questions in a row the second he was called on like a giddy school girl. Asking if he felt Von Trier's self as a director and thereby provoceteur would be ashamed since there were no walk-outs at the press screening.
"Did not notice any walkouts? Then I have failed," Von Trier boomed from the screen, clearly accepting and discarding the loaded question with ease.
The crowd didn't. Half a dozen jeered "Yes they did!" and "People left!"
It took Armond White nearly 18 minutes to leave, as discussion of J-Horror finally got him out of the theater. Yet he missed the best part, as a shy and quiet first-row attendee within the Flip cam crew asked about all the symbolism presented throughout Antichrist. Von Trier took a moment and quickly related, "Of course, it's called Eden. I know."
The entire theater erupted in laughter.
"I was definitely uncritical of the script, which is why [Eden] is in there."
-John Lichman
[/caption]Yesterday's screening of Antichrist was certainly something at New York Film Festival. It marked a couple of firsts from a nearly packed Walter Reade Theater, a q&a press conference done via Skype and my first sighting of Armond White. It was like Christmas mixed in with genital mutilation and acorns.
But we'll get to Antichrist later. The main event of yesterday was LVT and a buzzed-up, caffinated crowd praying for a repeat from his earlier Cannes press conference. Everyone was prepping Flip cams, propping up recorders and I could do both at once thanks to my magical iPhone.
Perhaps the strangest part was the open disdain being given off from the crowd. While at the press conferences for Sweetgrass and The Art of the Steal, no one so much as chuckled unless the directors related some charming anecdote. In the set-up to Von Trier, the crowd was in stitches, heckling and calling out at the screen as Big Brothers Lars lorded over his people.
"I'm happy to see all you people in New York," Von Trier said. "If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere."
That was the answer to a question about whether or not he was glad Antichrist had been making the rounds and was now in the city. It wouldn't be the end to the minor technical difficulties that ranged from low-speakers to Huffington Post folks relating five minute long questions about Nietzsche, Von Trier's view of him of the philosopher and then repeating the question. Twice.
That leads to another press conference favorite of mine: the "I have a couple of questions." This is the preferred M.O. of Boston Herarld's Stephen Schaefer, nailing three questions in a row the second he was called on like a giddy school girl. Asking if he felt Von Trier's self as a director and thereby provoceteur would be ashamed since there were no walk-outs at the press screening.
"Did not notice any walkouts? Then I have failed," Von Trier boomed from the screen, clearly accepting and discarding the loaded question with ease.
The crowd didn't. Half a dozen jeered "Yes they did!" and "People left!"
It took Armond White nearly 18 minutes to leave, as discussion of J-Horror finally got him out of the theater. Yet he missed the best part, as a shy and quiet first-row attendee within the Flip cam crew asked about all the symbolism presented throughout Antichrist. Von Trier took a moment and quickly related, "Of course, it's called Eden. I know."
The entire theater erupted in laughter.
"I was definitely uncritical of the script, which is why [Eden] is in there."
-John Lichman
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