Dear Hans:
I don't agree about "Clockwork"...indeed, I think of it as one of Kubrick's most life affirming films. Look for my article in the forthcoming volume on sci-fi in Film and Philosophy. Its thesis is that Kubrick affirms the recovery of the ability to do evil on Alex's part as more important than the evil he is likely to do.
Dan
"For beauty is the beginning of terror we are still able to bear, and why we love it so is because it so serenely disdains to destroy us" Rilke's First Duino Elegy
Daniel Shaw
website: www.lhup.edu/dshaw
________________________________
From: Film-Philosophy Salon on behalf of Hans Heydebreck
Sent: Sat 10/30/2004 4:08 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Nihilistic films
--- "Shaw, Dan" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I just had a friend call me with an intriguing
> question: what are the most nihilistic films you
> have even seen? I thought I'd seek help in
> answering from the salon...please name your favorite
> nihilistic films, and explain why you think they are
> so bleak.
>
> Dan
Hello,
I have to admit that I tend to turn off nihilistic
movies. The obvious candidates are a few of Kubrick´s
movies, in particular A Clockwork Orange, Dr.
Strangelove and Eyes Wide Shut. For my taste, it´s
simply lacking the emotions - rage, fear, despair - on
behalf of the filmmaker or the characters portrayed. I
believe this is what (mainly) contributes to Kubrick
being appreciated so greatly, which is certainly
justified.
Nevertheless it makes Günther Brus cutting himself to
pieces much more comfortable for me to watch.
I hate films that claim that love is a lie or that
love is a joke, and I´d attach that label to many
industrialized "nihilistic" comedies from "Pretty
Woman" to "Ten things I hate about you".
A couple of nihilistic movies I enjoy are Cronenberg´s
early works, Stereo and Crimes of the Future, Crash
would be another excellent choice: set in a moral
vacuum, but filled with obsession, a wonderful
counterbalance.
I don´t know if a (political) dystopia would
necessarily qualify as nihilistic, "1984" would be my
first choice, but all the other films in that vein
(including many horror masterpieces like the
"Dead"-trilogy) seem (to me) include a hint of regret
and suffering.
Finally, A Short Film about Killing, to a certain
extent. Not forgetting the nihilistic genre per sé -
porn.
Bye,
Hans
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