Michael Haneke’s FUNNY GAMES Remake in THE NEW YORK TIMES
by Andre Soares
No way to treat a neighbor. Michael Haneke’s 1997 psycho-thriller Funny Games.
In The New York Times, John Wray discusses Michael Haneke’s American remake of his 1997 crime thriller Funny Games:
"The premise of Funny Games is simple: a likable, prosperous, well-adjusted family — played, in the version to be released early next year, by Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Devon Gearhart — is visited at the family summer house by two well-dressed young men claiming to be guests of the neighbors. Over the course of the next hour, these two polite, articulate strangers force the family to take part in progressively more sadistic contests, periodically stepping outside the film’s action to speak to the viewer directly. The technique of the ‘dramatic aside’ is nothing new — Brecht made great use of it, Shakespeare built whole plays around it and the ancient Greek chorus served no other purpose — but in the context of an otherwise straightforward thriller, it’s profoundly disturbing. The young men make no secret of their disdain for their victims; but the bulk of their contempt is reserved for the audience. The experience of watching Funny Games is not unlike watching snuff-porn clips late at night in your bedroom, only to have your mother or Jacques Lacan switch the light on periodically without the slightest warning. That was my own experience, at least, and Haneke seemed delighted to hear it."
Defending Bergman and Antonioni
58 Foreign-Language 2005 Oscar Submissions
Comments
Leave a Reply
Note: All comments are moderated. Different views and opinions are welcome, but abusive/bigoted/flaming comments will NOT be approved. Also, please be aware that the Alternative Film Guide has NO contact information for the talent mentioned in this blog or any information pertaining to or access to distributors'/producers' film prints.
