| FILTH AND WISDOM | ||||
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| "Not
much filth and precious little wisdom," was industry magazine
Screen International's verdict on the film which premiered
at the Berlin Film Festival on Wednesday. "A good humoured, averagely amateurish vanity project," said the reviewer, who criticised Madonna's "creakily written" screenplay for claiming to satirise racial and social stereotypes while "lazily perpetuating" them. In the end, however, he joined numerous others in confessing to an unexpected level of enjoyment. "While chaotic and more than a bit silly, the film in the end conjures up a surprising amount of goodwill," it said. "Filth and Wisdom," billed as a London-based comedy, revolves around a Ukrainian immigrant who finances his dreams of rock glory by moonlighting as a cross-dressing dominatrix, and his two female flatmates. Madonna said she aimed to capture the uncompromising drive of young, talented people who believe they can make it in show business against the odds. The film stars Eugene Hutz, the Ukrainian frontman for a real-life Gypsy punk rock band, Gogol Bordello, as well as British cult actor Richard E. Grant. Hollwood Reporter found the film "ragged, uneven and potholed with some dire dialogue," but acknowledged that its "cockeyed optimism and likeable leads conspire to bring a smile by the time its done". Reviews in the German press were more scathing, but also agreed that "Filth and Wisdom" had managed to save itself from joining turkeys like "Shanghai Surprise" and "Swept Away" in Madonna's acting Hall of Shame. "Madonna has made a movie and it is utter trash -- pseudo psychology, cheap make-up, bad lighting and a hell of a lot of scenes shot without rehearsal," said the daily Der Tagesspiegel. "But," the reviewer continued, "this crude business is all over as fast as a punk song and in that time you can have just as much fun. Not a good film, but a good surprise." The Frankfurter Rundschau called it a "modestly produced comedy about survival" and argued that the film's dance and sex scenes were all references to Madonna's career as one of the most physical pop stars since Elvis. "If you take her body out of her directing, then the film is nothing more than a picturesque little walk in the park. Just in the same way that her last tour was nothing more than a folkloric stab at subculture," the newspaper said. The Sueddeutsche Zeitung said the film was "youthfully carefree" in a review that was unable to resist the soundbite swirling temptingly around the project ever since Madonna announced her intention to take the helm. "This woman directs like a virgin," the newspaper said. |
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| Source:
AFP via Yahoo! News / Posted: Feb 14,
2008 - 3:20 AM |
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| Source:
Berlinale.de by Deborah Cole Wed Feb 13, 10:10 AM ET |
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| Filming of "Filth and Wisdom" | ||||
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| Source: AFP | ||||
| Back to February 2008 Index | ||||
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Filth
And Wisdom Great Britain, 2008 Lenght: 81 min Format: 35 mm, 1:1:85 |
Premiere
Date February 13, 2008 at 58th Berlin International Film
Festival |
Written
by Madonna and Dan Cadan Director Madonna Studio Exposure/HSI Genre: Comedy / Drama / Music Plot the story features a Russian immigrant, ballet school, lap dancing, cultural revolution, poetry, night club, punk rock band, book writer, dominatrix and gypsy. |
Starring
Stephen Graham ... Harry Beechman Richard E. Grant ... Professor Flynn Eugene Hutz ... A.K. Vicky McClure ... Juliette Ade ... DJ Olegar Fedoro ... A.K.'s Father Gogol Bordello ... Themselves (also archive footage) Elena Buda ... Ballet Student Francesca Kingdon ... Francine Clare Wilkie ... Chloe Shobu Kapoor ... Sardeep's Wife Tim Wallers ... Mr. Frisk Elliot Levey ... Benjamin Goldfarb Holly Weston ... Holly Hannah Walters ... Mrs. Goldfarb Inder Manocha ... Sardeep George Keeler ... Frail Man |
Produced
by Nicola Doring Associate Producer: Angela Becker Cinematography: Tim Maurice-Jones Camera operator: Peter Wignall Edited: Simon Hayes Choreographies: Stephanie Roos, Tiffany Olson Production design: Gideon Ponte Art Director: Max Bellhouse Costumes by B Make up: Sinden Dean First assistant director: Tony Fernandes Casting: Dan Hubbard Production director: Sue Hiller Unit Production manager: Gavin Milligan |
Additional
Details Runtime: UK:81 min (PAL Version) Country: UK Language: English / Russian Color: Color Filming Locations: London, England |
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