Enter the Void - Gaspar Noé [2009]

[IAmNietzche]

I thought for sure this would leak this year but it looks like I'll have to wait. My most anticipated of 2009 becomes my most anticipated of 2010. The film is very polarizing (critics have either loved it or lambasted it) but you can't expect anything else from the director of Irreversible and Seul Contre Tous.

Oscar and his sister Linda are recent arrivals in Tokyo. Oscar’s a small time drug dealer, and Linda works as a nightclub stripper. One night, Oscar is caught up in a police bust and shot. As he lies dying, his spirit, faithful to the promise he made his sister that he would never abandon her – refuses to abandon the world of the living. It wanders through the city, his visions growing evermore distorted, evermore nightmarish. Past, present and future merge in a hallucinatory maelstrom.

[Ravenna]

teaser:
mooCXnTMJUQ

[deadkidsean]

Been waiting for awhile, too. Kind of hesitantly waiting, though, as Noe's other works have had such a big impact (for lack of better word) on me after watching.


How did the Cannes screening go in May?

[IAmNietzche]

Been waiting for awhile, too. Kind of hesitantly waiting, though, as Noe's other works have had such a big impact (for lack of better word) on me after watching.


How did the Cannes screening go in May?
The movie ran long. He also rushed it together towards the end in order to get it to Cannes.

Daniel Kasman (http://www.theauteurs.com/notebook/posts/745), The Auteurs Notebook
The only avant-garde film in Cannes’ Competition is Gaspar Noé’s Enter the Void, which picks up the gauntlet thrown down by the Wachowskis’ Speed Racer of an endlessly malleable cinema of acid-trip colors and plastic gymnastics and runs with it to endless, forceful, and nihilistic results.
Manohla Dargis (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/a-filmmakers-film/), The New York Times.
Despite its unpromising title, Enter the Void, his entry here this year, is an exceptional work, though less because of its story, acting or any of the usual critical markers. What largely distinguishes it, beyond the stunning cinematography, is that this is the work of an artist who’s trying to show us something we haven’t seen before, even while he liberally samples images and ideas from Stanley Kubrick and the entirety of American avant-garde cinema.
Mike Goodridge (http://www.screendaily.com/enter-the-void/5001692.article), Screen Daily.
Almost defying definition in contemporary cinematic terms, Gaspar Noe’s third feature film Enter The Void is a wild, hallucinatory mindfuck for adults which sees the director explore new shooting techniques and ambitious special effects to capture a young man’s journey after death. More experience than narrative, it runs to a massive 163 minutes, meandering and careening in and out of story and into visual realms and moods that are nothing short of hypnotic. It is a film that will instantly achieve cult status among young adults. If audiences care to, they can lose themselves in Noe’s images and trip on his imagination. If they don’t, they will be bored to tears.
Rob Nelson (http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=review&reviewid=VE1117940353&cs=1), Variety.
Billed by director Gaspar Noe as a “psychedelic melodrama” inspired by his hallucinogen-powered screening of Lady in the Lake, Enter the Void suggests the Gallic provocateur should get some better drugs. Not clever enough to be truly pretentious, Noe’s tiresomely gimmicky film about a low-level Tokyo drug dealer who enjoys one long, last trip after dying proves to be the ne plus ultra of nothing much. Having come in under the wire for Cannes competition, Enter the Void may once again be ready to enter the editing room.
While the overall audacity of the project can’t easily be denied, Enter the Void delivers an altogether different kind of pain than the director’s earlier pair of punishing provocations, I Stand Alone and Irreversible. Not even Noe’s detractors expect his work to be boring, but, at 162 minutes, the new film has more than its share of longueurs — despite showing what happens after death as seeing a lot of people having sex.

[IAmNietzche]

I'd love to see Noé take a stab at adapting Danielewski's House of Leaves.

[McSavah]

tPxgi-PiNFE

[IAmNietzche]

tPxgi-PiNFE
Can't even fathom seeing that on the big screen.

[a speedo model]

tPxgi-PiNFE
Love it, been looking forward to this.

[McSavah]

Just came across this, looks so good.

o9B941MaqAs

[reductiondesign]

Holy shit, color me excited. Those credits are the greatest thing I've ever seen.

Is there a release date for this yet?

[Ravenna]

Just came across this, looks so good.

o9B941MaqAs
shit son. this looks insane. Noe kinda frightens me.

[marrost]

International Trailer (http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/04/14/enter-the-void-international-trailer/)

Didn't know Thomas Bangalter did the music. Fucking awesome.

[Wake Up]

Loving the use of tilt-shift lenses in the film. Looks completely interesting.

[dabowd]

Holy shit, color me excited. Those credits are the greatest thing I've ever seen.

Is there a release date for this yet?

Its set for a September release but no date yet. I hope to god this plays at my local Angelika, it looks like something that must be experienced on as big a screen as possible.

[McSavah]

This is playing next month in Amsterdam together with Eyes Without a Face and El Topo in a marathon, so excited.

[Colorblind!]

Only speculation in this thread so far...has anybody actually seen it?

[IAmNietzche]

Only speculation in this thread so far...has anybody actually seen it?
I've seen it on 35mm. It's pretty astounding visually.

[Colorblind!]

I've seen it on 35mm. It's pretty astounding visually.

Is there an HQ torrent yet? I'm about to watch I Stand Alone and then want to see this after.

[-Aaron-]

Doubtful considering it's barely hit anything outside of a festival.

[Colorblind!]

Sigh.

[Ravenna]

I've seen it on 35mm. It's pretty astounding visually.
no way! dude, i want to know more. how was it on the whole? was the majority of the film shot in first person? did you drop acid before going?

[terrycw89]

This is going to be on IFC On Demand starting Sept. 29th. Can't wait.

[DejaMe]

This is going to be on IFC On Demand starting Sept. 29th. Can't wait.

IFC on demand is that a US thing only?

[terrycw89]

IFC on demand is that a US thing only?

Since you don't seem to know what it is, I assume it is. But, I'm sure a decent rip will be out at that time anyways, so you won't have to wait much longer.

[DejaMe]

Since you don't seem to know what it is, I assume it is. But, I'm sure a decent rip will be out at that time anyways, so you won't have to wait much longer.

I was asking because I do have IFC just not on demand. I wasn't aware that there is such a thing. It's been picked up by IFC films so hopefully it will get released it some theaters in Canada as well. This is one that needs to be seen on the big screen.

[IntoTheSun]

Probably going to see this tonight.

[McSavah]

This was a letdown for me. Too much of the same and not as intense as I had hoped for. If Noé had cut some in the middle part I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more.

[cantnokdahustle]

Definitely my favorite film of FF thus far. The car crash scenes tore me the fuck up.

[cantnokdahustle]

Has anyone been able to see the first edit, before IFC did their cuts?

[Wake Up]

this was such a visually arresting film. I wish I could've given a fuck about the characters. Although, I really enjoyed the childhood flashbacks quite a bit.

[IAmNietzche]

Have people in here seen Seul contre tous?

[McSavah]

Have people in here seen Seul contre tous?
Yeah and Carne too, but I don't exactly know anymore what was in Seul contre tous en what was in Carne. Both were impressive though.

[Colorblind!]

Have people in here seen Seul contre tous?

Yes.

[Cuddleworthy]

i wish i could find this

[Wake Up]

IFC On Demand
IFC Center?

[terrycw89]

Once I get my cable box hooked up to my projector I'll (finally) watch this.

[Wake Up]

Will purchase this on the blu once it's released, but I didn't enjoy the film as much as I hoped to.

[Cuddleworthy]

IFC On Demand
IFC Center?

yeah i posted a little too early, ended up finding a copy. quality isn't that great, but i'll probably watch it anyway.

[IntoTheSun]

yeah i posted a little too early, ended up finding a copy. quality isn't that great, but i'll probably watch it anyway.

Never ended up seeing it in theaters, so you should help a sis out here.

[speakhandsforme]

I cannot wait for this.

[IamTheINDUSTRY]

Certainly one of the most original movies I've ever seen.

[Thomas Balkcom]

a local theater got a copy of this and is playing it for three nights only this weekend. I will be there Monday night at 9 to see it.

[thesafeword]

Definitely wish that I was able to catch this on the big screen after seeing the trailer.

[colorlesscliche]

What a strange movie.

[Thomas Balkcom]

my eyes were glued to the screen the whole time.

[popdisaster00]

my eyes were glued to the screen the whole time.
Meaning you liked it, yes?

[Thomas Balkcom]

Meaning you liked it, yes?

yes, definitely. Quite the experience.

[DickfaceChillah]

It was an endurance for me. And I don't mean that it dragged on or was boring, but the experience was so rough, so visceral that I felt the need to endure. Massively effective. MASSIVELY.

[cantnokdahustle]

Anyone know this was coming out January 25, 2010? Was hoping it would be an IFC/CC release in March, damn. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0048LPRD2/ref=s9_simh_gw_p74_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=AT VPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=1F8JF3YXCSEG8TNY3CNV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938811&pf_rd_i=507846

[popdisaster00]

Just finished watching this and all I can say right now is wow.

[DickfaceChillah]

Anyone know this was coming out January 25, 2010? Was hoping it would be an IFC/CC release in March, damn. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0048LPRD2/ref=s9_simh_gw_p74_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=AT VPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=1F8JF3YXCSEG8TNY3CNV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938811&pf_rd_i=507846

I was hoping as well, but it's still quite a good release. Worth picking up, in my opinion.

[irthesteve]

Not really a film I can put into words

[danielineffigy]

I finally watched this on Netflix Instant Stream. Not what I was expecting at all... It's hard for me to put into words what I thought of it but I found the beginning and character introductions very interesting, but the middle dragged a lot. The cinematography and sound design were just phenomenal but the seemingly endless spiritual flights the camera took around the city became tiresome. Fortunately the drama in the third act was enough to regain my enthusiastic attention, but when the film descended into the sex scene montage I failed to see the purpose.

I thought it had some incredible ideas that were executed in very breathtaking ways, but it dragged a bit. If the length and lack of human struggle that defined the middle were included to deliberately make the viewer uncomfortable, then bravo, it's a success! It did just that, but not in a psychological or emotional way. I was just bothered that I had to sit through the same near indecipherable shots of Tokyo to get from one piece of character development to the next.

From a movie enthusiast's standpoint it was truly unlike anything I've seen before and I'm really glad I got to experience it, but I feel like it will become one of those movies I tell all my friends about but probably never watch again.

[yellowhouse]

This movie was mind blowing. Although I had my problems with the acting and script as well as its length, on a purely visceral and visual level it succeeded like few films I've seen before. The risks this movie took and the pure amount of work that must have gone into it are staggering. Really made me think and feel, something that is quite rare in movies these days. It was definitely an experience I would recommend to anyone who's looking to watch something completely original, visually stunning, audacious and thought provoking. Probably don't need to watch it ever again though.

[popdisaster00]

This movie was mind blowing. Although I had my problems with the acting and script as well as its length, on a purely visceral and visual level it succeeded like few films I've seen before. The risks this movie took and the pure amount of work that must have gone into it are staggering. Really made me think and feel, something that is quite rare in movies these days. It was definitely an experience I would recommend to anyone who's looking to watch something completely original, visually stunning, audacious and thought provoking. Probably don't need to watch it ever again though.
I definitely agree with this post. It's not the best script, it's not the best acting, it was too long, yet - I'd still encourage anyone to watch it because it was visually stunning and completely original.

[yellowhouse]

I definitely agree with this post. It's not the best script, it's not the best acting, it was too long, yet - I'd still encourage anyone to watch it because it was visually stunning and completely original.

That's about the size of it. The characters were underdeveloped, the dialogue was mediocre in some parts, it was waaay too long, but damn if it doesn't make you feel and really and truly experience Oscar's journey. Definitely one of the most unique, unsettling film experiences I've ever had, and for that I think it's a great movie. (The opening credits alone are almost worth it all by themselves.) As I said before though: don't think I ever need to watch it again, haha.

Wow, I basically just stated again what we both said.

[yellowhouse]

I started watching Irreversible today for the first time, I'm about a third of the way through it and I'm finding it much harder to get through than Enter The Void, surprisingly enough. The beginning with Vincent Cassel in The Rectum was almost unwatchable for me due to the way the camera is constantly moving and spinning so much. I have to admit it's interesting, but it does not make for easy viewing. I will soldier on through it, though. Does anyone else feel that way?

[irthesteve]

I've heard Irreversible is the worst thing ever, haha

[popdisaster00]

I started watching Irreversible today for the first time, I'm about a third of the way through it and I'm finding it much harder to get through than Enter The Void, surprisingly enough. The beginning with Vincent Cassel in The Rectum was almost unwatchable for me due to the way the camera is constantly moving and spinning so much. I have to admit it's interesting, but it does not make for easy viewing. I will soldier on through it, though. Does anyone else feel that way?
Yeah, I watched it last summer. It's...interesting. It's definitely darker and at times more uncomfortable to watch. The first half is literally supposed to make you sick in the stomach, from the camera movement to the background noises, Noe was trying to make you feel nauseous.

[yellowhouse]

I've heard Irreversible is the worst thing ever, haha

It's nearly unwatchable, at least for me. How it became such a huge worldwide sensation is beyond me.

[yellowhouse]

Yeah, I watched it last summer. It's...interesting. It's definitely darker and at times more uncomfortable to watch. The first half is literally supposed to make you sick in the stomach, from the camera movement to the background noises, Noe was trying to make you feel nauseous.

I can definitely see that. I guess I should keep in mind that there's definitely a point to it; Gaspar Noe's films can be shocking, but nothing ever feels gratuitous.