MANDERLAY
As a sequel, this middle episode of Lars von Trier's "AMERICA: LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES" trilogy lacks the surprise and humor of "Dogville," but it does fill the end credits with the best photo montage of the African American experience (and yes, this epilogue alone is worth the price of admission)!
2-1/2 stars (1st view) / 3 stars (2nd view)
[(2005)Denmark-Sweden-Netherlands-France-Germany-US/2006 USA release/IFC Films] - (2 hrs. 19 min.)
Written & directed by Lars von Trier
Lead characters/Cast
Narrator - John Hurt
Grace (the rich visitor) - Bryce Dallas Howard
Timothy (the exotic slave) - Isaach de Bankole
Wilhelm (the house slave) - Danny Glover
Review:
I've seen this film twice, and may have to see it again. First view felt very slow and both viewings seemed in serious need of humor (the narrator is woefully underwritten).
Amazingly, African-American audiences are boycotting this psuedo re-creation of their most painful time in U.S. history even though it covers an entirely unique situation in order to 'symbolize' the slave era. Once again, director von Trier holds up the mirror to America's past by setting his story on a plantation that continues to uphold slavery many decades after its abolition.
According to the head slave (masterfully played by Danny Glover), the newly freed slaves weren't ready for the alternative and the promise of '40 acres and a mule' was more a slogan than an effective program for repatriating the slave population.
By chance, the gangster caravan (following the destruction of 'Dogville') stops by 'Manderlay's gates and busybody 'Grace' (now played by the much younger Bryce Dallas Howard) takes this situation as an opportunity to express her newfound power so she forces the plantation owners to live like slaves and encourages the slaves to take ownership of their rightful property.
Of course, nothing works out as expected and the entire project proves that that old house slave was right, in that neither the slaves were ready to embrace freedom nor were their masters ready to give them an equal place at the table. And anyone who's studied the Civil Rights movement will tell you, the equality issue has been a constant struggle both in the South and North.
Many people believe we've achieved equality and this is old news. If you think that's so, then you (like the rest of this country) need a wake-up call. Just walk into any fast food restaurant and see who's behind the counter and then walk into a brokerage firm and compare the number of African-Americans. Inequality is the status quo in this country, but unfortunately, for movie fans, it isn't always compelling and it definitely isn't entertaining.
"Dogville" contained a lot of wry wit to help ameliorate the bitter truths presented. Of course, it may have been von Trier's intention to present this 'lesson' in a much drier fashion to force America to listen, but when you're preaching to the choir your message is more than likely not going to reach the target audience at all.
Tis a pity. In any case, tough it out von Trier fans and hang around for the photo montage of the century (one that Spike Lee couldn't have ever imagined in his wildest dreams). And yes, it's all lovingly set to David Bowie's 'Young Americans' as it was with the first film of the trilogy - except this montage outdoes 'Dogville's. As I said above, the montage is worth the price of admission alone so feel free to arrive late if you don't want to hang with Lars for the full two-plus hours.
Class is in session, time to learn the history lesson they didn't teach in school! Check it out.
Supporting characters/Cast
Grace's Father (the gangster) - Willem Dafoe
Thomas - Michael Abiteboul
Mam (the estate owner) - Lauren Bacall
Mr. Robinson - Jean-Marc Barr
Bertie - Geoffrey Bateman
MOVIE WEBSITE-http://www.manderlaythefilm.com/
Additional characters/Cast:
Edvard - Virgile Bramly
Bingo - Ruben Brinkman
Venus - Dona Croll
Niels - Jeremy Davies
Victoria - Llewella Gideon
Old Wilma - Mona Hammond
Elisabeth - Ginny Holder
Jim - Emmanuel Idowu
Dr. Hector (the card shark) - Zeljko Ivanek
Joseph - Teddy Kempner
Mr. Kirspe - Udo Kier
Stanley Mays - Rik Launspach
Flora - Suzette Llewellyn
Bruno - Charles Maquignon
Mark - Joseph Mydell
Jack - Javone Prince
Sammy - Clive Rowe
Philomena - Chloe Sevigny
Rose - Nina Sosanya
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As a sequel, this middle episode of Lars von Trier's "AMERICA: LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES" trilogy lacks the surprise and humor of "Dogville," but it does fill the end credits with the best photo montage of the African American experience (and yes, this epilogue alone is worth the price of admission)!
2-1/2 stars (1st view) / 3 stars (2nd view)
[(2005)Denmark-Sweden-Netherlands-France-Germany-US/2006 USA release/IFC Films] - (2 hrs. 19 min.)
Written & directed by Lars von Trier
Lead characters/Cast
Narrator - John Hurt
Grace (the rich visitor) - Bryce Dallas Howard
Timothy (the exotic slave) - Isaach de Bankole
Wilhelm (the house slave) - Danny Glover
Review:
I've seen this film twice, and may have to see it again. First view felt very slow and both viewings seemed in serious need of humor (the narrator is woefully underwritten).
Amazingly, African-American audiences are boycotting this psuedo re-creation of their most painful time in U.S. history even though it covers an entirely unique situation in order to 'symbolize' the slave era. Once again, director von Trier holds up the mirror to America's past by setting his story on a plantation that continues to uphold slavery many decades after its abolition.
According to the head slave (masterfully played by Danny Glover), the newly freed slaves weren't ready for the alternative and the promise of '40 acres and a mule' was more a slogan than an effective program for repatriating the slave population.
By chance, the gangster caravan (following the destruction of 'Dogville') stops by 'Manderlay's gates and busybody 'Grace' (now played by the much younger Bryce Dallas Howard) takes this situation as an opportunity to express her newfound power so she forces the plantation owners to live like slaves and encourages the slaves to take ownership of their rightful property.
Of course, nothing works out as expected and the entire project proves that that old house slave was right, in that neither the slaves were ready to embrace freedom nor were their masters ready to give them an equal place at the table. And anyone who's studied the Civil Rights movement will tell you, the equality issue has been a constant struggle both in the South and North.
Many people believe we've achieved equality and this is old news. If you think that's so, then you (like the rest of this country) need a wake-up call. Just walk into any fast food restaurant and see who's behind the counter and then walk into a brokerage firm and compare the number of African-Americans. Inequality is the status quo in this country, but unfortunately, for movie fans, it isn't always compelling and it definitely isn't entertaining.
"Dogville" contained a lot of wry wit to help ameliorate the bitter truths presented. Of course, it may have been von Trier's intention to present this 'lesson' in a much drier fashion to force America to listen, but when you're preaching to the choir your message is more than likely not going to reach the target audience at all.
Tis a pity. In any case, tough it out von Trier fans and hang around for the photo montage of the century (one that Spike Lee couldn't have ever imagined in his wildest dreams). And yes, it's all lovingly set to David Bowie's 'Young Americans' as it was with the first film of the trilogy - except this montage outdoes 'Dogville's. As I said above, the montage is worth the price of admission alone so feel free to arrive late if you don't want to hang with Lars for the full two-plus hours.
Class is in session, time to learn the history lesson they didn't teach in school! Check it out.
Supporting characters/Cast
Grace's Father (the gangster) - Willem Dafoe
Thomas - Michael Abiteboul
Mam (the estate owner) - Lauren Bacall
Mr. Robinson - Jean-Marc Barr
Bertie - Geoffrey Bateman
MOVIE WEBSITE-http://www.manderlaythefilm.com/
Additional characters/Cast:
Edvard - Virgile Bramly
Bingo - Ruben Brinkman
Venus - Dona Croll
Niels - Jeremy Davies
Victoria - Llewella Gideon
Old Wilma - Mona Hammond
Elisabeth - Ginny Holder
Jim - Emmanuel Idowu
Dr. Hector (the card shark) - Zeljko Ivanek
Joseph - Teddy Kempner
Mr. Kirspe - Udo Kier
Stanley Mays - Rik Launspach
Flora - Suzette Llewellyn
Bruno - Charles Maquignon
Mark - Joseph Mydell
Jack - Javone Prince
Sammy - Clive Rowe
Philomena - Chloe Sevigny
Rose - Nina Sosanya
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++