Watched Melancholia on Demand last night..

Cafe Society
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Good movie, slow pacing but expected. Good music, good acting performances. I had the option of spending $10 to see it on demand, or waiting until it came to Netflix, which would probably be 6 months. I think it’s odd that they release a movie for home viewing before the theatres, but in my small town, it wouldn’t come to the Cineplex anyway.

I’m sure it will be up for awards for the visuals, unless everybody who votes for such things agree not to reward a director who is notoriously difficult.

I’d recommend the movie, but knowing the subject, director and name of the movie it’s not the happiest movie ever.

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Melancholia’s distributor (Magnolia) likes this video on demand approach, with very limited release later in the year, so it must work for them financially.

Did this have a relatively linear plot, or was it more of a mood piece? Can you expand on what you liked about it?

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I don’t want to tread on the OP’s toes, but…

The film is in three acts. The second and third are linear, while the first act

shows how the film ends: the planet Melancholia crashing into, and destroying Earth.Spoilered because what the film is building up to is shown. I think it makes the film better by knowing what is going to happen though. I assume that most people know how the film ends anyway - but just in case…

It is a mood piece. It is all set in and around a large house. It feels insular; almost claustrophobic. The relationship between the two sisters is beautifully explored.

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Peeking in because I don’t want to see any spoilers. Your Subject Line astonished me so much I had to take a look.

I just put my rant in spoiler tags so as not to derail the thread.

[spoiler]

This absolutely INFURIATES ME! Almost enough that I want to boycott the movie, but I want to see it so much I know I won’t be able to resist. I won’t pay for it now though. Fuck the distributors. I’ll pay for something else and sneak into Melancholia. Yes that’s highly unethical, but how DARE they release a film “On Demand” on freaking TELEVISION, before it’s released to theaters! That’s such a slap in the face to theatergoers, people like me who prop up these movies just to have the experience of seeing them on the big screen for the first time. If they don’t care about me as a theatergoer, why should I give a fuck about them as a distribution company?

I know that lots of lesser movies go direct to video/On Demand, but this is a highly-acclaimed, well-known film. Dunst won Best Actress at Cannes for goodness sake. This should be a premiere fall release, with drumbeats and awards-level advertising.

I know that and I understand that, and it’s wonderful that these means exist for people like you to see these kinds of movies that don’t make it out of big cities, but this should be happening AFTER it’s released to theaters, not before.

It better not be nominated for ANYTHING! Playing on frickin’ TV before playing at the theaters. It can be nominated if it had a week-long qualifying run in a theater in NY or LA, according to the rules. I suppose it had that, but this news turned me from an enthusiastic supporter to an active hater (of the distribution company, I mean. I must investigate who it is so I can heap scorn on them). Not that I won’t see it. I loved Breaking the Waves and Dogville and I’m really looking forward to this. I will see it, IN THE THEATER, where it was meant to be seen. If it wasn’t meant to be seen in the theater, damned HBO or Showtime should have released it and shown it on television.

Btw, yes I realize how snobby and irrational my rant sounds, but the hypocrisy of companies who lament the death of theatergoing (for art films) and then turn around and slap theatergoers in the face drives me crazy. I’ve seen it over and over and it’s getting worse. This is the worst I’ve heard so far.

I’ll keep going to the theater because I prefer to go to the theater (329 in the theater in 2010, 304 so far this year and there’s still all the big fall/winter movies to come), but thank you for this thread because it will make me more aware of which companies care and which don’t.

Sorry for the hijack.[/spoiler]

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Just saw it tonight in Santa Monica. I loved it, but I’m always a sucker for Von Triers’s films.
Spolier boxes aint working on my phone… Post later.

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Question:

Why wouldn’t Abraham cross the bridge??

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Other things:

[spoiler] The western hemisphere smashes into Melancholia last. Fuck.

I thought Justine’s mom was the funniest with her reception rant, so I must’ve been in a baaaaaaad mood. :smiley:

I laughed when Abe returned to the terrace after he was already let loose. He wanted wine, besides, Justine wasn’t interested.

Albeit sexy, the shot of naked Kirsten Dunst enjoying the blue/green light in the woods creeped me. Made me wonder whose side I be on-- Justine’s or Claire’s-- if the event should happen. [/spoiler]

All around, great acting, great premise, and bullying, abusive dialogue, all of why you pay to see Lars in the first place. :wink:

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Equipoise, it’s completely unclear to me what you think you’ve lost as a result of this distribution scheme. Can you clarify that?

“If they’d put it in theaters first, I would have had X. Since they put it on TV first instead, I can’t have X.”

What substitutes for the X?

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Something that’ll get you warned/banned.

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:confused::confused::confused:

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  1. Profit!!!
    I did have to laugh when part of Equipoise’s rant was that he’d be looking up the name of the distributor…which was listed two posts above.
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True Blood meets 24. What’s not to like?

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Ha! Or Antichrist meets Marie Antionette! Keifer was good. A nerdy and toned down Jack Bauer.

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I’ve now watched this film twice since the theatre. I think I’m finally impressed that Von Triers grew up(??). I wonder if actors like John Hurt would’ve considered a role in a LVT film without some kind of compromise. How Charlotte Gainsbourg was convinced to do “Antichrist” is still beyond me, but I’m not an actor. :wink:

Kirsten Dunst praises Lars Von Triers and acted so well with Charlotte Gainsbourg that I really felt this story was Von Triers’ best.

** Weird thing - Between “Martha Marcy May Marlene” and “Melancholia”, I have seen TWO original films without seeing or hearing a TV broadcast throughout each film. It’s at least great to know that remakes of dance films aren’t the newest staple in film. :smiley: