Review of Funny Games (1997) by Dfh D — 06 Jul 2008

"Why don't you just kill us?".

"You have to consider entertainment-value.".

Bertolt Brecht(And possibly Andrei Tarkovsky) would be happy, he really would. I love the horror genre, and I love art-movies. The best thing is an art-horror movie. I really think it's one of the best places to try to experiment with form. Just look at Psycho or Persona or Hour of the Wolf. This one is no different.

It is filmed wonderfully, with absolutely great, tense cinematography and beautifully unnerving editing. All the actors are splendid, Ulriche Muhe for one doing an awesome job, and the plot, although follows some drab conventions of horror, it does so in a light that really forgives it of this flaw, and is otherwise engrossing and clever...

---SORTA METAFICTIONAL SPOILERS-- This really does address some interesting points, artistically, too. The two boys-- Tom/Jerry, or Peter/Paul, or Beavis/Butthead-- represent the audience. Why are you at this movie? Are you REALLY rooting for the family? They know as well as you do how things work and how to play to their advantage (They even make a great use of the reverse-deus-ex-machina thing in horror movies I hate so much). The set and costume also implies this-- they're in clean white, blank, you can make them anything. The homes in the movie also repeatedly features white. The family have entered the Boys' stage, and now they play. In a way it's like that old Candid Camera show-- except good. There's a lot more to say, but this is something you shouldn't read until watching the movie anyway, so let's talk later, shall we?---END OF KINDA METAFICTIONAL SPOILERS---.

This film really is a truly haunting experience. What's more, in addition to being a wonderful work of art, it is also fairly accessible. I can't think of anything else to say but "great"; one thing's for sure, though, I'm not letting anyone in my house to borrow eggs...

"Ciao Bella!".