As soon as we turned our backs on the train, it ceased to exist

[sovay]

Ulrike Ottinger's Johanna d'Arc of Mongolia (1989) is one of the best things I have ever seen in my life. I was going to write that it is a crime against humanity that this movie is not available on DVD from Criterion, but it looks as though copies can be ordered through the director's website, so I am going to hold off on calling down the wrath of Tengri and Angela Carter just yet. It's hilarious and otherworldly, stylized and documentary, full of old ritual and Yiddish theater standards, and while I have read stories and poems like it, I've never seen anything comparable on a screen. I loved it very much.

Ottinger's current project is Die Blutgräfin—The Blood Countess—from whose title you may correctly guess the subject is Erszébet Báthory. She will be portrayed by Tilda Swinton. With vampires, in Vienna. It is possible there will not be enough awesome in the world to describe this film.

These discoveries have seriously improved my day.

Comments

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

Run, do not walk, if it ever comes to a film festival near you.

I will do so, at least in the metaphorick sense. I'd expect that driving would actually be a more productive means of reaching any film festival that's like to be near to me.

Why not?

Assuming it's like the actual story of Erzsébet Báthory, it's apt to be too disturbing for me. Women being harmed, especially in a simulated-realistic fashion on a film screen, makes me very upset, and I've found there are things I'd best avoid.

If it's not so much about the young maidens being slaughtered and drained, I'd probably like to see it. But I'll probably wait till I've heard about what's in it from a few trustworthy people, such as yourself.

[sovay]

But I'll probably wait till I've heard about what's in it from a few trustworthy people, such as yourself.

I translated the director's statement for cucumberseed, below; that's as much as I know at present. You can decide.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

I translated the director's statement for [info]cucumberseed, below; that's as much as I know at present. You can decide.

Thanks! That statement does make me feel a bit more hopeful for it. I was imagining something more like a straight retelling of the legend about the Countess Báthory--I've seen a few art photographs based on that which came close to giving me nightmares.

Sorry for being such a whimp about these things.