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Funny Games
Funny Games is an Austrian film from 1997, directed by Michael Haneke. It is about two, respectable looking, young men who invade the vacation home of an upper class family of three. They begin by talking their way into the home, pestering the mother of the family, Ann, until she demands that they leave. Then, they resort to violence, and trap the family in their own home. The best thing about this movie is how uncomfortable it is. One of the young men breaks the fourth wall a number of times, and acts very friendly with the audience. The question of why the viewer would be watching, and even enjoying, the horrible things that are happening to this innocent family comes up a number of times, and it very distressing.
There are also some scenes that made me laugh because I was so uneasy. One takes place near the beginning of the film. The two men tell the family that they killed their dog with a golf club. Then, one of the men steps outside with the mother to play a game with her. She searches the backyard for where he hid the body of the dog, while he says if she's getting "colder" or "warmer." It's such a silly concept that I couldn't help but chuckle a little. But then the mother finds the dog, and you just cringe, while the young man turns to the camera and winks. Another such scene is when one of the men plays a counting-out game with the family, to decide which one he should kill. This all takes place in the living room, while the camera is planted in the kitchen. All you see is the other man making a sandwich, while a gun shot and numerous screams are heard from the other room. How nonchalant the man making the sandwich acts is so mind blowing, that I just couldn't help from letting out an uneasy laugh.
Most of the violence happens off screen, which is something I really appreciate in films. Se7en pulled this off marvelously, and so does Funny Games. Haneke really lets the viewer's imagination fill in all the gaps. And the man who breaks the fourth wall treats the film like a film, even going so far as changing a key event in the film to better suit his needs. Anyway, Haneke is directing a shot for shot remake of Funny Games soon, and it looks great. Here's the trailer:
-5967658680183046339
And here's the "warmer, colder" scene, remade:
4255372739739622727
Has anyone else seen this film? And what are your views on the remake?
There are also some scenes that made me laugh because I was so uneasy. One takes place near the beginning of the film. The two men tell the family that they killed their dog with a golf club. Then, one of the men steps outside with the mother to play a game with her. She searches the backyard for where he hid the body of the dog, while he says if she's getting "colder" or "warmer." It's such a silly concept that I couldn't help but chuckle a little. But then the mother finds the dog, and you just cringe, while the young man turns to the camera and winks. Another such scene is when one of the men plays a counting-out game with the family, to decide which one he should kill. This all takes place in the living room, while the camera is planted in the kitchen. All you see is the other man making a sandwich, while a gun shot and numerous screams are heard from the other room. How nonchalant the man making the sandwich acts is so mind blowing, that I just couldn't help from letting out an uneasy laugh.
Most of the violence happens off screen, which is something I really appreciate in films. Se7en pulled this off marvelously, and so does Funny Games. Haneke really lets the viewer's imagination fill in all the gaps. And the man who breaks the fourth wall treats the film like a film, even going so far as changing a key event in the film to better suit his needs. Anyway, Haneke is directing a shot for shot remake of Funny Games soon, and it looks great. Here's the trailer:
-5967658680183046339
And here's the "warmer, colder" scene, remade:
4255372739739622727
Has anyone else seen this film? And what are your views on the remake?
Comments
I am lukewarm on the remake. Haneke himself is directing it, but from what I have seen it looks to be a shot-for-shot reconstruction. This leads the question "what's the point?" I am definitely going to go see the remake when it comes out as, like I said before, I thought the original was a masterpiece.
I'm against a remake, because there seems to be no reason to do one... *watches part of second video* OH! He's doing it in English... ok then I guess its fine. It sort of makes sense then to do a remake in that case, its certainly better then doing a dub.
Anyways, all I have to say is that Tim Roth is a very good actor, and I liked the trailer.