Land of the Blind (2006)

[Lady Beckett]

I know that this film is old (2006), but I started look for Tom's works since 2008 when I watched P&P... So I decided open a discussion about this movie. ;D

What do you think about this movie?

I loved character Tom, he was very beautifull (a villian of course, but he was very cute), but I think very stranger the story of movie.



In this movie, Tom play Maximillian II, a dictator governament in a ficcional city. Together him, the brilliant Donbald Sutherland and Ralph Fiennes.

[Lady Beckett]

[beckettologist]

Nov 26, 2009 10:20:46 GMT -5 Lady Beckett said:

I know that this film is old (2006), but I started look for Tom's works since 2008 when I watched P&P... So I decided open a discussion about this movie. ;D

What do you think about this movie?

I loved character Tom, he was very beautifull (a villian of course, but he was very cute), but I think very stranger the story of movie.



In this movie, Tom play Maximillian II, a dictator governament in a ficcional city. Together him, the brilliant Donbald Sutherland and Ralph Fiennes.

I am glad you brought this up for discussion. I remember the first time I saw this film. Actually I have only been able to watch it all the way through without interruption ONE time. I found it very disturbing (which is probably the point of it anyway) and I have a hard time even thinking about it. I have long been a fan of the great acting of Donald Sutherland but after seeing LotB I can't think of him in anything else. I makes me hate him (not really but you know what I mean). I have to immediately think of him as Mister Bennett in P&P where his is a kind soulful father—the exact opposite of the evil Thorne.

Tom was his usual incredible self in this as well. Again, forcing us to like him even though he was equally evil. The film is a strange mix of humor (did you know it has been billed as a comedy? ) as dark as it is. There are parts that I have watched over and over even though they are awful and I feel bad laughing (the pen incident) and of course the bedroom scene. I think this film shows such a range for Tom from incredibly nasty and mean to very tender and emotional character. I know people that have refused to watch it. I guess what upsets me the most is that there are places in the world that are actually like this in respect to human rights. And that just makes me want to say over and over "Can't we all just be nice to each other and get along?" I would love to know what it was like for Tom to film this. Maybe someday I will get a chance to ask him.

[ani]

At first: I love independent films. Most of them have a great story and focalise the point, without explosion or stupid dialogues like: “astalavista, baby”.
Do you knows “The green butchers”? (It comes even into my mind)
I think “Land of the Blind” is a very good film. I like the performance of Ralph Fiennes since “Schindler´s List”.
The issue of LotB is mirrored the Sein of a human who has absolutely no inkling by his subject matter. I felt sorry for Max. He´s a spoiled child with a Napoleonic complex. But how many people stay still strong in this situation. When you lose all human borders, you are going to inhuman.
For that reason I would say too, that is not comedy! You´re right Deb.
In some places, the film is “savage”. But that´s a part of satire and that´s the reason, why I´m like satire.

There are parts that I have watched over and over even though they are awful and I feel bad laughing (the pen incident) and of course the bedroom scene.

That´s right ^^. The scene with the popcorn is funny too. This make it obvious how Blind he his.

History repeats. That´s not a Story of – in once upon a time or – anybody anywhere. But principally, when most people don´t watch films with this basis, they would anytime raise the arm, when a man says – do it!

[Lady Beckett]

Deb,
Yes, you mentioned importants scenes of the movie.
Comedy? Oh! It is very stranger, but it depends how people felt yourself when watched this movie.
I felt me a little sad, agonized. I admit.

About scenes:
The scene of pen (tragic or humor?) I don't know, but I laugh a lot. Tom "very small" and he jumping to thrust the pen in neck of man.
The scene of bed, the vocabulary used for his wife is very "hard" (or Are there other expression in English?)

Anyway, watch!

[sobriquet]

I'm so glad someone started a thread about this film! It is one of my all-time favorite films as well as my favorite film of Tom's! I talked about why it's my favorite when I completed Sasha's questionnaire in the Things Non-Hollanderian section, (I gave a more candid response in that thread), but I will restate here that I believe this to be one of the boldest, bravest films I have ever seen. From Karl Marx, Jean-Paul Marat and his propaganda machine during the French Revolution, Fascism, Communism and all manner of despotism and totalitarianism: when I first watched Land of the Blind (because of Tom), it left me in tears, sobbing, for quite some time. (And YES! Tom's pen scene and 'rant' scene are my favorites as well. Sheer genius!)

Because I am a passionate student of history, (the human record must be truthful and absolutely accurate because it belongs to all mankind), the real brilliance of the film, for me, is in Edwards' poignant statements about historical accuracy and the ramifications of the lack thereof; e.g. the state's decision to completely eliminate Joe (Ralph's character) from history being the ultimate crime. (I'm doing research on Napoleon Bonaparte that will hopefully illuminate how mainstream education in Europe, the UK and America has dealt Napoleon a somewhat similar blow regarding several aspects of his life over the last 188yrs).

Robert Edwards, the writer and director, (find out more here, www.robertedwards.org/), is absolutely brilliant!! He is a retired US Army Intelligence Officer, who served in many operations in the Middle East throughout the late 1980's and into the 1990s. Edwards is supposedly still working on his next project with Johnny Depp's production company Inifinite Nihil, based on a book called The Bomb in My Garden. I highly recommend this film, not just for Tom's AMAZING performance, (the performance that clinched it for me as an admirer of his for life), but for the import of the film itself and its brilliance. You will not be disappointed.

"I like discreet!" - Junior

[Lady Beckett]

Sobriquet
When I read your account about this movie, I realized that maybe I don't know sufficiently history, and you know a lot (take this as a praise, please), so you were able to capture the essence of the film better than I.


I'll watch this movie again and I'll remember what you wrote here.
;D
Kisses

[sobriquet]

Oh, LB, I am so sorry if I my comments seemed critical of your reviews or opinions! I was adding to Deb's comments, and not in direct response to your observations. I was just so excited that other Hollanderians liked this film and that I might be able to turn more people on to Robert Edwards through our discussion, that I wanted to give my best recommendations and praises for the film because Deb mentioned that some people refuse to see the film or aren't interested in it. I must have sounded like a pretentious fop! (Too late to edit it now, huh? hehe)

I am never intentionally critical of ANYONE that way. I just get all excited and start typing as quickly as I can to get the words out of my head. (I'm a very high-strung person... in case you couldn't tell).

I simply was trying to say, "Guys! Guys! There's so much more to this film than meets the eye! You've got to see it in case you still haven't!" And also ESPECIALLY for Tom, because he really seems to let loose and pour all of his personal malice and spite for such horrible, violent, depraved tyrants into this character, as if he gets a sense of passive-aggressive revenge on them by portraying them so despicably.

Again, my apologies and kisses to you, LB!