Tag Archives: Michael Haneke

The American Friend + The White Ribbon

Posted on January 13, 2022 by Alice Thirteen
The American Friend + The White Ribbon

German bleakhause. A taste of German nuwave and cultural revolution. After a year chasing films like Possession and the Luca Guadagnino Suspiria, Double Feature goes on a quest to uncover the real German deep cuts. The low key insanity of The American Friend. Dennis Hopper and Bruno Ganz is enough, but it’s really only beginning. Who doesn’t love a West German Contax Zeiss prime? As long as it’s an MMG, we don’t need any ninja star bokeh over here. Sorry, forgot what this show was about for a second. Everything is terrible all the time and it’s not even World War 1 yet. How telling you exactly what to get from the film makes it even more puzzling. Is Michael Haneke a pain in the ass? Finally, someone sees this cold dark place for what it really is. When mastery allows you to fuck about in a way people wouldn’t accept otherwise. Continue reading →

Elle + The Piano Teacher

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Alice Thirteen
Elle + The Piano Teacher

Psychosexual arthouse films are not for everyone. Actually, it could be argued that they’re not for anyone. This is not the most important conversation in cinema – it’s what people who see too many weird movies discuss in the safety of arthouses. However, after nearly a year of arthouses being closed around the country (and everyone having seen too many weird movies at home), the arthouse is very much missed. This episode examines two films of Isabelle Huppert, giving space to these very provocative conversations spurned by the films of directors Paul Verhoeven and Michael Haneke. Is it for everyone? No. Is it for anyone? That remains to be seen. Are there merit to these films? Absolutely. Double Feature gives fair warning, then breaks down Elle and The Piano Teacher. Continue reading →

Demon Seed + Cache

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Alice Thirteen
Demon Seed + Cache

Not even your home is safe from the terrors of techno horror. Michael meets James Gunn in Texas. Teller’s time on the set in Director’s Cut (featuring Nestor Carbonell). Donald Cammell’s “artificial intelligence” film Demon Seed. Science fiction as a community of homage. Impregnation, technology, and what’s changed since the 70s. Small device horror. Michael Haneke’s film Caché. Long takes as an invitation to study. Letting trouble into your home. Is the ending of Caché really up for debate? More interesting than “who.” Continue reading →

Hard Candy + Funny Games

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Alice Thirteen
Hard Candy + Funny Games

The dark side of humanity. When people are mean to each other. The return of camera chat! Ambiguous characters. Thought experiments. Character studies. The two character dynamic. Why you want natural, ambiguous characters with questionable motivations. Torture scenes from people who know torture films. Revenge film setup, humanizing payoff. One sheet. “Torture porn.” The point of the Aunt Denise story. Ambient sound. Photography. The US shot-for-shot remake of Funny Games. Pacing, framing and suspense. The question of “why?” The killers behind closed doors. Breaking the fourth wall. Don’t forget to watch videos of adorable pets. Continue reading →