1283 A History of Violence

[dekadetia]

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
Release Date: Fall 2005
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris and Maria Bello.

A thriller from director David Cronenberg, A History of Violence stars Viggo Mortensen as a pillar of a small town community who runs a diner and lives a happy and quiet life with his wife (Maria Bello) and two children. But their lives are forever changed when Mortensen thwarts an attempted robbery and is lauded as a hero by the media, attracting the attention of some mobsters (William Hurt and Ed Harris) who believe he is someone else. A History of Violence is scheduled for a Fall 2005 release.

The site also presents a logo and some high-res stills, the one which is remotely interesting being the one above (unless you're particularly interested in Viggo Mortensen's current hairstyle, in which case, enjoy...it's high res!).

Updated: Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:14 am
Ain't it Cool News has a test screening review, which I won't replicate here due to some spoilers and the presence of the phrase "Things soon turn a rye [sic]."

Updated: Wed Mar 2, 2005 1:09 pm
Ain't it Cool News has another test screening review, and begs the question, "Has Cronenberg Made A Crowd-Pleasing Hit?!" (ephasis theirs).

Updated: Wed May 16, 2005 11:29 pm
Cannes Film Festival website presents the trailer in unfortunately dubious quality.

Updated: Wed May 27, 2005 12:02 pm
New Line posts the trailer, sans subs and lagging, plus a clip. The official website has also launched. David Powers, interviewed by Terry Gross on NPR's Fresh Air, says Violence is the best Cronenberg film since Dead Ringers; Gross makes an unprecedented comment about a "spiritual" element in Cronenberg's films.

[THX1378]

This film is my big must see for the fall so far. From what has been said this maybe the most mainstream film that Cronenberg has done since The Fly.

[DrewReiber]

This film is my big must see for the fall so far. From what has been said this maybe the most mainstream film that Cronenberg has done since The Fly.

He also claimed that this was the first work for hire job he's done in a while, as his career has started to slow down. His next film, Painkillers, is the first project he's done with his own screenplay since eXistenZ.

[igor s.]

He also claimed that this was the first work for hire job he's done in a while, as his career has started to slow down. His next film, Painkillers, is the first project he's done with his own screenplay since eXistenZ.

decidely; of "painkillers" to art: a film about radical performace art and, say i say, a look to plastic surgery as a performance art. how, interesting.

a look to see.

[Lino]

First trailer is up:

http://www.festival-cannes.fr/films/fic ... media=6532

[Arn777]

It will be opening on November 2nd in France. BTW, if you are in Paris on the 22nd of May, the MK2 Bibliotheque will show a selection of 10 films from Cannes.

[cbernard]

Is it a spoiler if you can guess one of the film's "secrets" just by watching that trailer, not having seen the film or read any reviews?

Spoiler

Witness Protection Program, hellooo!

[Fletch F. Fletch]

a new trailer is up on Apple's site:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/newline/a ... fviolence/

[Oedipax]

The latest issue of Cinemascope magazine has a good article by Kent Jones talking about A History of Violence, and it has been scanned by a Viggo Mortensen fan site. Just a warning, there are some spoilers and plot points.

http://www.viggo-works.com/showimage.ph ... 01cina.jpg
http://www.viggo-works.com/showimage.ph ... 02cina.jpg
http://www.viggo-works.com/showimage.ph ... 03cina.jpg
http://www.viggo-works.com/showimage.ph ... 04cina.jpg
http://www.viggo-works.com/showimage.ph ... 05cina.jpg

As an aside, does anyone know what Godard work Kent is thinking of that juxtaposed Full Metal Jacket with documentary footage of Vietnam? It must've been something for TV in the early 90s. It occurs to me that with Kubrick employing people to track his films in the press and so on (there was something in an article on his archives that mentioned countless magazine clippings, letters to editors, small references, etc., as well as any fan mail, being stockpiled in boxes somewhere on his estate) that he must've been aware of Godard's program. I wonder what he thought?

[jorencain]

As an aside, does anyone know what Godard work Kent is thinking of that juxtaposed Full Metal Jacket with documentary footage of Vietnam?

I may be wrong, but that sounds like the opening to "Notre Musique". I don't remember there being any clips from "Full Metal Jacket", and I haven't read the article you linked, so maybe I'm way off.

[Oedipax]

As an aside, does anyone know what Godard work Kent is thinking of that juxtaposed Full Metal Jacket with documentary footage of Vietnam?

I may be wrong, but that sounds like the opening to "Notre Musique". I don't remember there being any clips from "Full Metal Jacket", and I haven't read the article you linked, so maybe I'm way off.

Yeah, in this case it isn't Notre Musique, but it's definitely a device he's used and reused for the last decade or so, starting with the Histoires du Cinema and going through things like Origins of the 21st Century and most recently Notre Musique.

[flyonthewall2983]

has anyone checked out the official website lately? there's a link to a video blog, but anytime I click on it the whole site goes black.

[J M Powell]

Cronenberg discusses the film at the 2005 San Diego Comic-Con. Just a summary with quotes, not a transcript, unfortunately.

[The Invunche]

Re-release of the comic book. <-- minor spoilers.

[Andre Jurieu]

Re-release of the comic book. <-- minor spoilers.

Weird. I didn't realize it was OOP. It has been pretty easy to buy on-line.

[flyonthewall2983]

http://www.freezedriedmovies.com/features.php?id=38

An interview with David about the making of the film.

[ecschmidt]

http://www.freezedriedmovies.com/features.php?id=38

An interview with David about the making of the film.

Highlights:

Mike Leigh=Mike Lee

menage a trois=(French words I can't spell, hey I'm at least honest about it)

[dekadetia]

The poster is up at Latino Review. The movie advertising cliché of the ginormous actor head is effectively perverted here -- how often, for example, does such a poster appear to depict an actor actually performing? The look in Mortensen's eyes feels very in-character, subtly suggestive of what I assume to be some pretty disturbing business that most of this film's audience won't see coming. It's a shame these images so rarely find their way onto the DVD cover.

[Anonymous]

WOW!

That's a great poster! One of my must see films of the year.

[analoguezombie]

WOW!

That's a great poster!

I'm assuming that's sarcasm, cuz that poster sucks monkeys.

[Anonymous]

No. I think it's a great poster.

[jcelwin]

I like the poster as well. The angle is excellent too. Viggo's expression and the clouds overhead bring a great feeling to it.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

A nice profile/interview with Cronenberg in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/18/magaz ... nberg.html

[flyonthewall2983]

would there be some way you could do a cut and paste job to that for us nonsubscribers?

[nick]

would there be some way you could do a cut and paste job to that for us nonsubscribers?

It doesn't seem to be locked for subscribers only. I don't subscribe and the link worked fine.