Wednesday, August 8, 2012
VIDEOS: JENNIFER LYNCH AT FANTASIA
Published on Aug 8, 2012 by SeasonXero
Jennifer Lynch (Director), Damian O'Donnail (Original Screenplay Writer) and Chris Peterson (Editor) talk about the making of the awesomeness that is CHAINED
THANK YOU, MACULAE!
''ION Television Acquires Fan Favorite "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" From NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution''
GLOBAL NEWS WIRE
Source: ION Television
Date: August 08, 2012 07:08 ET
ION Television Acquires Fan Favorite "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" From NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ION Television continues to strengthen its programming lineup with high-quality content, announcing today the acquisition of the critically-acclaimed series
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent." The off-network licensing rights give ION all 10 seasons (195 episodes) of the crime-drama favorite.
"'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' is a proven drama with a long-standing history as part of a highly successful 20-plus year franchise" said Brandon Burgess, CEO, ION Media Networks. "The addition of this popular series to our general entertainment lineup is yet another important piece to ION's solid programming foundation."
"'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' is a perfect addition to ION's lineup and we are excited to extend our partnership with another series that resonates with their audience," added Bruce Casino, SVP, NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution.
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" takes viewers into the minds of its criminals while following the psychological approaches the Major Case Squad uses to solve the crimes. Detective Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio), who channels his inner Sherlock Holmes, is an exceptionally bright homicide investigator with well-honed instincts that match up favorably with his criminal quarry. Likewise, his partner, Detective Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe), brings an independence and stylish edge to her work that meshes well with Goren.
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" was created by Dick Wolf and is the third installment of the "Law & Order" brand, which stands as the second longest-running scripted primetime series in television history. Executive producers of the series include Wolf, Warren Leight, Peter Jankowski and Norberto Barba. The series was produced by Wolf Films in association with NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" aired for 10 seasons, first on NBC (six seasons) and followed by USA Network, concluding in 2011.
The "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" deal comes on the heels of other recent key acquisitions for the network, including "Numb3rs" and ION's first exclusive broadcast partnership with WWE for the original series "WWE Main Event."
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" also joins ION's "Positively Entertaining" lineup of hit series, including the original show "Flashpoint," "Criminal Minds," "Cold Case" and "Leverage."
About ION Television
ION Television is a leading U.S. general entertainment network, combining high-quality programming and dependable broadcast distribution with an attitude of innovation and growth normally associated with a cable channel. Its "Positively Entertaining" network brand positioning features a formula of proven series, an expansive catalog of blockbuster movies and a commitment to introduce new original programming. Since its recent launch in 2008, ION's reach has grown to 100 million households and has become one of the top-15 TV rated U.S. networks in record time.
For more information, visit www.iontelevision.com.
# # # Contact: Chris Addeo, ION Media Networks 561-682-4210
chrisaddeo@ionmedia.com
Source: ION Television
Date: August 08, 2012 07:08 ET
ION Television Acquires Fan Favorite "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" From NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ION Television continues to strengthen its programming lineup with high-quality content, announcing today the acquisition of the critically-acclaimed series
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent." The off-network licensing rights give ION all 10 seasons (195 episodes) of the crime-drama favorite.
"'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' is a proven drama with a long-standing history as part of a highly successful 20-plus year franchise" said Brandon Burgess, CEO, ION Media Networks. "The addition of this popular series to our general entertainment lineup is yet another important piece to ION's solid programming foundation."
"'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' is a perfect addition to ION's lineup and we are excited to extend our partnership with another series that resonates with their audience," added Bruce Casino, SVP, NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution.
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" takes viewers into the minds of its criminals while following the psychological approaches the Major Case Squad uses to solve the crimes. Detective Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio), who channels his inner Sherlock Holmes, is an exceptionally bright homicide investigator with well-honed instincts that match up favorably with his criminal quarry. Likewise, his partner, Detective Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe), brings an independence and stylish edge to her work that meshes well with Goren.
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" was created by Dick Wolf and is the third installment of the "Law & Order" brand, which stands as the second longest-running scripted primetime series in television history. Executive producers of the series include Wolf, Warren Leight, Peter Jankowski and Norberto Barba. The series was produced by Wolf Films in association with NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" aired for 10 seasons, first on NBC (six seasons) and followed by USA Network, concluding in 2011.
The "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" deal comes on the heels of other recent key acquisitions for the network, including "Numb3rs" and ION's first exclusive broadcast partnership with WWE for the original series "WWE Main Event."
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" also joins ION's "Positively Entertaining" lineup of hit series, including the original show "Flashpoint," "Criminal Minds," "Cold Case" and "Leverage."
About ION Television
ION Television is a leading U.S. general entertainment network, combining high-quality programming and dependable broadcast distribution with an attitude of innovation and growth normally associated with a cable channel. Its "Positively Entertaining" network brand positioning features a formula of proven series, an expansive catalog of blockbuster movies and a commitment to introduce new original programming. Since its recent launch in 2008, ION's reach has grown to 100 million households and has become one of the top-15 TV rated U.S. networks in record time.
For more information, visit www.iontelevision.com.
# # # Contact: Chris Addeo, ION Media Networks 561-682-4210
chrisaddeo@ionmedia.com
''Fantasia 2012: ‘Chained’ (Review)''
DREAMMOVIECAST
SPOILER ALERT!
SPOILER ALERT!
Posted at August 7, 2012 by Mario Melidona
“Terror starts at home” or so what Jennifer Lynch makes of it. Filled with despair, fear and the traumatic events of growing up, Chained is an absolutely mesmerizing and enveloping story about a serial killer taking in a child and raising him to be his family. Starring Vincent D’Onofrio as the terrifying and physically intimidating warped sociopath, Jennifer Lynch makes great use of the barren middle-of-anywhere U.S.A. and gnaws at the core humanity in all of us. The film had its World Premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival.
It’s difficult to talk about the film without ever constantly coming back to D’Onofrio, an actor who’s always gone all-in when it comes to these sorts of roles. Who could ever forget Full Metal Jacket? No one. D’Onofrio’s portrayal of Bob is enthralling; his body hunched over almost childlike himself with a slight lisp. He’s not stupid, but is slightly naïve about the relationship he tries to cultivate with Rabbit, the boy he kidnapped and brought up under his control. Rabbit’s story begins when he and his mother Sarah Fittler (Julia Ormond) were leaving from a movie theater and got into the wrong cab, driven by Bob. Portrayed at two distinct “growing” stages, Evan Bird provides deep emotional terror as a young boy and the film quickly skips ahead several years to show a victimized and “chained” up late-teen Rabbit (Eamon Farren). We see the routine he’s had to live with for years, forcing him to clean after Bob’s kill, eat only what’s left for him after Bob’s eaten and finally realizing that the wanting to escape is much harder than expected.
Growing up from a truly warped childhood, Bob kills women because they’re born “sluts” and “whores”; traits attributed to women from all walks of life. When Bob was much younger,[SPOILERS] he was taking the brunt of his father’s abuse in order to protect his brother and was forced to have sex with his mother, which was his father’s twisted sense of becoming a “man” (in clear contrast to what his father was not). [END SPOILERS] Thinking that Rabbit needed a woman to clear his mind, Bob forces him to choose a woman for his first kill. Strangely enough throughout all these years of abuse, Rabbit demonstrates that no matter how corrupted or how long we’ve become accustomed to violence and abuse, there’s always core humanity in all of us; one that we should and can strive to be better and change our destructive ways.
Needing to escape and in trying to save Annie (his chosen “first kill”), Rabbit gives away his plan to escape and save Annie to Bob and the ensuing sequence is heart-pounding and nerve-racking, you almost wish none of it was actually happening.
D’Onofrio constructs a physical stature and presence, a calculated and precise mannerism that all leads Bob to an expulsion of rage, anger, bewilderment and betrayal. Wishing that you could save the little boy in him, but not before one more reveal that (in retrospect) you may have seen coming. The build-up has been so incredibly tense and immersive; you wonder why you didn’t ask yourself that question before.
In fact, it’s a testament to the filmmakers where the editing let’s performances breathe from the entire cast (noting that to edit Vincent D’Onofrio is the hardest task at hand) and the story being so tightly written by Damian O’Donnell (polished by Jennifer Lynch herself), the film is propelled by characters that the progression of the narrative and everyone’s motivation is sound and purposeful. We often don’t get a film like this and beautifully photographed by Cinematography Shane Daly; we need to relish them, to uphold is thematic relevancies and to better our society at large. Jennifer Lynch brings about the atmospherics of daily life and the horror that begins at home.
RATING: 5/5
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
''CHAINED (2012) movie review''
HORROR 101 WITH DR. AC
Not exactly a favorable review...but I am an equal opportunity poster and believe everyone has the right to their opinions.
Chained (2012)
(1st viewing)
d. Lynch, Jennifer (USA)
One shouldn’t even attempt to view this tale of a taxi driving serial killer (Vincent D’Onofrio, looking primed to reprise his Private Pyle character for Full Metal Jacket II: More Jelly Donuts) who “adopts” the nine-year-old son of his latest victim through a realistic lens. Instead, engage it as a twisted, sinister fairy tale, one that exists in an alternate storybook universe where bad men do bad things, children exist in peril, years flash by as needed, and events occur simply because that’s how the story goes. (To do otherwise proves an exercise in frustration and exhaustion at the amount of disbelief suspension required.)
D’Onofrio’s hulking, mumbling menace is a puzzling construct; one wonders how this lisping, inarticulate, intellectually-emotionally-socially stunted creature has eluded capture for decades. (The venerable actor renders a lived-in performance, to be sure, but one that always feels like a performance.) Likewise, our young abductee’s (played by Evan Bird and Eamon Farren at different stages) character never changes, remaining quietly, defiantly human in the face of inhumanity. Considering how much screen time Lynch gives to flashback sequences of emotional and sexual childhood abuse to justify his captor’s madness, one wonders why “Rabbit,” as he is renamed by D’Onofrio, resists a similar path so clearly laid out for him to follow.
But then again, we wonder about a lot of logistical things as the weeks, months and years drift by – a final climactic twist the biggest head-slapper of all – and I wish that the fairy tale approach had been made clear from the outset.
Just whisper “Once upon a time…” during the opening credits. You’ll thank me later.
CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Not exactly a favorable review...but I am an equal opportunity poster and believe everyone has the right to their opinions.
Chained (2012)
(1st viewing)
d. Lynch, Jennifer (USA)
One shouldn’t even attempt to view this tale of a taxi driving serial killer (Vincent D’Onofrio, looking primed to reprise his Private Pyle character for Full Metal Jacket II: More Jelly Donuts) who “adopts” the nine-year-old son of his latest victim through a realistic lens. Instead, engage it as a twisted, sinister fairy tale, one that exists in an alternate storybook universe where bad men do bad things, children exist in peril, years flash by as needed, and events occur simply because that’s how the story goes. (To do otherwise proves an exercise in frustration and exhaustion at the amount of disbelief suspension required.)
D’Onofrio’s hulking, mumbling menace is a puzzling construct; one wonders how this lisping, inarticulate, intellectually-emotionally-socially stunted creature has eluded capture for decades. (The venerable actor renders a lived-in performance, to be sure, but one that always feels like a performance.) Likewise, our young abductee’s (played by Evan Bird and Eamon Farren at different stages) character never changes, remaining quietly, defiantly human in the face of inhumanity. Considering how much screen time Lynch gives to flashback sequences of emotional and sexual childhood abuse to justify his captor’s madness, one wonders why “Rabbit,” as he is renamed by D’Onofrio, resists a similar path so clearly laid out for him to follow.
But then again, we wonder about a lot of logistical things as the weeks, months and years drift by – a final climactic twist the biggest head-slapper of all – and I wish that the fairy tale approach had been made clear from the outset.
Just whisper “Once upon a time…” during the opening credits. You’ll thank me later.
''Fantasia Faceoff: Boneboys vs. Chained''
BLOODY UNDERRATED
Chained
Directed by Jennifer Lynch
Written by Jennifer Lynch, Damian O’Donnell
U.S.A., 2012
105 min.
Can there be such a thing as an apprentice serial killer? When nine-year-old Tim gets kidnapped by Bob, a taxi driver, and enlisted to help him keep track of his various murders, that certainly seems to be where things are going. Tim grows up in Bob’s fortified farmhouse, enslaved and alone, watching murder after murder take place… and as he grows into a willful young man, Bob expects him to be an avid pupil.
Intense, claustrophobic, and highly dialogue-dependent, this is the kind of movie that could be performed on a stage with little modification. There’s so much emphasis placed on the shaky dynamic between the shackled Tim and his captor, and the stunning performances make this dynamic all the more compelling. Vincent D’Onofrio keeps Bob walking the thin line between completely deranged and nearly sympathetic, even as the character commits horrifying act after horrifying act. A skeletal Eamon Farren maintains a similar balance as he portrays the older version of Tim, keeping us guessing as to whether he’s taking Bob’s lessons to heart or not.
Interestingly, some of the strongest scenes in this film are the ones that inject something other than horror into the proceedings. There’s a darkly comical moment where the two play cards with the photo IDs of Bob’s victims that will stick in your head for sure, and even an oddly romantic scene involving a victim-to-be that I won’t describe further except to say that I don’t think anything remotely like it has been filmed before.
All told, Chained is a fine, fine film, thoughtful even as it covers some very dark – and occasionally gory – material. Jennifer Lynch has put together something truly remarkable here: a character-driven horror film that would be less horrifying if it placed less emphasis on character. See what I mean this October, when the DVD hits the shelves – and in the mean time, get the details on Chained over at the Fantasia website.
MILD SPOILERS
This past weekend at Fantasia I was lucky enough to catch the world premieres of two excellent – and very different – horror movies, and even luckier not to have suffered any nightmares after the fact. Seriously, between these two films there are lot of scares to go around – and while neither film is showing again at the festival, each is definitely worth the trouble of tracking down if you’re ever in need of a fright. It’s covert cannibalism versus serial slayings in this, our penultimate Fantasia Faceoff.
(excerpted)
(excerpted)
Chained
Directed by Jennifer Lynch
Written by Jennifer Lynch, Damian O’Donnell
U.S.A., 2012
105 min.
Can there be such a thing as an apprentice serial killer? When nine-year-old Tim gets kidnapped by Bob, a taxi driver, and enlisted to help him keep track of his various murders, that certainly seems to be where things are going. Tim grows up in Bob’s fortified farmhouse, enslaved and alone, watching murder after murder take place… and as he grows into a willful young man, Bob expects him to be an avid pupil.
Intense, claustrophobic, and highly dialogue-dependent, this is the kind of movie that could be performed on a stage with little modification. There’s so much emphasis placed on the shaky dynamic between the shackled Tim and his captor, and the stunning performances make this dynamic all the more compelling. Vincent D’Onofrio keeps Bob walking the thin line between completely deranged and nearly sympathetic, even as the character commits horrifying act after horrifying act. A skeletal Eamon Farren maintains a similar balance as he portrays the older version of Tim, keeping us guessing as to whether he’s taking Bob’s lessons to heart or not.
Interestingly, some of the strongest scenes in this film are the ones that inject something other than horror into the proceedings. There’s a darkly comical moment where the two play cards with the photo IDs of Bob’s victims that will stick in your head for sure, and even an oddly romantic scene involving a victim-to-be that I won’t describe further except to say that I don’t think anything remotely like it has been filmed before.
All told, Chained is a fine, fine film, thoughtful even as it covers some very dark – and occasionally gory – material. Jennifer Lynch has put together something truly remarkable here: a character-driven horror film that would be less horrifying if it placed less emphasis on character. See what I mean this October, when the DVD hits the shelves – and in the mean time, get the details on Chained over at the Fantasia website.
Monday, August 6, 2012
''Fantasia 2012: Jennifer Lynch has ‘Chained’ the Serial Killer Monster''
PUBLISHED ON AUGUST 6, 2012 BY MICHAEL RYAN IN FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL, REVIEWS,SPOTLIGHT
SPOILER ALERT!
Chained
Written by Jennifer Lynch, based on a screenplay by Damian O’Donnell
Directed by Jennifer Lynch
“I shall call you… Rabbit,” is the most chilling line of any film this year. Spoken slowly but deliberately with a slight lisp and a faint Germanic accent by Vincent D’Onofrio, the voice alone places Bob somewhere between Hans Beckert and Jeffrey Dahlmer. D’Onofrio’s performance as Bob is a virtuoso effort by one of our great (albeit under-utilized) actors, delicately inhabiting a brute, like a ballerina trapped in a gorilla’s body.
“When I said I cast Vincent D’Onofrio, I was told that he was too TV… What The Fuck?! Have you not seen Full Metal Jacket?”
-Jennifer Lynch
Bob is a taxi driver whose specially modified cab makes it easier for him to kidnap women, drive them back to his isolated rural home, rape them and kill them. One day, he picks up Sarah Fittler (Julia Ormond) and her ten year old son Tim (Evan Bird) at the movies where they have just seen a horror film. After killing Sarah, Bob changes Tim’s name to Rabbit, telling him, “I didn’t choose you, but I will make the most of it.”
“I wanted to talk about abuse. I wanted to start a dialogue. The main thing is we have to fucking stop hurting the kids!”
-Jennifer Lynch
Rabbit becomes Bob’s servant, “You will have one job. You do what I say. You clean up my house,” which begins with cleaning up the remains of his mother. In time, teenage Rabbit (Eamon Farren) becomes Bob’s reluctant student and it becomes clear that Bob intends for Rabbit to become his son and heir.
“I wanted to write an original horror story… I decided not to do something supernatural, which left serial killers. I had seen films where someone is chased by the killer, Halloween, and I had seen films where the police chase the killer, Se7en, Silence of the Lambs, but I had never seen a film where an ordinary person is parachuted into a serial killer’s life and can’t get away.”
-Damian O’Donnell
Part of the genius of Chained is the way that Jennifer Lynch uses the rhythms of a home and a life and a father-son relationship to lull us into a form of Stockholm Syndrome along with Rabbit, only to twist the knife and remind us that Bob is a monster. This also allows her to give D’Onofrio screen time to truly develop Bob, to give him depth and dimension.
“He’s tough to cut. You just want to look at him forever.”
-Chris Peterson (editor)
It would be easy to categorize Chained as a nature vs. nurture story, but the film ends up being much more complicated than that. Lynch reveals a story of generational abuse in tiny drips, each splash causing us to reevaluate Bob’s life, but Lynch (and D’Onofrio) never let Bob off the hook for his actions. His past is a reason, not an excuse.
“Parents lend children their experience and a vicarious memory; children endow their parents with a vicarious immortality.”
-George Santayana
Bob sees Rabbit sometimes as a son, but mostly as a replacement. A replacement for the kid brother that Bob tried to protect from his father’s wrathful abuse and ultimately a replacement for Bob himself.
The greatest (and stupidest) tribute this film has received is from the MPAA who slapped the film with an NC-17 rating, for scenes of violence less gory, but more emotionally unsettling, than you will see from any horror fantasy franchise like Saw, Halloween or Friday the 13th.
“It would be easy to hate them. I wanted to hate them, but everyone in the MPAA were really nice people. When we went for our appeal, we played the film and then we got to speak and the lady who gave us the NC-17 rating got to speak. We pointed to the Saw films as examples of films that got an R rating with scenes much gorier than our film. They told us that our film felt too real.”
-Jennifer Lynch
Giving Chained an NC-17 rating is another bone-headed decision in a year when the MPAA seems determined to Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures itself into irrelevance. I don’t mean to suggest that Chained should be viewed in the same light as Bully, but there are worse films to watch with your 14 year old. And watching Chained would lead to a discussion about evil – real world evil – that would never happen from watching the cartoon carnage inflicted by Michael, Jason, Freddy or Jigsaw.
“If had made the movie more sexualized or funnier, I would have got away with the violence. I could have made the violence hyper-sexual. I have done that before, but it didn’t seem appropriate here. I could have made the movie funny, but I don’t think that abuse is fucking funny.”
-Jennifer Lynch
Maybe the best part of the film is the sound design from D’Onofrio’s voice to the pounding, percussive score that traps you in the nightmare. It is almost possible to believe that you could follow the film’s plot just by listening with your eyes closed and, in fact, in certain parts of the film that is exactly what you can must do.
“And you, you that call yourselves collectors. Until now, you have all sustained fantasies in which you are the maltreated heroes of your own stories. Comforting daydreams in which, ultimately, you are shown to be in the right. No more. For all of you that dream is over. I have taken it away.”
-Dream from Sandman#14 ‘Collectors‘ written by Neil Gaiman
The problem inherent in most serial killer literature, whether on the page or on the screen, is that we tend to make our monsters into heroes, which is why Hannibal Lecter is getting his own TV series instead of Clarice Starling or Will Graham.
Jennifer Lynch and Vincent D’Onofrio dive deep into the abuse that creates monstrosities and emerge with the portrait of a complicated human monster, who is not once allowed to be the hero. The MPAA may believe that Chained is too real to be seen, but that is exactly why you should see it.
REVIEW: ''Horror Movie News Fantasia 2012: Chained (Directed by Jennifer Lynch) ''
Aug. 6, 2012
by: Chris Bumbray
JOBLO
PLOT: A young boy, Tim, and his mother (Julia Ormond) are abducted by a cab-driving serial killer, Bob (Vincent D’Onofrio). After his mother is killed, Bob decides to raise Tim, who he renames Rabbit, as his own son. Ten years later, the now teenaged Rabbit (Eamon Farren) has spent the last decade chained up in Bob’s home- but, now that he’s approaching adulthood, Bob has decided that it’s time to teach Rabbit the family business- murder. Will Rabbit, after ten years in captivity be able to hold on to his humanity, or after being raised by a monster, will he turn into one himself?
REVIEW: CHAINED is the latest from Jennifer Lynch, a director who is no stranger to controversy. Her first film, BOXING HELENA was downright infamous, while her follow-up, SURVEILLANCE shook up audiences (in a good way) when it played Fantasia a few years ago. In the years between that film, and CHAINED, Lynch travelled to India, where she made a film, HISSS- that turned out so badly that there’s a documentary- DESPITE THE GODS, about its troubled production that’s also at this year’s edition of Fantasia (look for a review shortly).
CHAINED is a comeback for Lynch, who’s proving herself to be a filmmaker that’s just as unconventional as her famous father- David Lynch. However, where he experiments with craft, she looks inward, putting the audience inside the heads of vicious characters most of us would never want to think about for any extended period of time. As such, CHAINED is a deeply troubling film- that probably owes more to psychological thrillers like SE7EN and MANHUNTER, than straightforward horror like SAW, despite what the NC-17 rating may lead you to believe.
Spending ninety minutes inside the head of a serial killer may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and certainly, CHAINED was a very difficult film to watch at times. That said, monsters such as Bob are all too real, and CHAINED is one of the first movies to come along in a while that tries to take a serious look at the kind of abuse that creates such a man. As Bob, Vincent D’Onofrio turns in a towering performance. This is not an easy role, and D’Onofrio, Lynch, and writer Damian O’Donnell have made sure that Bob can’t just be dismissed as a two-dimensional boogie man. While an evil, twisted killer- D’Onofrio still injects moments of inner turmoil, such as a really strong sequence where Bob picks up an abusive father as a fare, leading to flashbacks which reveal his own twisted upbringing at the hands of a vicious parent.
It’s this nature vs. nurture debate that seems to be at the heart of CHAINED. Lynch never goes so far as to say Bob’s upbringing is totally responsible for the way he turned out- but by having Rabbit suffering similar abuse at Bob’s hands, the question at the heart of CHAINED isn’t whether or not Rabbit’s going to escape, but whether he’s going to let Bob turn him into a monster. As amazing as D’Onofrio is, I was just as taken by Eamon Farren’s performance as Rabbit. He has that fragile look of a boy who’s grown up under the thumb of a monster, but there’s enough of a spark in his eye that you can tell he hasn’t totally allowed his humanity to be taken away from him.
Which brings me to the NC-17…
Watching the uncut version of CHAINED that played Fantasia, its obvious this rating wasn’t for violence. While it’s certainly gruesome, it’s no more violent than SE7EN, and a great deal less gory than any of the SAW movies. CHAINED depicts violence in a raw, disturbing way- which to me feels about 1000x more responsible than the way most horror movies try to make it “cool”, or even worse- “titillating”. CHAINED is many things, but it’s definitely not exploitation- and this rating is a joke.
As Lynch herself said in the Q&A after the film, the MPAA’s main complaint was that CHAINED felt too real, and truly- it does. It’s a raw, unpleasant film, but it’s also a very involving and fascinating one. While a twist late in the film felt a little tacked on- other than that, the film as a whole was pretty damn excellent. It certainly re-establishes Lynch as a filmmaker to watch, as CHAINED is obviously the work of a director that’s truly becoming a master of her craft.
by: Chris Bumbray
CONTAINS SPOILERS!
JOBLO
PLOT: A young boy, Tim, and his mother (Julia Ormond) are abducted by a cab-driving serial killer, Bob (Vincent D’Onofrio). After his mother is killed, Bob decides to raise Tim, who he renames Rabbit, as his own son. Ten years later, the now teenaged Rabbit (Eamon Farren) has spent the last decade chained up in Bob’s home- but, now that he’s approaching adulthood, Bob has decided that it’s time to teach Rabbit the family business- murder. Will Rabbit, after ten years in captivity be able to hold on to his humanity, or after being raised by a monster, will he turn into one himself?
REVIEW: CHAINED is the latest from Jennifer Lynch, a director who is no stranger to controversy. Her first film, BOXING HELENA was downright infamous, while her follow-up, SURVEILLANCE shook up audiences (in a good way) when it played Fantasia a few years ago. In the years between that film, and CHAINED, Lynch travelled to India, where she made a film, HISSS- that turned out so badly that there’s a documentary- DESPITE THE GODS, about its troubled production that’s also at this year’s edition of Fantasia (look for a review shortly).
CHAINED is a comeback for Lynch, who’s proving herself to be a filmmaker that’s just as unconventional as her famous father- David Lynch. However, where he experiments with craft, she looks inward, putting the audience inside the heads of vicious characters most of us would never want to think about for any extended period of time. As such, CHAINED is a deeply troubling film- that probably owes more to psychological thrillers like SE7EN and MANHUNTER, than straightforward horror like SAW, despite what the NC-17 rating may lead you to believe.
Spending ninety minutes inside the head of a serial killer may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and certainly, CHAINED was a very difficult film to watch at times. That said, monsters such as Bob are all too real, and CHAINED is one of the first movies to come along in a while that tries to take a serious look at the kind of abuse that creates such a man. As Bob, Vincent D’Onofrio turns in a towering performance. This is not an easy role, and D’Onofrio, Lynch, and writer Damian O’Donnell have made sure that Bob can’t just be dismissed as a two-dimensional boogie man. While an evil, twisted killer- D’Onofrio still injects moments of inner turmoil, such as a really strong sequence where Bob picks up an abusive father as a fare, leading to flashbacks which reveal his own twisted upbringing at the hands of a vicious parent.
It’s this nature vs. nurture debate that seems to be at the heart of CHAINED. Lynch never goes so far as to say Bob’s upbringing is totally responsible for the way he turned out- but by having Rabbit suffering similar abuse at Bob’s hands, the question at the heart of CHAINED isn’t whether or not Rabbit’s going to escape, but whether he’s going to let Bob turn him into a monster. As amazing as D’Onofrio is, I was just as taken by Eamon Farren’s performance as Rabbit. He has that fragile look of a boy who’s grown up under the thumb of a monster, but there’s enough of a spark in his eye that you can tell he hasn’t totally allowed his humanity to be taken away from him.
Which brings me to the NC-17…
Watching the uncut version of CHAINED that played Fantasia, its obvious this rating wasn’t for violence. While it’s certainly gruesome, it’s no more violent than SE7EN, and a great deal less gory than any of the SAW movies. CHAINED depicts violence in a raw, disturbing way- which to me feels about 1000x more responsible than the way most horror movies try to make it “cool”, or even worse- “titillating”. CHAINED is many things, but it’s definitely not exploitation- and this rating is a joke.
As Lynch herself said in the Q&A after the film, the MPAA’s main complaint was that CHAINED felt too real, and truly- it does. It’s a raw, unpleasant film, but it’s also a very involving and fascinating one. While a twist late in the film felt a little tacked on- other than that, the film as a whole was pretty damn excellent. It certainly re-establishes Lynch as a filmmaker to watch, as CHAINED is obviously the work of a director that’s truly becoming a master of her craft.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
'CHAINED' REACTIONS...
Tonight 'Chained' had its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada.
Here are some of the reactions that I will update as they come in; so keep checking back!
RECENT TWEETS:
CurseoftheMultiples@OhCurses
Chained premiere with Jennifer Lynch!!!
Fantasia Festival@FantasiaFest
"Thank you all fucking much for being here!" Jennifer Lynch, Chained #FantasiaFest http://pic.twitter.com/tM2C6SDm
@Nantzee @fantasiafest I did bring my mommy she loved it!! #Chained
Juan Llamas@llamasjr
Ethaniel Vestby@ethanves
Jason Widgington@jay_wigger
Theo Radomski@hastily
Michael Ryan@Llakor
Dany Soucy it was simply the best movie of 2012. WAY better than any VHS, Excision, Sushi Girl or any other I saw this year!
Here are some of the reactions that I will update as they come in; so keep checking back!
THESE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS SO I'M WARNING YOU NOW!
RECENT TWEETS:
CurseoftheMultiples@OhCurses
Chained premiere with Jennifer Lynch!!!
Fantasia Festival@FantasiaFest
"Thank you all fucking much for being here!" Jennifer Lynch, Chained #FantasiaFest http://pic.twitter.com/tM2C6SDm
CHAINED is freaking brutal, but also enthralling and incredibly amazing. #FantasiaFest
Director Jennifer Lynch, writer Damien O'Donnell and editor Chris Peterson. #Chained #FantasiaFest
"He's tough to cut. You just want to look at him forever." Chris Peterson talking about Vincent D'Onofrio #Chained #FantasiaFest
"I'd watch the guy read a phone book. And pay to see it." Jennifer Lynch about Vincent D'Onofrio #Chained #FantasiaFest
Just got out of the world premier of Jennifer Lynch's CHAINED at @FantasiaFest! Awesome, dark & disturbing... Wouldn't expect less from her!
Most of the cast was hired over Skype. #FantasiaFest #Chained
Fantasia Festival@FantasiaFest
#Chained was called "too realistic" so they rated 17+ instead of R. #FantasiaFest
Fantasia Festival
Fantasia Festival@FantasiaFest
"I was really careful to not show him any terrible thing." Jennifer Lynch about Evan Bird #Chained #FantasiaFest
Juan Llamas
Jennifer Lynch is smart, eloquent, entertaining, and so brilliant. Everyone should catch CHAINED when it comes out. #FantasiaFest
"Vincent was terrified today. Thank you for celebrating his work." Jennifer Lynch #Chained #FantasiaFest
ioncinema@ioncinema
ioncinema
Vincent D'Onofrio and Eamon Farren are the 'odd couple' as only Jennifer Lynch could envision. Superb casting. #Chained @FantasiaFest -JW
Ethaniel Vestby
Chained - Doesn't build to a satisfying point, but its grind house-grimness is certainly of a piece. D'Onofrio is terrifying. #fantasiafest
Jason Widgington
Vincent D'Onofrio and Eamon Farren are the 'odd couple' as only Jennifer Lynch could envision. Superb casting. #Chained @FantasiaFest
Theo Radomski
Chained is absolutely incredible. Horrifying stuff. Amazing performances. So glad that Jennifer Lynch is making movies again. @fantasiafest
Michael Ryan
Most chilling line @FantasiaFest this year: "I shall call you Rabbit." #Chained Vincent D'Onofrio is SO GOOD in this.
Poster de CHAINED autografiado ;)
Dany Soucy it was simply the best movie of 2012. WAY better than any VHS, Excision, Sushi Girl or any other I saw this year!
Jennifer Lynch: When I said I was casting D'Onofrio, I was told he's too TV. WTF! Have you not seen Full Metal Jacket? @FantasiaFest
Jennifer Lynch's latest is a great great great meditation on what makes monsters without ever excusing/forgiving the monster.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
A few words with 'Chained' director Jennifer Lynch
SPECTACULAROPTICAL
The Official Webzine of the Fantasia International Film Festival
“THEY CALL THEM WITNESSES BECAUSE THEY’VE SEEN THINGS”
An interview with Jennifer Chambers Lynch of Chained and Despite the Gods
Kier-La Janisse
(excerpted)
In addition to Despite The Gods, your newest film Chained is also screening at Fantasia (there are no advance screeners so I haven’t been able to watch it), but again, as with Surveillance, you have a child at the center of the story, watching horrible things happen – although this time, they are more overtly complicit. With many of your films do you think you are trying to explore the different ways we can negotiate abusive situations, especially from a young age?
I am a firm believer that child abuse and or neglect leads to great damage. We are building monsters. I am investigating the damage done to children and the repercussive effects of that behavior. I want to entertain sure, but also to create a dialogue about abuse and why it is such a cycle. There is no excuse for bad behavior or violent behavior… but there is an explanation, if we look for it.
There are many true-crime stories in which a serial killer tries to recruit a protégé , often a younger family member – why do you think they want that? Are they looking for emotional reinforcement? The power to corrupt another person? Or just company?
I can only speak about the characters in Chained… ultimately, there is a combination of a need for companionship, a need to recreate their own childhood, and to somehow exorcise the demons moving like breath inside them.
This is just a practical question, but you again returned to Saskatchewan to shoot, and employed some of the same local actors (as well as re-casting Julia Ormond). What was the appeal of shooting in Saskatchewan again?
I adore Saskatchewan. The worst news I have heard since losing Hisss to the producers, was that Saskatchewan’s tax credit was cut. Some of the finest crews and human beings make films and live there. It is one of the most creative environments there is, and I hope the tax credit comes back asap. It was a terrible mistake to lose it.
The Official Webzine of the Fantasia International Film Festival
“THEY CALL THEM WITNESSES BECAUSE THEY’VE SEEN THINGS”
An interview with Jennifer Chambers Lynch of Chained and Despite the Gods
Kier-La Janisse
(excerpted)
In addition to Despite The Gods, your newest film Chained is also screening at Fantasia (there are no advance screeners so I haven’t been able to watch it), but again, as with Surveillance, you have a child at the center of the story, watching horrible things happen – although this time, they are more overtly complicit. With many of your films do you think you are trying to explore the different ways we can negotiate abusive situations, especially from a young age?
I am a firm believer that child abuse and or neglect leads to great damage. We are building monsters. I am investigating the damage done to children and the repercussive effects of that behavior. I want to entertain sure, but also to create a dialogue about abuse and why it is such a cycle. There is no excuse for bad behavior or violent behavior… but there is an explanation, if we look for it.
There are many true-crime stories in which a serial killer tries to recruit a protégé , often a younger family member – why do you think they want that? Are they looking for emotional reinforcement? The power to corrupt another person? Or just company?
I can only speak about the characters in Chained… ultimately, there is a combination of a need for companionship, a need to recreate their own childhood, and to somehow exorcise the demons moving like breath inside them.
This is just a practical question, but you again returned to Saskatchewan to shoot, and employed some of the same local actors (as well as re-casting Julia Ormond). What was the appeal of shooting in Saskatchewan again?
I adore Saskatchewan. The worst news I have heard since losing Hisss to the producers, was that Saskatchewan’s tax credit was cut. Some of the finest crews and human beings make films and live there. It is one of the most creative environments there is, and I hope the tax credit comes back asap. It was a terrible mistake to lose it.
Friday, August 3, 2012
"EXCLUSIVE: Behind-the-Scenes Clip from 'Full Metal Jacket' + Giveaway"
FILM.COM By Jenni Miller
It’s been 25 years since Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket” was released, but this Vietnam War drama still packs a wallop. The Oscar-winning director let us look through the lens of one young Marine as the men in his troop break down and crack up through their military training and brutal fighting in Vietnam.
We’ve got an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip of Kubrick hard at work on set, along with interviews from his collaborators about the charismatic and dedicated director. Learn more about the auteur’s filmmaking methods and what he was like to work with from some of the people who knew him best.
Plus, we’re giving away two fully loaded 25th anniversary “Full Metal Jacket” Blu-rays so you can revisit this masterpiece in its full glory.
Although it’s been even longer than 25 year since the US went to war in Vietnam, “Full Metal Jacket” and its crew of young Marines is as relevant as ever. Matthew Modine appears as narrator James “Joker” Davis in a breakthrough performance, alongside Arliss Howard and Vincent D’Onofrio as Joker’s closest pals and Adam Baldwin as Animal Mother. And who could forget R. Lee Ermey as the furious, screaming Sergeant Hartman? “Full Metal Jacket” is an unforgettable movie about violence and its effects on our psyche.
To enter for the chance to win a “Full Metal Jacket” Blu-ray, just shoot us an email at NextMovie@MTV.com and include your name, address, birthdate and be sure to copy and paste the following statement:
“By sending this email, I accept and agree to: (1) the Official Rules of the “Full Metal Jacket” Blu-ray Giveaway and (2) Film.com’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.”
The contest runs from now until 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 9, 2012. Entrants must be at least 17 years old and reside in the U.S.
Click here for complete rules and further details.
It’s been 25 years since Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket” was released, but this Vietnam War drama still packs a wallop. The Oscar-winning director let us look through the lens of one young Marine as the men in his troop break down and crack up through their military training and brutal fighting in Vietnam.
We’ve got an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip of Kubrick hard at work on set, along with interviews from his collaborators about the charismatic and dedicated director. Learn more about the auteur’s filmmaking methods and what he was like to work with from some of the people who knew him best.
Plus, we’re giving away two fully loaded 25th anniversary “Full Metal Jacket” Blu-rays so you can revisit this masterpiece in its full glory.
Although it’s been even longer than 25 year since the US went to war in Vietnam, “Full Metal Jacket” and its crew of young Marines is as relevant as ever. Matthew Modine appears as narrator James “Joker” Davis in a breakthrough performance, alongside Arliss Howard and Vincent D’Onofrio as Joker’s closest pals and Adam Baldwin as Animal Mother. And who could forget R. Lee Ermey as the furious, screaming Sergeant Hartman? “Full Metal Jacket” is an unforgettable movie about violence and its effects on our psyche.
Get More:
To enter for the chance to win a “Full Metal Jacket” Blu-ray, just shoot us an email at NextMovie@MTV.com and include your name, address, birthdate and be sure to copy and paste the following statement:
“By sending this email, I accept and agree to: (1) the Official Rules of the “Full Metal Jacket” Blu-ray Giveaway and (2) Film.com’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.”
The contest runs from now until 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 9, 2012. Entrants must be at least 17 years old and reside in the U.S.
Click here for complete rules and further details.
Video: ''Five Minutes, Mr. Welles'' (Amateur Stage Production)
Published on Aug 2, 2012 by sandufilms
Based on Vincent D'Onofrio's short film of the same name (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-4PPr3r_r0) "Five Minutes, Mr. Welles" depicts Orson Welles rehearsing an iconic speech from the 1949 film noir "The Third Man".
D'Onofrio's short film was adapted into a one-act play by Jonathan Victory, who also portrays Orson Welles. Katherine is played by Jessica Irwin. It was staged in 2010 as part of a non-profit evening of amateur short plays by the Drama Society of IADT Dun Laoghaire, Ireland. (Please don't sue me VDO!!!)
Based on Vincent D'Onofrio's short film of the same name (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-4PPr3r_r0) "Five Minutes, Mr. Welles" depicts Orson Welles rehearsing an iconic speech from the 1949 film noir "The Third Man".
D'Onofrio's short film was adapted into a one-act play by Jonathan Victory, who also portrays Orson Welles. Katherine is played by Jessica Irwin. It was staged in 2010 as part of a non-profit evening of amateur short plays by the Drama Society of IADT Dun Laoghaire, Ireland. (Please don't sue me VDO!!!)
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
'Film4 FrightFest The 13th Preview'
THE QUIETUS
Stuart Wright , July 31st, 2012 08:25
Event co-founder Alan Jones chats to Stuart Wright about this year's bountiful offerings. Poster by Graham Humphreys and Paul Johnstone
FrightFest is back and this year it's the unlucky for some 13th edition of London's annual 'Woodstock of gore' (copyright Guillermo Del Toro). The five-day bonanza of blood, guts and scares was created in 2000 by producer Paul McEvoy, journalist and broadcaster Alan Jones and distributor/booker Ian Rattray. During that time it has outgrown the Prince Charles Cinema (2000-2004) and Odeon West End (2005-2008) to finally settle down, for the time being, at the Empire in Leicester Square.
(excerpted)
Other surprisingly recognisable names and faces at FrightFest include the Elijah Wood-starring remake of Joe Spinell and William Lustig's 1980 video nasty Maniac, plus Jennifer Lynch's purportedly unsettling Chained. Hailed by Jones as the "best film I've seen in years", the latter stars Vincent D'Onofrio (Full Metal Jacket, TV's Law & Order: Criminal Intent) as a cab-driving serial killer who raises a kidnapped child to be his sidekick.
Stuart Wright , July 31st, 2012 08:25
Event co-founder Alan Jones chats to Stuart Wright about this year's bountiful offerings. Poster by Graham Humphreys and Paul Johnstone
FrightFest is back and this year it's the unlucky for some 13th edition of London's annual 'Woodstock of gore' (copyright Guillermo Del Toro). The five-day bonanza of blood, guts and scares was created in 2000 by producer Paul McEvoy, journalist and broadcaster Alan Jones and distributor/booker Ian Rattray. During that time it has outgrown the Prince Charles Cinema (2000-2004) and Odeon West End (2005-2008) to finally settle down, for the time being, at the Empire in Leicester Square.
(excerpted)
Other surprisingly recognisable names and faces at FrightFest include the Elijah Wood-starring remake of Joe Spinell and William Lustig's 1980 video nasty Maniac, plus Jennifer Lynch's purportedly unsettling Chained. Hailed by Jones as the "best film I've seen in years", the latter stars Vincent D'Onofrio (Full Metal Jacket, TV's Law & Order: Criminal Intent) as a cab-driving serial killer who raises a kidnapped child to be his sidekick.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Happy Birthday, Vikeau!
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Happy Birthday, Victoria...hope you have a wonderful day and thank you for all your support of my site!
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Dissecting Jennifer Lynch
Soooo, who is this Jennifer Lynch? Often referred to as 'the daughter of David Lynch', Jennifer has been through hell and back to carve her niche in a tough industry where making a name for oneself is easier said than done. Despite who your father is.
I chose the particular photo of Jennifer I posted above, from the many available on the web, because it struck a chord in me. I have sported many hairdos in my life, including the one above, and had the subsequent snickering from family, friends and strangers. Didn't matter, my need to express myself outweighed any criticism I was the recipient of. I saw the photo and recognized a kindred free spirit. Not to be outdone, Google her father and see his hairdos. The man has a mean head of hair.
Jennifer Chambers Lynch was born on April 7, 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of David Lynch, filmmaker, TV director, visual artist, musician and actor, most notably known for 'Twin Peaks', 'Mullholland Drive', 'Blue Velvet', 'The Elephant Man' and 'Eraserhead'. Her mother is a painter. They separated in 1977, and her father is now married for the fourth time, he and his current wife are expecting a child. When she was six years old she began practicing Transcendental Meditation, influenced by her father who was introduced to the spiritual techniques in 1973 although being raised Presbyterian himself.
She attended school in Los Angeles and the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. As a teen, she had the role of a little girl in her father's film, 'Eraserhead', a cult classic film. Jennifer also worked as a production assistant for 'Blue Velvet' and wrote 'The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer' to accompany 'Twin Peaks', directed and created by her father, respectively.
At 19 years old, in 1993, she wrote the commissioned screenplay for 'Boxing Helena' that she also ended up directing. The subject matter raised the hackles of feminists far and wide, caused accusations of nepotism and involved a law suit with Kim Basinger who was at first slated to take the female lead.
Kim Basinger, on the advice of her agent, backed out of her verbal agreement to be in the film. Upon reconsideration, the personality of the character, the script written by someone so young and the graphic sex scenes made her uncomfortable. She was sued for breach of contract for $6.4 million, a dollar amount that the studio claimed it lost, and ended up costing Basinger $8.5 million. [LA TIMES]
Also considered for the part was Madonna, who walked away when Andrew Lloyd Weber caught wind of it and issued an ultimatum, 'You can't have Evita, Madonna, if you do Boxing Helena.' Madonna later wrote Jennifer Lynch a letter followed up by a personal phone call, crying. Say what you want about Madonna, and I personally like her, she paid back every dime knowing that she had not honored the contract and recognizing the time spent by production. [THE INDEPENDENT]
'Twin Peaks' star, Sherilyn Fenn eventually took the role.
'Boxing Helena' tells the tale of a lonely lovelorn surgeon obsessed with a woman named Helena, whom he previously had an affair with but cannot accept the reality she has moved on from him . As fate would have it, Helena is injured in a hit-and-run accident in front of his home. He kidnaps her and initially treats her, amputating both of her legs. After a time, he amputates her healthy arms as well. Limbless and held captive, Helena spends her time ridiculing Nick's shortcomings in an attempt to emasculate him becomes lonely herself and succumbs to his admiration of her.
Reality imitating her film, Jennifer herself was knocked down, age 19, and injured in a car accident that later progressed into debilitating spinal injuries, leaving her bedridden for a year after the birth of her daughter, Sydney. She had left Sydney's father and was a single parent. To alleviate the pain, Jennifer took up smoking weed, ignoring her condition until an alarmed doctor told her that her spine was being 'held together by a prayer'. She abstained from drugs and alcohol, had three spinal surgeries and endured a rigorous rehabilitation. [THE INDEPENDENT]
'Boxing Helena' came out when she was 24 years old receiving the worst reviews ever on record. It was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival but did not win. She dropped out of the public eye, to regroup and lick her wounds and did not return for 15 years when she came back with her offering of 'Surveillance'.
'Surveillance' took took top prize at the Festival de Cine de Stiges in October of 2008 [where her 'Chained' will screen this October] and one month later, Jennifer Lynch became the first woman to receive the New York City Horror Film Festival's 'Best Director' award.
Two years later, 2010, Jennifer returned with the film 'Hisss', about a man in the last stage of brain cancer who has only six months to live and decides to extract the 'Nagmani' from a shape-shifting snake who can take human form. 'George' captures a nag [male snake] to coax the female nagin to free her lover and obtain the nagmani by force. The nag is kept in a glass case where it is electrocuted and tortured eventually bringing the nagin to him as part of his plan. She is helped by a police inspector dealing with his own personal issues with an infertile wife that has caused a strain on their relationship. The nagin helps them and other women who have been victims of brutality by men, killing those men who captured her mate and the ones victimized. The inspector helps her to find our where her mate is located, at George's hideout, and once reunited the nagin and nag engage in sexual intimacy during which George tries to take her nagmani by disguising himself in a suit that hides his heat signature. At the same time he captures her, the inspector arrives, saving her. So angered by her now dead mate, she shape-shifts into half snake, half woman, and throws George into the same glass case that held her mate captive and electrocutes him. I won't give away the ending. [WIKIPEDIA]
The film was shot in India with a Bollywood actress as lead. The critics in Bollywood hammered the film for its 'bad script, careless directing, special effects that appeared more funny than eye-grabbing and the poor acting.' The box office in India labeled the film 'Disaster'. It screened at the Cannes Film Festival, where a grateful-to-be-able-to-walk Jennifer Lynch appeared on the red carpet with her daughter, Sydney in tow. 'Hisss' was also scheduled to premiere at the Montreal Festival du Noveau Cinema and the Gotham Screen Film Festival & Screenplay Contest in NYC but was pulled from both before they opened.
A documentary entitled 'Despite The Gods' chronicles the trials and tribulations of the filming of 'Hisss' and is set to be screened at the Fantasia International Film Festival along with the world premiere of 'Chained'.
Not to be discouraged, filming began on 'Rabbit' later changed to 'Chained' in July of 2011. Lending support was Julia Ormond who had previously worked with Jennifer in 'Surveillance'. In a surprising move to those who follow Vincent D'Onofrio closely, he agreed to portray the lead character of 'Bob', a cab-driving serial killer who kills Ormond's character 'Sarah' and kidnaps her son to become his protege'.
After horrific research in preparation and eventual filming of 'The Cell', Vincent has lamented about the ramifications--and nightmares he's experienced--that it cost him. So it was unexpected when in an interview on 'Good Things Utah', while promoting a charity event, he revealed that he was going to portray the 'darkest character I have ever done.' And, it was to be on his terms, filming to be done consecutively for the three days so as not to 'break character'.
Shane Daly, First AD, Jennifer Lynch, Director and Damian O'Donnell, Script Writer
Initial reports of the filming, though scant, were details of amazing techniques Vincent was coming up with to enhance his 'Bob'. A mouth piece was inserted to achieve a speech impediment and a shuffling of the feet was added. The entire filming was done in Lynch's beloved Canada and fitting that its world premiere will also be there.
Then the bad news came that the MPAA had slapped the film with an NC-17 rating that resulted in an attempt by Jennifer and her producer to have it overturned. It was not to be. The rating stands, as deemed by the MPAA for its 'explicit violence' for a scene that involves a throat-slashing.
'Chained' is also scheduled to be screened at the 'Film4 Frightfest in the UK and 'Fantasy Filmfest' in Germany in August and .'Stiges' in Catalonia in October.
I can't for the life of me figure out why? Maybe it's because no one wants to take the risk on a Jennifer Lynch film, or thoughts that the film will do poorly in a theatrical release because of the deleted scene or maybe the subject matter is 'too sensitive'. Maybe all.
In a recent interview, 'Observations: Keep it in the family: the dark visions of Jennifer Lynch', Jennifer Lynch shared her thoughts about 'Chained'.
“The subject matter is upsetting, no doubt about it. It should be. It is a horrible thing, violence,” says Lynch. “When the project first came to me I was not 'turned on'.”
Instead, Lynch wanted to create a study of “how monsters are made”. “In my mind, real-life monsters are born of wounds: of sorrows. Of pains not spoken or healed. I wanted to promote a dialogue about child abuse. I did not want to excuse terrible acts, but to bring the human monster to light.”
What real-life events or films influenced her? “Everything I have ever seen or done influenced me,” she says. “Truly. The love I was given. The fears I had and still have. The questions I ask each day. All of them were part of my telling this story.”
There have been some hints/rumors of a limited theatrical release and I hope it's true. I hope it makes it to the big screen in some lucky people's cities. If only for the sake of an actor of Vincent D'Onofrio's calibre, movie magic and acting brilliance to be truly appreciated on a big ass screen. You can save the DVD to cut your lunch meat.
Jennifer Lynch is currently in pre-production for 'A Fall From Grace'.
Good luck at the festivals, Jennifer, I think you've got a good one here. And, if I could say one thing to you, always stay true to yourself despite what the others may think or say. At the end of the day, you only have yourself to answer to and not the others who should find themselves having 'no place at the in(n).'
Oh, in case some of the details of the movies have left you unsettled, here's a photo sent to me from Marian of two pups whose mother was rescued in the nick of time...she was in labor!
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