My Left Eyelid

"Speaking of polemics, I know I'm not the only one among us who loathes The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, aka My Left Eyelid, aka Awakenings for the smart set. Yes, I'm talking to you, Scott. I'd dis the thing myself, but I'd probably have to watch it again to do so properly, and we all have our limits -- mine came about two minutes into the interminable, pretentious, Brakhage-for-dummies POV shtick at the outset of Butterfly." -- Village Voice critic Nathan Lee in a 1.2.08 posting for the Slate Movie Club.

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 2, 2008 at 7:36 PM

comment #1

le corbeau Author Profile Page says ...

I loathe the Slate Movie Club. Except when Ebert participates as the token grownup, it's the most annoyingly catty group of film poseurs imaginable. It's why I wear my iPod to Facets.

Posted by le corbeau Author Profile Page at January 2, 2008 7:42 PM

comment #2

raygo Author Profile Page says ...

Haven't seen in yet, but I'm a big fan of Schnabel's other two films. He creates such interesting visuals, I can't imagine that it will disappoint.

Posted by raygo Author Profile Page at January 2, 2008 7:47 PM

comment #3

actionman Author Profile Page says ...

the film is a masterpiece, the best of 2007

Posted by actionman Author Profile Page at January 2, 2008 8:24 PM

comment #4

Glenn Kenny Author Profile Page says ...

Nathan Lee seems to regard his not-terribly-heralded-return-to- film-criticism (after an apparent period of "soul searching," which I imagine brought him up extremely short) as an occasion to adopt the prose voice of a 13-year-old. If you go to the entirety of his initial "Movie Club" contribution—not that I recommend you do—you'll get a good idea of what Hanna Montana's Mensa application might look like.

Posted by Glenn Kenny Author Profile Page at January 2, 2008 8:59 PM

comment #5

nemo Author Profile Page says ...

Brakhage for Dummies? I'm so there! I'll bring all my friends who have never heard of Brakhage!

Posted by nemo Author Profile Page at January 2, 2008 9:20 PM

comment #6

Larry Author Profile Page says ...

The comments on HE are far superior to Slate's annual, tiresome coffee klatch.

Posted by Larry Author Profile Page at January 2, 2008 9:21 PM

comment #7

Rosebudsthesled Author Profile Page says ...

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY is extraordinary. Especially its homage to 400 BLOWS at the end.

Posted by Rosebudsthesled Author Profile Page at January 2, 2008 9:40 PM

comment #8

le corbeau Author Profile Page says ...

Dummies for Brakhage: I saw Brakhage at Telluride years ago, playing a short before Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice (because what really needs MORE running time is a Tarkovsky film at 9 in the morning). Chuck Jones was at the same fest, and later I read Brakhage somewhere complaining about the reception given Jones and saying "If the guy who created Bugs Bunny is a genius, what does that make Van Gogh?"

A different kind of genius, dummy!

(Yes, I know Chuck Jones didn't create Bugs Bunny, but evidently Brakhage didn't.)

Posted by le corbeau Author Profile Page at January 2, 2008 10:08 PM

comment #9

T. Holly Author Profile Page says ...

I get him and Dennis Lim confused. Lim got downsized and Lee went on sabbatical? Glenn, I think you're funny.

Posted by T. Holly Author Profile Page at January 2, 2008 10:35 PM

comment #10

cute4u23 Author Profile Page says ...

Schnabel is a great actor. I am his big fan. Can't wait to see his new movie. Just a question: Is he single now? I saw his profile on millionaire dating site http://WealthyRomance.com last week. Just curious!

Posted by cute4u23 Author Profile Page at January 3, 2008 1:54 AM

comment #11

bdboudreaux Author Profile Page says ...

Did Mgmax just talk shit about Brakhage? Where I come from son, them's fightin' words! What shall it be, pistols at dawn? Hand grenades at lunch time?

Posted by bdboudreaux Author Profile Page at January 3, 2008 4:18 AM

comment #12

George Prager Author Profile Page says ...

Brakhage is a great filmmaker. I am his big fan. Can't wait to see his new movie. Just a question: Is he single now? I saw his profile on millionaire dating site http://WealthyRomance.com last week. Just curious!

Posted by George Prager Author Profile Page at January 3, 2008 5:50 AM

comment #13

George Prager Author Profile Page says ...

"THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY is extraordinary. Especially its homage to 400 BLOWS at the end."

I prefer THE SAVAGES' homage to ACTION JACKSON.

Posted by George Prager Author Profile Page at January 3, 2008 5:52 AM

comment #14

le corbeau Author Profile Page says ...

Rabbit season!

Posted by le corbeau Author Profile Page at January 3, 2008 5:53 AM

comment #15

p.Vice Author Profile Page says ...

Remember when the Slate movie club had A.O. Scott, David Edelstein, Ebert, etc... critics you can at least pretend to take seriously? It's like they've dipped into the pre-school ranks this year. I guess everyone else figured it was a waste of time, which it definitely is.

I wasn't crazy about Diving Bell but it didn't strike me as a particularly polarizing film. In fact, it's the most genteel of Schnabel's films to date. I don't understand the hatred, outside of the Janusz Kaminski vendetta, of course.

Posted by p.Vice Author Profile Page at January 3, 2008 6:23 AM

comment #16

le corbeau Author Profile Page says ...

aka Awakenings for the smart set

What an asinine formulation. Is there anything you can't diss that way, just by linking it to another movie on the same subject matter? What's There Will Be Blood but The Beverly Hillbillies for the smart set? What's The Godfather but The Untouchables for the smart set? What's the Village Voice but Screw for the think they're smart set?

Posted by le corbeau Author Profile Page at January 3, 2008 6:50 AM

comment #17

K. Bowen Author Profile Page says ...

I feel a similar hesitation about Diving Bell. In a way, I do think it's My Left Eyelid. However, I like the performances, particularly Marie Josee-Croze, and having sat through the cinematic death wish that is The Sea Inside, I appreciate that Diving Bell looks at a similar situation in a more life-affirming way.

Posted by K. Bowen Author Profile Page at January 3, 2008 8:13 AM

comment #18

lipranzer Author Profile Page says ...

Nemo, thanks for giving me a laugh this afternoon.

Mgmax, these days, calling the Village Voice "Screw for the smart set" is an insult to Screw. Though I will admit with Wayne Barrett, Tom Robbins (two people you might not agree with, given the fact they sit on the opposite side of the political fence from you, but at least they know how to write and report), Hoberman and Michael Feingold still there, there's some life in them yet.

Then again, the fact that Nathan Lee gets his criticism printed in both the Voice and the Times makes me worry for the state of movie criticism. I can get behind his choice of SOUTHLAND TALES as best movie of 2007 (I still call it an interesting failure), but his posturing about it and the other films on his list puts him in the increasingly large group of critics who think they're too cool for school.

Posted by lipranzer Author Profile Page at January 3, 2008 10:07 AM

comment #19

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