Terrorist Ayeholes
A “full” trailer for Chris Morris‘ Four Lions appeared on 3.26. The film still has no U.S. distributor, and one reason (apart from the obvious primary one) may be that eternal bugaboo known as indecipherable lower-class British accents. As Film Drunk puts it, perhaps it’s “just too British. Get it, guv? It’s funny cuz da blokes is just standin’ roun’ lookin at each ovvaz ow awkward loikes, innit. An’ den da lorrie droivah fell off da lift an’ ruined da bobby’s jumpah!”
My 1.24 Sundance dispatch: “Early last evening I saw Chris Morris‘s Four Lions — an unsettling, at times off-putting, at other times genuinely amazing black political comedy about London-based Jihadists — Islamic radicalism meets the Four Stooges/Keystone Cops. It’s sometimes shocking and sometimes heh-heh funny, and occasionally hilarious.
“Morris uses a verbal helter-skelter quality reminiscent of In The Loop, and yet the subject is appalling — a team of doofuses who dream of bombing and slaughtering in order to enter heaven and taste the fruit of virgins. It’s amazing and kind of pleasing that a comedy of this sort has been made, but I don’t want to think about the reactions in Manhattan once it opens.
“At times it felt flat and frustrating (I couldn’t understand half of it due to the scruffy British accents) and at other times I felt I was watching something akin to Dr. Strangelove — ghastly subject matter leavened with wicked humor. An agent I spoke to after the screening said, “I don’t know if the American public is ready for this film.” He’s probably right, but Four Lions is an absolute original — I’ve never seen anything like it, nor have I have ever felt so torn in my reactions. I’d love to see it again, but with subtitles.”
Maybe it’s because I watch a lot of British television and cinema so I’m used to the accents but I really have no problem deciphering them in this trailer. The only filmmaker whose work really does need to be subtitled is Ken Loach; in fact, it usually is on television.
The real reason is because no distributor has the guts to put out a film like this. Can you imagine the shitstorm that could follow its release? If the accent issue was the crux of the matter then This is England wouldn’t have been released here either.
I saw this @ SXSW and have a similarly mixed reaction. Always appreciating a fresh take ( be sure to see SXSW short “Feeder” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVyYX8BfkcQ ), I was thinking about Four Lions while waiting in line for the -superb- Bill Hicks film when striking up conversations with some Austinites who came right out and said they weren’t ready for this film. There are impenetrable moments and there are insightful and downright hellaciously hilarious moments. There’s nothing black and white about it and for that this film should be seen. And the post-film Chris Morris’ Q + A, not to put too fine a point on it, made some of the film’s difficult ideas more accessible -I hope it is included in the blue-ray.
@strolzy – Screw the FOUR LIONS, tell us about the Bill Hicks movie.
Chris Morris is a super-genius. That is a great trailer.
I never really understand the “it’s too British” argument. Unless it’s packed full of references to cultural oddities, it’s not like Britain and America share a completely different sense of humour. Just look at all the American comedies that do great business over in England. They’re in the same language; it’s not like you’re being expected to laugh at some obscure Romanian farce.
I saw the first 15 min. of this at Sundance & walked out, not because of accents, but because a bunch of louts screaming at each other didn’t strike me as funny. It ain’t Monty Python. Or In the Loop.
I watched the Blind Side last night. That was too American. Bunch of stereotypes standing around from a variety of backgrounds with differing accents / monotones, but easy to understand. Oh wait, it was based on a true story. Oops.
Sorry, touched a nerve here.
best British dialect by Wells since Dick Van Dyke in “Mary Poppins”
“It ain’t Monty Python.”
Yes, and all British comedy should be just like Monty Python. Or Benny Hill.
Tulse: They already did release a film like this, and “Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?” was a total disaster.
Damn, DeeZee, you are an EPIC idiot. I think you and Crabtree should start a convention. Or maybe just skip it and get a room.
And if you do, I’d love to get a tape of it. I love watching retards screw.
Have you even seen Spurlock’s film? Or, is just like EVERY OTHER MOVIE you comment on, talking out of your ass without having actually viewed any of the films you so sadly, so desperately try to reduce by way of comparison?
These two films have nothing to do with one another. Not in tone, plot, mood, etc. etc.
And one is FICTION the other is a DOCUMENTARY.
You need to move out your Mom’s basement and get a real job. Soon.
Then maybe you can afford to actually see the movies first before coming off like a consistently blathering idiot.
DeeZee, that was reeeeaaaally stupid.
Dee, conclusive proof you don’t actually watch movies.
The movie this most reminds me of (and I say this knowing the two films are actually NOTHING like each other) is Battle Royale. I remember how every distributor in the US was scared to touch that for fear of being strung up every time there was a school shooting and it ended up being a film you had to watch on bootleg or on a multi-standard dvd player. I have a sneaking feeling a similiar fate could await this film.
My understanding of the failure of BATTLE ROYALE to get a U.S. release was not just the subject matter (teenagers killing each other for sport), but also the ridiculously high price the Japanese licensors wanted for it. In effect, interested distributors looked at the math and figured that the cost of acquisition versus the limited ability to get the film seen (arthouse release at best, no Wal-Mart or Blockbuster presence on DVD) would mean no possible way to turn a profit.
Fine, I’ll come up with a better example: Charlie Wilson’s War.
Cookie: Um, no, Battle Royale is edgy, while this fucker looks limp.
Hoyk: Well, the high asking price was partly because Toei didn’t wanna get sued. But yeah, I’m still wondering why New Line wanted to remake it, when similar American movies [O, Elephant, Light It Up, Teaching Mrs. Tingle] did so horribly. BR was well-received *because* it was so over-the-top.
And an American film would probably end up being as shitty as the book.
Anyway, kicking critics when they’re down.
If the WWE wants to be more “cost-effective”, it migh be better to stop blowing its loot on lame movies.
New Iron Man 2 spot.
New Airbender spot.
Animal Kingdom trailer.
Y is Leterrier interested in this flick?
Anyone want more Eastern Promises?
Singer doesn’t really want to direct the next X-men.
Larry Crowne cast revealed.
Another giant robot movie which fucks up the source material.
Dee, was that a chink in the armor as in you making fun of yourself, or no longer being able to sustain your trollish raid?
God I meant to say charade. I think raid applies just as well.
Looks like they’re playing Polanski’s “Che?” @ the Cinefamily in May.
DeeZee, your better example of Charlie Wilson’s War further proves my point that you need to get out more.
Have you even seen that Nichol’s film? That is a far worse comparison then your original suggestion.
Seriously, what’s wrong with you?
If my example’s better, then I’m doing fine.
DeeZee, there weren’t air quotes around it, but try reading the second sentence. Jesus christ.
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Hoyk, I wasn’t aware of that side of the Battle Royale situation. I stand corrected.
DeeZee –
Nah, it’s just not worth it. Down that road madness lies.
“If my example’s better, then I’m doing fine.”
Wow. That might be amusing, if it weren’t so wrong and completely lacking reading comprehension. Your example wasn’t better, you are just apparently incapable of deciphering context.
This trailer is hilarious, but yeah, I can see why no distributor would want to touch this film. Terrorism comedies are about as likely to be popular in the U.S. as abortion and/or Holocaust comedies. Looks a lot more entertaining than Paradise Now, though…
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Have you even seen that Nichol’s film? That is a far worse comparison then your original suggestion.
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