Dear Wendy (2005)

[trevor826]

Directed by Thomas Vinterberg

Starring Jamie Bell, Bill Pullman

It may be directed by Vinterberg but you can’t escape the fact that this is a Lars von Trier film, it has his name stamped all over it. An ironic look at gun culture, specifically American gun culture where the protagonists, the misfits in a US mining town collect together in a group in a disused mine shaft. They name themselves the Dandies and even dress the part although the main reason for this collective effort is to share their pacifist ideals and their love of guns. A love that leads them to give each gun a name hence the “Dear Wendy” of the title and to virtually idolise them with rituals and rites before they can even touch them.

The story is very simple, in some ways a little too simple with the basic lesson that guns are designed with one reason in mind and no matter what your principles are, guns will inevitably lead to violence and more often than not death.

Parts are reminiscent of Dogville, the way the town is laid out, especially when in map form (which is used several times) likewise the simple defining of each character. The token black guy is inevitably the bad egg, again a simplification but one that is certainly true to a lot of American films although he’s not the one that causes trouble for the group. The end indeed the whole film could be discussed on a much deeper level but since many haven’t seen it yet it’ll have to wait for now.

Also as with Dogville, I can't really say if I enjoyed the film, it has purpose but I can't say I liked the oversimplification of everything.

Cheers Trev.

[oscar jubis]

Coming to the US in late September so obviously I haven't seen it. From what I've read about the film (and viewing of recent films written by von Trier) I get the impression there's no intention to achieve dramatic realism or realistic complexity because the mode is fable. Perhaps more specifically, allegorical fable.

[trevor826]

I get the impression there's no intention to achieve dramatic realism or realistic complexity because the mode is fable. Perhaps more specifically, allegorical fable.

Absolutely, there is no attempt at realism and "allegorical fable" is spot on.

I'm sure if von Trier had directed it himself there would have been differences but to be honest it is all down to the screenplay. Maybe Vinterberg would benefit himself by seperating himself from von Trier.

Cheers Trev.

[Johann]

They're Dogme brothers.
You won't see these guys part ways just yet.
Thanks for the tip- yet another film I have to see.

Can't wait for the Fellini retro and the 24th VIFF.
Lots of great cinema in 2005.