the bunny controversy

**arsaib4** · 08-09-2004, 10:21 PM

Vincent Gallo's The Brown Bunny, starring the man himself and Chloe Sevigny premiered at Cannes last year to scathing reviews, so much that while critics were busy denouncing this film they overlooked everything else that was there. Almost a year after it's premiere a U.S distributer (Wellspring) acquried it earlier this year. The film is scheduled to release in NY/LA on August 27th. Besides France, it has already opened in Austria, Japan, Portugal, Greece and Belgium not to mentioned at various film festivals around the world.

Decent start by Wellspring recently as they decided to put a billboard on LA's sunset strip showing the already infamous scene claiming that they weren't seeking controversy (yeah right!!) but in any case they were forced to take it down. Some aren't happy as apparently the street is already filled with compromising photos of models in fashion ads.

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Co...ed.hmedium.jpg

**JustaFied** · 08-15-2004, 01:53 AM

As long as I'm posting links to Times' articles, here's one about the controversial bunny (and its creator). I'd be surprised if this film is released anywhere in the U.S. outside of New York and Los Angeles. I'm not holding my breath that it'll show here:

Vincent Gallo Dares You to See It (If You Can Find It)
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/15/movies/15KENN.html

**arsaib4** · 08-15-2004, 04:13 PM

Well, i don't think this is a 'charity' release by Wellspring, they've put some money behind it. I hope it opens elsewhere as it's scheduled to . Here's the schedule so far.

August 27

Irvine, CA Regal-Edwards University 6

Los Angeles, CA Landmark Nuart Theatre

New York, NY Landmark Sunshine Cinema

September 3

Mountain View, CA Century Cinema

Berkeley, CA Landmark Act 1&2 Cinemas

Evanston, IL Century Cinearts

Chicago, IL Landmark Century Center Cinemas

Cambridge, MA Landmark Kendall Square

San Francisco, CA Landmark Lumiere

Pleasant Hill, CA Century Cine Arts

Mill Valley, CA Century Sequoia Twin

September 10

Louisville, KY Baxter Avenue Theater

Fort Lauderdale, FL Gateway Cinema

Seattle, WA Landmark Varsity Theater

Washington, DC Visions Cinema

Dallas, TX Landmark Magnolia Theatre

Buffalo, NY Amherst #3

Pittsburgh, PA Harris Theatre

San Diego, CA Landmark Ken Cinema

Pasadena, CA Laemmle Playhouse

Encino, CA Laemmle Town Center

Atlanta, GA Lefont Plaza

Monterey, CA Osio Cinema

Miami, FL Regal South Beach

Philadelphia, PA Roxy

September 17

New Orleans, LA Landmark Canal Place

Austin, TX Landmark Dobie Theater

Milwaukee, WI Landmark Oriental Theatre

Austin, TX Regal Arbor Cinema

Houston, TX Landmark River Oaks Theatre

Las Vegas, NV Century Suncoat

Hartford, CT Real Art Ways

Tucson, AZ The Loft Cinema

September 24

Santa Fe, NM The Screen

Providence, RI Cable Car Cinema

October 1

Tampa, FL Sunrise Cinemas @ Old Hyde Park

Minneapolis, MN Landmark Uptown

Nashville, TN Belcourt Theater

Portland, OR Cinema 21

October 2

Rochester, NY Dryden Theatre @Eastman House

October 8

Royal Oak, MI Landmark Main Art Theater

St. Louis, MO Landmark Tivoli Theater

November 19

Columbus, OH Wexner Center for the Arts

**JustaFied** · 08-15-2004, 04:31 PM

Well I'll be damned. Thanks.

**HorseradishTree** · 08-15-2004, 08:36 PM

Santa Fe?! Blargh! You know, Albuquerque used to be the filmtown of New Mexico.

I swear, things have been going downhill for us since our Madstone theater closed.

**arsaib4** · 08-17-2004, 06:59 PM

The 2 film trailers are now live at the film's website.

trailer 1 is a teaser by Wellspring

trailer 2 is a much longer Japanese ad.

http://www.brownbunny.net

**Johann** · 08-17-2004, 10:08 PM

Thanks for sharing that with us, Lisa.

Outstanding. Goddamn outstanding.

I just saw both trailers for this film and I am humbled at Gallo.

**arsaib4** · 08-17-2004, 10:19 PM

Yeah, i remember reading Lisa's quote last year in EW, but i am surprised they decided to include it. I was expecting the Roger Ebert one "i'd rather see my colonoscopy than see this film again," brilliant!!

Also, "the most controversial american film ever made," i am not sure about that one.

**arsaib4** · 08-24-2004, 06:27 PM

An interesting review to say the least,

"The Brown Bunny has a family resemblance to such quasi-real-time odysseys as Gus Van Sant's Gerry and Bruno Dumont's Twentynine Palms. Unlike those two wildly self-important stunts, however, Gallo's has a genuine pathology"........

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0434/hoberman.php

**Chris Knipp** · 08-25-2004, 02:45 AM

On the face of it this review by the often astute Hoberman is far from convincing. Need he praise Brown Bunny by trashing Gerry and 29 Palms? (I’m a fan of Gerry, and hopeful about Dumont's latest.) Was it necessary to tell us "In the context of the movie's ultimately poignant scenario, Daisy is Bud's delusional fantasy; in the context of the movie, however, Sevigny's performance is the tangible signifier of her director's real-life domination"? And is “a genuine pathology” something we’re looking for in a movie? Nonetheless I am as interested in seeing what’s behind the hype/controversy as anyone else, and since where I am in northern California is one of the places most richly supplied with Bunny viewing sites, I expect to see the movie some time this weekend.

**arsaib4** · 08-25-2004, 05:37 PM

I think we should refrain from making any comments about the film or a certain review until we've seen the film for ourselves. I know that Mr. Hoberman isn't a big fan of both 'Gerry' and '29 Palms' and he is entitled to his opinion just like us. I am also very curious myself to see why was there such a negative response to this film at Cannes last year, but this one has 'cult classic' written all over it.

**Chris Knipp** · 08-26-2004, 12:19 AM

Sorry. Mum's the word. I was jumping the gun about viewing it: it won't be here till next week.

**Johann** · 08-27-2004, 12:09 AM

Vincent Gallo can do no wrong in my book- the dude's a beatnik.

I love artists, you know?

Gallo lives his life like a journalist, inhabiting the world in a way that makes him arrive everyday, in the moment, and enjoying the priviledge of seeing the fruition of that timeliness.

His audacity, his on-the-edginess, his bullet-cool, Gallo is the BOMB.

**arsaib4** · 08-27-2004, 07:17 PM

You just might be right Johann, and as I expected the film has recieved some 'gentle' reviews from some of the major publications so far (EW, Variety, Village Voice) and now even in the NY Times by Ms. Dargis.

http://movies.nytimes.com/pages/movies/index.html