Funny & Frisch

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I feel like all the reviews that've made their way online so far - or at least the only ones I've seen so far; feel free to offer up a link in the comments if you know of one - for Michael Haneke's remake of his own 1997 film Funny Games have been from people completely unaware of the original film. While I find those people's takes interesting, they haven't really spoken to how I might react to the remake, since I've seen the original several times now. So I am punch-drunk happy after reading James Rocchi's take on the remake over at Cinematical. Not only does he appear to be a fan of the original film, but he says the remake hits even harder. Sayeth Rocchi:

"Interestingly enough, this new iteration isn't merely intellectually faithful to the original but also, in some ways, even more emotionally fearsome. You don't get to, as you did with the original, blunt the fear and terror of the movie by filtering the dialogue through your rational mind as you read the subtitles; instead, with every whimpered plea for mercy and sobbed demand to know why, the panic and fear leaps right into your reptile brain."

That hadn't occurred to me even when I knew it was part of Haneke's purpose in filming a remake at all. Rocchi's review is good reading even for those of you out there who can't stand the original, as he takes a moment to acknowledge THAT SCENE which is always the make-or-break scene with anyone watching the film; I agree with Rocchi's take obviously, but that doesn't mean I haven't, on occasion, enjoyed arguing it out here and there.

I growing more and more excited for the movie every day. If only it'd come out last fall like it was supposed to! Argh. Now it's released on March 14th.

ETA OH MY GOD HOW HAD I NEVER NOTICED THIS BEFORE??? This totally deserves it's own post, but I'm just gonna get it out here since I haven't even finished posting this one yet: I was just now looking at the IMDb page for the Funny Games remake and whose name should jump out at me?

ARNO FRISCH!

ARNO FRISCH IS IN THE REMAKE?

WTF?!?!?

How did I miss this? Who is he playing? Why have none of the reviews made any mention of this? For those of you wondering what the hell I'm on about, Arno Frisch played one of the villains in the original Funny Games, as well as having played the titular Benny in Haneke's also-brilliant Benny's Video. I ADORE HIM. I must find out who he plays! Blasted IMDb doesn't give any name for his character! There are only so many characters in the original besides our main quintet - there are a few neighbors that show up at the start and at the end; it'd be a terrific hoot if he were playing one of them. Ahh! My Haneke-geek excitement is on overload!!!
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