5 Off My Head - Happy 68, Michael Haneke

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Directors poppin' out of vaginas everywhere! Ahem. Besides being the 100th anniversary of Akira Kurosawa, it's also film-maker Michael Haneke's birthday today. Unlike my shameful lack of Kurosawa knowledge, I've pretty much seen every Haneke movie there is, save some of his early TV efforts. And rambled about 'em all, too! Oh y'all know I'm firmly entrenched in Team Haneke, and he can do no wrong from where I stand.

So in celebration of all things him, here are the first five moments from his movies that come to mind that have scarred my brains the most. I suppose y'all should beware yon spoilers...

The gun goes off, Funny Games (both versions)

Glass in pocket, The Piano Teacher

Benny makes his own video, Benny's Video

Majid paints the wall, Cache

The gun goes off, Hour of the Wolf

I'm not the biggest fan of Hour of the Wolf - although I ought to revisit it sometime - but there's no denying that the scene I've listed here is truly shocking. And what is it about that scene in The Piano Teacher that always bothers me the most? More than her slicing herself up in the bathtub or trying to molest her own mother, that act of petty violence toward an innocent girl is the real show-stopper, isn't it?

Anyway there are so many more moments I could pile on here - I didn't even get to the ending of Seventh Continent or half a dozen instances in The White Ribbon - like I said, these were the first five examples that sprang to mind. So much of my brain-matter is scarred with Haneke's horrible images. And bless him for it!
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