| Program
Compiled by Andrew P. Crane
Thanks to Francois Truffart/French Consulate in Los
Angeles, Gary Ungar & Patricia Castellanos/Exile Entertainment, 1B2K, Miramax Films,
Karin Adler & Jan Kounen.
Home
SCHEDULE
MEMBERSHIP
TICKETS
EGYPTIAN THEATRE |
|
For the
past ten years, Jan Kounen’s pioneering commercial and film work have attracted
attention, both in Europe and in the United States. Jan’s use of vibrant color,
extreme camera angles and rapid editing have had an enormous impact on contemporary visual
style in commercial, video and feature filmmaking. You’ve seen Mr. Kounen’s work
whether you’re aware of it or not. If you’ve never heard
the name, now you can catch up with Mr. Kounen’s personal, original work. Forget
about all your other preconceptions and experience with "French Cinema". Along
with Mathieu Kassovitz’s HATE, Kounen’s work burst down the doors of
conservative 90’s French filmmaking. Kounen is now partnered with Kassovitz and Luc
Besson (THE FIFTH ELEMENT and THE PROFESSIONAL) in the US based production company 1B2K.
Kounen’s next film is "BLUEBERRY"; a western based on the popular French
comic book series. This will be Jan Kounen’s first film in English.
Wednesday, September 20,
2000 – 7:00 PM
JAN KOUNEN SHORTS
"Gisele Kerosene" (1993, 5 min.) Come,
take a ride! Set in a deserted modern cityscape, new millenium witches chase after their
"Holy Grail" on electric broomsticks. We dare you to count the edits and camera
set-ups. Whooossshhhh! "Vibroboy" (1994, 28
min.) We jet from rural Mexico to a desolate spot in urban France. Mythical statues,
tribes of Indians and "El Vibro," alias VIBROBOY, a super hero, who in
opposition to the norm, vows a neurotic hatred towards all forms of life. "La Derniere Chaperone Rouge" (1996 , 26 min.)
Emmanuelle Beart stars as the last "Red Riding Hood" in this big-budget,
jaw-dropper that creatively mixes music video, opera & fairy tale with an original,
postmodern score. The last time we showed this film it had members of our audience
clamoring for more from Mr. Kounen. Excerpts from some of Mr. Kounen’s video and
commercial work may also screen. Discussion to follow with
director Jan Kounen
Wednesday, September 20,
2000 -- 9:00 PM
JAN KOUNEN
DOBERMANN,
1997, Miramax, 103 min. From the controversial opening credit sequence to the alternating
comic and bizarre twists and turns, DOBERMANN is a relentless attack on the
audience’s senses. Vincent Cassel
(MESSENGER:STORY OF JOAN OF ARC, ELIZABETH) stars as "Dobermann", the biggest,
baddest head of a gang you’ve seen in some time. Some will argue it is a protest of
cinematic violence, others will say it celebrates violence. Highly stylized with non-stop
action, plot twists, comic savagery, bloodlust and outrageous costume design, DOBERMANN is
at once a spoof and an homage to gangster films with a speed-crazed, post-modern visual
and aesthetic kick. Discussion to follow with director Jan Kounen |