Family Romance, LLC
Just as one wondered why on earth Herzog would make his BAD LIEUTENANT (2009) after Abel Ferrara’s earlier version (1992), here one wonders why he would take this interesting theme and treat it in such a slapdash fashion, considering the existence of NORIKO’S DINNER TABLE (2005), ALPS (2011) and, from what I understand, A BRIDE FOR RIP VAN WINKLE (2016, but I’ve not seen that one). The weak improvisation with non-professional actors is only occasionally effective, and playing around with drones doesn’t help.
Presumably the title is a slightly oblique reference to Freud’s “Family Romances”, in Freud (1953–74), vol. 9, pp. 237–41 – in which the theme is the childhood fantasy that’s one’s real parents are not those with whom one lives, and are in fact of higher status or are in some other way better or superior, or in other words that those with whom one finds oneself caught living are in reality the substitutes – and this connection might in fact make the film a litte bit more interesting to think about.
Presumably the title is a slightly oblique reference to Freud’s “Family Romances”, in Freud (1953–74), vol. 9, pp. 237–41 – in which the theme is the childhood fantasy that’s one’s real parents are not those with whom one lives, and are in fact of higher status or are in some other way better or superior, or in other words that those with whom one finds oneself caught living are in reality the substitutes – and this connection might in fact make the film a litte bit more interesting to think about.
Mini Review: Just as one wondered why on earth Herzog would make his BAD LIEUTENANT after Ferrara's earlier version, here one wonders why he would take this interesting theme and treat it in such a slapdash fashion, considering the existence of NORIKO'S DINNER TABLE (2005), ALPS (2011) and A BRIDE FOR RIP VAN WINKLE (2016, but I've not seen that one). The weak improvisation with non-professional actors is only occasionally effective, and playing around with drones doesn't help. Yet still of minor interest.
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