Official site: http://www.manderlaythefilm.com/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/manderlay/
IMDB: http://imdb.com/title/tt0342735/
Photos: http://www.moviereporter.net/images/48/manderlay.html

A story of slavery, set in the 1930s American South. Starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Danny Glover, and Willem Dafoe. Also featuring Lauren Bacall and Chloe Sevigny.

Manderlay is the story Grace, who, after escaping the wretched town of Dogville, finds herself in the town of Manderlay. Manderlay is an isolated plantation in the American deep south that still practices slavery almost 70 years after it was abolished. In Dogville, Grace was played by Nicole Kidman. I hate to see a character change like that, but I adore Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of Ron Howard, but apparently his fugly genes were recessive) so I'll let it slide. I've been waiting for this movie for months, and I'm super excited to finally see it.

Dogville, for those of you who haven't seen it, is about a small, tight knit town with a very strange assortment of people. Grace, on the run from the law (or something else), finds her way there and Tom Edison, Jr., decides to hide her. The townsfolk are against it, but they give her two weeks to win them over. Since it's a Lars Von Trier film, everything goes wrong, the townspeople start doing horrible things to her, and she basically becomes a slave. I won't say any more so as to not give away the end of the film. It's a really good film, but like von Trier's other films (Dancer in the Dark) it can be very depressing. Really good, but depressing.

Dogville was done in the style of Our Town, which is to say that there are minimal sets and no actual buildings. The outlines of all the houses are depicted by chalk lines in the ground. This adds a very strange feel to the movie, and it makes it feel like sort of a dream. Manderlay appears to have been made in the same fashion.

It's got 7.8 on IMDB, but only 50% on RottenTomatoes. I will not say that everybody would like this movie. It will probably be difficult to watch, and I know the subject matter is EXTREMELY touchy (according to IMDB, he had to hire mainly British actors to play the slaves because he had difficulty finding black Americans who would be in the film). Anyways, if you liked Dancer in the Dark or Dogville, or Bryce Dallas Howard for that matter, I'd recommend this film.

Opening March 3rd at Galaxy Cinema. Showtimes are 1:30, 4:10, 6:50, and 9:30. No 9:30 show on Friday.

3/2/2006 2:15:57 PM

Nice, I'll see it, I ♥ Lars Von Trier's work.

3/2/2006 2:32:45 PM

Oh thank god, I was afraid no one around here would pick it up.

How long will it be playing?

3/2/2006 4:44:56 PM

Friday through Thursday, and I'll know how much longer than that after the weekend.

3/2/2006 7:19:07 PM

I just finished watching it, and honestly, I don't know what to say. It wasn't as oppressivly depressing as Von Trier's other movies, but it was depressing. It was philosophically...I don't know. It's definitely provocative. I would recommend that people see it, but I wouldn't say I expect them to like it. Or something.

3/3/2006 1:37:10 AM

I hate to say it, but this will be the last week we're playing Manderlay. It just hasn't been that popular. Catch if by Thursday if you want to see it.

3/7/2006 7:01:44 PM

Shit, I'm going to have to come back to Raleigh early now. Is there still going to be a 9:30 pm showing on Wednesday?

3/7/2006 11:35:27 PM

Yeah.

3/7/2006 11:37:02 PM

doesn't this guy just make films to bash america when he has never been here and knows little of our history?

3/7/2006 11:40:58 PM

Last day!

3/9/2006 1:59:45 PM

Thank god I came back in time for this. I'll be going tonight!

3/9/2006 3:43:41 PM

Well I liked it- sad to see the theater so empty, though.

3/9/2006 11:40:04 PM

lars von drops no fuckin walls... that shit is out of control

3/10/2006 3:35:02 AM

Playing next week at the Carolina Theatre.

You people should see it.

YOU PEOPLE?!?

5/11/2006 12:15:42 AM