Haneke’s 1997 Funny Games remains his most controversial film, its combination of the bleakness of his darkest works and the caustic indictment of its own medium’s violent voyeurism earning it a key place in the annals of film history. Ten years later, the intermittent arrival of... Read More »
There is a great homogeneity to Haneke’s filmmaking, a consistency of style and substance that makes each of his works distinctly recognisable as “un film de Michael Haneke” however far they might stray from each other. Arguably, none does so more than Time of the Wolf, setting i... Read More »
Passion, like the burning fire to which it is inevitably compared, can both light our lives and destroy them. The hollow existence that is humanity finds fulfilment in the things which drive us most; those which we find ourselves inexplicably consumed with. Life would be cold, da... Read More »
It is perhaps strange to think that sign language can have dialects. A system of communication designed for those unable to understand the spoken word, it seems even this can be limited by the national and cultural boundaries we have designed to separate ourselves from one anothe... Read More »
The act of breaking the fourth wall in film is one which has been utilized endlessly in comedy. A direct link to the protagonist’s thoughts, it offers an added layer of comic potential as we experience in real time the character’s reaction to the narrative events. Speaking direct... Read More »
Haneke’s decision to begin 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance with this simple title card before cutting to a scene labelled October 12th is the perfect reflection of his storytelling style. In describing immediately the events of the climactic penultimate scene toward which ... Read More »
It is difficult to decide which is more disquieting: the sharp sound of a bolt gun being fired, or the dying squeals of the pig struck by it as it collapses lifeless to the floor. The opening images and sounds of Benny’s Video demand instant attention from the viewer, doubly so w... Read More »
Framed in darkness, seated in silence, a middle-class family proceeds slowly through a carwash. They are Georg, an engineer rising in his firm; Anna, co-owner with her brother of the opticians where she works; and Eva, the couple’s young daughter. The scene plays out beneath the ... Read More »
1989 was the year a fresh new talent stepped upon the stage of international cinema. His craft carefully honed over some 15 years of television film direction, Michael Haneke made his feature debut with The Seventh Continent, the first shocking introduction of his vivid and strik... Read More »
Cannes Review: Jimmy P. (2013)
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Review: Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Cannes Review: Miele (2013)
Cannes Review: Stop the Pounding Heart (2013)
