David O'ConnellPrincess (2006)
June 18th 2008 04:00
This disturbing anti-porn, mostly animated film from Denmark features one of the most original combinations of animation and live-action scenes ever made. Written and directed by Anders Morgenthaler, it’s a starkly executed tale of retribution, featuring many unflinching images which have the power to provoke long after the film has ended.
August (Thure Lindhardt) is a missionary priest of some sort, though it’s never explained what type he is and we only see him in garb in the opening scenes. His sister Christina (Stine Fischer Christensen), known more famously by her porn-queen moniker, “Princess”, has just died, leaving behind her 5 year-old daughter Mia in the care of a brothel owner. August comes to claim Mia, his anger simmering about the direction of his sister’s life and her eventual demise.
All the images we see of Christina are through the home video footage taken obsessively most of her life by the devoted August, the siblings having been left to fend for themselves at an early age after the deaths of their parents. These memories and video flashbacks are filmed with real actors and the inserted live-action parts on shaky handycam work well in giving physical substance to Christina. From a young age we see how she allowed her boyfriend Charlie to dominate and manipulate her, and to eventually initiate her into the porn industry where her talents flourished, allowing others to prosper.
August now centres his anger and hatred on Charlie who has become an untouchable big-shot in the industry and the rest of the film sees him meticulously trying to track him down, his rage boiling over into a violent, homicidal rampage as he ploughs through Charlie’s minions along the way. He also seeks to destroy every vestige of his sister’s 'legacy' on film by reducing the company’s warehouse to rubble.
One of the film’s more disturbing aspects is August’s use of the beautiful Mia, who it is clear has been exposed to many horrible acts of abuse herself, her innocence defiled at such a tender age. (She is shown a couple of times displaying sexually inappropriate gestures). One scene sees the pair tracking down the man responsible for the bruises on Mia’s body, and August has no qualms in encouraging Mia to brutally beat the guy with a crowbar!
There are many confronting moments in this strictly R-rated drama, quite often juxtaposed with moments of serenity and tender beauty between August and Mia. He loves her and wants only to protect her now that her mother is gone but the antipathy he harbors towards the man who destroyed his sister’s life becomes the fuel driving his every waking moment, slowly destroying him and his link with his own humanity and his missionary calling in life.
The animation itself is not the most complex but does have a unique beauty of its own which grew on me as the movie went on, and the video footage of real life actors provides a clever contrast.
Morgenthaler’s vision is a brutally unsubtle one, taken to extremes not often confronted in animation. This is a long way from the latest Pixar extravaganza!! But I admired it for its courage of vision even though it makes for uncomfortable viewing at times. The downer of an ending is another courageous decision by the director and his co-writer Mette Heeno.
The version screened for Australian tv is a suspiciously short 75 minutes which is disappointing considering there seems to be longer – presumably unmodified - versions available, hopefully on a dvd release, which I wouldn’t mind tracking down one day.
August (Thure Lindhardt) is a missionary priest of some sort, though it’s never explained what type he is and we only see him in garb in the opening scenes. His sister Christina (Stine Fischer Christensen), known more famously by her porn-queen moniker, “Princess”, has just died, leaving behind her 5 year-old daughter Mia in the care of a brothel owner. August comes to claim Mia, his anger simmering about the direction of his sister’s life and her eventual demise.
All the images we see of Christina are through the home video footage taken obsessively most of her life by the devoted August, the siblings having been left to fend for themselves at an early age after the deaths of their parents. These memories and video flashbacks are filmed with real actors and the inserted live-action parts on shaky handycam work well in giving physical substance to Christina. From a young age we see how she allowed her boyfriend Charlie to dominate and manipulate her, and to eventually initiate her into the porn industry where her talents flourished, allowing others to prosper.
August now centres his anger and hatred on Charlie who has become an untouchable big-shot in the industry and the rest of the film sees him meticulously trying to track him down, his rage boiling over into a violent, homicidal rampage as he ploughs through Charlie’s minions along the way. He also seeks to destroy every vestige of his sister’s 'legacy' on film by reducing the company’s warehouse to rubble.
One of the film’s more disturbing aspects is August’s use of the beautiful Mia, who it is clear has been exposed to many horrible acts of abuse herself, her innocence defiled at such a tender age. (She is shown a couple of times displaying sexually inappropriate gestures). One scene sees the pair tracking down the man responsible for the bruises on Mia’s body, and August has no qualms in encouraging Mia to brutally beat the guy with a crowbar!
Between moments of contemplation and beauty, blood will be spilt.
There are many confronting moments in this strictly R-rated drama, quite often juxtaposed with moments of serenity and tender beauty between August and Mia. He loves her and wants only to protect her now that her mother is gone but the antipathy he harbors towards the man who destroyed his sister’s life becomes the fuel driving his every waking moment, slowly destroying him and his link with his own humanity and his missionary calling in life.
The animation itself is not the most complex but does have a unique beauty of its own which grew on me as the movie went on, and the video footage of real life actors provides a clever contrast.
Morgenthaler’s vision is a brutally unsubtle one, taken to extremes not often confronted in animation. This is a long way from the latest Pixar extravaganza!! But I admired it for its courage of vision even though it makes for uncomfortable viewing at times. The downer of an ending is another courageous decision by the director and his co-writer Mette Heeno.
The version screened for Australian tv is a suspiciously short 75 minutes which is disappointing considering there seems to be longer – presumably unmodified - versions available, hopefully on a dvd release, which I wouldn’t mind tracking down one day.
August consoles Mia
The city will burn as August seeks revenge
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