Movie Trailer - 'Blindness' from 'City of God' Director Fernando Meirelles

I would put it to you, sir or madam, that 29 years from now, City of God will ascend to the upper ranks of the greatest films ever made. Its reputation will move it past quite a few international and American films alike for one reason: It's simply better than almost any other movie ever made. So director Fernando Meirelles has that to live up to. His follow-up, The Constant Gardener, was not an instant smash and didn't create anything new and different. It was very good, though, and Meirelles' position as one of the better up-and-coming filmmakers was undeniable. It makes sense, then, that his next film would open the competition at this year's Cannes Film Festival. But Blindness was not warmly received there. I wouldn't worry just because of that, though; they have made many bad choices over the years. (Fahrenheit 9/11 wins the Palme D'Or? Really? Go back and watch it again. It's not that good, even as a shrieking polemic.) We will try to keep an open mind about it despite or admiration for the director and the less-than-overwhelming festival press it has recieved. As you can tell from the trailer, it's still a doozy of a plot: We'll get an eyeful of Blindness on September 19th.

Comments

[Eric Slee]

"they (the Cannes Film Festival) have made many bad choices over the years."

I know. In addition to Fahrenheit 9/11, MASH, The Conversation, Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, Kagemusha, All That Jazz, Sex,Lies,&Videotape, Barton Fink, The Piano, Pulp Fiction, Secrets & Lies, The Pianst, Elephant, and 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days were all terrible choices. Just terrible. i couldn't agree more.

[Luiz]

Hi there, yes the Cannes Festival wasn't lucky lately.But what really pisses me off is the fact that a bunch of good movies goes soft because the the "moralism" and "Oh my God" in the American society. You know guys why "God's Town" is so good? Because this movie wasn't intended to go to the American Market. It has been designed for the Brazilian market and there, they love strong movies such as "Carandirú", "Elite Squad" and "God'd Town". Blindness has been shown in Canada and the viewers were horrified with the "sexual abuse" scenes of the movie...so the director had to go a bit easier....when it went to NY, with the movie already "softened" than the original, the director has nearly been hit by a Baseball bat due the the "hight" violence scenes on the movie...again the guy had to take it even more easier...result...the guy had to sell his "soul" to the market once more.
So, when your society change their minds and allow good movies coming up with the whole intensity necessary in this sort of movies maybe we'll be able to watch good movies again. I'm not talking about only being violent...I'm talking about being as closer to the book story line as possible...and once again it wasn't possible...the director had to swallow his artistic ego and accept that his is making a movie for the masses and that they don't want to see how cruel sometimes the reality can be.
Something a bit sad because if you guys read the book you'll all notice that is exactly what it is about!!!
Hope that Meireles with his known talent managed to pass the message through, though!

Luiz