Willing and Abel

So it would appear that Abel Ferrara never passes up the chance to tell an assembled audience what HE want’s them to hear.

While we were dusting off our Sitges files in preparation for this year’s festival (October 2nd) we fondly recalled last year’s encounter with Ferrara where, during the Q&A following the screening of his film CHELSEA ON THE ROCKS, he was a little feisty regarding a number of issues currently taking the froth of his cinematic pint . Perhaps just a touch of the old Dutch Courage we thought at the time.

However, having read this piece over at SPOUTBLOG, I’m now thinking Abel is just a little weary of the world he now movies in and is therefore keen to grasp every opportunity to champion the good ‘ol days he’s loved and lost.

CS

Bad Lieutenant DVD rerelease

bad-lieutenant_jpg_150x1000_upscale_q85For those of you who marveled at our 2008 Sitges Film Festival Blog (we know who you are) you will have noticed that we like a bit of Abel Ferrara (see Day 2 entry). We’re not sure which bit specifically but we now know that all of his bits become infinitely more entertaining when they’re loosely held together by liquor.

What unbridled joy we experienced then at the DVD rerelease yesterday of one of Abel’s finest – BAD LIEUTENANT.

For those of you of a similar generation to myself, your strongest (perhaps only) memory of the film released 17 years ago may either be a) an unfortunate incident involving a nun or b), an unfortunate incident involving Harvey letting us see how God intended him to be.

However, 17 years is a long time and I’ll hold my hand up and admit that the film’s major draw for me at the time was it’s taboo status thanks, in no small part (no pun intended Harvey), to the above controversial scenes. So, after our recent Sitges brush with the great man, now would seem like a good time to give the film a view with new eyes. This review over at our friends at The Onion’s A.V club would suggest I need to look beyond the controversy , and search for the film’s true soul.

I feel I should also make reference to the A.V club’s footnote regarding the DVD’s release coinciding with the forthcoming Werner Herzog-Nicolas Cage remake Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans. From earlier comments we’ve made it will be clear that Team CorridorStyle is not Cage’s biggest fan, and we’ve already offered him outside for a fight (still waiting Nic) over his involvement with the sacrilege that would be an OLDBOY remake. Couple that together with Herzog’s involvement here (ok Werner, we quite liked RESCUE DAWN but what the hell was THE WILD BLUE YONDER all about?) and I smell a shit-storm brewing.

CS