Brand Upon the Brain

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Mason M You know I love me some Guy Maddin, and this film did not disappoint. I absolutely loved this film, and I think this might've been Maddin at his most Maddin-esque. Brand Upon the Brain was a riveting and hypnotic film that still felt very human and heartfelt. Maddin has the perfect balance in his films of absurd and surreal ideas mixed with a deep understanding of the human condition and what the inside of the mind is like. And Maddin's signature visual style is at full effect here, it feels like an attack on the senses in the best way possible. His quick cuts and shaky visuals are abrasive but put me in an almost hypnotized state looking at the screen. And though this film may not have Maddin's best imagery, it definitely has many of his most memorable characters. I also loved how Maddin went full silent film on this one, but it was such a well done film that I almost forgot at many points that it even was a silent film. And on that topic, Maddin's use of sound and music in this film was top-notch. This film impressed me too in its depiction of childhood, Maddin clearly knows what it feels like to be a child and transfers that perfectly to the screen. Brand Upon the Brain uses absurdity to project a sincere story while remaining a great film along the whole way. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/01/25 Full Review Audience Member Interesting and unique - a little bit of everything Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member ok silent homage to silents Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Original, unhinged, darkly comedic, horrifying, unforgettable and perversely brilliant. Guy Maddin's experimental surrealist fantasy comes very close to the level of cinematic masterpiece. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Fans of mainstream movies should stay far away from this one, but for those who appreciate experimental and innovative filmmaking Brand Upon the Brain! is not only an interesting experience but also one that shows the powerful effects a movie can have on its viewers. With throwbacks to movies of the silent era and challenging sensitive and mature themes, Brand Upon the Brain! may not be enjoyable but it has quite the impact. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member A visual experience that can be ultimately narrowed down to an experimental "silent" psychodrama, Guy Maddin has written and directed one of the most important films of the new millennium. Elements merged are, or are taken from: classic horror/sci-fi B-movies, Expressionism, Surrealism, silent cinema trademarks, experimentation, frenetic editing, usage of colors or tints and sounds to accentuate an idea or a memory, and a flawless piano score by Jason Staczek. Possible sources of influence are: Antoine Doinel's hardships of infancy and lack of caring parental figures in <i>The 400 Blows</i> (1959), Arthur Lipsett, Dimitri Kirsanoff, Fernand Léger, Hans Richter, and the editing of Jan Svankmajer. Result: A technically arresting recollection of memories with autobiographical tendencies disguised as a fantasy film with impossible elements. Replay value: Infinite. New images shall be discovered with each viewing, inciting the viewer even to pause the film in certain segments to catch subliminally perceived but consciously skipped images, or pay attention to the colored parts, including the flora of the island and Wendy's face. Cinematic importance: It revives the oldest visual tradition of cinema and the underrated importance of visual composition, film techniques, editing, music, theatrical acting and the power of alternative methods of storytelling. Most shocking factor: How come an experimental quasi-horror-SciFi silent hybrid tackle subjects like lesbianism, a reversed Oedipal complex, orphanship, cannibalism, voyeurism, sexual awakenings and obsession to physical youth while also being a very moving drama about the memories of a grown man in the present? Beats the fuck out of me. 97/100 Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Brand Upon the Brain

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