Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
Because I haven’t been checking my e-mail box as religiously as I should lately, I missed this review by AICN regular Otto Maddox, which he sent in prior to Tuesday’s release of this disc. Because of that, I decided to put it up even though I’m late. As always, thanks, Otto.
Hi AICN,
OttoMaddox here. You know, I love bad taste. I'm a disciple of John Waters, and not a week goes by anymore where I don't pop in FEMALE TROUBLE into the DVD player. Earlier this year, we got to see Tom Green do what might have been an attempt to emulate early Waters. Recently, I had the opportunity to watch the DVD of FREDDY GOT FINGERED ahead of its, and here's what I thought...
FREDDY GOT FINGERED: DVD EDITION
You know, I think it's with this movie that we realize that Tom Green's 15 minutes are up. Or, perhaps they're just starting. This is the sort of movie that either kills a person's career, or either starts it off in another direction. Let's not beat around the bush: this movie is as bad as you've heard. In fact, it's probably worse. Any comparison to CABIN BOY is an insult to CABIN BOY. Or any other movie for that matter. Personally, I like CABIN BOY. But never mind. FREDDY GOT FINGERED is the kind of movie that is so bizarre, so tasteless, and so schizophrenic that you can't ever say it's anything close to a good movie, but you can't easily dismiss it just as a stupid movie with gross-out humor. Nor can you take your eyes off it.
Some people have said that this movie is just a practical joke on the world. That Green made the most offensive and worst movie he possibly could, and that the whole thing was just to sucker people into paying 8 dollars to watch it for the entire 87 minutes. That it was all an Andy Kaufman-esque gag. I'm not sure I agree. There's enough evidence in this movie to prove that theory (especially the part where a pershon holds up a sign reading "When the fuck is this movie going to end?") and there's also enough evidence to prove that Green and co-writer Derek Harvie actually thought that what they were making was hilarious. I won't even discuss the plot, because basically, it's a mess, and it doesn't make much sense anyway. It's all a framework for gross outs, shock scenes, and moments of strange rage.
Psychologists could spend hours debating the mentality of this movie, and what Green does in it. At some points, it feels like he's indulging his urges as a masochist, with his own wife, Drew Barrymore telling him to "fuck off" and calling him a "skinny loser" onscreen and Eminem's "The Real Slimshady" playing in the end credits, with lyrics where Green is trashed. There's the scenes where the film makes jokes about child abuse. A child is endlessly hurt throughout the movie, and it ultimately builds up to an unbelievable final shot, which you either laugh or feel all the more sickened.
And there's the meaning of the title, which if you don't know already, is pretty twisted in itself. It all leads to a pretty weird scene in a "Institute for Molested Children" that had my jaw on the floor. Nothing graphic happens in it, it's just that during it, you're wondering what Green meant by it. That molested children are funny? Because they really aren't, Tom. That the therapy they go through is funny? Because it isn't, either, Tom. How about the scene where the drunken Torn pulls down his pants and demands Green fuck him? Do Green and co-writer Derek Harvie mean this as a joke, or is this the point where audience members are supposed to say, "What the hell am I watching?!" What would Freud say about this? Or John Waters, for that matter?
I bring John Waters up because FREDDY GOT FINGERED seems to steal from Waters quite a bit. The moment where Green bites through an embilical cord is stolen from FEMALE TROUBLE, while Green's "backwards man" bit seems inspired by "Backwards Day" from DESPERATE LIVING. Did Green mean this as a post-modern PINK FLAMINGOS? I guess he's succeeded, except for the fact that PINK FLAMINGOS was a good movie, for what it was. But perhaps I'm giving Green way too much credit by even comparing him to Waters. Much of FREDDY GOT FINGERED feels more amateurish and shoddy than any of those early works by the Pope of Trash. Either way, whatever way you slice it, this is a bad movie that will become legendary.
As for the extras on the DVD, you get commentary by Green through the entire movie, which I chose not to listen to much, because after a few minutes of listening to him on the deleted scenes, I shivered in horror at the mere thought of what it could possibly entail. During some of those scenes, he talks for a couple minutes, and then opts to make baby noises for the running time. There's also commentary by Harland Williams (who discusses "blood farts"), Rip Torn, and Marisa Coughlan during selected scenes. Also, making of specials, trailers, and a 3-minute PG rated version.
The oddest and most perversely enjoyable feature on the DVD is the "world premiere" track, where you listen to an audience watching the final cut for the first time. It's strange, listening to them, seemingly Green fanatics, in silence during some moments, forcing laughs, and other times, just laughing at some stuff like they thought it was the funniest thing in the world. And then there's some reactions where they moan or gasp, not sure how to react. I'll be honest: personally, I laughed at things during FREDDY GOT FINGERED, some of which I was ashamed of. Other stuff I just watched in horror. I've seen a lot of worse films than this movie, even this year. And I think Green isn't as bad as a lot of filmmakers. If I you told me that Harmony Korine had directed this movie and this was his sequel to GUMMO, I might have believed you. I would have just wondered why the hell Chloe Sevingy didn't play the paralyzed scientist with the rocket powered wheelchair.
Anyway, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. Take care,
OttoMaddox
P.S. GINGER SNAPS rocks! Rent it now!!!!
For my own reaction to this film and DVD, check out my Rumblings over on the main page this morning.
"Moriarty" out.
