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- 9 SONGS -
Film Only
Released in 2004 and Directed and written by Michael Winterbottom, (24 hour Party People), '9 Songs' was a highly controversial film of its year. Dubbed as pornographic, 9 Songs Stars Kieran O'Brien (24 hour Party People) and Margo Stilley (Reverb). Genre Drama/Music. -
"Possible the first pornographic 'date movie' that lacks the hardcore edge guys expect but does take mainstream ADULT movies to the next level" - USA
The film opens with Matt (Kieran O'Brien), 31, a young glaciologist, recalling a year in his life. As he flies across the immense icy expanse of the South Pole, he remembers Lisa. - .
He had met Lisa (Margo Stilley) 20's, at a mobbed rock concert at the Brixton Academy. She was American and it was instant attraction between the pair. They soon became a couple and appeared to be 'In love', or at the least very 'into each other'. Their relationship was based on the physical, and fuelled by sex. Though on an emotional level they were really bound to each other. Their year together was both poignant
and beautiful and '9 Songs' recreates this against a backdrop of sex, drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll. A modern day love story intertwined between 9 songs taken from the 9 concerts they attended together.-
What I liked about this film was its honesty. Naturally acted and unashamed, the two lovers Matt and Lisa are shown at all stages of their relationship. Their sexual experimentation, their drug taking, the disintegration of passion, all shone through in the natural quality of their acting. 9 Songs is a film that dares to be bold. Many consider this film pornographic, (Having little or no artistic merit. Sexually explicit pictures, writing, or other material whose primary purpose is to cause sexual arousal) (Dictionary.com). I disagree. 9 songs is a beautiful film of a love affair unfolding, interspersed with the music associated with their relationship. The film is told to us through the use of flashback in chronological order, with Matt narrating his feelings, as he recalls Lisa and the special time they had together. The mind associations he uses are the live concerts they attended together, and in true 'Love lost' form I feel a real sorrow for the breakdown of their relationship, and I am in totally empathy with the two lovers.
The film is explicit with no holds barred and you see the lovemaking scenes quite blatantly shown. These scenes are shot beautifully with an artistic curve, so that what you are witnessing does not come across as pornographic, but instead it extols a real beauty, and the sex is portrayed as a consolidation of their love and feelings for each other. This is real sex in action from two people who are very into each other, and it is shown naturally and freely. That is why the BBFC saw fit to give it an 18 certificate and not deem it as pornographic in any way, shape or form. There is nothing offensive about the lovemaking scenes, I think though if you are of a prudish nature, they may shock you with their directness, but it is all shot and acted in a very artistic way.
Director Michael Winterbottom has made an honest film about real people, and shown them having real sex, and not the staged contrived lovemaking scenes we are all accustomed to in the 'tread softly' romantic films of today. He has taken the sex scenes to a realistic level for the 21st Century, and I applaud him for that. I like a director who breaks new ground, and is not afraid to change the norm. I hope we see more honesty like this from now on. After all he won against the censors and managed to get a mainstream 18 rating onto the uncut 9 Songs, and elevated this film to Arthouse level/Cinema.
This first time actress, Margo Stilley was brilliant in the film, totally natural, and her boyish form worked well in the lovemaking scenes, giving her an androgynous form. She wasn't overtly sexual and this worked well. She improvised throughout, and I liked the easy quality of her acting. In fact she was quite delightful to watch. People ask where was the storyline? It was all there. It's a simple film of a relationship. They go out listen to music, come home and have sex. This was their life. Sounds pretty normal to me. The film isn't trying to be anything other than it is. It's a cameo, and running at only 69 minutes, I felt it worked perfectly well, and I was caught up in the amazing cinemaphotography and natural acting. I liked the use of the South Pole when flashback was applied, and it broke up the scenes mainly in his Islington flat or watching the bands play at the Brixton Academy. The live music from: Super Furry Animals, Franz Ferdinand, Primal Scream, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Dandy Warhols, Elbow, Michael Nyman, and The Von Bondies.
The film is shot in Digital Video, which gives the film a natural and unpolished look. It is quite grainy and basic, and this is in keeping with the natural theme of 9 songs. I also liked the fact that 9 songs was adlibbed giving more spontaneity to the proceedings. I sympathized with Matt and Lisa through the disintegration of the relationship, and I was left wondering what would happen to each of them now. The film worked on every level for me, though some people just didn't 'get it'. I think this is probably a film you will either love or loathe. I love Foreign Cinema, so the pace and slowness of 9 songs suited me well. I would definitely recommend this, as it is a pretty groundbreaking film. If the sight of two people making love in explicit form, offends, then this film will definitely not be for you. 9 Songs Hailed as 'Fearless, bold, beautiful and moving', by the press. I think that just about sums it up for me.-
Running Time: 69 minutes. BBFC Rating: 18
-Starring- Kieran O'Brien Margo Stilley
Directed by Michael Winterbottom Produced by Andrew Eaton Written by Michael Winterbottom Cinematography Marcel Zyskind
Thank you for reading Electra 2008*
Pictures of 9 Songs
Explicit shot.
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A true landmark in British mainstream cinema, 9 Songs is arguably the most sexually ... more
explicit film to be awarded an 18 certificate by the BBFC.Directed by the award-winning Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, In This World, Wonderland), the film...
A true landmark in British mainstream cinema, 9 Songs is arguably the most sexually ... more
explicit film to be awarded an 18 certificate by the BBFC. Directed by the award-winning Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, In This World, Wonderland) , the fi...
Mar 22nd, 2008
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