Way back over here, I mention director Emir Kustirica and his film Underground. I thought I had mentioned it in other threads as well, but a Google search produced only the one linked thread.

I sat down last night and finally watched my $1.99 letterboxed VHS of this film, which I ordered almost two years ago from New Yorker Video as part of a closeout sale (I would think a thread on THAT would've come up -- we had one; but maybe I never mentioned this particular film in that thread).

I got only 15 minutes into it before my 1-month-old woke up and wanted to be fed. He would be taking a bottle for only the second time. Things didn't go well for 30 or 45 minutes -- lots fo crying, which distracted me from watching the film (and reading the subtitles, of course).

I did refocus for the film's latter stretch, but feel unqualified to launch a discussion about that particular film. Instead, I thought I'd launch a thread dedicated to the director. He hasn't generated discussion here. Is that because no one has seen his stuff? Or is it that no one who has seen his stuff likes it or finds it worthy of discussion?

I've seen at least one other Kusturica film -- Black Cat, White Cat, years ago at FilmFest DC -- oh, and Time of the Gypsies, my first Kusturica film, back in college. And When Father Was Away on Business, which I was told was his best film but which didn't make an impression on me when I sat down with it (also during my college years, or shortly thereafter).

So I'm realizing that this guy made a big impression on me during college and in the early 1990s (I graduated in 1992). It's now 16 years since I graduated, and until last night, I don't think I'd watched a Kusturica film since my theatrical viewing of Black Cat, White Cat, in 1998 (that's it's official U.S. release date, although the festival screening may have been a year earlier).

Watching what I could last night, I was struck by the absurd humor again. I STILL don't know jack about the conflict and history of the region depicted in Underground, but the film's portrait of war -- and peace -- had a tone that reminded me of Dr. Strangelove. It's that kind of "war film."

I'm eager to know more about the filmmaker, even if, as I fear, he's past his prime. What's his reputation on the world stage? Is he still highly regarded? (Underground won the Palme D'or at Cannes.) If I had more sticktoitiveness, I'd launch a Film Club dedicated to one of his films, but I simply don't know enough to lead a discussion on his work. Yet here I am, nearly 20 years after first seeing a Kusturica film, asking for more information, some feedback, some discussion.

I've only seen two Kusturica films. The first was Underground, which I absolutely loved. I really hope you have the chance to sit through it without interuption. It is well worth it.

The other Kusturica film I've seen was Arizona Dream, starring Johnny Depp and Jerry Lewis (who gives one of his finest performances). This is an odd tale of an odd family, but again it is well worth watching. Vincent Gallo has one of the funniest scenes I've ever watched, where he attempts to recreate the "crop duster sequence" from North by Northwest at a small town talent show. The editing of this sequence is truly inspired.

You know, I think I did see Arizona Dream. That scene sounds familiar.

FWIW, the only film DIRECTED by Kusturica that I have seen is Underground (1995), but I have also seen The Widow of St.-Pierre (2000), in which I believe he played the prisoner who refuses to leave the island.

Yes, he's an actor too. Thanks for the reminder about Widow. He had smaller roles in Underground and Arizona Dream.

Here's a link to all things Kusturica:

http://www.kustu.com/w2/en:start?redirect=1

He's a strange one for me, and I can't quite figure it out. I do own When Father was Away on Business, though - my favorite of his. And Arizona Dream can be fun for an evening hanging with Johnny Depp, Faye Dunaway and Jerry Lewis in bizarro world. But, I don't know. I tend to be a bit ambivalent toward him. Definitely a good choice for a dedicated thread. He's one worth grappling over.

My only experiences with Kusturica have been Underground, The Widow of St.-Pierre and The Good Thief (which he had a small role). Underground and The Widow of St.-Pierre are on my short-list of favorite films. I recently re-watched The Widow of St.-Pierre with my wife, but it's been a few years since I saw Underground. I'd really like to see it again to refresh my memory of it.

I'd like to see more of his work, but when I had my Netflix account, they only had Underground. Presently I have neither the time or money to go hunting for his films.

Arizona Dream sounds fascinating... Surely that one must be easier to find?

FWIW, I was reading 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die and noticed that the Underground entry is from Jonathan Rosenbaum. I Google search takes me to the review, posted on Rosenbaum's blog.

And here he is on Black Cat, White Cat, although I got to that review via Metacritic, which scores Rosenbaum's review as only an "80" -- well below Michael Wilmington and several other critics.

Interesting 2005 NY Times article on Kusturica:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/08/magazine/08EMIR.html