Shortbus (John Cameron Mitchell) DVD February
 

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Anyone else catch this film last year? I really enjoyed. It's not perfect but everyone involved obviously cared for the story.

Australia gets the DVD 1 month before the USA and I'm a bit surprised it got past their censors.

Interview with John Cameron Mitchell here

www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/791216

there will hopefully be a family-friendly Full screen dvd version for this film as well...

I'm not homophobic, but IMO Shortbus was a poor excuse to put gay porn into a mainstream film. I loved Hedwig, but Shortbus was pretty shallow in my eyes. The entire theme presented to me at the festival (It apparently takes place between the blackout and 9/11) has absolutely no relevance to the story at all. In the end it was an average film, and I believe that's why he threw in all the graphic scenes. Without them this film wouldn't have been discussed by anyone.

That being said, I’ll be getting this DVD to see Sook-Yin Lee bounce up and down on that purple ball again. I’ve been a fan of hers since her Much Music day’s up here in Canada ;)

Splatii2, what kind of graphic scenes were in this film? Was this practically an x-rated flick?

There were scenes downloadable on the adulttalk of DVDtalk.

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=487060

It is part of the top 20 nude scenes topic.

I will be seeing this in two weeks and then I can contribute to this thread!

Ciao,
Pro-B

There's no porn in the film. If people think the film is pornographic then they are dumb, ignorant and/or can't think for themselves.

That is why Disney makes films.


However, the film is VERY graphic sexually and it's not a secret which is all the more reason I laugh when the dumb people complain about it.

I don't mind X rated material in film. I like 9 Songs, and I enjoyed Brown Bunny although I think Brown Bunny didn't "need the scene" either. It's another movie I went into knowing there'd be graphic scenes, and didn't find them "needed". Now they didn't offend me, hell...I was pretty happy to see Chloe do her thing being a fan of hers, but I didn't think Gallo needed that scene. Anyhow, I have plenty of films like Pornographer in which sexual scenes are depicted on screen and it doesn't bother me in the least bit. The difference to me was that some of the scenes IMO were a bit too much, and not really needed for the film to offer the message it tried to. I am not offering a spoiler as this happens in the opening scene, but why oh why did we need to see him ejaculate into his own mouth? Was it that important to the film overall? I don't care if he's masterbating or ejaculates on screen. I don't care if men perform felatio on one another. I want to know why he had to ejaculate into his own mouth. While we're at it, what about the 'National Anthem' scene? I am not a member of the gay community, but I try watch gay film with an open mind. I've seen small budget gay films like "Hustler White" that also dipict sexual relations between men (as graphic at Shortbus), however I beleive the scenes in that film for example were needed to make the film work. I couldn't say the same about Shortbus. Maybe I am at a Disney caliber as you put it, and maybe I am "dumb". That still doesn't change the fact that Mitchell in my eyes used Shortbus to push "graphic" gay scenes into mainstream film because some of them were not required! I've since talked to a few gay people who work at local arthouse rental spots, and I'm not alone on my opinion. That being said, I know many people loved the film, so I guess opinions vary. I also respect that you're not alone on your opinion either. I paid $24 to see Shortbus in the theatre, so I obviously went in with some type of hope. I knew damn well it was going to cause controversy, which is one of the reasons I went. I also went because as I mentioned before I like Hedwig a LOT, so I had nothing against Mitchell.

I'd be more then happy to listen to your opinion as to why these scenes were required. Keep it easy on me, as you pointed out I'm obviously a bit slow. lol

The scenes were required because the film-maker wanted them. That's the end of it. You knew what you were going to watch. If you don't like the scenes you can make your own version. As things stand I like the John Cameron Mitchell vision.

The film is almost perfect and were I to review it I'd not mention sex but would stress it has graphic scenes (that description should be understood by adults). That graphicness is much less worrying to me than sending Mr John J. Rambo into Afghanastan and killing 100s of 'towel heads' in graphic Hollywood murder and killing.

If you didn't like the film then that's fine but it's obvious you have a problem with some of the more intelligent content. Since you knew the content before you went (just like going to see Rambo III) it would leave me thinking you have a problem looking at the sexual act in general or would maybe like to censor. Whatever your problem it is your problem and nothing to do with the artists who worked on the film.

Shortbus does include adult content but not in the xxx sense but in the sense of intelligent right-thinking and able to make their own minds up sense. We don't have enough of people deciding for themselves today and anything that can make us think has to be worth watching.

Using your argument of "because the film-maker wanted them" would pretty much eliminate any film on this planet from receiving criticism or praise. How can we critique anything if the argument at the end of the day would be "well, that's how the film-maker wanted it!" Who could ever discuss “film length” or “chosen actors” or “plots”. In the end the argument of “because the film-maker wanted them” would debunk any of those subjects. In fact, that should eliminate anyone from wanting to own the original theatrical Star Wars, since Lucas never wanted them that way.

I find it interesting that you point out that since I don’t like the film, it’s obviously because I didn’t like the “intelligent content”. That is just plain ignorant, and I really don’t see how you could make such a statement. The fact I offer my own opinion about the film (whether people agree or not) makes me a free thinker. It’s much better then basing my decisions around the idea that “the film-maker wanted them”. IMO that’s not much different then telling a child “because they just can” when they ask “Why can planes fly in the air?”

You also managed to suggest that since I knew there was sexual content (much like Rambo 3’s violence) then really my issue is around censors.

Did I not say I liked 9 Songs? Did I not say I liked Pornographer? Have you even seen Hustle White? Trust me, Short bus is tame compared to Hustler White. I mean, in your example if Dreamwords for some odd reason decided to throw a gangbang scene into the next Shrek film, as long as we’re aware of it we can’t discuss the merit of it being in the film? Hell, it might make for an amazing scene, but as an individual I’d like to be able to garner my own opinion around the subject. I gave you two specific examples in Short bus in which I didn’t think they needed to go to those lengths. I didn’t say Short bus didn’t need all of the sexual scenes, I gave you two specific examples. In other words, as long as I read the synopsis before I enter the film and it stays “on course”, I can’t help but to enjoy the film because the synopsis was accurate?

I will buy this.

Gangbang in Shrek sequel? Is it going to be called Shrek's Threesome or Shrek the Third?

do not blind buy this

despite all the hype probably one of the worst movies i've ever sat thru

abysmal story

terrible acting

corny

ultimately pointless

Thanks for the threadcap Julian (NOT), movie was great - was more of a dreamy, comedy version of Magnolia which just happened to have lots of sex. It's all about finding one's self in a disinterested, carboard world - hence the CG of the NY buildings. The film shows that everyone is affected by drastic events and that we need to be aware. Gah I'm just ranting because 'worst movie ever' is so 10 years ago, I really wish comic book guy never said it...
Anyway, brilliant film and topped off by a soundtrack that includes Animal Collective and Azure Ray and cameos including Johnatahn Couette.
Do blind buy :)