The idea behind Von Trier & Leth's project to recreate The Perfect Human in the movie The Five Obstructions was to challenge Leth's film making ability, and expand his creativity by challenging him to think outside of the box to create a film. In a take-off of obstruction #2 which was created in Cuba, I think a The Wizard of Oz, or a short film based on it, should be recreated in a variety of countries, subcultures and cultures.
The Wizard of Oz is largely based of things we value in the U.S.: courage, intelligence (a brain) and love or passion (a heart). I would be interested in seeing a short film based on the plot line of the Wizard of Oz, but carried out in other countries. Instead of a traditional American clothing and a dog carried in a picnic basket, Dorothy would be representative of other countries' "typical" people. It could end up being very strange, but I think it would be an intriguing insight into foreign cultures through an adaptation on a classic American film. The film would not have to follow the plot exactly but instead the general message.
Directors would be at liberty to recreate with their own perceptions of what the most important main themes are. Not only does a project like this force the director to analyze and explain his or her interpretation of the original film, it also forces the director to understand and analyze a different culture in order to portray its values in a film.
Interesting cultures or countries to recreate with: India, Cuba, indigenous tribes of Africa, Mexico, etc.
No comments:
Post a Comment