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Lars Von Trier Teams Up with Martin Scorsese for 'Five Obstructions'
by Alex Billington
May 13, 2011
Source: ScreenDaily
This news is going to make a lot of cinephiles quite giddy. ScreenDaily is reporting that it is now official that Danish director Lars Von Trier will team up with none other than Martin Scorsese for a new version of The Five Obstructions. For those that don't know what this is, the original Five Obstructions was made in 2003, and Von Trier challenged his fellow Danish filmmaker Jorgen Leth to remake his short film The Perfect Human five times, while providing him with a different set of "obstructions" each time, forcing Leth to "rethink the history and characters in his original film." What a fascinating film concept to bring back.
In this new Five Obstructions, which is a co-production between Scorsese's Sikelia Productions and Von Trier's Zentropa, he will challenge Scorsese, but they haven't officially announced which film (or short film) they'll be using. The original ScreenDaily article predicts that it's Taxi Driver from 1976, but that might not work because they need a short. Other websites have been making predictions for the last 24 hours - I suggest heading to The Playlist for the best ideas. Production is aiming to start next year on the new version.
"The idea behind this obstructions thing is that you give each other tasks which will move you into an area where you have been reluctant to go yourself. Under protest, you do that and then you enlarge your repertoire," Von Trier told ScreenDaily. If he's capable of challenging someone as brilliant and experienced as Scorsese to "enlarge [his] repertoire", that's quite a bold move, but at the same time an exciting prospect. I already can't wait to see how this turns out. We'll definitely keep you updated on the project and the film that Von Trier actually chooses for Scorsese to remake. Anyone else excited to see how it turns out?
7 Comments
1
Too weird. Too awesome. Too cool!!!
Voice of Reason on May 13, 2011
2
Martin Scorsese’s college film professor and mentor Haig Manoogian (who he dedicated Raging Bull to at the beginning of the end credits) was partly Armenian. A lot of people don’t know that.
Rachel Warren on May 13, 2011
3
The original was really cool-- and totally unique. This will be something special. ESPECIALLY if they use the "worst place in the world" rule in this go-round. Wow.
Cracky on May 13, 2011
4
This has me beyond excited. I love Lars and I loved the original Five, not to mention it's fuckin' SCORCESE!
Speaking Geek on May 13, 2011
5
As far as I know, I'm not 100% positive that it needs to be a short film. Jørgen Leth's "The Perfect Human" is his most renowned film, and so it was an obvious choice for Trier to "obstruct". It certainly wouldn't surprise me if "Taxi Driver" will be the one that will be chosen for this project (this "Taxi Driver"-project was already rumoured at last years Cannes). Nevertheless, it will almost certainly be one of Scorsese's most popular movies - or else I honestly can't see why Trier would be committed to this, because - Trier's one of the ultimate provocateurs of cinema so I naturally expect it to be one of Scorsese's "big one's" that'll get the treatment.
NW on May 13, 2011
6
One of my favorite directors ever working with one of the most pretentious and overrated directors ever...could be cool I guess.
Cody W. on May 14, 2011
7
I would be surprised if he wasn't challenged to remake "The Big Shave". That one seems perfect for this.
derek on May 16, 2011
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