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Alexandre O. Philippe's 'The Taking' Doc Trailer on Monument Valley

by Alex Billington
April 28, 2023
Source: YouTube

"Audiences are so used to not wanting the truth, they don't want to be woken up from that myth." Yep. Dekanalog has revealed an official trailer for a cinema documentary titled The Taking, made by Swiss director Alexandre O. Philippe. This first premiered in 2021 at Fantastic Fest, Sitges, and the London Film Festival, and is finally getting a proper release. A radical examination of Monument Valley's representation in cinema and ads, The Taking scrutinizes how a site located on sovereign Navajo land came to embody the fantasy of the "Old West." Philippe explains his intent: "Even though I have a little fun with John Ford, this intent is also not to trash John Ford. The intent is not to trash the function of myth. Myth is important, and the idea, as false as it may be, of this false narrative about the American west, still carries a lot of values that I can relate to… The crux of it is that we talk a lot about cancel culture these days, and that bugs me a lot. I would like us to be in more of a context culture." This is probably why it has taken a few years to open.

Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Alexandre O. Philippe's doc The Taking, from YouTube (via TFS):

A selection at Fantastic Fest and BFI London Film Festival, the film finds acclaimed director Alexandre O. Philippe analyzing the myth of Arizona's Monument Valley, its symbolism in westerns (including numerous legendary titles from John Ford), and its significance during the conquest of the West and in American history. The Taking is directed by acclaimed Swiss filmmaker Alexandre O. Philippe, director of the cinema doc films The People vs. George Lucas, The Life & Times of Paul the Psychic Octopus, Doc of the Dead, 78/52: Hitchcock's Shower Scene, Memory: Origins of Alien, Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on the Exorcist, as well as Lynch/Oz (premiered 2022) most recently. It's produced by Kerry Deignan Roy. This initially premiered at the 2021 Fantastic Fest, and also played at the London Film Festival. Dekanalog will debut Philippe's The Taking in select US theaters starting on May 5th, 2023 coming soon. Want to watch?

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