Rating: 17/20
Plot: Flanagan was a subversive writer and performance artist with cystic fibrosis. He died when he was 43 which, from what I understand, is a long life for somebody with that disorder.
Warning: This is not for everybody. If you can handle a close-up of a penis with a nail being driven into it, then you should probably watch this. To be completely straight with all y'all, I found that entire scene, as well as a couple others, really really difficult to watch. I squirmed a lot. Of course, the most difficult thing to watch is the titular artist's actual death which, although the moment isn't exactly shown on screen, there's an excruciating amount of the before and some snapshots his wife took of the after, enough that you really feel like you just watched a man pass away on screen. And that man is somebody you really get to know intimately, and while I imagine a lot of people--you know, the squares--would be repulsed by what Mr. Flanagan is into (like supermasochism, if that's even a word), it's still more than unsettling and very sad. I didn't care much for this guy's "art" or performances or whatever at all, but the way his personality and dark humor cuts through this sickness of his, makes him really hard not to like. It's one of the most powerfully honest things you will ever see. And that's definitely a for-better-or-worse type thing. Nothing is held back here, almost in an in-your-face way. It's hard to nail down (not literally here) his wife, a woman who is every bit as important to this story as Flanagan. And I was unsure what to think about Sara, a teenager with cystic fibrosis who pops into the story because the artist inspires her. I do wonder what the Make a Wish Foundation people (or whatever equivalent organization helped Sara meet Bob) thought about the whole thing. I'm not sure what it ultimately says about love and life and living and death or maybe it's just difficult to articulate what it says about all of those things. I do know that I probably won't see anything this difficult but might not see anything this powerful either. Evocative and surprisingly moving, this is definitely the type of thing that can't be forgotten. But again, this will be extremely difficult for a lot of people to watch.
2 comments:
Ok...I'm not sure how to walk away with this. I guess "inspired" is the word? "Repulsed?" "Intrigued?" You're right, it's hard to "nail down" the wording.
S&M is one of those cultures that I've never understood. That's not to say that I'm condemning them or rebuking their ways. I feel like as a mature, free-thinking, and open-minded adult, it is my obligation to step into another's shoes...well...in their case: ball gag and nipple clamps. But, this is one of very few...and I mean VERY few...cultures that I have yet to see their way. Not even a piece of me can identify with the pleasure of being dominated, humiliated, physically tortured, and mentally degraded. Again, though, I'm not trying to be prudish. I just have to state my case before I begin my review.
So, having said all that, I'll begin with the subject of the movie. Like you, I found him likable and intelligent. I was very glad to see him living his life to the fullest even though he had a "death sentence." And, when the 17 yr old came into the story, she, too, articulated her reasoning for S&M is due mainly to her illness. So, I can appreciate the weak and feeble over coming their plight by extreme measures. Bravo! Keep it up, if you wish. More power to them all.
Here is where I start to lose positivity: Flanagan's celebrity. I'm not saying that he shouldn't have been popular. Every culture needs a poster boy (and he was one for Cystic Fibrosis AND S&M...kudos). However, I felt that he took on a bit of a Christ mentality. He himself states that Jesus was one of the biggest sadomasochists. And I think Flanagan (perhaps unintentionally) took up his own "cross." Aside from the obvious whipping and nails, his TV monitor art is in a cross figure, his dick and balls have a crown of thorns tattoo, and he even has a zigzag wound on his side not unlike when they pierced Jesus's side with the spear. The movie never really even alludes to this, and Flanagan certainly doesn't suggest it himself. I just have to admit that it was something I picked up on early, and the pieces began to add up more and more.
The end, like you said, is powerful. I found myself holding my breath with his every gasp for air. I've never seen someone die. As a nurse, my wife has seen death several times, and, from time to time, I'll ask her to describe the moments. There are a lot of things I still don't know about. I wonder if Flanagan wanted to die and be received into some other-worldly place, or if his humanism and fleshly body shocks were too much to let go of. Again, this makes me think of the movie in more of a spiritual undertone.
The overall story was a little inconsistent, and when it was kind of consistent, I felt it to be a little redundant. I like what it does with imagery and putting things on film that almost make you a sadomasochist just for watching it. Plus, our characters were raw and round. All in all, as a documentary, I'd rate this a little low: 13/20. I am basing this solely on story and structure and not on the fact that a man literally gave his life for this movie. THAT is priceless.
I'd like the world to know (as if the WORLD pays any attention to me) that I did not recommend this to Josh. Or anybody.
I suppose the Christ figure thing makes sense, but it's nothing I caught while watching this. Adds a dimension though. This guy outlived Jesus by 10 years though.
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