- Fear X
Fear X is a 2003
psychological thriller directed byNicolas Winding Refn .Infobox Film
name = Fear X
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caption = The Past Can Never Be Rewound
director =Nicolas Winding Refn
producer =
writer =Hubert Selby Jr. Nicolas Winding Refn
starring =John Turturro Deborah Kara Unger Stephen McIntyre William Allen Young Gene Davis Mark Houghton Jacqueline Ramel James Remar
music =Brian Eno & J. Peter Schwalm
cinematography =Larry Smith
editing =Anne Østerud
distributor =Lions Gate Films
released = January 19, 2003 (Sundance Film Festival)
runtime = 91 min.
rating = PG-13 for intense thematic material
country =Denmark /UK
awards =
language = English
budget = $6,600,000 (estimated)
preceded_by =
followed_by =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0289944Plot
When his wife is killed in a seemingly random incident, Harry (Turturro), prompted by mysterious visions, journeys to discover the true circumstances surrounding her murder.
Cast
*
John Turturro as Harry
*Deborah Kara Unger as Kate
*Stephen McIntyre as Phil
*William Allen Young as Agent Lawrence
*Gene Davis as Ed (as Eugene M. Davis)
*Mark Houghton as Diner Cop
*Jacqueline Ramel as Claire
*James Remar as PeterCritical Reception
*The film earned a 61 "metascore" (out of 100) on
Metacritic , which means "generally favorable reviews." [http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/fearx "Metacritic"] ]*The film earned a 57% rating on the "Tomatometer" at
Rotten Tomatoes , with a 71% positive rating coming from the "cream of the crop" critics. Though the film is not certified fresh, it is only one positive review away. [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fear_x/ "Rotten Tomatoes"] ]*Though the film itself has received mixed reviews, the majority praise
John Turturro 's performance. "LA Weekly " says "Turturro ... never wavers in his commitment to a role that deprives him of nearly all his actorly tools. (He) keeps Fear X fascinating." [http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/fearx "Metacritic"] ] The "New York Daily News " says "Turturro's subtle turn keeps our emotional connection solid" [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fear_x/ "Rotten Tomatoes"] ] and "Compuserve " adds "Turturro gets under your skin." [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fear_x/ "Rotten Tomatoes"] ]The Ending
*There is no universally-accepted interpretation of the ending.
*Director
Nicolas Winding Refn commented on the ending within several interviews:
**In an interview with "BBC ":
***"Harry’s impossible quest raises questions, but it all adds to the brave elliptical nature of this film. So did Refn ever get to the bottom of those questions in his own mind? "I can’t answer that," he says bluntly. "It depends on how I feel that day. And of course that pisses off a lot of people because they’re not used to a film without an ending. But what the f**k is an ending, you know?" Skye Sherwin, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A2453717 "Boy wonder director Nicolas Winding Refn grows up"] , BBC]
**In an interview with "IndieWire ":
***"Fear X" is about idealists and when they're confronted with reality, a lot of the time their ideals are tested and turned and they're no longer what they thought they would be..."Anthony Kaufman, [http://www.indiewire.com/people/people_050201refn.html "Nicholas Winding Refn's Wages of "Fear X"] , IndieWire]
***"You can view it in many different ways... it's so up to your own interpretation."Anthony Kaufman, [http://www.indiewire.com/people/people_050201refn.html "Nicholas Winding Refn's Wages of "Fear X"] , IndieWire]
***"How were we going to end this, without giving anything away, without making it too obvious, because the minute the audience's mind begins to work, you're on very dangerous ground. Because if you tell them too much, they're disappointed and if you don't give them any clues, they get confused. So it's that fine line of giving the audience as they walk out, okay, I believe it's this or I believe it's that. We never gave more in the script." Anthony Kaufman, [http://www.indiewire.com/people/people_050201refn.html "Nicholas Winding Refn's Wages of "Fear X"] , IndieWire]*Actor
John Turturro also commented on the ending within an interview with "Channel 4 ":
**"I liked it because the idea of the story was about a simple man thrust into this overwhelming, debilitating circumstance, and he never really finds out what happens... Nicholas doesn't have all the answers to what he's trying to do. A lot of times these guys, their biggest problem is solving the script, but Nicholas seems to be a filmmaker who likes to throw the script away."James Mottram, [http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/feature.jsp?id=129172 "John Turturro on Fear X"] , Channel 4 Film]Trivia
Festivals
"(Listed Chronologically)"
*Sundance Film Festival
*International Film Festival Rotterdam
*Gothenburg Film Festival
*NatFilm Festival
*Cognac Film Festival
*Cannes Film Market
*Sochi International Film Festival
*Karlovy Vary Film Festival
*Melbourne International Film Festival
*L'Étrange Festival
*Hamburg Film Festival
*Sitges Film Festival
*Fantasporto Film Festival Awards
*2003 - "Sochi International Film Festival" - Nominated - Golden Rose
*2003 - "Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival" - Nominated - Best Film
*2004 - "Bodil Awards" - Nominated - Best Actor
*2004 - "Fantasporto" - Nominated - Best Film
*2004 - "Fantasporto" - Won - Best ScreenplayFilm Locations
*Portage Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
*Winnipeg, Manitoba, CanadaMiscellanea
*
Nicolas Winding Refn 's film company "Jang Go Star " went bankrupt after the box office failure of this film.*
Gary Oldman ,Ray Liotta ,Mark Ruffalo , andTom Sizemore were all considered for the lead role.*The first film to be produced from one of
Hubert Selby Jr. 's original screenplays. [http://www.ifctv.com/ifc/insiderNews?CAT0=5827&NID=10647&CLR=orange&BCLR=FF6600 "IFC TV"] ]
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