|
|
|
Terribly Happy
R1 - America - Oscilloscope Laboratories Review written by and copyright: Anthony Arrigo (24th August 2014). |
|
The Film
 The Danish have a dark sense of humor; often pitch black and lying deep in the gallows. Their specialty is less laugh-out-loud, raucous comedy and more the disturbing, “should we be laughing at this?” type of humor championed by American directors like Todd Solondz, Jody Hill and Joel and Ethan Coen. “Terribly Happy” (2008), the country’s official selection for the 2010 Academy Awards, is perfectly representative of their caustic comedy. Pulling from some of America’s strongest contemporary neo-noirs, the film is steeped in influence from the Coen’s “Blood Simple” (1984), David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet” (1986) and, in a cursory way, Edgar Wright’s “Hot Fuzz” (2007), though the latter is likely more coincidence than anything else. “Terribly Happy” is based on the novel of the same name, written by Erling Jepsen, which is said to be based upon actual events that occurred in Jepsen’s family around the time he was a teenager. As bizarre and unsettling elements of the story are, it isn’t entirely outside the realm of believability to think residents of a small nowhere town could behave as they do; and they don’t take too kindly to outsiders that don’t conform. After an opening narration, which explains how the residents of a small town in South Jutland disposed of a two-headed cow that drove people crazy by simply dumping it in the local bog, we meet Robert (Jakob Cedergren), a former big city Copenhagen cop who is being reassigned after a mental breakdown. His superiors think the quaint life of country living will do his mental faculties some good. Upon arrival, however, Robert quickly begins to realize that life works outside of normal social conventions here. The townsfolk are all a bit… peculiar. The old sheriff just up and disappeared, and Robert’s reluctance to completely inhabit his predecessor’s shoes doesn’t quite sit right with the locals. He doesn’t play cards. He won’t drink. And he has yet to learn that these folk have a way of meting out justice and resolving turmoil using old-world methods that are unorthodox. His standard police procedures are no good here. He soon meets Ingerlise (Lene Maria Christensen), a local abused housewife whose husband, Jørgen (Kim Bodnia), is the town bully. She is a schizophrenic mess; scared & powerless against a husband who beats her, yet she won’t leave the man as she begins to send Robert all sorts of mixed, flirty signals. She is aloof and ambivalent, playing a deadly game by casually seducing Robert while maintaining an unsafe distance from her alcoholic husband. Everyone in town knows what is happening, too. There are very few secrets contained within the town boundaries, and even if it appears an event has occurred in private odds are someone is still aware. When Robert is summoned to Ingerlise and Jørgen’s home after a particularly rough beating, he finds Jørgen passed out on the stairs and Ingerlise on the bed, injured. Things begin to heat up between the two until Robert, unwittingly, becomes to perpetrator of a serious crime; one that he hurriedly tries to cover up and sweep under the rug. But the people in town know better, putting him at odds with many of the townsfolk. “Terribly Happy” is a bizarre neo-noir, where good men and bad men exist in blurred form, often overlapping in their motivations and machinations. Robert is presented as the film’s protagonist, but as the picture goes on we not only learn that he isn’t an absolute source of good through his actions in town, we also piece together the events that led him to this sleepy village. And his previous life brings with it some serious weight from under which Robert cannot escape. His “mental breakdown” consists of many components, some of which make him no better than Jørgen. Likewise, Jørgen is immediately set-up as the town heavy; drunk & disorderly, he throws his bulk around and expects respect from everyone. Yet after the film’s turning point, he’s shown to be more vulnerable than we’d been led to believe. Noir films are all about good men getting pulled into bad situations, muddying their morals, and it almost always involves a girl. Strike that, it ALWAYS involves a girl. One of the most interesting aspects to “Terribly Happy” is how justice is served up. The police force is a shell and nothing more; this much is established early on. When a young kid is caught shoplifting at the local market, the manager’s response isn’t to have him arrested but to have him beaten. Punishment comes swiftly and directly. Many of the town’s biggest issues, though, are left to the bog to decide. If a man is accused of a crime, he is to wade out into the murky waters and await his fate. Maybe he sinks, maybe he won’t… the bog will choose. Robert has a hard time understanding their code at first, though eventually it all starts to make some sense. Things have a strange way of working themselves out around these parts.
Video
“Terribly Happy” arrives on DVD with a 2.35:1 16x9 anamorphic transfer that is neither impressive nor repulsive. Considering it has no Blu-ray release, this is the best quality version available anywhere. Detail is appreciable, with some fine details coming through strong enough that you’ll be reminded what DVD can still offer when it’s working hard. Black levels appear strong, although shadow delineation suffers and the image tends to get swallowed up by the night. Colors appear accurately reproduced. Some minor compression issues show up in a handful of scenes, making the background elements look chunky. Skin tones are a tad on the warm side. Grain is present but very minimal.
Audio
Only one option here, so if you’re a dubbing fan you’re out of luck. A Danish Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound track (or 2.0 stereo, if you prefer) handles the duties here. Range is wide, with good fidelity and a solid presence. Dialogue is centered & clear, and it seems to be easily discernible, not that I speak Danish to know for sure. There are a few moments when the roar of a car’s engine or the pounding on a door has the bass reverberating with some serious authority. One thing I still enjoy about DVD is that even a lossy track can still pack a punch when it has to. Subtitles are included in English.
Extras
Much like the film, the extra features are home to some oddities. Outside of an audio commentary, there are a couple of featurettes that are (according to the packaging) “further proof that Danish people are clearly out of their minds.” Thankfully, the audio commentary with director Henrik Ruben Genz and producer Thomas Gammeltoft is in English, not Danish, so you won’t have to read their comments. The duo provides some insight into the film’s plot choices and characters, allowing for a much greater understanding of people and events that might be quizzical on a first viewing. There are more than a handful of silent gaps here, but when they are talking it’s mostly worthwhile. “Behind the Scenes of Terribly Happy” (16x9 1.85:1) is a featurette that runs for 20 minutes and 59 seconds. Genz and Jepsen are the main focus here, discussing all aspects of how the project came to be. “Showdown Between Genz & author Erling Jepsen on TV2” (16x9 1.78:1) is a news story featurette that could either be totally fake or totally true, or some of both. It’s honestly hard to tell. This runs for 2 minutes and 38 seconds. “Botched Studio Interview by Collaborators Genz & Jepsen” (16x9 1.78:1) featurette, however, is almost certainly staged. But it’s also a bit fun. It runs for 2 minutes and 27 seconds. The original theatrical trailer runs for 2 minutes and 17 seconds. The disc includes bonus trailers (16x9) for other Oscilloscope releases: - “The Messenger” runs for 2 minutes and 18 seconds. - “The Maid” runs for 2 minutes and 21 seconds. - “The Law” runs for 3 minutes and 1 second.
Packaging
The single DVD comes housed within a fold out digi-pack, which itself is housed inside a side-loading slipcase. An essay about the film, penned by Foster Hirsch, is included on one of the panels.
Overall
“Terribly Happy” is quirky, a little uncomfortable and unquestionably different than what you’re going to expect. It’s nearly impossible to telegraph each story beat, allowing for some genuine surprises around every corner.
|
|||||
|