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Have you heard any bad press about the film already? I’ve been curious to see it myself.
I really enjoyed Friedkin’s last film, The Hunted. I thought it worked very well and was full of Friedkin’s exposes on extremes.
The film I do know is not a remake of Jeannot Szwarc’s 1975 film, Bug. That was indeed a horror film and a decent one as well. That film was definitely about insects on the attack, and strangely enough very ‘science vs. spirituality (demonic like bugs)’ in a coincidental way. Friedkin’s Bug sounds more like an encore to his Extremes in Military films as of late like Rules of Engagement and The Hunted.
Hopefully, we won’t have a repeat of Jade, which was truly a big mess. 🙁
I don’t think so… if you research with google you can find many information about the movie. It sounds pretty interesting and experimental. I won’t add anything more before somebody tells me I spoiled it…
Hell — Maybe at the end of the movie, Linda Blair and James Earl Jones can show up and synch, and get rid of the Bug invasion!
Let’s hear it for the Good Locusts!!!!!
Here’s the trailer again if it is not the same one on YouTube. Probably in better quality though.
Interestingly enough unlike Jeannot Szwarc’s film which is about the obsession of physical bugs, this film is more about the 21st century fear which is the obsession of bugs that don’t exist. Don’t know why the site is called worstpreviews. It’s a pretty good trailer to me if not misleading in a good way:
http://www.worstpreviews.com/trailer.php?id=419&item=0
Looks very Friedkinesque to me. 😀
I just saw the stage play this film is based on at the University of Northern Colorado a couple of weeks ago and it is an EXCELLENT BIT OF WRITING! Its female characters are incredibly strong thanks to its very sharp female writer! The play was directed by a student and despite this fact (which was irrelevant considering it was probably the best student directed play I’ve ever seen!) it’s still a MUST-SEE play!
I simply can’t wait to see what Mr. Friedkin plans to do with this fantastic material! Considering how cinematic of a director he is, I’m sure the additions should be a very nice touch of icing. Don’t let the bed bugs bite (in your dreams)!
May 25th, everybody! 😀
The film has just come out Friday. I’ll let you guys know what I think. Please anyone else who sees it– comment. 😉
Hi, guys!
Just to let you know I finally got see the film, but wasn’t in the position to do a short review till now.
The film, Bug, is everything you would expect from William Friedkin. The script, adapted directly by its playwright to the screen (just like in the case of Blatty), is top notch and is verbatim of the play. Ashley Judd is excellent as a main female protagonist struggling to keep herself away from the dangers of the outside. She gives us an incredibly natural, yet powerful performance of an incredibly lonely, but strong woman. Like Ellen Burstyn, Judd gives us a tour de force performance of a woman losing control of everything.
Her character’s main fears are directed at her ex-husband played by the ever-impressive Harry Connick, Jr. His character constantly ‘invites’ himself into her motel room to remind her of her obligations as a wife even though they are very obviously apart. Connick Jr.’s extremely instrusive approach to the film by chewing up the scenary as much as possible is a genuinely welcomed approach to playing such a dispicible, subpar version of a man. Rounding off the main cast is Michael Shannon, the only actor in the film to originate his character off of the original Broadway stage production. Although not exclusively a film actor (much like Jason Miller and Fr. William O’Malley), Shannon brings his uncanny theatricality and unrepressed physicality to the table; wrapping up the film’s main triangle of characters. The rest of the cast is as well superb, but not as important as this central triangle.
The overall premise of two people seeing bugs that are not really there is a familar late-1990’s-2000’s concept of psychological delusion, but it is a rather fresh take on the idea. Unlike films like Pi, Fight Club, and A Beautiful Mind where there are non-existent people, this film exploits the unseen terror much like Jaws and Predator. However in this story, it is all in their heads. The only thing that comes close to confirming the possiblity of real bugs are subliminals of our characters’ random thoughts of insects. The overall theme of the film also does add more to what such a concept presents: ‘if two people are seeing non-existent things together, in a sense are they better in-tune with each other than anyone else is with them?’ It is a rather sad and scary concept in that classic Friedkin disturbing sense of irony that our two main characters, Judd and Shannon, fall in love for a deep sense of belonging while sharing this mad delusion of non-existent bugs. Although there is another film titled Bug (based on a book called The Hephaestus Plague) that came out the same time as Jaws in 1975 and directed by who would become the director of Jaws’ best sequel Jaws 2– Jeannot Szwarc, his film expounds on the subject of obsession toward real, misunderstood bugs whereas Friedkin’s Bug expounds on a similar obsession of bugs except with a more Franz Kafka outlook. You could call it a difference in 20th century obsessions and 21st century obsessions (despite the Bug play was written in the 90’s, it was still ahead of its time).
In conclusion, it is a film where if you’re not possibly familar with the play and its, at times, deliberate theatrical satire (which was obviously put there to lighten the horrific moods at times), or are not willing to see Friedkin go all out with the blood spewing, literally teeth crackling exploits– then this film is probably not for you. If this is not the case, this will probably be a great Friedkin experience that will remind you of the days of The French Connection and The Exorcist with his signature subliminals, clever editing, and bizarre imagery. Vintage Friedkin for the 21st century.
😀
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