Three Men and a Lady

The Dogme 95 Collective began in 1995, co-founded by Danish filmmakers Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg. It was an avant-garde approach to filmmaking, where a handheld camera kept the characters at close range. Natural lighting would only be used, and the actors must have no (acting) experience.

The first Dogme feature was Vinterberg's "The Celebration", which depicted events prior to a wedding. Family issues nearly spoiled the event, but it would still go on. The native of Copenhagen received praise during the film's debut in Cannes, but it was Lars von Trier who stole the spotlight. He loved to push buttons, as he had shown in "The Idiots". Some thought that the movement was a flash in the pan, but it would be more than that. Dogme 95 influenced many directors in Europe and Hollywood.

Lars von Trier would continue to polarize moviegoers, only to hire Hollywood actors in his recent works. Vinterberg, on the other hand, didn't get lots of buzz.

Fourth time's the charm

"A woman like you does more damage than she can conceivably imagine."

- Sgt. Francis Troy

Vinterberg's latest, "Far from the Madding Crowd", will be released on May 1. It will be the fourth time that Thomas Hardy's classic novel will be adapted to the big screen. It's set during Victorian England, prompting some to wonder if modern moviegoers could relate to it.

The title would allude to a place away from the bustling metropolis. Hardy saw the gradual transformation in Britain brought by the Industrial Revolution. And he wondered if this would be good in the long run. Bathsheba Everdene, the headstrong heroine in the novel, wanted a farm of her own. She was aware about losing her identity if she would settle down. But three men tried to woo her.

What was unique about Hardy's book was that it could be adapted to modern times. Instead of industrialization, we would have technology. There would also be social media, and only the perceptive reader can sense that too much of it can be dangerous. But who can bear a day (or two) without Internet collection? How about mobile phone? There won't be a gender issue, but one must try not to lose oneself in the hustle and bustle.

Hardy also tried to compare - and contrast - his characters. Gabriel Oak stands out due to his gentle disposition. He's the kind of fellow who looks before he leaps. And he won't cry over spilled milk. You may be thinking of Colonel Brandon (from “Sense and Sensibility”), but we might be veering away from the point. It's rather being aware of the happenings, and the effects, and how to react to it. Not that Mr. Oak chose to play it safe. He practically spent his life in the countryside, and he could tell after observing the changing of the seasons.