I'm not sure how to really describe or categorize "Dr. Fugazzi" because in many subtle and not-so subtle ways this film almost takes a perverse pleasure in defying categorization. My husband and I were first eager to see this film at Cannes because we heard that Faye Dunaway was in it, and naturally being huge Dunaway fans, we were anticipating an interesting performance from the legendary actress. Well as it turns out, Dunaway is not really the driving force in this film... I mean don't get me wrong, Dunaway does a phenomenal job in the movie, portraying the enigmatic and elusive "Detective Rowland", a character who may or may not be entirely what she seems. But then again, playing with reality is what this film is all about... that is to say, none of the characters are really what they appear to be; and the beautiful surface reality of the film cleverly toys with the more sinister and ghastly Truth about the main character "Dr. Anna Fugazzi", portrayed skillfully by the hauntingly attractive October Kingsley (who interestingly enough also directs this film). The creative and quirky process by which Anna Fugazzi's "Truth" is revealed is the central thrust of this film.
It would be wrong to define "Dr. Fugazzi" as a psychological thriller because in truth the film encompasses a lot of different genres... psychological thriller, dark comedy, horror, adult drama, fantasy. Ideally, "Dr. Fugazzi" can probably be best described as an experimental, fantasy-thriller... strangely reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" and Polanski's "Repulsion". It is important to note that there is nothing even remotely "normal" about this distinctly art-house film... the directing style is boldly unique and fearlessly peculiar, the dialogue is crisp and darkly provocative, the characters are all colorfully eccentric in their earnestness (among them, a pedophile with a little dog who utters cryptic warnings to Anna Fugazzi, a devil-costumed entertainment lawyer who runs around chasing his neighbor with a lawn mower, and a vicodin-munching musician obsessed with roast chicken). Moreover, the film's production design and costumes are bright, original and over-the-top... all of which sharply complements the film's bold, ferocious style.
It should be noted that there are some scenes in this movie that are so disturbingly memorable that you almost want to see it again just to be sure that you in fact witnessed it the first time around. I won't go into any specific details, but certainly the "broom rape" scene has got to be one of the most hilarious and most shocking scenes in the movie!! Squeamish heterosexual men, Beware!!! Clearly, "Dr. Fugazzi" is a strange and quirky movie that delights in being different from the typically mainstream American film. It is totally unapologetic in it's weirdness, and in many respects, you get the uncanny feeling that the filmmaker is laughing at the audiences' shocked and confused response. I was surprised to discover that the filmmaker (October Kingsley) is American because the film has such an international, Fellini-esquire quality to it. Aside from Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange", the closest contemporary American film that most resembles "Dr. Fugazzi" in style, language, and content is the David Lynch film "Blue Velvet". Lots of incongruous, darkly thematic material bubbling under the surface, just waiting to be unleashed onto the world.
With all that being said, here are the pros and the cons of "Dr. Fugazzi" in my opinion: The Pros: A very creative, entertaining experiment into the art of film-making. A totally insane film. Definitely worth a look if you enjoy weird, art-house-type films that defy the restrictive boundaries of contemporary, mainstream American films. Also, lots of perverse, wacky humor and sexually suggestive material that will rattle your delicate sensibilities for days to come. The Cons: If you're NOT a big fan of the weirdness of David Lynch or the risqué playfulness of Stanley Kubrick, then you will probably not like this movie or understand it's stylistic content. In order to truly appreciate this movie, you need to think outside the box and dispel any preconceived notions that you might have regarding films and film-making... otherwise you'll be offended and confused by the film's style, content, and subject matter (probably much to the great delight of the filmmaker).
It would be wrong to define "Dr. Fugazzi" as a psychological thriller because in truth the film encompasses a lot of different genres... psychological thriller, dark comedy, horror, adult drama, fantasy. Ideally, "Dr. Fugazzi" can probably be best described as an experimental, fantasy-thriller... strangely reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" and Polanski's "Repulsion". It is important to note that there is nothing even remotely "normal" about this distinctly art-house film... the directing style is boldly unique and fearlessly peculiar, the dialogue is crisp and darkly provocative, the characters are all colorfully eccentric in their earnestness (among them, a pedophile with a little dog who utters cryptic warnings to Anna Fugazzi, a devil-costumed entertainment lawyer who runs around chasing his neighbor with a lawn mower, and a vicodin-munching musician obsessed with roast chicken). Moreover, the film's production design and costumes are bright, original and over-the-top... all of which sharply complements the film's bold, ferocious style.
It should be noted that there are some scenes in this movie that are so disturbingly memorable that you almost want to see it again just to be sure that you in fact witnessed it the first time around. I won't go into any specific details, but certainly the "broom rape" scene has got to be one of the most hilarious and most shocking scenes in the movie!! Squeamish heterosexual men, Beware!!! Clearly, "Dr. Fugazzi" is a strange and quirky movie that delights in being different from the typically mainstream American film. It is totally unapologetic in it's weirdness, and in many respects, you get the uncanny feeling that the filmmaker is laughing at the audiences' shocked and confused response. I was surprised to discover that the filmmaker (October Kingsley) is American because the film has such an international, Fellini-esquire quality to it. Aside from Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange", the closest contemporary American film that most resembles "Dr. Fugazzi" in style, language, and content is the David Lynch film "Blue Velvet". Lots of incongruous, darkly thematic material bubbling under the surface, just waiting to be unleashed onto the world.
With all that being said, here are the pros and the cons of "Dr. Fugazzi" in my opinion: The Pros: A very creative, entertaining experiment into the art of film-making. A totally insane film. Definitely worth a look if you enjoy weird, art-house-type films that defy the restrictive boundaries of contemporary, mainstream American films. Also, lots of perverse, wacky humor and sexually suggestive material that will rattle your delicate sensibilities for days to come. The Cons: If you're NOT a big fan of the weirdness of David Lynch or the risqué playfulness of Stanley Kubrick, then you will probably not like this movie or understand it's stylistic content. In order to truly appreciate this movie, you need to think outside the box and dispel any preconceived notions that you might have regarding films and film-making... otherwise you'll be offended and confused by the film's style, content, and subject matter (probably much to the great delight of the filmmaker).