With the title of one of Elvis Presley's most famous songs, Hounddog (Hounddog, USA, 2007), by director Deborah Kampmeier, is a drama with a simple plot, but with strong performances that generated great controversy at the time of the film's release. In the plot, Lewellen (Dakota Fanning) is a precocious child who sees Elvis Presley's music and swing as a way of escaping his banal and problematic life in the southern United States. With an alcoholic father and a neurotic and religious grandmother, she believes that it will be the singer who will take her out of the sameness and emptiness in which she lives. A pre-teen on the verge of womanhood, Lewellen is unaware of her burgeoning sexuality, attracting the attention of lecherous boys while trying to resolve her own domestic problems. When a sexual assault steals Lewellen's innocence, the girl turns to her African-American neighbor Charles (Afemo Omilami) and her affinity for the blues to help her out of her depression. The 12-year-old girl is the center of the plot that focuses on the hypocrisy of the supposed traditionalism in which local societies in the southern United States lived, suppressing problems with violence, prejudice and alcoholism.
Her family's poverty is indicated by the usual marker: rusty trucks on the backyard lawn. Her father drives a tractor that, during a storm, is struck by lightning. This knocks him to the ground and makes him even more dramatically crazy. He is overcome by anxiety that his daughter will abandon him and, one night, he enters the local tavern in search of her, not realizing that he is completely naked. The pool players poke him with their cues. Lewellen enters and drags him home. Somehow, amidst this chaos, the young woman manages to be playful and witty, until she is r*ped by an older teenager. She becomes silent and taciturn, and one night she is visited by dozens of (imaginary?) snakes, which crawl through her bedroom window and perform a function, whether demonic or healing, that is understood by her friend and protector Charles, a black man. Who works in the stables of the local gentry. He brings her back to health and lectures her on how to make people treat her with respect.
Occasionally, Kampmeier goes big on Southern Gothic. Snakes are crawling everywhere in the film, and after Lewellen is r*ped, she is visited in bed by a bunch of reptiles. The tone of the story ranges from naturalistic to mythical, but is sometimes inconsistent and some plot points are exaggerated. Still, despite some missteps, the film's cumulative impact is undeniable. Beautifully shot by Ed Lachman, Jim Denault, and Stephen Thompson, the darkness and light in the forest evoke the lair of a fairytale princess, which is the kind of archetypal power Kampmeier strives for. After the incident, which threatens to destroy her life, Lewellen is rescued not by a prince, but by Charles, who forces her to exorcise her demons by singing the blues. Her now tentative and soulful version of "Hounddog" is both moving and life-affirming.
Despite the slow pace, the film holds your attention mainly due to some dramatic appeals, such as the violence and recklessness of bored young people from the countryside who cling to myths and appear to make a living from it without any perspective. It is also interesting the way in which the director works with the figure of Elvis in these young people and children far from big cities. The writer and director, Deborah Kampmeier, was incensed by the images and relies on them as material for a story, which seems grotesque and sinister. David Morse's father, as well-played as the character is, is a particularly dark presence, pitiful rather than sympathetic. Still, the discovery here is the remarkable Dakota Fanning, opening the next stage of her career and doing so with courage, presence, confidence and high spirits.
Returning to the issue of pacing, "Hounddog" is boring and very long despite being only an hour and a half long. Although it is filled with beautiful scenery, the film seems to go on and on. This was yet another film that felt twice as long. Another thing that may bothersome is the fact that a 12-year-old child appears wearing only underwear in a film in so many scenes. There were also instances where she lifted her dress to carry fruit or to pull something she was carrying from her underwear. Probably what the director wanted to convey was that the girl wasn't very aware of her body, but that doesn't fit with the fact that she constantly wants to kiss her best friend. This indicates to me that she is starting to enter puberty, which is probably accompanied by a greater sense of privacy, even if it is also accompanied by a lot of curiosity and discoveries. Although uncomfortable for some, this management option is understandable.
The sexual violence occurs about halfway through the film and is presented with enough restraint to fend off most criticism. There is nothing gratuitous or exploitative about the scene; is performed as tastefully as possible, still conveying the horror of the act. As she is being r*ped, the camera cuts from Lewellen's face to her bloody hand (being penetrated by a nail), then to the shocked expression of a bystander as she screams in the background. "Hounddog" could have been forgiven for the poor preparation for this event if he had followed through with something intelligent or observed with insight.
"Hounddog" is relentlessly melancholic, but not in a way that provides empathy for the character or her situation. That should be the goal, but Lewellen isn't written skillfully enough for that to happen, as the film bludgeons her with one bad experience after another. Here is a partial catalogue: her father beats her (apparently), he kills her dog, her deeply religious grandmother shows no evidence of love or affection, her father's encounter with lightning takes a heavy toll, she is betrayed and r*ped, deceived and misses the chance to see Elvis, her biggest dream. The cumulative effect of these bad things is not to make one better understand the tragedy of Lewellen's life, but to want the film to end as quickly as possible. There's no doubt that Dakota Fanning is a talented young actress, but this is an unsuitable match for her abilities. She's good at times, but there are times when she's clearly acting, where her natural charm is overcome by the need to act. Meanwhile, David Morse and Piper Laurie play their characters in such exaggerated clichés that they come close to veering into parody territory.
"Hounddog," despite its narrative simplicity, is a bit confusing. It provides minimal insight into its characters and their circumstances, and compounds this problem with an erratic pacing that threatens to bore the viewer to sleep during the first half, before piling on the antics during the second. Deborah Kampmeier's direction received mixed reviews, with some praising her bold approach and others questioning her choices, especially regarding the film's episodic narrative. Some have argued that the film lacks focus in its exploration of Lewellen's loss of innocence and struggles following the violent scene. Meanwhile, the film's cinematography and soundtrack are worthy of praise for effectively capturing the ambiance of the American South in the 1950s, providing a visual and auditory immersion into the era. Furthermore, "Hounddog" brought to light important questions about the representation of sensitive topics in cinema and the fine line between approaching these subjects respectfully and falling into gratuitous exploitation.
The plot unfolds towards a symbolic redemption for Lewellen, with the introduction of mystical elements and a touch of symbolism. The character's relationship with Charles, her African-American neighbor played by Afemo Omilami, takes on a more spiritual dimension as he helps her overcome her emotional pain. The presence of serpents in the narrative adds a layer of symbolism, possibly representing Lewellen's healing or spiritual purification. The film climaxes when Lewellen, now stronger and more resolute, expresses her pain and emotional growth through singing a blues-gospel version of "Hounddog". This final scene is emotionally charged, as we see the character face her wounds in a way that could be interpreted as an act of self-empowerment.
However, ambiguity persists at the conclusion of the film. Kampmeier's narrative choices leave room for diverse interpretations of the meaning of Lewellen's journey. Some may see the character's redemption as a powerful representation of resilience in the face of adversity, while others may question whether the film offers a satisfactory resolution to the narrative's complexities. Regardless of individual interpretation, "Hounddog" continues to challenge cinematic conventions by approaching sensitive topics in unconventional ways. The film's ambiguous and provocative conclusion remains a significant point of discussion about the role of cinema in representing difficult experiences and, at the same time, raises questions about the emotional and ethical impact of such approaches on audiences.
Her family's poverty is indicated by the usual marker: rusty trucks on the backyard lawn. Her father drives a tractor that, during a storm, is struck by lightning. This knocks him to the ground and makes him even more dramatically crazy. He is overcome by anxiety that his daughter will abandon him and, one night, he enters the local tavern in search of her, not realizing that he is completely naked. The pool players poke him with their cues. Lewellen enters and drags him home. Somehow, amidst this chaos, the young woman manages to be playful and witty, until she is r*ped by an older teenager. She becomes silent and taciturn, and one night she is visited by dozens of (imaginary?) snakes, which crawl through her bedroom window and perform a function, whether demonic or healing, that is understood by her friend and protector Charles, a black man. Who works in the stables of the local gentry. He brings her back to health and lectures her on how to make people treat her with respect.
Occasionally, Kampmeier goes big on Southern Gothic. Snakes are crawling everywhere in the film, and after Lewellen is r*ped, she is visited in bed by a bunch of reptiles. The tone of the story ranges from naturalistic to mythical, but is sometimes inconsistent and some plot points are exaggerated. Still, despite some missteps, the film's cumulative impact is undeniable. Beautifully shot by Ed Lachman, Jim Denault, and Stephen Thompson, the darkness and light in the forest evoke the lair of a fairytale princess, which is the kind of archetypal power Kampmeier strives for. After the incident, which threatens to destroy her life, Lewellen is rescued not by a prince, but by Charles, who forces her to exorcise her demons by singing the blues. Her now tentative and soulful version of "Hounddog" is both moving and life-affirming.
Despite the slow pace, the film holds your attention mainly due to some dramatic appeals, such as the violence and recklessness of bored young people from the countryside who cling to myths and appear to make a living from it without any perspective. It is also interesting the way in which the director works with the figure of Elvis in these young people and children far from big cities. The writer and director, Deborah Kampmeier, was incensed by the images and relies on them as material for a story, which seems grotesque and sinister. David Morse's father, as well-played as the character is, is a particularly dark presence, pitiful rather than sympathetic. Still, the discovery here is the remarkable Dakota Fanning, opening the next stage of her career and doing so with courage, presence, confidence and high spirits.
Returning to the issue of pacing, "Hounddog" is boring and very long despite being only an hour and a half long. Although it is filled with beautiful scenery, the film seems to go on and on. This was yet another film that felt twice as long. Another thing that may bothersome is the fact that a 12-year-old child appears wearing only underwear in a film in so many scenes. There were also instances where she lifted her dress to carry fruit or to pull something she was carrying from her underwear. Probably what the director wanted to convey was that the girl wasn't very aware of her body, but that doesn't fit with the fact that she constantly wants to kiss her best friend. This indicates to me that she is starting to enter puberty, which is probably accompanied by a greater sense of privacy, even if it is also accompanied by a lot of curiosity and discoveries. Although uncomfortable for some, this management option is understandable.
The sexual violence occurs about halfway through the film and is presented with enough restraint to fend off most criticism. There is nothing gratuitous or exploitative about the scene; is performed as tastefully as possible, still conveying the horror of the act. As she is being r*ped, the camera cuts from Lewellen's face to her bloody hand (being penetrated by a nail), then to the shocked expression of a bystander as she screams in the background. "Hounddog" could have been forgiven for the poor preparation for this event if he had followed through with something intelligent or observed with insight.
"Hounddog" is relentlessly melancholic, but not in a way that provides empathy for the character or her situation. That should be the goal, but Lewellen isn't written skillfully enough for that to happen, as the film bludgeons her with one bad experience after another. Here is a partial catalogue: her father beats her (apparently), he kills her dog, her deeply religious grandmother shows no evidence of love or affection, her father's encounter with lightning takes a heavy toll, she is betrayed and r*ped, deceived and misses the chance to see Elvis, her biggest dream. The cumulative effect of these bad things is not to make one better understand the tragedy of Lewellen's life, but to want the film to end as quickly as possible. There's no doubt that Dakota Fanning is a talented young actress, but this is an unsuitable match for her abilities. She's good at times, but there are times when she's clearly acting, where her natural charm is overcome by the need to act. Meanwhile, David Morse and Piper Laurie play their characters in such exaggerated clichés that they come close to veering into parody territory.
"Hounddog," despite its narrative simplicity, is a bit confusing. It provides minimal insight into its characters and their circumstances, and compounds this problem with an erratic pacing that threatens to bore the viewer to sleep during the first half, before piling on the antics during the second. Deborah Kampmeier's direction received mixed reviews, with some praising her bold approach and others questioning her choices, especially regarding the film's episodic narrative. Some have argued that the film lacks focus in its exploration of Lewellen's loss of innocence and struggles following the violent scene. Meanwhile, the film's cinematography and soundtrack are worthy of praise for effectively capturing the ambiance of the American South in the 1950s, providing a visual and auditory immersion into the era. Furthermore, "Hounddog" brought to light important questions about the representation of sensitive topics in cinema and the fine line between approaching these subjects respectfully and falling into gratuitous exploitation.
The plot unfolds towards a symbolic redemption for Lewellen, with the introduction of mystical elements and a touch of symbolism. The character's relationship with Charles, her African-American neighbor played by Afemo Omilami, takes on a more spiritual dimension as he helps her overcome her emotional pain. The presence of serpents in the narrative adds a layer of symbolism, possibly representing Lewellen's healing or spiritual purification. The film climaxes when Lewellen, now stronger and more resolute, expresses her pain and emotional growth through singing a blues-gospel version of "Hounddog". This final scene is emotionally charged, as we see the character face her wounds in a way that could be interpreted as an act of self-empowerment.
However, ambiguity persists at the conclusion of the film. Kampmeier's narrative choices leave room for diverse interpretations of the meaning of Lewellen's journey. Some may see the character's redemption as a powerful representation of resilience in the face of adversity, while others may question whether the film offers a satisfactory resolution to the narrative's complexities. Regardless of individual interpretation, "Hounddog" continues to challenge cinematic conventions by approaching sensitive topics in unconventional ways. The film's ambiguous and provocative conclusion remains a significant point of discussion about the role of cinema in representing difficult experiences and, at the same time, raises questions about the emotional and ethical impact of such approaches on audiences.