the awesome/terrifying freedom

roger ebert is one of my heroes. while i don't always agree with his reviews, i always admire his writing. he is a reminder that criticism is an art form - and he always reminds us that art is a form of criticism.

he can turn the worst film into a hilarious essay.

and he can metaphorically bitchslap the most self-obsessed of artists.

vincent gallo is certifiably insane. there's an artaudian misunderstanding, energy, and insanity to him that i sort of admire. but i wouldn't want to be his friend. i also wouldn't want to be chloe sevigny, who took her role in 'the brown bunny' without seeing a script. i imagine her suprise at arriving on set and being told

gallo:so this is the blow job scene.

sevigny: (a pro, having done sex scenes in films before) oh, okay. and the cameras will be back there, right?

gallo: no, they'll be here to the side.

sevigny: oh. so how are you going to cover it?

gallo: cover it?

sevigny: yeah. i mean. for when i'll just be bobbing my head up and down.

gallo: um.

sevigny: right?

gallo: yeah. it's just. see. i have this vision.

sevigny: yeah, it sounds really interesting.

gallo: i really want to break new ground here.

sevigny: right.

gallo: i want to destroy that wall of pretension between the performer and the audience.

sevigny: uh huh.

gallo: i don't want anyone thinking 'she's not really doing that,' you know?

sevigny: hm.

and so she courageously plunged headfirst into one of the most reviled films in cannes history. she didn't see the finished product until the press screening, where she wept with shame.