On G List of Movie Reviews
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Gummo (1997)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
6/07, 4/15
6/07:
Gummo is like a breath of fresh air.
It lacks none of the drivel that's typical of Hollywood pictures. There are people who look so bizarrely unusual and
different that they're mostly hidden away for the fear of being ridiculed or stared at. So, if I see them on the street,
what am I supposed to feel...hatred? But what for?
The first time I heard of Harmony Korine, whose name can been easily mistaken for a female, is through
Kids, which is a
brilliantly directed picture by Larry Clark, and I wanted to see more of the same from him. So, that's how I came
across Gummo. Basically, there's no plot. It's just a series of images of how trailer trash people
live their lives day-to-day. In a calm way, it's like watching Pink Flamingos minus the gross stuff.
I once recall a short story of a butcher dropping a slab of meat on a dirty floor. A customer, upon seeing what happened,
decided to pick up the meat before taking it home gratis and cooking it for dinner. Is he conscious that the meat might be at all
tainted? The thought never occurs to him. In many ways, the characters are like that in Gummo; therefore,
I appreciate this kind of perspective through Harmony's eye. There's no explanation of right or wrong. It's what it is.
His usage of actual people, just like Kids, gives the film a genuine, unpretentious authenticity because there have been
times I've gotten fooled into thinking that these people might be real.
All in all, the harsh criticism levelled on Gummo is unwarranted because it's the
Ladri di biciclette of White Trash U.S.A.
4/15:
I suppose Gummo is Harmony Korine's ode to White Trash U.S.A.
There's really not much of a plot but to see how poverty and lack of intelligence can contribute to low standard of living.
Hence, it's the ultimate breeding ground for future criminals. What I found interesting about the animal abuse which included
the mock killing of a human rabbit is the lack of empathy through their actions. At the same time, I can envision how they
might cross the point of wanting to murder people because that's how conditioned and soulless they are.
Tod Browning's Freaks is an unusual cult picture for the gathering of strange oddities. The same can be said for
Gummo because the characters are weird-looking people, too. Obviously, poor diet is at blame for their unsightly
appearances, physical deformities, and low cognition.
All in all, I don't mind seeing more of Harmony Korine's films because his cinematic perspective is fresh and interesting.