French Domestic Abuse Thriller Terrifying US Audiences
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28 Established 1961 Lifestyle Music & Movies Sunday, April 29, 2018 French domestic abuse thriller terrifying US audiences t is an unsatisfactory but all-too-familiar denoue- Stranger danger “Custody” simmers until it boils over into a full-blown, ment of divorce battles involving children: the judge The frightening reality of domestic violence runs stomach-churning thriller, its pared-back screenplay aid- Iwho must allow a violent man back into his family’s counter to an idea perpetuated by Hollywood that the ed by a conspicuous lack of music, a la Claude Chabrol lives because there is no proof of abuse claims. Oscar- threat to women from men comes in the form of lunatic or Alfred Hitchcock. Lea Drucker and Denis Menochet nominated Xavier Legrand’s French-language thriller serial killers lurking in dark alleys. With a few creditable reprise the roles they played in the short, while newcom- “Custody,” an unsparing account of abuse focusing as exceptions-among them “Tyrannosaur” (2011), “Once er Thomas Gioria embodies the conflicting feelings and much on the damage to the children, has earned acclaim Were Warriors” (1995) or “Sleeping with the Enemy” terrors of the couple’s traumatized 12-year-old son. at home and on the festivals circuit ahead its summer US (1991) — spousal abuse Menochet, in particular, has release. hasn’t been as captivating a been singled out by critics for “I would like people to realize that domestic violence subject for filmmakers as the his terrifying but nuanced is a real scourge in our society and that children are also much less common “stranger portrayal of a man humiliated victims who are too often forgotten,” Legrand, 40, said danger.” Domestic by allegations of abuse and during the COLCOA festival of French film in Los “Custody,” which was driven by possessive rage. Angeles, which wraps on Monday. “And especially that written by Legrand, pre- violence is a they understand that these kinds of situations can turn miered at the Venice Film Fragility into horror. These are murders. Under no circumstances Festival last year, where it real scourge Perhaps more impressive are these crimes of passion.” was awarded the Silver Lion still was debut of Gioria, who Actor/director Xavier Legrand speaks onstage during the Over half of the killings of women in the United for best direction and the convinced Legrand as soon Colcoa French Film Festival Day 3 at the Directors Gild of States are related to domestic violence, government fig- Lion of the Future for best as they met that he had the America, West Hollywood, California. — AFP ures show, with victims often dying at the hands of an ex first feature film. Lauded by sensitivity, maturity and who was granted shared custody of the children. Last the Los Angeles Times as a fragility-not to mention The filmmaker met abuse victims, a judge, psycholo- year the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “masterclass in tension modulation and psychological courage-that the role required. “I started at the same gists and police, and attended violent men’s groups to analyzed around 10,000 murders of women in the entrapment,” it is released on July 13 in New York before age as Thomas. So I know that at that age, the mind is prepare for the movie. He always intended “Custody” to decade from 2003, finding that more than half were per- getting a nationwide rollout. Legrand’s debut feature- very clear about reality and fiction,” said Legrand, an play out as a thriller, he says, rather than the type of petrated by a romantic partner or ex. Data from length movie recounts the custody battle of the abused accomplished theater actor who studied at the National social drama mastered by directors like Federico Fellini, Legrand’s native France — 123 women killed by domes- wife and a menacing husband first portrayed in his pow- Academy of Dramatic Arts in Paris. He was clear from the Ken Loach or Mike Leigh. “The stories that some women tic violence in 2016 — demonstrate that the problem is erful Oscar-nominated 2013 short “Just Before Losing beginning that while the menace is ever-present, he told me were really like thrillers,” he said. “That is the not confined to the US. Everything.” wanted the violence itself to take place off screen, hid- essence of this kind of situation. Fear is at the heart of Starting out as a nerve-jangling social drama, den from view as it is in real life. domestic and family violence.” —AFP 1980s classic ‘Karate Kid’ reborn as Internet sensation ‘yodeling kid’ YouTube joins content wars wins US music contract or Generation X, “The Karate Kid” is a CHICAGO: In a whirlwind month, 11- The legendary American singer- pop culture touchstone. Now, more than year-old Mason Ramsey has gone songwriter, who was among the first F30 years on, YouTube wants to bring a from singing at a Walmart near his country music superstars, is Ramsey’s new generation into the dojo. Thirteen years rural Midwestern US town, to becom- favorite musician. Ramsey’s sudden after its creation, the wildly popular video- ing an internet sensation, and now, internet fame caused Williams’ 1949 sharing platform is rolling out its first major scoring a major music contract rendition of the song to spike 1,800 original content series, “Cobra Kai”-a revival announced Friday. The American percent on various music services such of the 1980s saga with a twist. With the first country music-loving boy has signed a as Spotify-getting one million streams, 10-episode series going live online on May 2, deal with two record labels-Atlantic according to Billboard magazine. Google-owned YouTube is also hoping to Records and the Nashville-based Big Global searches for the lyrics to the draw new customers to its $10-a-month Loud-and released his first single song also spiked. Like his idol, Ramsey streaming service, YouTube Red, which was Friday, aptly titled “Famous.” has been thrust into the spotlight and launched in 2015. “I’d been to Nashville a few times become the subject of internet memes YouTube Red is now available in five coun- before, but never thought something and video remixes. tries-the US, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico like this would happen,” the young Walmart sponsored a concert star- and South Korea.”-but YouTube says it will singer was quoted as saying, in a joint ring Ramsey at the same store where reach dozens more by year’s end. The portal- statement released by the music labels. he initially performed. He has sung at which now has 1.5 billion users-is hoping its Smartphone video posted in late the prestigious Coachella music festival forays into original content will help change March showed Ramsey singing at a and on country music’s biggest stage, the company’s economic model, which until Actors Ralph Macchio, left, and Billy Zabka participate in a panel discussion during the NYC Tribeca Walmart store near his home in the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. “He is now has been largely based on ads and home- Red Carpet + screening of the YouTube Red series ‘Cobra Kai’ at SVA Theater in New York City. — AFP Harrisburg, Illinois-something he said a down to earth kid who loves country grown viral video stars. To do that, and also he did often. His yodeling performance music,” Big Loud’s Seth England said in counter the rise of Netflix and Amazon, the completely well versed into the narrative of more general look at martial arts training and went viral, garnering 31 million views- a statement. Next, the young singer is company have looked to a known quantity. where they wanted to go, respectful of the teenage relationships-all hallmarks of the and counting. It featured Ramsey working on a new video to accompany “The Karate Kid,” released in 1984, led to nostalgia, the legacy of what the film is,” original films. But the show has an off-kilter singing “Lovesick Blues” by the late his just-released single. —AFP three sequels, and even a reboot in 2010 star- Macchio said at a roundtable organized dur- humor that stems from Heald, Hurwitz and Hank Williams. ring Will Smith’s son Jaden. Overall, the films ing the recent Tribeca Film Festival. “It’s their Schlossberg. With a cast of mainly young have taken in more than $500 million at the ‘Star Wars’,” he added, referring to the series actors, YouTube hopes “Cobra Kai” can earn box office worldwide. The star of the first film, creators’ passion for the source material. a following with a generation whose parents Ralph Macchio, and the creative team behind “They know much more about the movie than remember the first films, but often don’t such unhinged, raunchy comedies as the I do, which is kind of freaky.” understand what makes their own kids tick. “Harold and Kumar” films and “Blockers,” are “There was something especially about on board for “Cobra Kai.” Nostalgia card bullying that looked very 2018 to us,” said “Cobra Kai” subverts the usual hero-villain Heald. “We had to show restraint. We had to The twist? set-up of many martial arts film by exploring pull ourselves back and resist the will to just The series-still set in the Los Angeles sub- the complexity of Johnny, who was somewhat swim in a ‘Karate Kid’ fan bath.” YouTube has urbs-is a comedy, and it’s told not from the misunderstood, and thus demonized. Johnny, already produced some series for YouTube perspective of Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), the now in his 50s, has led a life full of ups and Red, including a fresh take on the popular bullied teen hero who learns karate from a downs-mostly downs.