MovieChat Forums > Bleeder (1999) Discussion > Is this the most ignored movie in histor...

Is this the most ignored movie in history?

posted 12 years ago by DJ-Ren
3 replies | jump to latest

I totally fluked out when I bought this. I happened to see "Pusher" on TV (back before every single Canadian channel started playing the same 6 reality shows), and I fell in love. I was talking to a friend of mine who lives in the UK about how much I loved "Pusher" but couldn't find it anywhere. He suggested going to the UK online video store play.com. I did and they had "Pusher" and, even cheaper, a 2-disc set with "Pusher" and "Bleeder" on it. I also got "Lost Highway" (since it seems even David Lynch himself doesn't care about the crap R1 copy) and an anniversary DVD of "La Haine" (this was well before Criterion issued it).

My point is, I have read articles about Refn, as well as interviews with him, but "Bleeder" is never mentioned. To be honest, he seems like a man that writes and rewrites history as it serves him best. For instance, when "Pusher" was gaining international acclaim, he spoke of how "every studio just wants me to make a sequel to 'Pusher', but I will never do that". However, when he made his first Hollywood film, "Fear X", and actually had his production company (Jang Go Star) go broke because "Fear X" made no money, he hightailed it back to Denmark, made Pusher 2 & 3 back-to-back... and from then on, you would think he planned a Pusher Trilogy all along.

But at least "Fear X" gets mentioned once in awhile. I have never heard him mention "Bleeder" EVER, and I am incredibly grateful that I got the "Pusher/Bleeder" DVD, because "Bleeder" went OOP so fast it's crazy, and, as far as I know, the R2, 2-disc DVD that I got is the only place you can (legitimately) get this movie. My hope is that Criterion picks it up one day, as they occasionally will get the most obscure film from a popular director. (David Fincher's "The Game"; Danny Boyle's "Shallow Grave"; etc.) Until then, people who want to see it will... just have to find it elsewhere, I suppose. ;)

"I am insane... and you are my insanity" - James Cole, 12 Monkeys

-AK

[–] elrando 12 years ago

I agree. It's one of my personal favorites by him, I think its a far superior film to Fear X. I don't believe Ill ever run into anyone whose seen this movie, but atleast I can get the joy of recommending it.

"Panic.It crept up my spine like first rising vibes of an acid frenzy."-raoul duke

[–] Sanctuary20 12 years ago

I saw this recently too. Though I picked it up about 8 months ago from CEX for just £1 ;) Funny thing is that I have the 2 disc case, but just Bleeder in it. Talk about Phew! Could just have easily been Pusher which would have been a nightmare since I already own the trilogy on blu ray.

But yeah, very few people outside of Denmark has seen this I imagine. It's not an obscure film, but just a low budget thriller from a foreign country. I wouldn't class Fincher's The Game or Boyle's Shallow Grave in the same category. Both are cult hits, but Bleeder has no base whatsoever.

I like it a lot, it's not Refn's best film (that honour still belongs to Pusher 2 & Drive), but it's certainly interesting with very interesting characters who I found myself relating to.

It would be nice to get a reissue of this on blu ray or something, but that's unlikely to happen in the near future.

My strength is greater than my weakness

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

It's definitely the red headed step child of Refn's film's, it's a shame as I think it's just behind Drive and Pusher II as his best film. It's probably his most street level film in a way, imagine if Mike Leigh and 70's Martin Scorsese made a film together, this probably be what it look like. It's got a lightness to it in places and it also get's really bleak. It's got Kim Bodnia's best performance (even better then his performance in Pusher) as one minute you feel for his character the next you hate him and then back to feeling for the guy, he's kind of like a Travis Bickle.

It's great to see Zlatko Buric play a nice guy in a Refn film, as the Video shop owner. Levino Jensen is scarily good as the really nasty piece of work friend who also happens to be Bodnia's girlfriend brother. But the film belongs to a wonderful turn from the always great Mads Mikkelsen as nerdy, shy, video geek Lenny who works in a video store, he's the heart of the film and his romantic interest in coffee shop worker Lea (played by Refn's real life wife Liv Corfixen) is light away from the films real darkness. My favorite moments is seen this gang of guys hang out to watch films and just chat rubbish.

It's probably Refn's little seen film, along with Fear X (probably's Refn's only misstep for me). With his success with Drive and Mikkelsen recent fame, I thought this would have gotten more eyes put on it but it didn't. Shame. I think a company like Arrow Video could get their hands on this and give it a top DVD/Blu Ray release and get Refn to do a commentary and do a interview about the film. He shouldn't be ashamed of this film, as it's one of his classic films. 9/10