The first three episodes will challenge your patience like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Then episodes 4-8 are some of the best television out there. After that it just sorta ends. I’ve never seen a show with such a mixture of brilliance and garbage at once. NWR is an enigma.
shareBut... most of his movies are like that )) I remember seeing 'Pusher' for the first time saying to myself precisely this: How is it possible for such garbage to be also brilliant?! And that's probably because Refn is not crippled by some traditional filmmaking school.
Another great contemporary director with a similar approach is IMO Fabrice du Welz.
The only movie of his I didn’t feel like that is Drive. The rest of his movies are a mix bag of brilliant and frustrating crap.
shareI disagree about all his films been been Garbage while also brilliant. I think the Pusher trilogy, Drive, Bronson and Bleeder are masterpieces. I can understand it with Only God Forgives, Neon Demon, Fear X and Valhalla Rising, they are so beautifully shot and acted fantastic but they can drive you up the wall but also have moments of sheer brilliance. Refn's a director that needs reeling in by a producer to really get top work out of him, but in a way that would ruin him and take away what makes him special.
shareThink Van Gogh. His technical skills were in a way limited (anatomy etc.) due to not getting a classical artistic education. However, he was so talented (to put it mildly) that the lack of certain skills didn't matter at all. He became to be one of the greatest painters of the XXth century redesigning not only art but the very approach to it.
Dostoyevsky. His writing style is problematic but at the same time, he is one of the greatest authors out there.
The list goes on.
Same applies to Refn. His directing training comes mostly from observing other people work. He is a self-taught guy and it shows. But - he is also very talented and the lack of directorial skills ('garbage') is compensated with his talent ('brilliant'). I personally would take his films over anyone's who is just a very professional and skilled director making highly entertaining movies. Who that might be, I wonder... Let's say Christopher Nolan.
I'm sort of like you, but after reading more about the show and from interviews of Refn, my appreciation grew greatly.
Your description of the first three episodes is spot on.
One thing that really helped later was when I read some reviews that pointed out that Refn wanted viewers to be able to think as they watched and with the filming technique, you can certainly do that.
I can't believe how this show sticks with you, too. I haven't thought about a show this much for some time. It just burrows under your skin.
Refn is one of the most unique filmmakers working today in terms of visual story telling. The music style, use of colors, camera movement all create very atmospheric scenes. That’s what always sticks with me about his work.
shareYeah, that's why I follow him, he does what cinema should always strive for, visual storytelling
But dialogue not necesarely means that you are telling things instead of showing them
Dialogue can be used in a way in wich words are not there for explaining or moving the story forward
Action is the number one thing that does that, but it can also be used for a different effect