Camera (II) (2000) User Reviews

Not a success

[currie-652-932814 · 3/10 · 6 April 2010]

There are a couple of funny scenes in this movie - the Carol Alt scene is convincingly creepy enough to be effective (the outtake in this case proving the point rather well), and the scene on the Golden Gate Bridge is good for a laugh. But basically I don't think the whole thing worked. Among other things, it's unclear why nobody in charge of this very expensive camera seemed capable of using it well, holding it steady, framing shots or aiming it consistently. Perhaps that's characteristic of the sort of people who buy hot cameras at shady pawn shops, but you'd think that someone might have taken the time to practice. I suppose it could serve as an object lesson in the many inappropriate ways a camera can be used, but if that's the point it's a blunt one. It doesn't succeed in transcending the amateurish work it portrays and, presumably, mocks.

I liked the DVD bonus feature "Video Valentino" better.

The 'movie' your stop button was invented for

[onepotato2 · 1/10 · 1 April 2008]

The point of the Dogme rules was that they might produce simpler, less excessive, less over-reaching, more honest movies. But the rules have NEVER produced that result. And somehow this flaccid movie still overreaches. All of von Triers movies made since the adoption of the rules have been mediocre or just plain awful. (Note to Lars: please go back to your Zentropa phase. Although packed with pretension, Zentropa was still his least pretentious work, and pretty astonishing.)

This movie represents the complete abdication of thoughtful content, judicious editing, film-making standards... you name it. And Martini has some really low standards that allow him to think he's making something of merit. This is a concept in search of decent execution. And it's not a fresh concept by any stretch. That the camera continually ends up in the hands of young, attractive, horny, white actors means your real aspiration is to give free reign to your own horniness which isn't of much interest to others.

The little of this incompetent, uncritical and stupid movie I could take was exactly as half-hearted as anyone's first movie made with a videocam. Taking refuge under the "It's supposed to look cheap and cheesy" umbrella is as pathetic as it's always been. Put the focus back on the content and toss out this masturbatory device. As a bonus, the fact that this was acceptable on Dogme terms, also means the Dogme rules are a pile of crap. This is completely undeserving of general release.

A Rare Delight!

[cjnb · 16 February 2002]

Richard Martini's "Camera" is an ambitious - yet, addictive independent film encompassing intrigue, comedy and adventure. An inside look into the lives of several people - via the one digital camera they all buy - it's a compulsively magnetic piece that shows flair and creativity on behalf of the helmer. It's got no budget and it's got no buzz - but "Camera" is a rare delight, and especially interesting to see Martini can draw in some fine cameos by people like Jack Nicholson, Oliver Stone, and Angie Everhart.

Bravo Martini - we look forward to your next project.

Stoopid Pointless Movie

[artpf · 1/10 · 11 October 2013]

Story of a video camera that goes on an adventure around the world. It's stolen, pawned, bought and generally goes in and out of bedrooms, shoots commercials, follows the life of an average ordinary video camera that goes around the planet until it winds up in the hands of filmmaker Richard Martini.

It's idiotic.

The camera is supposed to cost $37,000 and can't even shoot a clear frame at all in the course of this movie.

My $30 camera has better video.

It's truly a stoopid idea that is poorly executed. You will hate it.

A Very Long 80 Minutes

[Mason1024 · 2/10 · 14 April 2005]

When you were in high school or college you may have gotten hold of a video camera and made a movie with your friends. This is that very same movie, except all your friends are now Hollywood stars of varying degrees of fame and you, the director, are a sleazy paparazzi guy who knows a few people who know a few people.

For starters, the premise is ludicrous--Rich Hollywood stars go to a pawn shop to buy expensive digital movie cameras, presumably much poorer wannabe stars buy the same camera at the same pawn shop to make basic video missives, and at least one wealthy guy is dumb enough to buy five of these $3000+ cameras just for home "security" use. Many of the stars seem to be begrudgingly participating, and others seem genuinely annoyed. A scene with Carol Alt is kind of "good" in that you really start to wonder if this is some underground homemade movie from a creepy guy with zero class or social skills.

Jack Nicholson's cameo is taken from what appears to be a real wedding, and while he is pleasant and accommodating, the scene adds to the suspicion that the film is merely the product of an aggressive opportunist orbiting the periphery of Hollywood.

Everything on the cutting room floor was swept up and placed into the extra features. This includes an endless number of takes from Eha Ursalu's "video breakup" scene and a cheesy 80s short film that produces nary a chuckle.

Camera

[cktail · 10/10 · 12 September 2006]

This is my film. I took the camera on the trip around the world, and the film only cost me $300 to make. I submitted it to the dogme95 group in Denmark because it had all the earmarks of a dogme film - no special lighting, no extra sound, no costumes, makeup - not a genre film per se - and they sent me the certificate. I'd like to clarify that neither Oliver Stone nor Jack Nicholson appear in this film - they're look alikes that do a hell of an impersonation. That's the magic of this film - you don't know if what you're looking at is what you're seeing. Especially the sequence with Carol Alt - and it really is Carol Alt - but it's an incident that actually happened to her in real life, and she's quite brilliant doing the improv that we did, the first take, in Santa Monica. The second take some guy came over and knocked me down for harassing her. That was pretty funny. But WARNING - this is a movie hobbled together, shot on DV camera, and done for $300. It looks like it was made for $300. Please don't be disappointed by the cheezy quality. That was the idea. I want to inspire anyone who has a DV camera to pick the dang thing up and make your own movie! Rich Martini