Anna Biller Productions--VIVA FAN COMMENTS

VIVA FAN COMMENTS

It's a freeing movie, and I think {Biller} understands the point they were trying to make with those movies--that sex isn't dirty and should be explored from every angle. And in this film, they really do use every angle! --Jonathan

Every flick that filmmaker Anna Biller cranks out is amazingly groovy. They always somehow capture the right color scheme, look, and feel of the flicks and sleazy pulps from the 60's and 70's.

In the category of ingenuity, few can compare with Viva. --Sara

I detected 41 distinct flavors of sexiness. --Jason

I might even move to that state where you can marry more than one person so I could also marry VIVA. I love it that much. I want my pressbook autographed, Ms Biller. I love how it looks and behaves exactly like the vintage ones! Perfect for a movie that is so convincingly retro that there's nothing to give away the fact that it wasn't made 35 years ago. --Andrew

The best way VIVA reminded me of the old films was its feeling of fresh, immediate, larger-than-life presence, which is what I always look for.

I saw Viva at the Roxie in San Francisco last week and just had to let you know that it knocked my socks off! The wardrobing, sets, lighting and your dead-on use of color are delicious and inspiring... --Jennifer

I don't know if you noticed it, but you were quite the cult movie at the {Rotterdam Film} festival. An American friend of mine went crazy over the food table scene (he said he remembers similar smorgasbords from when he was a child), another friend was a fan of the music (she likes the horse song especially). I loved how you captured the campy/creepy ambivalence of these sexploitation films. --Robert

Fantastically well put together, but thoughtful...it had meaning...--Claire

I was absolutely floored by its spirit, creativity and vision; the film still resonates with me. --Abe

My wife and I saw Viva in San Francisco the other day, and can't stop telling people about it! --Bruce

Viva is wonderful piece of work. On many levels and all great. What makes it great is...basically you! It is your point of view or your attitude that makes that social history interesting. "Viva" to me is fantasy. But it is a fantasy of someone who lives like those characters in the movie. The Orgy scene is incredible. The pacing and shots are awesome. It's really intense. --Tosh

I thought it was marvelous. It had "that Biller touch"--a wonderful blend of the sumptuous and the preposterous. I especially envy anyone who stumbles across it by accident. As with all my favorite films, VIVA offers and alternate reality that I would gladly inhabit--the complete antithesis of pretty much everything else on the marketplace these days. --Marshall

I really enjoyed Viva. The take off of the 70's style acting came across so amusing. Your attention to all the details of the film is what made it really work. The music and your animation were terrific. I haven't laughed so much at a film for some time. --Robert

Just wanted to reiterate how much my friends and I thoroughly enjoyed VIVA last night. It is a monumental undertaking and you executed it so effortlessly. --Barry

Wow, that was... AMAZING! EPIC! not since POLYESTER have I seen a director transform THAT much from project to project! --Dave

It's a hell of an achievement and one that will force people to take you very seriously as a filmmaker. Obviously, lots of feedback. I'd say THE universal theme was "I have never seen a film like that. Ever!" --John

I had to write to tell you how much I enjoyed Viva! I brought two of my girlfriends out with me and we all were so excited and amazed. I love the look and feel, I love all of the authentic touches, the wigs, the clothes, the sets--my god! the sets!! --Sonya

This clearly your best work ever. it not only entertains but also subverts from within, which is my definition of high art. Your work produces (at least in me) a strange, uneasy tension. I actually laughed so much I hope I didn't embarrass you. My friend mentioned it to me afterwards. "You sure did laugh." I said, "It's to lessen the tension." and I went on to espouse how without the laughter, the painful truths of your work make it hard for me to watch. --Dave

I loved your film. I thought it was the best film at the {Rotterdam Film} festival. --Olna

I had a blast watching the film and was truly blown away by its beauty. You have created something wild and wonderful my friend. --Paolo

Why do I get the feeling that this film is so subversive? --Mica

I often find that films that try very hard to approximate a past, derogated moment in film/history (often the 60's/70's) often try too hard to BE campy and ultimately really fail. Whereas your film has this delicacy in its approach in a way, because the painful recognition in watching a 60's sexploitation film often leads the audience resort to deep condescension. And your film doesn't quite do this, it takes the genre seriously, while simultaneously questioning its embedded assumptions. --Elena

There is more truth (about men and women in life off the screen) in the artificiality of VIVA than in a hundred imitation cinema verite attempts at "reality." --Mitch

I was thoroughly thrilled with Viva. Visually stunning (pitch-perfect actually), but I felt it contained a forward thinking message of self-discovery and self-awareness at the core, which elevated it far above any ordinary pastiche or parody. I think you should sell it as a sexploitation film AND a heady art film. The best trash/exploitation films have aways contained a strong thematic (Romero, Jack Hill, some Corman) and you just have to trust the old cliché that the cream will rise to the top. --Mark

There's only one way to describe your film and that's FABULOUS!! I've just finished watching Viva - what a great piece of work! I loved it. I think it's going become a cult classic and quite possibly be regarded as a minor masterpiece!--Megan

I used to think Belle du Jour was a masterpiece but after seeing Viva, I now just think it's a really good movie. --Elizabeth

The visual stimulation was incredibly intense and I found myself repeatedly thinking about associations between the content and form it was being presented in. It's not every day one is presented with intellectual and socially relevant camp (perhaps this will become a new sub-genre of filmmaking) not to mention the sets and goddamn beautiful art direction and cinematography.--Karl

	VIVA FAN COMMENTS It's a freeing movie, and I think {Biller} understands the point they were trying to make with those movies--that sex isn't dirty and should be explored from every angle. And in this film, they really do use every angle! --Jonathan Every flick that filmmaker Anna Biller cranks out is amazingly groovy. They always somehow capture the right color scheme, look, and feel of the flicks and sleazy pulps from the 60's and 70's. In the category of ingenuity, few can compare with Viva. --Sara I detected 41 distinct flavors of sexiness. --Jason I might even move to that state where you can marry more than one person so I could also marry VIVA. I love it that much. I want my pressbook autographed, Ms Biller. I love how it looks and behaves exactly like the vintage ones! Perfect for a movie that is so convincingly retro that there's nothing to give away the fact that it wasn't made 35 years ago. --Andrew The best way VIVA reminded me of the old films was its feeling of fresh, immediate, larger-than-life presence, which is what I always look for. I saw Viva at the Roxie in San Francisco last week and just had to let you know that it knocked my socks off! The wardrobing, sets, lighting and your dead-on use of color are delicious and inspiring... --Jennifer I don't know if you noticed it, but you were quite the cult movie at the {Rotterdam Film} festival. An American friend of mine went crazy over the food table scene (he said he remembers similar smorgasbords from when he was a child), another friend was a fan of the music (she likes the horse song especially). I loved how you captured the campy/creepy ambivalence of these sexploitation films. --Robert Fantastically well put together, but thoughtful...it had meaning...--Claire I was absolutely floored by its spirit, creativity and vision; the film still resonates with me. --Abe My wife and I saw Viva in San Francisco the other day, and can't stop telling people about it! --Bruce Viva is wonderful piece of work. On many levels and all great. What makes it great is...basically you! It is your point of view or your attitude that makes that social history interesting. "Viva" to me is fantasy. But it is a fantasy of someone who lives like those characters in the movie. The Orgy scene is incredible. The pacing and shots are awesome. It's really intense. --Tosh I thought it was marvelous. It had "that Biller touch"--a wonderful blend of the sumptuous and the preposterous. I especially envy anyone who stumbles across it by accident. As with all my favorite films, VIVA offers and alternate reality that I would gladly inhabit--the complete antithesis of pretty much everything else on the marketplace these days. --Marshall I really enjoyed Viva. The take off of the 70's style acting came across so amusing. Your attention to all the details of the film is what made it really work. The music and your animation were terrific. I haven't laughed so much at a film for some time. --Robert Just wanted to reiterate how much my friends and I thoroughly enjoyed VIVA last night. It is a monumental undertaking and you executed it so effortlessly. --Barry Wow, that was... AMAZING! EPIC! not since POLYESTER have I seen a director transform THAT much from project to project! --Dave It's a hell of an achievement and one that will force people to take you very seriously as a filmmaker. Obviously, lots of feedback. I'd say THE universal theme was "I have never seen a film like that. Ever!" --John I had to write to tell you how much I enjoyed Viva! I brought two of my girlfriends out with me and we all were so excited and amazed. I love the look and feel, I love all of the authentic touches, the wigs, the clothes, the sets--my god! the sets!! --Sonya This clearly your best work ever. it not only entertains but also subverts from within, which is my definition of high art. Your work produces (at least in me) a strange, uneasy tension. I actually laughed so much I hope I didn't embarrass you. My friend mentioned it to me afterwards. "You sure did laugh." I said, "It's to lessen the tension." and I went on to espouse how without the laughter, the painful truths of your work make it hard for me to watch. --Dave I loved your film. I thought it was the best film at the {Rotterdam Film} festival. --Olna I had a blast watching the film and was truly blown away by its beauty. You have created something wild and wonderful my friend. --Paolo Why do I get the feeling that this film is so subversive? --Mica I often find that films that try very hard to approximate a past, derogated moment in film/history (often the 60's/70's) often try too hard to BE campy and ultimately really fail. Whereas your film has this delicacy in its approach in a way, because the painful recognition in watching a 60's sexploitation film often leads the audience resort to deep condescension. And your film doesn't quite do this, it takes the genre seriously, while simultaneously questioning its embedded assumptions. --Elena There is more truth (about men and women in life off the screen) in the artificiality of VIVA than in a hundred imitation cinema verite attempts at "reality." --Mitch I was thoroughly thrilled with Viva. Visually stunning (pitch-perfect actually), but I felt it contained a forward thinking message of self-discovery and self-awareness at the core, which elevated it far above any ordinary pastiche or parody. I think you should sell it as a sexploitation film AND a heady art film. The best trash/exploitation films have aways contained a strong thematic (Romero, Jack Hill, some Corman) and you just have to trust the old cliché that the cream will rise to the top. --Mark There's only one way to describe your film and that's FABULOUS!! I've just finished watching Viva - what a great piece of work! I loved it. I think it's going become a cult classic and quite possibly be regarded as a minor masterpiece!--Megan I used to think Belle du Jour was a masterpiece but after seeing Viva, I now just think it's a really good movie. --Elizabeth The visual stimulation was incredibly intense and I found myself repeatedly thinking about associations between the content and form it was being presented in. It's not every day one is presented with intellectual and socially relevant camp (perhaps this will become a new sub-genre of filmmaking) not to mention the sets and goddamn beautiful art direction and cinematography.--Karl
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