The Prada Foundation (Fondazione Prada) and MUBI have jointly launched the "Perfect Failures" online film project, which focuses on films that were widely misunderstood when they were first released, and will be screened on the film streaming platform MUBI starting April 5.
The Prada Foundation website (fondazioneprada.org) will also have a new section presenting original film materials, streaming original content, film selection information and anecdotes from directors. During the temporary closure of cinemas due to the epidemic, let the film project find a new way to present and invite the public to participate.
The "Perfect Frustration" selection ranges from films that failed at the box office and received bad reviews when they first released, to works with very different styles and incomprehensible styles directed by directors who are loved by audiences, or works that have a difficult production process, as well as films that are ahead of (or cleverly behind) the times. By showing the failures and mistakes of famous directors, it is proved that the response of the film when it was first released does not determine its true value. As cultural contexts change, the critical distance between expectations and excitement generated by moviegoers grows, new tools of interpretation begin to emerge, and people change their minds about films that were once confusing, dismissive, or objectionable.
The Global Film Collection, which will be screened on April 5, will begin with Richard Kelly's Southland Tales (2016), followed by a selection of "Perfect Frustration" films from countries where the collection can be viewed. In addition to Southern Legends, the selection will include: A Countess from Hong Kong (1967) by Charlie Chaplin, Fedora (1978) by Billy Wilder, Night Moves (2013) by Kelly Reichardt, and Chantal Akerman. The TheOpapist on the Couch (Un divan à New York, 1996) and Showgirls (1995) directed by Paul Verhoeven.
The project covers a wide range of potentially "disappointing" films: from Richard Kelly's anarchist sci-fi comedy, which received little response after its premiere at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, to Billy Wilder's cheesy and contrived feature film, which was released in only a few markets in 1978 and had little publicity. The selection also included a 1996 comedy directed by Chantal Akerman, which bravely challenged the clichés of romantic comedies in this category; Charlie Chaplin's last comedy, The Countess of Hong Kong, starring Sophia Loren and Marlon Brando, which received mostly negative reviews; and the 2013 American drama film directed by Kelly Reichardt, which received much of the critical acclaim And the erotic film released in 1995 and directed by Paul Verhoeven, which was released at the box office and in reviews, was now considered a clever and mean satire of Hollywood.
In today's era when online-shared movies and streaming services are subverting the concept of "movie," movie lovers are confronted with both new releases and past movies. This daily experience experience experienced by a large number of audiences has formed a viewing environment in which new films and film history are constantly interacting and comparing. By re-examining or discovering films produced by well-known directors or experimental filmmakers during periods of creative crisis or transition, one is able to question the past and present function of cinema and rethink the allure of cinema and its cultural role.
This collaboration with MUBI will strengthen the international reach of the Prada Foundation's film projects and reach a wider range of audiences, both the public in traditional cinemas and the diverse audience for "remote" cinema viewing. The Prada Foundation will continue to research new ways of watching movies, opportunities for dialogue with other creative platforms, and ways to share them with the public so that people can enjoy movies even when they're not in the cinema.