Digicosm TV on 13 July at 07:41Report abuse

FROM DIRECTOR STEPHAN KERN:

Of all the film’s I’ve produced Spinning Jenny is the one which gives me a secret thrill every time I watch it. It is a true story. The characters in it are real people. The scenario as outlandish as it seems, actually happened. Even the dialogue comes from actual discussions, confrontations and arguments between the real-life protagonists.

It doesn’t strike me as strange that most people actually screw their faces up at this film and tell me they don’t like it. What does strike me as peculiar is they can never actually verbalise why they dislike it. Is it the production values? Is it the acting? Is it the bleak, minimalist script? No one can ever quite say. They just don’t like it. There is just something not quite right about it.

The only other film I’ve seen that has evoked a similar response was Kubrick’s EYES WIDE SHUT. Fans of this film were in the minority. Why? Who knows? Critics were harsh without being specific. There was just something about it they didn’t like. I loved the film, and would ask others what they thought. Responses were always vague- but the common complaints were that the plot was just unrealistic, far-fetched or a story that wasn’t real enough.

What the two films have in common is they show human nature in a very uncomfortable manner. While no one ever wants to believe that people close to them could be so deceitful or lacking in morality, these stories become exciting when they are removed from a mundane existence and set in a world of wealth, power or celebrity. Yet when these stories reflect ordinary people who might be a friend, colleague or even you yourself acting immorally- people seem to get decidedly agitated. We naturally seek denial. I mean who wants to face up to the fact that it is quite possible (or even a common occurrence), that those we trust most might be completely untrustworthy?

If we strip away the thin veneer that society wears to protect itself from such horrors, the one common thread is that stories of betrayal and lust are actually quite ordinary amongst average people. Everyone knows someone, who has been in this position. Everyone at some stage of their lives will be a player in one of these scenes. It’s wrong, but it’s natural. It’s just what humans do.

This film is about four characters who find themselves in such a situation. It doesn’t tell you how or why they find themselves there. That’s because even though they should have seen it coming they didn’t. Their behaviour and dialogue may seem absurd, but that is because they have put themselves in a very foolish situation. These characters have been in denial. And even now, with their own lies stripped away they continue to deny. Could you be capable of such deceit? What about someone you love and trust? No one ever even wants to contemplate such things. We naturally want to deny these thoughts. We don’t like having to face these ideas.

Finally, the film doesn’t end with a resolution, in fact it starts over again- the idea being that the characters and their actions will repeat forever. Infidelity has been present in all species since we evolved out of the primordial soup. But humans are the only species to invent lies and denial. When you watch Spinning Jenny next time, think about that. No wonder it makes you feel so uneasy.

helina tuah on 08 July at 09:36Report abuse

oh is nice

helina tuah on 08 July at 09:35Report abuse

i love this movie

Ravindera on 03 July at 09:12Report abuse

Very good story.

Jack Spivey on 30 June at 04:12Report abuse

very good story

Maggie Koerner on 29 May at 23:08Report abuse

it's really true story ?