Went to see the new Norwegian movie Svidd Neger (“Scorched Nigger”, and yes, that title has caused a few reactions – just to reassure you: the “scorched” refers to sunburn rather than any other sort of burn) with Martin Sunday night, and it has to be the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. I think it’s quite possibly the weirdest thing I will ever see, too. The state of genuine – though somewhat baffled and incredulous – helpless laughter lasted me well into Monday morning, and was briefly revived at lunch when I tried to convince people it has to be seen.
Because it does. Really. I could try to describe it to you, but I wouldn’t be able to do it justice. I could tell you to try to imagine chucking Bunuel and Dali’s “Andalucian Dog”, Monty Python, some dreadfully depressing “rural realism” Norwegian movie from the seventies (with the mandatory alchoholic father) and a dash of “What lies beneath” into a pot and stirring and see what you get, but you would have no idea. Really.
I wish they could get it nominated for the Oscar, though maybe not – I’m sure the rest of the world have some pretty interesting ideas of Norwegian country life anyway.
It still makes me giggle. Incredulously.