The Reaction To The Post Cutting (A Film) Can Be Painful

I really didn’t expect a lot or reaction to my post about the painful experience of editing a scene in Maleficarum Monxa Mala. I don’t get any reaction to most of my posts, so I assume that people read them and move on with their lives. Not in this case.

Our main supporter in this enterprise, Pícaro, was very forthcoming thus:

Hello, Margot and EXCELLENT! You posted some terrific shots of Dani on the rack at the Club and GIMP sites. How can you all even think of not including those scenes that so moved Jac? That would be a horrible mistake and betrayal of The Faithful. A terrible betrayal. PLEASE INCLUDE THOSE SCENES!
Pícaro

I began my response to Pícaro with these words: As I said in my posts, Jac was working on that scene and he had a hard time with it, at an emotional level. What happens in the scene is sort of sensitive and a key to what goes on after that, so, I’m forbidden to say what it is. It’s a horrific event and it happens right after both, Dani and Simone are whipped, at the same time, at the post. Dani on the cross position and Simone held by her neck. Blood is shed for the first time in the film during the flogging.

Dani’s scene on the rack has more of an emotional impact than visual because of what happens and Dani’s reaction and acting during her ordeals. Dani looks amazing in it, of course, and the scene is visually striking, but it is the highly emotional experience and the unmentionable event that takes place that carries the scene. Jac felt that maybe it’s not what The Faithful is expecting and thus his reticence; however, the scene is in the project’s time line and it will stay there.

Margot wrote about a very severe scene from Maleficarum 2 : At one point he thought that maybe the scene was too much and it should not be in the film … at all. HAHA Margot!! You’re a big teaser tooo!
Pedro

I’ve been called a big teaser many times before. My intention was not to tease, but if it works … who am I to complain? I had a long conversation with Jac, over many things, like the award he got a few days ago, The Culture Award 2019 from CineBol. Big show, longer than the Oscars. We were also discussing his soon to take place trip to Switzerland where he’ll give a talk about his work with NatGeo and his more conventional environmental films as well as the TV series he’s planning for this year.

We also talked about his now famous trip to Las Vegas where he met someone that he thought it was you (Pedro) … but now, after much thinking and discussing it with Amy, they recalled that the person in question was from Portugal, not Spain, the conversation with said fellow was in English and maybe there was a big banner of Elite or something similar that stuck in Jac’s head and that’s why he made the connection, and maybe the banner or poster of Elite was at the next booth and maybe the guy from Portugal’s name was Pedro too.

But I digress. In any case, it was then, during that long discussion, that he told me about the scene he was having problems editing because it was so, but so painful to watch that he had to take breaks after going over a few shots to cut them. That’s when he said to me, and I quote “Maybe I shouldn’t have this scene in the film, maybe it’s too much…

I can’t deny that I was surprised, because I saw the pictures of the scenes that end the movie and they are really, really strong. Can’t show them yet, maybe never because those pictures might be … SPOILERS!

(…) My reaction exactly. I could imagine the burly brute in the cutting room shedding a tear remembering the pain of simulating (badly) a racking sequence that includes Xmas wrapping ropes and a multipurposed kitchen table. So much cringe, so much empathy … Sorry M, I’ll probably buy the movie but can’t gloss over its severe deficiencies (for me, other less inquisitive eye might be pleased). As Pedro said, most of the blood when viewing such productions goes into the wood. My blood, for whatever reason tends to stay partially in the prefrontal cortex.
JD

I would not recommend you buy it, JD, not at all. Save your hard earned cash for something that will appeal more to your prefrontal cortex. I’m pretty sure this film is not for you and your highly demanding taste and it would be a pity if you get it just to confirm your feelings. That would be a waste of cash and time, life is too short to spend it on needless unpleasant experiences. Think of the time you would save not writing about it! As much as I appreciate reviews, regardless of how good or terrible they are, they all bring attention to the film. Amy’s first film as director, Sirwiñakuy, was trashed by critics in Bolivia and because of it, it stayed on the big screen for SIX months! My kind advise is that you spare yourself the suffering of putting up with another of our movies, really.

BTW, the problem we were having with some people who were trying to purchase our movies had something to do with IPs being blocked for some reason or another. The problem seems to be resolved, we haven’t had any rejections in a few days, we were getting two or three per day, not a good thing. But it also means that unwanted IPs can be blocked for whatever reason, like …