Cowards Bend the Knee or The Blue Hands

Name: Cowards Bend the Knee or The Blue Hands
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: August 11, 2004
Duration: 60 min
Rating: 82

2004

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 10 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Ratings

See All

5.2

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5.2	Your Score
5.2	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Movie Details & Credits

Zeitgeist Films | Release Date: August 11, 2004

Summary: A 10-part penny dreadful, a peepshow melodrama, loosely conceived around the filmmaker's autobiography, with an aesthetic that is one part "Vampire" serial, one part psycho fever-dream. (Film Forum)

Director: Guy Maddin

Genre(s): Drama, Romance

Runtime: 60 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

David Sterritt

There's a new visual idea every second, each teeming with energy, pitch-dark comedy, and inspired cinematic lunacy. Read full review

100

Jami Bernard

It's said to be an autobiography, but that pertains only in the loosest sense. It's a comedy. It's a 1920s silent movie. It is practically indescribable. And it is pure genius. Read full review

100

J. Hoberman

What's truly extraordinary about this movie--which strikes me on two viewings as Maddin's masterpiece--is that it not only plays like a dream but feels like one. Read full review

Manohla Dargis

There is also something rather splendid about this extended-play peep show, as if Mr. Maddin had stumbled across a hitherto lost archive of cinema's less-than-innocent past. What makes all this nostalgia for a movie history that never happened is that, as is always the case with Mr. Maddin's work, it's executed with more love than irony and not a whit of derision. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox

Oddly, once removed from the museum setting and strung together into an hourlong feature, it's Maddin's most cohesive narrative. Read full review

Frank Scheck

The results are always visually arresting, while the narrative, even by Maddin standards, is completely out in the ozone. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

The overall feel is phantasmagoric--pitched, like most of Maddin's work, in the style of a half-remembered late silent feature or early talkie. Read full review

SEE ALL 10 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

JohnS

Oct 16, 2005

If you are looking for mainstream mindless formulaic predicable and familiar, don't rent this movie. It is a true piece of original art. It is hyponotic and brilliniant, and even profound in points. But mostly its a fun experiment that works on all levels. I liked it more than "Saddest If you are looking for mainstream mindless formulaic predicable and familiar, don't rent this movie. It is a true piece of original art. It is hyponotic and brilliniant, and even profound in points. But mostly its a fun experiment that works on all levels. I liked it more than "Saddest Music" too. But these movies should come with warnings. "If you are really concrete minded, you should rent something else. Stick to mainstream Hollywood products."… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

[Anonymous]

Oct 7, 2005

I can honestly understand people hating this film. But I will only refund 1 hour of life per viewer... considering that is how long the movie is.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

JohnD.

Nov 29, 2005

I clearly agree that the director is quite talented and his talent for handling images shows. However, after about 10 minutes I was bored and stayed that way for the full hour. It was a long hour. I just can't recommend this to anyone.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

TrikoD.

Oct 21, 2005

This is exactly what I've known all along. The movie critics are actually theater critics who sleep with William Shakespeare under the pillow. Those critics who somehow made this movie to get over 80points don't really know why they're movie critics and out of bitterness try This is exactly what I've known all along. The movie critics are actually theater critics who sleep with William Shakespeare under the pillow. Those critics who somehow made this movie to get over 80points don't really know why they're movie critics and out of bitterness try to fool everyone by giving a crack-addicts picasso-rape good points. Just because "simpletons" can't argue with critics-higher knowledge. They naturally know art where they see it. From here on out, I'll just read the "amateur" comments since they're obviously more realibable than a critic lying to pay his rent.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

ChrisB

Jan 12, 2006

Maybe the critics from the Village Voice, New York Daily News, etc. find "Cowards Bend the Knee" new and interesting, but as a former Toronto art school student let me assure you it isn't. Every student art film in Toronto is a combination of two or more of the ingredients that Maddin Maybe the critics from the Village Voice, New York Daily News, etc. find "Cowards Bend the Knee" new and interesting, but as a former Toronto art school student let me assure you it isn't. Every student art film in Toronto is a combination of two or more of the ingredients that Maddin uses; grainy black and white film stock, unnecessary nudity, emotionally uncomfortable scenes, and stilted acting. Just because it's boring and uncomfortable doesn't make it good.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

SEE ALL 8 REVIEWS