Zizek! (2005)

Zizek! (2005)
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Director: Astra Taylor
Studio: Zeitgeist Films
Release Date: 26 April 2007 (Germany)
Duration (hh:mm:ss): 01:09:29
URLs: www.imdb.com/title/tt0478338
      www.imdb.com/title/tt0478338/usercomments (Reviews)

Description
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Slavoj Zizek is that rarity, an internationally famous philosopher, and one who has built a career out of telling his audience things they probably don't want to hear. Embracing a world view that blends Marxism with the teachings of Jacques Lacan, Zizek's work obsesses on how capitalism affects the way we think and function in our society, and how this is reflected in everything from pop psychology to plumbing. Zizek's writings have won him a sizable following in the United States, and he's been described as an "academic rock star" in Europe, where his lectures frequently attract sell-out crowds. Filmmaker Astra Taylor followed Slavoj Zizek as he traveled across Europe, South America, and the United States on a speaking tour, and Zizek! (2005) captures the man as his mind and tongue both run in fifth gear while he encounters his fans and followers on- and off-stage. Taylor also interviews Zizek off-stage and he offers his thoughts on his public persona, his fame, his reputation among other academics, and his young son's fondness for eating at McDonald's. Zizek! (2005) received its North American premiere at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival.

Overview
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The author of works on subjects as wide-ranging as Alfred Hitchcock, 9/11, opera, Christianity, Lenin and David Lynch, Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek is one of the most important—and outrageous—cultural theorists working today. This captivating, erudite documentary explores the eccentric personality and esoteric work of this incomparable academic and writer who has been called everything from “the Elvis of cultural theory” to “a one person culture mulcher”.

ZIZEK! trails the eminent and intrepid thinker as he crisscrosses the globe—racing from New York City lecture halls, traversing the streets of Buenos Aires, pit-stopping at his home in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In transit, Zizek obsessively reveals the invisible workings of ideology through a unique blend of Lacanian psychoanalysis, Marxism and pop culture critique. He is also unafraid to turn his critical gaze on himself, offering cutting commentary on his personality, private life and growing inter-national celebrity.

ZIZEK! is both an unforgettable lesson in philosophy and a compelling portrait of an intellectual maverick. Possessing the capacity to appeal to the uninitiated in a way no other philosopher before him could, Slavoj Zizek’s combination of high and low culture will fascinate even those who once believed philosophy to be a bore.

Review (Doug Henwood)
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Slavoj Zizek is one of the stars of Theoryworld, and deservedly so. He mixes Lacan and Marx with a seasoning of pop culture to analyze how we construct meaning - and reminds us that our understanding is often far from rational.

It sounds like a heavy dose, but Astra Taylor has made it all into an extremely charming and intelligent movie. It has none of the piety and tedium of the documentary form - no godlike voiceovers, goofy archival footage, or narcotic pundits that make films like The Corporation so hard to sit through. It's mostly Slavoj Zizek talking (sometimes prompted by Taylor, often not), and he's such a compelling character that he holds your interest from the first frame to the last. Don't miss it!

Media Info
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