![]() The manifestos included are manifold, starting with Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels' "Communist Manifesto," shouted into a megaphone by Blanchett, totally unrecognizable as a wandering filthy homeless man, with wild hair and an unhinged look in her eyes. The whole film's energy is a celebration of the diverse ideas and concepts that make up our culture. They are to be played with, turned inside out, made fun of, re-invented. The "Thanks" section of the end credits includes: "To all the marvelous authors of these mind-blowing manifestos." These are not sacred texts that should stay in textbooks. ![]() But Blanchett delivering these intimidating texts, and completely changing the internal context from which each text emerges, is so breathlessly inventive that it's nothing less than totally entertaining, even in sections that don't completely work (there are a couple). Your mileage may vary (humor is subjective, and all that). The most surprising thing is how funny "Manifesto" is, on occasion. The film is thought-provoking, visually arresting, and occasionally very self-important (appropriate, since a manifesto is a declaration of self-importance). German artist and filmmaker Julian Rosefeldt has collaborated with Blanchett to create something entirely unique and not easily described or classified. ![]() And the results are not arch, or self-indulgent, or dryly academic. The description of "Manifesto"- Cate Blanchett playing 13 wildly different characters, each of whom delivers a famous "manifesto"-sounds like an arch exercise in style, or, worse, a self-indulgent snoozefest, an opportunity for the sometimes showoff-y Blanchett to show off even more. ![]() Oscar Wilde, The Critic as Artist (1891). Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. ![]()
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