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The Center of the World

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394:’ for a younger generation. I wanted to do a movie about this young generation of guys who are dealing with the Internet, software and day-trading; this whole new world out there where they’re making shitloads of money fast, and not knowing what their lives are about yet besides that money and easy pleasures." Wang chose to shoot the film on 46: 580:
gave the film a score of 3.5/4 stars and said the characters' psychological mind games with each other are the film's most fascinating aspect. He wrote, "If you understand who the characters are and what they're supposed to represent, the performances are right on the money. Flo is not supposed to be
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expends considerable effort on viewing the 'world' from both sides of the usual gender equation." He added the "pic’s tension derives from the ambivalent nature of relationship", and that Sarsgaard creates a "nuanced" character "as a manchild-ish introvert." Though Harvey commended Wang on drawing
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Jerri. After the first night, things get complicated. When the three days are over, the stripper makes it clear that she was only there for the money and that the man she spent the time with was just a client. Upset that his feelings aren't reciprocated, he rapes her; she makes no attempt to stop
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because it is a symbolic "fantasyland" of a place. More traditional film cameras were used at the beginning and end of the story, while Wang used the grainier look of a Sony DRV-100 for the rest of the film to illustrate the "deterioration of relationship." Scenes requiring nudity from the
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at a club. He's depressed, withdrawing from work, missing meetings with investors. He wants a connection, so he offers her $ 10,000 to spend three nights with him in Vegas. She accepts with conditions: four hours per night of erotic play, and no penetration.
565:' as a problematic but viable personal choice: No one is exploiting Florence, who is far from the usual doomed, drug-addled or airheaded prostie figure seen on screen." Of the film's setting, Harvey said, "Arriving just when the 289:
The movie ends with his return to the strip club to see the woman he fell in love with again. She greets him fondly but interacts with him the way she had when they first met: as a stripper and a client ordering a lap dance.
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A Cincinnati theater owner attracted media attention after allegedly ordering a member of his staff to edit a five-second scene from the film a day before its release. According to
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gives the film a negative rating of 34% based on 82 reviews. The site's consensus reads: "For all its tease, the movie doesn't have more to say than money can't buy you love". At
917: 503:, Esquire Theater owner Gary Goldman instructed his theater manager and projectionist to cut the scene in which a female stripper (portrayed by adult film actress 1341: 398:, saying "I’ve seen the way the stuff is shot and transferred, and it looks beautiful and interesting in its own way. It’s also flexible, fast and cheaper." 810: 401:
When Wang initially committed to the project, he was at a loss as to what to write for the script. He sought assistance from previous collaborator
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him. She then masturbates for him, achieving orgasm, saying "you want to see real? I'll show you real." The next day he returns home heartbroken.
573:’s high-tech nouveau riche angle may strike some viewers as already dated, but in the long run will add a creditable specificity of time/place." 1173: 585: 480: 1386: 1366: 510:
The film's website also generated controversy for featuring an interactive strip club, including a faux online sex chat hosted by Klass.
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rating to reviews, the film has an average weighted score of 44 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
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credible performances from his leads, he also said the story lacks drive and does not fully explore the characters' psychology.
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as the filmmakers did not want to edit the film's graphic scenes of nudity and sexuality, which includes both female and male
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a sexy tart, and Richard is not supposed to be a lustful client. They're sides of the same coin and very much alike."
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A couple checks into a hotel suite in Las Vegas. Flashbacks show that he's a computer whiz on the verge of becoming a
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for Artisan Entertainment. Wang said he "wanted to make a really erotic film about sex and love, that could be like ‘
665: 425:'s photography when envisioning the look of the film. The screenplay was credited to "Ellen Benjamin Wong", a joint 1261: 1376: 1356: 22: 1149: 792: 1381: 741: 1285: 1237: 1133: 26: 484: 1371: 258: 1253: 1245: 1213: 1181: 1165: 1104: 866: 632: 1002: 1068: 835: 459: 163: 281:
During the days in Vegas, they get to know each other, have fun, and meet a friend of hers,
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Harvey also noted the film's "most impressive aspect is its successful pitching of '
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was given a limited release in the U.S. on April 20, 2001. It was released
410: 345: 324: 306: 250: 107: 103: 71: 1205: 1006: 577: 402: 121: 75: 1056: 542: 1121: 978: 522: 422: 418: 351: 312: 274: 238: 234: 59: 30: 553:, Dennis Harvey said, "In contrast to most upscale sex drama efforts, 442: 426: 1073: 840: 414: 413:. Hustvedt had written extensively on the subjects of sex and 703:"INTERVIEW: Wayne Wang Journeys to "The Center of the World"" 254: 257:
10,000. The film was screened out of competition at the
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In January 2000, Wayne Wang announced plans to direct
793:"Le Centre du monde (The Center of the world) - Chro" 1028:"2002 IFP/West Independent Spirit Award Nominations" 429:for Wang, Auster, and Hustvedt. Internet executive 253:) to stay with him in Las Vegas for three days for 809:Kaufman, Anthony; Brooks, Brian (March 15, 2001). 625: 433:appeared in and acted as an advisor for the film. 918:"Esquire Cuts Sex Scene from Center of the World" 1308: 1119: 884: 1174:Life Is Cheap... But Toilet Paper Is Expensive 1342:Films about prostitution in the United States 1105: 808: 633:"Festival de Cannes: The Center of the World" 586:Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead 910: 1112: 1098: 44: 892:"Censorship row hits Wayne Wang's latest" 494: 421:and dancing. Wang drew inspiration from 700: 663: 453:The film's title may be an allusion to 1309: 864: 739: 666:"Wang commits to 'Center' for Artisan" 507:) inserts a lollipop into her vagina. 1093: 1000: 996: 994: 860: 858: 664:Fleming, Michael (January 20, 2000). 804: 802: 735: 733: 731: 729: 727: 725: 723: 696: 694: 692: 690: 688: 686: 659: 657: 655: 653: 513: 241:and shot on digital video. It stars 701:Kaufman, Anthony (April 20, 2001). 13: 1387:English-language independent films 1367:Films shot in the Las Vegas Valley 991: 855: 598: 584:Molly Parker was nominated for an 14: 1398: 1362:Films set in the Las Vegas Valley 1050: 799: 740:Harvey, Dennis (April 17, 2001). 720: 683: 650: 1352:Films scored by Stewart Copeland 1262:A Thousand Years of Good Prayers 1020: 974:The Center of the World Reviews 965: 940: 441:Wang chose to set the story in 417:, while July had experience in 23:The Center of the World (novel) 1270:Snow Flower and the Secret Fan 1150:Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart 924:. June 7, 2001. Archived from 828: 785: 759: 379: 330:Lisa Newlan as Porn site woman 249:who hires a drummer/stripper ( 1: 865:Harris, Dana (June 8, 2001). 563:the world’s oldest profession 446:characters were performed by 374: 1347:Films directed by Wayne Wang 1332:2000s English-language films 1286:While the Women Are Sleeping 1134:A Man, a Woman, and a Killer 1001:Ebert, Roger (May 4, 2001). 466: 27:Geographical centre of Earth 7: 1337:American erotic drama films 1327:Artisan Entertainment films 795:(in French). July 22, 2001. 767:"Being Ellen Benjamin Wong" 10: 1403: 471: 436: 369:John Lombardo as Gondolier 339:Travis Miljan as Dog owner 21:For the German novel, see 20: 1128: 1003:"The Center of the World" 948:"The Center of the World" 836:"The Center of the World" 742:"The Center of the World" 606:"The Center of the World" 321:Karry Brown as Lap dancer 259:2001 Cannes Film Festival 218: 210: 202: 192: 169: 159: 145: 135: 127: 117: 95: 85: 65: 55: 50:Theatrical release poster 43: 38: 1322:2000s erotic drama films 1254:The Princess of Nebraska 591: 342:Jerry Sherman as Old man 178:April 20, 2001 1222:The Center of the World 1080:The Center of the World 1069:The Center of the World 1058:The Center of the World 534:The Center of the World 477:The Center of the World 391:The Last Tango in Paris 386:The Center of the World 318:Shane Edelman as Porter 293: 264: 230:The Center of the World 39:The Center of the World 16:2001 film by Wayne Wang 1377:Films about striptease 1357:2001 independent films 495:Censorship controversy 25:. For other uses, see 1238:Because of Winn-Dixie 867:"'Center' of a storm" 409:, Auster’s wife, and 273:millionaire. She's a 164:Artisan Entertainment 1382:2000s American films 928:on November 7, 2011 637:festival-cannes.com 538:Last Tango in Paris 501:Cincinnati CityBeat 489:full frontal nudity 327:as Pandora stripper 247:dot-com millionaire 233:is a 2001 American 154:Redeemable Features 1120:Films directed by 1034:. January 14, 2002 525:, which assigns a 460:L'Origine du monde 303:as Richard Longman 1304: 1303: 1294:Coming Home Again 1278:Soul of a Banquet 1230:Maid in Manhattan 1214:Anywhere but Here 1182:The Joy Luck Club 1166:Eat a Bowl of Tea 532:Critics compared 514:Critical response 226: 225: 1394: 1372:2001 drama films 1198:Blue in the Face 1114: 1107: 1100: 1091: 1090: 1044: 1043: 1041: 1039: 1024: 1018: 1017: 1015: 1013: 998: 989: 988: 987: 985: 969: 963: 962: 960: 958: 944: 938: 937: 935: 933: 914: 908: 907: 905: 903: 888: 882: 881: 879: 877: 862: 853: 852: 850: 848: 832: 826: 825: 823: 821: 806: 797: 796: 789: 783: 782: 780: 778: 763: 757: 756: 754: 752: 737: 718: 717: 715: 713: 698: 681: 680: 678: 676: 661: 648: 647: 645: 643: 629: 623: 622: 620: 618: 602: 481:without a rating 366:as Motel manager 364:Robert Lefkowitz 185: 183: 140:Stewart Copeland 48: 36: 35: 1402: 1401: 1397: 1396: 1395: 1393: 1392: 1391: 1307: 1306: 1305: 1300: 1142:Chan Is Missing 1124: 1118: 1085:Box Office Mojo 1053: 1048: 1047: 1037: 1035: 1026: 1025: 1021: 1011: 1009: 999: 992: 983: 981: 971: 970: 966: 956: 954: 952:Rotten Tomatoes 946: 945: 941: 931: 929: 916: 915: 911: 901: 899: 898:. 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May 28, 2001 758: 719: 682: 649: 624: 596: 595: 593: 590: 536:to films like 515: 512: 496: 493: 473: 470: 468: 465: 438: 435: 381: 378: 376: 373: 371: 370: 367: 361: 355: 354:as Taxi driver 349: 343: 340: 337: 331: 328: 322: 319: 316: 310: 304: 297: 295: 292: 266: 263: 224: 223: 220: 216: 215: 212: 208: 207: 204: 200: 199: 196: 193: 190: 189: 187: 186: 175: 173: 170: 167: 166: 161: 160:Distributed by 157: 156: 153: 151: 146: 143: 142: 137: 133: 132: 129: 125: 124: 119: 118:Cinematography 115: 114: 97: 93: 92: 87: 83: 82: 67: 63: 62: 57: 53: 52: 49: 41: 40: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1399: 1388: 1385: 1383: 1380: 1378: 1375: 1373: 1370: 1368: 1365: 1363: 1360: 1358: 1355: 1353: 1350: 1348: 1345: 1343: 1340: 1338: 1335: 1333: 1330: 1328: 1325: 1323: 1320: 1318: 1315: 1314: 1312: 1296: 1295: 1291: 1288: 1287: 1283: 1280: 1279: 1275: 1272: 1271: 1267: 1264: 1263: 1259: 1256: 1255: 1251: 1248: 1247: 1243: 1240: 1239: 1235: 1232: 1231: 1227: 1224: 1223: 1219: 1216: 1215: 1211: 1208: 1207: 1203: 1200: 1199: 1195: 1192: 1191: 1187: 1184: 1183: 1179: 1176: 1175: 1171: 1168: 1167: 1163: 1160: 1159: 1155: 1152: 1151: 1147: 1144: 1143: 1139: 1136: 1135: 1131: 1130: 1127: 1123: 1115: 1110: 1108: 1103: 1101: 1096: 1095: 1092: 1086: 1082: 1081: 1077: 1075: 1071: 1070: 1066: 1064: 1060: 1059: 1055: 1054: 1033: 1029: 1023: 1012:September 19, 1008: 1004: 997: 995: 980: 976: 975: 968: 953: 949: 943: 927: 923: 919: 913: 897: 893: 887: 872: 868: 861: 859: 843: 842: 837: 831: 816: 812: 805: 803: 794: 788: 772: 768: 762: 747: 743: 736: 734: 732: 730: 728: 726: 724: 708: 704: 697: 695: 693: 691: 689: 687: 671: 667: 660: 658: 656: 654: 638: 634: 628: 613: 612: 607: 601: 597: 589: 587: 582: 579: 574: 572: 568: 564: 559: 556: 552: 551: 546: 544: 539: 535: 530: 528: 524: 520: 511: 508: 506: 502: 492: 490: 486: 482: 478: 464: 462: 461: 456: 451: 449: 444: 434: 432: 428: 424: 420: 416: 412: 408: 407:Siri Hustvedt 404: 399: 397: 396:digital video 393: 392: 387: 368: 365: 362: 359: 356: 353: 350: 347: 344: 341: 338: 335: 332: 329: 326: 323: 320: 317: 314: 311: 308: 305: 302: 299: 298: 291: 287: 284: 283:casino dealer 279: 276: 272: 262: 260: 256: 252: 248: 244: 240: 236: 232: 231: 221: 217: 213: 209: 206:United States 205: 201: 197: 191: 177: 176: 174: 168: 165: 162: 158: 152: 144: 141: 138: 134: 130: 126: 123: 120: 116: 113: 109: 105: 101: 98: 94: 88: 84: 81: 80:Siri Hustvedt 77: 73: 68: 64: 61: 58: 54: 47: 42: 37: 32: 28: 24: 19: 1292: 1284: 1276: 1268: 1260: 1252: 1246:Last Holiday 1244: 1236: 1228: 1221: 1220: 1212: 1204: 1196: 1188: 1180: 1172: 1164: 1156: 1148: 1140: 1132: 1078: 1067: 1057: 1036:. Retrieved 1031: 1022: 1010:. Retrieved 982:, retrieved 973: 967: 955:. Retrieved 942: 930:. Retrieved 926:the original 922:citybeat.com 921: 912: 900:. Retrieved 895: 886: 874:. Retrieved 870: 845:. Retrieved 839: 830: 818:. Retrieved 814: 787: 775:. Retrieved 770: 761: 749:. Retrieved 745: 710:. Retrieved 706: 673:. Retrieved 669: 640:. Retrieved 636: 627: 615:. Retrieved 609: 600: 583: 575: 570: 567:dot-com boom 560: 554: 548: 547:Writing for 541: 537: 533: 531: 517: 509: 505:Alisha Klass 498: 476: 475: 458: 452: 448:body doubles 440: 411:Miranda July 400: 389: 385: 383: 346:Carla Gugino 325:Alisha Klass 307:Molly Parker 288: 280: 268: 251:Molly Parker 237:directed by 229: 228: 227: 194:Running time 171:Release date 108:Carla Gugino 104:Molly Parker 91:Peter Newman 72:Miranda July 18: 1206:Chinese Box 1038:October 20, 1032:Film Threat 1007:Roger Ebert 876:October 20, 847:October 20, 820:October 20, 777:October 20, 751:October 20, 712:October 20, 675:October 20, 642:October 24, 617:October 20, 578:Roger Ebert 403:Paul Auster 380:Development 309:as Florence 222:$ 1,460,687 122:Mauro Fiore 89:Wayne Wang 86:Produced by 76:Paul Auster 69:Wayne Wang 56:Directed by 1317:2001 films 1311:Categories 1158:Slam Dance 1122:Wayne Wang 979:Metacritic 932:January 1, 902:January 1, 527:normalized 523:Metacritic 423:Nan Goldin 419:striptease 375:Production 352:Pat Morita 315:as Roxanne 313:Mel Gorham 275:lap dancer 239:Wayne Wang 235:drama film 219:Box office 198:88 minutes 182:2001-04-20 147:Production 66:Written by 60:Wayne Wang 31:Axis mundi 984:March 23, 815:IndieWire 707:IndieWire 483:from the 467:Reception 443:Las Vegas 427:pseudonym 131:Lee Percy 128:Edited by 1074:AllMovie 957:June 27, 841:AllMovie 771:Observer 543:9½ Weeks 415:feminism 348:as Jerri 211:Language 136:Music by 96:Starring 871:Variety 746:Variety 670:Variety 576:Critic 550:Variety 472:Release 455:Courbet 437:Filming 336:as Pete 271:dot-com 214:English 203:Country 180: ( 149:company 1297:(2019) 1289:(2016) 1281:(2014) 1273:(2011) 1265:(2007) 1257:(2007) 1249:(2006) 1241:(2005) 1233:(2002) 1225:(2001) 1217:(1999) 1209:(1997) 1201:(1995) 1193:(1995) 1185:(1993) 1177:(1989) 1169:(1989) 1161:(1987) 1153:(1985) 1145:(1982) 1137:(1975) 571:Center 555:Center 1190:Smoke 592:Notes 245:as a 1063:IMDb 1040:2022 1014:2018 986:2022 959:2019 934:2016 904:2016 878:2022 849:2022 822:2022 779:2022 753:2022 714:2022 677:2022 644:2009 619:2022 540:and 485:MPAA 294:Cast 265:Plot 255:US$ 29:and 1083:at 1072:at 1061:at 457:'s 1313:: 1030:. 1005:. 993:^ 977:, 950:. 920:. 894:. 869:. 857:^ 838:. 813:. 801:^ 769:. 744:. 722:^ 705:. 685:^ 668:. 652:^ 635:. 608:. 588:. 491:. 463:. 450:. 405:; 261:. 1113:e 1106:t 1099:v 1042:. 1016:. 961:. 936:. 906:. 880:. 851:. 824:. 781:. 755:. 716:. 679:. 646:. 621:. 545:. 184:) 33:.

Index

The Center of the World (novel)
Geographical centre of Earth
Axis mundi

Wayne Wang
Miranda July
Paul Auster
Siri Hustvedt
Peter Sarsgaard
Molly Parker
Carla Gugino
Balthazar Getty
Mauro Fiore
Stewart Copeland
Artisan Entertainment
drama film
Wayne Wang
Peter Sarsgaard
dot-com millionaire
Molly Parker
US$
2001 Cannes Film Festival
dot-com
lap dancer
casino dealer
Peter Sarsgaard
Molly Parker
Mel Gorham
Alisha Klass
Jason Calacanis

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