Irma Vep Beware of a Holy Whore

Two fantastic films that take on the sometimes absurd process of making movies: Olivier Assayas's Irma Vep and Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Beware of a Holy Whore. One of Assayas's most celebrated films, Irma Vep is a dazzlingly witty look at how movies are made--in this case, a remake of the silent classic Les Vampires starring Hong Kong action diva Maggie Cheung. With New Wave icon Jean-Pierre L»aud as the burned-out auteur attempting to direct the wreckage. (1996; 96 mins.)

Beware of a Holy Whore is Rainer Werner FassbinderÌs autobiographical and appallingly entertaining account of how the filmmaking process can spiral out of control. With Eddie Constantine. (1971; 103 mins.)