Amazon.com: Trapped In The Closet Chapters 13-22 [DVD] : R. Kelly: Movies & TV (original) (raw)
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Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2007
It started as a serious effort toward toward "hip-hopera", but with the introduction of the midget it has become clear to me that Kelly has realized the comedic value of his life's work, and decided to go with the classic bedroom farce he unintentionally created. Like a favorite recipe created accidentally, this gumbo of style, video and literary forms is unique....the clumsy lyrics, the blackploitation aspect, and the stereotypical characters makes the "Trapped In The Closet" series one of the funniest productions I have seen in a long time. Like the reviewer above, I'm sure I have better things to spend my money on, but the fact that I will be able to expose my friends to such a farcical masterpiece will make the expendature worthwhile.
It is impossible to me to believe that R. Kelly can match the stylistic form of "farce" so closely, and yet not intend for it to be a comedy.
A "farce" frequently focuses on a transgression or on a character's urge to hide something from the other characters, and the unforeseen chain reaction that results. The protagonist, having no time to step back and consider what he or she have been doing or will be doing next, soon passes the point of no return, erroneously believing that any course of action is preferable to being found out or admitting the truth themselves. This way the protagonist gets deeper and deeper into trouble. The protagonist is usually presented sympathetically, encouraging the audience to identify with them and hope for their success. Many farces move at a frantic pace toward the climax, in which the initial problem is resolved one way or another, often through a deus ex machina twist of the plot. Generally, there is a happy ending. The convention of poetic justice is not always observed: The protagonist may get away with what he or she has been trying to hide at all costs, even if it is a criminal act.
I see no difference between the stylistic form I just described and the plot line of "Trapped In A Closet". And I prefer to believe that Kelly has shifted gears and now fully indends to finish off a masterpiece blackploitation hip-hopera bedroom farce. I can't wait.
4 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2012
I was making some salad in the kitchen on Thanksgiving and I heard what sounded like R. Kelly singing. It was coming from the TV. I figured my fiancee just had BET on again--he loves hip hop. I walked over to the TV and saw the retro lettering appear on the screen: Trapped in the Closet. "This is a real thing? Like it's not just a song?" I exclaimed. I considered changing the channel, but for some reason, I could not turn away (probably because it was IFC, not BET, and almost everything on that channel is amazing).
It starts out with a very simple storyline, but after the first 30 minutes or so, you find yourself having to pay attention. Thankfully, R. Kelly inserts little summaries into the saga to catch you up. Things just get more and more complex as the story unfolds, and I'm astounded by the sheer creativity that lies behind this Hip Hopera.
My favorite line in the first 20 minutes or so is,"Oh! Here we go again!" Exactly the kind of self-refection I would expect from a creative genius. I know that R. Kelly peed on someone, but after seeing this, I really don't care.
Anyway, back to Thanksgiving: Within about 3 minutes of staring at the ridiculous hijinks occuring on screen, we were hooked. We could not leave the TV until the entire series was over. Now, I'm getting these episodes for my father-in-law (and one extra set for us). I think of it as an "I'm sorry for missing the first 3 hours of Thanksgiving, and Happy Christmas, too!" present
25 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2011
I enjoyed this with my boyfriend and his family. They have never seen or heard of Trapped In The Closet but were familiar with R. Kelly.
Well let me tell you I enjoyed this more this time around than I did the first time.
It does not matter what color you are (I am black, my BF and family are white) funny has no racial barrier. We were all "oh no!!" and OMG!!! and WHAT!! at every turn. We laughed and laughed and it was a fun way to spend time after eating and exchanging gifts.
This is crack your ribs funny and we ended up singing ppppppimpin and all kinds of stuff afterward.
R. Kelly is a genius and we can't wait until the next 32 chapters hit!!
PPPPPPPimpin!!!
3 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2017
R. Kelly, despite being a psycho with serious issues in real life, is able to produce genius-level work. This is his greatest work to date, and I hesitate to clarify that it's just in my opinion because I think it borders on fact. I watched the next set of chapters after these and they're not as good, but all the chapters in this set are pure gold. You can find some good related drinking games online, too. I watched this with a group of friends and it was hysterical. Best party I've ever hosted. You will not regret this purchase.
10 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2013
R. Kelly is a genius. Trapped in the Closet demonstrates this without the ability to argue. You seriously don't know, though you sometimes guess, if he was joking when he wrote this or if he was seriously trying to make a hip-hop-era... My girlfriend introduced me to this and I ordered it the next day. DVD has a bonus commentary which is nothing special but overall it is still worth the purchase. If you find it on YouTube (as I have tried) you'll notice many parts are cut out etc. Something this good deserves a few dollars.
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2015
Bought this as a gag gift for a friend. I have watched the series before and it a bizarre tale of how everyone in a town 'gets around' with everyone else and the consequences of their actions. Extremely over dramatic, at times hilarious with the twists it takes. On some levels, this is ingenious and others purely stupid. Over all it is quite the fun tale. I do love that R. Kelly keeps referring to his 1911 as a Beretta though....
10 people found this helpful
Top reviews from other countries
5.0 out of 5 stars The one and only Hip-Hopera
Reviewed in Canada on March 30, 2021
The less said about R. Kelly the better, but Trapped In The Closet will forever be a one-of-a-kind music experience. Part song, part soap opera, it really captures the essence of struggles in the modern era. From the threats of violence to the mysterious "package", there is always an incredible cliffhanger for each chapter.
Twan rules.
3.0 out of 5 stars Sacré R.Kelly
Reviewed in France on March 7, 2017
C frais, original! Prévoir les paroles sur le net sinon on est vite dépassé!
R.Kelly est 1 vrai artiste avec une imagination débordante!
5.0 out of 5 stars GENIUS
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 19, 2014
OK... if you have any interest is scriptwriting and direction, or a budding next Tarantino... You have to watch this...
The way R Kelly has paced this story and the way he narrates the story. is pure genius... Each chapter/episode ends with you wanting for more... this is real writing talent...
The Genius, is all in the writing, and the delivery of the dialogue. This isn't by accident. R Kelly, knows what he is doing, and the best Hollywood screenwriters, know what he is doing too... You can not watch one chapter, and not want to see what happens next... In the business, this is called "cliffhanger"... Again, the genius, is the build-up to each cliffhanger.
Buy it. Watch it. Study it. But you won't regret it. ... PS. and I am not even a R Kelly fan...
5.0 out of 5 stars Ein Meisterwerk
Reviewed in Germany on January 23, 2012
Jeder kennt das. Man wacht verkatert auf, bemerkt, dass die Frau, die man sieht, nicht die eigene ist. Noch bevor man das Haus dieser Frau verlassen kann, wird man von ihr in den Kleiderschrank gesperrt, weil ihr Ehemann gerade eintrifft. Und schon ist man gefangen. Gefangen im Kleiderschrank. Oder wie R.Kelly es sagen würde : "Trapped in the closet".
Hiermit habe ich die ersten 1-2 Minuten des Filmes schon vorweggenommen, dabei soll es bleiben. Die Story lebt von ihren unzähligen dramatischen Wendungen und Cliffhangern. Der non-native-speaker sollte ein halbwegs gutes Hörverständis haben um der Story folgen zu können. Aber das ist nicht schwer, da R.Kelly parallel zur gesehenen Handlung fast jede Tätigkeit der Akteure singend erläutert.
Ein Wort will ich dennoch übersetzen:
"Midget" - "Kleinwüchsiger"( oder passender wohl "Zwerg").
Ohne diese Vokabel verliert man eine Szene -nur wenige Sekunden- die für sich genommen Preise sämtlicher Kategorien verdient hätte.
Ich empfehle folgende Erwartungshaltung für diesen Film:
-R.Kelly möchte eine Geschichte "mitten aus dem Leben" erzählen - und das Leben ist unvorhersehbar
-R.Kelly möchte seine Story singend erzählt haben - und da er nunmal toll singt, singt er einfach alle(!) Parts selber
Wer einen tieferen Einblick in R.Kelly's Verständis von "Trapped in the closet" bekommen möchte, für den bietet diese DVD Gelegenheit den Film gemeinsam mit R.Kelly zusammen anzuschauen. Grrrreat stuff!
Fazit:
5 Sterne! Ohne Zweifel! Mit der richtigen Einstellung ist "Trapped in the closet" Unterhaltung, wie nochnie zuvor erlebt.
4.0 out of 5 stars Laurence Stern and James Joyce had a special needs lovechild, which was raised by an urban American gang-lord.
Reviewed in Canada on April 17, 2015
I have no idea what this is supposed to be. Is it comedy? Is it drama? Something in between? Trapped in the Closet is a meandering, stupidly brilliant, mess of a masterpiece. Very little about the story makes sense, and I love it all the more for it. There are so many unanswered questions, so many mysteries and oddities, that this hip-hopera will entertain many times over. The melody that hangs over the opera is fun, the lyrics range from potent to nonsensical, and Kelly's delivery is undyingly sincere, even when he might be kidding. but who knows? Perhaps Kelly does not even understand what he has created here. And it's all the more beautiful for it, I'd strongly recommend this saga for anyone, and I challenge you to solve it's endless ambiguities.