Sight and Sound (2002) Greatest Films Club - Page 53

Adam_S · 03-14-2004, 05:47 PM

Earth -

1/2

Dozvhenko's film is quite powerful and extremely well made. In fact, I feel as though I missed a lot on this first viewing. Definitely the plot is next to meaningless compared to the meanings created by the photographic and editing constructions. I found the plowing the earth to baking the bread sequence to be especially powerful. Erotic would be one way to describe the way that Dozvhenko presents man's interactions with the land and the products of their coupling. But erotic in the classic sense, not in a pornographic sense.

Adam

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Brook K · 03-15-2004, 12:15 AM

I've never had any problems following Vampyr nor did I have any trouble following Cabiria. But I would think the better comparisons would be to Murnau's Nosferatu, Faust, and Tartuffe rather than to Hitchcock.

While we're throwing in non-list films, I do wish Olivier had somehow explained to us how Richard III's army is routed when he's shown to be an excellent tactician who outnumbers his foes 3-1. I know its a neccessity of the story, but there's no visual component to indicate this. His army seemingly vanishes. But other than the battle sequence editing, its a very fine film.

Agreed on Earth & Vampyr, Adam. And if you rented the Image DVD, I hope you also watched the short film The Mascot, I absolutely love it, demonstrated even earlier than King Kong how stop-motion animation can portray deep emotions.

Also agree with Steve on Three Colours, they are emotionally compelling for me as well. Just as I found Death in Venice emotionally compelling and I know there are those who call that style over substance as well. But my review will have to wait for another day.

Adam_S · 03-15-2004, 01:22 AM

vampyr is proto-hitchcock definitely. I've not seen enough murnau et al to make a valid comparison myself. However, and this may be a result of watching it after Cabiria, I found it to be much more comprehensible. I never had any problem following the film; I was delighted at the deliberate pace and moody atmosphere created by the editing and visual design--that's what gave me more of a proto-hitchcock feel. With all the little touches, like the shadows without a source, and the moody effects of whose gaze is empowered, it was classic horror. Moreso like Caligari than Hitchcock however; it definitely felt as there was a direct line going back to the original horror stories like The Sandman.

Jim_K · 03-15-2004, 06:54 AM

Robert Bresson

Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne

A tale about a society woman who tricks her former lover into marrying a prostitute. This was a little on the dull side.

Lancelot du Lac Zero
Is this a joke? I really don’t know where to start with this. An opening that tops Monty Python and the Holy Grail in terms of cheese, complete with limbs getting hacked off and the sloppiest blood sprays you’ll ever see ( note the hose attached to & pumping blood from the hilt of the swords). Once it settles down Bresson keeps the camera at an absurd low angle as any movements are focused on the actors feet, legs & ass. Even worse is when they ride on the horses as the camera stays on the trunk of the horse & the riders legs. The actors looked & acted as bored as I was, the cinematography was just plain ugly, action sequences are reused and looped together, sloppy editing, etc, etc, etc.
This really is an awful film.

With 4 more Bresson films on the list I'm not sure I can endure any more, unless they are worlds better than LDL.

Dome Vongvises · 03-15-2004, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Once it settles down Bresson keeps the camera at an absurd low angle as any movements are focused on the actors feet, legs & ass.

Well don't you know? It's creating that link between violence and being a horse's ass. It's perfect artsy material. BRILLIANT!!!

Dome Vongvises · 03-15-2004, 02:25 PM

Not on the list but it's probably more appropriate here.

The Elephant Man
Directed by David Lynch

Overall Score: B+/A-

Fantastic cinematography by Freddie Francis. I wonder if this film will be looked more favorably upon as time goes by.

Adam_S · 03-16-2004, 03:45 AM

The Scarlett Empress -

I said my peace (for now) on the 1930's thread, here

Adam

Jim_K · 03-16-2004, 06:51 AM

The Elephant Man is probably the best film that Lynch will ever accomplish. Would've been more appropriate for this list instead of Blue Velvet.

Kenji Mizoguchi

Ugetsu Monogatari

Haunting supernatural tale set in medieval Japan about two ambitious peasants & the disasters that they unintentionally inflict on their family. Somewhat similar to the later short story “The Black Hair” featured in Kwaidan.

Sansho the Bailiff

medieval Japan is the setting of this tragic tale of a pair of wealthy children whose parents have been exiled & the children sold into slavery. They must endure years of cruelty before they plan to escape from their master, the evil Sansho.

The Life of Oharu

Drama that follows the hard life of a Samurai’s daughter from a courtesan, concubine & finally ending up as a prostitute. Mizoguchi really had a talent for portraying human tragedies without being overly sentimental (Ozu comes to mind).

Yasujiro Ozu

Tokyo Story

A very sad tale of two elderly parents who go to visit their grown offspring in the big city. A good film but Ozu’s stagnant camera & quiet style doesn’t really appeal to me.

Late Spring

Tale of a father who tries to marry off his daughter, forsaking himself to loneliness. I’m not a fan of Ozu & this is pretty mediocre fare.

glen_esq · 03-16-2004, 11:52 PM

Accattone (Pasolini, 1961)

½
Story of the life of Italian petty criminals and working poor ca. 1960.

At it's best when Franco Citti is portraying Accattone at his sneering, lazy, sarcastic worst. Some of the banter between Accattone and his low-life friends was pretty entertaining. Accattone's attempt at going straight (working) was pretty funny, too. The score - orchestral music by JS Bach - was great, interesting choice set against bleak slums and rubble of that society. Also found it interesting that recovering from the war, how much Italy resembled one of today's 3rd world countries.

There's a scene where Citti is arrested and loses patience with the police at the station and he nearly blows a gasket shouting for a couple of minutes, reminded me of
Citti throughout Pasolini's Oedipus Rex, where he shouts up a storm all movie long.

Outside of the dialogue between the low-lifes portrayed in the movie, I found it repetitious at times, both in its script and bleak, slum landscapes. Its low budget didn't help the movie, either.

Don't think I could recommend it to anyone but a film buff, a marginal thumbs up from me.

Pasolini seen/ranked
1. The Gospel According to St. Matthew
2. Oedipus Rex
3. Accattone
4. Salo

glen_esq · 03-17-2004, 12:15 AM

Bresson - I've seen 6 of his films, Lancelot du Lac is near the bottom of the bunch along with L'Argent, and Diary of a Country Priest.

On the other hand, I quite liked Pickpocket, and A Man Escaped. Mouchette was pretty good, too.

Bresson's directs almost like a mathematician, everything is precise, cold, exact. The actors at times resemble robots, I think his films are at their worst when the actors are required to portray emotion, particularly romantic scenes. Hardly ever a smile in the films I've seen, bleak and serious, you'd think he was Scandinavian

This exact, mathematical approach though works well for subject matter like Pickpocket, and A Man Escaped. Rather fascinating watching all the details in picking pockets and escaping prison.

Jim - did Arthur's knights ever take off their armour? Not according to Bresson it seems, clanking about all movie long got on my nerves.

Jim_K · 03-17-2004, 06:25 AM

glen,

thanks

I'll see if I can find Pickpocket or A Man Escaped. If I can give Godard 7 chances to get it right I think I can endure a little more Bresson.

Oh and yes the clanking really got on my nerves almost as much as Bresson's foot fetish.