Monday, December 22, 2003
Strike
Directed by Sergei M. Eisenstein
Strike, Eisenstein’s first film, revealed the master of cinema his artistic and ground-breaking experimentation with montage. In Strike, scenes are filmed and edited creating metaphorical and symbolic images with zealous revolutionary messages.
Workers living in oppressed and industrialized conditions broke out into a large scale strike when an innocent committed suicide after being accused of being a thief. The management, to counter-strike, introduced spies and provocateurs to cause trouble and give the state an excuse to crush the strikers.
The proletariat confrontation with evil bosses and bureacracy is a common theme for Eisenstein as it espouses the values of communist Russia then. Beyond that however, the movie is a spectacle with its large moving casts of extras as workers. Eisenstein edits Strike such that images contradict or symbolically “explain” each other. As an example, the expression and emotions of people precedes the image of smoking chimneys. Towards the end of Strike, the killing of the strikers by the military is interposed with images of a butcher slaughtering a cow.
Strike is a film every eager student should see.
A Sunday in the Country
Directed by Bertrand Tavernier
The plot of A Sunday in the Country appears to wander aimlessly though it captures subtly familial tensions, love, life and art.
Monsieur Ladmiral (Louis Ducreux), a respected artist, prepares a routine visit from his serious son and family Gonzague (Michel Aumont) wife, Marie-Therese (Genevieve Mnich) and three grandchildren. His lively daughter, Irene (Sabine Azema) pops up unexpectedly; and injected much life to the otherwise staid gathering.
Though nothing much seems to happen in A Sunday in the Country; Bertrand’s wistful and creative use of camera techniques and pan and zoom camera movements creates much dynamism to maintain audience interest. Interior scenes are claustrophobic while outdoor scenes of the country gives the impression of landscape painting. In the scene where the family gathers for lunch, as an example, the images fades in and out of darkness.
The contrasting nature of brother and sister relationship in the household is especially glaring with Gonzague who insists on wearing his coat even when he is perspiring. Irene on the other hand, wears white, moves around and plays games with the kids. Her mode of transport is a car representing individual freedom while Gonzague ‘s irregular train schedule epitomizes industrial collectivity and conformance.
Ladmiral, as the head of the house, seems at ease to let his children move about. He spends his days painting the corners of the room as Irene claims. In a intimate conversation with Irene about his painting, he feels old age has prevented him from experimenting; and that he would rather be honest, rather than become another follower of Van Gogh.
Ladmiral appears to see images of his dead wife and two little girls. Gonzague, walking beside his father, envisions seeing his dead father lying peacefully on bed, as if he is asleep. Such scenes not only explain the history and psychology of the characters; but also embeds it filmic quality to mystery.
A Sunday in the Country is a pre world war one film exploring not just family relationships but also outside changes that would soon transform the world.
Divided We Fall
Directed by Jan Hrebejk
Divided We Fall is one of those second world war movies where characters are not stereotypically pro Nazis. Like The Shop on Main Street, also a Czech film, it revolves around a childless couple- Josef Cizek (Boleslav Polivka) and Marie (Anna Siskova). Both movies feature ordinary individuals caught in making difficult decisions.
In Divided We Fall, Josef, a bespectacled and grumpy man is forced to hide an ex Jewish neighbour, David Wiener (Csongor Kassai) when the latter escapes from a concentration camp in Poland. Their situation is exacerbated by the presence of their friend, Horst Prohazka (Jaroslav Dusek), a pro Nazi supporter, who lusts after the young and pretty Marie.
The ridiculousness of the situation is hilarious at times. When Horst joined them for lunch to consume the pork that they had retrieved from the cellar to make space for David, they were alarmed by the sudden and furious knockings on the door; only to turn out that it was Horst’s son. In another failed attempt by Horst in giving Josef a crash course on how to appear having no emotions, therefore implied loyalty to the Nazis, Josef managed only to look painstakingly constipated.
Marie’s platonic friendship with David appeared to steer towards romantic involvement initially though it will become clearer later that their relationship is essential for them to understand and finally do something that will save themselves.
Recommended.
Seabiscuit
Directed by Gary Ross
I was wary of Seabiscuit originally as I am not much of a sports movie fan but the movie does not fall strictly into the sub genre. It instead, highlights the relationship between horse racing and the indomitable spirit of feel good America.
The movie started disjointed initially as it moves among characters. Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) is an entrepreneur who made it big after improving and selling his own line of cars. A dead son in an accident left him traumatized. His second marriage gave him a new lease of life and made him turned to horse racing. He recruited Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), a horse whisperer and trainer to find him a horse which he could race.
Tom chanced upon Seabiscuit, a small horse doomed in the racecourse even after training by experts; and Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) a promising young jockey who sideline as a boxer. Apparently, he believed that Seabiscuit and Pollard are winners at heart; and which Charles needs.
Seabiscuit theme of “small guys can be winners”; and “ America will win if we prevail” is easily distinguishable. Chris Cooper as horse trainer is most credible though one suspects if his thin wiry voice is iconic of a horse whisperer.
Even at more than 2 hours, Seabiscuit, does not feel painfully overstretched. The movie moves along smoothly as the team and Seabiscuit becomes champions to losers as Pollard and the horse gets injured before rebounding back to becoming winners again.
File this under post 9/11 inspirational fodder.
Directed by Sergei M. Eisenstein
Strike, Eisenstein’s first film, revealed the master of cinema his artistic and ground-breaking experimentation with montage. In Strike, scenes are filmed and edited creating metaphorical and symbolic images with zealous revolutionary messages.
Workers living in oppressed and industrialized conditions broke out into a large scale strike when an innocent committed suicide after being accused of being a thief. The management, to counter-strike, introduced spies and provocateurs to cause trouble and give the state an excuse to crush the strikers.
The proletariat confrontation with evil bosses and bureacracy is a common theme for Eisenstein as it espouses the values of communist Russia then. Beyond that however, the movie is a spectacle with its large moving casts of extras as workers. Eisenstein edits Strike such that images contradict or symbolically “explain” each other. As an example, the expression and emotions of people precedes the image of smoking chimneys. Towards the end of Strike, the killing of the strikers by the military is interposed with images of a butcher slaughtering a cow.
Strike is a film every eager student should see.
A Sunday in the Country
Directed by Bertrand Tavernier
The plot of A Sunday in the Country appears to wander aimlessly though it captures subtly familial tensions, love, life and art.
Monsieur Ladmiral (Louis Ducreux), a respected artist, prepares a routine visit from his serious son and family Gonzague (Michel Aumont) wife, Marie-Therese (Genevieve Mnich) and three grandchildren. His lively daughter, Irene (Sabine Azema) pops up unexpectedly; and injected much life to the otherwise staid gathering.
Though nothing much seems to happen in A Sunday in the Country; Bertrand’s wistful and creative use of camera techniques and pan and zoom camera movements creates much dynamism to maintain audience interest. Interior scenes are claustrophobic while outdoor scenes of the country gives the impression of landscape painting. In the scene where the family gathers for lunch, as an example, the images fades in and out of darkness.
The contrasting nature of brother and sister relationship in the household is especially glaring with Gonzague who insists on wearing his coat even when he is perspiring. Irene on the other hand, wears white, moves around and plays games with the kids. Her mode of transport is a car representing individual freedom while Gonzague ‘s irregular train schedule epitomizes industrial collectivity and conformance.
Ladmiral, as the head of the house, seems at ease to let his children move about. He spends his days painting the corners of the room as Irene claims. In a intimate conversation with Irene about his painting, he feels old age has prevented him from experimenting; and that he would rather be honest, rather than become another follower of Van Gogh.
Ladmiral appears to see images of his dead wife and two little girls. Gonzague, walking beside his father, envisions seeing his dead father lying peacefully on bed, as if he is asleep. Such scenes not only explain the history and psychology of the characters; but also embeds it filmic quality to mystery.
A Sunday in the Country is a pre world war one film exploring not just family relationships but also outside changes that would soon transform the world.
Divided We Fall
Directed by Jan Hrebejk
Divided We Fall is one of those second world war movies where characters are not stereotypically pro Nazis. Like The Shop on Main Street, also a Czech film, it revolves around a childless couple- Josef Cizek (Boleslav Polivka) and Marie (Anna Siskova). Both movies feature ordinary individuals caught in making difficult decisions.
In Divided We Fall, Josef, a bespectacled and grumpy man is forced to hide an ex Jewish neighbour, David Wiener (Csongor Kassai) when the latter escapes from a concentration camp in Poland. Their situation is exacerbated by the presence of their friend, Horst Prohazka (Jaroslav Dusek), a pro Nazi supporter, who lusts after the young and pretty Marie.
The ridiculousness of the situation is hilarious at times. When Horst joined them for lunch to consume the pork that they had retrieved from the cellar to make space for David, they were alarmed by the sudden and furious knockings on the door; only to turn out that it was Horst’s son. In another failed attempt by Horst in giving Josef a crash course on how to appear having no emotions, therefore implied loyalty to the Nazis, Josef managed only to look painstakingly constipated.
Marie’s platonic friendship with David appeared to steer towards romantic involvement initially though it will become clearer later that their relationship is essential for them to understand and finally do something that will save themselves.
Recommended.
Seabiscuit
Directed by Gary Ross
I was wary of Seabiscuit originally as I am not much of a sports movie fan but the movie does not fall strictly into the sub genre. It instead, highlights the relationship between horse racing and the indomitable spirit of feel good America.
The movie started disjointed initially as it moves among characters. Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) is an entrepreneur who made it big after improving and selling his own line of cars. A dead son in an accident left him traumatized. His second marriage gave him a new lease of life and made him turned to horse racing. He recruited Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), a horse whisperer and trainer to find him a horse which he could race.
Tom chanced upon Seabiscuit, a small horse doomed in the racecourse even after training by experts; and Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) a promising young jockey who sideline as a boxer. Apparently, he believed that Seabiscuit and Pollard are winners at heart; and which Charles needs.
Seabiscuit theme of “small guys can be winners”; and “ America will win if we prevail” is easily distinguishable. Chris Cooper as horse trainer is most credible though one suspects if his thin wiry voice is iconic of a horse whisperer.
Even at more than 2 hours, Seabiscuit, does not feel painfully overstretched. The movie moves along smoothly as the team and Seabiscuit becomes champions to losers as Pollard and the horse gets injured before rebounding back to becoming winners again.
File this under post 9/11 inspirational fodder.
