2012 MUBI World Cup Voting, Match #40: China (Routine Holiday) vs. Germany (Die Nibelungen)
China (Routine Holiday) 0 – Germany (Die Nibelungen) 1
Loved the nice action-packed epic story in Die Nibelungen!
Routine Holiday is interesting too. My favorite part would be the scene where the son had an expressionless face when Tuoga was telling the riddle! Wish there would be more riddles in the film!
China (Routine Holiday) – 0 – Germany (Die Nibelungen) – 1
This match gave me the excuse to finally see Lang’s great Die Nibelungen. Of the two films, I thought Siegfried definitely the quintessential. It has some amazing imagery (such as the approach to Brunhild’s realm, the dream sequence, the death of Siegfried), great sets, and clearly reflected the vision of Lang during his finest creative period. The imagery of the death head, at the end of Siegfried’s pre-destined demise, is pure cinema at its finest.
This film is Wagnerian in scope, with the accompanying score reminding us of the master. However, this is a completely different retelling of the work, emphasizing the role of secret vendettas and personal hidden agendas that lead to Siegfried’s downfall. Siegfried is the Teutonic Übermensch, who can slay the dragon, win the love of Brunhild by pretending to be another, but cannot withstand the treachery of all those around him.
Kriemhild’s Revenge has a darker tone and lacked some of the creative vision of its predecessor. We get bogged down in a Macbeth-like tale of revenge and blood, with the German knights fighting off the Mongul hordes like a last stand at the Alamo. Perhaps Lang just ran out of creative steam, but Siegfried had more than enough glitz to easily win this match.
Routine Holiday seemed like a Chinese Waiting for Godot. Everyone appears to be just hanging around, waiting for something to happen. I, too, waited for something to happen or some sort of plot development – but really couldn’t find one. Please explain this film to me, anyone who ‘got’ it. What was in that white bucket the kid was carrying?
China (Routine Holiday) 0 – Germany (Die Nibelungen) 1
Thanks for posting the match Ruby!
no problem riss! trying to get through the films so i can vote too =D
I’d like to vote in this for I’ve already seen the Lang film. I’m not too interested in the other film though and I don’t just want to watch it for the sake of the match.
your mistake tommy. don’t you like roy andersson?
Yes I love Andersson. But it’s not that the film doesn’t sound like something I’d like. I’m just not going to force
Myself to watch it in such a short amount of time just for the sake of casting a vote. I’ll get to it eventually.
China (Routine Holiday) 0 / Germany (Die Nibelungen) 1
You got me interested mags
okay, i l♥♥♥ve niebelungen. it’s only natural to love it. but when i saw the chinese flick, and it was a few months ago, i was struck by what can be done so effortlessly mesmerizing.
China (Routine Holiday) 1 / Germany (Die Nibelungen) 0
haha tommy. there’s me carping at you, and i’m not going to have the time to do the same the other way. especially the other way. not since mubi made the stupid stupid fucking decision to not only remove all but a revolving 30 films from their subscription package, but to remove the pay-per-view option as well. so i’ll only be watching as many mubi films from here on until i can’t anymore. sorry cup. mubi fucked you over.
but i should have said earlier (sorry was in a hurry, and mad at mubi too) routine holiday isn’t similar to andersson in his beautiful visual aesthetic….just his laconic absurdity…apologies if i lured you in on false pretences…
I wasn’t expecting Andersson at all. That’s hard because he’s such a unique presence in cinema. It may have been a bit too absurdist for me.
china (routine holiday) 0 – germany (die nibelungen) 1
i don’t think too many films could’ve withstood the onslaught of die nibelungen. it was very impressive.
routine holiday was doing something interesting but it made me think of nothing so much as some old friends waiting around for their dealer to show up. good for a few deadpan smiles tho :)
China (Routine Holiday) 0 / Germany (Die Nibelungen) 1
Sometimes it feels that voting one against another is absurd. Both these films are terrifically inventive and succeed within the specific aesthetic boundaries which the filmmakers constructed. I don’t mean boundaries as a limitation, but as a vast accumulation of details and decisions which define the films intentions, processes and in these cases arrival at ultimate solidity of idea into epic deed. I was impressed by Lang’s breadth of cinematic technique, a master to be sure, hence my vote for Germany. That being said, it wasn’t an easy decision, owing to the incredible originality and modern reflections of vapid sub-realism portrayed in Li Hongqi’s Routine Holiday. Even its title suggesting a reduction of pacing and action as one may experience midway through a dull, mental erosion sometimes experienced upon the luxurious gift of time and leisure offered in vacations—perhaps slathered in lotion at a resort with a tropical drink by one’s side when even remembering the date is an effort. This Chinese film is a gem, and its discovery is a typical example of why the MUBI Cup is vital to film appreciators like myself, gifting artistic experience of the highest order to unsuspecting viewers often lulled into expecting nothing more permanent than an average formulaic entertainment. What a surprise to be offered two such rare finds. Bravo everyone involved.
VOTING IS CLOSED
Final tally:
China (Routine Holiday) – 1
Germany (Die Nibelungen) – 6
The winner is:
GERMANY!
Unity and justice and freedom
For the German fatherland!
For these let us all strive
Brotherly with heart and hand!
Unity and justice and freedom
Are the pledge of fortune;
|: Flourish in this fortune’s blessing,
Flourish, German fatherland! :|
I’m glad you guys enjoyed Die Nibelungen, and thank you for putting in five hours! It’s been really great to see comments on the film, particularly the way its split. As people have noted, the first half is faster, covers more ground, and includes more awe-inspiring effects. The second, rather than covering a variety of episodes, is one single, almost painfully protracted pageant of death. Siegfried can stand on its own, but the full meaning of the film comes in how the two halves complement each other, which is why I was glad the cup (and its viewers) could allow for such an epic length.
ruby stevens
This topic is part of the 2012 MUBI World Cup. If you have not already done so please read the first post at the topic for an introduction to and rules about this year’s World Cup:
China
Original title: Huangjin zhou
Directed by: Li Hongqi
Approximate runtime: 75 min
Submitted by: fake beard, javier quintero
Germany (Weimar Republic)
Original title: Die Nibelungen
Directed by: Fritz Lang
Approximate runtime: 284 min
Submitted by: Cinesthesia (aka Duncan)
The purpose of this topic is to cast votes in the matchup listed above and also to be a forum for discussing the films in the match.
Anyone who has seen both of the films listed above may vote in this match. You must vote for whichever of the two films you personally like better. In order to vote you must post a reply to this topic containing one of the following sequences:
If you are voting for Routine Holiday: “China (Routine Holiday) 1 – Germany (Die Nibelungen) 0”
If you are voting for Die Nibelungen: “China (Routine Holiday) 0 – Germany (Die Nibelungen) 1”
Your vote must contain the names of both films with a “one” after the film you are voting for and a “zero” after the other film. If your vote is not formatted in this way it will not be counted.
Along with your vote you are strongly encouraged to leave additional comments regarding your reactions to the films, your reasons for why you voted the way you did, and responses to other participants’ comments. Being able to have deep discussion about the films and different aspects of them is an important part of finding enjoyment in participating in the World Cup.
This match will end on Tuesday, June 26 at 10:00 PM GMT. No votes attempted to be cast after that time will be counted. Shortly after the match ends the votes will be tallied and a winner of the match will be declared. If the films both receive the same number of votes, the match will be considered a tie.
The percentage of votes each film receives in a match will have an effect on whether or not the corresponding country will participate in the final round of the World Cup. Thus even if the film you vote for loses in this match, your vote will still be important.
The results of the matches as well as the schedule for future matches can be found here:
http://mubi.com/lists/2012-mubi-world-cup
If you would like to participate but are unable to find sources to watch these films, please send me a personal message so that I can invite you to the private website featuring internet links to view the films.
(also the films for the next match still need to be uploaded if anyone can help out with that!!)