DIRECTORS’ CUP 2011 VOTING, ROUND 1, MATCH 15: Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) vs Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X)
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) 1 – Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) 0
Here is what a certain scene in Dog Days reminded me of:
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) 1 – Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) 0
Dog Days 1 – The Mysterious X – 0
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days): 0 —vs— Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X): 1
Ulrich Seidl (Cat) Dog Days 0 – Benjamin Christensen (Kai White) The Mysterious X 1
For the first time I had to watch a film after the vote opened. I need to pick up the pace. Are people working on the films with matches coming up?
Siedl obviously believes it’s absolutely integral to the plot to have exposed genitals in every other scene. Dog Days seems kind of directionless and gratuitous to me.
The Mysterious X is now the oldest film I’ve ever seen. It’s a little cliche but it serves its purpose.
The Mysterious X is now the oldest film I’ve ever seen. It’s a little cliche but it serves its purpose.
There, now you’ve seen an older one. Unless you don’t have 47 seconds free.
The Mysterious X is now the oldest film I’ve ever seen. It’s a little cliche but it serves its purpose.
now you’ve seen the oldest one you could possibly ever see.
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) – 1 vs Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) – 0
Where are all the votes? Not like these films aren’t available.
I’m still on the fence on this one. I’m determined to rewatch them both before I vote, so I need to get going on that.
I’m still on the fence on this one
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Just remember, everyone, if you are on the fence, and this can be true for any fence, it is always significantly better to land on the side of the Danish, especially pre-1930. That is all, and thank you for your time.
What exactly do the Danish have to offer for this transaction? I might be swayed by diplomatic immunity. You know. Just in case.
What exactly do the Danish have to offer for this transaction?
House, maybe when you fall on the Danish side of the fence, you might find yourself a recipient of one, two, or maybe ALL of these . . .
Hmm? RUS has some food and I’ve got the drinks . . . I’m just saying . . . ;)
not to derail the voting too much:
(what do you want? they’re not known for good beer)
Dog Days 1 – The Mysterious X 0
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) 1 – Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) 0
I love dog days, characters, lifestyles, people in it. it is a very, very hot movie i think. :) mysterious is a nice silence movie but dog days is a example of success ;) lets listen a cassette, in this side please. :)
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) 1 – Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) 0
Easy vote this time, not a vote against Mysterious X, but Dog Days is a masterpiece, no mistake about it. There are no narrative signposts needed here except for one which points at the very core of human existence. It’s a deeply, deeply humanistic piece of filmmaking and I get a similar kind of excitement from thinking about it as I do from watching a Buster Keaton movie. I can think of some other filmmakers who could learn a thing or two about what it means to be vile and base from Ulrich Seidl.
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) 0 – Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) 1
A little boy prays, his eloquent gesture captured in a Lotte Reiniger-like shadow, body elongated as if El Greco had painted it. Suddenly, he makes an important decision, he takes his pyjamas off, puts shirts and trousers, steals the keys from home, and off he goes to give his support to imprisoned daddy, but not before he tricks the guards, and Christensen uses spatial architecture (the cavities under the bridge) and variations in tone and rhythm to create a masterful sequence of suspense which is as stunning in plot-driven terms as it is in formal beauty, certainly one of my favourite single moments from the Cup so far. I love ‘Dog Days’, I firmly believe Maria Hofstätter gives one of the most fearless and brilliant performances from the past 15 years or so, and I love exposed genitals absolutely integral to the plot or not, but that resolute little boy conquered my heart of stone,
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) 0 – Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) 1
It seemed like the extreme hotness was just a device to justify why so many people might be taking off their shirts and underwear all the time.
Does anyone feel a kind of similarity between the hitchhicker and movie geeks?
Do you know the top 10 supermarkets? Do you know the top 10 talk show hosts?
Do you know the top 10 Rohmer films? Do you know the top 10 directors from Romania? Check out my MUBI list.
^ Haha! Oh yes, especially the internet forum kind.
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) – 0 vs Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) – 1
:(
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) – 0 vs Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) – 1
Not only The Mysterious X was surprisingly entertaining, but I could vote for it only for the beautiful compositions.
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) – 1 vs Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) – 0
The characters’ behavior in Dog Days struck me as very specific to the individuals, and not related to the core of human existence. It at various times reminded me of Slacker and Faces, but didn’t have a consistent vision except to show arbitrary violence.
We should probably leave Linklater out of this because I can’t speak for his films, but as a massive Cassavetes fan, I can say that it has something to do with Faces. It’s a very physical form we are dealing with here and that’s why I refer you to Buster Keaton. Overall, I would say we are more in the realm of Caravaggio.
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) – 1 vs Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) – 0
Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days) 1 vs. Benjamin Christensen (The Mysterious X) 0
Dog Days (Seidl) – 1 // The Mysterious X (Christensen) – 0
Seidl is a very unusual director, and I’m not I understood everything he was going for in Dog Days, but the emotions get across loud and clear. Christensen shows obvious directorial flair but the plot of The Mysterious X didn’t engage me.
House of Leaves
The extended voting period for this match lasts until 7pm BST (6pm GMT) on Thursday 21th April, which means that users will have over 48 hours in order to publish their votes. The world map which lists all current time zones can be found on www.worldtimezone.com, so that everyone can be up to date about how much time is left.
After the voting period is over the votes will be counted and the results published. The next match will begin before 7pm BST (6pm GMT) on Wednesday 20th April.
Each user can vote on any match as long as he/she has watched both films that are lined-up against each other. An explanation for the preference in each case would be greatly appreciated. Managers are not allowed to vote on matches that their director participates in. The voting should be handled like this:
Film A 1 (or 0) – Film B 0 (or 1)
Please mark the winning film/score in large or heavy print.
PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU DO NOT NAME BOTH FILMS IN YOUR POST YOUR VOTE WILL NOT BE COUNTED
The match (managers in parentheses) you´re going to vote for on this thread is:
Ulrich Seidl (Cat) Dog Days vs Benjamin Christensen (Kai White) The Mysterious X
If you have not seen either of these films and are not able to access them on your own then pm me and I should hopefully be able to give you access to streaming links.