I’m gonna watch how this one plays out a bit, and see if there are any comments. I’m leaning towards Deserter though.
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter) —1 vs. Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier) —0
There are a couple of matches (they all seem to be coming at the end of this round for some reason) that I’m not really happy voting in. I gave both of these films 5/5 and don’t really want to vote one way or the other.
But whatever.
I’m going with Pudovkin because for me films of this scope and excellence made that long ago hold a special kind of awe.
I’m sure there are people who didn’t like one or both of these films—maybe the socialist ideas in Deserter or the off-kilter sequences of Barrier—and I’d like to hear why.
I was watching Barrier and then had to pause it. Later my girlfriend came in the room with me and I asked her if I could start watching this movie again, even though I told her I wasn’t liking it. As soon as I unpaused it a bunch of people started hopping up and down in funny paper hats. We both started laughing and she asked, “how could you not like this?”
Deserter 0 – Barrier 1
I think I’ll stop trying to watch ahead and just decide which matches to vote in the week before the matches. Some of these films are hard to remember.
^ I’ve had to re-watch a couple because of this, but one way to get around it is to take a few notes either as you watch or right after.
Some of these films are hard to remember.
I’ll probably watch all of those films post-DC but I find it very hard to believe that someone finds “hard to remember” a Romanian or a Polish film and NOT a John Carpenter or Terence Davies one (yeah, i deliberately mention Anglophone directors)
That being said, I’ve seen other films from those 2, so good luck because both are legends with their own distinct qualities!
Barrier 1 vs Deserter 0
This is probably the match I’ve looked forward to the most out of round 1 and I’ve still yet to see either.
I’ll probably watch all of those films post-DC but I find it very hard to believe that someone finds “hard to remember” a Romanian or a Polish film and NOT a John Carpenter or Terence Davies one (yeah, i deliberately mention Anglophone directors)
Dim, you clearly have a great memory, and I’m not being facetious. In a lot of your post you are able to remember very specific things from so many different movies. But you need to realize this is not something that comes as easily to a lot of people.
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter): 1 —vs— Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier): 0
in this cynical and unidealistic generation, in spite of everything, romantic impulses manifest themselves
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter) 0 —vs— Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier) 1
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
there were some moments in the pudovkin that strangely made me recall peter hutton in b&w deliciousness, but bariera is a personal polish fanaticism of mine unleashed. maybe only portabella would have had a chance here…
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter) —1 vs. Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier) —0
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter) 1 – Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier) 0
A touch choice, but I’m going for it.
Pudovkin again, after my experience with The End of St. Petersburg, proves to be more interesting and engaging than the majority of works from his Soviet contemporaries, although that’s still nothing too great. What is interesting is that this must have been one of the first sound films to also use the famous Soviet editing style. And in the chaos of all of the rumbles, it’s pretty intense!
I’m very sad about Barrier because for some reason that I don’t have any real support for, I had this sense that Jerzy was going to be one of my new favorites. This film does not start me in that direction. But you know by now I like stuff that’s a bit more cohesive.
@Dim
I have a hard time remembering them by name. A visual cue brings it all back to me.
Deserter (Pudovkin) – 0 // Barrier (Skolimowski) – 1
Both films are very much in the vein of something I’d like, but in the end I wasn’t too enthused by either. Deserter has an aesthetic I really love but it bored me terribly, which I don’t often say of any film. Plot-based propaganda needs to have a stronger forward thrust to keep me engaged, and this film rambled a bit, running a half-hour too long for my taste. That said, I like Pudovkin’s style very much in general and I look forward to his next.
I like Skolimowski too, but not when he’s being this opaque. It’s a film I could very likely grow to love with further viewings, though, so it gets my vote.
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter) 0 vs Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier) 1
Deserter – 0 vs. Barrier – 1
Pudovkin is a great silent director but Deserter is a bit of a rehash with some random sound thrown in.
Skolimowski is a little to purposely obscure here but takes it in a weak match.
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter) 0 vs Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier) 1
But you need to realize this is not something that comes as easily to a lot of people.
That’s why I brought in an example with two Westerners. Jirin of course cleared that out (title confusion happens to all of us) but even so…….is it that much difficult to recall a non-Kieslowski Polish film? Is that why Kieslowski and Wadja and even Skolimowski produced films in other countries beyond their own? I mean…is it really easier to recall a film with Vincent Gallo than a film like Barrier?
(that’s not to Jirin but a general question)
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter) 0 vs Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier) 1
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter) 0 vs Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier) 1
I am pretty sure that during Comrade Renn’s big speech he kept referencing a serious set of balls. Either way, from the awkward to the awesome, let propaganda clang.
Deserter – 1 vs. Barrier – 0
I mean…is it really easier to recall a film with Vincent Gallo than a film like Barrier?
No.
No one ever made any distinction between different types of films being difficult to remember. It’s just that people are watching so many films in a short period of time. How do you know Jirin remembers Carpenter movies better than Skolimowski. He never made a distinction. Where do you come up with this?
I am pretty sure that during Comrade Renn’s big speech he kept referencing a serious set of balls.
Haha, yeah I forgot, I wanted to point that out too. He was very emphatic!
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter) —1 vs. Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier) —0
http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/skolimowski/
sheer indented propaganda – 0 vs. romantic impulses -1
“deserter " was still wonderful, but any reklama distracts me.Vsevolod Pudovkin (Deserter) —0 vs. Jerzy Skolimowski (Barrier) —1
oh….a sabre and a suitcase full of burning coals, jiggling in workboots, not reaching the goose….sigh…
obscure….not cohesive….opaque… ? you guys must have hated 8½…
Dim, to answer that question, somewhat, i paid no attention to this director until he made a film with Gallo.
true story ;-)
House of Leaves
The extended voting period for this match lasts until 7pm BST (6pm GMT) on Friday, 13 May, 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 Thursday, 12 May.
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:
Vsevolod Pudovkin (Javier Quintero) Deserter vs. Jerzy Skolimowski (Brady) Barrier
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.