DIRECTORS’ CUP 2011 VOTING, ROUND 2, MATCH 11: Jonas Mekas (Lost, Lost, Lost) vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha)
Jonas Mekas (Lost Lost Lost) – 0 vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Sbarnarkha) – 1
Both great films, but I will ultimately side with Ghatak. I haven’t seen much of his films or even the film that was the round 1 pick, but I must say that this has to be my favorite Indian film so far. I hate to see Ghatak be completely ignored here in the states. I think even Satyajit Ray and much of the non Bollywood Indian cinema rarely gets the recognition that it has deserved. I hear that Scorsese and the World Cinema Foundation are essentially planning to take care of this, so hopefully sooner rather than later.
Jonas Mekas (Lost Lost Lost) – 0 vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) – 1
Thanks for the great intro Vikram and putting up Subarnarekha.
Jonas Mekas (Lost, Lost, Lost) 0 – Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) 1
It is frustrating that three of my favorite filmmakers in this cup have been pitted against each other in the same group! I am greatly enjoying Mekas’s work and was captivated by Ghatak’s rich film in this round… although Mekas’s Lost, Lost, Lost was another amazing cinematic experience for me, I did not enjoy it as much as his R1 film. Ghatak’s wonderful Subarnarekha absolutely wins my vote in this match.
I’m headed out of town for the next two months now, and I have done my best to watch some films in advance in order to keep active in the voting process. All the best!
Lost Lost Lost 0 Subarnarekha 1
Two fantastic films, but seeing the Ghatak again confirmed it as one of my all time favourites.
Jonas Mekas (Lost Lost Lost) 1 vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) 0
sorry vikram, here’s one heart for you ;) and another to replace mine that displaced jonas broke with this film
Lost Lost Lost – 0 vs. Subarnarekha – 1
Mekas is losing some of his charm, and Subarnarekha is really, really good. If only Ghatak had some home movies of Lou Reed, then I would be happy.
Lost Lost Lost 0 – Subarnarekha 1
Both great films. After I saw Lost Lost Lost I was pretty sure I was going to be voting for it. Lost Lost Lost is beautiful in capturing the emotional state of displaced people. It just goes on a little too long in the same tone, which places it slightly below it’s opposition. Subarnarekha really sneaks up on you. At the start it looked like it was going to be a Ray-style film with the social issue drama element of condemning the caste system. The film had all that, but then the direction the characters take when reality destroys their dreams is totally enthralling. The idealistic intellectual realizes his peers were right about his literature: Everybody is suffering, but nobody wants to hear about it. (Which I also take as self-referential exposition from Ghatak). All three main characters realize: If you go against cultural conventions, doors will start closing to you.
I’m curious about the context of the film’s release. In 1965, was it already accepted in India that the caste system was a bad thing, or was it still a cultural norm?
Jonas Mekas (Lost, Lost, Lost) 0 – Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) 1
this is kinda ironic because im so much in love with mekas right now and have only seen 2 ghatak films, i hate to see mekas losing this one, but subarnarekha is probably the mother of all tragedy films (alongside sansho), sorry cat but if your chosen oona’s third year or reminiscenece i wouldve gone with mekas any day, but i respect your decision, lost lost lost is also the great and an underlooked one, so i kinda understand your choice
Ghatak takes an early lead, 7-1
wow, painful…
This is going to be such a tough vote. I’m going to try to rewatch both before I cast mine.
Lost, Lost, Lost 0 Subarnarekha 1
No one yet has mentioned about the idealistic newbie in the newspaper printing company in the beginning of Subarnarekha, completely losing his enthusiasm and hopes in his career by the end of the film as he has gotten used to the shadiness and tedium of the business, with complete apathy and indifference towards Ishwar’s dealing with Sita’s death. Something small and almost unnoticeable yet such a crucial detail.
And, oh the ending, not unlike The Cloud-Capped Star’s, almost hopeful in the surface yet still a tragedy beginning yet another cycle.
(something I wrote after watching Lost, Lost, Lost months ago)
Maybe, Lost, Lost, Lost was not the right film to start with when trying to get into Mekas’ works. I probably should have started with his more accessible film, Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania.
I mean, it’s great that he has taken the habit of filming almost everything that can be recorded in his life but, for me, it doesn’t come all together or doesn’t have that great emotional pull I expect from films that are supposedly testaments to life. And this compilation, no, that doesn’t sound right… this chronicle, that’s probably even worse… The way I see it, this film, his diary, a combination of personal thoughts and actual accounts of life, is his way of dealing with the past and present, his integration to American society and his departure from Lithuania, and his relationships with both the Lithuanian community and his social group of filmmakers. And since there’s only going to be a “pile of rabbit shit” in the end of the road, he might as well make the journey to the end worth it.
The self-proclamation that Mekas and his fellow radical filmmakers are the monks of the Order of Cinema might be a bit too over-the-top and arrogant, not even the best metaphor. But I am still ignorant to most of their works to even denounce such a statement.
Lost, Lost, Lost – 0 vs. Subarnarekha – 1
RUS says:
Jonas Mekas (Lost Lost Lost): 1 —vs— Ritwik Ghatak (Sbarnarkha): 0
Jonas Mekas (Lost Lost Lost): 0 – vs – Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha): 1
Difficult choice this time given how much I love both Mekas and Ghatak, but Subarnarekha is one of my alltime favourite films while I prefer other Mekas films rather than Lost, Lost, Lost
Lost, Lost, Lost (0) – Subarnarekha (1)
Jonas Mekas (Lost, Lost, Lost) 1 vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) 0
Quite an easy choice for me, Mekas never loses its charm and the film was absolutely fascinating.
I’m not really enthusiastic about Ghatak, I didn’t really like the first round film and I can’t say I liked this one better. I feel like I must be missing something because everyone seems to love Subarnarekha so much and I just don’t see why. The film is certainly beautifully shot, but apart from that I don’t get the appeal.
Jonas Mekas (Lost, Lost, Lost) – 1 vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) – 0
The cry of anguish or the sigh of longing? The political firebrand or the melancholic poet? On another day, my vote might well have gone the other way.
Lost, Lost, Lost (Mekas) – 1 // Subarnarekha (Ghatak) – 0
Jonas Mekas (Lost, Lost, Lost) 0 – Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) 1
This is an interesting match-up, as it shows two very different approaches to diaspora and exile.
This was my first Mekas film, and I can’t say it was an entirely enjoyable experience for me. It is fascinating in terms of its construction and the necessities of how it was filmed. (Hamid Naficy talks a bit about his filming style in An Accented Cinema, which helped me to respect the film a lot.) In the end, I think it’s more interesting in critical terms than in my more subjective first response to it; I wouldn’t mind talking about it, but I’m not so inclined to watch it again.
The Golden Thread isn’t my favorite Ghatak; I prefer the other two that Vikram has selected, as well as A River Called Titas, but it’s still a wonderful film for me. I made a brief comment on the analysis Vikram did of it, but I’ll mention as well here the scene with Sita singing a heartbreaking song in the middle of nature, alone, with the camera sweeping past her, isolating her in the world. Ghatak hits me with this type of sublime moment repeatedly, and I’m happy to see other people finding his films.
Mekas is the bane of the the Cup for me this year. At least I can stand him better than Yoshida. If I was attempting to evaluate him entirely on his narration and didn’t know he had a foreign accent, I would truely guess that he is mentally retarded. The monontonous….. cadence…… and inflections…… that he uses…… with the……. extremely long……. pauses……. in the middle of his……. sentences……. make him sound like…… he is trying to do an…….. impression…….. of William Shater……. and has gone way……. overboard. The fact that his films all have to be three hours long just drives the monotony and madness even further.
I found Subarnarekha wonderful for all the reasons already mentioned. And Madhabi Mukherjee looks more gorgeous than ever.
Yeah, I love Mekas’ use of the camera and his general ideas, but that monotonous pausing tone he uses really grates at me, especially when the movie is about an hour longer than it needs to be.
Jonas Mekas (Lost, Lost, Lost) – 1 vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) – 0
Ooops! I forgot to post my vote!
Jonas Mekas (Lost, Lost, Lost) 0 – Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) 1
Jonas Mekas (Lost, Lost, Lost) – 1 vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) – 0
Jonas Mekas (Lost Lost Lost) 1 vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) 0
Jonas Mekas’ Lost Lost Lost (1) vs. Ritwik Ghatak’s Subarnarekha (0)
I make it
Lost Lost Lost 9 Subarnarekha 13
staging a comeback
Jonas Mekas (Lost Lost Lost) 1 vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Subarnarekha) 0
House of Leaves
The extended voting period for this match lasts until 7:00 pm BST (6:00 pm GMT) on Thursday, June 16, 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, June 15.
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:
Jonas Mekas (Cat) Lost, Lost, Lost vs. Ritwik Ghatak (Vikram Kamat) Subarnarekha
If you have not seen these films and are not able to access them on your own then pm me and I may be able to give you access to the streaming links.