DIRECTORS’ CUP 2011 VOTING, SEMIFINALS, MATCH 2: Dziga Vertov (Kino Eye) vs João César Monteiro (Hovering Over Water)
Dziga Vertov (Kino Eye) – 0 vs Joao Cesar Monteiro (Hovering Over Water) – 1
Dziga Vertov (Kino Eye) 0 vs. João César Monteiro (À Flor do Mar) 1
Vertov’s films are always interesting, and I have a lot of admiration for what he produced. But they don’t fill me with a strong desire to go back for more. In the case of Kino Eye, I liked a lot of the imagery, including the animation of the drunkard toward the end, that looks a lot like The Adventures of Prince Achmed of all things. The footage showing the production of bread or meat in reverse was also interesting, though I suppose it indicates the degree to which the films were directed toward those in the cities. I would imagine those in the country wouldn’t get much out of seeing this process, and I’m interested to know how well-distributed film was outside of the major cities at this time. Was there an effort to show the films of Vertov and his contemporaries in rural locations at this point?
Out of the five Monteiro films selected, this is my least favorite, and yet I still love it a great deal. Vertov is up against the irresistible force from my point of view, and I don’t think I’d be likely to pick Kino Eye over any of Monteiro’s films. This is perhaps more intimate than the João de Deus films, and it’s not nearly as quirky as most of the others, though Monteiro himself playing a terrorist is a special touch.
Dziga Vertov (Kino Eye) – 1 vs Joao Cesar Monteiro (Hovering Over Water) – 0
Kino Eye 0 – Hovering Over the Water 1
Kino Eye 0 – À Flor do Mar 1
Kino Eye 1 – Hovering Over Water 0
I’m glad it looks like Monteiro is going to dominate this vote despite my vote. Overall I like him a lot better.
since not Stanley, would rather Vertov take this whole thing
Dziga Vertov (Kino Eye) 0 – João César Monteiro (Hovering Over Water) 1
Kino Eye 0 Flor do Mar 1
Two fine films from directors i’m fond of. Not Monteiro’s best (nor Vertov’s) but the noctural elegance of Portugal wins out.
Monteiro’s matches always get so few votes… I think you sold him a bit too well, kuxa kanema!
virtually nothing he did on film was ever meant to be “filmic” per se, much less actively captivating to any but the most self-crucifying art-house audiences
I watched A Flor do Mar yesterday. In some ways it struck me as a Monteiro take on the sort of film more regularly tackled by a director like Rohmer. There were some delightfully bizarre touches, of course, foremost among them, as Brian mentioned, Monteiro himself making an appearance as a lecherous old terrorist. I’m not sure I like this sort of thing (and I don’t really know how to describe it, either…) better than his pastoral fairy tales or his Joao de Deus persona, but it’s still somehow fascinating. That Michael Atkinson article in his director introduction is spot on; these films are no more and no less than pure geysers of Monteiro-ness. I really love the man and will accept being trounced by him if I must. ;)
Dziga Vertov (Kino Eye) 0 – João César Monteiro (Hovering Over Water) 1
Difficult match.
Robert Jordan, didn’t he write a fantasy novel series? There was something about this character that was both so cool and so creepy. I didn’t know if this was the most sincere character I’ve ever met or the most deceitful. It turns out in the end I guess he was sincere. It looks like the guy who played him Philip Spinelli didn’t do too many other movies than this one. I could have seen him as a bit part in a Hal Hartley film.
Something about this film lingered more than it felt like it should have. Something about these lines seem to sum it up: “I don’t want to remember you. All my days are memories full of ghosts.”
I won’t be around when this is supposed to end. Can someone close this match at the appropriate time? Maybe Cecil since he is the one who scheduled this to end on a Saturday. ;)
At 7:00 GMT I’ll be busy nomming on Thai food in a restaurant with some friends. Soooo, if someone else is around that would be good :P
Kino Eye 2 A Flor do Mar 7
i make it just over an hour to go.
Kino Eye 1
Hovering Over Water 0
Kino Eye – 0 vs. Hovering Over Water – 1
I like Vertov, and I like Monteiro more.
I don’t like the erratic start/end times of matches.
Kino Eye 1 – Hovering Over Water 0
MATCH OVER
Late run of votes, but
Monteiro wins 8-4!
THE FINAL:
v
Damn, that’s a good – Monteiro’s gotta win this one – final!
When is the final due to take place? Hopefully we’ll have a good turnout
Hey thanks to everyone (the few) that voted!! I wonder if it is cup fatigue or whether the thought of Monteiro’s films put people off watching them!! Anyway I have had a loyal bunch of Monteiro supporters and I hope against a big name like Mizoguchi in the finals we get a some more votes. I will definitely take some time out and update the Monteiro thread with a few thoughts about each film I have selected. Sad that I can’t choose anymore as Monteiro has a great filmography for further viewing I would suggest……..
Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, Monteiro’s first cinematic venture. A beautiful short film about the great Portuguese poet.
God’s Comedy and God’s Wedding featuring his alter ego João de Deus. (I do regret not being able to choose some of his later films and I would defintely recommend viewing some of his later work.)
and a personal favourite The Hips of J.W. A
Two actors performing in Strindberg’s “Inferno” as God and Lucifer, find themselves competing in real life as well. One of them, Henrique, has spiritual obsession with John Wayne and his way of walking. He and de Dieu, his fellow actor who plays Lucifer and also directs the Strindberg play, engage in a philosophical and spiritual tug-of-war, especially when they meet an author named God, who has plans for another drama to feature both actors. -IMDb
I don’t like the erratic start/end times of matches.
Me neither, but be glad I posted them at all since it seemed like no one else was going to….
Thanks for your work Risselada, as well as Cecil. It’s a commitment people often take for granted- and deserving wider participation. So for the final, it’s the 5 Monteiro films already chosen v the 5 Mizoguchi? And people choose one block over the other?
ah, i see there’s now a Final thread
“There was something about this character that was both so cool and so creepy. I didn’t know if this was the most sincere character I’ve ever met or the most deceitful. It turns out in the end I guess he was sincere. It looks like the guy who played him Philip Spinelli didn’t do too many other movies than this one.”
The more I think about this actor, the more I can’t stand him.
Risselada
The extended voting period for this match lasts until 7:00 pm GMT on Saturday, November 19, which means that users will have 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.
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 you´re going to vote for on this thread is:
Dziga Vertov (Kino Eye) vs João César Monteiro (Hovering Over Water)
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.