Directors’ Cup Voting, Round 1, Match 1: Woody Allen (Manhattan) vs. Zoltán Huszárik (Sinbad)
“…but still a classic ;)”
it sure is
Manhattan 0 – Szindbád 1
Manhattan’s been a favourite of mine for a while, but I found Huszárik’s film exceptional and a gorgeous new discovery. I’m dying to see Huszárik’s other films!
Manhattan 0 – Szindbád 1
Manhattan is a long slog to me. I can’t buy the relationship between any of the characters as authentic (especially the one with Woody and the younger girl) and most of the film seems to meander around trivialities until it makes up its mind (like the protagonist). On the other hand I found Szindbád to be quite beautiful and fascinating in its narrative techniques.
“…but still a classic ;)”
Doesn’t being a film being a classic depend on, by definition, it being reasonably well heard of? I was always under the impression that calling a film a classic implied that it is rather well known and generally thought of highly among the general public (and that something is a classic regardless of what you think of it – I don’t like Wizard of Oz but it is still a classic).
Oh, and this is officially rediculously tense – one film pulls ahead and then the other overtakes it!
Manhattan 17
Sinbad 18
“that it is rather well known and generally thought of highly among the general public”
well, Gone with the Wind is considered a “classic” (due to popularity?) but it practically is a best bad film, hehehe. (yup, my favorite bad film)
Couldn’t have hoped for a better opening.
Dim, I’m not a fan of Gone with the Wind either to be honest (though I will concede that it is quite good). Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind – what’s all this hype about 1939 again? ;-)
JR, we really couldn’t have!
I think we’ll have at least 60 votes on this pairing, that is fantastic. Some of the matches I was involved in last year literally got FOUR votes, haha.
To be honest, I found Szindbád to be a total bore for the first 20 minutes or so. I admired the quick editing and cinematography but otherwise, nothing seemed to connect. Surprisingly the fragmented narrative became more interesting towards the end and what I earlier saw as merely a series of trivial relationships in high society turned into more of a tragic character study. Zoltan’s exploration of Szindbád’s torment (even though it could have been more focused) is certainly remarkable.
Manhattan on the other hand is gripping and entertaining throughout, balancing the right amount of drama and comedy. The film succeeds in both narrative and technical departments. I also rated Manhattan higher than Szindbád, and even though I really want to see more works from Zoltan as the cup progresses, Manhattan takes the edge here.
Manhattan 1 – Szindbád 0
Since there doesn’t seem to be an edit button by my post, I’ll add my comments here. I was too busy to write much earlier but I wouldn’t want to be part of a trend of just posting the results without making an attempt to comment on them. Not that I can write at all eloquently about films.
This was a quite fun match-up as both these films seem to inspire hate in casual viewers, “Eeeww, Woody’s screwing a high school girl” or “Urgh, Sinbad is such an asshole”. Looking at the actual films reveals quite a bit more going on.
I enjoy Woody Allen movies, but I don’t seem to like the same ones as anyone else. Maybe it’s because I don’t think the ‘classics’ are so fantastic. I guess it helps me enjoy the ‘bad’ Woody films more.
As for Manhattan, well it’s nicely shot of course, it’s a fun enough story (as most of his films seem to be) and I get the feeling that he loves his city. He certainly makes lots of attempts to make it look nice. But maybe he’s playing a bit too much on the assumption that everyone loves a city skyline with fireworks, or thinks the Brooklyn Bridge is a romantic spot, because there’s not much to see which really affects me other than admiration for Woody’s attempts to make a dirty city look nice.
On the other hand something about the flashback to the Goldsmith’s daughter in Szinbad was just awesome. Funny how little things like that stick with you. I love the editing in this film, it feels like a genuine attempt to convey the way memory works. Sure, at times the flashback images are way too fast to catch but that’s how memory works (or mine does, at least). Of course, it’s not a new technique and I was reminded of Peter Watkins’ Munch, which I think took the technique to a whole other level and in my opinion is a much better film.
Szindbad is also beautifully shot of course. I liked almost everything about this film, just not enough to rate it as one of my favorites. I will be watching it again though.
Manhattan has an enjoyable story, but I’d rate Love and Death, Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry and probably quite a few others more highly. It’s just something that never really worked for me.
So, basically two films which I thought were nearly great, but not quite, to start off the competition. I voted for Szindbad, although I wouldn’t mind if Woody won.
Manhattan 1 – Szindbád 0
As great as a discovery Huszariks film was, my point goes to Woody’s classic, exceptional film.
Manhattan 19
Sinbad 18
Manhattan breaks in to the lead again!
I’m already feeling the hurt for whoever loses this one. :(
And I have a feeling the next match of The Corridor vs Where Is the Friend’s Home? will be another nail-biter.
if this was my match I would actually be a little stressed out
Now we’ve really got a competition on our hands if this keeps up. : )
“And I have a feeling the next match of The Corridor vs Where Is the Friend’s Home? will be another nail-biter”
particularly since we had discussion threads on it that were decently attended.
I think The Corridor will win. It MUST win.
The Corridor vs Where Is the Friend’s Home?
Either way it goes, I’ve won out of it.
The Corridor should run away with it.
Manhattan 1 – Szindbád 0
I didn’t think Szindbád was a terrible, worthless film, but I prefer Manhattan, by far.
not even close here.
Manhattan (one of the greatest films ever) 1- Szindbad 0
Manhattan 1 – Szindbád 0
Sinbad didn’t even come close to making any kind of connection with me, which is the biggest thing I look for in a film. And as far as technique goes, I prefer it to be invisible, so that didn’t work for me either.
Manhattan is a film I consider to be genius, so I suppose Sinbad probably wouldn’t have had a shot even if I did like it, but that’s a moot point anyway.
Wow. Just, wow. As someone who participated in last year’s WC, I’m looking at this turnout and am floored. Thank you to absolutely everyone who took the time to see both of these films and cast a vote. I sincerely hope every other matchup in this tourney gets a voting tally equaling HALF of this. I’m blown away, and very excited to see this.
Because of the amount of participation, I’ve read every single word posted on this thread so far. What I seem to be getting out of most of this is that the viewer’s connection to the film is really the key to this matchup, and I would definitely agree with that. Where the Huszárik film was gorgeous to look at and had a somewhat otherworldly, stream of consciousness narrative going on, the Allen film presented, while not necessarily real situations, at least real reactions to those situations.
Taken from Blue K’s thoughts about the film : “Isaac’s previous and failed marriage—one in which his wife left him for a woman—is symbolic of the emasculation felt by the American male-at-large in the 70s. So how does Isaac react? He resorts to dating a female who isn’t yet quite a woman. This isn’t a moralistic reproach of Allen’s film but an analysis of how it is that Isaac, as Allen’s proxy, decides to deal with the imminent equality of the sexes. Isaac’s response is an emotionally stunted one, which I don’t find particularly appealing.”
That’s an excellent analysis of Manhattan, and I agree with everything except for the last little bit of that. I do find that emotionally stunted approach appealing, primarily because I’m sure I’d react in some similar manner – though probably not by seeking out a seventeen year old :). In any event, the connection is there, and so is the vote.
Manhattan (1979, Woody Allen) – 1 vs Sinbad (1971, Zoltán Huszárik) – 0
Manhattan pulls away in the night.
23 — 18
I dread that Woody Allen will easily advance through the first rounds to the finals. O_o
As much as I adore a bunch of his works (only a handful from his entire filmography), I’d hate to see him get rid of other directors I am more interested in.
But then again, I am getting ahead of myself.
I am also guessing that the huge number of votes in this round is only due to Manhattan’s status among film junkies.
Hopefully, I’m wrong and this will be the same for the next rounds.
If he makes it that far, he’ll have to earn, just like any other director. Though I could think of worse directors to, and probably will, win it, but that is a fight for the Voting Secrets thread.
Manhattan 1 – Szindbád 0
I don’t have a strong attachment to either of these films; I’m just voting for the one I’ve felt compelled to see 5 or 6 times. That’s the way it is with Woody Allen. :)
Dimitris Psachos
“Sinbad is largely unheard of”
…but still a classic ;)