Aleksandar Petrović (It Rains in my Village) —0 vs Kaneto Shindō (Trees Without Leaves) —1
Last round I voted for Petrović and against Shindō, so this is interesting. I enjoyed It Rains… but I appreciated Happy Gypsies more (though the music continues to be a highlight).
I felt this Shindō was a step up, obviously. Did anyone else feel ‘precursor to Hou Hsiao-Hsein’ vibe from it? There were moments that reminded me of Time to Live and others.
Anyway, not too much to say as we’ve commented on similar films to both before. Both were worthy, but only one walks away… Good luck, gentleman.
Aleksandar Petrović (It Rains in my Village) —1 vs Kaneto Shindō (Trees Without Leaves) —0
It Rains in my Village combined gritty realism, black humor, wonderful music, and perfect performances all into a single, brief and efficiently told package. To say it blew me away would be appropriate. I actually would say that, excluding films I was previously familiar with, this has been the best film I’ve watched for the Cup.
Bad luck for Shindō. In many other match ups Trees Without Leaves would have been an easy winner for me. I loved its beautiful black and white cinematography and its deeply personal narrative.
It’s a shame one of these directors has to go.
Aleksandar Petrović (It Rains in my Village) – 0 vs Kaneto Shindō (Trees Without Leaves) – 1
It Rains In My Village was a fun dark musical, but again I found Petrović’s visuals and technical abilities a little dull and far inferior to his competitor. Trees Without Leaves had the potential to be a five star film and the way it was shaping out I thought it was going to be, and although it was very close, I felt like something was lacking in the end and it all happened quite suddenly. I understand that the mother was the main focus, but I wanted to know how the main character lost the rest of his family as well.
It Rains in my Village (Petrovic) – 1 / Trees Without Leaves (Shindo) – 0
Neither film exactly blew me away, but Petrovic’s had the greater emotional impact (and some nice moments of dark humor). I found Trees Without Leaves rather detached and lifeless, to be honest.
It Rains in My Village – 0 vs. Trees without Leaves – 1
Two films about village life but Shindo is just too much the better technician.
I don’t care much for the translations of Petrovic’s film titles. This one would more literally be translated as “The World Will End Soon.” Maybe that will be of interest for some of your readings of the film.
Go Sasha!
you’re worried about the title translation? i loved the creative dialogue translation in the film all the more. would be nice to know if this film changes the opinion of people that disliked petrovic for “…gypsies”. i’m guessing not. there’s no mud in the street….only now, and when it rains
(i’m going to try to find time to watch the shindo and vote in this, but it’s going to be have to be great to beat a film that has the insight to realize exactly what it was about the pilot that made him so seductive…)
I’m a little bit obsessive when it comes to the history of Yugoslav cinema! There’s not much known about it, and what is known, I want it to be known as correctly and comprehensively as possible.
“There’s not much known about it, and what is known, I want it to be known as correctly and comprehensively as possible.”
Thankfully, I don’t complain at all when they massacre my country’s film masterpieces! And people say I’m the weirdo on this site!!!
It Rains in My Village — 0 vs Trees Without Leaves — 1
Viilage was good and definitely is very similar stylistically to Gypsies (which I also enjoyed). Petrovic is definitely someone I want to explore. However, Trees edges out Village by just a little for me. I really enjoyed the narrative through memory and the way Shindo used slow motion and the dampened/echoed sound to heighten the intensity of the memories.
“Trees Without Leaves had the potential to be a five star film and the way it was shaping out I thought it was going to be, and although it was very close, I felt like something was lacking in the end and it all happened quite suddenly.”
I agree with this. I think part of the reason is that Shindo somewhat abandons the memory as framing device later in the story. Earlier in the narrative, Shindo transitioned between present and past quite frequently, but after the family hits financial difficulty, Shindo keeps with this narrative for awhile without interruption. This disappointed me because this narrative technique was what made the film so interesting. Children in the Wind was a better exploration of the result of economic/social difficulties on the lives of a family, so I thought Trees lost something by narrowing its focus on this subject.
I felt like something was lacking in the end and it all happened quite suddenly
I would suggest to keep in mind that the entire film is not a culmination of events but a remembrance of a man’s childhood. Frankly, to have squeezed every last ounce of narrative from such an imperfect and ashamed memory would have seemed forced.
If I might add, though I rarely see managers posting on their own matches (not sure why), Shindo’s exquisite, technical mastery ironically takes the back seat to the films message; a very personal decision which I find overwhelmingly poignant. Shindo subtly infuses the repetition of raw emotion into our memory as we perceive the unraveling behavior of humanity through a reflection. I’m surprised more people weren’t torn apart by the films not-so-black-and-white depiction of family and love.
Good point Papaton…I will accept that.
Don’t have a lot of time right now, so I’ll be that guy.
Trees Without Leaves is maybe the first movie I’ve ever seen that would have been better without judo or pecker-kissing. To be honest, it was very good, and on the surface, anyway, it looks technically better than the Petrovic film. But that soundtrack . . . IT WON’T LEAVE MY HEAD. a-YO-ho. Awesome.
It Rains In My Village – 1 vs. Trees Without Leaves – 0
Oh, there he is. THAT guy.
“Shindo’s exquisite, technical mastery ironically takes the back seat to the films message; a very personal decision which I find overwhelmingly poignant. Shindo subtly infuses the repetition of raw emotion into our memory as we perceive the unraveling behavior of humanity through a reflection.”
Patapon: That’s interesting. What do you think though about how Shindo stops framing the narrative in relation to memory as much later in the movie? You said that “we perceive the unraveling behavior of humanity through a reflection,” but I feel this applies much more to the first half of the movie (which I liked a tremendous amount). The first half or so of the film was more emotionally affective for me because of the ethereal, dreamlike quality mostly because the story was filtered through memory so much, whereas the second half seemed more conventional because of the more “realistic” treatment it was given.
Amos, I think you’re right. The first half (maybe 3/4) of the film was more based out of memory. I feel that towards the end of the film, or should I say the memory, the characters become more defined, though they don’t quite take on that three-dimensional quality that one can relate to. Still, this is a recollection, a deep recollection wherein the memories are pronounced out of fear. Fear of the past. Fear is a very vivid response and when conjuring old, unsatisfied memories I think it’s only natural to formulate clear visions of them. Meditation, or deep thought, can clear up visions or cloud them. It really depends on the feelings being evoked, imo.
I think your suspicion of Shindo’s handling of the subject matter is sound. I would love to hear what he has to say about it. Shindo is one of the most interesting directors I’ve every heard in an interview. He has much to say and speaks his mind very clearly. hes 98 and talks like he’s 30!
Aleksandar Petrović (It Rains in my Village) – 0 vs Kaneto Shindō (Trees Without Leaves) – 1
Close, but I am giving this one to Shindō. Trees is subtle and lets the story unfold mainly through ther eyes of the young boy, as remembered by the older man he becomes. Although focusing on the mother, the father becomes an increasingly enigmatic figure as the film progresses. His total abscence of emotion and dialogue at first is just frustrating. Yet, toward the end of the film we get the impression it is as the result of a stoicism born of hardship and suffering – and his loss of everything dear. I would need to see it again, but it also seemed that although the man narrating the story remembers his mother in a idyllic way, he resembles his father – in his own remoteness. In other words, the boy becomes his father. although closely aligned in his memory with his mother.
Yes, I would call that a poigant story, Patapon, and that’s how I took it. The stark humanism and the excellent b&w cinematography made me choose this over the much darker and more cynical Petrović. One notices everything in the Shindō: the kimonos and patterns on them, faces, trees, shadows and silhouettes – everything.
Petrović uses music as an effective ironic counterpoint to the story and has some great faces and close-ups. His is a jaded view of humanity and he sees most human motives and actions from the standpoint of self-interest – as was shown in Happy Gypsies. Still, I got tired of the endless musical commentary which seemed to be just repeating the same tune and rhythm, but substituting different words. OK – we get the point – life’s a bitch! I wonder if Lars von Trier was thinking of the bell scene at the end of It Rains when he filmed Breaking the Waves and has bells tolling as a sort of commentary at the end?
I preferred Shindō’s much more nuanced view of a ruined world. Also, did anyone notice on the streaming link for Trees the film was subtitled Deciduous Trees in the opening titles – which I thought very appropriate.
3-5, Shindo
While we are discussing film titles, is it Tree or Trees? imdb and other random sites have it as Tree and mubi has it as Trees. My spreadsheet does not like this ambiguity.
It Rains in My Village 0 – Trees Without Leaves 1
I fear both films struck me as too similar to other films I’d seen before thematically, and often in imagery. If there is a “arthouse” genre, these would both sit right in the heart of it. That isn’t to say that either film is bad per se, just that they are infused with so many things that have been done elsewhere there is a lack of freshness in them that is disheartening. That said, Trees Without Leaves did have some very striking cinematography that made it my favorite of the two. Two good films, but neither went too far above the grade for me.
It Rains in My Village (0) – Trees Without Leaves (1)
Ouch, bad start for Petrovic, maybe we should try with this segment
FALLING PRIEST
After the priest’s monologue about demons and devils, there is a song, called Becarac about devil’s eye which could take the priest out of the altar (out of the center point of a church). And the confused priest just repeats “Brothers, brothers…”
And who does the priest see in that scene? The devil is a woman…
More specifically, a woman who is an “advanced” party functionary from the big city.
It Rains in my Village 0 vs Tree without Leaves 1
Plural forms aren’t often used in Japanese so it’s a little ambiguous but, I’d go with the IMDB in saying “Tree” singular.
A vote for naked children, judo and pecker kissing.
Aleksandar Petrović (It Rains in my Village) —0 vs Kaneto Shindō (Trees Without Leaves) —1
…
It Rains in my Village – 1 vs. Tree without Leaves – 0
Pecker kissing is one thing, but the slow motion pecker kissing is what made me uncomfortable.
It’s been a couple of weeks since I watched this match, and while I enjoyed Tree Without Leaves, I don’t remember much about it. It Rains in my Village, on the other hand, will not leave my brain because of those repetitive songs. My vote is for dark humor bolstered by mnemonic devices.
It Rains In My Village 1 v Trees Without Leaves 0
I enjoyed both films, and both have left their mark. I found the frenetic style of Petrovic’s film more engaging than Shindo’s. Trees Without Leaves is beautifully photographed but ultimately I found the narrator and the voiceover stilted the film. I did not need to be told by the old man who where and what. I would of preferred the scenes to unravel as free flowing streams of memory.
9 – 5 pecker kissing
Rich Uncle Skeleton
THE DIRECTORS’ CUP 2010 : ROUND 2, MATCH 6 VOTING
New participants are most welcome and allowed to vote in the match-ups
Match 5, Hayao Miyazaki (Porco Rosso) vs Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet (From The Clouds To The Resistance), will remain open for voting until 1am BST (12am GMT) on Friday 3rd September and can be voted on here
On this thread voting will be on Match 6, Aleksandar Petrović (It Rains in my Village) vs Kaneto Shindō (Trees Without Leaves). The other matches in Round 2 will each be getting their own threads.
The extended voting period for this match lasts until 9pm BST (8pm GMT) on Saturday 4th September, 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 9pm BST (8pm GMT) on Friday 3rd September.
The current match-ups can be found on: http://directorscup.lifeasfiction.com/
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. Team managers are not allowed to vote on matches their own team 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:
Aleksandar Petrović (It Rains in my Village) vs Kaneto Shindō (Trees Without Leaves)
Managed by Pedja and Patapon respectively
If you have not seen It Rains in my Village, you can do so here
If you have not seen From Trees Without Leaves, you can do so here