Begone Dull Care (1) vs The Devil Probably (0)
Begone Dull Care 0 – The Devil Probably 1
Begone Dull Care is pure beauty, and the true meaning of an ‘art film’. But I just really like Bresson’s style of characterization. The guy sees all these serious flaws with the world that need to be fixed, but instead of inspiring action it inspires a sense of useless contempt and superiority.
Scottish born and raised, talented, with an excellent piece of work – but he’s up against something that I am psychologically unable to resist.
Beyond Dull Care 0 The Devil Probably 1
Robert Bresson (The Devil Probably) 0 vs Norman McLaren (Begone Dull Care) 1
the devil, probably was my first ever bresson and i had such a quick crush on charles that i wanted to fly out of the movie halfway through to write terrible poetry. i didn’t, stayed the film through, and ended up appreciating it for more than just a lusty ennui. but i watched begone dull care after a really really boring film and i was more than ready for it. what a refreshing relief. thanks norman.
How the hell am I supposed to vote on this one? Two completely different films I love equally from two artists I’d love to see more from.
The Devil Probably was a big surprise coming from Bresson, but maybe I shouldn’t be surprised anymore at the things this guy is capable of. It’s a film that could be made about angst-ridden youth in America this year and be just as relevant without changing a single line.
Beyond Dull Care reminds me every second how painstaking animated art is to create. It’s jazz synesthesia. A joy.
So I’m stuck. Coin flip.
Robert Bresson (The Devil Probably) —1 vs Norman McLaren (Begone Dull Care) —0
Good luck, fellas.
The Devil Probably – 0 / Begone Dull Care – 1
>>The guy sees all these serious flaws with the world that need to be fixed, but instead of inspiring action it inspires a sense of useless contempt and superiority.<<
I agree with the above comment from Jirin, but that’s why I could never vote for Bresson in this match.
I really enjoyed The Devil Probably. This was one of only two films that I’ve seen that showed the idea of suicide, without adding “suicide is bad, m’kay” (the other one is Arizona Dream). Very existential in its delivery, Devil shows that, yes, suicide is an option. It is not an option that one should take lightly, but it is perhaps the only absolutely free choice that someone can make. Why would anyone want to live in a world like this? (*Disclaimer: please do not commit suicide on my account). In any other match, this would have been a very easy choice. HOWEVER, Begone Dull Care is magnificent. These 8 minutes are the definition of film art. There isn’t much that can be said about this film that hasn’t been said already. Even when put into a larger context of McLaren’s abstract films, this is much more elaborate than the likes of Horizontal Lines and Vertical Lines and yet much more simple than the likes of A Little Phantasy on a 19th-Century Painting. It is a perfect balance. So, in the end, in one of the most difficult votes:
Begone Dull Care – 1 The Devil Probably – 0
Hmm interesting. I’ve never really heard anyone recommend The Devil Probably before, but now I want to check it out.. (I’m already a huge Bresson fan).
Not easy, but I’ll have to play it safe:
The Devil Probably 1 – Begone Dull Care 0
Bresson’s film once again too strong.
Is this going to be the closest match in this whole cup? We’re currently at 4-4.
Go McLaren. Bring the cup home to Canada.
Quite easy, as much as I like Norman McLaren
The Devil Probably 1 – Begone Dull Care 0
The Devil Probably – 0 / Begone Dull Care – 1
The Devil, Probably…hmm…it’s certainly not without its moments, but I found myself struggling with the Bressonian acting style for the first time in my life (and here I was wondering what people were moaning about acting-wise after watching Man Escaped and Diary of a Country Priest). It’s often said how Bresson uses his actors not for their acting but so that he can set up the frame as he wants it almost using them like models in his images, and so we do get images that impress even as they are at the same time restrained, but that doesn’t quite counteract how much the acting was getting to me. Characters can be angry and yet they just stand there with a blank expression and flat voice, or they’ll make some comment and because of the way it’s said everything starts to seem so extremely artificial. It denied me any oppurtunity for emotional engagement, which leaves me perplexed and aggravated…
Begone Dull Care was impressive, and though at this point in time I’d prefer not to see McLaren go too much further I’ve still gotta vote for it here. A fun, energetic, exciting film and though it loses me a bit in the middle the rest of it is great.
He actually called them models. He was not interested in acting at all because it makes the image and the narrative pivot on facial expression. He wanted us to deal with people as part of a composition.
Admittedly this runs against “the rules.” but if youcan adjust to it it’s beyond rewarding.
I really like Robert Bresson’s films. I love the way he fits everything together, and how the total seems to have far more impact than the sum of his parts. How I’m left with an overall sense of perfection and, very often, strong emotions, despite (or, presumably in Bresson’s opinion because of) the non-acting.
The Devil Probably, unfortunately, didn’t work for me for some reason. I tried it again recently, and I’m not struck with the sense of amazement that, say, L’argent, left me with, the wonderfully satisfied feeling that I recognize in myself when I see a really, really good film for once. So, sadly, while The Devil Probably seems like it should work, and has all the elements that usually make up a great Bresson picture, it doesn’t work for me. It strikes me as trying just a little to hard to be a ‘Bresson film’. Maybe it’s the actors, maybe they try too hard in ‘not acting’. I dunno. He got it so right in L’argent so I don’t think it’s a matter of Bresson ‘losing it’.
Well, anyway, I hear it works for other people, and that’s nice to know. But I’m going to have to sadly put this one back on the shelf again feeling somewhat disappointed.
Luckily a quick 7 minutes of the most joyous celebration of motion, music and Cinema offered by Norman Mclaren puts me in a much better mood. I commented on this over in the Voting Secrets thread and there’s not much more to add. Yeah, he’s not the first person to etch directly on film, and yes, Brakhage managed to make a whole career out of perfecting the art, but that doesn’t matter right now. I love this film, I want to play it over and over.
Having said that, a good Bresson film hits me much more and leaves a deep lasting impression. I like his style, it works for me 99% of the time. Something a fleeting moment of pure enjoyment would usually struggle hard to beat.
However, since The Devil Probably didn’t do that for me my vote is thus:
Begone Dull Care 1 vs The Devil probably 0
“He was not interested in acting at all because it makes the image and the narrative pivot on facial expression.”
I very much agree with the opinion (was it Bergman who stated this?) that the greatest thing you can put on film is the human face. So to remove the facial expressions, and all other emotional expressions, from a film built around human beings living in the real world doesn’t really work for me. That said it’s strange because A Man Escaped and Diary of a Country Priest didn’t bother me at all in this regard. It’s just The Devil Probably where the acting style became so extremely noticeable and really rather irksome. Perhaps because there’s so much dialogue which feels like it should be emoted more in The Devil Probably, whereas the restraint of the characters in the other films is more understandable because it suits the characters in those films?
Robert Bresson (The Devil Probably) 1 – Norman McLaren (Begone Dull Care) 0
I have nothing bad to say about Begone Dull Care on its own, but for films of this type that put the pure joy of somewhat abstract visual elements corrsponding to music I prefer the works of Oskar Fischinger. He’s even another director I have been toying with the idea of selecting for next year’s director’s cup.
For some reason every time I watch a new Bresson film I start thinking initially it’s not going to live up to the rest of the films of his I have seen, but even though I don’t want to deny that his films are extremely immediate and tangeable, they are films that are contingent on their endings (even when the ending is revealed in the first frames) and then they live most strongly in the impression they leave in your mind afterwards. And I think this is because of the fact that they have so many tangeable and immediate elements that bore their way into you, but it’s only after it’s finished and the collective comes together that you appreciate it 100%. What can I say except that The Devil Probably does this just as well as all of the other Bresson films that also love so much, so it certainly gets my vote here.
I’m afraid this one isn’t even close for me given that I my respect for McLaren’s importance doesn’t extend to actual enjoyment of many of his films while my respect for Bresson deepens with every additional watching. Bresson’s films continue to hold an influence on my thinking long after I’ve finished watching them, and they continue to reveal themselves to me in ways that the more transitory experiences of the McLaren films simply can’t match.
The Devil Probably 1 – Begone Dull Care 0
Robert Bresson (The Devil Probably) 0 vs Norman McLaren (Begone Dull Care) 1
I realize that in some people’s eyes, my reputation as the reigning janitorial cinephile at the Man-Bubi site will be severely tested with this vote, but I gotta be me…
7-7
Damn.
Yeah Blue, I gotta say you came up “short” on this one.
The Devil Probably 0 Begone Dull Care 1
This is an easy decision for my temperament
Robert Bresson (The Devil Probably) 0 vs Norman McLaren (Begone Dull Care) 1
This is easier than it seems folks. A supreme McLaren against a misunderstood Bresson but holy cow….Begone Dull Care is not only my favorite McLaren, it’s also one of the best animation genre films ever (not a hyperbole, if it counts as an animation one)
I will eventually give out some thoughts but I hope this doesn’t turn again into these “Bresson appreciation” threads like the previous matches.
Begone Dull Care is not only my favorite McLaren, it’s also one of the best animation genre films ever (not a hyperbole, if it counts as an animation one)
Have you seen any Oskar Fischinger Dim?
Yes, I hold Motion Painting No. 1 on a high pedestal and I’d have a real hard time voting for either of these masters. I’d have a hard time voting for either McLaren or Bresson too in case Balthasar or Mouchette were to be in place of Devil Probably (and yes, I am not THAT fond of directors’ later works…)
Wait a sec…is it gonna be a Canada vs U.S.A. match if McLaren survives this? Nice….
Robert Bresson (The Devil Probably) – 0 vs Norman McLaren (Begone Dull Care) – 1
I agree with Dimitris…this isn’t even close…a decent Bresson vs. a spectacular visual interpretation of music or vice versa.
So I’m not a huge jazz fan (though I have much respect for it), but is that an original piece created for the film or something that they found?
I’d love to see Begone Dull Care in cinema for proper effect, avant garde films are always bit lame when viewed home… But I’ll still vote for it. I have some problems with the canonised Bresson films already but everything he made after Four Nights of a Dreamer isn’t my thing at all.
Robert Bresson (The Devil Probably) 0 vs Norman McLaren (Begone Dull Care) 1
^ Man, I heard that. What I wouldn’t give for a James Benning retrospective.
Rich Uncle Skeleton
THE DIRECTORS’ CUP 2010 : ROUND 3, MATCH 3 VOTING
New participants are most welcome and allowed to vote in the match-ups
On this thread voting will be on Robert Bresson (The Devil Probably) vs Norman McLaren (Begone Dull Care). The other matches in Round 3 will each be getting their own threads.
The extended voting period for this match lasts until 9pm BST (8pm GMT) on Monday 25th October, 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 24th October.
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:
Robert Bresson (The Devil Probably) vs Norman McLaren (Begone Dull Care)
Managed by Apursansar and Scorpiorising respectively
If you have not seen The Devil Probably you can do so here
If you have not seen Begone Dull Care you can do so here