Train Of Freedom

Train of Freedom is a documentary by Karina Correa. The film focuses on the freedom of movement train in post-war Kosovo and more specifically on the relationships between the different ethnic groups that use the train. The film focuses on the universal theme of tolerance and what it means to individual people. The documentary was filmed over a number of days but in the film it appears as one day, the narrative is constructed through the stories of two of the train drivers. I really liked the documentary, i thought it was a interesting subject matter. I have a friend from Bosnia who had to leave the country when he was young due to the conflict there and he’s told me stories about how people from different ethnic groups and different religions lived side by side peacefully before the war and then when it started they became enemies over night so it was interesting to see how conflict has affected people in other countries in the same area.

A Zed & Two Naughts

A Zed & Two Naughts is a film written and directed by Peter Greenaway. The film is about twin brothers, Oswald and Oliver Deuce who’s wives’ are killed in a car crash outside of a zoo. The brothers become obsessed with death and begin to make time lapse tapes of animal carcasses decaying in order to satisfy their curiosity. The film is quite bizarre with some interesting visuals and a great soundtrack. When you watch the film you are very aware that you are watching a film, all the scenes have been carefully set up and that comes across. The soundtrack is composed by Michael Nyman and is an integral part of the film and helps with the pace and helps to tell the story.

Street of Crocodiles

Street of crocodiles is a stop-motion animation short by the Brothers Quay. Street of Crocodiles was originally a short story written by Bruno Schulz. The animators have taken the mood and psychological undertones of the story and used them as inspiration for their creation. It is quite a surreal piece and doesn’t have a traditional narrative instead you have to pay attention to soundtrack and the movement of the characters. The puppets in the film reminded me of the toys in sids house in the original Toy story film you can see the influence that the quay brothers work has had on popular culture through this film an also through films like Alice and Little Otik by Jan Svankmajer.

Spectacle Artifact

This is a link to my Spectacle Artifact

Cinema Verite

Cinema Verite is a style of documentary filmmaking that became popular in the 1960′s. The movement had conventions that had to be adhered to at all times which included using only a handheld camera, no tripods, dollys, lights or external sound equipment were acceptable also the filmmaker was not allowed to ask questions or ask the people you are filming to do anything you are to simply observe your subject. The movement is similar to the fly-on-the-wall documentary which is a popular style that is widely used in todays media. Two well known films from this movement are ‘Don’t Look Back’ a documentary following Bob Dylan during a tour of London in 1965 by D.A Pennebaker and ‘Primary’ which follows the 1960 primary election between John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey for the democrat nomination for the president of the united states. The filmmakers in both films get unrestricted access and this creates a closeness and intimacy that wouldn’t be possible in todays climate. Although the filmmakers don’t ask questions or interact with the people in the film i think that their presence will ultimately have an effect on peoples behavior whether it be positive or negative. 

The Five Obstructions

 

In the film ‘The Five Obstructions’ Jorgen Leth is challenged to remake his original film ‘The Perfect Human’ five times each time with different obstructions. In the first remake Leth must remake the film in Cuba but with no set and with no shot longer than 12 frames. Leth manages to complete this task successfully. I liked the way in which the restrictions placed on Leth didn’t limit him but in fact did the opposite and gave him a chance to recreate a film that is both innovative and inspiring. I think that by placing restrictions on yourself you are forced to think outside the box and be more creative. The second film raises moral and ethical questions, the restrictions state that the  film must be made in the worst place on earth, he must play the role of the man, the meal is to be included but the woman is to be left out. Leth chooses to make the film in red light district of Bombay. This made me think about how as filmmakers we must think carefully about our subject matter and who is being effected by what we create.