OWFILM WORLD CUP Round 1: Germany vs. Slovenia
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Voting has now ended on the Ireland vs. Norway match, and for the first time a movie I voted for failed to make it through to the second round. In the tightest contest so far;
Ireland (Once) 31% lost to Norway (Insomnia) 69%
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First Round of OWFilm World Cup
So onto the next match, and it's M - made at the height of the German Expressionist Movement (it was tough to call, but we thought it holds up better than Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu) against the tragic 2001 war movie No Man's Land, which won the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 2002 Academy Awards.
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Vote now for which film you want to see advance to the next round. Remember you are voting for YOUR OPINION on which film you prefer.
Tale of the Reel is after the jump...M (1931)
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OSCAR COUNT (0) IMDB (8.6, #55) RT (100%) EMPIRE TOP 500 (#212th)
Fritz Langs M was a key film made during the German Expressionist movement and is a truly astounding picture whichever way you want to analyse it. It works as a layered piece of drama in providing an intelligent amount of empathy for a mans uncontrollable inner evil. It works as an impeccably shot film which uses space and sound to maximise key moments of tension and suspense and it works as a vital piece of cinema - using a series of powerful dramatic techniques to create various feelings of sympathy, fear and anger. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the film is that it masters an art of implication which so many of todays Hollywood filmmakers could learn from. Take for example an early scene where one of the children goes missing after being seen stood next to the tall shadow of a stranger. We notice that she is carrying a balloon in one hand and bouncing a ball in the other. A few moments later the ball rolls from out of a hedge and the balloon goes flying into the sky. We can only imagine what horror has taken place in between. This is the kind of filmmaking which was and in many ways still is ridiculously ahead of its time the visuals are truly larger than life with dark, elaborate sets which help to highlight both the nightmarish world of the sick antagonist and the impact his murders have had on the town. Fritz Lang uses this arena to create a deeply unsettling and thought-provoking masterpiece and he seems equally comfortable with the films range whether it be talky, political sequences or slow, brooding moments of terror or even all out moments of chaos when the town descends into a frenzied panic. Perhaps the finest achievement however is from Peter Lorre himself who is so convincing in his role that he is able to provide empathy despite his horrific behaviour. M is a film which needs to be seen by anyone who is serious about their passion for film. INTERESTING FACT: Fritz Lang was initially offered the chance to become Joseph Goebbels propaganda filmmaker for the Nazi party but he turned the request down on account of his Jewish mother.No Man's Land
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OSCAR COUNT (1) IMDB (8.0) RT (93%) EMPIRE TOP 500 (Not listed)
Won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film after beating out tough competition from Jean Pierre Jeunets Amelie. No Mans Land establishes its tone from the very beginning when right after a pounding credits sequence we are taken straight into the heart of the warfare. There are no Hollywood montages used to establish time, place and character nor is there a fast paced explosion to try and immediately win over the audience. Rather we jump into a scene which already seems to have running a long time thus creating a disorientating atmosphere and sending the message that the beginning and end of war are irrelevant, its the shit in between that truly counts. The film continues in this manner, quite refreshing in its approach to not taking itself so seriously as it shows up the farcical nature of its subject matter. At times this means that the characters are a little bit two dimensional and as a result the dramatic power cannot always sustain its momentum but nonetheless the unsentimental approach to the war subject matter leaves a lot to be admired. In the same vein as Roman Polanskis The Pianist, No Mans Land is a film which cuts out the bullshit (intense close ups, philosophical pondering, overbearingly sad soundtrack etc) and instead focuses on the small details that emphasise the absurdity of war and the absurd ways it can make men behave. WRITERS VERDICT: I can appreciate No Mans Land as a no-nonsense look at the absurdities of war and appreciate its attention to detail and character. M however is so impressive for remaining technically and thematically relevant to this day; some eighty years after it was first released. Germany deserve the win here and a very strong showing overall in this tournament. However only you can make that happen!