Favorite Obstruction

The first obstruction, I think, is the best film of the bunch, but I think that's sort of the point. Jorgen knocks the first obstruction so far out of the park that none of the other obstructions challenge his ability to make excellent films. It proves he can take whatever Lars can dish out, and that Jorgen completely outclasses Lars at his little game.

The other obstructions mostly test how much pride Jorgen is willing to sacrifice to make a film succeed artistically. They become less and less about film itself and more and more about the life of the artist and the relationship between teacher and student and the older and younger generation. I love them all (the fifth one the least, but I still love it), but the first one is the best.

However, that notwithstanding, I have to say the second obstruction is my favorite. It's so simple, but it blows my frickin' mind. Watching him there eating while the indigent children of the indigent whores of Bombay watched made me shudder in my seat at the theater more than once. Wow.

I respect Jorgen immensely for how he did it, too. He wasn't going for shock value, and he approached the challenge with much more artistic and social sophistication than Lars was asking him for. I love his refusal to totally shut the onlookers out of the frame; I wish I could be that gutsy in my life.

hehe, I just saw this film last night at the Film Forum, NYC. It was the last night.

well obviously all of Leth's interpretrations of Trier's obstructions are exuisite and wonderful, while the last rendition was just crap. That is what Trier wanted all along, right? Leth to make crap. So he made this lame doc and added a bunch of confusing words (especially if you are reading the subs and trying to follow along) and then put Jorgen's name on the picture.

I can't really say I have a favorite... but it is either cuba or animated, with the other two following close behind. I guess with bombay I felt uneasy as Trier was aiming for. Also with the no limits, it just seemed maybe a little Miami Vice for me. Don't get me wrong, I like Miami Vice, but you know.

The first! No doubt. Them 12 frames turned out to be a great gift.
The 4th - the animated - sucks. Mission accomplished for Trier.
Both of the guys hate animated films. So Leth did'nt make any effort to make a good film. It's all paintet over previous recordings! Looks awfull.
Acctually i only really like the first.

Ow and the original ofcourse. Amazing little piece of danish movie history.

Ignoring the final obstruction since it fits in a whole different category (though I did like it, if nothing else von trier shows he has some humility by admitting defeat, and the narration is great) I think my order would be:
1. The Bombay one, the transparent screen was one of the most brilliant ideas I've ever seen in a movie, period.
2. The Cuba One
3. The Free Form one
4. The animated one

Honestly I'm very tempted to put the animated one first instead of last, but while I loved it I thought it was so far from the original film it was worse than the others just because it wasn't true to the task of remaking the perfect human.

I would say it is very difficult to choose between the 1st obstruction with 12 frame edits filmed in Cuba and the 3rd "no limitations" obstruction in Brussels. The two are very different but both highlight the sheer brilliance of Jørgen Leth's film making.

Cuba showed that the obstructions could be a gift as well as a hindrance which forced Leth to expand upon what “The Perfect Human” was visually achieving in its original state. Many say that “The Perfect Human: Cuba” has even surpassed the original but I think the two are more like cousins who should be looked upon as related but still very independent from each other.

Brussels was like a window into Leth himself who took it upon himself to make the film that he would make NOW using the same principles of the first. It showed his age and experience in the same way that the original did; again reflecting more on Leth himself than was ever expected.

As a aspiring film-maker myself I am in total awe of Jørgen Leth. Pure inspiration!

I don't think I could come up witha favourite Obstruction... I found them all to be so unique and brilliant in their own way, that I almost don't even classify them as being together - for me it is almost like trying to compare "Requiem for a Dream" with "The Dreamers."

I absolutely LOVED the way that this film was presented, though, in a documentary/short film exhibition way... I went into the theatre expecting to see something mildly intruiging, and left completely astounded and extremely upset that it had come to an end. Every obstruction is brilliantly crafted. I have to say, though, that initially "Trier's direction, Leth's narration" was poised to be my favourite, it had incredible "obstruction" potential, that I ultimately felt it did not live up to. It almost felt too staged for me, like it was merely Trier paying the "ultimate homage" to Leth, which was fine, but it was disguised as an obstruction.

I've not seen any of Trier's other works, nor did I ever watch "The Perfect Human." I can say though, that I look forward to watching more of Trier's and/or Leth's "film making games" in the future, if this film is any indication of both of their genius, wit, and talent.


How cool is that?

Obstruction 4: Cartoon

my favorite obstruction is the cartoon, great music! and the poetry and the speak is brilliant.