Can someone kindly explain how this film is in any way similiar to works of Cassavetes, Jarmusch, David Gordon Green, or the French New Wave? I am a huge fan of all those directors, but I just don't see anything even remotely comparable here. All those directors make interesting choices in cinematography and editing and this film is just flat.
shareIt's because it's stripped down filmmaking. There's no frills, the story is what moves us, not how pretty it looks or what stars are in it. I'd say it's more in the vein of Cassavetes and Jarmusch rather than DDG. But I see how it can be compared. Bujalski and DDG know how to make settings authentic and real, w/ half uttered words, mumbles and all.
"Wanna play stuffed animal parade?"
Your reply is inexusably lazy. One could make the same arguments about ANY indie film..."no frills, the story is what moves us". I understand what makes an indie film different from films made under the studio system. Seriously, how is this film in the vein of Cassavetes or Jarmusch? And please don't say "it's black and white" or "It takes place in New York".
shareI'm sorry my explanation didn't satisfy you. How about you do your own research instead of having people explain it to you?
"Wanna play stuffed animal parade?"
I've done my research. This director is in no way--that I can find--similair to the aforementioned directors. I was looking for someone up to the challenge of swaying my opinion.
sharePerhaps no explanation will be good enough for you...? You don't see it, so why don't you just leave it at that? You're asking people to persuade you, but you don't seem to want to be persuaded. Many people feel that Bujalski is one of the only directors that actually deserves to be compared to Cassavetes b/c they share similar director aesthetics. They both work w/ a script but let the actors bring what they have to the table and their actors are usually non-professional (at least that was the case w/ Cassavetes earlier films.) Obviously, Cassavetes work was darker and much heavier, but still. Maybe that's why you don't see the similarities.
"Wanna play stuffed animal parade?"
So, I watched the film again--well, most of it anyways. Yes, the fact that Cassavetes work was "heavier" is probably the biggest reason that I see no similarities. More specifically, it's the fact that Cassavetes films are packed full of conflict. Bujalski chooses to focus on the mundane, I don't mean that as an insult, I really believe that he intentionally sought to make a film where conflict is subdued. This difference is--for me--paramount. Bujalski's film is realism. The conflict in Cassavetes films is over the top, his films are hyper-real. To say that Bujalski is similair to Cassavetes, except that in Bujalski's films conflict is toned down, is to say that that Bujalski is nothing like Cassavetes. The eruption of emotion was central to the Cassavetes aesthetic.
And yes when people take a particular stance on a issue they generally want to be right. However, that doesn't mean that I am above considering a well thought out argument.
I'm surprised he's compared to Cassavetes. I'd agree in the sense that they both have a fly on the wall type of style however, Cassavetes is brutally confrontational with his in your face type presentation while this guy is so very banal.
I'm not considering one or the other better but Cassavetes films are highly charged emotionally while this guy's films seem emotionless in presentation.
I think the emotionless you are talking about is a reflection of the type of people he uses in his films. they are Gen Yers who generally are emotionless.
share[deleted]
Ummmm, yeah, like, okay
is not people talking. Ilove Cassavates and have
seen all his b&w and color flicks, I like Jarmuch
but both haha funny and Mutual lacked any story,
conflict, or natural filmmaking ability. It's been
said before and I will say it again, Andrew's films
are a great example of the emperor's new clothes
Nuff said
i read several of the, let's say, very appreciative reviews of this film. not one of them brought up a cassavetes comparison. one of them did compare it to jarmusch's "down by law"...by way of suggesting that b & w film for low-budget, indie work is becoming passe.
so, maybe it's time for somebody to ante-up some knowledge, and write their own review comparing this film with the work of those other 2 indie greats. i don't think i'm qualified, both because i haven't seen enough of their films, nor have i studied them all that closely.
gregory 052208