1. What are the precise rules of each of the obstructions?
The overall theme is “The Perfect Human”
Obstruction 1: taking place in Cuba; NO set
Obstruction 2: shooting in a miserable place; don’t show it; does acting job by himself; shoot a meal
Obstruction 3: refilm in Bombay or accept complete freedom
Obstruction 4: make an animated film
Obstruction 5: remake the film without any previous shot
2. How does Jorgen cope with the obstructions?
Leth copes with the obstructions by using his creativity, flexibility, and humor. He tries to find ways to interpret and subvert the rules, while still maintaining some connection to the original film. He also expresses his feelings and thoughts about the challenges, both in the films and in the conversations with von Trier. He shows his resilience and curiosity, as well as his respect and admiration for von Trier
Obstruction1: He literally went to Cuba and recruited local performers to demonstrate “the perfect human” with accurate and interesting elements, which have grasped the essence of the concept. He utilized the short shots in a very dynamic way and the “rythm“ he follows when piecing up the frames together is very attractive to me.
Obstruction2: He chose the red-light area in Bombay as the most miserable place. He couldn’t look for a man trying to suicide so he decided to complete the task in a better way. He sat in front of crowded people and played the role as a perfect human. The contrast demonstrated the ironic theme perfectly.
Obsruction3: He decided to opt for the ‘no rules’ option because coming back to Mumbai was unsafe. Thus, he created a film in Brussels where he used a split screen to give a unique perspective of ‘The Perfect Human’.
Obstruction4:Although he hates it, he still completed the task perfectly by collaborating with animators and exploring different animation styles and techniques to convey the essence of the original film through animation. I appreciate how the result is different from all the other animations I’ve seen before. It has more tension and interest.
Obstruction5:Leth confronts the obstruction of not using any shots from his previous films by approaching it as a fresh creative opportunity. He embraces the vow of chastity and refrains from relying on familiar shots or techniques. Leth pushes himself to create entirely new visuals and interpretations of “The Perfect Human,” exploring uncharted territory in his filmmaking.
3. What is the effect on the movies he produces?
Through how he remake the film differently with the original version, we can see the technique revolution.
Cinematography: Each obstruction influences the cinematography techniques utilized in the films. For example, in the obstruction where no shot can be longer than 12 frames, Jørgen Leth employs quick cuts and rapid editing to convey his message within the limited timeframe. In the obstruction set in Cuba, he incorporates the local environment and culture into the visuals, capturing the essence of the place through his cinematography.
Editing and Montage: The obstructions often necessitate unique editing and montage techniques. In the obstruction where Jørgen Leth is forbidden from using shots from his previous films, he employs innovative editing to create entirely new visuals. This may involve combining unrelated shots or experimenting with different narrative structures to tell the story in a fresh and distinct way.
Animation: One of the obstructions requires Jørgen Leth to remake “The Perfect Human” as an animated film. This introduces a completely different technique, where animation styles and methods are employed to bring the story to life. The animation techniques used can vary, ranging from traditional hand-drawn animation to computer-generated imagery (CGI) or stop-motion animation, depending on Leth’s creative choices.
social wise-hint: the motorcycle diaries
4. Other thoughts crossing your mind while watching.
Besides the concepts and themes the film is conveying, the film itself as a documentary is very attractive to me as well. Documentaries in the Millenium are always interesting. This film is partially like a reality show today but in a much neater way. I especially enjoys how they spice the original film, their work and the BTS together smoothly and vividly. The “texture” and quality of the scenes also adds nostalgia charm to the film.
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