Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow by Theo Angelopoulos

[Max Jacoby]

I can only recommend this dvd (Artificial Eye release) to anybody who enjoys poetic films. Theo Angelopoulos has created a real masterpiece here. Pretty much every scene is shot in one long tracking shot with a constantly moving camera (mostly on a crane with a zoom lens). Here is a filmmaker who is not afraid to slow down the narrative and to take time to capture a mood, an atmosphere, the passing of time. Unlike Tarkovsky however this slowness never gets tedious, because in doing so he creates images of stunning beauty.

[Jason Maeda]

Although I disagree with you completely regarding Tarkovsky (have you watched his films?) you are right on about Angelopoulos. This film is unique in that it presents landscapes as stage scenery, as in for a theater production. If you want to be completely overwhelmed by cinematic perfection, check out "landscape in the mist". I think it's from 1988 and the dvd is definitely from New Yorker. wait i'll find it at the voice.

 

here you go:

http://www.villagevoice.com/screens/0550,a...n,70947,28.html

 

 

 

jk :ph34r:

[Max Jacoby]

I am a big Tarkovsky fan as anyone and think the man is a genius, but there are definitely instances later in his career in his films where he overdoes the long shot where nothing happens. Like the crossing the pool shot in 'Nostalghia' for instance.

 

I ordered both 'Landscape in the Mist' and 'The Suspended Step of the Stork', but a Greek edition supervised by Angelopoulos himself. New Yorker don't have such a good reputation when it comes to dvds and I tend to avoid their editions.

[Thanasis Diamantopoulos]

I am a big Tarkovsky fan as anyone and think the man is a genius, but there are definitely instances later in his career in his films where he overdoes the long shot where nothing happens. Like the crossing the pool shot in 'Nostalghia' for instance.

 

I ordered both 'Landscape in the Mist' and 'The Suspended Step of the Stork', but a Greek edition supervised by Angelopoulos himself. New Yorker don't have such a good reputation when it comes to dvds and I tend to avoid their editions.

 

Hi Max

 

You done the best ordering the Greek edition of the dvd Two a day before yesterday i was with the produser of the second part of the trilogy who told me that Theo done a very careful work with the dvds.As

a Greek cinematographer i have to make a point to the work of Theos DPs Giorgos Arvanitis and Andreas Sinanos.

[Jason Maeda]

True enough about New Yorker films...bad dvd's. i'll look for the Greek titles.

 

While you may be right about Tarkovsky's long takes,I think you might have picked a bad example. Something BIG happens in that shot for the main character. The point of that scene's length is first to show how hard it is for the character to get across the pool without letting the candle go out, and secondly to give the audience ample time to question his resolve in doing so.

 

The whole shot serves as a counterpoint for the scene where his monk-like friend burns himself to remind people of their spiritual duty. As a matter of fact, I'd be interested in comparing the length of the two shots. One films a man walking across an empty pool holding a candle and is considered too long, the other a self-immolating man in the middle of the city. I'll have to check it when I get back to Manhattan but I'll bet the death scene is longer. Perhaps Tarkovsky wanted to test our faith in cinema.

 

jk :ph34r:

 

p.s. My Grandmother's family name is Arvanitis.

Edited November 24, 2006 by jasonkollias

[Max Jacoby]

Does anyone know the budget for this film by the way? It's astonishing that what is essentially an art film must have had quite a considerable sum of money at its disposal. They built the village that got flooded and the refugee camp Angelopoulos said in an interview.

[Sam Wells]

I know the script superviser. I guess I could ask.

 

For a long time she was referrring to it as Angelopoulos' "endless movie" --

 

"The Weeping Meadow" is just Part one of a trilogy, right ?

 

-Sam

[Thanasis Diamantopoulos]

Does anyone know the budget for this film by the way? It's astonishing that what is essentially an art film must have had quite a considerable sum of money at its disposal. They built the village that got flooded and the refugee camp Angelopoulos said in an interview.

 

MAX the film cost around 5 millions euros about 7 millions $ and you must know that is very expensive for Europian and specialy Greek production. The money that technicians and actors are around the one third of USA.

 

 

True enough about New Yorker films...bad dvd's. i'll look for the Greek titles.

 

While you may be right about Tarkovsky's long takes,I think you might have picked a bad example. Something BIG happens in that shot for the main character. The point of that scene's length is first to show how hard it is for the character to get across the pool without letting the candle go out, and secondly to give the audience ample time to question his resolve in doing so.

 

The whole shot serves as a counterpoint for the scene where his monk-like friend burns himself to remind people of their spiritual duty. As a matter of fact, I'd be interested in comparing the length of the two shots. One films a man walking across an empty pool holding a candle and is considered too long, the other a self-immolating man in the middle of the city. I'll have to check it when I get back to Manhattan but I'll bet the death scene is longer. Perhaps Tarkovsky wanted to test our faith in cinema.

 

jk :ph34r:

 

p.s. My Grandmother's family name is Arvanitis.

 

HI JASON

 

Arvanitis is a very common name here in Greece if you visit us for vacations you will understand. Wi have the best light and the best islands. B)

 

 

I know the script superviser. I guess I could ask.

 

For a long time she was referrring to it as Angelopoulos' "endless movie" --

 

"The Weeping Meadow" is just Part one of a trilogy, right ?

 

-Sam

 

HI SAM

 

Yes you are right the "Meadow" is the first part of a trilogy i thing that he must start shooting the second part but not sure. My friend Demitris Makris is the producer of that second part. I know that he is going to use willem dafoe for the leading role.

[Max Jacoby]

5M for an art film is very impressive. That money certainly is up there on the screen. In a way it reminded me of 'Andrei Rublev' which was a similarly big-budgeted art film that also looks astonishing. It's encouraging to see that there are bodies here in Europe who finance such a film, as it clearly shows what a director like Angelopoulos can do if they are not limited by money.

 

Do you happen to know how Angelopoulos works with his cinematographers in setting up the shots? I take it he already writes the script with these very long takes in mind (the film is long but it doesn't have many scenes), but I'd be curious to know who doe smost of the work on the day. Andreas Sinanos used to the the assistant of Giorgos Arvanitis, so there definitely is a continuity there.

[Thanasis Diamantopoulos]

5M for an art film is very impressive. That money certainly is up there on the screen. In a way it reminded me of 'Andrei Rublev' which was a similarly big-budgeted art film that also looks astonishing. It's encouraging to see that there are bodies here in Europe who finance such a film, as it clearly shows what a director like Angelopoulos can do if they are not limited by money.

 

Do you happen to know how Angelopoulos works with his cinematographers in setting up the shots? I take it he already writes the script with these very long takes in mind (the film is long but it doesn't have many scenes), but I'd be curious to know who doe smost of the work on the day. Andreas Sinanos used to the the assistant of Giorgos Arvanitis, so there definitely is a continuity there.

 

Max I know that Agellopoulos is a very special person i have meet him twice or three times and i don know him very well. I know that he use to give alot of freedom to Arvanitis for the reason that they done all the pictures together from the first one. They are doing alot of work beforshooting at the locations.

 

 

Max I know that Agellopoulos is a very special person i have meet him twice or three times and i don know him very well. I know that he use to give alot of freedom to Arvanitis for the reason that they done all the pictures together from the first one. They are doing alot of work beforshooting at the locations.

 

SORRY

 

The most money of Agelopoulos films and all greek films are from the national film center ant the national television. Here in grece there is no one produsing feature films. Only shorts or coprodusers after the finance of the national money.

[Max Jacoby]

But 'The Weeping Meadow' is a European co-production, if I remember correctly it got money from France, Germany and Eurimages as well.

[Thanasis Diamantopoulos]

But 'The Weeping Meadow' is a European co-production, if I remember correctly it got money from France, Germany and Eurimages as well.

 

Yes i said the most not all the money .And dont forget that in Eurimages have specific money for every country. My point was not for the money of agelopoulos but for not to misundestood that there are Greek producers for that kind of movies. Agelopoulos and his crew suffering all the time to get the money.

[Max Jacoby]

I watched both 'Landscape in the Mist' and 'The Suspended Step of the Stork'. Actually I didn't like them as much as 'The Weeping Meadow', which was more poetic I found. Another thing I noticed is that the operating isn't as smooth on these earlier films and that in general interior scenes (which are lit) do not look as nice as exterior scenes (which are shot mostly in covered and wet weather). To me the attraction of the cinematography in his films lies mostly in the camera work, because unfortunately the lighting for most parts is not on the same level.