Film Cuppers
Eleanor Agius's animation, 'Living in a box', is ingenious but overly cute. Samuel Leifer's 'Book cover', an exuberantly Pythonesque burst of song and dance, isn't so much a film as a funny music video. And 'The Scarecrow' by the Talbot Brothers, though it is tense, assured and beautifully shot, is a bit grandiose. My favourite is 'Me and Mao', J Van Tulleken's travel-video/mockumentary on China, with its magnificent shots of green mountains towering in the mist set off by a cool sarcastic voice-over. Though a little incomplete, it's the most original and visually stunning film.
Should win: 'Me and Mao'
Will win: 'The Scarecrow'
In pretty much all aspects of life there is what should happen, and what actually does. And put simply, 'Book Cover' should win Film Cuppers, but it won't.
For me, this Cuppers is a two horse race. 'Book Cover' is essentially an amusing music video - Samuel Leifer (Keble) and his fellow actors/band dress up and preach to the audience: 'never trust a woman cos you think she's your lover, never judge a book by its cover'. It's both lyrically and visually funny.
The Talbot brothers' serious approach to post-war trauma in 'The Scarecrow', however, is technically very impressive - the camera work and editing are top notch and it looks like a profession short. But it tries too hard to evoke some empathetic reaction by using expensive techniques.
But what matters in Cuppers should be how much you enjoy a film - not how much is spent on it. I'm not sure the judges will agree...
Should win: 'Book Cover'
Will win: 'The Scarecrow'
The Scarecrow will win, but I don't think it should. Yes, it's beautifully shot in black and white and contains a well thought out musical score, but its story of a returning World War I soldier ultimately appears little more than a clichéd exhibition of (considerable) technical abilities.
Me and Mao would make a great thirty-minute documentary, but at five minutes it bears too close a resemblance to a holiday video with a mystical voiceover. Book Cover is a fine League of Gentleman-esque cheesefest, but it is Living in a Box which takes my vote. Eleanor Agius' crudely animated man interacting with its artist is novel and rather delightful. It can be accused of being more like a sketch than a short film - just as Book Cover could easily pass as a music video - but it deserves credit as a simple idea executed well.
Should Win: Living in a Box
Will Win: The Scarecrow
I don't envy the judges. How does one go about picking a winner from films which have no similarities beyond their shared, merciful brevity?
In turn:
'Book Cover' is a fairly funny music video which, though entertaining, doesn't show much filmmaking promise beyond song-writing talent. 'Me and Mao' is a beautifully shot documentary/travelogue, but the confusing double-narrative makes it difficult to see the underlying message. It ends before it seems to conclude anything, and the outtake in the credits only serves to betray the silly over-seriousness. Deserves being watched again, though.
'Living in a Box' isn't worth the ink in this sentence.
'The Scarecrow' is an arty, pretentious, but ultimately technically and directorially superior piece portraying a soldier's madness. It's not really a film - more an exercise in showing off - and only enjoyable at the end, which sinks again into pretentiousness where it very nearly had some nice, black comedy.
Should win, will win: 'The Scarecrow'
The four films reflected immense diversity; determining a winner is like trying to decide who is more legendary between Jimi Henrix, Martin Scorcese and Bobby Robson. But while the latter decision is difficult because they are all undisputed legends, this film competition only has two serious contenders.
'Book Cover' provided a witty breath of fresh air amidst some pretentious crap. A music video reminiscent of Tenacious D, it was energetically shot and genuinely humorous, appearing to be the only film achieving what it set out to do.
'The Scarecrow' was the most professional effort; outstanding camera work captured a strong lead performance accompanied by a wonderfully executed soundtrack. However, it appeared to want to make the audience dwell on the undoubted talent on show rather than be clinical with its subject, and as a result felt like potential unfulfilled as a short film.
Should win: Book Cover
Will win: The Scarecrow
27th Feb 2003