RUN don’t walk to see this film…
People often ask me about the films I like – or the films I’d like to make some day…
If I ever get to make a film half this good in my career – I’ll be a fulfilled filmmaker.
This will not be for everyone – it couldn’t be more opposite than Iron Man 2 on so many levels – and it has subtitles! (gasp!) but there’s a reason this won an Academy Award. The story, the directing, the acting, the subtlety make this movie an absolute gem in my book.
Why?
It always comes down to a strong story/screenplay in my book… add a terrific cast and crew around it – and you get this:
Big name U.S./Hollywood stars, wonderful lighting, CGI, fancy camerawork, amazing special effects abound in films these days – if you need an antidote to that I think you’ll find it within this film. I’m only sorry it took this long for me to see it. It’s obviously gotten quite a lot of praise (Academy Award for best foreign film 2010) but if you’ve yet to see it – GO.
Not out yet on DVD/Blu… If I go by a film house that’s playing it, I’ll be sure to check it out.
Hi Vincent,
I’m a brazilian director, and I know and I apologize that this drives away from your post (by the way, YES, It’s a really great film.)
But, as a brazilian film maker, I always wonder: are subtitles really that bad for you guys?
No disrespect meant, it’s just that around here we have some long discussions about it. The most common accepted “theory” is that subtitles are bad for the general public, but not for filmmakers.
Here in Brazil, obviously, everything but brazilian films has subtitles. So we grew up with that, and that’s as common as it can be.
Some people even go for the theory that we should make films in english, so they would be more accepted in the world. You can Imagine how ridiculous the results should be…
So, how bad it really is for you?
PS. “the secret…” was made on a RED. Could very much be made on a 5D…
Vincent Laforet Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
@Marco Abujamra, So I’ll be very honest with you on this one – I was very tired after a long day of work and went to see one of two films. My brain and body wanted to sit back and relax. I simply didn’t want to “read” and watch… also: given that I’m a visual person – I REALLY like to LOOK at the image the entire time – and not have to glance at the subtitles for 1/2 a second and then the image… it’s a right brain / left brain thing. So initially we went (my wife was with me) to the other film (both started at the same time.) It was a depressing film – so I ran into this one. The subtitles bother me for a good 3-5 minutes. Then I forgot them. By the middle of the movie my wife told me that she didn’t even notice the subtitles anymore – nor did I. That’s the best “play by play” that I can give you. Here’s one thing: if a movie is GOOD – people will put up w/ the subtitles. If it is BAD – I don’t think they can simply sit back and relax and watch the images as they would w/ a non-subtitled film… so in the end – it wasn’t bad at all. But initially – when I was tired and LAZY – it was an issue to be honest. As filmmakers – we can never forget that people ultimately come to the movies to be entertained… to relax and go on a journey. Subtitles are a bit more “work” that some want to do. Ultimately – don’t worry about it. If this movie taught us anything – make a GREAT film – and pesky things such as subtitles won’t matter to those who care.. however if you are trying to reach the MASSES… it is another story altogether…
Alejandro Bellus.. Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
@Vincent Laforet, The big issue with subtitles, is that voice is a fundamental part of the acting. I might understand English and Portuguese, but when I see a Chinese movie, or a French movie, I want to see it in subtitles. I think dubbing is robbing the actors most of its performance. Not only that, but it changes completely the cultural baggage of the movie. And Argentinian might smirk and say a thing one way, while a Japanese would lower it’s tone. So when dubbing you not only lose the actor’s performance, but all the cultural characteristic of the sounds.
I admit that subtitles also create a problem in 3D movies. Subtitles should be rendered at the focus plane distance from the eyes so as not to wear the eyes muscles. When I went to watch Avatar, they didn’t make it that way and it was tiring.
Coming back to the movie, it was the record breaker of 2009 in the internal market. And I would like to get your opinion on the soccer stadium shot.
BTW, some trivia. The writer of the novel, used to send it’s short stories about soccer to very popular radio show. He wasn’t a writer, just someone who like to write about soccer. Campanella was interview in the radio and when the read the story sent that day called him and got to work with him. From that collaboration came this very story. I though you might relate on some level about the guy who discovered he had a great talent for something and went for it without realizing until he was very succesful.
Vincent Laforet Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
@Alejandro Belluscio, Awesome stuff – thanks for posting Alejandro…
Marco Abujamra Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
@Vincent Laforet, Thanks for the very honest answer. Yes, it’s sad to watch a bad film in any language, but if you’re not used to subtitles it sounds even worse – but there’s nothing worse than dubbing, Alejandro said it all. The one thing I can add about “The Secret…” film is that, for me, the greatest subject there is the lack of forgiveness, and how bad it can be – if possible. Derrida, the philosopher, has an extend work about jews and nazis and the impossibility to forgive after the holocaust. May sound a little bit too brainy, but it’s an interesting point of view, if you bother to think about it. I think that’s what makes the film unique. That, an Ricardo Darin. The guy is just great.
frisby Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
@Marco Abujamra,
I watched Schindler’s List recently and afterwards I read up on Spielberg’s making of. He said he wanted some scenes to seem extremely authentic, like the scenes when the SS raid the Ghetto’s, BUT when he did dramatic acting, like between a scene with Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes, he went with English so that subtitles would not distract from the drama.
On that same token, I watched Angel-A recently, and during the mirror scene, the drama hits you hard even with the subs. BUT, the subs were very spaced out during that scene.
Granted, we are not all making Schindler’s List or Angel-A, but something to consider.
Marco Abujamra Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
@frisby,
Thanks for the reply. Spielberg… the guy knows it all. I can think about a lot of war films where everyone – from germans to japanese – speaks english. Ok, is the universal language, and they’re american films… But imagine if you had to see a film with a story in the US, where everyone would speak french – american actors with a bad french accent! No matter how great the film might be, It adds some unwanted strangeness to the folks that speaks the language and live there. Not trying to change the world, just something to think about.
I want the world to go back to a time where trailers were actually creative! I’ve heard so many things about this movie and I really wanna watch it, but if all I’d seen was this trailer, I would never go see it. What a turn off! Enough formulaic trailers, people! I guess dumb studio executives feel comfortable and safe it they pick the trailer that looks exactly like every other movie EVER.
Vincent Laforet Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
@Jose Norton, Jose – I ALMOST made the same comment btw.. this trailer is TERRIBLE – and ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT DO THE FILM JUSTICE… in fact it’s one of the reasons I initially went to see the “other” film mentioned in the response above…
Jose Norton Reply:
May 17th, 2010 at 11:30 am
@Vincent Laforet, Sorry, man. Which movie are you talking about?
Jose Norton Reply:
May 17th, 2010 at 11:30 am
@Jose Norton, Iron Man?
Alejandro Bellus.. Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
@Jose Norton, the spanish trailer was nothng like it. It was absolutely different. It’s clear that Sony Classics took some of their “trailer cutter” guy and sent the movie. You can see the original trailer in the move’s official site: http://www.elsecretodesusojos.com/, but it’s in Spanish. It’s obvious that the cadence is quite different. Like if Sony wanted to sell you an action/mystery movie. When in fact it might technically be a thriller, but is also a movie about regrets and redemptions, about doing something bigger than you, yet knowing that you’re a drop in the ocean. It also shows that the Dirty War of Argentina was not only about an abusive government (the Peron administration was a democratic govnt, it never shows a militar government) but about a rotten society, where those that had the ethics didn’t or didn’t dare.
Jose Norton Reply:
May 17th, 2010 at 11:22 am
@Alejandro Belluscio, Ah! That’s more like it! The spanish trailer gave me chills and besides being nicely cut together, it gave me some info that really connected me to the characters and made me wanna find out more. The other trailer is a marketing zombie; the spanish one has a heart.
Daryl Reply:
May 15th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
@Jose Norton, I think you guys are being a little harsh on the trailer cut. It’s not great but it does show great visuals, of course it’s pointed to a certain market to get a response but that is what is expected. Especially factoring in that this cut may be post-academy award (not sure if it is though). If it’s a slower more telling trailer you may get half or one third of the audience response. It is annoying to have a ‘formula’ but to break out a trend will have to be made. I simply draw from interactions of the characters and the shots and ignore the percussion in the music, basically read through the lines. ha.
Jose Norton Reply:
May 17th, 2010 at 11:23 am
@Daryl, I’m not being harsh on the cut, just on some studio execs that have zero creativity.
Daryl Reply:
May 17th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
@Jose Norton, Can’t disagree with you there.
You could share also that the director of the movie is the Oscar Award winner Juan José Campanella. Who was also nominated in the past for Son of the bride and currently works as a director for House MD and Law and order.
Regards
Vincent Laforet Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
@Diego Waisman, You’ve done it for me! This was a late night post – it’s a blog 😉 Not a NYTIMES review 😉
what is the movie? there is a big blank space where i presume is a video clip. it’s just not showing up for me here.
…and the trailer’s got me hooked! Can’t wait to check this one out!
Its wonderfull that you like it. We are many people here in Latin America that reads you, that and embraced the HDSLR Revolution since your first releases. People that will be very please if you come by. Cali, Quito o Buenos Aires are wonderfull places, with incredible and marvelous people that will be very pleased to welcome you and to share.
Vincent Laforet Reply:
May 16th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
@Carlos R Dueñas, I would love to come to visit someday – absolutely! Especially Argentina!
Alejandro Bellus.. Reply:
May 17th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
@Vincent Laforet, Please send me an email if you do. At my Yahoo account (same nick). I can take you to the most breathtaking views of Patagonia and the Northeast. Or visit Buenos Aires that’s a really nice city.
it is interesting what you say Vincent because to get away from the mainstream cinema in hollywood you choose an Argentinian film, Never the less this film in Argentina is as “mainstream as it get” with well known actors, cgi, amazing photography, and good storytelling, perhaps you should make a trip down here to see the scenery with your own eyes.
cheers.
Vincent Laforet Reply:
May 16th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
@Andrés, Yes – but as you know – a big budget european film or latin american film – is a very different beast than a big budget american film of course… what I was reacting to the most on this film – is the perfect mix of excellent story w/ a great cast and crew
‘El secreto de sus ojos’ is a great film, but as Andrés pointed out, it is a very commercial Argentine blockbuster production.
It is very well made and for that it deserves applaud, but with that being said, it is still sad to see the Oscar jury favoring El secreto de sus ojos instead of epic masterpieces as The White Ribbon and Un Prophete.
These are the movies you should “RUN DON’T WALK TO SEE …”.
Thanks for a great blog.
All the Best
Link:
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/sony/aprophetunprophete/
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/sony/thewhiteribbon/
if you liked this one you might also like “nine queens” the same guy plays in this one too .. check it out
I’m very happy you mentioned this film! I finally got to see it last week: what a masterpiece. I find myself revisiting some of the scenes over and over again. A beautiful story well told, this film is a perfect example of the power of cinema. I can’t wait to see it again.
finally saw it today
it truly is quite good: very good story, very well told
plus, I can only sympathize with its creators: shot on RED with a $2 million budget, to achieve a gross worldwide revenue of $22 million (niiiice)
now, when I think of it, I feel nearly the whole movie could have been shot with a DSLR just as well, making it even cheaper to produce; a bright future awaits us…