Comments on: The Films Of Lav Diaz

By: Hazel

Hazel — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:14:02 +0000

Dear Sachin,

Were you able to finally get a copy? I can furnish you copies if you wish.

By: Zak

Zak — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 04:20:42 +0000

Is there a Evolution of a Filipino Family DVD or VHS anywhere on the web that I can purchase? I would like to see the movie, but I haven’t had any luck finding it anywhere.

By: Just Another Film Buff

Just Another Film Buff — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:01:41 +0000

*** Added notes on BATANG WEST SIDE (2001)

By: The Seventh Art

The Seventh Art — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:47:03 +0000

[...] added to The Films of Lav Diaz] [...]

By: liberativecinema

liberativecinema — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:26:45 +0000

Hey, in that case i am just some hours behind you :) I too am 2 hrs into the film, and within the first 5 minutes the scene where he dreams of her mother directly brought Nostalghia and Mirror into my mind. And there are several more instances of alternations between dream experiences and reality. However so far it seems quite different from ENCANTOS , although the filipino perspective is been given a lot of emphasis.

Would love to read your post on this soon :)

By: Just Another Film Buff

Just Another Film Buff — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:15:36 +0000

Thanks a ton for all those fine points, Richie. I. myself. am one hour into BATANG WEST SIDE and the Tarkovsky influence is even more apparent. And I think you, like me, would be glad to find that BATANG WEST SIDE both puts ENCANTOS into a better perspective and brings out the most personal aspects of these two works to the fore. Of course, there are three more hours to go, but I’m very impressed – barring the shaky choices here and there – by what I’ve seen so far.

Cheers!

By: liberativecinema

liberativecinema — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:04:48 +0000

Hi JAFB,
Being a huge fan of your blog, I started watching Lav Diaz. I have just completed Death in the Land of Encantos and I plan on watching Batang West Side ( i got it on smz) next. This is a masterpiece. I have lesser than elementary knowledge on Filipino history and culture and this movie has in the least enticed me to look upon Filipino culture so that I am better prepared for his other movies and also subsequent viewings of Encantos.

This film at first struck me as encompassing many beautiful film notions. In addition to the herzogian notion of including the making-of it also does a bit of a Kiarostami by including the shooting of a scene from Heremias. Also as you have nicely pointed out in relation to Tarkovsky, it seems to transcend the temporal time by bringing Hamin’s demons from the past into the present ( It seemed uncertain in the end if he was really being pursued at that point in time or was just paranoid and this ambiguity is deliberately essential to assert the significance of the past). Also as you have mentioned in the intro, it seems to capture many ideas of Contemporary contemplative cinema. Although it is different in some aspects. I have seen that in a lot of films that are considered CCC , the emphasis is on quotidian activities or activities that were formerly considered insignificant. However Diaz also sets up long ponderous shots of Hamin in a state of frenzy and also the mad woman waiting for her black prince. Montage seems to be ignored at many points reiterating his emphasis on real-time which immediately brings to mind the long “walking shots” of Tarr. Also tracking shots seem to be unnecessary for most of the runtime, and whenever it is used the hand held camera produces shaky effects which seem to be reinforcing a certain signature underlying aesthetic. Finally the canvas and landscape are treated with sheer respect. The composition of his static shots is mind blowing. It very strongly captures the destruction of the typhoon but at the same time so many shots encapsulate the lugubrious beauty of the debris.

I could not find much on Diaz’s influences. Given the long passages devoted to Russian culture, I was wondering if Diaz himself is influenced by the lot of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky , Pushkin , Tarkovsy etc. Has he mentioned them or their influence on him in interviews? I heard him disagree with Eisenstein’s Soviet Montage theory in some interview, but I couldnt find much on his idea of Russian literature or Tarkovsky for that matter. Perhaps it will become increasingly evident in his other movies.

-Richie

By: Frederick Maurice S. Lim

Frederick Maurice S. Lim — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:42:58 +0000

After seeing Lav work in Encantos, he inspired me to make films. And I know that he will continue to inspire me.

By: sachin

sachin — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 18:46:07 +0000

A Very happy new year to you as well :) May you watch more fascinating films in 2011.

By: Just Another Film Buff

Just Another Film Buff — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 07:16:28 +0000

Hopefully, you’ll catch them soon, Sachin….

Thanks and a very happy new year to you!