eurobantam
10-02-2006, 09:27 PM
This film is really an art installation piece, in as much as it would be as at home in a gallery as in the cinema, which is unsurprising as the makers are conceptual artists rather than film makers. But then Im not averse to a bit of conceptual art and many more people would be too if it was all as fascinating as stimulating as this.
What we get is 17 film cameras focused on Zidane for nearly 90 miniutes of Real Madrid v Villareal last year. There is a bit more to it than a poncy Sky player cam, however, as the visuals are highly stylised and the sound is absolutely amazing. There is deafing crowd noise and then suddenly all we can hear is Zidanes breath, or the the sound of him spitting, which he does a lot of. For me the defining shot was when Villareal score; we dont see the goal but the sound of the crowd suddnely falls silent and we hear the sound of the Villareall players steps on the turf as they celebrate, sounding like a heard of gazzelles running and leaping accross the Serengheti, and they look like them too as they are leaping and running out of focus in front of Zidane, who stands there, brooding like a lion. Superb stuff. The soundtrack is by Mogwai and really works.
There is very little dialogue, Zidane just shouting "hey" and the occasional "davide" to Beckham. Consequently, we learn nothing about what makes Zidane tick and he emerges as even more of an enigma after being watched in minute detail for 90 mins than before.
There are a few quotes from him on the bottom of the screen. One of them is to the effect that he sometimes feels that he doesn't experience matches in real time, but more as memories, in the past. In a way that is effect the film had on me, opened mouthed awe, then looking back, remembering details. Much the way one often experiences art, I feel.
I would heartily recommend this film to all football fans, a marvelous experience. The few flourishes of Zidane's skill, especially when he sets up a goal, clearly demostrate his footballing genius, and yes you can see something there that was present in his inglorious departure from the world stage in Germany in the summer.
See it in a good cinema with excellent sound, and see it soon as it wont be around for long; in the cinema I saw it in there were only 11 people.
What we get is 17 film cameras focused on Zidane for nearly 90 miniutes of Real Madrid v Villareal last year. There is a bit more to it than a poncy Sky player cam, however, as the visuals are highly stylised and the sound is absolutely amazing. There is deafing crowd noise and then suddenly all we can hear is Zidanes breath, or the the sound of him spitting, which he does a lot of. For me the defining shot was when Villareal score; we dont see the goal but the sound of the crowd suddnely falls silent and we hear the sound of the Villareall players steps on the turf as they celebrate, sounding like a heard of gazzelles running and leaping accross the Serengheti, and they look like them too as they are leaping and running out of focus in front of Zidane, who stands there, brooding like a lion. Superb stuff. The soundtrack is by Mogwai and really works.
There is very little dialogue, Zidane just shouting "hey" and the occasional "davide" to Beckham. Consequently, we learn nothing about what makes Zidane tick and he emerges as even more of an enigma after being watched in minute detail for 90 mins than before.
There are a few quotes from him on the bottom of the screen. One of them is to the effect that he sometimes feels that he doesn't experience matches in real time, but more as memories, in the past. In a way that is effect the film had on me, opened mouthed awe, then looking back, remembering details. Much the way one often experiences art, I feel.
I would heartily recommend this film to all football fans, a marvelous experience. The few flourishes of Zidane's skill, especially when he sets up a goal, clearly demostrate his footballing genius, and yes you can see something there that was present in his inglorious departure from the world stage in Germany in the summer.
See it in a good cinema with excellent sound, and see it soon as it wont be around for long; in the cinema I saw it in there were only 11 people.