A Valparaíso (1962, Joris Ivens)
UPDATE DEC. 2008: Wow, check out these stills from the new restoration. DVD box set will be out soon - check http://www.ivens.nl/ for updates.
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Directed by Ivens, narration written by Chris Marker, assistant camera by Patricio Guzman. Wow! Not to discount Ivens’s achievement, but this plays just like Marker’s travel documentaries. Definitely belongs with that group in some imaginary DVD box set, hopefully with far improved image quality over the awful version I just watched. I want to say this had better camera work than the Marker docs, but in this state, it is hard to tell.
A decade before the Battle of Chile events would begin, Ivens and crew give us an overview of life in this port city built on a series of steep hills. Focus is on things that affect the residents (like the funicular system) and events they participate in (huge annual fireworks show, a kite flying festival), not the popular tourist sites and historic buildings mentioned on wikipedia. Or maybe Ivens just hired a local tour guide and didn’t check wikipedia before going over there. A humorous tone to the commentary (when appropriate), shots of penguins, seals, pelicans and cats (no owls in town), a fire, some jump-cutting in line for the funicular. One very non-Marker-esque bit when a staged (I assume) bar-fight shatters a mirror and leads to a splash of blood, audio dissonance, a kaleidoscopic shot cutting to a burning pirate flag to introduce a history of colonialism in the state… awesome.
buildings that look like ships:
Wikipedia: The opening of the Panama Canal and reduction in ship traffic dealt a staggering blow to Valparaíso, though the city has staged an impressive renaissance in recent years.
Daniel said,
April 30, 2008 @ 5:36 pm
I added your site to my blogroll on chrismarker.org. I look forward to reading all your CM posts, and am excited that you’ve focused on some of the early films. I once heard a story that Marker stayed up all night drinking a bit of rum writing the script for A Valparaiso, which I believe was kind of a last minute job…
bouke said,
November 19, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
well, the box is out now (presentation was yesterday, still have a hangover)
The image of Valparaiso is stunning. The version on the box also got a lost scene, but i’m not sure which version you saw.
(Since i was in charge of restoring it i might be not that objective, but nevertheless)
Bouke
Brandon said,
November 19, 2008 @ 5:29 pm
That is great news. If anyone wants to mail me a free copy of this box, I’ll happily give Valparaiso another look. Maybe TWO looks!
Xenophon Costeas said,
December 1, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
I remember this film with great fondness — saw it in the late ’70s –, but can’t seem to locate it. Forgive me for asking, but how can one grab a copy?
With greetings from Athens,
Xen
Brandon said,
December 1, 2008 @ 7:14 pm
DVD box will be available in 2009.
Updates here: http://www.ivens.nl/