Badr Hari is the besT.
This will seem like a strange post but since I'm making a film about fighting I've taken an interest in MMA and K1 fights... I just finished watching the K1 final from Japan... it had my favorite kickboxer in it... this d00d from Morocco named Badr Hari... He's known as the "Devil Prince" in Japan... cause he's all like WHUT?! and has mad skill... In the final he was disqualified for "poor sportsmanship" because he stomped his opponent when the opponent was on the ground..... It always strikes me as odd when people are outraged by such behavior that is "not in the rules" but as a fighter your out there to harm your opponent...why would you know want to stomp his face? I mean your out to knock him out the whole time and thats ok... Its a fight... thats what people came to see right? 2 men fight?
So how am I going to tie this into film? Well lets say that to fighter there are two parts... the savage part... the one that wants to destroy your opponent by any means necessary and the professional part...the one that obeys the rules so he can win "fair and square" The ref's or judges expect you to turn your savage side off and on as the rules dictate but that's not always so easy...
Now personally I feel like I have two parts of myself... the savage artist who just creates wildly and cares not about taste, other peoples interests or the rules and the other filmmaker part... the one that cares about the audience, and plot and following cinematic rules and the like...
Do you ever feel that way? Like when trying to make films or whatever there are two parts in you that are moving in opposite directions? Ok be a creative savage and create this cool situation OK NOW follow the rules and do 5 minutes of exposition so people will be able to follow...
In the end I go with the savage side because in my case that's what people come to see...
So back to Hari... in the end he didn't follow the "rules" so he didn't "win" but he fought the most exciting fights with the most heart, and fought the hardest... if the other guy would have gotten up instead of staying down pretending to be hurt while the judges disqualified Hari... Hari would have destroyed him... Hari is a fighter...thats what he does... To me... he is the real winner.
Many many filmmakers will come and go and follow the rules and win awards and the press will regard them as the "best" but most all be forgotten in time...
Did you know that Stanley Kubrick said that Eraserhead was his favorite film? I love Stanley Kubrick... I love David Lynch... Did they follow the rules? Did they "win"? Maybe not BUT we are still talking about them and loving their work to this day and we will continue too...whY?
Its the rebels... the savages... who will always be remembered because they dared to throw the rules aside and express themselves by any means necessary...
So that's why I never want to "win" by the rules and that's why I think Badr Hari is the best.
When it comes down to it... I'll do ANYTHING to get what I want up on the screen... you came to see a film right?
One last thought... some fighters fight to win...taking chances and being bold... sometimes reckless...making mistakes...
Some fighters fight not to lose... taking the safe route...
Again, apply it to film... which would you rather watch?Brought to you by professional weirdo M dot Strange.