Eddy Merckx

Det Danske Filminstitut wrote:
A very special TV production: In the studio, Leth reads from several of his poetry collections, while a subtitle – as in ‘Life in Denmark’ – meticulously, but double-bound, records observations and describes the process. The subtext thus seems to function as a medium for the director’s reflections as the TV film progresses. (…) Alternating with the poetry reading in the studio, the second part of the film consists of snapshots from the 1970 Tour de France stage race, including the cobblestone roads of northern France, Mont Ventoux and the cathedral sprint in Rouen, which is shown three times.’Read More »

From: IMDB
With a slow introductory zoom onto Leth in a TV studio and a corresponding zoom out at the end Eddy Merckx in the Vicinity of a Cup of Coffee may be structured in the classical style but an extremely unusual TV production is involved: in the studio Leth reads from his poetry while a subtitle – like in Life in Denmark – pedantically but ambiguously presents observations and describes what is going on. The subtitles seem to serve as a medium for the director’s deliberations as the TV film progresses, starting with the following manifesto: “I have no desire to save you or admonish you or get to know you. But I would like to try to entertain you for a while with words, sounds, and images”. Alternating with poetry readings from the studio the second half of the film consists of moments from the 1970 Tour de France, including the cobbled roads of Northern France, from Mont Ventoux, and from the cathedral dash in Rouen… Written by AnonymousRead More »