Favorite Films

[liehtzu]

I don?t have much use for Top Ten lists, they always seem too limited.

So? let?s say twenty? Alright, I?ll chip in first:


1. Au hazard Balthazar (director: Robert Bresson)

2. Sansho the Bailiff (Mizoguchi Kenji)

3. Sunrise (F. W. Murnau)

4. Early Summer (Ozu Yasujiro)

5. The Searchers (John Ford)

6. Sans Soleil (Chris Marker)

7. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (Naruse Mikio)

8. Andrei Rublev (Andrei Tarkovsky)

9. The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch)

10. City Lights (Charles Chaplin)

11. Dust in the Wind (Hou Hsiao-hsien)

12. The Cameraman (Buster Keaton)

13. La Dolce Vita (Federico Fellini)

14. Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks)

15. The Lady Eve (Preston Sturges)

16. Landscape in the Mist (Theo Angelopoulos)

17. Le Trou (Jacques Becker)

18. The Idiot (Kurosawa Akira)

19. Larks on a String (Jiri Menzel)

20. The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz (Luis Bunuel)

 

[titania7]

Liehtzu,
I'm positively delighted you've started this new thread!!! Thank you!! First of all, I must tell you that your list of 20 favorites is very impressive. I can tell you have consummate taste in films. Indeed, just the first four on the list would tell me that much....

As for me, I am quite a devotee of foreign films and classic cinema. And, yes, I will post my own list of favorites. It will take me just a little bit of time to compile it, however, as I do want to put some thought into it.

I, too, love Ozu! Isn't he simply magnificent?? I've already seen Floating Weeds twice, and I wouldn't mind seeing it again....perhaps next year, even. "The Shop Around the Corner" and "The Lady Eve" are two more cinematic jewels! In my opinion, Barbara Stanwyck gave what was one of the best performances of her career in the latter. Those funny, dynamic scenes between her and the straight-laced Henry Fonda are priceless! I'm also a fan of Lubitsch's "To Be or Not to Be." Carole Lombard is one of my favorite actresses. I love everything about her, from her luminous beauty to her gusty personality to her phenomenal sense of humor. What a talented, witty, and vivacious woman! How tragic that she died so young with only a few really great films to her credit.

Look out for my list of favorites!

~Titania

 

[titania7]

Well, picking and choosing a mere 20 out of ALL my favorite films is not merely a tortuous task--it's impossible!! Thus, rather than giving myself a headache, I've expanded on Liehtzu's original suggestion. I'm posting my 30 favorites, rather than just 20. Oh...and a few honorable mentions, too! Are they in order of preference?? Since I think some things should remain a mystery, I'll let you decide .

1. Elvira Madigan (director: Bo Widerberg/1967/Swedish)
2. Beauty and the Beast (director: Jean Cocteau/1936/French)
3. Mayerling (director: Anatole Litvak/1936/French)
4. The Bride Wore Black (director: Francois Truffaut/1967/French)
5. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (director: Jacques Demy/1964/French)
6. Waterloo Bridge (director: Mervyn Leroy/1940/American)
7. Children of Paradise (director: Marcel Carne/1945/French)
8. The Red Shoes (director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger/1948/British)
9. A Man and A Woman (director: Claude Lelouch/1966/French)
10. Tristana (director: Luis Bunuel/1970/French-Spanish)
11. The Earrings of Madame De...(director: Max Ophuls/1955/French-Italian)
12. The Seventh Veil (director: Compton Bennett/1945-British)
13. Portrait of Jennie (director: William Dieterle/1948/American)
14. The Story of Adele H. (director: Francois Truffaut/1975/French)
15. Vertigo (director: Alfred Hitchcock/1958/American)
16. Letter From an Unknown Woman (director: Max Ophuls/1948/American)
17. The Eternal Return (or L'Eternel Retour) (director: Jean Delannoy/1943/French)
18. The Devil's Envoys (or Les Visiteurs Du Soir) (director: Marcel Carne/1942/French)
19. Black Orpheus (director: Marcel Camus/1959/French-Italian)
20. White Nights (director: Luchino Visconti/1957/Italian)
21. Mississippi Mermaid (director: Francois Truffaut/1969/French-Italian)
22. Smiles of A Summer Night (director: Ingmar Bergman/1955/Swedish)
23. Rear Window (director: Alfred Hitchcock/1954/American)
24. Un Coeur en Hiver (director: Claude Sautet/1992/French)
25. That Hamilton Woman (director: Alexander Korda/1941/American)
26. Nights of Cabiria (director: Federico Fellini/1957/Italian)
27. The Cranes Are Flying (director: Mikhail Kalatozov/1957/Russian)
28. Floating Weeds (director: Yasujiro Ozu/1959/Japan)
29. The Lovers (director: Louis Malle/1958/French)
30. Two English Girls (director: Francois Truffaut/1971/French)

Comments about a few of these films to follow. And yes, Truffaut is my favorite director . In fact, I'm worrying over where I placed Two English Girls on the list. But wait, who said it was in any particular order? Ok, maybe the first 5 choices are in order...but, as to the rest, mix 'em up any way you want to .

As for the honorable mentions, I'm narrowing the list to five:
1. Les Diaboliques (director: Henri-Georges Clouzot/1954/French)
2) Shoot the Piano Player (director: Francois Truffaut/1960/French)
3. La Grande Illusion (director: Jean Renoir/1937/French)
4. Camila (director: Maria Luisa Bemberg/1984/Argentinian)
5. Effi Briest (director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder/1974/German)

My obsession with Francois Truffaut is rather obvious. I simply couldn't limit myself to one film per director since I wouldn't have actually ended up with even my 20 favorite films if I had done so. The similarities between the films of Alfred Hitchcock and Francois Truffaut interest me a great deal. I even have a book on this subject. Truffaut's two Hitchcockian films are The Bride Wore Black and Mississippi Mermaid. Both feature two of my favorite actresses, Jeanne Moreau and Catherine Deneuve, respectively. I'm such a fan of Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg that I've been known to give recordings of the stupendous musical soundtrack (by Michel Legrand) to friends as a gift.

I can only say, regarding Elvira Madigan, the first film on my list, that I consider it to be the greatest love story ever captured on film. The fact that it was based on real-life incidents makes it still more unforgettable--and tragic. The cinematography is also breathtaking, and the Swedish actress in the lead, Pia Degermark, steals the show. Of course, the musical soundtrack, featuring Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's exquisite Piano Concerto No.21 just adds to the film's splendor. If anyone should think that I seem to be a bit lopsided in terms of how many French films I've listed, that is because at least 2/3 of the foreign films I've seen thus far have been French. I am quite a fan of the German director, Rainer Werner Fassbinder. My honorable mentions, including Effi Briest (Mirabell, I know you hate the book by Theodor Fontane...but do you hate the film, too?) are still movies that are close to my heart...and tomorrow I might decide to swap one of those for one of the films on my "official" list.

Fellini? How could I begin to choose just one Fellini film? I love La Dolce Vita, Juliet of the Spirit, and, yes, even 8 1/2.
Indeed, Marcello Mastroianni is my favorite actor--and, in my opinion, the most stunning man ever to make a film. It pains me that I was only able to include one of his films in my top 30.

I could say the same thing about Hitchcock. How can one choose two or three amid all the spectacular films he made?? If I had to name just one more film, I would probably choose Hitchcock's 1945 masterpiece, Spellbound. But then, there's also North by Northwest. Those sexy scenes (with all that witty repartee) between Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint are simply priceless.

If anyone else has seen the film called Camila on my "Honorable Mentions" list, I would love to hear your thoughts. Like Elvira Madigan, a film it resembles, the story was inspired by factual events. Without giving too much away, I will state that the movie centers on a love story between a Jesuit priest and a young Catholic socialite. It is set in 19th century Argentina. To say it is unforgettable would be a massive understatement! This film, once you see it, will probably haunt you for weeks, perhaps even months.

The most "contemporary" film on my list is Claude Sautet's 1992 masterpiece, Un Coeur en Hiver. I just finished watching it night before last and have already recommended it to two good friends. To find out more about it, search online for film critic Roger Ebert's marvelous review. There is one question a person can easily ask after watching this movie: has there ever been a more beautiful actress to grace the screen than Emmanuelle Beart? In my opinion, no. However, as always, beauty is in the eye of the beholder .

I think I've already rhapsodized on all my choices a bit too much. I was inspired by Liehtzu and all those clever remarks he made about his 20 favorite films. I just had to make some comments about mine! Stewart, as you know, we both love Last Year at Marienbad. But will either of us ever figure it out???

I can't wait for other listmembers to post their lists! Come on everyone, be bold...be daring...start posting now!

Cheers,
Titania

 

[lionel]

Elvira Madigan? One of my favourites. Cinema, like books, is not essentially about stories but moments, such as the red wine ebbing out of the bottle like the time the doomed couple have. And the butterfly at the end frozen between the hands because you can?t catch a butterfly.

I won?t go on as I don?t have time, but as authors are to books, directors are to films, so first of all any:

Bu?uel
Bergman

After that, in no particular order:

Truffaut
Rohmer
Resnais
Chabrol
Renoir
Rohmer
Godard
Tati
Bresson
Hitchcock
Capra
Chaplin
Warhol
Billy Wilder
Fassbinder
Herzog
Almod?var
Louis Malle
Murnau
Wenders
Ken Loach
Anger
Mike Leigh
Shane Meadows
Coen brothers
Spike Lee
The first two Tarantino films (only)

Most overrated director ever: John Ford

I?ve most probably missed some of my favourite directors out here, but these are the first ones that spring to mind.

 

[Eric]

I should be checking through a translation, but it's always fun to be distracted. Favourite films. I don't watch many nowadays if they're not on TV, but while at UEA in the early 1970s, I saw enough serious films (ones now labelled, most yuckily, "art house"), to last me a lifetime.

Ingmar Bergman
When I helped a friend of mine run a film season during that time, I saw nearly all his classics. My favourite is still Wild Strawberries. But, there are about half a dozen of my favourite films among his other ones.

Andrei Tarkovsky. Another film director I really like. Again, I've seen nearly all his films and especially liked Stalker, The Mirror, Andrei Rubly?v, maybe Solaris and his very last film, made on Gotland, called The Sacrifice.

Bo Wideberg. I loved Elvira Madigan, as already mentioned. Even the music, taken from who was it, Schubert, is unforgettable.

Alain Resnais. Last Year in Marienbad. Very weird. I had never seen anything like it.

Hans-J?rgen Syberberg A film that I once saw in Nottingham (why do I remember that?) was by him and was Wagnerian. I'm not entirely sure which film it was. But the weird stasis of the film appealed.

Lu?s Bu?uel I saw on of his films that I always remember: The Exterminating Angel. The absurdity of not being able to cross the threshold fascinated me. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie was intriguing. But I prefer the former film. I've never seen any of his other films.

Luchino Visconti. Death in Venice was a highlight of my film-watching life. Saw it at the Noverre Film Theatre in Norwich. Before that film, I had never heard of Mahler, now one of my favourite composers.

Jean Renoir. La Grande Illusion was another film that sank deep into me. I especially remember the stiff-backed Erich von Stroheim.

F.W. Murnau. Nosferatu was an experience. Those claw-like hands.

There must be a lot more, but my brain needs jogging a bit, and I need my lunch.

 

[jackdawdle]

1) Francis Ford Coppollo(?) The Godfather
2) Steven Spielberg Jaws
3) George Lucas Star Wars
4) Francis Ford Coppola (?) The Black Stallion
5) Sylvester Stallone Rocky II
6) George Lucas The Empire Strikes Back
7) Richard Donner Superman
8) Peter Weir Witness
9) Mel Gibson Braveheart
10) Kenneth Branagh Henry V
11) Philip Kaufman The Right Stuff
12) Gus Van Sant Finding Forrester
13) Francis Ford Coppolla(?) The Godfather II

That's the best I can do.

As you see love stories rate low in my book. Some of my favorite lines from these films include, Lex Luthor's "stock markets crash, utilities something something, people are no damn good, but land...", Pancho's "what're you two pugknockers have?" and the Dauphin's "for thee dopher. I stand here for him. What to he from England?"

 

[Mirabell]

The first two Tarentino films (only)

Jacky Brown's my favorite Tarantino flick.

 

[lionel]

Jacky Brown's my favorite Tarantino flick.

I admit it's by no means a disaster, but then we're only talking personal favourites, not tearing the shit out of those choices, but surely you can't think it's better than Pulp Fiction from an artiistic point of view? Tarantino crammed years and years of film nerdism into his early films, and now seems to have exhausted his own legend.

 

[titania7]

I

Elvira Madigan? One of my favourites.

What a coincidence . Is it not an absolutely exquisite movie?

Cinema, like books, is not essentially about stories but moments

Yes!!! You've taken my thoughts and expressed them.

.... such as the red wine ebbing out of the glass like the time the doomed couple have. And the butterfly at the end frozen between the hands because you can’t catch a butterfly.

The scene with the butterfly at the end is undoubtedly my very favorite within the entire film. And the cinematography--ah, how spellbinding! As you point out, Lionel, you cannot catch a butterfly. Indeed, they must remain free.

I won’t go on as I don’t have time, but as authors are to books, directors are to films, so first of all any:

Bu?uel
Bergman

I love them both, though I haven't yet seen enough of Ingmar Bergman's work. "Smiles of A Summer Night" made me feel wonderfully happy and alive and "The Seventh Seal" mesmerized me. "The Virgin Spring" brought tears to my eyes. Bergman certainly knows how to evoke deep emotions in those who watch his films.

Bunuel is brilliant and a little quirky and incredibly inventive. "Tristana" is my favorite. There's something serene about the film, and Deneuve gives one of her best performances. What I like about "Tristana" is that Bunuel seems to observe the characters with an ironic sense of detachment, while, at the same time, he manages to draw us into their twisted world of perverted passion and desire. The film, for those who are unaware of it, is based on a story by Benito Perez Galdos. Other favorites by Bunuel: "Viridiana," "Wuthering Heights," "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie," "Exterminating Angel."

After that, in no particular order:

Truffaut
Rohmer
Resnais
Chabrol
Renoir
Rohmer
Godard
Tati
Bresson
Hitchcock
Capra
Chaplin
Warhol
Billy Wilder
Fassbinder
Herzog
Almod?var
Louis Malle
Murnau
Wenders
Ken Loach
Anger
Mike Leigh
Shane Meadows
Coen brothers
Spike Lee
The first two Tarentino films (only)

A fabulous list. It's great to see so many French directors included, Lionel. Those are some of my favorites, also. And I love Chaplin--and Billy Wilder ("Some Like it Hot" and "Sunset Boulevard" stand out).

Most overrated director ever: John Ford

Good choice. Ron Howard is overrated, too.

I’ve most probably missed some of my favourite directors out here, but these are the first ones that spring to mind.

If you were able to name all those right off the top of your head, you're doing better than me. Are there any Japanese filmmakers you particularly like?

Once again, splendid choices.

~Titania

 

[titania7]

I should be checking through a translation, but it's always fun to be distracted.

Indeed, Eric .

Favourite films. I don't watch many nowadays if they're not on TV, but while at UEA in the early 1970s, I saw enough serious films (ones now labelled, most yuckily, "art house"), to last me a lifetime.

Ingmar Bergman
When I helped a friend of mine run a film season during that time, I saw nearly all his classics. My favourite is still Wild Strawberries. But, there are about half a dozen of my favourite films among his other ones.

When I hear people I admire like you and Lionel rhapsodize on the merits of Ingmar Bergman, I realize I must watch more of his films as soon as possible. "Wild Strawberries," which I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't yet seen, will be first on the agenda.

Andrei Tarkovsky. Another film director I really like. Again, I've seen nearly all his films and especially liked Stalker, The Mirror, Andrei Rubly?v, maybe Solaris and his very last film, made on Gotland, called The Sacrifice.

I've only seen "Stalker," and it was quite excellent. I will check out the others you mention, Eric.

Bo Wideberg. I loved Elvira Madigan, as already mentioned. Even the music, taken from who was it, Schubert, is unforgettable.

Another fan of "Elvira Madigan"! I'm delighted. The music was actually taken from Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21, nicknamed the "Elvira Madigan" Concerto .

Alain Resnais. Last Year in Marienbad. Very weird. I had never seen anything like it.

Neither have I, which is one reason I like it so much. It will never cease to intrigue me.

Hans-J?rgen Syberberg A film that I once saw in Nottingham (why do I remember that?) was by him and was Wagnerian. I'm not entirely sure which film it was. But the weird stasis of the film appealed.

I'll check out Syberberg, Eric. He sounds like a compelling director.

Lu?s Bu?uel I saw on of his films that I always remember: The Exterminating Angel. The absurdity of not being able to cross the threshold fascinated me. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie was intriguing. But I prefer the former film. I've never seen any of his other films.

Oh, you must, must, must see "Tristana"! Please do try to find a copy of it somewhere, Eric. "Viridiana" is wonderful, too. "Exterminating Angel" was superb, though not as much to my liking as the other two I named.

Luchino Visconti. Death in Venice was a highlight of my film-watching life. Saw it at the Noverre Film Theatre in Norwich. Before that film, I had never heard of Mahler, now one of my favourite composers.

I adore Mahler! But, believe it or not, I've never seen "Death in Venice."
I'm a big fan of Visconti, however, and should've probably included "The Leopard," his stupendous film adaptation of Lampedusa's classic novel (of the same name), on my list. Oh well! ~sighs~

Jean Renoir. La Grande Illusion was another film that sank deep into me. I especially remember the stiff-backed Erich von Stroheim.

Indeed, Stroheim was unforgettable, wasn't he? And Jean Gabin gave a stellar performance, possibly one of the best of his career.

F.W. Murnau. Nosferatu was an experience. Those claw-like hands.

Yes, who could possibly forget the hands???

There must be a lot more, but my brain needs jogging a bit

Your brain doesn't seem to need jogging to me, Eric. As always, your intellect appears to be in tip-top shape .

~Titania

 

[titania7]

1) Francis Ford Coppollo(?) The Godfather
2) Steven Spielberg Jaws
3) George Lucas Star Wars
4) Francis Ford Coppola (?) The Black Stallion
5) Sylvester Stallone Rocky II
6) George Lucas The Empire Strikes Back
7) Richard Donner Superman
8) Peter Weir Witness
9) Mel Gibson Braveheart
10) Kenneth Branagh Henry V
11) Philip Kaufman The Right Stuff
12) Gus Van Sant Finding Forrester
13) Francis Ford Coppolla(?) The Godfather II

That's the best I can do.

You did a great job, jackdawdle. Although they weren't on my list, some movies I love would have to be "The Godfather," "Witness," and "The Godfather II." "Braveheart" was a fantastic film, though a bit too gut-wrenching for me. But I'm delighted to see "Finding Forrester" on your list.
What an overlooked jewel of a film! I've always been a huge fan of Sean Connery, and the wry, tender performance he gives in this film as the aging, reclusive writer, Forrester, is priceless.

Splendid taste, jackdawdle. Splendid .

As you see love stories rate low in my book.

No one's taste in films is alike. That's the beauty of lists like these.
Everyone can share which films have meant the most to them personally.

Thanks for joining in!

~Titania

 

[lionel]

When I hear people I admire like you and Lionel rhapsodize on the merits of Ingmar Bergman, I realize I must watch more of his films as soon as possible. "Wild Strawberries," which I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't yet seen, will be first on the agenda.

Eric talks a kind of sense when he's not ranting about the evils of communism and the glories of capitalism, but I was about to mention Wild Strawberries as my favourite Bergman film when I thought Persona must take it as it's far more mature. But then, is Persona the best film in the world ever made? Certainly not, I think, but then what is? Yeah, I missed Tarkovsky and a number of Japanese auteurs, but all the same, Citizen Kane just ain't that good. The main problem is my prejudice against words I don't understand: how do I know it's being translated or interpreted in a reasonably exact way? It's a major problem.

 

[jackdawdle]

titania,

the master, alfred hitchcock, definitely bears repeating. alfred hitchcock, the master; the master, alfred hitchcock, the master...

jackdawdle

 

[titania7]

When constructing my Top Ten(s), I always start with Ground Zero, which means that in the end I really have 11 favorites in the list. Anyway, mine goes:

00. The Mirror (Зеркало, 1975; Andrei Tarkovsky): must have seen this one at least 50 times by now.

The only Tarkovsky I've seen is "Stalker." Based on what you and Eric have to say about this one, I'll certainly give it a try.

01. The Hours (2002; Stephen Daldry). Same as above: have spent LOTS of hours watching The Hours.

I really did like this movie quite a lot. My favorite part was Nicole Kidman's portrayal of Virginia Woolf. She was brilliant in the role and fully deserved her Oscar. Have you read the book, too, per chance, by Michael Cunningham? It looks promising.

02. Prospero's Books (1991; Peter Greenaway). A crazy, creepy adaptation of Shakespeare's Tempest; love everything about it.

I've heard of this film and have always been intrigued by the title. I love Shakespeare's "Tempest". And, since you love everything about this film, I'll have to add it to my to-be-watched-sometime-in-the-near-future list .

03. Wild Strawberries (Smultronst?llet; 1957; Ingmar Bergman). Probably his most profound work. A quiet, meditative look on life, death and love.

Ah, here we go again . I think I'm being told to see this film really soon. I'll order it from the library before I go to bed tonight.

04. Eternity and a Day (Μια Αιωνιότητα και Μια Μέρα; 1998; Theodoros Angelopoulos). Reminded me strongly of both Wild Strawberries and The Mirror, but is more assertively political and ambitious. Won Palme d'Or at Cannes.

The Palme d'Or? Impressive indeed. I am rather drawn to the film's title. Ok, it'll go on my list, too.

05. 8 1/2 (1963; Federico Fellini). This film is PERFECT. Everything that can be said about the creative process and the nature of memory was said here.

Yes! A film I've both seen AND love. "8 1/2" is indeed perfect....though not quite the slice of heaven that "Nights of Cabiria" is (in my opinion). At the same time, Marcello Mastroianni is in "8 1/2." And everyone knows how I feel about that dashing man!

06. Holy Smoke (1999; Jane Campion). Not as perfect as Sweetie or An Angel at My Table, but it's my personal favorite from Campion.

Oh dear. You know I'm not a fan of Ms. Campion, Liam. What can I say?? I'll read more about "Holy Smoke" and see if there's any chance I might want to see it. Fair enough? I have been wanting to see "An Angel at My Table" for awhile now, incidentally. The story sounds compelling.

07. The Best Intentions (Den Goda Viljan; 1992; Bille August). Based on a script by Ingmar Bergman; in a word: transcendent. Loved every blessed millisecond of the complete, 5-hour version.

I've heard some wonderful things about this movie. Yes, it's going to be added to my list. How could you imagine anything else??

08. The Silence (Tystnaden; 1963; Ingmar Bergman). Not as perfect as the preceding two films in his "Crisis of Faith" trilogy, but a favorite nonetheless. Ingrid Thulin delivers a knockout performance.

I love Ingrid Thulin to begin with; so, you've got my hooked already. You've already recommended this to me once...but seeing it here on your list makes it fresh in my mind. Will see soon.

09. The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003; Peter Jackson). LOVE the book; loved the movies. Although he entirely dismisses Tolkien's personal philosophy and focuses on war and battles instead (those m?makil look SO goddamn real), it's still a visual masterpiece (not sure about the acting, however; although I thought Gollum was brilliant, ).

I haven't read but one of the books, nor have I seen but one of the films. I did enjoy the one film I saw. But I'll be honest, Liam...I haven't been rushing to see the others. I haven't any idea why, though. Perhaps you'll change my mind about it .

10. Winged Migration (Le Peuple Migrateur; 2001; Jacques Perrin). Puts me in a "mood." The scene with the gannets inspired me to write a poem. Visually breathtaking + very appropriate for our crazy, earth-shattering times.

Wonderful, beautiful, exquisite! Oh my goodness, I'm going to run out of adjectives if I keep going on this way. For whatever reason, it wouldn't have occurred to me to put this film on my list of favorites. But, as you say, Liam, it does put one in a certain mood. I'm passionate about birds. And yes, it's a refreshing break from the chaotic universe we live in. Is it not? Would like to read your poem .

I took a LOT of film classes as an undergraduate (even toyed with the idea of becoming a script-writer) before moving on to fresher woods and pastures new.

Follow your heart, luv. This is the best advice I can give you.

Anyway, the eleven gems above pretty much sum up who I am as a person.

Oh my. If eleven films could sum me up, I have no idea what those films would be. I've never looked at it quite that way. Thank you for the interesting perspective. You are probably even more than those films, if we're speaking of you as a person. Those films, however one put them together, still wouldn't make you. You're more unique than that .

~Titania

 

[Liam]

The Earrings of Madame De...(director: Max Ophuls/1955/French-Italian)

Titania: I watched Ophuls' earlier film Le Plaisir tonight, and it was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Three seemingly unconnected stories by Guy de Maupassant, all on a single theme: pleasure (physical, spiritual, artistic). The second story is by far the longest, and proved to be my favorite.

The first story involves a mask, and the visuals reminded me strongly of Hiroshi Teshigahara's The Face of Another (1966).

L.

 

[kpjayan]

07. The Best Intentions (Den Goda Viljan; 1992; Bille August). Based on a script by Ingmar Bergman; in a word: transcendent. Loved every blessed millisecond of the complete, 5-hour version.

I haven't seen the movie, but have read the book. Ingmar Bergman is an awesome writer,too.

Titania, you may want to check the book as well.

 

[Liam]

Hans-J?rgen Syberberg A film that I once saw in Nottingham (why do I remember that?) was by him and was Wagnerian. I'm not entirely sure which film it was. But the weird stasis of the film appealed.

Eric: the only film by Syberberg that I've seen is the 7-hour Hitler: Ein Film aus Deutschland. It was, as you say, very Wagnerian. Is this the one you're referring to?

Liam.

 

[Mirabell]

Eric: the only film by Syberberg that I've seen is the 7-hour Hitler: Ein Film aus Deutschland. It was, as you say, very Wagnerian. Is this the one you're referring to?

Liam.

apparently you can download that movie as well as his movie on Nietzsche here SYBERBERG - complete versions

 

[Liam]

My favorite part was Nicole Kidman's portrayal of Virginia Woolf. She was brilliant in the role and fully deserved her Oscar. Have you read the book, too, per chance, by Michael Cunningham? It looks promising.

Mine too! Favorite scene: Virginia and Leonard at the station. Now, THAT's acting! And yes, I have read the book, three or four times (it's short)--beautiful language.

Titania, Prospero's Books is like a Renaissance painting come to life; watch the following 6-minute sequence (courtesy of Youtube), where Miranda meets Ferdinand for the first time (and by the way, Prospero's "dubbing" of ALL the other characters' voices is intentional):

YouTube - The Book Of Love (Prospero's Books)

I have been wanting to see "An Angel at My Table" for awhile now, incidentally. The story sounds compelling.

Yes! Personally, I think that this, and not The Piano, is her true "masterpiece."

I haven't read but one of the books, nor have I seen but one of the films. I did enjoy the one film I saw. But I'll be honest, Liam...I haven't been rushing to see the others.

That's OK, I ain't mad at ya, . Don't forget: being a medievalist, it was almost inevitable that I should fall in love with Tolkien's work; the movies, on the other hand, were excellent adaptations in their own right, but I do not worship at the Peter Jackson altar, like some.

Regards,
Liam.

P.S. Jayan--thanks for the recommendation; I thought the film was based on Bergman's script only, and now you're telling me there is a NOVEL! Will look into it, ASAP.

 

[Liam]

apparently you can download that movie as well as his movie on Nietzsche here SYBERBERG - complete versions

Mirabell: thanks for the link; however, I think if I tried downloading the entire seven hours of it, my PC would crash, .

If you saw this film, what were your own thoughts on it? I had to see it for class and therefore all the philosophizing went WAY over my head; I mostly focused on visual effects, etc., as well as the director's use of puppets--very effective!

L.