Favorite Films

[Leseratte]

Many of my favorites are already on your lists. Just some more I remember. Some of the directors were already named, but with other movies
Akira Kurosava- Dodeskaden- Dreams- Derzu Usalla.
Krzysztof Kieślowsk - The Decalogue
Buñuel- The Phantom of Liberty
Theo Angelopoulos -Landscape in the Mist
Ingmar Bergman- The seventh Seal
Emir Kusturica-Black Cat, White Cat- Life is a Miracle
Harry Kümel-Malpertuis
Nikita Sergeyevich Mikhalkov - Burnt by the Sun
Sergei Eisenstein-Battleship Potemkin
Murnau-Faust
Fritz Lang and Thea von Harbou-The tired Death

 

[SpaceCadet]

I am not a movie fan (even less a connoisseur) and I rarely watch movies (and I am not very good at making lists of ‘favourite’ or ‘bests of’).

That said, similarly as with short stories and flash fiction in literature, I enjoy very much short and very short movies. I think some of them are true work of art.

I’m also quite fond of documentaries. But that’s different.

Now, in line with what’s been discussed in this thread, as full length movies goes, there are some that comes to mind which I would label as ‘favourite’ or ‘meaningful’ or ‘memorable’ (whatever that means):



Most Charlie Chaplin movies

Singin’ in the Rain (Dir. Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen - 1952)

Dr.Strangelove (Dir.Stanley Kubrick - 1964)

Most (if not all) of Federico Fellini’s movies

The NeverEndingStory (Dir.Wolfgang Peterson - 1984)

Les nuits de la pleine lune (Dir.Eric Rohmer - 1984)

L'homme qui plantait des arbres (Dir.Frédérick Back – 1987 (EDIT:This one is a short-length movie))

Dead Poets Society (Dir.Peter Weir - 1989)

Philadelphia (Dir.Jonathan Demme - 1993)

The Soong Sisters (Dir.Mabel Cheung - 1997)

The Truman Show (Dir.Peter Weir – 1998)

In the Mood for Love (Dir. Wong Kar-wai – 2000)

Hable con ella (Dir.Pedro Almodovar – 2002)

 

[Liam]

 

[tiganeasca]

I am not a movie fan (even less a connoisseur) and I rarely watch movies (and I am not very good at making lists of ‘favourite’ or ‘bests of’).

That said, similarly as with short stories and flash fiction in literature, I enjoy very much short and very short movies. I think some of them are true work of art.

I’m also quite fond of documentaries. But that’s different.

Now, in line with what’s been discussed in this thread, as full length movies goes, there are some that comes to mind which I would label as ‘favourite’ or ‘meaningful’ or ‘memorable’ (whatever that means):



Most Charlie Chaplin movies

Singin’ in the Rain (Dir. Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen - 1952)

Dr.Strangelove (Dir.Stanley Kubrick - 1964)

Most (if not all) of Federico Fellini’s movies

The NeverEndingStory (Dir.Wolfgang Peterson - 1984)

Les nuits de la pleine lune (Dir.Eric Rohmer - 1984)

L'homme qui plantait des arbres (Dir.Frédérick Back – 1987 (EDIT:This one is a short-length movie))

Dead Poets Society (Dir.Peter Weir - 1989)

Philadelphia (Dir.Jonathan Demme - 1993)

The Soong Sisters (Dir.Mabel Cheung - 1997)

The Truman Show (Dir.Peter Weir – 1998)

In the Mood for Love (Dir. Wong Kar-wai – 2000)

Hable con ella (Dir.Pedro Almodovar – 2002)

I see you share my fondness for the limpid little adaptation of Jean Giono; I think one (of many) reason(s) it works it because of its fidelity to the story...one of his supreme achievements.

 

[SpaceCadet]

I see you share my fondness for the limpid little adaptation of Jean Giono; I think one (of many) reason(s) it works it because of its fidelity to the story...one of his supreme achievements.

I've not read the book (shame on me!) but one can tell that the movie's narration stays close to the written text. One of the French version of the movie is told by Philippe Noiret (well known French film and theater actor), he does it quite well! (By the way both French and English versions can be viewed on YT).

 

[tiganeasca]

I've not read the book (shame on me!) but one can tell that the movie's narration stays close to the written text. One of the French version of the movie is told by Philippe Noiret (well known French film and theater actor), he does it quite well! (By the way both French and English versions can be viewed on YT).

Oooh...Noiret. An inspired choice! I just pulled out my copy...I had forgotten that (1) it's narrated by Christopher Plummer and (2) that it won an Oscar for best animated short. Maybe it's time to re-read/re-watch!

 

[Stevie B]

Oooh...Noiret. An inspired choice! I just pulled out my copy...I had forgotten that (1) it's narrated by Christopher Plummer and (2) that it won an Oscar for best animated short. Maybe it's time to re-read/re-watch!

I loved Philippe Noiret as Pablo Neruda in The Postman.

 

[Leseratte]

I loved Philippe Noiret as Pablo Neruda in The Postman.

Me too! In Portuguese the film is called The Postman and the Poet.

 

[Stevie B]

Me too! In Portuguese the film is called The Postman and the Poet.

I think that’s a more fitting title, and a much better one than the Antonio Skarmeta novel the film was based on. For some reason, that was entitled Burning Patience.

 

[Leseratte]

I think that’s a more fitting title, and a much better one than the Antonio Skarmeta novel the film was based on. For some reason, that was entitled Burning Patience.

In the German Wikipedia I found the source of this strange title. It is derived from this citation by Rimbaud (in German): „Im Morgengrauen werden wir, bewaffnet mit brennender Geduld, die Städte betreten.“. ("At dawn we will enter the cities, armed with burning patience"). https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mit_brennender_Geduld.

Don´t know if this is of any help. It seems to refer to the political context of the novel.

 

[Stevie B]

In the German Wikipedia I found the source of this strange title. It is derived from this citation by Rimbaud (in German): „Im Morgengrauen werden wir, bewaffnet mit brennender Geduld, die Städte betreten.“. ("At dawn we will enter the cities, armed with burning patience"). https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mit_brennender_Geduld.

Don´t know if this is of any help. It seems to refer to the political context of the novel.

Thanks for the research and context, Leseratte. In hindsight, I suppose one could also consider Mario's burning passion for Beatrice, and his patient wooing of her with poetry. By the way, did you know that Massimo Troisi, the actor who played Mario, died less than a day after the filming of Il Postino had concluded? Apparently, he was severely ill during the making of the movie, but he delayed heart surgery until after the film wrapped.

 

[Leseratte]

I think you are right. I don´t remember the argument any more, I had to read about it in Wikipedia. And also the feeling of many exiled Chileans.

I recollect very vaguely having heard about the death of Troisi. A great pity, he was still so young!

 

[Liam]

Pleasantly surprised at how intelligent, perceptive, respectful and well-spoken Kim Cattrall is! You can tell she has a real passion for cinema. What would be YOUR top ten Criterion picks, guys, if you were allowed to raid their closet? ?

 

[childeroland]

A Brighter Summer Day
Battle of Algiers
Fanny and Alexander
Metropolitan
Yi Yi
The Third Man
Spirit of the Beehive
Double Life of Veronique
Three Colors Red
Dekalog

 

[Patrick Murtha]

Another pre-Viagra story is Vitaliano Brancati’s Il bell’Antonio (1949), filmed in 1960 by Marco Bolognini from a Pasolini screenplay, with Marcello Mastroianni in the lead. The problem there, though, is less erectile dysfunction per se, than that Antonio can “perform” with prostitutes but not with his pedestaled new wife. This resonates with me as a gay man because I have never “gotten” the supposed function of sex as an expression of love. To me, lust is lust, and affection is affection, and almost never shall the twain meet. I won’t say that this view is characteristic of gay men, but there are definitely other gay men that feel this way.

Of course, the virgin / whore dichotomy embedded in the Sicilian culture of the novel and film also plays a BIG part.

 

[Stevie B]

Another pre-Viagra story is Vitaliano Brancati’s Il bell’Antonio (1949), filmed in 1960 by Marco Bolognini from a Pasolini screenplay, with Marcello Mastroianni in the lead. The problem there, though, is less erectile dysfunction per se, than that Antonio can “perform” with prostitutes but not with his pedestaled new wife. This resonates with me as a gay man because I have never “gotten” the supposed function of sex as an expression of love. To me, lust is lust, and affection is affection, and almost never shall the twain meet. I won’t say that this view is characteristic of gay men, but there are definitely other gay men that feel this way.

Of course, the virgin / whore dichotomy embedded in the Sicilian culture of the novel and film also plays a BIG part.

I know that dichotomy exists in many other countries, but I've always thought of it as being particularly strong in Italy. Personally, I think I'd have more stress with the prostitute. There's a scene in the film Klute where Jane Fonda, who plays a prostitute, is passionately moaning while also glancing at her watch.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

I know that dichotomy exists in many other countries, but I've always thought of it as being particularly prevalent in Italy. Personally, I think I'd have more stress with the prostitute. There's a scene in the film Klute where Jane Fonda, who plays a prostitute, is passionately moaning while also glancing at her watch.

I think you are right, very prevalent in Italy. Pretty big here in Mexico, too.

Love, love, love Klute. I remember seeing it on TV as a teen, somewhat cut of course and the compositions ruined by pan-and-scan, and still thought, Wow. It opened a somewhat scary adult world to me (as the film version of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? did also).

My intuitions were correct. It IS scary. ?

 

[Ben Jackson]

I know that dichotomy exists in many other countries, but I've always thought of it as being particularly strong in Italy. Personally, I think I'd have more stress with the prostitute. There's a scene in the film Klute where Jane Fonda, who plays a prostitute, is passionately moaning while also glancing at her watch.

Thanks Stevie, you have reminded me of a movie I'll watch at the end of the month.

 

[Stevie B]

Thanks Stevie, you have reminded me of a movie I'll watch at the end of the month.

I wouldn't mind watching Klute again as I have little recollection of it, though I'm pretty sure it co-stars Donald Sutherland.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

I wouldn't mind watching Klute again as I have little recollection of it, though I'm pretty sure it co-stars Donald Sutherland.

Yes in fact, he is the titular character. Discussions of the film usually and understandably center on Jane Fonda’s Bree, but Sutherland is just great here, and he “opens up” as the movie progresses (the name “Klute” of course suggesting a closed-off personality).