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What are your "must-see" movies?


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For me, while many of the mentioned films have many technical features to study, I think "Requiem for a Dream"(2000) is one of the best for 'independent' low budget films.

 

I'd also recommend "Dallas Buyers Club"(2013) as well. While it's budget was far greater than any one could imagine who was not now Hollywood connected, the approach of 'realism', 'use as much existing/available lighting' (other than 'well it was in the grip truck, so it was 'available'...), and fairly realistic performances, I think is important to study for those who don't have the budget.

 

I'd also recommend looking at German New Wave such as Fassbinder and Herzog(ok... not the Amazon Jungle films... like "Aguirre" or "Fritzcaraldo"...), "Alice in den Stäten"(1974) from Wim Winders, and "Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum oder: Wie Gewalt entstehen und wohin sie führen kann"(1975) from Völker Schlöndorff.

 

Most of these films could be remade with minimal crews and equipment, or films with more modern subjects/themes made in a similar low budget principles.

 

In regard to why I think "Requiem" is a 'good example'... most of the thoughts I have for short films or if ever I were to do a 'feature' length film, is, I tend to think in terms of social critique/commentary in the form of narrative fiction.

 

So "Requiem" is for me very definitely a social critique film, and has a low budget technique.

 

The other genre I think of is 'parody' but that far more comedic capability of the actors and production, than I can find available in my neck of the woods... even find people who have the same sensibilities on what to make a parody of... is difficult...

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The Perfect Sense trailer is a great trailer. It makes me want to see the movie. But I also wonder if I have seen too much, as though I already have obsorbed and intuited too much of the essence of the movie.

 

It's a hard thing making the perfect trailer eh (like the perfect woman or the perfect beer joke....a Speights beer comercial reference)

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The Perfect Sense trailer is a great trailer. It makes me want to see the movie. But I also wonder if I have seen too much, as though I already have obsorbed and intuited too much of the essence of the movie.

 

It's a hard thing making the perfect trailer eh (like the perfect woman or the perfect beer joke....a Speights beer comercial reference)

It's not the best trailer considering how powerful the actual film is. My hunch is they didn't want to give away too much of the plot. It takes a blockbuster tentpole concept and puts it through the prism of a small indie romance. It packs quite a punch. If you can buy into the premise. If you can't, it might not work for you.

Edited by Michael LaVoie
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First I have to quote David Mullen: "A very broad question..."

 

An easier queston would be: What are your "must-seen" movies in cinematography, and so on.

 

I will write down some movies. They are my "must-seen" movie because of different reasons. Some I choose because of cinematography, some because of the story, some because of the message, etc.

 

And I only choose one film per Director

 

The oldest one is "Nosferatu" from Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau. What an atmosphere!

 

"Le procès" from Orson Welles. For me the best Kafka adaption.

 

"Persona" Ingmar Bergman. Really impressive cinematography.

 

"Suspiria" Dario Argento. The last film, which was shoot in the technicolor system. I have seen an old british analog print. What incredible colors. Unfortunately this experience is not so good on BD.

 

"Il Grande silencio" Sergio Corbucci. For me one of the best spaghetti-westerns.

 

Another "must-seen" spaghetti-western is "Faccia a Faccia" from Sergio Sollima.

 

Some other italian films:

 

"Nuovo cinema paradiso" Giuseppe Tornatore. What a declaration of love to cinema. Definetely my favorite film. There are existing two versions in Italy. There is a longer one then the international version.

 

"Mediterraneo" Gabriele Salvatores. The best anti-war movie.

 

To come to other countries:

 

"Lucia y el sexo" Julio Medem. What a good screenplay!

 

"Le Mepris" Jean-Luc Godard. Godard in cinemascope! Normaly he shoot 1:1,33.

 

"Fitzcarraldo" Werner Herzog. No comment!

 

"The Wild Bunch" Sam Packinpah. I saw this film two times in cinema. It was a film print! This film changed cinema!

 

"La Haine" Mathieu Kassovitz. The combination of the story and black and white pictures is amazing!

 

"Valhalla Rising" Niclas Winding Refn. This film shows very good that you do not need so much dialoge then most filmmakers think!

 

"Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain" Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Details!!!

 

Three asian films, which are a "must-see" are:

 

"Die xue jie tou" (Bullet in the Head) John Woo. The non plus ultra Action-Epic! Very often copied, but never reached.

 

"Dung che sai duk" (Ashes of Time) Wong Kar-wai. You have to see this pictures photographed by Christopher Doyle! There are two versions. The Redux one is not so long. I bought in the year 2000 the asian DVD to see this film. It was very expensive and the english subs were not so good, but it worth every single cent!

 

"Gongdong gyeongbi guyeok JSA" (Joint Security Area) Park Chan-wook

 

And as a German I will recommand you two very good German speaking films. The best ones I have seen in the last years.

 

"Das finstere Tal" Andreas Prochaska (Austrian-German co-production). What an atmosphere, when you seen this film on a big screen and wiht a good sound system. Wow!!!

 

"Victoria" Sebastian Schipper. This film was shot in one shot! Ok, not a new idea, but in my opinion the best one-shot-film.

 

This are only a few films and only a few comments...

 

Hope in this list where some movies you have not seen, Jan.

 

Maybe we can discuss some of the films, the others and I mentioned in this forum.

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