This list could change daily but these films have all been very influential… in the last couple years I would add “Innocence” and Clare Denis L’intruder which both left me with so many questions and beautiful ideas to take in…
1. Vertigo (Hitchcock)
2. The Shinning (kubrick)
3. The Mother and the whore (Eustache)
4. Possession (Zulawski)
5. Werkmeister Harmonies (Bela Tarr)
6. Bad Timing (Roeg)
7. Eyes without a face (Franju)
8. Modern Romance (Albert Brooks)
9. Mouth Agape (Pialat)
10. Woman in the dunes (Teshigahara)
And as a kiwi I must list my Fav. New Zealand film “Vigil” by Vincent Ward.
One of the best films i have ever seen was “Mes petites amoureuses” (1974) by Jean Eustache at a retrospect but then it has never resurfaced on DVD. Translated to “My little love affairs” this is his only other feature with The mother and the whore and is really a perfect film about adolescence. if you like Bresson and Pialat this film is remarkable and more should see it!!
India Song by Duras is so hard to find would be nice! How are films selected for the site ? Do they need to be films where the rights are easy to obtain??
I think “The Road” by the Director of the Proposition based on Cormac Mcarthy’s book will be strong stuff. And am excited to see a new work from Leos Carax with his part of the Japanese triptych “Tokyo!” his first film since Pola X almost 10 years ago! And am curious about Peter Jacksons adaptation of “The lovely bones” in that to me his best work is Heavenly Creatures and this could be a return to “real” film-making but if it goes south he may just be an effects wizard (alas) .
I agree about Ceylan his first 3 films were brilliant, i think Climates was a mis-step because he was also in front of the camera. And a new Dardenne bros film !!!
Werkmeister Harmonies by Bela Tarr, if any of the long takes was slightly off the entire piece would have failed but as it stands it is the closest thing I have seen to “pure cinema” a cinema that like music feels like a movement. Nothing can match the feeling I had watching this film for the first time. (The Shinning comes darn close though!!)
One of my fav.comedies is Joe Dante’s “The Burbs” which is funny because in New Zealand everyone I know thinks its a masterpiece and in America everyone I know thinks its a joke. I guess it must have been how we imagined suburban America to be from down under, but regardless I still think its Tom Hanks finest moment:)
Yes Toby- I am a big early Paul Auster fan especially the trilogy and “Leviathan”, the fabrics and mysteries of our connections are so perfectly open-ended! And I do agree about the link between our Lit taste and cinema. here are some of my favs:
A heart so white – Javiar Marias (absolute fav!)
Identity- Milan Kundera
Every novel by Kawabata but especially beauty and sadness
Enduring Love by Ian McEwen (one of the finest books to be made into such an average films:(
Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus
Hunger by Knut Hamsun (The finest book about the soul of a man)
The American trilogy by Richard Ford- SportsWritter, Independence day and Lay of the land
The Abortion: an historical romance by Richard Brautigan
And most of all the short stories of John Cheever and the plays of Harold Pinter.
What I loved about all your lists are the titles I have’nt heard of an will now go and look up!!
I really love “Scarecrow” by Schatzberg..so underrated! (if not Pacino’s best def. Hackman’s!) i also agree that Cruising and Dog day afternoon are very powerful.
I truly believe he has more ability than almost any actor in America, and in the early part of his career where he played odd balls (moonstruck) and outsiders (wild at heart) he was incredible, but after he had his first success with a big action film he never turned back, he became obsessed with being an “action” star ie. A surface level performer. If i look back at the last few roles I have seen him in: ghost rider, national treasure, wicker man, it is pretty clear that he has become almost silly and his choices very dull. Only Lord of war presented a somewhat complex individual with decent material…a real shame..somehow i don’t see Downey Jnr going the same way!
I don’t always admit this but he is my Favourite director…ok not recently, but no one was able to use cinema as a montage of space-time and emotion as Roeg did. My guilty fav is Bad timing but Walkabout is one of the finest pieces of cinema I have seen. Can’t wait to see Puff ball i would rather see one good scene in a bad film by Roeg then most films!
I would feel as you do if not for a number of films that reminded me that cinema has only touched the tip of the iceberg-
Werkmeister Harmonies – Bela Tarr, Uzak- by Ceylan and Intruder by Clare Denis…
its not the cinema its people that have changed and with so many films made it is hard not to feel like it hit a wall and be drowned in the mediocrity of the movies…but the possibilities are as unlimited as we are.
Yeah Toby- one director nailed Dostoeyevsky- in a number of films, and the way he did it was by completely making the material his own, in my opinion that is the only way to adapt a book faithfully is by being as unfaithful to the lierature as possibel as it is a completely different medium! So the more you alter it but keep the kernel the same the stronger it will be as its own organic work…oh and that director was Robert Bresson. A gentle Creature and Four nights of a dreamer are both fascinating.
Even though some of the films from this “grouping” are perhaps dull, I am always happy to see truly independent work that is self-critical of it’s characters who also often happen to be the directors themselves it’s a refreshing break from the ego-driven cinema of Hollywood. I was particularly impressed by Aaron Katz’s “Dance party USA” simple but effective, ad lets face it American “independent” films have been formulaic and stale for some time, while these films may not completely shake up those systems maybe it evens the playing field a little..
All early Egoyan. The Adjuster is fantastic. Robert LePage is criminally underrated (at least as a filmmaker) and his film Possible Worlds is amongst the best.
I loved ’ In My Skin" but when I showed it to others they either hated it or almost passed out. The other is def. ‘In the Cut’ by Jane Campion..something sleazy yet lyrical about this film…
favorite films? about 4 years ago
This list could change daily but these films have all been very influential… in the last couple years I would add “Innocence” and Clare Denis L’intruder which both left me with so many questions and beautiful ideas to take in…
1. Vertigo (Hitchcock)
2. The Shinning (kubrick)
3. The Mother and the whore (Eustache)
4. Possession (Zulawski)
5. Werkmeister Harmonies (Bela Tarr)
6. Bad Timing (Roeg)
7. Eyes without a face (Franju)
8. Modern Romance (Albert Brooks)
9. Mouth Agape (Pialat)
10. Woman in the dunes (Teshigahara)
And as a kiwi I must list my Fav. New Zealand film “Vigil” by Vincent Ward.
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Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? about 4 years ago
One of the best films i have ever seen was “Mes petites amoureuses” (1974) by Jean Eustache at a retrospect but then it has never resurfaced on DVD. Translated to “My little love affairs” this is his only other feature with The mother and the whore and is really a perfect film about adolescence. if you like Bresson and Pialat this film is remarkable and more should see it!!
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Best Biopics about 4 years ago
I love Peter Watkins film Edward Munch..fantastic. Not to mention Ed wood!!!
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Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? about 4 years ago
India Song by Duras is so hard to find would be nice! How are films selected for the site ? Do they need to be films where the rights are easy to obtain??
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Your favorite Woody Allen's film? about 4 years ago
I absolutely love “Stardust Memories” !! Crimes and misdemeanors is close behind.
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What to look forward in 2008? about 4 years ago
I think “The Road” by the Director of the Proposition based on Cormac Mcarthy’s book will be strong stuff. And am excited to see a new work from Leos Carax with his part of the Japanese triptych “Tokyo!” his first film since Pola X almost 10 years ago! And am curious about Peter Jacksons adaptation of “The lovely bones” in that to me his best work is Heavenly Creatures and this could be a return to “real” film-making but if it goes south he may just be an effects wizard (alas) .
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What constitutes an Auteur? about 4 years ago
Simply : Peter Hyams or Peter Greenaway ?. Nuff said.
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What are you watching now? about 4 years ago
Just watched Husbands by Cassavettes..really great crazy home movie feel but actually had professional crew etc..would never happen now!
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What are you watching now? about 4 years ago
Yes and that Eustache retro which i saw years ago in New Zealand will hit Chicago in early may, dont miss it as they are amazing!!
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What are you watching now? about 4 years ago
About to watch “perverts guide to the cinema” with the philosopher Zizek..very excited!!
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CANNES Line-up about 4 years ago
I agree about Ceylan his first 3 films were brilliant, i think Climates was a mis-step because he was also in front of the camera. And a new Dardenne bros film !!!
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When I say "A Perfect Film", What One Film Pops Into Your Head First? about 4 years ago
Werkmeister Harmonies by Bela Tarr, if any of the long takes was slightly off the entire piece would have failed but as it stands it is the closest thing I have seen to “pure cinema” a cinema that like music feels like a movement. Nothing can match the feeling I had watching this film for the first time. (The Shinning comes darn close though!!)
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When I say "A Perfect Film", What One Film Pops Into Your Head First? about 4 years ago
I Love Woman in the dunes!!!
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Good Bad Films about 4 years ago
One of my fav.comedies is Joe Dante’s “The Burbs” which is funny because in New Zealand everyone I know thinks its a masterpiece and in America everyone I know thinks its a joke. I guess it must have been how we imagined suburban America to be from down under, but regardless I still think its Tom Hanks finest moment:)
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Favorite score? about 4 years ago
I love the work of Mihály Vig on both Damnation and Werkmeister Harmonies by Bela Tarr. Haunting stuff.
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Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? about 4 years ago
The Czech new wave film “The Cremator” by Juraj Herz. Really dark and amusing film.
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Who do you read? about 4 years ago
Yes Toby- I am a big early Paul Auster fan especially the trilogy and “Leviathan”, the fabrics and mysteries of our connections are so perfectly open-ended! And I do agree about the link between our Lit taste and cinema. here are some of my favs:
A heart so white – Javiar Marias (absolute fav!)
Identity- Milan Kundera
Every novel by Kawabata but especially beauty and sadness
Enduring Love by Ian McEwen (one of the finest books to be made into such an average films:(
Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus
Hunger by Knut Hamsun (The finest book about the soul of a man)
The American trilogy by Richard Ford- SportsWritter, Independence day and Lay of the land
The Abortion: an historical romance by Richard Brautigan
And most of all the short stories of John Cheever and the plays of Harold Pinter.
What I loved about all your lists are the titles I have’nt heard of an will now go and look up!!
Go to Comment
Your favorite Al Pacino's films? about 4 years ago
I really love “Scarecrow” by Schatzberg..so underrated! (if not Pacino’s best def. Hackman’s!) i also agree that Cruising and Dog day afternoon are very powerful.
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Who else dislikes Nicolas Cage? about 4 years ago
I truly believe he has more ability than almost any actor in America, and in the early part of his career where he played odd balls (moonstruck) and outsiders (wild at heart) he was incredible, but after he had his first success with a big action film he never turned back, he became obsessed with being an “action” star ie. A surface level performer. If i look back at the last few roles I have seen him in: ghost rider, national treasure, wicker man, it is pretty clear that he has become almost silly and his choices very dull. Only Lord of war presented a somewhat complex individual with decent material…a real shame..somehow i don’t see Downey Jnr going the same way!
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Nicolas Roeg about 4 years ago
I don’t always admit this but he is my Favourite director…ok not recently, but no one was able to use cinema as a montage of space-time and emotion as Roeg did. My guilty fav is Bad timing but Walkabout is one of the finest pieces of cinema I have seen. Can’t wait to see Puff ball i would rather see one good scene in a bad film by Roeg then most films!
Go to Comment
2000-2010 about 4 years ago
I would feel as you do if not for a number of films that reminded me that cinema has only touched the tip of the iceberg-
Werkmeister Harmonies – Bela Tarr, Uzak- by Ceylan and Intruder by Clare Denis…
its not the cinema its people that have changed and with so many films made it is hard not to feel like it hit a wall and be drowned in the mediocrity of the movies…but the possibilities are as unlimited as we are.
Go to Comment
Who do you read? about 4 years ago
Yeah Toby- one director nailed Dostoeyevsky- in a number of films, and the way he did it was by completely making the material his own, in my opinion that is the only way to adapt a book faithfully is by being as unfaithful to the lierature as possibel as it is a completely different medium! So the more you alter it but keep the kernel the same the stronger it will be as its own organic work…oh and that director was Robert Bresson. A gentle Creature and Four nights of a dreamer are both fascinating.
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Film quotes you love about 4 years ago
“I used to have it all…now i just have everything!” Gene Hackman in Eureka (Dir Roeg)
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Documentaries about 4 years ago
Sherman’s March by Ross McElwee is really great, perfect example of how life can intersect with your film plans and change the course of both..
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Mumblecore almost 4 years ago
Even though some of the films from this “grouping” are perhaps dull, I am always happy to see truly independent work that is self-critical of it’s characters who also often happen to be the directors themselves it’s a refreshing break from the ego-driven cinema of Hollywood. I was particularly impressed by Aaron Katz’s “Dance party USA” simple but effective, ad lets face it American “independent” films have been formulaic and stale for some time, while these films may not completely shake up those systems maybe it evens the playing field a little..
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Which film has changed your life forever? almost 4 years ago
Deliverance..I was 9..enough said.
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YOUR FAVOURITE "ROAD MOVIE" ? almost 4 years ago
Two-lane Blacktop
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Is Cinema dying? over 3 years ago
Cinema dies with every bad film and is reborn with every good one. Perhaps it has just been rather sickly of late..
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The Best Canadian Films of all time? over 3 years ago
All early Egoyan. The Adjuster is fantastic. Robert LePage is criminally underrated (at least as a filmmaker) and his film Possible Worlds is amongst the best.
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Films you love but most people hate. over 3 years ago
I loved ’ In My Skin" but when I showed it to others they either hated it or almost passed out. The other is def. ‘In the Cut’ by Jane Campion..something sleazy yet lyrical about this film…
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