Hitchcock knew his audience very well and catered to expectations. But he also subverted those standards and knew exactly how to manipulate the viewer. But other directors create for themselves (Gilliam, for example) and bring others into their world with little regard to general acceptance. I suppose there’s no definitive answer but my feeling is to always remain true to yourself. No matter what you create, it will be interpreted through different filters.
Depends on my mood:)
But I’ve devoloped a lust for Godard’s early films up to WEEK END that (for me) outweigh Truffaut’s entire output…though Truffaut is more consistently enjoyable. If I had to give my final answer I suppose it would be Bresson.
I love Freddie Francis’ deep focus photography in THE INNOCENTS and believe it the best cinematography in a horror film. It’s due out in the UK in high-definition later this year and highly recommended!
I think THE BANISHMENT is more akin to Tarkovsky as its structure utilizes rather unique flashback patterns and long shot, minimal editing, but has yet to devolop his own style. I liked THE RETURN much better and put it in my top ten the year t was released.
I’m still working on my review for the Rohmer film but enjoyed it very much. However, the Rohmer film left me with a superficial and voyeristic satisfaction while Reygadas left me perplexed and contemplative much like Tarkovsky. For me it’s a close call but I’m comparing two films and not their director’s oeuvre.
I built a dedicated home theatre to watch films on a big screen for two reasons: 1) to choose the films I want to see, from Dreyer to Haneke, because foreign films and classic retrospectives avoid my area like the plague (who can blame them, cows outnumber people in my county), and 2). to avoid distractions. When I watch a movie I expect to be uninterrupted so I can concentrate; I don’t like talking, ringing phones, or crying babies. And if you think people don’t take children to R movies, I was in San Antonio last year and saw PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and the theare was full of parents who brought their babies. On Halloween. At midnight.
My wife watches almost anything I recommend (but no Park Chan-wook but that’s another story) so it’s nice to discuss a film afterwards to get a different perspective. I have a Film Night once a month with friends and always try to introduce something more than typical Megaplex pablum. We watched THE WHITE RIBBON last week on blu-ray and had a nice discussion over a few bottles of Pinot Noir.
Klimov’s COME AND SEE and Kalatozov’s THE CRANES ARE FLYING are great films about the Great Patriotic War. I like Hirschbiegal’s DOWNFALL and Peterson’s DAS BOOT from a German perspective and Wellman’s THE STORY OF G.I. JOE and BATTLEGROUND from an American viewpoint. Rossellini’s PAISA and GERMANY YEAR ZERO shouldn’t be left out either.
I purchased all of the Eclipse sets, assuming they would be least likely to be reproduced in high-def. I also added Fassbinder’s 15 hour epic. I already own every blu-ray except RED SHOES & BLACK NARCISSUS which I’ve had from BFI since last year. My wife now hates me, but she rarely complains when we watch movies in the theatre!
Une Femme Mariee
Dr. Strangelove
A Band of Outsiders
The Night of the Iguana
The Outrage
A Hard Day’s Night
Kaidan
Diary of a Chambermaid
The Last Man on Earth
The Evil of Frankenstein
I think Freddie Francis’ work on Jack Clayton’s THE INNOCENTS is wonderful: maybe the best looking horror film ever captured on film! And that’s only on DVD where the deep focus detail is lost in the blur of pixilization. I can’t wait for August and this gem to be released in high-definition in the UK. Then we can fully appreciate the breathtaking black & white photography.
BRIEF ENCOUNTER is available on blu-ray in the UK and have to recommend that edition over the standard DVD. But Criterion’s Eclipse set Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara is a must buy:) I also highly recommend the Nagisa Oshima set too! Then again, I’m a fan of strange romance…
FYI: ANDREI RUBLEV is available from Russia on blu-ray and looks fantastic on a big screen! I’d love to see SWORD OF DOOM but I’d buy practically any BD from Criterion:)
THE MISFITS (John Huston, 1961) Happy birthday Marilyn! here’s a quote from my review:
“She is a creature of instincts, a great enabler who wants to heal the world…while running away from it. Roslyn is attracted to men who need her help but can’t be helped; men who are jagged puzzle pieces that don’t fit together and who must find their own way to find themselves.”
Just a great film with a tragic cast and a sublime Alex North score. Please check it out if you haven’t seen it. I viddied on blu-ray on a big screen and it looked very film-like. Final Grade: (A)
I think it depends on your TV. My old Mits rear-projection would overscan two pixels so I wasn’t too worried. I imagine some sets are much more noticable and could affect the OAR.
Should the Audience Matter to Filmmakers? about 3 years ago
Good question!
Hitchcock knew his audience very well and catered to expectations. But he also subverted those standards and knew exactly how to manipulate the viewer. But other directors create for themselves (Gilliam, for example) and bring others into their world with little regard to general acceptance. I suppose there’s no definitive answer but my feeling is to always remain true to yourself. No matter what you create, it will be interpreted through different filters.
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Godard vs Truffaut; personal opinions? about 3 years ago
Depends on my mood:)
But I’ve devoloped a lust for Godard’s early films up to WEEK END that (for me) outweigh Truffaut’s entire output…though Truffaut is more consistently enjoyable. If I had to give my final answer I suppose it would be Bresson.
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3 most visually pleasing films you've ever seen about 3 years ago
DAYS OF HEAVEN, THE INNOCENTS, CITY GIRL
I love Freddie Francis’ deep focus photography in THE INNOCENTS and believe it the best cinematography in a horror film. It’s due out in the UK in high-definition later this year and highly recommended!
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Most disturbing/controversial film you've ever watched? about 3 years ago
CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST. The actual killing of animals repulsed me though otherwise I liked the film.
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What film has the best special effects? about 3 years ago
Buster Keaton in THE GENERAL.
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Comparison with Andrei Zvyagintsev (The Return) about 3 years ago
I think THE BANISHMENT is more akin to Tarkovsky as its structure utilizes rather unique flashback patterns and long shot, minimal editing, but has yet to devolop his own style. I liked THE RETURN much better and put it in my top ten the year t was released.
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Directors' Cup Voting, Round 1, Match 24: Éric Rohmer (Pauline at the Beach) vs Carlos Reygadas (Silent Light) almost 3 years ago
Pauline – 0 vs Silent Light – 1
I’m still working on my review for the Rohmer film but enjoyed it very much. However, the Rohmer film left me with a superficial and voyeristic satisfaction while Reygadas left me perplexed and contemplative much like Tarkovsky. For me it’s a close call but I’m comparing two films and not their director’s oeuvre.
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When I say "A Perfect Film", What One Film Pops Into Your Head First? almost 3 years ago
Bresson’s MOUCHETTE. Or Chaplin’s CITY LIGHTS.
Wow, can two films be more different and yet be “perfect”?
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Do you prefer to watch films alone or with friends? almost 3 years ago
I built a dedicated home theatre to watch films on a big screen for two reasons: 1) to choose the films I want to see, from Dreyer to Haneke, because foreign films and classic retrospectives avoid my area like the plague (who can blame them, cows outnumber people in my county), and 2). to avoid distractions. When I watch a movie I expect to be uninterrupted so I can concentrate; I don’t like talking, ringing phones, or crying babies. And if you think people don’t take children to R movies, I was in San Antonio last year and saw PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and the theare was full of parents who brought their babies. On Halloween. At midnight.
My wife watches almost anything I recommend (but no Park Chan-wook but that’s another story) so it’s nice to discuss a film afterwards to get a different perspective. I have a Film Night once a month with friends and always try to introduce something more than typical Megaplex pablum. We watched THE WHITE RIBBON last week on blu-ray and had a nice discussion over a few bottles of Pinot Noir.
Go to Comment
best world war II movies? almost 3 years ago
Klimov’s COME AND SEE and Kalatozov’s THE CRANES ARE FLYING are great films about the Great Patriotic War. I like Hirschbiegal’s DOWNFALL and Peterson’s DAS BOOT from a German perspective and Wellman’s THE STORY OF G.I. JOE and BATTLEGROUND from an American viewpoint. Rossellini’s PAISA and GERMANY YEAR ZERO shouldn’t be left out either.
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SO, WHEN THAT CRITERION B&N SALE ROLLS AROUND.... almost 3 years ago
I purchased all of the Eclipse sets, assuming they would be least likely to be reproduced in high-def. I also added Fassbinder’s 15 hour epic. I already own every blu-ray except RED SHOES & BLACK NARCISSUS which I’ve had from BFI since last year. My wife now hates me, but she rarely complains when we watch movies in the theatre!
Go to Comment
1964 POLL almost 3 years ago
1. Red Desert
Une Femme Mariee
Dr. Strangelove
A Band of Outsiders
The Night of the Iguana
The Outrage
A Hard Day’s Night
Kaidan
Diary of a Chambermaid
The Last Man on Earth
The Evil of Frankenstein
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One Cinematograper, One Film almost 3 years ago
I think Freddie Francis’ work on Jack Clayton’s THE INNOCENTS is wonderful: maybe the best looking horror film ever captured on film! And that’s only on DVD where the deep focus detail is lost in the blur of pixilization. I can’t wait for August and this gem to be released in high-definition in the UK. Then we can fully appreciate the breathtaking black & white photography.
Go to Comment
Which Criterion to buy?-need advice almost 3 years ago
BRIEF ENCOUNTER is available on blu-ray in the UK and have to recommend that edition over the standard DVD. But Criterion’s Eclipse set Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara is a must buy:) I also highly recommend the Nagisa Oshima set too! Then again, I’m a fan of strange romance…
Go to Comment
Criterions that need the Blu-ray treatment almost 3 years ago
FYI: ANDREI RUBLEV is available from Russia on blu-ray and looks fantastic on a big screen! I’d love to see SWORD OF DOOM but I’d buy practically any BD from Criterion:)
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Last movie you saw and rate it almost 3 years ago
Hammer’s THE LOST CONTINENT: it has a certain campy charm (C-) and Dreyer’s PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC of which I can add nothing more….(A+).
Yes, I watched them in the same night.
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Last movie you saw and rate it about 2 years ago
THE MISFITS (John Huston, 1961) Happy birthday Marilyn! here’s a quote from my review:
“She is a creature of instincts, a great enabler who wants to heal the world…while running away from it. Roslyn is attracted to men who need her help but can’t be helped; men who are jagged puzzle pieces that don’t fit together and who must find their own way to find themselves.”
Just a great film with a tragic cast and a sublime Alex North score. Please check it out if you haven’t seen it. I viddied on blu-ray on a big screen and it looked very film-like. Final Grade: (A)
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Worst films you have ever seen about 2 years ago
I see THE MAN FROM EARTH getting some attention here…for good reason. Terrible film. I’ll add JUNO to the list.
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Question about aspect ratios in home viewing: legitimate concern or nitpicking? about 2 years ago
I think it depends on your TV. My old Mits rear-projection would overscan two pixels so I wasn’t too worried. I imagine some sets are much more noticable and could affect the OAR.
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