If I had to pick a single film that changed my entire perspective on film as a whole, it would have to be Werner Herzog’s “Aguirre”.
I saw it at the TLA on South Street in Philadelphia in 1975 or 1976. I was 15 or 16 at the time, and had never seen anything like it.
It opened my eyes and my mind to the possibility of Cinema not being formulaic, not forcing a happy ending where it needn’t be or didn’t belong, and looking into the core of people, even if those people were mad. It was in my head for weeks, and parts of it are still there today, thousands of films later.
I realized what was a mere ‘movie’ and what was a “film” – they both have their own merits, but one seemes far more important and worthwhile; far more memorable and intentional. I still love a cheesy 50s scifi flick as much as or more than anyone, but give me Wong Kar-Wai or Woody Allen or Federico Fellini or Rainer Werner Fassbinder [thank heavens for the restoration of Berlin Alexanderplatz!] and I am a happy camper. But it was surely Aguirre that started it all for me, and I will always be thankfull for that.
Until The End Of The World-Director’s Cut-German Import [Wim Wenders]
Berlin Alexanderplatz [RW Fassbinder]
Crimes And Misdemeanors (Woody Allen]
Fallen Angels [Wong Kar-Wai]
It’s A Gift w/WC Fields [Norman McLeod
The Maltese Falcon [John Huston] [or Casablanca if I can’t reach the Falcon – I admit to rank sentimentalty]
The Elephant Man [David Lynch] [Lynch at his most restrained – he makes the ugly beautiful/Blue Velvet if i can’t reach this]
Rififi [Jules Dassin]
Good Morning [Yasujiro Ozu]
High And Low [Akira Kurosawa] [thank you Criterion for the new anamorphic transfer!]
It’s sooooooo hard to pick just 10.
So many worthwhile films, so little time…
Sincere apologies to those left behinds [Truffaut, Lang, Herzog, Melville, Godard, Miike, Suzuki, Gilliam, Fukasaku… I miss you all already…] WAIT – This is just a drill – this is ONLY a drill ;0)
Juzo Itame films please:
Tampopo [only has a crappy ‘copied from a laserdisc’ R1 release]
Minbo
The Funeral
A Taxing Woman
A Taxing Woman Returns
…none of these have ever had a decent R1 release.
plus anything that previously was released in a flat/letterbox format being updated/upgraded to an anamorphic transfer.
[like they did with Brazil, High And Low]
Here in the Philadelphia area we are quite lucky to have TLA Video as an option.
They have been a Philly staple for many years – I rented the VHS tapes of Berlin Alexanderplatz at one of their stores years ago.
They started as Theatre Of The Living Arts where I saw my fist Herzog film [Aguirre] in the 70s and are now an amazing video store with more depth than any 10 other brick and mortars in the region [and they will transfer films from their other locations for you!].
If they don’t have it then Netflix does, so I do both of them.
I still drive 35 miles out of my way once or twice a week to support TLA video, and many of the employees are VERY knowledgable and helpful and have turned me onto many an interesting film, as each has their own area of preference/expertise.
It’s a real gist to have a store like this, and I would miss it dearly if I had to move away, or if they went under.
[they did close their New York location, along with one Philly store in the last 2 yeas, but seem to be doing okay for now]
Suburban Philadelphia.
Lived in the city for a few years, but the crime drove me back out to the ’burbs again.
Hope to live in Japan someday – took a trip there and fell for the place.
Last movie you saw and rate it over 3 years ago
Love And Honor – 9.5/10
Yoji Yamada makes Samurai films that have very little swordplay.
Almost none.
It’s fascinating to see the mundane side of Samurai life.
Really it is.
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what film or films may have made you into the fan/fanatic you are over 3 years ago
If I had to pick a single film that changed my entire perspective on film as a whole, it would have to be Werner Herzog’s “Aguirre”.
I saw it at the TLA on South Street in Philadelphia in 1975 or 1976. I was 15 or 16 at the time, and had never seen anything like it.
It opened my eyes and my mind to the possibility of Cinema not being formulaic, not forcing a happy ending where it needn’t be or didn’t belong, and looking into the core of people, even if those people were mad. It was in my head for weeks, and parts of it are still there today, thousands of films later.
I realized what was a mere ‘movie’ and what was a “film” – they both have their own merits, but one seemes far more important and worthwhile; far more memorable and intentional. I still love a cheesy 50s scifi flick as much as or more than anyone, but give me Wong Kar-Wai or Woody Allen or Federico Fellini or Rainer Werner Fassbinder [thank heavens for the restoration of Berlin Alexanderplatz!] and I am a happy camper. But it was surely Aguirre that started it all for me, and I will always be thankfull for that.
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Your House Is On Fire...You Only Have Time To Grab 10 DVDs (and your pets and family and stuff)...What Are They? over 3 years ago
Until The End Of The World-Director’s Cut-German Import [Wim Wenders]
Berlin Alexanderplatz [RW Fassbinder]
Crimes And Misdemeanors (Woody Allen]
Fallen Angels [Wong Kar-Wai]
It’s A Gift w/WC Fields [Norman McLeod
The Maltese Falcon [John Huston] [or Casablanca if I can’t reach the Falcon – I admit to rank sentimentalty]
The Elephant Man [David Lynch] [Lynch at his most restrained – he makes the ugly beautiful/Blue Velvet if i can’t reach this]
Rififi [Jules Dassin]
Good Morning [Yasujiro Ozu]
High And Low [Akira Kurosawa] [thank you Criterion for the new anamorphic transfer!]
It’s sooooooo hard to pick just 10.
So many worthwhile films, so little time…
Sincere apologies to those left behinds [Truffaut, Lang, Herzog, Melville, Godard, Miike, Suzuki, Gilliam, Fukasaku… I miss you all already…] WAIT – This is just a drill – this is ONLY a drill ;0)
PS: I still get to haul my laserdiscs out, right?
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Dear Criterion over 3 years ago
Juzo Itame films please:
Tampopo [only has a crappy ‘copied from a laserdisc’ R1 release]
Minbo
The Funeral
A Taxing Woman
A Taxing Woman Returns
…none of these have ever had a decent R1 release.
plus anything that previously was released in a flat/letterbox format being updated/upgraded to an anamorphic transfer.
[like they did with Brazil, High And Low]
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Actors who've passed, and you miss the most... about 3 years ago
Leslie Cheung
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Actors who've passed, and you miss the most... about 3 years ago
Solveig Dommartin
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Who do you think the most overrated director is? about 3 years ago
Okay, I’ll take the bait and blaspheme: Martin Scorsese
IMHO 2 good films in his catalogue:
After Hours
King Of Comedy
Yes, I am wearing a bullet proof vest and cup AND I am ducking.
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netflix/downloading/local video store about 3 years ago
Here in the Philadelphia area we are quite lucky to have TLA Video as an option.
They have been a Philly staple for many years – I rented the VHS tapes of Berlin Alexanderplatz at one of their stores years ago.
They started as Theatre Of The Living Arts where I saw my fist Herzog film [Aguirre] in the 70s and are now an amazing video store with more depth than any 10 other brick and mortars in the region [and they will transfer films from their other locations for you!].
If they don’t have it then Netflix does, so I do both of them.
I still drive 35 miles out of my way once or twice a week to support TLA video, and many of the employees are VERY knowledgable and helpful and have turned me onto many an interesting film, as each has their own area of preference/expertise.
It’s a real gist to have a store like this, and I would miss it dearly if I had to move away, or if they went under.
[they did close their New York location, along with one Philly store in the last 2 yeas, but seem to be doing okay for now]
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Where are you from? about 3 years ago
Suburban Philadelphia.
Lived in the city for a few years, but the crime drove me back out to the ’burbs again.
Hope to live in Japan someday – took a trip there and fell for the place.
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