I really think my favorite music-centered film or documentary is The Fearless Freaks by Bradley Beesely, it’s about the Flaming Lips. Also their film Christmas on Mars is really good. A Joyful Noise about Sun Ra is great. Baby Snakes about Frank Zappa is good too. Woodstock is good. Oh….. and Theremin is simply wonderful and fascinating as well.
I haven’t seen it yet, but the film Moog looks really good… has anyone here seen it? I was curious what some other people thought. Also the documentary Scratch about turntablism is pretty good.
I’d like to add something about a certain attitude that I believe is suggested on the login page. I believe it says “ladies and gentlemen, you know what to do” in regards to a password or whatever to sign in. Also it says “Already hip? Login here” or something similar. The attitude these words imply is elitism, of people involved with this site being more “hip” or “in the know”. I really detest that attitude, and I’m sure many people on this site would agree with me. I suggest to the people running this site to rethink their purposes, whether it’s to help a group of people feel superior to others, or to bring people together for positive interaction. Maybe I’m looking into it too deeply…. and maybe it’s not the place to write this, but I feel it’s a valid opinion. That and the idea of certain films being deemed inappropriate give me a bad taste in my mouth. No offense intended or unnecessary negativity, just honesty.
That’s true, they could be talking about just porn. In that case it is obviously something that needs to be done. And the words suggesting coolness are in the login page when you simply type in www.theauteurs.com in the browser while signed out. And I do understand that you can’t include every film in this database… and if you could, it would take alot of time and work for that to happen. I also understand maybe the site wants to maintain a certain amount of specific style or level of artistry with the films it lets you add to your favorites. But if that excludes films that are as mainstream as say, Forest Gump, or something, then if someone wants to express that they like a certain film or whatever, it doesn’t seem in the best interest of the site. I’m not saying they ARE excluding films for that reason, because I don’t know. The login page wording is the only hint of ‘coolness’ or however you want to say it that catches my eye. All the discussions and the way the set up the site is great and fun to enjoy, and I appreciate the opportunity. Just trying to offer some constructive criticism.
Here’s some of my favorite albums that have been under-represented thus far:
Faust: IV, Faust/So Far
Miles Davis: Bitches Brew, Sketches of Spain
Bjork: Vespertine, Homogenic, Medulla
Flaming Lips: Clouds Take Metallic, In a Priest Driven Ambulance,
Meat Puppets: II, Up on the Sun
Beastie Boys: Paul’s Boutique, Check Your Head
The Raincoats: The Raincoats, Odyshape
Captain Beefheart: Safe as Milk, Lick My Decals Off Baby
Pink Floyd: Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Saucerful of Secrets
Boredoms: Vision Creation Newsun, Super AE,
Can: Tago Mago, Ege Bamyasi
Kraftwerk: Ralph and Florian
Brian Eno: Thursday Afternoon
Scorn: Evanescence
Beck: Midnite Vultures, Odelay
John Coltrane: A Love Supreme
This Heat: Deceit
My Bloody Valentine: Isn’t Anything
De La Soul: 3 Feet High and Rising
Talking Heads: Remain in Light
Dalek: Abandoned Language, Absence
The ending of Elephant Man is probably my favorite. It’s probably the most spiritual/emotional I’ve felt from a film, ever. I know its just art, but it basically confirmed my feeling that death is not a final end, and that love is perhaps eternal.
The end of Inland Empire when the Polish Poem song is playing. That song is so beautiful and even though the film was confusing, it seemed like that song tied it together.
The beginning of Eraserhead sucked me in like no other movie has.
In Blue Velvet I like the scene where Jeffery sneaks into the apartment and she comes home and he hides in the closet… the tension was so perfect and true, it’s the kind of thing you’d daydream about “what would it be like to sneak into someone’s house?” I also like the slow dance scene with the song by Juilee Cruise (I think its her, I could be wrong).
In Mullholland Drive I love the scene where the guy is talking about a dream and they go to the back of the restaurant, it’s terrifying. The “Crying” scene is also a favorite for sure.
In Wild at Heart I like where they are driving down the road and Nicolas Cage does this funny little dance with his hands, hilarious.
The film Dune was supposed to be first made by Alejandro Jodorowsky. It was supposed to star Salvador Dali, have H.R. Geiger handle art duties (later alot of it was used for Alien), and have a soundtrack by Pink Floyd. The project was just too huge and it never happened. Imagine if it did though! When Jodorowsky has a budget, he really uses its full potential, especially visually. My guess is it would have visually been like a mix of Holy Mountain, Alien, and Lynch’s Dune. I thought Dune by Lynch was his worst film, but there are alot of great moments in it, it just seemed too cheesy sci-fi for me.
Jay – I do the same. I try to buy mostly Criterion dvd’s (since they are doing a great service to the film-loving world), but I also buy used off of amazon to save money. I’m definitely starting slow down though, who knows how long I’ll keep my job. I have been stupid sometimes and bought a film before I’ve even seen it, figuring that I’d like to own it based on reviews and stuff. Sometimes it’s worked, sometimes not. Therefore, I’m actually up for trading a few films if anyone’s interested. I’ve got some Criterion ones: Days of Heaven, The Seventh Seal, Playtime, and although I really like these films, I feel like someone else might appreciate them and use them more than I do at this time in my life. So if anyone’s interested send me a message.
Anyone here excited about The Watchmen coming out this weekend? I’m going to watch it in the theatre for sure, with hopes that it will be good. Does it seem like just a boring hollywood action/superhero/apocalyptic/violence flick to anyone? I get a sort of “Bladerunner” vibe from it, but we’ll see.
I think that many people would probably disagree with me, but if I had to choose an order to watch them in, it’d probably be either chronological (it just makes sense), or I’d choose them in the order of how big they hit me. In that case, I’d choose Mirror, then Nostalghia, then Andrei Rublev, then Ivan’s Childhood, then Solaris, then Stalker, then The Sacrifice. Maybe I loved Mirror and Nostalghia so much because I’d already seen Andrei Rublev, Stalker, and Solaris. It’s hard to tell. I also need to give Stalker another couple chances to sink in. I found it to be his most difficult, but then again this could be because it was one of the first of his I saw which was a while ago. You may need some time to let his movies sink in, just be in a patient yet attentive mood and you’ll be good. I love how great works of art are always there for you when you’re ready, and you see new things in them each time, even decades apart.
The only reason I do netflix is because I’d have to drive 2 hours to the city in order to rent anything I’d like to watch. Of those films that are available in the local small town video rental place, I do get. But that’s rare. For people in large cities, there is not that much of a need for netflix. But for us stuck in small-town america, it’s almost all we got. That’s the only reason I order anything online (mainly cd’s, dvd’s, and books). I’d be willing to pay a little more for it if it were within 20 miles, but 95% of the time it never is. I don’t like the idea of big corporations like netflix or amazon getting all my money, but you do what you gotta do sometimes.
No film has sucked me in like Eraserhead. Instantly, you’re transported to a different world, and you’re IN. I also loved Holy Mountain, I think the first sequence is the best in the whole film. Also I love Blue Velvet, The Color of Pomengranates, 8 1/2, Persona, The Silence, The Mirror by Tarkovsky, and i agree with the mentioned 2001, because music is so important to mood, I agree with Wings of Desire and Paris, Texas as well. So beautiful. I feel like the first shot is very important too, if it’s great it can just suck you into that world and you suspend disbelief. It sucks when it doesn’t pay off though, when it was just to get the suckers and then doesn’t deliver. I suppose I’m a sucker for dreamlike/otherworldly/psychedelic/mystical/spiritual films from what I mentioned, but I just love being swallowed by a film from the beginning.
Baraka, Eraserhead, The Color of Pomegranates, The Fountain, Christmas on Mars, Satyricon, Koyannisqatsi, Natural Born Killers, El Topo, Santa Sangre, Definitely Holy Mountain. Also Kenneth Anger: Rabbit’s Moon, Eaux d’artifice, Inauguration of the Pleasurdome, Invocation of My Demon Brother, Lucifier Rising. To me these are all films that lend themselves to smoking and viewing. Visually stunning.
Ron Fricke is a real genius in this style of film. I think art-narrative film has a pretty big potential. Just watch Baraka when you’re in the right mindset. It puts so many things in a different perspective, which is so hard to get in today’s world. To me it’s like non-fictional, spiritual, visual-poetry. And the time-lapse is just unbelievable in Baraka, Chronos, and the Quatsi trilogy. It is true that so much of the film relies on the music. If there’s no dialogue, then the music better be damn good, and have a timelessness to it. Otherwise it can spoil the magic of the images. I love alot of Philip Glass’s music, but sometimes in Powaquatsi and Koyannisquatsi it gets too repetative for my tastes. Baraka probably has the best music of all of them. Which, by the way, if you bluray enthusiasts haven’t checked the newer 8k transfer of Baraka, it’s probably the most beautiful looking bluray out there, mesmerizing. I’m really excited to hear any news about Samsara, which is the next Fricke filim in production. But I guess we’ll have to wait.
This film is beautiful, and has some really stunning innovative shots for when it was made. I love the music, it says so much. Paradjanov definitely has his own style, and it may take a while to get into it for some people. But if his films speak to you in some way, your appreciation of his films (especially The Color of Pomengranates and Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors, my two favorites), will probably grow on you the more you watch them. Shadows is much more linear, some people would say Pomengranates is more art than it is film. But both are very beautiful, strange, transporting, and unique. Check him out if you can.
These are the only musicals I really like, besides maybe Wizard of Oz, that I can think of. I couldn’t stand Sweeney Todd, that style of music just bores me to tears. Maybe I’d give it another chance. Nightmare Before Christmas was unbelievable visually, but the music in it didn’t do it for me either.
For me it depends on what kind of bad mood. Sometimes I feel blank-depressed, where I feel kind of isolated from life and love. In that case, I like Tiger and the Snow and Life is Beautiful by Begnini, they’ve recently helped me. Some moods I just don’t have the right movie, and some moods I doubt that there even IS a movie that would help. I don’t like things too fluffy, because then nothing sticks to me and actually makes it worse. Sometimes I can’t handle the dark, searching, spiritual films I have that I usually love dearly (Lynch, Bergman, Tarkovsky). I have to be in the right mood. Although Straight Story and Elephant Man can be inspiring, also Wild Strawberries. Nights of Cabiria. I imagine Dr. Strangelove would help solve the blues also. I need to see more good comedies.
I searched for a similar topic but only found one asking for reccomendations on lighthearted/uplifting/feel good films. I’m instead asking for reccomendations on films that are deeper, more profound, yet ultimately uplifting or life-affirming. Now, in order for it to be deep and truthful it probably must have some dark, dark stuff in it. Some films I’d throw in this category would be Elephant Man, Inland Empire, Wild Strawberries. Yes they are dark, but to me they left me feeling empowered and spiritually refreshed, which are positive things. So any ideas? I love films like Life is Beautiful, Amelie, but lately I’ve had a hinkering for something more raw and intense.
Maybe intense isn’t the right word. I guess emotionally intense, or emotionally powerful might be better. Two I thought of in this category are Wings of Desire and Paris Texas. I might also include The Mirror by Tarkovsky in this… but it’s more mysterious and mystical than uplifting. The words raw and intense kind of suggest violence or emotional upheaval, but that’s not what I’m getting at. Maybe I’m asking for something thats too specific to me, I don’t know. Hope that helps.
I’ve seen Seventh Seal, 8 1/2, Shawshank Redemption, and Wings of Desire. All great. I will take note of the other suggestions and dig in, I appreciate your help.
I’ve watched the trailer, and I can’t tell if it looks good or not, but it really seems like rip off of the plot of Solaris. And 2001. I know trailers can be extremely misleading, but you’d think a sci-fi outerspace movie made in 2009 would have some unique plot ideas and not rip off two of the biggest classics. For those who’ve seen it, did it take alot from 2001 and Solaris? I know the AI and other things are homages, but did it bug you at all?
I love almost all the Tool videos. I absolutely love some of their music, but half of it is kind of a bore to me. But their videos are top notch, Adam Jones is a real artist. My favorites are Schism, Parabola, and Vicarious, I’m not that familiar with their earlier stuff though.
I also like Beautiful World by Devo, Wanderlust by Bjork, Frogs by The Flaming Lips, and Vision Creation Newsun by The Boredoms.
Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam, starring Jim Varney (aka Ernest). This is a strange little B-movie that my friend is OBSESSED with. It has much comedic value, Varney was a wonderful talent.
Is this anyone else’s favorite film? Maybe I’ll change my mind someday, but I’ve seen it for the first time this week and I can’t believe how saturated in enigmatic symbolism this film is. I don’t know, I can’t keep gushing about it, but I was blown away like no other film has done to me in quite some time. After seeing it for the third time now, I keep finding more and more meaning. I suppose that’s true of most decent films, but this Spirit of the Beehive is definitely special for me. It’s left a huge impression on me that I feel will be with me for a long, long time, and I can’t define how. Anyone else feel similar? Some films that make me feel almost as intensely as this but in a different way are Mirror, Elephant Man, Mulholland Dr., Andrei Rublev, The Color of Pomengranates, I can’t think of much else. It’s not as far out or blatantly mystical as alot of films I’m into, but this one gets deeper inside me at the moment. Are there any films that make you feel like Spirit of the Beehive makes you feel?
A few years back I was really into Jodorowsky’s other films, namely Holy Mountain, El Topo, and Fando y Lis. Now I don’t desire to see them as much. And at the time, when I saw this, I thought it was so cheap compared to those other films. This does have a weird late-night horror movie, Dario Argento, Evil Dead 2 kinda feel to it… but it’s not really a horror movie at all. The more I watched it, and understood it’s lesson, the more I thought that it is his best. Holy Mountain is balls-to-the-wall mysticism, but this one tells a beautiful story with heart, and it certainly is surreal, but strangely beautiful. I thought it was ugly at first, but it’s not at all. It’s so beautiful.
I bought it off amazon for a reasonable price, but it’s not region 1. I have a region free dvd player. This and Sans Solei are the reason I got a region-free dvd player, and it’s totally worth it. Plus the version I got has an extra disc with great in depth interviews. But I agree, this is EXACTLY the kind of film Criterion should pick up, make it bluray and everything.
Eraserhead is a pretty damn impressive film, but without the sound, it wouldn’t be nearly what it is. Lynch REALLY understands sound and music. He is an experimental musician or noise/sound artist at heart, and uses that skill in film wonderfully. I seriously don’t know of too many films where the music and sound are as fitting as in Eraserhead or Elephant Man. The music in Blue Velvet is incredible. Mulholland Dr. is damn captivating sound wise too, especially the silencio scene.
I saw American Beauty in the theater with my family as a young teenager, and it spoke to me like no other movie at the time. It was very critical of American suburban life, which I just ate up. I also liked the fact that the boy in the film was a secret drug dealer who was obsessed with videotaping, and in love with beauty. American Beauty seems kind of geared towards 15 year old rebellious male teenagers in a certain way. But it definitely opened things way up with movies for me. Then Blue Velvet, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and finally Eraserhead and there was no turning back.
Dancer in the Dark, Cries and Whispers, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and sometimes Inland Empire is depressing, depending on your interpretation of the film (which is different every time for me). Dead Ringers would probably the top of the list, though. It’s an incredible film, but it made me so depressed that I had to actually give the film away.
I have to say Wind’s Poem by Mount Eerie is possibly better than anything mentioned so far. Well, deeper in the least. Deeper in a good way. For Lynch fans, he samples a Twin Peaks motif and it has strange references to Twin Peaks weirdness.
Favourite Movie About Music. over 3 years ago
I really think my favorite music-centered film or documentary is The Fearless Freaks by Bradley Beesely, it’s about the Flaming Lips. Also their film Christmas on Mars is really good. A Joyful Noise about Sun Ra is great. Baby Snakes about Frank Zappa is good too. Woodstock is good. Oh….. and Theremin is simply wonderful and fascinating as well.
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Favourite Movie About Music. over 3 years ago
I haven’t seen it yet, but the film Moog looks really good… has anyone here seen it? I was curious what some other people thought. Also the documentary Scratch about turntablism is pretty good.
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Who picks the films that go into the Library? over 3 years ago
I’d like to add something about a certain attitude that I believe is suggested on the login page. I believe it says “ladies and gentlemen, you know what to do” in regards to a password or whatever to sign in. Also it says “Already hip? Login here” or something similar. The attitude these words imply is elitism, of people involved with this site being more “hip” or “in the know”. I really detest that attitude, and I’m sure many people on this site would agree with me. I suggest to the people running this site to rethink their purposes, whether it’s to help a group of people feel superior to others, or to bring people together for positive interaction. Maybe I’m looking into it too deeply…. and maybe it’s not the place to write this, but I feel it’s a valid opinion. That and the idea of certain films being deemed inappropriate give me a bad taste in my mouth. No offense intended or unnecessary negativity, just honesty.
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Who picks the films that go into the Library? over 3 years ago
That’s true, they could be talking about just porn. In that case it is obviously something that needs to be done. And the words suggesting coolness are in the login page when you simply type in www.theauteurs.com in the browser while signed out. And I do understand that you can’t include every film in this database… and if you could, it would take alot of time and work for that to happen. I also understand maybe the site wants to maintain a certain amount of specific style or level of artistry with the films it lets you add to your favorites. But if that excludes films that are as mainstream as say, Forest Gump, or something, then if someone wants to express that they like a certain film or whatever, it doesn’t seem in the best interest of the site. I’m not saying they ARE excluding films for that reason, because I don’t know. The login page wording is the only hint of ‘coolness’ or however you want to say it that catches my eye. All the discussions and the way the set up the site is great and fun to enjoy, and I appreciate the opportunity. Just trying to offer some constructive criticism.
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Greatest Albums of All-time over 3 years ago
Here’s some of my favorite albums that have been under-represented thus far:
Faust: IV, Faust/So Far
Miles Davis: Bitches Brew, Sketches of Spain
Bjork: Vespertine, Homogenic, Medulla
Flaming Lips: Clouds Take Metallic, In a Priest Driven Ambulance,
Meat Puppets: II, Up on the Sun
Beastie Boys: Paul’s Boutique, Check Your Head
The Raincoats: The Raincoats, Odyshape
Captain Beefheart: Safe as Milk, Lick My Decals Off Baby
Pink Floyd: Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Saucerful of Secrets
Boredoms: Vision Creation Newsun, Super AE,
Can: Tago Mago, Ege Bamyasi
Kraftwerk: Ralph and Florian
Brian Eno: Thursday Afternoon
Scorn: Evanescence
Beck: Midnite Vultures, Odelay
John Coltrane: A Love Supreme
This Heat: Deceit
My Bloody Valentine: Isn’t Anything
De La Soul: 3 Feet High and Rising
Talking Heads: Remain in Light
Dalek: Abandoned Language, Absence
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Favorite Moment In A David Lynch Movie over 3 years ago
The ending of Elephant Man is probably my favorite. It’s probably the most spiritual/emotional I’ve felt from a film, ever. I know its just art, but it basically confirmed my feeling that death is not a final end, and that love is perhaps eternal.
The end of Inland Empire when the Polish Poem song is playing. That song is so beautiful and even though the film was confusing, it seemed like that song tied it together.
The beginning of Eraserhead sucked me in like no other movie has.
In Blue Velvet I like the scene where Jeffery sneaks into the apartment and she comes home and he hides in the closet… the tension was so perfect and true, it’s the kind of thing you’d daydream about “what would it be like to sneak into someone’s house?” I also like the slow dance scene with the song by Juilee Cruise (I think its her, I could be wrong).
In Mullholland Drive I love the scene where the guy is talking about a dream and they go to the back of the restaurant, it’s terrifying. The “Crying” scene is also a favorite for sure.
In Wild at Heart I like where they are driving down the road and Nicolas Cage does this funny little dance with his hands, hilarious.
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The Greatest Movies Never Made... over 3 years ago
The film Dune was supposed to be first made by Alejandro Jodorowsky. It was supposed to star Salvador Dali, have H.R. Geiger handle art duties (later alot of it was used for Alien), and have a soundtrack by Pink Floyd. The project was just too huge and it never happened. Imagine if it did though! When Jodorowsky has a budget, he really uses its full potential, especially visually. My guess is it would have visually been like a mix of Holy Mountain, Alien, and Lynch’s Dune. I thought Dune by Lynch was his worst film, but there are alot of great moments in it, it just seemed too cheesy sci-fi for me.
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ECONOMY AND DVD BUYING over 3 years ago
Jay – I do the same. I try to buy mostly Criterion dvd’s (since they are doing a great service to the film-loving world), but I also buy used off of amazon to save money. I’m definitely starting slow down though, who knows how long I’ll keep my job. I have been stupid sometimes and bought a film before I’ve even seen it, figuring that I’d like to own it based on reviews and stuff. Sometimes it’s worked, sometimes not. Therefore, I’m actually up for trading a few films if anyone’s interested. I’ve got some Criterion ones: Days of Heaven, The Seventh Seal, Playtime, and although I really like these films, I feel like someone else might appreciate them and use them more than I do at this time in my life. So if anyone’s interested send me a message.
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The Watchmen over 3 years ago
Anyone here excited about The Watchmen coming out this weekend? I’m going to watch it in the theatre for sure, with hopes that it will be good. Does it seem like just a boring hollywood action/superhero/apocalyptic/violence flick to anyone? I get a sort of “Bladerunner” vibe from it, but we’ll see.
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The Watchmen over 3 years ago
Sorry, you’re right Crap Monster…. Please ignore this topic and go on to the other Watchmen topics already started.
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andrei tarkovsky about 3 years ago
I think that many people would probably disagree with me, but if I had to choose an order to watch them in, it’d probably be either chronological (it just makes sense), or I’d choose them in the order of how big they hit me. In that case, I’d choose Mirror, then Nostalghia, then Andrei Rublev, then Ivan’s Childhood, then Solaris, then Stalker, then The Sacrifice. Maybe I loved Mirror and Nostalghia so much because I’d already seen Andrei Rublev, Stalker, and Solaris. It’s hard to tell. I also need to give Stalker another couple chances to sink in. I found it to be his most difficult, but then again this could be because it was one of the first of his I saw which was a while ago. You may need some time to let his movies sink in, just be in a patient yet attentive mood and you’ll be good. I love how great works of art are always there for you when you’re ready, and you see new things in them each time, even decades apart.
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netflix/downloading/local video store about 3 years ago
The only reason I do netflix is because I’d have to drive 2 hours to the city in order to rent anything I’d like to watch. Of those films that are available in the local small town video rental place, I do get. But that’s rare. For people in large cities, there is not that much of a need for netflix. But for us stuck in small-town america, it’s almost all we got. That’s the only reason I order anything online (mainly cd’s, dvd’s, and books). I’d be willing to pay a little more for it if it were within 20 miles, but 95% of the time it never is. I don’t like the idea of big corporations like netflix or amazon getting all my money, but you do what you gotta do sometimes.
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Favorite opening scene about 3 years ago
No film has sucked me in like Eraserhead. Instantly, you’re transported to a different world, and you’re IN. I also loved Holy Mountain, I think the first sequence is the best in the whole film. Also I love Blue Velvet, The Color of Pomengranates, 8 1/2, Persona, The Silence, The Mirror by Tarkovsky, and i agree with the mentioned 2001, because music is so important to mood, I agree with Wings of Desire and Paris, Texas as well. So beautiful. I feel like the first shot is very important too, if it’s great it can just suck you into that world and you suspend disbelief. It sucks when it doesn’t pay off though, when it was just to get the suckers and then doesn’t deliver. I suppose I’m a sucker for dreamlike/otherworldly/psychedelic/mystical/spiritual films from what I mentioned, but I just love being swallowed by a film from the beginning.
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Trippy/Psychedelic Films - Name some! about 3 years ago
Baraka, Eraserhead, The Color of Pomegranates, The Fountain, Christmas on Mars, Satyricon, Koyannisqatsi, Natural Born Killers, El Topo, Santa Sangre, Definitely Holy Mountain. Also Kenneth Anger: Rabbit’s Moon, Eaux d’artifice, Inauguration of the Pleasurdome, Invocation of My Demon Brother, Lucifier Rising. To me these are all films that lend themselves to smoking and viewing. Visually stunning.
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Koyaanisqatsi and other Art Narrative Films almost 3 years ago
Ron Fricke is a real genius in this style of film. I think art-narrative film has a pretty big potential. Just watch Baraka when you’re in the right mindset. It puts so many things in a different perspective, which is so hard to get in today’s world. To me it’s like non-fictional, spiritual, visual-poetry. And the time-lapse is just unbelievable in Baraka, Chronos, and the Quatsi trilogy. It is true that so much of the film relies on the music. If there’s no dialogue, then the music better be damn good, and have a timelessness to it. Otherwise it can spoil the magic of the images. I love alot of Philip Glass’s music, but sometimes in Powaquatsi and Koyannisquatsi it gets too repetative for my tastes. Baraka probably has the best music of all of them. Which, by the way, if you bluray enthusiasts haven’t checked the newer 8k transfer of Baraka, it’s probably the most beautiful looking bluray out there, mesmerizing. I’m really excited to hear any news about Samsara, which is the next Fricke filim in production. But I guess we’ll have to wait.
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Alert: one of greatest films of all time, Paradjanov's best, shadows of forgotten ancestors, is now showing on auteurs almost 3 years ago
This film is beautiful, and has some really stunning innovative shots for when it was made. I love the music, it says so much. Paradjanov definitely has his own style, and it may take a while to get into it for some people. But if his films speak to you in some way, your appreciation of his films (especially The Color of Pomengranates and Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors, my two favorites), will probably grow on you the more you watch them. Shadows is much more linear, some people would say Pomengranates is more art than it is film. But both are very beautiful, strange, transporting, and unique. Check him out if you can.
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Three musicals for people who hate musicals almost 3 years ago
Cannibal The Musical
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Dancer in the Dark
These are the only musicals I really like, besides maybe Wizard of Oz, that I can think of. I couldn’t stand Sweeney Todd, that style of music just bores me to tears. Maybe I’d give it another chance. Nightmare Before Christmas was unbelievable visually, but the music in it didn’t do it for me either.
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which movie picks you up when you're down? almost 3 years ago
For me it depends on what kind of bad mood. Sometimes I feel blank-depressed, where I feel kind of isolated from life and love. In that case, I like Tiger and the Snow and Life is Beautiful by Begnini, they’ve recently helped me. Some moods I just don’t have the right movie, and some moods I doubt that there even IS a movie that would help. I don’t like things too fluffy, because then nothing sticks to me and actually makes it worse. Sometimes I can’t handle the dark, searching, spiritual films I have that I usually love dearly (Lynch, Bergman, Tarkovsky). I have to be in the right mood. Although Straight Story and Elephant Man can be inspiring, also Wild Strawberries. Nights of Cabiria. I imagine Dr. Strangelove would help solve the blues also. I need to see more good comedies.
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Deeply Uplifting Films almost 3 years ago
I searched for a similar topic but only found one asking for reccomendations on lighthearted/uplifting/feel good films. I’m instead asking for reccomendations on films that are deeper, more profound, yet ultimately uplifting or life-affirming. Now, in order for it to be deep and truthful it probably must have some dark, dark stuff in it. Some films I’d throw in this category would be Elephant Man, Inland Empire, Wild Strawberries. Yes they are dark, but to me they left me feeling empowered and spiritually refreshed, which are positive things. So any ideas? I love films like Life is Beautiful, Amelie, but lately I’ve had a hinkering for something more raw and intense.
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Deeply Uplifting Films almost 3 years ago
Red Balloon? How about Up? Ha.
Maybe intense isn’t the right word. I guess emotionally intense, or emotionally powerful might be better. Two I thought of in this category are Wings of Desire and Paris Texas. I might also include The Mirror by Tarkovsky in this… but it’s more mysterious and mystical than uplifting. The words raw and intense kind of suggest violence or emotional upheaval, but that’s not what I’m getting at. Maybe I’m asking for something thats too specific to me, I don’t know. Hope that helps.
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Deeply Uplifting Films almost 3 years ago
I’ve seen Seventh Seal, 8 1/2, Shawshank Redemption, and Wings of Desire. All great. I will take note of the other suggestions and dig in, I appreciate your help.
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Moon almost 3 years ago
I’ve watched the trailer, and I can’t tell if it looks good or not, but it really seems like rip off of the plot of Solaris. And 2001. I know trailers can be extremely misleading, but you’d think a sci-fi outerspace movie made in 2009 would have some unique plot ideas and not rip off two of the biggest classics. For those who’ve seen it, did it take alot from 2001 and Solaris? I know the AI and other things are homages, but did it bug you at all?
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Favorite Music Videos? almost 3 years ago
I love almost all the Tool videos. I absolutely love some of their music, but half of it is kind of a bore to me. But their videos are top notch, Adam Jones is a real artist. My favorites are Schism, Parabola, and Vicarious, I’m not that familiar with their earlier stuff though.
I also like Beautiful World by Devo, Wanderlust by Bjork, Frogs by The Flaming Lips, and Vision Creation Newsun by The Boredoms.
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Favorite little heard of films almost 3 years ago
Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam, starring Jim Varney (aka Ernest). This is a strange little B-movie that my friend is OBSESSED with. It has much comedic value, Varney was a wonderful talent.
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Spirit of the Beehive almost 3 years ago
Is this anyone else’s favorite film? Maybe I’ll change my mind someday, but I’ve seen it for the first time this week and I can’t believe how saturated in enigmatic symbolism this film is. I don’t know, I can’t keep gushing about it, but I was blown away like no other film has done to me in quite some time. After seeing it for the third time now, I keep finding more and more meaning. I suppose that’s true of most decent films, but this Spirit of the Beehive is definitely special for me. It’s left a huge impression on me that I feel will be with me for a long, long time, and I can’t define how. Anyone else feel similar? Some films that make me feel almost as intensely as this but in a different way are Mirror, Elephant Man, Mulholland Dr., Andrei Rublev, The Color of Pomengranates, I can’t think of much else. It’s not as far out or blatantly mystical as alot of films I’m into, but this one gets deeper inside me at the moment. Are there any films that make you feel like Spirit of the Beehive makes you feel?
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Jodorowsky's Santa Sangre almost 3 years ago
A few years back I was really into Jodorowsky’s other films, namely Holy Mountain, El Topo, and Fando y Lis. Now I don’t desire to see them as much. And at the time, when I saw this, I thought it was so cheap compared to those other films. This does have a weird late-night horror movie, Dario Argento, Evil Dead 2 kinda feel to it… but it’s not really a horror movie at all. The more I watched it, and understood it’s lesson, the more I thought that it is his best. Holy Mountain is balls-to-the-wall mysticism, but this one tells a beautiful story with heart, and it certainly is surreal, but strangely beautiful. I thought it was ugly at first, but it’s not at all. It’s so beautiful.
I bought it off amazon for a reasonable price, but it’s not region 1. I have a region free dvd player. This and Sans Solei are the reason I got a region-free dvd player, and it’s totally worth it. Plus the version I got has an extra disc with great in depth interviews. But I agree, this is EXACTLY the kind of film Criterion should pick up, make it bluray and everything.
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David Lynch Sound design almost 3 years ago
Eraserhead is a pretty damn impressive film, but without the sound, it wouldn’t be nearly what it is. Lynch REALLY understands sound and music. He is an experimental musician or noise/sound artist at heart, and uses that skill in film wonderfully. I seriously don’t know of too many films where the music and sound are as fitting as in Eraserhead or Elephant Man. The music in Blue Velvet is incredible. Mulholland Dr. is damn captivating sound wise too, especially the silencio scene.
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films that made you love film almost 3 years ago
I saw American Beauty in the theater with my family as a young teenager, and it spoke to me like no other movie at the time. It was very critical of American suburban life, which I just ate up. I also liked the fact that the boy in the film was a secret drug dealer who was obsessed with videotaping, and in love with beauty. American Beauty seems kind of geared towards 15 year old rebellious male teenagers in a certain way. But it definitely opened things way up with movies for me. Then Blue Velvet, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and finally Eraserhead and there was no turning back.
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Most depressing film you have ever seen? almost 3 years ago
Dancer in the Dark, Cries and Whispers, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and sometimes Inland Empire is depressing, depending on your interpretation of the film (which is different every time for me). Dead Ringers would probably the top of the list, though. It’s an incredible film, but it made me so depressed that I had to actually give the film away.
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Best Albums 2000-2009 (so far) over 2 years ago
I have to say Wind’s Poem by Mount Eerie is possibly better than anything mentioned so far. Well, deeper in the least. Deeper in a good way. For Lynch fans, he samples a Twin Peaks motif and it has strange references to Twin Peaks weirdness.
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