Essential Films

Blowup – introduction to the great Italian arthouse director Michaelangelo Antonioni, set in swinging ’60s London.

Blue Velvet – great introduction to David Lynch, one of America’s few art house directors. Detective tale set in small town America, very weird.

Seven Samurai / Yojimbo – two introductions to Akira Kurosawa, the most entertaining and accessible Japanese director. Basically westerns / action movies.

Stalker – probably the most accessible Tarkovsky — a sci fi film, not too long — though still a challenge. Big on eerie atmosphere. Slow but...