The Longest Post On Filmwurld

[oscar jubis]

[QUOTE=oscar jubis;5665]Below is my 30-yrs-in-the-making list of "Great Films I Love". A fluid, ever-changing list of movies whose pleasures endure through repeat viewings. Movies that appeal to me personally, ordered chronologically (year of world premiere).

1895. ARRIVAL OF A TRAIN AT LA CIOTAT (Lumiere)
1896. LEAVING JERUSALEM (Lumiere)
1900. AS SEEN THROUGH A TELESCOPE (George A. Smith)
------- THE ONE-MAN BAND (Georges Melies)
1902. A TRIP TO THE MOON (Melies)
1903. THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY (Edwin S. Porter)
1907. THE GOLDEN BEETLE (Segundo de Chomón)
1909. A CORNER IN WHEAT (D.W. Griffith)
------ A DRUNKARD'S REFORMATION (Griffith)
------ PRINCESS NICOTINE (J. Stuart Blackton)
1913. SUSPENSE (Lois Weber)
------ THE CHILD OF PARIS (Perret)
1915. LES VAMPIRES (Feuillade)
1916. HELL'S HINGES (Hart/Swickard)
-------INTOLERANCE (Griffith)
------ THE MYSTERY OF THE LEAPING FISH (John Emerson)
1917---THE IMMIGRANT (Chaplin)
1919. BROKEN BLOSSOMS (Griffith)
1920. CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (Weine)
-------THE PARSON'S WIDOW (Dreyer)
-------WAY DOWN EAST (Griffith)
1921. ORPHANS OF THE STORM (Griffith)
------- THE KID (Chaplin)
--------THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE (Sjostrom)
1922. FOOLISH WIVES (Von Stroheim)
-------NANOOK OF THE NORTH (Flaherty)
-------NOSFERATU (Murnau)
1923. LA ROUE (Gance)
1924. THE LAST LAUGH (Murnau)
-------NIBELUNGEN (Lang)
-------SHERLOCK JR. (Keaton)
1925. THE BIG PARADE (Vidor)
-------THE GOLD RUSH (Chaplin)
-------GREED (Von Stroheim)
-------LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN (Lubitsch)
-------POTEMKIN (Eisenstein)
1926. FAUST (Murnau)
1927. THE GENERAL (Keaton)
-------LA GLANCE A TROIS FACES (Jean Epstein)
-------METROPOLIS (Lang)
-------SEVENTH HEAVEN (Borzage)
-------SUNRISE (Murnau)
1928. THE CROWD (Vidor)
-------DOCKS OF NEW YORK (Sternberg)
-------LONESOME (Fejos)
-------PANDORA'S BOX (Pabst)
-------THE PASSION OF JEANNE D'ARC (Dreyer)
-------SHOOTING STARS (Anthony Asquith)
-------SPIES (Fritz Lang)
-------STREET ANGEL (Borzage)
1929. MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (Vertov)
-------UN CHIEN ANDALOU (Bunuel)
1930. THE BLUE ANGEL (Sternberg)
-------EARTH (Dovzhenko)
-------L'AGE D'OR (Bunuel)
-------MURDER! (Hitchcock)
1931. LA CHIENNE (Renoir)
--------CITY LIGHTS (Chaplin)
------THE 3 PENNY OPERA (Pabst/Germany)
1932. A FAREWELL TO ARMS (Borzage)
------BOUDU SAVED FROM DROWNING (Renoir)
------FREAKS (Browning)
------I WAS BORN BUT... (Ozu)
------LOVE ME TONIGHT (Mamoulian)
------SHANGHAI EXPRESS (Sternberg)
------TROUBLE IN PARADISE (Lubitsch)
1933. HALLELUJAH, I'M A BUM (Milestone)
-------LA MATERNELLE (Epstein/Benoit-Levy)
-------LA MUJER DEL PUERTO (Arcady Boytler/Mexico)
-------ZERO IN CONDUCT (Vigo)
1934. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (Capra)
-------L'ATALANTE (Vigo)
-------SCARLET EMPRESS (Sternberg)
-------EL COMPADRE MENDOZA (Fernando de Fuentes/Mexico)
1935. THE INFORMER (Ford)
------- PETER IBBETSON (Hathaway)
------- SYLVIA SCARLETT (Cukor)
1936. A DAY IN THE COUNTRY (Renoir)
-------MODERN TIMES (Chaplin)
-------OSAKA ELEGY (Mizoguchi)
-------SISTERS OF THE GION (Mizoguchi)
1937. GRAND ILLUSION (Renoir)
-------THE AWFUL TRUTH (McCarey)
-------MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW (McCarey)
1938. ALEXANDER NEVSKY (Eisenstein)
-------HOLIDAY (Cukor)
1939. THE RULES OF THE GAME (Renoir)
------STAGECOACH (Ford)
------STORY OF THE LATE CHRYSANTHEMUMS (Mizoguchi)
1940. THE GREAT DICTATOR (Chaplin)
------HIS GIRL FRIDAY (Hawks)
-------PINOCCHIO (Sharpsteen)
-------THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (Lubitsch)
1941. CITIZEN KANE (Welles)
------SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (Preston Sturges)
1942. THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (Welles)
------OSSESSIONE (Visconti)
1943. CASABLANCA (Curtiz)
-------DAY OF WRATH (Dreyer)
-------DISTINTO AMANECER (Julio Bracho)
-------I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (Tourneur)
-------MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON (Deren)
-------THE SEVENTH VICTIM (Mark Robson)
1944. CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (von Fritsch)
-------LAURA (Preminger)
-------MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK (Sturges)
1945. IVAN THE TERRIBLE (Eisenstein)
-------ROMA: OPEN CITY (Rosellini)
------- THE SOUTHERNER (Renoir)
1946. NOTORIOUS (Hitchcock)
-------SHOESHINE (De Sica)
-------THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (Wyler)
1947. MONSIEUR VERDOUX (Chaplin)
--------BODY AND SOUL (Robert Rossen)
--------OUT OF THE PAST (Tourneur)
1948. BICYCLE THIEVES (De Sica)
-------LA TERRA TREMA (Visconti)
-------LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN (Ophuls)
-------TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (Huston)
1949. -THE HEIRESS (Wyler)
-------THE THIRD MAN (Reed)
-------LATE SPRING (Ozu)
-------PUEBLERINA (Emilio Fernandez)
1950. AVENTURERA (Alberto Gout)
-------STARS IN MY CROWN (Tourneur)
-------LOS OLVIDADOS (Bunuel)
1951. ACE IN THE HOLE (Wilder)
------- RASHOMON (Kurosawa)
-------THE RIVER (Renoir)
1952.IKIRU (Kurosawa)
-------OTHELLO (Welles)
-------THE LIFE OF OHARU (Mizoguchi)
1953. EARRINGS OF MADAME DE... (Ophuls)
-------THE GOLDEN COACH (Renoir)
-------TOKYO STORY (Ozu)
-------UGETSU (Mizoguchi)
1954. THE CRUCIFIED LOVERS (Mizoguchi)
-------LATE CHRYSANTHEMUMS (Naruse)
-------REAR WINDOW (Hitchcock)
-------SALT OF THE EARTH (Biberman)
-------SANSHO THE BAILIFF (Mizoguchi)
-------SOUND OF THE MOUNTAIN (Naruse)
1955. THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (Laughton)
-------ORDET (Dreyer)
-------PATHER PANCHALI (Ray)
1956. APARAJITO (RAY)
------THE SEARCHERS (Ford)
-------THE SEVENTH SEAL (Bergman)
1957. A MAN ESCAPED (Bresson)
-------AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER (McCarey)
-------THE CRANES ARE FLYING (Kalatozov)
-------NIGHTS OF CABIRIA (Fellini)
-------PATHS OF GLORY (Kubrick)
-------WILD STRAWBERRIES (Bergman)
1958. TOUCH OF EVIL (Welles)
-------VERTIGO (Hitchcock)
1959. THE 400 BLOWS (Truffaut)
-------ANATOMY OF A MURDER (Preminger)
-------FLOATING WEEDS (Ozu)
-------FRITZ LANG'S INDIAN EPIC (Lang)
-------HIROSHIMA, MON AMOUR (Resnais)
-------IMITATION OF LIFE (Sirk)
-------MOI, UN NOIR (Rouch)
-------NORTH BY NORTHWEST (Hitchcock)
-------PICKPOCKET (Bresson)
-------SOME LIKE IT HOT (Wilder)
-------THE WORLD OF APU (Ray)
1960. L'AVVENTURA (Antonioni)
-------PEEPING TOM (Powell)
-------PSYCHO (Hitchcock)
-------WHEN A WOMAN ASCENDS THE STAIRS (Naruse)
-------WILD RIVER (Kazan)
-------THE YOUNG ONE (Bunuel)
1961. LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD (Resnais)
-------PLACIDO (Berlanga)
-------VIRIDIANA (Bunuel)
1962. LA JETEE (Marker)
--------L'ECLISSE (Antonioni)
-------MAMA ROMA (Pasolini)
-------MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (Ford)
-------MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (Schlesinger)
-------MY LIFE TO LIVE (Godard)
1963. 8 1/2 (Fellini)
-------CONTEMPT (Godard)
-------EL VERDUGO (Berlanga)
-------THE LEOPARD (Visconti)
-------MURIEL or THE TIME OF RETURN (Resnais)
-------THE ORGANIZER (Monicelli)
-------SHOCK CORRIDOR (Fuller)
1964. DR. STRANGELOVE (Kubrick)
-------GERTRUD (Dreyer)
-------MARNIE (Hitchcock)
-------SHADOWS OF OUR FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS (Paradjanov)
1965. ALPHAVILLE (Godard)
-------FALSTAFF (Welles)
-------LA NOIRE DE... (Sembene)
-------REPULSION (Polanski)
-------THE SHOP ON MAIN STREET (Kadar)
1966. AU HASARD BALTHAZAR (Bresson)
-------CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS (Menzel)
1967. MOUCHETTE (Bresson)
-------PLAYTIME (Tati)
-------TITICUT FOLLIES (Wiseman)
1968. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (Kubrick)
-------THE COLOR OF POMEGRANATES (Paradjanov)
-------THE JOKE (Jires)
------ MEMORIAS DEL SUBDESARROLLO (Gutierrez Alea)
1969. ANDREI RUBLEV (Tarkovsky)
1970. THE CONFORMIST (Bertolucci)
-------THE GARDEN OF THE FINZI-CONTINIS (De Sica)
-------WOODSTOCK (Wadleigh)
1971. McCABE AND MRS. MILLER (Altman)
-------MURMUR OF THE HEART (Malle)
-------WALKABOUT (Roeg)
1972. THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISE (Bunuel)
1973. AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD (Herzog)
-------CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (Rivette)
-------LAST TANGO IN PARIS (Bertolucci)
-------THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE (Erice)
1974. ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL (Fassbinder)
-------CHINATOWN (Polanski)
-------EDVARD MUNCH (Watkins)
-------THE GODFATHER II (COPPOLA)
-------HEARTS AND MINDS (Davis)
1975. BARRY LYNDON (Kubrick)
-------NASHVILLE (Altman)
-------ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (Forman)
1976. CRIA (Saura)
-------HARLAN COUNTY, USA (Kopple)
1977. ERASERHEAD (Lynch)
1978. THE TREE OF WOODEN CLOGS (Olmi)
1979. APOCALYPSE NOW (Coppola)
-------STALKER (Tarkovsky)
1980. BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ (Fassbinder)
1981. MODERN ROMANCE (Albert Brooks)
------MOANA WITH SOUND (Flaherty)
------PIXOTE (Babenco)
------ REDS (Beatty)
1982. FANNY AND ALEXANDER (Bergman)
-------LA TRAVIATA (Zefirelli)
1983. EL SUR (Erice)
-------SANS SOLEIL (Marker)
1984. ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (Leone)
1985. A TIME TO LIVE, A TIME TO DIE (Hou)
-------BRAZIL (Gilliam)
------- FOREST OF BLISS (Gardner)
-------THE OFFICIAL STORY (Puenzo)
-------SHOAH (Lanzmann)
1986. MELO (Resnais)
1987. FULL METAL JACKET (Kubrick)
-------THE LAST EMPEROR (Bertolucci)
-------YEELEN (Cisse)
1988. DEKALOG (Kieskowski)
-------DISTANT VOICES, STILL LIVES (Davies)
-------THE GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (Takahata)
-------LANDSCAPE IN MIST (Angelopoulos)
-------THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST (Scorsese)
1989. DO THE RIGHT THING (Spike Lee)
-------MY LEFT FOOT (Sheridan)
1990. GOODFELLAS (Scorsese)
-------JU DOU (Yimou)
-------MONSIEUR HIRE (Leconte)
1991. A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY (Yang)
-------DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST (Julie Dash)
-------RAISE THE RED LANTERN (Yimou)
-------TOTO THE HERO (Dormael)
-------NAKED LUNCH (Cronenberg)
1992. ACTRESS (Kwan)
-------THE BOYS OF ST. VINCENT (Smith)
-------LESSONS OF DARKNESS (Herzog)
-------THE LONG DAY CLOSES (Davies)
-------UNFORGIVEN (Eastwood)
1993. BUTTERFLY WINGS (Ulloa)
-------FAREWELL, MY CONCUBINE (Kaige)
-------GROUNDHOG DAY (Ramis)
-------THE PUPPETMASTER (Hou)
-------WITTGENSTEIN (Derek Jarman)
1994. BEFORE THE RAIN (Manchevski)
-------CRUMB (Zwigoff)
-------EXOTICA (Egoyan)
-------THREE COLORS: BLUE/WHITE/RED (Kieslowski)
-------TO LIVE (Yimou)
1995. DEAD MAN (Jarmusch)
-------SAFE (Haynes)
-------UNDERGROUND (Kusturica)
1996. BREAKING THE WAVES (Trier)
-------IRMA VEP (Assayas)
-------LONE STAR (Sayles)
1997. KUNDUN (Scorsese)
------THE MAELSTROM (Peter Forgacs)
-------THE SWEET HEREAFTER (Egoyan)
-------THE TASTE OF CHERRY (Kiarostami)
1998. FLOWERS OF SHANGHAI (Hou)
1999. EYES WIDE SHUT (Kubrick)
-------THE WIND WILL CARRY US (Kiarosatami)
2000. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Kar Wai)
--------SUZHOU RIVER (Ye)
2001. A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (Spielberg/Kubrick)
-------THE SWAMP (Martel)
-------MULLHOLLAND DRIVE (Lynch)
-------SPIRITED AWAY (Miyazaki)
-------TIME OUT (Cantet)
2002. ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze/Charlie Kaufman)
------ ARARAT (Egoyan)
-------BLOODY SUNDAY (Greengrass)
-------THE MAGDALENE SISTERS (Mullan)
-------THE PIANIST (Polanski)
-------RUSSIAN ARK (Sokurov)
-------THE SON (Dardenne)
2003. A TALKING PICTURE (de Oliveira)
------THE CORPORATION (Abbott/Achbar)
2004. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Gondry)
-------THE HOLY GIRL (Martel)
------ SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL:THE JOURNEY OF ROMEO DALLAIRE
------ 2046 (Kar Wai)
------ YES (Potter)
2005. COMO PASAN LAS HORAS (Oliveira Cezar)
------THE NEW WORLD (Malick)
------ THREE TIMES (Hou)
2006. AWAY FROM HER (Polley)
-------FICTION (Gay)
-------HALF NELSON (Fleck)
-------INLAND EMPIRE (Lynch)
-------OFFSIDE (Panahi)
-------PAN'S LABYRINTH (del Toro)
2007. CHOP SHOP (Bahrani)
2008. ASHES OF TIME Redux (Kar Wai)
--------GOODBYE SOLO (Bahrani)
--------THE HEADLESS WOMAN (Martel)
--------LIVERPOOL (Alonso)
2009. THE WHITE RIBBON (Haneke)
2010. GREENBERG (Baumbach/USA)
------MYSTERIES OF LISBON (Ruiz/Portugal)
------NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT (Guzman/Chile)
------THE STRANGE CASE OF ANGELICA (Oliveira/Portugal)
2011. A SEPARATION (Farhadi/Iran)
------THE ARBOR (Clio Barnard/UK)
------THE TREE OF LIFE (Malick/USA)
------THE TURIN HORSE (Bela Tarr/Hungary)
2012-HERE AND THERE (Mendez Esparza/Mexico)
2013-PARADISE:LOVE/FAITH/HOPE (Seidl/Austria)
2014-GOODBYE TO LANGUAGE (Godard/France-Switzerland)
-----HORSE MONEY (Pedro Costa/Portugal)
-----MR. TURNER (Leigh/UK)
2015-BROOKLYN (John Crowley/Ireland)
-----EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT (Guerra/Colombia)
-----45 YEARS (Haigh/UK)
-----HEART OF A DOG (Anderson/USA)
-----SON OF SAUL (Nemes/Poland)
2016-THE DEATH OF LOUIS XIV (Serra/Spain)
-----PATERSON (Jarmusch/USA)
2017- THE BIG SICK (Showalter/USA)
-----MUDBOUND (Rees/USA)
2018-A BREAD FACTORY (Wang/USA)
-----THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND (Welles/Kodar/USA)
----- ZAMA (Martel/Argentina)

[JustaFied]

Great list, Oscar. Glad to see some Altman on there, he's one of my favorites. I need to print this out and take it to the video store (or Netflix). I've missed alot of these so far, particularly some of the foreign films. "The Rules of the Game" is one I really want to see.

[Johann]

This list confirms your impeccable taste. You're a kindred spirit, oscar.

The silents part of the list is what I really like. You've pretty much nailed every important work, save Gance's Napoleon and Haxan.
But those two are little on the crude side, so...
Lang's epic Die Niebelungen comes highly recommended from me as well. Kino just put out a gorgeous 2-disc set.

You're definitely a serious film buff oscar. Your list is basically a must-see scroll. Just about every one is a classic of some sort.
I just saw Eraserhead again two nights ago. Pure brilliance. I was in a trance once again. The soundtrack is an ear invasion. That low "hum" or whatever you call it just adds so much to the trippy black & white images.

These names also deserve some discussion: Paradjanov, Sternberg, Visconti (The Leopard is a Criterion I want), Vigo, Berlanga and Olmi. All great directors who have a limited audience.


Justified! Have you seen Les Vampires? If not, then start at the top, baby! If you want a marathon, you can't go wrong with this incredible, poetic, silent film experience.

[JustaFied]

Originally posted by Johann
Justified! Have you seen Les Vampires? If not, then start at the top, baby! If you want a marathon, you can't go wrong with this incredible, poetic, silent film experience.

That's one of the many on the list I haven't seen. I'm trying to catch up! There's only so much time in the day...

I did watch Casa De Los Babys last night. I enjoy Sayles' rather slow-paced, thoughtful movies, and this one was no exception. Lone Star (on Oscar's list) is also one of my favorites - it does a good job of capturing the "essence" of Texas, and it's a good story to boot...

[Howard Schumann]

There are some very outstanding films on your list. Thanks for posting it. While not all the films are to my liking, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of them (except possibly for Safe which I strongly dislike). I've noted the three I haven't heard of (except of course for the silent films of which I don't watch very many) Placido, Cria, and Caido del Cielo and will look them up pronto.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by JustaFied
Great list, Oscar. Glad to see some Altman on there, he's one of my favorites.

Thanks, JustaFied. I love the way Altman uses overlapping dialogue and his expert hand directing large groups or ensembles. Other Altmans you'd find in my year-end top 10s: The Long Goodbye, Short Cuts and Gosford Park.

I've missed alot of these so far, particularly some of the foreign films. "The Rules of the Game" is one I really want to see.

100 out of 208 movies listed are in a foreign language. I must believe one is profusely rewarded for subjecting oneself to the annoyance of subtitles and the complications they create. I have listed Renoir's The Rules of the Game in my Filmwurld profile. I love this movie (btw, it's clearly a major influence on Gosford Park). But until recently you'd have to see it on a mediocre vhs tape. Criterion's disc makes it easier for those of us who don't speak French to appreciate the full flavor of this dialogue-heavy film (Conversely, imagine the French trying to get all the jokes in Hawks' Bringing Up Baby or His Girl Friday). At the very least, full appreciation of the performances will be affected. I think this very entertaining, engaging movie deserves to be seen twice.

[cinemabon]

That took a lot of courage on your part. Are you not wearing your heart on your sleeve? Still, I now know a little more why we all admire you so much. I was so glad you chose "Paths of Glory". I remember when I left the cinema (I actually saw it on campus), I wanted to go out and kick some right-winger's ass who supported the war in Viet Nam (a hot topic then). Kubrick knew how to elicit those kinds of feelings. Thanks, Oscar.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Johann
You're a kindred spirit, oscar.

Oh, I know it. Some would say we have the same screw loose :)

The silents part of the list is what I really like. You've pretty much nailed every important work, save Gance's Napoleon and Haxan.
Lang's epic Die Niebelungen comes highly recommended from me as well. Kino just put out a gorgeous 2-disc set.

I will rent Die Niebelungen as soon as I'm done with a little project: two friends in their early 20s plan to open an "alternative" rental shop in the cultural wastelands of suburbia. They've asked me to stock the foreign language section. I've bought close to $1000 worth of vhs and dvd, new and used, so far. But it's taking a lot of my leisure time to find the best deals.
I seem to prefer German and American silent films. Marty Scorsese's list would probably start with the Italian Cabiria (which I haven't seen) and would certainly include the two excellent films you mention (which I don't quite love). Others that fall into that category: Berlin:Symphony of a Great City, The Birth of a Nation, Man with a Moving Camera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Scarlett Letter, The Love of Jeanne Ney.


I just saw Eraserhead again two nights ago. Pure brilliance. I was in a trance once again. The soundtrack is an ear invasion. That low "hum" or whatever you call it just adds so much to the trippy black & white images.

Excellent observation.

These names also deserve some discussion: Paradjanov, Sternberg, Visconti (The Leopard is a Criterion I want), Vigo, Berlanga and Olmi. All great directors who have a limited audience.

J, do you think these directors have a limited audience because their films are not widely available (the long wait for a proper The Leopard appears finally over, eh?)? Or do you think the films themselves have features that would alienate mainstream audiences? Don't people want to see at least six of the Sternbergs, if only to watch Marlene Dietrich? Maybe not. Visconti and Olmi are expert storytellers, but maybe subtitles and period costumes shrink their potential audience. Vigo and Berlanga have been largely ignored (only Vigo's L'Atalante is available on video). Paradjanov is reserved for audiences interested in pictorial art, folklore and poetry (but not necessarily all of them).

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by JustaFied
I'm trying to catch up!
There's a ton of great movies to discover. How can anyone complain of boredom?

I did watch Casa De Los Babys last night. I enjoy Sayles' rather slow-paced, thoughtful movies, and this one was no exception. Lone Star (on Oscar's list) is also one of my favorites - it does a good job of capturing the "essence" of Texas

Sayles captures the essence of wherever he goes because he's like the opposite of the "ugly American" cliche. He inmerses into enviroments, observes, asks questions with open mind and heart. All his movies convey a credible picture of the cultures that provide context to his stories. (His books do too. He "nails" exiled Cubans in his novel "Los Gusanos").

[Johann]

Cinema is a very deep sea.
Those willing "to give it up" have no excuse for boredom. Many masters have worked hard at giving the world images that provoke, question and entertain.

Either you get it or you don't. It's the world's loss if more people won't engage or tap into the possibilities of cinema. As I've said before, it's all there on screen- the only thing holding you back is the level of interest you have in what you are watching.

As for Sternberg & Co, I think it's a combination of both availability and content that alienates audiences. It seems noboby wants to sit through The Tree of Wooden Clogs. Who the hell knows about this movie? Film buffs and that's about it. A damn shame.
It's a Palm D'or winning masterpiece that has virtually no audience. What can you do? The public is a fickle, temperamental lot.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Howard Schumann
I've noted the three I haven't heard of (except of course for the silent films of which I don't watch very many) Placido, Cria, and Caido del Cielo and will look them up pronto.

Cria (aka Raise Ravens) is the one that had a theatrical and home video release here. Ana Torrent's performances here (as Ana) and in Erice's Spirit of the Beehive are often cited amongst the best characterizations of childhood ever. The film works as both psychological drama, and political allegory about a new nation struggling to emerge after 35 years of Fascism. Like Ana, Cria is melancholic but never defeatist or pessimistic.

Several of Peruvian director Francisco Lombardi's films are available on vhs and dvd (The City and The Dogs, Don't Tell Anyone, Tinta Roja, Captain Pantoja, The Wolf's Mouth) but not Caidos del Cielo (Fallen from Heaven). The characters are poor and working-class residents of Lima. The movie was a huge hit at our Film Fest in 1990. Tarantino would later popularize its 3-parallel-narrative-threads-finally-meet structure.

Just like the Marshall Plan excluded Spain, our screens never showed films from Spain during the 50s and 60s. Foreign films in distribution were French, Italian, or directed by Kurosawa or Bergman. Placido (an Oscar nominee) and El Verdugo (The Executioner) are my favorite films directed by Luis Berlanga. I hope some day his films and others from Spanish directors like Juan Antonio Bardem (Javier's uncle) become widely available. For a brief introduction go to: www.villagevoice.com/issues/0150/stein.php
For a longer essay go to: http://www.sensesofcinema.com/conten.../berlanga.html

[Howard Schumann]

Thanks very much for the links and for the detailed information about these films. Of the three, only Cria is available here and I will try to watch it soon.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by cinemabon
. Are you not wearing your heart on your sleeve?

I keep using the word "love" on this thread. These are the movies I feel compelled to watch. Often when I'm writing or doing something else, I play the videos just to listen to the soundtrack. These films influenced who I am, what I believe in, and continue to do so.
Going over these titles prior to posting, I thought to myself: "cinemabon will be disappointed I didn't include enough Westerns and Musicals" (we've had some nice exchanges about these genres). I also feel there aren't enough Comedies. Some of the wonderful genre movies not listed (as of today) include: Singin' in the Rain, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Some Like It Hot, The Naked Spur, Hail the Conquering Hero.
Regarding Kubrick, I've included 6 titles, which feels excessive given he directed 11. I thought it over and was unable to drop a single film He gets my vote for most consistent film director, which is remarkable when you consider he kept coming up with something radically different than his previous movies. 2001 and A Clockwork Orange are the first two I saw. They had a tremendous influence on youth when they came out. I didn't get to watch Paths of Glory until the late 90s. It remains a powerful experience, with more shadings than first apparent to me, and inspired performances. No doubt the Military Culture vs. Basic Human Decency polemic appeals to me. Thanks for your kind comments.

[pmw]

I went ahead and split the thread. The discussion of Todd Haynes' "Safe" is now in the General Film Forum.
P

[oscar jubis]

Yeelen is an award-winning film from 1987 directed by Souleymane Cisse from Mali. Mr. Cisse and Senegalese Ousmane Sembene are the two most respected film directors from Africa. I have sought African films for years; it's been a frustrating experience. Yeelen is my favorite African film I've seen but I was reluctant to include it based on one viewing many years ago. I recently saw it twice, on dvd. It's truly a one-of-a-kind experience and a masterpiece. I've added it the list of favorites that opened this thread.

Yeelen is truly a "foreign" film. It is an animist creation story that incorporates a conflict between father-and-son practitioners of Komo, an ancient religion of the Bambara culture in what is now Mali. The film takes place in the 14th century, prior to the invasion by Morocco, the colonization by France, and slavery. It displays a circular time orientation and cultural references non-Africans rarely encounter. Animal sacrifice, curses, milk baths, evil eye, animal spirits, purifying springs, posts and totems with unique powers, shamans, chants, strange rituals...you get the idea. Yeelen is extraordinarily beautiful, with precisely composed images bursting with color.

Yeelen was released on dvd last October. Truly enchanting.