Maximum artsy, maximum fartsy
February 5, 2015 11:35 AM

I want to start hosting a biweekly "Artsy Fartsy Movie Night." The idea is to show an extremely high-brow movie followed by an extremely low-brow one. It would be nice if the two movies could be thematically linked, or linked by title.

For instance, I'm thinking of showing the film version of "Bluebeard's Castle" (opera by Bela Bartok, BBC production, HIGHLY artsy) followed by "Blackbeard's Ghost" (Dean Jones, Peter Ustinov, reasonably fartsy).

Another: "2001: A Space Odyssey" followed by "Rocket Man."

So...whatever pairings seem so right and yet so wrong!
posted by daisystomper to Media & Arts (131 answers total) 79 users marked this as a favorite
Exotica and Showgirls?
posted by yoink at 11:42 AM on February 5, 2015


The Bicycle Thief & Pee Wee's Big Adventure
posted by obloquy at 11:46 AM on February 5, 2015


The Third Man and The Sixth Man?
posted by The Man from Lardfork at 11:47 AM on February 5, 2015


Hamlet & Hamlet II
posted by obloquy at 11:49 AM on February 5, 2015


The Bicycle Thief & Pee Wee's Big Adventure

Or, maybe, Bicycle Thief with Gone in 60 Seconds?

Last Year at Marienbad with I Know What You Did Last Summer?
posted by yoink at 11:49 AM on February 5, 2015


Seven Samurai and Three Amigos
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:49 AM on February 5, 2015


Not sure if the latter half of this one is fartsy enough, but: The Hidden Fortress and Star Wars Episode IV.
posted by holborne at 11:50 AM on February 5, 2015


2001: A Space Odyssey, followed by Spaceballs
posted by gyusan at 11:51 AM on February 5, 2015




Frankeinstein and Young Frankenstein.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:52 AM on February 5, 2015


Chariots of Fire and Balls of Fury.
posted by holborne at 11:53 AM on February 5, 2015


Waiting for Godot and Waiting for Guffman?
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:56 AM on February 5, 2015


The Seven Samurai & the Dirty Dozen. From what I've read the first inspired the second.
posted by wwax at 11:56 AM on February 5, 2015


Goldfinger and Goldmember?
posted by Liesl at 11:57 AM on February 5, 2015


The Passion of Joan of Arc (Dreyer) and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Besson).
posted by yoink at 11:58 AM on February 5, 2015


Chinatown and Big Trouble in Little China
posted by stinkfoot at 12:01 PM on February 5, 2015


The Mill and the Cross and Miller's Crossing.
posted by oulipian at 12:02 PM on February 5, 2015


Not sure if the latter half of this one is fartsy enough, but: The Hidden Fortress and Star Wars Episode IV.

Why not Episode I? I'd argue that it's actually a bigger steal from Fortress, what with the whole disguised-princess subplot and whatnot.
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:02 PM on February 5, 2015




Godard's Vivre sa Vie and Pretty Woman (both focus on a young prostitute as the main character)
posted by Juliet Banana at 12:02 PM on February 5, 2015


The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Bellboy
posted by o0dano0o at 12:04 PM on February 5, 2015


(The Seven Samurai inspired The Magnificent Seven, not The Dirty Dozen.)
posted by holborne at 12:04 PM on February 5, 2015


Jules et Jim and When Harry Met Sally
posted by Juliet Banana at 12:07 PM on February 5, 2015


The Fall and Hooper
posted by Huck500 at 12:07 PM on February 5, 2015




Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Top Secret!.
posted by cecic at 12:11 PM on February 5, 2015


Pan's Labyrinth followed by Labyrinth
posted by wrabbit at 12:12 PM on February 5, 2015


Woman In The Dunes and Beach Blanket Bingo
posted by newmoistness at 12:13 PM on February 5, 2015


8 1/2 and 9 1/2 Weeks
posted by yoink at 12:14 PM on February 5, 2015


Her/Weird Science
posted by Rock Steady at 12:15 PM on February 5, 2015


La Dolce Vita and Paparazzi
posted by yoink at 12:16 PM on February 5, 2015




Paprika and Dune (the theme is "spice")
posted by Mizu at 12:16 PM on February 5, 2015




Breaking the Waves and Breakin'

drops mic, goes home
posted by Naberius at 12:22 PM on February 5, 2015


Primer and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:24 PM on February 5, 2015


Hamlet and Strange Brew.

My Dinner With Andre and Eating Raoul

Casablanca and Barb Wire (which was very loosely based on Casablanca)

The Stuntman and Hooper

Hoop Dreams and White Men Can't Jump (or Baseketball or, hell, Hooper)

Chariots of Fire and Run, Fatboy, Run
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 12:25 PM on February 5, 2015


Emma and Clueless
Taming of the Shrew and Ten Things I Hate About You
posted by honey-barbara at 12:25 PM on February 5, 2015


The Seventh Seal and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:28 PM on February 5, 2015


Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia and Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis

(I confess I haven't seen the second one)
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:30 PM on February 5, 2015


Emma and Clueless

Clueless being the highbrow film, I assume?
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 12:33 PM on February 5, 2015


Rover and Mad Max
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:35 PM on February 5, 2015


28 Days Later and 28 Days
Black Swan and Black Sheep
Bonfire of the Vanities and The Money Pit
Deliverance and The Great Outdoors
Born on the Fourth of July and Tropic Thunder (both have Tom Cruise in them, but any serious Vietnam movie could work for the highbrow one)
Blair Witch and Hocus Pocus - or would it be the other way around?
Alien and Galaxy Quest (theme + Sigourney)
posted by soelo at 12:35 PM on February 5, 2015


Upstream Color + Reefer Madness - drugs and professionals

The Act of Killing + Pink Cadillac - old dudes, funny costumes, and hatred

Tokyo Godfathers + Mr. Mom - babies as a plot device and gender roles
posted by saucy_knave at 12:39 PM on February 5, 2015


Heavenly Creatures and Braindead/Dead Alive
Zeferelli's Romeo and Juliet and Tromeo and Juliet
posted by infinitewindow at 12:41 PM on February 5, 2015




Pi + American Pie - oh youth

The Holy Mountain + Beverly Hills Cop - films that question industry conventions

The Seventh Seal + Tusk - existentialism

Gattaca + Pacific Rim - individual exceptionalism vs friendship and teamwork
posted by saucy_knave at 12:50 PM on February 5, 2015


Cleo from 5 to 7 / Run Lola Run (or Crank, depending on desired fartsiness)
posted by theodolite at 12:53 PM on February 5, 2015


Au Hasard Balthazar and Francis the Talking Mule (Balthazar is a donkey and Francis is a mule, but I vote that's close enough.)
posted by ernielundquist at 12:57 PM on February 5, 2015


A Man Escaped and Escape Plan
posted by paper chromatographologist at 1:01 PM on February 5, 2015


The Fall of the House of Usher (1928) vs. House of Usher (2008)

Waxworks (1924) vs. House of Wax (2005)

Le Bonheur (1965) vs. The Stepford Wives (1975)

Daisies (1966) vs. Jackass: The Movie (2002)

Who Wants to Kill Jessie? (1966) vs. Cool World (1992)

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972) vs. Vampyres (1974)

Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974) vs. I, Madman (1989)
posted by rabbitroom at 1:06 PM on February 5, 2015


Nosferatu and Once Bitten or Lost Boys
posted by beccaj at 1:08 PM on February 5, 2015


Bubble (Soderbergh) & Norma Rae
posted by rhizome at 1:11 PM on February 5, 2015


Thumbsucker & Rushmore
posted by rhizome at 1:12 PM on February 5, 2015


The Great Dictator and The Dictator
posted by to recite so charmingly at 1:14 PM on February 5, 2015


The Virgin Spring and Last House on the Left.
posted by Flexagon at 1:15 PM on February 5, 2015


Schnidler's List and the Bucket List
posted by beccaj at 1:15 PM on February 5, 2015


Kind of surprised no one's suggested this one yet:
Breathless (1960) vs. Breathless (1983)
posted by rabbitroom at 1:16 PM on February 5, 2015


How about Waking Life / They Live
posted by mdn at 1:16 PM on February 5, 2015


Wings of Desire/Michael
posted by drlith at 1:17 PM on February 5, 2015


Network and UHF
Memento and Groundhog Day
posted by bgrebs at 1:19 PM on February 5, 2015


Wings of Desire/Michael

Wings of Desire might go better with City of Angels ("a very loose remake")
posted by oulipian at 1:24 PM on February 5, 2015


Maybe Stalker & Cabin in the Woods
posted by rhizome at 1:28 PM on February 5, 2015


Leaving Las Vegas and Vegas Vacation
posted by beccaj at 1:28 PM on February 5, 2015


Volver and Revolver
Prime and Primer
Ran and Run
posted by oulipian at 1:33 PM on February 5, 2015


Beauty and the Beast (1946) vs. Meridian (1990)

Black Narcissus (1947) vs. School of the Holy Beast (1974)

The Red Shoes (1948) vs. Suspiria (1977)

Rashomon (1950) vs. Four Times That Night (1972)

Seven Samurai (1954) vs. Samurai Cop (1991)

Death of a Cyclist (1955) vs. Premium Rush (2012)
posted by rabbitroom at 1:38 PM on February 5, 2015




Kicking and Screaming and Kicking and Screaming
posted by Rock Steady at 1:51 PM on February 5, 2015


Maximum artsy, maximum fartsy?

Vanilla Sky followed by Liquid Sky.

Then debate which movie was which and why.
posted by erst at 2:02 PM on February 5, 2015


Godzilla and Godzila
Cabaret and Pitch Perfect
posted by Jairus at 2:10 PM on February 5, 2015


Ew. I just thought of something pretty tasteless, but there are common themes and a severe high-low contrast.

Tokyo Story and Throw Momma from the Train.

The common themes being burdensome parent(s)/ungrateful children, something I guess is a Tokyo Story spoiler if you haven't seen it, and trains.

The obvious Throw Momma from the Train counterpart would be Strangers on a Train, but Tokyo Story could be an unexpected twist on the theme.
posted by ernielundquist at 2:16 PM on February 5, 2015




The Headless Woman (2008) vs. The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962)

Tony Manero (2008) vs. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
posted by rabbitroom at 2:26 PM on February 5, 2015


I would pair Hoop Dreams with Air Bud.
posted by advicepig at 2:29 PM on February 5, 2015


Riffing off beccaj's suggestion above, if you're doing Leaving Las Vegas you could also pair it with Honeymoon in Vegas for the full Nicolas Cage experience.
posted by honey wheat at 2:35 PM on February 5, 2015


Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and New Zealanders' spoof of the Kung fu genre (starring Jermaine Clement)Tongan Ninja
posted by honey-barbara at 2:43 PM on February 5, 2015


City Slickers and Red River
posted by brujita at 2:52 PM on February 5, 2015


Melancholia and Deep Impact
posted by Skybly at 3:09 PM on February 5, 2015


Dead Ringers / Twins

Charly / Dumb and Dumber
posted by neckro23 at 3:14 PM on February 5, 2015


Might be stretching "artsy" a little, but... it's a foreign film, and it's weird, so -
House (1977) / House (1986)
both very worth having a party for.
posted by mdn at 3:14 PM on February 5, 2015


Goodfellas and My Blue Heaven are both somewhat based on the life of Henry Hill. They aren't quite at opposite ends of the hi/lo-brow spectrum, but they're close enough. Watch Goodfellas first because My Blue Heaven works as the sequel.
posted by benbenson at 3:14 PM on February 5, 2015




Ah! Phantom of the Opera and Phantom of the Paradise.

Phantom of the Paradise is brilliant, the music is just divine, Brian DePalma directed. It's VERY seventies.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 3:29 PM on February 5, 2015


Oh my god this is heartfelt: The Flight of the Phoenix v The Grey.

I don't think my daughter will ever see another film with me after my willing suspension of disbelief got so grievously assaulted watching The Grey together.
posted by glasseyes at 3:32 PM on February 5, 2015


L'Jettee and 12 Monkeys...
posted by ennui.bz at 4:08 PM on February 5, 2015


Once Were Warriors and Tongan Ninja is a great pairing as well.
posted by infinitewindow at 4:12 PM on February 5, 2015


Okay, some of these are awesome (special shout out so far to "Hamlet and Hamlet II") but some...well, I'm not looking for "serious European film (Les Cousins Dangereuses) and not-quite-so-serious American version." More fartsy toward the fartsy end maybe? I guess this speaks well to the movie taste of many Mefites though.
posted by daisystomper at 4:22 PM on February 5, 2015


Charly / Dumb and Dumber

I was thinking Dumb and Dumber with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
posted by rhizome at 4:23 PM on February 5, 2015


Triplets of Belleville and Quicksilver
posted by rhizome at 4:24 PM on February 5, 2015


I'm going to try to stop soon, but I love your concept and nobody ever invites me to their cool movie clubs.

Eraserhead and It's Alive! could lead to many erudite debates about which baby would win in a fight.

Ratcatcher and Willard (1971), for a night of tragic love stories featuring a boy and his rat. (The 2003 Willard remake is a much better movie, but it's neither lowbrow nor fartsy, no matter what anyone else says.)
posted by ernielundquist at 4:30 PM on February 5, 2015


Jesus of Montreal and Oh, God!
posted by sueinnyc at 5:42 PM on February 5, 2015


Das Boot and Down Periscope.
posted by fings at 5:48 PM on February 5, 2015


Shampoo and Hairspray.
posted by apparently at 5:49 PM on February 5, 2015


High Noon and Blazing Saddles.
posted by fings at 5:55 PM on February 5, 2015


Yojimbo and A Fistful of Dollars.

Tokyo Story (Ozu) and Godzilla (the original).

La Jetee and Terminator
posted by yoink at 6:08 PM on February 5, 2015


easy rider / ghost rider
Children of men / children of the corn
O brother where art thou / squirm
The thin blue line / the thing
posted by thirdletter at 6:47 PM on February 5, 2015


Phantom of the opera / face/off
??? I'm running dry here / final justice
posted by thirdletter at 6:49 PM on February 5, 2015




The Conversation + The Telephone Book
posted by theartandsound at 8:57 PM on February 5, 2015




Casablanca and White House Down.
posted by snez at 9:16 PM on February 5, 2015


Lincoln + Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (maybe not fartsy enough)

The Song of Bernadette + Sister Act

Anchoress + Nuns On The Run

Heart Like A Wheel / Senna Neither is artsy but both are serious and the partner Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is pretty solidly fartsy.

The Shawshank Redemption + Happy, Texas

Valhalla Rising + Erik The Viking

Pathfinder + Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (A couple of the best movies I've ever seen. theme: young boy rescues his people)

Is there a Best Of: AskMeFi? I vote this delightful question wins.
posted by Beti at 9:28 PM on February 5, 2015


Of Gods and Men & Sister Act
posted by Jabberwocky at 9:43 PM on February 5, 2015




??? I'm running dry here / final justice

How about The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada? (theme: US/Mexican border, death of a friend/partner, law enforcment)
posted by Beti at 10:36 PM on February 5, 2015


Fail Safe & Night of the Comet
posted by rhizome at 10:55 PM on February 5, 2015


??? I'm running dry here / final justice

How about The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada? (theme: US/Mexican border, death of a friend/partner, law enforcment)

I haven't seen it, but feel I should :) Maybe a triple bill - No Country for Old Men?
posted by cotton dress sock at 12:01 AM on February 6, 2015


Jaws and Sharknado?

No -- no one should ever have to watch Sharknado.
posted by JimN2TAW at 6:10 AM on February 6, 2015


Premiers désirs (1983) vs. Little Darlings (1980)

Last Year at Marienbad (1961) vs. Fifty First Dates (2004)
posted by rabbitroom at 6:16 AM on February 6, 2015


Oh, you want more fartsy?

Under the Skin and Kiss Me Quick!
The Dark Knight and Rat Pfink a Boo Boo
Old Boy and Sh! The Octopus

That last one is a joke based on something that happens to an octopus in Old Boy, but Sh! The Octopus is a fun time capsule with a great name and it's pretty lowbrow. You could perhaps more profitably pair it with any of the great Universal horror movies of the 1930s, to which it relates as Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies did to the Disney cartoons that set the gold standard for animation at the time. It even stars comic actor Hugh Herbert, on whom Daffy Duck's "hoo-hoo!" schtick was partially based.
posted by Mothlight at 6:26 AM on February 6, 2015


Contra those above, the ultimate pairing for Wings of Desire would be Shakes the Clown.

(Speaking of which, you really really have to include Shakes the Clown somewhere in your survey of fartsy movies. If you don't want to pair it with Wings of Desire, you could always for Trapeze.)
posted by alms at 6:39 AM on February 6, 2015


Hmmm...maybe La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) and The Sweetest Thing (I would make sure to do the unrated version for maximum fartsy)?
posted by Shadow Boxer at 6:42 AM on February 6, 2015


Lots of great ideas so far. I'll probably pick favorites later this afternoon.
posted by daisystomper at 7:20 AM on February 6, 2015




Metropolis / Idiocracy
posted by maryr at 1:00 PM on February 6, 2015


What a great idea! The first pairing that springs to mind is The Face of Another And Face/Off
posted by steganographia at 3:14 PM on February 6, 2015


Edge of Tomorrow and Groundhog Day. I'm not sure where to put these two on the artsy/ fartsy spectrum though.
posted by _cave at 3:24 PM on February 6, 2015


The Seventh Seal / The Seventh Sign
posted by exogenous at 3:30 PM on February 6, 2015


A couple from Mr. Beti:

Vertigo + Cliffhanger

The Elephant Man + The Animal
posted by Beti at 5:35 PM on February 6, 2015


Godard's Goodbye to Language (2014) and Lassie (1954)
posted by standardasparagus at 6:20 PM on February 6, 2015


How did I not think of this before?

Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson has to qualify as Artsy) and Meatballs. And it has two film connections: summer camp, and Bill Murray!
posted by fings at 7:56 PM on February 6, 2015


Pusher (Nicolas Winding Refn's first film) with Half Baked
Rocky with Road Trip
Bonus: Rocky IV with The Road

This thread is pretty fun.
posted by GrumpyDan at 1:36 AM on February 7, 2015


The Idiots (Lars von Trier) VS Dumb and Dumber
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon VS Undefeatable
Network VS UHF
posted by yoHighness at 3:51 AM on February 7, 2015


Stalker and Cherry 2000.
posted by Sonny Jim at 2:19 PM on February 7, 2015


ok please forgive me for my not-so-fartsy suggestions before but I have two movies that take place in restaurants that could not possibly be farther apart on the spectrum


the cook, the thief, his wife, and her lover....


.....



.....and GOOD BURGER
posted by Juliet Banana at 3:52 PM on February 7, 2015


Eyes Without A Face and Face/Off
posted by ifjuly at 8:57 PM on February 7, 2015


The Big Sleep and The Big Lebowski.
posted by Demogorgon at 1:03 PM on February 10, 2015


Fitzcarraldo and Anaconda.
posted by zeraus at 10:00 AM on February 25, 2015


Terrence Malick's The New World and Disney's Pocahontas.
posted by fings at 12:37 PM on February 25, 2015


Leaving Las Vegas and Vegas Vacation

No, no, no! Not that anyone's still following this thread, but Leaving Las Vegas and Honeymoon in Vegas!

Because Nick Cage.

And for me, because when one of my film school classes got talking about Leaving Las Vegas, as an example of a movie that kills the main character at the end, one of my favorite fellow students was getting more and more worked up, and finally burst out (in her awesome, lilting Caribbean accent) "He DIES in that? Was it when he was skydiving with the Elvises?" And we realized that, having seen only the trailers for both films, she had been thinking about Honeymoon in Vegas all along. It was a great moment. Maybe you had to be there...
posted by Naberius at 8:17 AM on March 11, 2015


Just watched Ben Wheatley's Sightseers last night and thought of this thread- a double feature with National Lampoon's Vacation would be perfect.
posted by ghostbikes at 10:25 AM on March 21, 2015


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