It's called "cinema" right?
July 23, 2010 7:05 AM Subscribe
I want to become a classic and foreign film buff. Where do I start?
I watch a ton of current films but my knowledge of anything predating the 1980s and most of the big film movements like French new wave is really lacking. I know of some of the big names of film history, like Godard, Chaplin, and Fellini and I realize I could just watch them all (which I intend to) but I would also like some sort of system to help aid my understanding of the context and interplay between some of these filmmakers and what they were trying to achieve. My goal is to become as knowledgeable as the characters in Bertolucci's recent film The Dreamers. Do people have recommendations on where to start, what to pay special attention to and perhaps what films/directors/actors you feel are over or underrated by the historical consensus? Netflix friendly recommendations appreciated. Thanks!
I watch a ton of current films but my knowledge of anything predating the 1980s and most of the big film movements like French new wave is really lacking. I know of some of the big names of film history, like Godard, Chaplin, and Fellini and I realize I could just watch them all (which I intend to) but I would also like some sort of system to help aid my understanding of the context and interplay between some of these filmmakers and what they were trying to achieve. My goal is to become as knowledgeable as the characters in Bertolucci's recent film The Dreamers. Do people have recommendations on where to start, what to pay special attention to and perhaps what films/directors/actors you feel are over or underrated by the historical consensus? Netflix friendly recommendations appreciated. Thanks!
You could start with the AFI Top 100 lists (there are two of them). They cover most of the last 110 years of film history and a lot of really great movies are listed. These are just American films, though. I have been working on this list for awhile, and most of them are available on Netflix. There are a couple that have not been released on DVD.
Roger Ebert has a book called The Great Movies which includes both American and foreign films, but there isn't really a lot of overlap between his list and the AFI list. You don't have to agree with Ebert's reviews to agree that he's chosen some of the best of all time. Each film has a 3-4 page review. My next goal, after finishing the AFI list, is to watch all of the films on this list. (He also did The Great Movies II and III, but I would start with a small list first.)
posted by aabbbiee at 7:26 AM on July 23, 2010
Roger Ebert has a book called The Great Movies which includes both American and foreign films, but there isn't really a lot of overlap between his list and the AFI list. You don't have to agree with Ebert's reviews to agree that he's chosen some of the best of all time. Each film has a 3-4 page review. My next goal, after finishing the AFI list, is to watch all of the films on this list. (He also did The Great Movies II and III, but I would start with a small list first.)
posted by aabbbiee at 7:26 AM on July 23, 2010
You could do worse than start with the Criterion Collection. Their selection of classic/foreign movies is superb. (And hey, visiting their site I see they've put out By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume Two—holy crap! Must save my pennies!)
posted by languagehat at 7:27 AM on July 23, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by languagehat at 7:27 AM on July 23, 2010 [2 favorites]
I would recommend reading some good film journals and taking some courses at a local college.
Sight & Sound is the pre-eminent UK film journal, and I'm sure there are some well respected US equivalents.
I saw this annotated list of film critic recently, that could be of interest: http://www.filmlinc.com/fcm/ja10/filmcritusersguide.htm
I don't know where you are, but most big cities will have at least one decent independent art house/foreign language cinema. Become a regular there. A passionate cinema will have seasons and double-bills. Find a good rep house and frequent that.
posted by Magnakai at 7:27 AM on July 23, 2010
Sight & Sound is the pre-eminent UK film journal, and I'm sure there are some well respected US equivalents.
I saw this annotated list of film critic recently, that could be of interest: http://www.filmlinc.com/fcm/ja10/filmcritusersguide.htm
I don't know where you are, but most big cities will have at least one decent independent art house/foreign language cinema. Become a regular there. A passionate cinema will have seasons and double-bills. Find a good rep house and frequent that.
posted by Magnakai at 7:27 AM on July 23, 2010
This may sound a bit off, but start with Hitchcock. Hitch made perfect Hollywood genre films in the 50s and 60s, which makes his films a good mirror to hold up to the more experimental European films of the 60s and 70s. Plus they're just fun and easy to watch.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 7:27 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 7:27 AM on July 23, 2010
I could advise you to look at this Wikipedia article for Sight and Sound magazine. It includes a summary of the results for their critic's polls for the last 60 years, and any of the films mentioned is definitely worth a look. So if you want a system you could start going through their lists.
The essential drift is that these titles all make strong showings over the years:
Citizen Kane
Bicycle Thieves
Battleship Potemkin
The Rules of The Game
Passion of Joan of Arc
Vertigo
L'avventura
posted by ovvl at 7:33 AM on July 23, 2010
The essential drift is that these titles all make strong showings over the years:
Citizen Kane
Bicycle Thieves
Battleship Potemkin
The Rules of The Game
Passion of Joan of Arc
Vertigo
L'avventura
posted by ovvl at 7:33 AM on July 23, 2010
Do you want to get really knowledgeable about one particular genre or country?
Because film as a whole is a very large area.
I'm far from a film buff but the way I get to understand them better is picking a time period and watching films that were set then.
So for example:
Casablanca and The Third Man (The impact of War on populations)
Logans Run, The Matrix and Blade Runner (Distopia future)
39 steps and Memento (both about paranoia but in very different ways)
And think about how the director went about shooting, and why.
I do remember reading (might have been here on the blue or green) about the difference between a film fan and a buff:
A fan talks about what didn't work in films they liked. - The worst in the best.
A buff talks about what worked in the films they didn't. - The best of the worst.
Finally, I'm sure you won’t, but having seen friends in the past fall down the trap of getting too 'know-it-all'. Allow people to ask you about films, and don't insult their opinions even if they have seen fewer films than you.
If you want any more suggestions, please MeMail me.
posted by 92_elements at 7:37 AM on July 23, 2010
Because film as a whole is a very large area.
I'm far from a film buff but the way I get to understand them better is picking a time period and watching films that were set then.
So for example:
Casablanca and The Third Man (The impact of War on populations)
Logans Run, The Matrix and Blade Runner (Distopia future)
39 steps and Memento (both about paranoia but in very different ways)
And think about how the director went about shooting, and why.
I do remember reading (might have been here on the blue or green) about the difference between a film fan and a buff:
A fan talks about what didn't work in films they liked. - The worst in the best.
A buff talks about what worked in the films they didn't. - The best of the worst.
Finally, I'm sure you won’t, but having seen friends in the past fall down the trap of getting too 'know-it-all'. Allow people to ask you about films, and don't insult their opinions even if they have seen fewer films than you.
If you want any more suggestions, please MeMail me.
posted by 92_elements at 7:37 AM on July 23, 2010
The biggest issue is not getting overwhelmed by having to see 100 movies right now. I would start with seeing various types of movies, and then seeing more of what you like. Rather than just slogging through a list like work.
posted by smackfu at 7:38 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by smackfu at 7:38 AM on July 23, 2010
I'd recommend spending some time really prowling through the IMDB website also. Lots of reviews and discussions on pretty much every movie I've run across. They have charted top movies and you can see them broken down by genre, era, and many other categories. Turner Classic Movies, if your tv channel lineup includes it, often runs a lot of great older films too.
posted by midwestguy at 7:39 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by midwestguy at 7:39 AM on July 23, 2010
If you subscribe to Netflix, start putting a variety of movies you already really love in your queue. Then they will start to suggest movies you might also like in those genres.
posted by Elsie at 7:46 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by Elsie at 7:46 AM on July 23, 2010
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die is an easy book to mock (in the same way MetaFilter loves mocking all lists) but I think it is actually a really useful tool for someone in your position. It covers the last 110 years and the whole of the world and is perhaps slightly more eclectic and popularist than something like the Sight & Sound list which is very purist. So it makes a good entry point and you can dive into a particular time period or just flick through until you see something that catches your eye. It should then give you the breadth of knowledge to follow your own interests down to a deeper level.
posted by ninebelow at 7:55 AM on July 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by ninebelow at 7:55 AM on July 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
I often recommend the Arts and Faith top 100. It's a great selection of films on the theme of faith. You needn't be religious to enjoy them. Great films by the great directors, and not always the obvious choices.
posted by fire&wings at 7:56 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by fire&wings at 7:56 AM on July 23, 2010
And if you want a name to start with - Bergman.
posted by fire&wings at 7:56 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by fire&wings at 7:56 AM on July 23, 2010
The Criterion Collection is on Netflix Instant Streaming, and you can get that unlimited with their $10 a month, 1 DVD at a time plan.
posted by mccarty.tim at 8:34 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by mccarty.tim at 8:34 AM on July 23, 2010
Best answer: I really like a director centered approach to films. When you find a director, exhaust his catalog. You'll really begin to pick up on the nuances and "writing styles," along with watching how the director evolved over his career. I don't know what you've watched before, but here's a pretty good start:
Antonioni
In my mind Antonioni is sort of the quintessential art house film director. There are better directors, better cinematographers, but going to Antonioni is sort like buying an expensive Gucci suit. Even a clod can see that is a good suit. There's no subtly here. When Antonioni wants to realize the characters are drifting through their existential crises, he'll put them in front of a minimalist, post-modern church. When they're bottling up their emotions, he'll put fucking Mount Etna in the background.
- L'Avventura ... starts out slow, definitely worth watching the entire thing. I watched it in two parts, don't be afraid to do this.
- L'eclisse ... watch this, don't be afraid to fast forward. Great scenes of the stock market in Rome, along with some very early suburbia hate.
- Blowup ... the only English film you'll want to watch. Antonioni hated America and you can just hear him seething throughout Zabrinski Point. Here you even have a nice mystery. Very watchable.
Bergman
Besides Seventh Seal, his best works are his "long-form film." I have no doubt today he'd have some amazing show on HBO. His catalog is extensive, and I recommend the "Faith Trilogy," but as far as getting your feet wet, the most accessible are:
Scenes from a Marriage ... This is really good, also really long. It was a miniseries, and there might be a shorter cut out there. Do not go for anything but the full length ~300 minute version. No need to watch it in one sitting.
Fanny and Alexander ... By far my favorite Bergman film. Again, watch the full miniseries and not the abridged version. It takes place around Christmastime when a very rich, much beloved Swedish family loses their patriarch. It turns into a horror film after that, or rather a philosophical horror film. Think of it as Wes Anderson for the Swedish set.
Kubrick
You really need to watch all of his films. Okay you can skip some of the early Hollywood blockbusters, but he really is up there with the best.
Godard
I'm a fan of Godard, but I think you can get Godard from Pierrot le Fou. It is Crayon colored, beautiful and full of enough French New Wave elements you can name drop Godard in conversation.
Miscellaneous, no need to watch a director's back catalog, but good films on their own:
The 400 Blows ... essential, you have to watch this. French New Wave so you can add a +1 to that column.
Bicycle Thieves ... starts out slow, but there's a reason that many people regard this as the best film, ever.
Polanksi's Repulsion ... I hate putting a living director on the list, but this was a really, really good early Polanski.
Wings of Desire ... It has Nick Cave, the guy who played Hitler as an angel, and the guy from Columbo.
Marienbad ... at least watch the first 45 minutes.
Not asked for but essential American films:
David Lynch
Eraserhead (fast forward though it if it gets boring), Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive
Terrence Malick
Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, The New World
Cassavetes
A Woman Under the Influence, Love Streams (fast forward)
Obviously this list isn't exhaustive, but if you watched it you've earned your foreign art house badge. You've hit the most influential, big name foreign directors and the films that best defined their style. This also is fairly accessible, if you can't Netflix the uncut Bergman films they're on The Pirate Bay. Nearly everything on here is on the Criterion label, with quite a few being available on Blu-Ray.
Don't be afraid to skip through boring parts! Many times I've half-heartedly watched a foreign film. You're reading and watching a film. Once you get the essential plot elements down it becomes a lot easier to track who is who and simply enjoy the film. These are movies, you're suppose to enjoy them.
posted by geoff. at 8:36 AM on July 23, 2010 [2 favorites]
Antonioni
In my mind Antonioni is sort of the quintessential art house film director. There are better directors, better cinematographers, but going to Antonioni is sort like buying an expensive Gucci suit. Even a clod can see that is a good suit. There's no subtly here. When Antonioni wants to realize the characters are drifting through their existential crises, he'll put them in front of a minimalist, post-modern church. When they're bottling up their emotions, he'll put fucking Mount Etna in the background.
- L'Avventura ... starts out slow, definitely worth watching the entire thing. I watched it in two parts, don't be afraid to do this.
- L'eclisse ... watch this, don't be afraid to fast forward. Great scenes of the stock market in Rome, along with some very early suburbia hate.
- Blowup ... the only English film you'll want to watch. Antonioni hated America and you can just hear him seething throughout Zabrinski Point. Here you even have a nice mystery. Very watchable.
Bergman
Besides Seventh Seal, his best works are his "long-form film." I have no doubt today he'd have some amazing show on HBO. His catalog is extensive, and I recommend the "Faith Trilogy," but as far as getting your feet wet, the most accessible are:
Scenes from a Marriage ... This is really good, also really long. It was a miniseries, and there might be a shorter cut out there. Do not go for anything but the full length ~300 minute version. No need to watch it in one sitting.
Fanny and Alexander ... By far my favorite Bergman film. Again, watch the full miniseries and not the abridged version. It takes place around Christmastime when a very rich, much beloved Swedish family loses their patriarch. It turns into a horror film after that, or rather a philosophical horror film. Think of it as Wes Anderson for the Swedish set.
Kubrick
You really need to watch all of his films. Okay you can skip some of the early Hollywood blockbusters, but he really is up there with the best.
Godard
I'm a fan of Godard, but I think you can get Godard from Pierrot le Fou. It is Crayon colored, beautiful and full of enough French New Wave elements you can name drop Godard in conversation.
Miscellaneous, no need to watch a director's back catalog, but good films on their own:
The 400 Blows ... essential, you have to watch this. French New Wave so you can add a +1 to that column.
Bicycle Thieves ... starts out slow, but there's a reason that many people regard this as the best film, ever.
Polanksi's Repulsion ... I hate putting a living director on the list, but this was a really, really good early Polanski.
Wings of Desire ... It has Nick Cave, the guy who played Hitler as an angel, and the guy from Columbo.
Marienbad ... at least watch the first 45 minutes.
Not asked for but essential American films:
David Lynch
Eraserhead (fast forward though it if it gets boring), Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive
Terrence Malick
Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, The New World
Cassavetes
A Woman Under the Influence, Love Streams (fast forward)
Obviously this list isn't exhaustive, but if you watched it you've earned your foreign art house badge. You've hit the most influential, big name foreign directors and the films that best defined their style. This also is fairly accessible, if you can't Netflix the uncut Bergman films they're on The Pirate Bay. Nearly everything on here is on the Criterion label, with quite a few being available on Blu-Ray.
Don't be afraid to skip through boring parts! Many times I've half-heartedly watched a foreign film. You're reading and watching a film. Once you get the essential plot elements down it becomes a lot easier to track who is who and simply enjoy the film. These are movies, you're suppose to enjoy them.
posted by geoff. at 8:36 AM on July 23, 2010 [2 favorites]
I agree with Magnakai about checking out any local revival house that might be in your area. They usually run films in series, which means it's easy to very quickly get a good sense of one director, leading actor, country, era, major theme, etc. Especially if you go a lot. Netflix can fill out the movies you can't go there to see, so even having their listings of what they're planning to show over the next few months is a great resource.
Also Nthing everyone who's said not to suddenly create a list of 100 movies You Must Watch Now. You will most certainly start feeling like it's a chore rather than something you're doing for fun.
posted by Sara C. at 8:41 AM on July 23, 2010
Also Nthing everyone who's said not to suddenly create a list of 100 movies You Must Watch Now. You will most certainly start feeling like it's a chore rather than something you're doing for fun.
posted by Sara C. at 8:41 AM on July 23, 2010
I also would not worry about "The Boring Parts", and instead would say that if a movie doesn't sound interesting to you at the beginning of this project, you don't have to watch it just because it's "important". Watch the fun stuff that already excites you, first, and you will find your tastes adjusting themselves. You'll also start to become interested in those films that didn't seem worthwhile at first when you discover that Film X was a huge influence on Auteur Y and the like. I found, using the French new wave as an example, that I had to start with Truffaut and work my way into Godard. If you pile your plate with movies that seem boring to you or which you don't really get, your project is going to seem really overwhelming.
And I say this as someone who closed my first Netflix account after trying to climb a mountain of Kieslowski. If you don't want to watch The Decalogue back to back to back over the course of the week, you don't have to.
posted by Sara C. at 8:49 AM on July 23, 2010
And I say this as someone who closed my first Netflix account after trying to climb a mountain of Kieslowski. If you don't want to watch The Decalogue back to back to back over the course of the week, you don't have to.
posted by Sara C. at 8:49 AM on July 23, 2010
Find a list of the most well respected foreign and classic films and then just start watching what appeals to you (a bunch were mentioned in the comments so far). After you see a number of films, you'll get a better sense of what you like and what you don't and can follow those impulses, further refining. Any sort of systematic approach will likely become boring and feel like work, when it should feel more like discovery.
posted by Falconetti at 8:55 AM on July 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Falconetti at 8:55 AM on July 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you really want to get hard core, there is Jonathan Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema: On the Necessity of Film Canons, which has an idiosyncratic list of 1000 films in the back of the book. Rosenbaum has his own biases and pretensions, but I find that he can also do wonders for expanding your cinematic palate.
posted by jonp72 at 9:03 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by jonp72 at 9:03 AM on July 23, 2010
I would also recommend getting a region-free DVD player or figuring out how to hack your current DVD player to make it region-free. There are many amazing classic films, including Hollywood classics, that are not available on U.S. DVDs, but are available with English subtitles etc. on British, French, German, Japanese, or Australian DVDs.
posted by jonp72 at 9:17 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by jonp72 at 9:17 AM on July 23, 2010
Best answer: I asked a similar question in January and got very helpful answers.
My approach has been director and "movement" centric. I started with the New Wave, watched a lot of Goddard and Truffaut and moved on from there. I watched some American movies that were influenced by the New Wave too - Bonny and Clyde for example - and it was cool to watch them back to back like that and get a sense of how they were related.
I've also on and off been reading film books - some essays by Satyajit Ray, that Trouffaut/Hitchcock book - and also screenplays of films I've loved.
Lately I've been most into Neorealists. Rome/Open City is good, The Bicycle Thief is amazing. These Italians influenced directors in India and the US and elsewhere too: In that vein, I'm pretty sure Killer of Sheep is the best American movie ever made.
I get my movies almost exclusively from the library which tends to skew highbrow so just going down and looking at their selection may give you some ideas.
posted by serazin at 10:45 AM on July 23, 2010
My approach has been director and "movement" centric. I started with the New Wave, watched a lot of Goddard and Truffaut and moved on from there. I watched some American movies that were influenced by the New Wave too - Bonny and Clyde for example - and it was cool to watch them back to back like that and get a sense of how they were related.
I've also on and off been reading film books - some essays by Satyajit Ray, that Trouffaut/Hitchcock book - and also screenplays of films I've loved.
Lately I've been most into Neorealists. Rome/Open City is good, The Bicycle Thief is amazing. These Italians influenced directors in India and the US and elsewhere too: In that vein, I'm pretty sure Killer of Sheep is the best American movie ever made.
I get my movies almost exclusively from the library which tends to skew highbrow so just going down and looking at their selection may give you some ideas.
posted by serazin at 10:45 AM on July 23, 2010
Best answer: You mentioned French New Wave and there's a dedicated site that has a where to start guide for beginners ("we'll take you for a quick spin through the basics").
As for a system: what I do is to try and find which directors influenced a particular director I like and look mainly for influence connections. For instance, I love Rohmer: watched a few movies by him before researching a bit and finding out that he loved Ozu. I started watching Ozu movies and found an online book about his work. There I learned that one of my favorite Ozus was based on an Oscar winning movie by Fitzmaurice who also did Son of the Sheik with Valentino. You watch some movies from that era and end up reading about movies in the US in the 20's and 30's and you realize how much they are indebted to german expressionism and german emigres and you run to see Metropolis and Lang's M. Then you google a bit more, read a few reviews by well known film scholarly types and realize that these german movies created a whole look and feel that led to film noir and you start watching The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity and so on. So you got from French New Wave to Japanese Film to Silent American movies to German Expressionist movies to Film Noir. It's not a very systematic approach but you do get variety while understanding what connects what would seem such disparate works which always make for good conversation. And you can always go back to a particular film school or period and "specialize" a bit before moving on.
posted by lucia__is__dada at 10:54 AM on July 23, 2010 [3 favorites]
As for a system: what I do is to try and find which directors influenced a particular director I like and look mainly for influence connections. For instance, I love Rohmer: watched a few movies by him before researching a bit and finding out that he loved Ozu. I started watching Ozu movies and found an online book about his work. There I learned that one of my favorite Ozus was based on an Oscar winning movie by Fitzmaurice who also did Son of the Sheik with Valentino. You watch some movies from that era and end up reading about movies in the US in the 20's and 30's and you realize how much they are indebted to german expressionism and german emigres and you run to see Metropolis and Lang's M. Then you google a bit more, read a few reviews by well known film scholarly types and realize that these german movies created a whole look and feel that led to film noir and you start watching The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity and so on. So you got from French New Wave to Japanese Film to Silent American movies to German Expressionist movies to Film Noir. It's not a very systematic approach but you do get variety while understanding what connects what would seem such disparate works which always make for good conversation. And you can always go back to a particular film school or period and "specialize" a bit before moving on.
posted by lucia__is__dada at 10:54 AM on July 23, 2010 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Amazing feedback everyone, thanks.
posted by the foreground at 10:54 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by the foreground at 10:54 AM on July 23, 2010
Best answer: I've really found Greencine Primers to be well-written and helpful.
posted by haveanicesummer at 11:34 AM on July 23, 2010
posted by haveanicesummer at 11:34 AM on July 23, 2010
I like the "movement" approach also. After you take in some of the great classics, check out a movement about deconstructing film and rebuilding it, the New German Cinema.
I recommend
Wenders- Kings of the Road; The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick; Wings of Desire
Fassbinder- Ali: Fear Eats the Soul; The Marriage of Maria Braun (or the truly crazed Despair)
Herzog- Aguirre, the Wrath of God; Fitzcarraldo
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:17 PM on July 23, 2010
I recommend
Wenders- Kings of the Road; The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick; Wings of Desire
Fassbinder- Ali: Fear Eats the Soul; The Marriage of Maria Braun (or the truly crazed Despair)
Herzog- Aguirre, the Wrath of God; Fitzcarraldo
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:17 PM on July 23, 2010
I came in here to suggest Akira Kurosawa and am surprised that no one else has mentioned it. Anyway, pretty much anything by him is awesome. My favorites are Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Dreams and Rashomon. You can find his films on Netflix.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 2:22 PM on July 23, 2010
posted by MaryDellamorte at 2:22 PM on July 23, 2010
I wanted to second 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die; it's an excellent book for your purposes. (Ugly cover, though—my wife made me remove it.)
> I'm a fan of Godard, but I think you can get Godard from Pierrot le Fou.
I strongly disagree, and I find it hard to believe a Godard fan would say something like that. Offhand, I can't think of another major director who's changed as often and as thoroughly as Godard, from the crazed alternate-universe Hollywood-gangster of Breathless to the gorgeous self-referentiality and star power of Contempt (worth it just to see Fritz Lang playing the Great European Director) to the madcap Bande à part (Band of Outsiders) to the hilarious cartoon-sf of Alphaville (Eddie Constantine!) to the astonishing Masculin, féminin, which went right over my head when I first saw it in 1966, to the depth and endless watchability of 2 or 3 Things to the politico-philosophical fervor of La Chinoise to the ensuing Maoist period (by and large more irritating than it's worth, but check out Tout va bien, with Jane Fonda and Yves Montand) to his return to "normal" filmmaking with Sauve qui peut (la vie)—which gripped me so much when I first saw it that I turned right around, bought another ticket, and went in to see it again—to his sad and beautiful films of the last few decades... none of it is predictable from any of the rest, and certainly not from the perfectly nice but hardly representative Pierrot le Fou. In my opinion.
posted by languagehat at 3:28 PM on July 23, 2010 [2 favorites]
> I'm a fan of Godard, but I think you can get Godard from Pierrot le Fou.
I strongly disagree, and I find it hard to believe a Godard fan would say something like that. Offhand, I can't think of another major director who's changed as often and as thoroughly as Godard, from the crazed alternate-universe Hollywood-gangster of Breathless to the gorgeous self-referentiality and star power of Contempt (worth it just to see Fritz Lang playing the Great European Director) to the madcap Bande à part (Band of Outsiders) to the hilarious cartoon-sf of Alphaville (Eddie Constantine!) to the astonishing Masculin, féminin, which went right over my head when I first saw it in 1966, to the depth and endless watchability of 2 or 3 Things to the politico-philosophical fervor of La Chinoise to the ensuing Maoist period (by and large more irritating than it's worth, but check out Tout va bien, with Jane Fonda and Yves Montand) to his return to "normal" filmmaking with Sauve qui peut (la vie)—which gripped me so much when I first saw it that I turned right around, bought another ticket, and went in to see it again—to his sad and beautiful films of the last few decades... none of it is predictable from any of the rest, and certainly not from the perfectly nice but hardly representative Pierrot le Fou. In my opinion.
posted by languagehat at 3:28 PM on July 23, 2010 [2 favorites]
Lots of great advice here. I simply browsed sites like allmovie.com and imdb.com to seek out films that were considered to be classics and that sounded interesting to me. It doesn't take long to be able to pick out the things you like and dislike about films, and once you have an idea of what you like, it's easy to find similar things.
I should also mention that no classic film thread is complete without a mention of John Ford. His westerns with John Wayne are his best known works, but he's way way more than just a director of westerns. Much of the visual language of film comes from his work--and many of the innovations credited to Orson Welles were previously introduced by Ford in Stagecoach, a fact that Welles readily acknowledged. Recommended: The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley, The Searchers.
posted by TrialByMedia at 3:50 PM on July 23, 2010
I should also mention that no classic film thread is complete without a mention of John Ford. His westerns with John Wayne are his best known works, but he's way way more than just a director of westerns. Much of the visual language of film comes from his work--and many of the innovations credited to Orson Welles were previously introduced by Ford in Stagecoach, a fact that Welles readily acknowledged. Recommended: The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley, The Searchers.
posted by TrialByMedia at 3:50 PM on July 23, 2010
(I agree that it's well worth watching more than one Godard film. Every single movie of his I watch, I'm stumped after about whether or not I liked it! I can't think of another director I can say that of.)
posted by serazin at 3:52 PM on July 23, 2010
posted by serazin at 3:52 PM on July 23, 2010
Nthing Criterion Collection and plugging films you like from that into the Netflix recommended engine. And here's a similar thread. For underrated/underseen, I'd mention David Gordan Green, Hal Hartley, Chantal Akerman, and Clouzot besides Les Diaboliques. Ohoh, and Maya Deren and Derek Jarman.
posted by ifjuly at 7:12 PM on July 23, 2010
posted by ifjuly at 7:12 PM on July 23, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by griphus at 7:22 AM on July 23, 2010 [1 favorite]