What are some 'newer' classic french films?
March 18, 2005 11:36 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for French films that could possibly be considered classics, but are also newer than the 40's/50's/60's gems.
I've already watched a lot of the older stuff (Breathless, 400 Blows, Wages of Fear, etc.), so now I'm in the mood for some newer-looking material. I'm talking 70's/80's/90's stuff. Really recent stuff (read: released in the past few years) is less helpful because I think my local library is much more likely to have older, rather than newer, films in stock (though honerable mentions of particularly noteworthy movies released in recent years would still be appreciated).
I've already watched a lot of the older stuff (Breathless, 400 Blows, Wages of Fear, etc.), so now I'm in the mood for some newer-looking material. I'm talking 70's/80's/90's stuff. Really recent stuff (read: released in the past few years) is less helpful because I think my local library is much more likely to have older, rather than newer, films in stock (though honerable mentions of particularly noteworthy movies released in recent years would still be appreciated).
Max et les ferrailleurs (Max and the Junkmen, 1971) is a fantastic film. Romy is soooo charming...
posted by tcp at 11:57 AM on March 18, 2005
posted by tcp at 11:57 AM on March 18, 2005
Well, you've probably seen it already, and it did just come out in the last four years, but your question made me think of Amelie.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 11:57 AM on March 18, 2005
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 11:57 AM on March 18, 2005
Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources (both from 1986) are pretty fine films...
posted by benzo8 at 12:06 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by benzo8 at 12:06 PM on March 18, 2005
Leon (the Professional) starring Jean Reno.
The City of Lost Children.
Also, the filmmaker is Polish, but some of Kieslowski's Three Colors (Red/White/Blue) trilogy is in the French language.
posted by matildaben at 12:10 PM on March 18, 2005
The City of Lost Children.
Also, the filmmaker is Polish, but some of Kieslowski's Three Colors (Red/White/Blue) trilogy is in the French language.
posted by matildaben at 12:10 PM on March 18, 2005
I'd second the Jean de Florette pair. And we can't have City of Lost Children without the very wonderful Delicatessen, can we?
Also, maybe not classics but I really enjoyed La Haine, La Balance, Cyrano de Bergerac and the recent Read My Lips
posted by Decani at 12:21 PM on March 18, 2005
Also, maybe not classics but I really enjoyed La Haine, La Balance, Cyrano de Bergerac and the recent Read My Lips
posted by Decani at 12:21 PM on March 18, 2005
Seconds on the Rouge-Bleu-Blanc trilogy, La Balance, and Leon.
posted by briank at 12:47 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by briank at 12:47 PM on March 18, 2005
Maybe check out some of Eric Rohmer's later work? Pauline à la plage perhaps? Also check out La Haine (Hate).
posted by Otis at 1:03 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by Otis at 1:03 PM on March 18, 2005
La Maman et la Putain (1973) might be old enough to lump in with 60s gems; I don't know.
For a documentary angle, Être et Avoir (2002) has been very well received, and is on Netflix.
posted by xueexueg at 1:03 PM on March 18, 2005
For a documentary angle, Être et Avoir (2002) has been very well received, and is on Netflix.
posted by xueexueg at 1:03 PM on March 18, 2005
Man on the Train (2003)--recent, but good.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 1:08 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 1:08 PM on March 18, 2005
I enjoyed Train of Life. Triplets of Belleville is a recent ('03) animated film and not to everyone's tastes, but it's worth a look.
posted by joaquim at 1:12 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by joaquim at 1:12 PM on March 18, 2005
I thought everybody hated Jean-Jacques Beineix's third picture, "Betty Blue" -- or maybe that was his second, "Moon in the Gutter." But everybody loved his first, "Diva."
La Femme Nikita
Allegedly, one of those little blurbs in the New Yorker said simply "The end of French film as we know it" when this was playing in the cinema. But I liked it. "Leon (the Professional)" was its sequel.
(Incidentally, I walked out of "The Triplets of Belleville" -- annoying, icky and bor-ing! But don't miss "The City of Lost Children.")
posted by Rash at 1:36 PM on March 18, 2005
La Femme Nikita
Allegedly, one of those little blurbs in the New Yorker said simply "The end of French film as we know it" when this was playing in the cinema. But I liked it. "Leon (the Professional)" was its sequel.
(Incidentally, I walked out of "The Triplets of Belleville" -- annoying, icky and bor-ing! But don't miss "The City of Lost Children.")
posted by Rash at 1:36 PM on March 18, 2005
Oh yeah -- Buñuel's "The Discrete Charm of the Bourgeoisie" is great -- many also liked his "Phantom of Liberty" but it wasn't as funny (although its dining room-toilet mashup is unforgetable and thought-provoking). Also, "Going Places" -- these three are all from the early 1970s.
posted by Rash at 1:44 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by Rash at 1:44 PM on March 18, 2005
Try Francois Ozon's corpus, esp. Water Drops on Burning Rocks. His movies are more recent than the ones you're looking for, but your library should have them.
posted by painquale at 1:48 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by painquale at 1:48 PM on March 18, 2005
Delicatessen, Diva, Cyrano de Bergerac are all classics in my estimation. I also have a soft spot for Claude Goretta's La Dentelliere from 1977.
posted by amestoy at 1:59 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by amestoy at 1:59 PM on March 18, 2005
I liked Betty Blue. I seem to recall it had great reviews at the time yet it's since become de rigeur to slag it. I have no idea why this is.
Pedantry interlude: I think "Man Bites Dog" was Belgian. Good, though.
posted by Decani at 2:01 PM on March 18, 2005
Pedantry interlude: I think "Man Bites Dog" was Belgian. Good, though.
posted by Decani at 2:01 PM on March 18, 2005
Un Coeur En Hiver is brilliant. As is anything directed by Patrice Leconte. The best Rohmer films are Chloe in the Afternoon and My Night at Maud's. Oh, and see Queen Margot.
posted by goatdog at 2:08 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by goatdog at 2:08 PM on March 18, 2005
La Haine for its plot, acting, directing and camera work (1995, B/W featuring Vincent Cassel).
L'Humanité for its zen moments, and a main character whom you can't stop wondering about.
Grand Bleu because the main actor is a hunk, it's based on a true story, it's a great love story, and Jean Reno is excellent in it. Oh, and it's directed by Luc Besson. (warning: over 2 hours long).
posted by furtive at 2:22 PM on March 18, 2005
L'Humanité for its zen moments, and a main character whom you can't stop wondering about.
Grand Bleu because the main actor is a hunk, it's based on a true story, it's a great love story, and Jean Reno is excellent in it. Oh, and it's directed by Luc Besson. (warning: over 2 hours long).
posted by furtive at 2:22 PM on March 18, 2005
Au revoir les enfants is a very moving film (though of a rather conventional style) that is likely to be widely available. You might have a harder time finding Louis 19, le roi des ondes, the French-Canadian film that Ed TV was based on. Perhaps not a "classic", but in its hectic satire far superior to the US version. Nicely prefigures the reality TV era.
posted by Urban Hermit at 2:37 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by Urban Hermit at 2:37 PM on March 18, 2005
I'd say The Piano Teacher's a modern classic. For slightly older, Jean de Florette, Manon des Sources & La Reine Margot/ Queen Margot. I like Eric Rohmer's The Green Ray too.
posted by forallmankind at 2:52 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by forallmankind at 2:52 PM on March 18, 2005
I can’t think of any classics that have not been said already. But here are two films I saw recently that were interesting.
Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien
Decent suspense film I found amusing. Wants to be Hitchcock for better or worse. Heard it got good reviews.
Demonlover
Not a great film, but an interesting one. Sonic Youth did the score. Sombody watched 8mm. and David lynch films a tad too much when writing it.
There is also The Dreamers, which has an itallian director, but is hands down one of the best films I saw last year.
posted by Neosamurai85 at 2:53 PM on March 18, 2005
Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien
Decent suspense film I found amusing. Wants to be Hitchcock for better or worse. Heard it got good reviews.
Demonlover
Not a great film, but an interesting one. Sonic Youth did the score. Sombody watched 8mm. and David lynch films a tad too much when writing it.
There is also The Dreamers, which has an itallian director, but is hands down one of the best films I saw last year.
posted by Neosamurai85 at 2:53 PM on March 18, 2005
Classic or not, Brotherhood of the Wolf kicked a sofa full of ass.
posted by Neosamurai85 at 2:57 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by Neosamurai85 at 2:57 PM on March 18, 2005
I'll second the vote for Amelie. I consider it one of the best films ever.
posted by dclawyer at 3:22 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by dclawyer at 3:22 PM on March 18, 2005
"The Dream Life of Angels" is a fantastically acted story of two young women living on the fringes. Very moving and poignant, yet gritty and real. Unforgettable.
posted by nancoix at 3:35 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by nancoix at 3:35 PM on March 18, 2005
Even though I didn't like it, Irma Vep (but I adored Clean). I second Buñuel and Jeunet.
posted by scazza at 3:50 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by scazza at 3:50 PM on March 18, 2005
I don't know that I'd call it a classic, but I very much enjoyed 8 Femmes. It's a stylish murder mystery, but it does include musical numbers, so it won't be to everyone's taste.
posted by dame at 4:10 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by dame at 4:10 PM on March 18, 2005
Le Retour de Martin Guerre. A favorite of history geeks everywhere.
posted by LarryC at 5:20 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by LarryC at 5:20 PM on March 18, 2005
although my taste leans a bit more toward "The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob" ( a hilarious French farce from 1973), Perhaps
Mon Oncle d'Amerique (1980) is the most influential film of my life. Taught me that film could be artistic and scientific and entertaining all at the same time. I still cry when I see it.
And then, back to the silly farces.
posted by Duck_Lips at 6:30 PM on March 18, 2005
Mon Oncle d'Amerique (1980) is the most influential film of my life. Taught me that film could be artistic and scientific and entertaining all at the same time. I still cry when I see it.
And then, back to the silly farces.
posted by Duck_Lips at 6:30 PM on March 18, 2005
Rash, we should have exchanged tickets. I didn't walk out of City of Lost Children, but that's only because I fell asleep.
posted by joaquim at 7:53 PM on March 18, 2005
posted by joaquim at 7:53 PM on March 18, 2005
Céline et Julie vont en bateau (Rivette, 74) is the most magical film I have ever seen...but it's one of those things that maybe you had to see at the time?
posted by peterbl at 2:38 AM on March 19, 2005
posted by peterbl at 2:38 AM on March 19, 2005
What about Trois couleurs: Bleu (1993), Trois couleurs: Blanc (1994) et Trois couleurs: Rouge (1994)? The Three Colours Trilogy.
I'm pretty sure they're French, but their lack of apperance on the posts so far has got me doubting myself slightly.
posted by ModestyBCatt at 3:29 AM on March 19, 2005
I'm pretty sure they're French, but their lack of apperance on the posts so far has got me doubting myself slightly.
posted by ModestyBCatt at 3:29 AM on March 19, 2005
Le Mari de la Couffeuse. Probably the most romantic French movie ever made.
posted by fuzz at 5:10 AM on March 19, 2005
posted by fuzz at 5:10 AM on March 19, 2005
Trois Coleurs is kind of French but shot by a Polish director. Still fabulous films.
Jean de Florette and the sequel Manon des Sources are just fantastic. I'll second Au Revoir les Enfants and La Reine Margot, as well.
Ma Vie en Rose is a little debatable but I'd consider it a classic.
posted by honeydew at 5:37 PM on March 21, 2005
Jean de Florette and the sequel Manon des Sources are just fantastic. I'll second Au Revoir les Enfants and La Reine Margot, as well.
Ma Vie en Rose is a little debatable but I'd consider it a classic.
posted by honeydew at 5:37 PM on March 21, 2005
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posted by Heatwole at 11:55 AM on March 18, 2005