Famous films you HAVE watched...

[pacman]

(seanbeag7 @ Jun. 12 2010,01:19) I have never heard of this one "Fitzcarraldo" pacman, I love the 3rd one and i have watched it at least 5 times now, it will always be a lovely film, (and speaking of that scene)  

5 times? Excellent Sean, I am happy to hear it. You have just gone up in my estimation as I think the level of cinema we prefer says a lot about a person. Not that I wish to sound like a movie snob.

I see Roger Ebert (American film critic) compared Fitzcarraldo to Apocalypse Now & 2001: A Space Odyssey. That's exalted company for a foreign film that never gained the respect it deserved outside Europe.

I will post the trailer for Fitzcarraldo but I just watched it & it is woeful. The film isn't as dark as this clip & you get no sense of the humour that runs through it. Mind you, I don't know if that was intentional but when someone is so obsessed about opera & his pig (you have to watch it), if it isn't meant to be funny, than I don't know what is.

[deepthroat]

And the music in Fitzcarralado (when it isn't authentic ancient opera stuff) is by one of my favorite little German prog bands - Popol Vuh.

I saw Herzog's take on "Nosferatu" in the theaters (again with Kinski in the title role) and was blown away. Haven't seen it since that little arthouse showing back in the 80's but haunting stuff.

[deepthroat]

Surprised no one mentioned "The Wages of Sin" or it's American remake "Sorcerer" - directed by Exorcist-man William Friedkin starring Roy Scheider and music by Tangerine Dream.

[guydesavoy]

There have been none (or very few) non-English speaking films mentioned among BMs favourites. I suspect European films aren't well loved around here.

More likely that foreign movies are more of a niche market for English speakers.

There are too many French movies for me to mention, that I could watch any time again. Anything with Emmanuelle Beart, Daniel Auteuil, Michel Piccoli, Vincent Landon, Depardieu....

A funny one was 'Les Visiteurs' with Jean Reno and Christian Clavier (Sarkozy's little mate). About a medieval knight and his page who comes back to his ancestral seat in the 20c. A classic would be 'Pere Noel est une ordure' (Santa is a bastard).

These, of course, may get lost in translation. I did like Unbearable lightness too.

[pacman]

It seems a few of us have more eclectic tastes. I hope others offer a favourite that we may have missed. Good cinema need not boast the latest Hollywood A-lister to be any good.

In fact, there very presence makes me suspicious as to why the producers had to pay exorbitant sums to have a name in the lead. Were they worried that no one would turn up otherwise?

And I love French cinema, it seems Guy & I could go on a date anytime & be happy, at least for the first part of the night.      

For those who don't recognise her, the girl above is the gorgeous French actress Emmanuelle Beart. She is wonderful on screen & was called in to star as Tom Cruise's wife in the first Mission Impossible. Why did they bother? Some trite lines that gave no indication of her ability & that was it.

[pacman]

(deepthroat @ Jun. 12 2010,11:43) And the music in Fitzcarralado (when it isn't authentic ancient opera stuff) is by one of my favorite little German prog bands  - Popol Vuh.

I had no idea. Now you are getting really eclectic on me. I get the impression you saw the movie Deepthroat. Or did you hear of it via the band?

Popul Vuh? Translation anybody? And where are they now?

[pacman]

(deepthroat @ Jun. 12 2010,11:44) Surprised no one mentioned "The Wages of Sin" or it's American remake "Sorcerer" - directed by Exorcist-man William Friedkin starring Roy Scheider and music by Tangerine Dream.

I've wracked my mind & I can't recall this one for the life of me. Care to give a brief synopsis?

[seanbeag7]

I found the film on IMBD

[El_hefe]

Wages of Sin: awesome classic, a must see, must've seemed unrelenting in it's bleakness & tension when it came out, certainly became the template for most adventure movies that followed, although there are some parallels with the Treasure of the Sierra Madre now that I think of it: "dead enders" in an alien culture trying to get the big score that will set them up.

"Scorcerer" I thought was a pretty good remake that was ignored & disappeared quickly, but an exciting flick, doesn't quite have the existential dread that runs through "Wages".



OK, I've got sucked into this... my 10 films that I watch over & over:



Vertigo (It gets more creepy every time I see it)

The Searchers

Spinal Tap

Citizen Kane

Sunset Boulevard

Aguirre Wrath of God

Pulp Fiction

Any Kubrick movie from "Paths of Glory" on

Double Indemnity

8 1/2

[seanbeag7]

Paccie thank you for that compliment about my choice of films, i have always tried to stay clear of American shite films, and i still refuse to buy crap films.

Here are a few more films i love.

french connection 1+2
bulliett
walkabout (great Aussie film)
the lover
le secret

Here are a few irish films i would easily watch again and again
the snapper
the van
the wind that shakes the barley
michael collins
goldfish memory

and here is a clip from goldfish memory and the snapper

[Lefty]

(pacman @ Jun. 12 2010,11:17) 5 times? Excellent Sean, I am happy to hear it. You have just gone up in my estimation as I think the level of cinema we prefer says a lot about a person. Not that I wish to sound like a movie snob.

You just did. Who is to decide level of cinema? The movies you prefer are on some higher level of consciousness and being than those I may prefer? Because you like some arty foreign films, does that makes you more sophisticated in your tastes than those who prefer movies by Sam Peckinpah or Quentin Tarantino, for example?

[Lefty]

(seanbeag7 @ Jun. 12 2010,14:56) Paccie thank you for that compliment about my choice of films, i have always tried to stay clear of American shite films, and i still refuse to buy crap films.

Here are a few more films i love.

french connection 1+2
bulliett
walkabout (great Aussie film)
the lover
le secret

You steer clear of American shite films? Both French Connection movies, and Bullitt, (which I assume you meant, since there is no movie called Bulliett), are American made movies. What determines a shite film? Anything you don't like?

There are 7 movies aka The Lover. It is not the primary title of any movie, other than 3 made for TV movies and one that is coming out this year. Which one are you referring to?

[f0xxee]

(Lefty @ Jun. 12 2010,14:58)

(pacman @ Jun. 12 2010,11:17) 5 times? Excellent Sean, I am happy to hear it. You have just gone up in my estimation as I think the level of cinema we prefer says a lot about a person. Not that I wish to sound like a movie snob.

You just did. Who is to decide level of cinema? The movies you prefer are on some higher level of consciousness and being than those I may prefer? Because you like some arty foreign films, does that makes you more sophisticated in your tastes than those who prefer movies by Sam Peckinpah or Quentin Tarantino, for example?

Yeah I have to admit Paccie, Lefty has a valid point, you come across as a cravat wearing art-house snob with that comment.
It tends to make any posts after feel a little ridiculous if they are "popular" culture as opposed to art-house (i.e: no one goes.)
I personally wanted to share my deep and undying affection for Jessica Rabbit, but now feel to admit it is to be branded an imbecile and lover of popular culture.

Thanks for ruining my life!

[pacman]

Turn it up guys. You aren't seriously suggesting that my liking European movies somehow reflects poorly on those who don't?

I wanted to give Seanbeag a compliment, then I thought my words may be misconstrued so I wrote a long caveat explaining that I liked any cinema that was good & disliked rubbish & I wasn't limitng myself to English speaking films. I can't remember exactly what I wrote but after reading it, I deleted it as it sounded 'wanky'.

I then wrote that I didn't wish to sound like a movie snob. Nice & to the point. Because I am not a movie snob & have watched many a Tarantino flick, only a few weeks ago I was watching Johnny Depp in Alice in Wonderland & thought the reviews were unfair. Then I wrote about Kick Ass, a Hollywood spoof aimed right at Generation Y, not the sort of thing some elitist would be caught dead at.

I love the freedom to jump between popular culture & foreign films. There are some shockers among both. I don't even dare to recommend these films I mentioned. If friends of mine weren't impressed some 16 years ago, there's little chance they will be liked today.

As for Jessica Rabbit, that makes me an imbecile too because I also loved that flick.

[f0xxee]

(pacman @ Jun. 12 2010,11:17) I think the level of cinema we prefer says a lot about a person. Not that I wish to sound like a movie snob.

Two very contradictory sentences Sir Paccie....

You cannot make sentence 1
Without appearing to be sentence 2.

Guilty as charged sir.