You know, I don't mind saying, I'm broadly ignorant of film history. So I've been trying to school up at my local vid store, which is rather good, and has things organised under Directors and what have you.
Anyways, I dipped my toes in French New Wave, and I must say, I'm unimpressed. I say a breathless Non! to Godard. The exception is Truffaut. I think Jules et Jim is a classic - pacy, amusing and fun. Fahrenheit 451 as well. How cool is Oskar Werner?
Buñuel is another exception - and probably because he's not French. Maybe not New Wave either - what would I know? Just what I like, and I can recommend practically any film from his French exile period. Particularly Belle de Jour - sporting a young Catherine Denueve and the aging master Fernando Rey - along with the hilarious The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie.
If that fare's a bit too light for your tastes, get Viridiana. His classic subversive satire on Francoist Spain.
17 comments:
Where did my comment go? High budget spirits must have sent it away to the place where the seniors' bribes have been buried, some pre-Roman mound east of Ulladulla somewhere.
I was about to recomment El Verdugo by Berlanga for a bit of gallows humour, and insist on more filmblog.
If you please Izquierdista.
Well, Liamista, since the public hue and cry is up, I shall oblige gladly with more amateurish, ill-informed film tourism.
Soy un rio para mi pueblo!
I haten to add, I am taking notes here too *scribble scribble el verdugo por Berlanga*.
Gimme some good Spanish films, people!
Just bear in mind the word "Almodovar" will trigger a permanent moderation gulag on this thread.
Hear, hear. More of This Sort of Thing, please.
One of my fave French movies of all time, and one of the few French New Wave movie I can enjoy: Le Samourai, by Melville.
Good Spanish movies:
Jamon, Jamon, for all the wrong reasons
Abre los ojos , laughably superior to the Tom Cruise vehicle-remake
El laberinto del fauno, jeez I hate it when translators dumb down a title. Is "faun" that obscure a mythical creature?
Matador, um, by some Spanish director whose name I can't quite recall
Ese oscuro objeto del deseo, fucked up in all sorts of ways, but features Carole Bouquet [schwing]
Carlos Saura's version of Carmen is pretty excellent.
Best Spanish-language movie I've seen recently tho' was Argentinian: Nueve Reinas that was released here as Nine Queens.
A veritable feast of film tips! All duly noted, caballeros.
And aside from jamon jamon, and El laberinto del fauno, I've not seen these selections either.
Hmmm - I'm just working out how this blog thing can actually work for me.
Im actually a big fan of Diarios de Motorcicleta, myself, speaking of Argentinian films.
Stay tuned for a post on one of my favourite films - Italian in this case, though in French.
Anyone guessing the film based on this info alone will receive our inaugural Latte D'or prize.
Incidentally, Liam, I do have a previous comment from you on the "New Poll" thread, if that's the one you mean.
"Stay tuned for a post on one of my favourite films - Italian in this case, though in French."
Given your proclivities, I'm going with Pontecorvo's La battaglia di Algeri.
Damn, he's good!
I can't think what gave it away. After all, for we Anglophones, its a fairly obscure story of a people resisting Romance-language speaking colonisers....
oh.... right.
I guess I better write the post now I've been busted n shit.
Heh.
ALL YOUR FORTALEZAS ARE BELONG TO US!
[Davros voice]
All fortalezas belonging to us, you say?
To have.... that power?
Yessss.... Yesssss.....
I WOULD do it!
Well, its official: the inaugural Lucky D'Or prize goes to Fyodor, for his sharp work in the slips.
Me, I'm pondering starting a post series on groovy albums.
Spirit of the Beehive is a really great movie, and probably gettable in a video shop that has Jules and Jim.
You might also like No, or the Vainglory of Command -- but good luck tracking it down, or anything else directed by Manoel de Oliveira.
de Oliveira, you say? *scribble scribble*
Gracias, Lucy!
Of course, there's always the Spanish film festival, happening right now, around the corner from Keating Towers... if you happen to live in Melbourne that is.
Under NO circumstances watch Godard's Contempt. A bigger stinker you will not come across. Inept, boring and stupid. One of the worst films ever made. No seriously don't watch it. even for free.
The Worst of Perth
Thanks for the tip WoP! I havent seen it, but trust me, I believe you.
As follow up, I saw "stolen kisses" by Truffaut last week.
And I have to say: Meh. Not one of his best.
Well Lefty, I was going to suggest you check out Le Mepris, but it appears WoP has already put the kybosh on that one. I actually think it's fantastic and watched it a few times last summer. There's a lot in it - history of cinema, the politics of the 'globalised' cinema industry, the problems of translation, as well as an attempt to engage with the stupidity of traditional masculinity. All of this set around a fictional attempt to film the story of Ulysses with Fritz Lang as the director.
It looks great and has a beautifully melancholic (if not occasionally overwhelming) score by George Delerue. Of course Godard has his problems - including a fairly consistently dodgy attitude to women, but then I don't reckon Bunuel escapes that criticism either. I agree with you about Jules et Jim. After my current Godard phase, I'm moving onto Truffaut!
Re other Spanish films you might like: I agree El laberinto del fauno is great and had been assured El espíritu de la colmena would also be just up my alley - but missed a local screening last weekend. You may also want to check out the oeuvre of the Chilean director Alejandro Jodorowsky - bit crazed for my liking - but could be worth a look.
Sorry for not responding sooner, Kurt, but you know... have been OS on fieldwork missions of an interesting nature.
I look forward to your thoughts on Truffaut. Indeed, dare I suggest guest film post from Kurt Godel?
Post a Comment