Thursday, March 31, 2011

MARAT SADE (1967, GREAT BRITAIN)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal was to make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. This is post 31 and may be the madess movie of them all.

Day thirty-one, from the British Empire.
My prefered title for this film is THE PERSECUTION AND ASSASSINATION OF JEAN-PAUL MARAT AS PERFORMED BY THE INMATES OF THE ASYLUM AT CHARENTON UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE MARQUIS DE SADE, but it is more often known as Marat Sade (1967).

There are certain movies you go into with certain preconceptions. The first one I have about this film with the long title above is that it was (I don’t know if it still is) in the Guinness Book of World Record for longest title for a feature film. That was the first time I ever heard of it.

I knew it also received good reviews over the years, so I taped in on a VHS cassette to watch later. That was 1988. 1988! And I still haven’t seen it! I tried to watch it once and couldn’t get into it. But I’ve been thinking that if ever I was going to watch it, while I was doing this blog was the time to do it.

Since I suppose you would label this as an avant-garde film/play, I keep thinking of the quote by Beatle George Harrison, “Avant-Garde is French for Bullshit.” We’ll see. I hope I don’t end up wishing I were watching Last Year at Marienbad instead.

The 23-year-old VHS tape didn’t have the best sound quality and it was strange seeing ads for the new 1988 Toyota Tercel, Premeire magazine promoting the new movies The Untouchables and Good Morning, Vietnam, Writer Richard Reeves asking you to subscribe to American Heritage and Atlanta Hawk Dominique Wilkins telling you to take all your back problems to the Arrowhead Chiropractic Clinic, but I trudged on.

The film itself featured The Royal Shakespeare Company. When I think of The RSC, I visualize the greatest actors in the world. Whether I’m right or not, that’s my preconception. Included in the cast is Patrick Magee as the Marquis de Sade (who I last saw as the abused writer in A Clockwork Orange) and a young Glenda Jackson (future Oscar winner and future member of Parliament) as Marat’s murderer Charlotte Corday.

The semi-truthful plot of the institutionalized Marquis de Sade writing and directing plays in the lunatic asylum of Charendon is pretty bizarre and pretty original.

Of course, when I think of the Marquis de Sade, the first thing that I think of is Sadism, defined as a sexual perversion in which gratification is obtained by the infliction of physical and mental pain of others. (Thank you, People’s Almanac)

Now when I think of Charlotte Corday murdering Jean-Paul Marat, I don’t think of the French Revolution or The Reign of Terror or Robespierre as much as I think of the Painting by Jacques-Louis David depicting an idealized martyred Marat dead in his bathtub in The Death of Marat as I saw in Simon Schama’s The Power of Art. (Schama thought David was a great artist and an awful human being.)

Now on director Peter Brook. When I think of Brook, I think of Author Ron Rosenbaum’s commentary on the viewing of Brook’s staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the 60’s. “I count it as one of the greatest blessings of my life to have been there for that moment. I’d never experienced anything of such radiant clarity. To say it was ‘electrifying’ does not capture the effect.; it was more like being struck by lightning. I felt ‘transported’ in the literal sense of being physically as well as metaphysically lifted from the muddy gesture of the earth to some higher realm. It was a lifelong love potion. It was a lens through which I could not help see all Shakespeare, indeed all literary art, ever after. It was: ‘Oh, that’s what the fuss is about.” (I’d say that was a thumbs up.)

The movie itself? Here is an exerpt from the original review from New York Times Critic Bosley Crowther: "We are ushered in with the inmates in their hideously rought and shapeless garb, with their fearfully gray mishapen faces. We bump against them. They bump against us. By means of a hand-held camera, Mr. Brook moves us through the white-walled room with its rude wooden floor-boards and benches. He makes us feel that we, took are captured inside a teeming cage."

I had a hard time getting into it at first, but as I stuck with it, there appeared to be a method to this madness. And the ending? I’m not likely to forget the ending anytime soon. If you had asked me half way through this viewing if I would ever watch Marat Sade again, I would have said, ‘unlikely.’ If you asked me the same question after it was over, I would say, ‘I hope so, but I need a copy with better sound and preferably subtitles.’

Q: Would you like to act in a stage version of Marat Sade? A: Absolutely! Sign me up!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

PERSONA (1967, SWEDEN)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day thirty, from the the Kingdom of Sweden
Persona (1967)

What a hard movie to deal with! No interpretation is right. But then none is wrong either. There's so much to say here. Yet nothing to say. It's just time for me to go through the rest of the Bergaman catalog. I've got to look at his whole output as a whole, organic unit. Or do I? What? I'm out of time. Who said that? Who just said I was out of time? Was that a voice in my head? I've got to calm down before I can fully process Persona-breathe in...breathe out...I feel better already. One more March movie madness post to go.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (2009, SWEDEN)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty-nine, from the the Kingdom of Sweden
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2009)

My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

I’ve read all the books in this series (The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest being the others), and was thinking how nice it is to see a popular checkout from the library that isn’t a James Patterson thriller, a Nora Roberts romance or anything with the word Twilight in the title. But since this is supposed to be about movies, I’m glad to report that I enjoyed the Swedish film adaptations of these books as well. I’m more skeptical about the upcoming English language movie versions, but we’ll see.

Monday, March 28, 2011

CAIRO STATION (1958, EGYPT)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty-eight, from Abdel Nasser's Egypt Cairo Station (1958) or the funner to say title, Bab El Hadid

This is the first Egyptian film I've ever watched, unless you count The Ten Commandments, but I don't think you can. Anyhow, after twenty-eight straight days of blogs,I'm a little tired. I'm just going to look to the 1001 Movie You Must See Before You Die Book and see if I can find a suitable comment and see if I can go with that.

"Cairo Station is vivid and moving, precise in its portrayls, original as its creation of a single individual and as the embdoiment of a secular culture, one that is so close and yet so different than that of the West." -Jean-Michel Frodon, 1001 contributor.

Sounds good, I can go with that.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

CHUNGKING EXPRESS (1994, HONG KONG)




My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty-seven, from Hong Kong, while still under the control of the British Empire
Chungking Express (Expiration date: 1994)

You know...sometimes with an art film you might watch it once, you know, and ask "What was that about?" or say "I didn't get it." Then, you know watch it again and you're like, "Hey, I get it! That was a pretty cool film." That was true for me of Chungking Express. The two stories in this film didn't seem to have anything to do with each other, yet they did, but that was the point. Wasn't it? Or was it? I think I've confused myself. I'll bet Godard never used any Mamas and the Papas song in his movies, eh? Not that that's important. Anyway, would I see more Wong Kar Wai films? Why, yes I would.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

THE BUTCHER BOY (1997, IRELAND)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty-six, from the Republic of Ireland
The Butcher Boy (1997)

A picture show of obvious quality and stinging dark humor, but when you have a main character so unlikable, who you just want to see knocked on his arse, is that really a good thing? But isn't a break from the conventional what I'm supposedly looking for? Isn't this why I'm trying to watch all these fekkin' movies? Am I not trying to find something different that can move me in a meaningful way? Or is this whole thing just plain bollocks?

I need a drink. No, I can't do it. I need a smoke. No, don't smoke. I feel like such a bogger. Wait, therapy? Yeah, maybe therapy. That would make for some good craic, eh? But it might take me more than one session to get over the image of Sinead O'Connor as the Virgin Mary.

Friday, March 25, 2011

THE BURMESE HARP (1956, JAPAN)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty-five, from the Constitutional Monarchy of Japan
The Burmese Harp (1956)

You know, Kurt Vonnegut said making an anti-war film was like making an anti-glacier film. I guess he's right. I guess you'll never stop it. But you gotta fight for peace. Hey, that's funny. Fight for peace. That expression seems to be a bit of an oxymoron. Too many blogs in a row. Beautiful film, though. See it. It may inspire you to join a monastery, learn to play Home on the Range on a harp or at least buy a parrot. Love the music in this film. Did I mention this was a beautiful film? I think I did. Too many films in a row, though. At least I'm seeing good films. How do actual film critics do it? I mean how are they able to watch all those romantic comedies in succession? Feel bad for them. Final words on Burmese Harp: Beautiful film. Did I say that already?

Thursday, March 24, 2011

UGETSU (1953, JAPAN)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty-four, from the Constitutional Monarchy of Japan
Ugetsu (1953)

Please excuse me, I'm trying to shake off my Red Sorghum hangover, so to speak. Anyway, moving on. I often have the fantasy about becoming a samurai or having a ghostly Oriental princess fall in love with me for my art. I'm not sure where I'm going with this. I'd like to see some more Mizoguchi. Or something like that. I just know I'm going to be a little punchy until I get to movie 31.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

RED SORGHUM (1987, CHINA)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty-three, from the People's Republic of China
Red Sorghum (1987)

Even after doing twenty-two blogs in twenty-two days, you probably shouldn't indulge in too much red wine on the twenty-third day if you're going to continue to watch movies and try to determine how much you like them. Trust me on this. I don't think under the circumstances that I gave Red Sorghum much of a fair shake. I still think I prefer the same director's Raise the Red Lantern, but so it goes. At least the wine I've been drinking hadn't been peed in.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

LANDSCAPE IN THE MIST (1988, GREECE)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty-two, from the Hellenic Republic
Landscape in the Mist (1988)

I'm not an actual movie reviewer, but if I were I'd say something like this about Landscape in the Mist: "Director Theo Angelopoulos paints such a luscious work of art on his cinematic canvas that the viewer can't help but be swept away by the film's orchestral tapestry and enduring beauty." Or something like that. I'm not really sure what orchestral tapestry means, I just thought it sounded good. I did like Landscape in the Mist. Kinda sad though.

Monday, March 21, 2011

THREE COLORS RED (1994, FRANCE)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty-one from Republics of France & Poland
Three Colors Red (1994)

Yesterday I mentioned the first in the Krzysztof Kieslowski color trilogy, but now I’m skipping to the third one (Three Colors Red). Why? I didn’t have a copy of Three Colors White available and it isn’t in the 1001 movie book anyway. This isn’t the first trilogy in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book to leave out one its parts. Bergman’s Winter Light-Through a Glass Darkly-The Silence trilogy leaves out the last piece. Here, I guess it’s OK to die if you haven’t seen part 2. But you must see 1 and 3 before you slip off this mortal coil by all means! All that being said, I liked Three Colors Red (Red=fraternity) a lot, more than I liked Three Colors Blue, though I’m starting to see how they fit together. Guess I’m going to have to find a copy of Three Colors White, after all.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

THREE COLORS BLUE (1993, FRANCE)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty, from the Republics of Poland and France
Three Colors Blue (1993)

The first of Krzysztof Kieslowski’s colors of the French flag trilogy Three Colors Blue (Blue=liberty) Kieslowski’s subtle way of trying to get across the heroine’s internal feelings may take more than one viewing.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

THE HARDER THEY COME (1973, JAMAICA)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day nineteen, from the Parliamentary democracy of Jamaica
The Harder They Come (1973)

I went through a period where I listened to reggae during the 80’s (Peter Tosh, Bob Marley and even Eddy Grant). But the influence of reggae on the U.S. started with this film and the music of Jimmy Cliff, among others in this film. I confess to liking the soundtrack probably more than the film itself, though I did find the commentary by the director enlightening on how the people from Jamaica that saw this film initially were so excited about seeing their country depicted in a film for the first time.

Friday, March 18, 2011

THE SHOP ON MAIN STREET (1965, CZECHOSLOVOKIA)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day eighteen, from Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
The Shop on Main Street (1965)

Since this is my eighteenth blog post in eighteen days, I’m a little tired and will just recount some of the original critical reception to this film:

“A Haunting Masterpiece”
Eleanor Perry, Life Magazine (How I miss Life magazine in its original form, meaning 1936-1972.)

“A Stunning Picture by any critical standard”
Bosley Crother, New York Times (Maybe the most influential American critic of his era)

“Masterful. One of the Great Films of Our Time”
William Wolf, Cue Magazine (I reckon Cue was a pretty important film magazine in its day.)

Brilliant and Extraordinary”
Judith Crist, New York Herald Review (If Crist gave a film a positive review during the 60’s and 70’s, her praise was usually the first critical review to go on the marquee. I was on the phone with Judith Crist on a talk show during the 70’s but got cut off, so never did find out what she thought of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

“A rare mixture of comedy and tragedy.”
Archer Winsten, N. Y. Post

Guess I could throw in that it one the Best Foreign Film Academy Award in 1965.

Since I agree with Mr. Winsten and Mr. Crother and don’t want to write a full review, I’ll just embellish their blurbs.

“Archer Winsten said it’s a rare mixture of comedy and tragedy and Bosley Crother found it stunning and I’m in agreement.”
Chris, a librarian
www.1001afilmodyssey.blogspot.com

Thursday, March 17, 2011

MONSOON WEDDING (2001, INDIA)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day seventeen, from the Republic of India
Monsoon Wedding (2001)

This little film with so many speaking parts and so many characters and so much going on and shot so quickly and so low budgeted is really quite entertaining and makes you want to go to be a part of an Indian wedding, for sure.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

THE SWEET HEREAFTER (1997, CANADA)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day sixteen, from the Parliamentary democracy of Canada
The Sweet Hereafter (1997)

Any movie that ties The Pied Piper of Hamelin so neatly into its narrative has got to have something going for it. And any movie that inspires me to break out my book The World’s Greatest Fairy Tales (the best book of all time, according to my nostalgic, sentimental self) and read the Pied Pipe of Hamelin has got to have something going for it.

“Our children! Where are our poor children?” was the cry that was soon heard in all the streets. (The Pied Piper of Hamelin from The World’s Greatest Fairy Tales, The Reader’s Digest Association, 1967)

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

GALIPOLI (1981, AUSTRALIA)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day fifteen, from the Commonwealth of Australia Galipolli (1981)

Never let playing fast and loose with the facts get in the way of giving us one of the most heart wrenching endings from any movie I’ve ever seen.

Monday, March 14, 2011

MAD MAX (1979, AUSTRALIA)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day fourteen, from the Commonwealth of Australia
Mad Max (1979)

It may seem strange that a moviegoer from my generation has never seen any of the Mad Max/Road Warrior Movies (Though I did hear Tina Turner’s song Beyond Thunderdome at least a thousand times back when it was in the top 40). Actually, when I watched the extras to the DVD I rented, I realized that I had seen part of a version of Mad Max. It was an English dub on cable many years ago. You got that? A movie that was already in English used a dub with American voice actors! I remember the voices in that version seemed so strange that I was only able to watch a portion of it. Glad I saved a complete viewing for the real "undubbed" deal.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (1949, GREAT BRITAIN)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day thirteen, from The United Kingdom
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

Interesting in that Alec Guiness’s multiple roles are all of a supporting variety. Enjoyable black comedy.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

IN THE REALM OF SENSES (1976, JAPAN)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twelve, from the Constitutional Monarchy of Japan
In the Realm of Senses (1976)

Possibly the greatest snuff film of all-time.

Friday, March 11, 2011

GABBEH (1996, IRAN)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day eleven, from the Islamic Republic of Iran
Gabbeh (1996)

دوست داشتم شعر شما. من به شما ازدواج کند. هر فیلم با یک نقل قول این را دوست دارند ، به هر حال چیزی برای رفتن آن. غیر معمول در لحن و من باید اعتراف آن را در زمان اندکی برای من برای این که به صدا از فارسی استفاده می شود. اما به طور کلی ، غیر معمول ، و فراموش نشدنی فیلم. این اولین بار من تا کنون دیده ام فیلم ایرانی ، ممکن است برای بررسی از دیگران است. البته این ممکن است تنها نامش در هزار و یک فیلم کتاب.

من دنبال ترجمه این در حال حاضر و قبل از ظهر در سهولت زبان ما می توانیم در این راه ترجمه شگفت زده. من تعجب می کنم اگر کسی می خواهد من در واقع فکر می کنم این ترجمه خودم؟ چه کسی می داند. خب ، من نمی ترسم و آن را قبول ندارد. شما را می بینم دفعه بعد.

"I liked your poem. I will marry you." Any movie with a quote like this, has to have something going for it. Unusual in tone and I have to admit it took awhile for me to get used to the sound of Farsi. But overall, an unusual, and haunting movie. This is the first time I've ever seen an Iranian movie, may have to check out others. Of course, this might be the only one listed in the 1001 movie book. (Where's that index?)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

DAY OF WRATH (1943, DENMARK)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day ten, from the Kingdom of Denmark
Day of Wrath (1943)

After going from the somber Gertrud to the colorful dancing fable Black Orpheus, I decided to get depressed again and see the last of the major Carl Dreyer films I hadn’t seen (Gertrud, Ordet, Vampyr and The Passion of Joan of Arc are the other ones, if you’re scoring at home). This one didn’t make the 1001 movie book cut, but this story of a family set during the time of the 17th century witch trials, might be my favorite of the batch.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

BLACK ORPHEUS (1959, BRAZIL)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day nine, from the Federated Republic of Brazil
Black Orpheus (1959)

When you watch the films from the 1001 Movies book, it is interesting to see films back to back that are totally different. After viewing the depressing, bleak Danish Carl Dreyer film Gertrud-I watched Black Orpheus, which is bursting with color, Bossa Nova music, dancing and Carnivale! I said to myself while watching it, “I wish I could dance.” Which is a question I didn’t ask myself while watching Carl Dreyer’s movie.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

GERTRUD (1964, DENMARK)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day eight, from the Kingdom of Denmark
Gertrud (1964)

The final film of Carl Dreyer is definitely not for everyone. It can come across as old-fashioned, depressing, uneventful and humorless. That doesn't mean I didn't like it; I just didn’t dance to it.

Monday, March 7, 2011

THE HOST (2006, SOUTH KOREA)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day seven, from the Republic of Korea
The Host (2006)

Second South Korean movie in a row. It’s the old dump toxic chemicals down the sink and eventually a mutated creature will arise plot, eh? Well-done and believable creature and the members of the main family in the film are pretty well developed and sympathetic. Interesting that it’s an American’s reckless actions that start the plot in motion. I smell a metaphor!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

OLDBOY (2003, SOUTH KOREA)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day six, from the Republic of Korea
Oldboy (2003)

The DVD cover of Oldboy gives it the Tarantino stamp of approval, and that’s what is reminds me of-a Korean version of a Tarantino movie. Wild plot twists, bizarre action scenes-quite a viewing experience.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

DOWNFALL (2004, GERMANY)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day five, from the Federal Republic of Germany
Downfall (2004)

All I can say after watching this film about the final days of the Third Reich, is that Bruno Gans is now officially my definitive Hitler (And don’t we all need a definitive Hitler?)

Friday, March 4, 2011

PANDORA'S BOX (1928, GERMANY)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day four, from Germany’s Weimar Republic
Pandora’s Box (1928)

G. W. Pabst’s allegorical tale of lust and fate featuring the captivating Louise Brooks and her Moe Howard/Leonard Nimoy/Javier Bardeem in No Country for Old Men haircut. I can’t say it blew me away, but interesting viewing from the late silent era.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

TALK TO HER (2002, SPAIN)



My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day three, from the Kingdom of Spain
Talk to Her (2002)

This movie is a good lesson to not read a synopsis of the movie before you watch it (which I didn’t). It went in a direction I totally wasn’t expecting and that’s a good thing. Just let yourself be surprised, that’s my motto. Well, it’s my motto as of now, anyway.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

AMELIE (2001, FRANCE)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day two, from the French Republic
Amelie, 2001

If you’ve ever found a box full of toys from your childhood that you thought you had lost or think it’s grand to put together a scrapbook made up of taped together pictures taken from a photo booth or you just like lawn gnomes, you might want to see Amelie. A movie I’ve heard about for years and am glad I finally got around to seeing.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

NINE QUEENS (2000, ARGENTINA)


My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day one, from the Republic of Argentina
Nine Queens (2000)

For a movie dealing with con men and shysters, this movie is really a lot of fun. I was trying to catch the plot twists as they happened, but Nine Queens threw some curves I didn’t see coming.

Only 30 more posts to go!