Sight and Sound (2002) Greatest Films Club - Page 8

Lew Crippen · 04-07-2003, 11:34 AM

I saw Spirited Away this weekend and was absolutely blown away. I was skeptical that Disney’s best could ever be equaled, but this film certainly is the equal of ‘Snow White’.

A lovely, enchanting film and one which I believe will eventually considered profound.

I would expect that having some understanding of Japanese culture will help in some of the film’s subtleness, it is certainly not necessary for anyone’s enjoyment.

Watching this film certainly makes a good case for dubbing, rather than subtitles. The film is so extraordinarily rich in detail, that I would have resented any time not spent looking at the detail of the world constructed and into which we are drawn. Perhaps repeated viewings will allow me to wish for subtitles.

Highest recommendation.

Nick C. · 04-07-2003, 11:54 PM

just caught a bunch of Bergman flicks, so I'm up to 82. I guess Bergman's just too meditative for me, even though I liked Seventh Seal to a degree, not to mention death after death after death...it gets to ya

I just was never touched by the surrealism in Cries and Whispers

Seth Paxton · 04-08-2003, 03:51 AM

That's funny, while Bergman at first struck me as too contemplative, I'm finding that on reflection I like his stuff more than the more overt work by Fellini. There is something about Bergman that gets into my skin and keeps me reflecting on his films.

But right now, thanks in part to my Film History class, as well as some other timely viewings, I'm really into German Expressionst (1915-1930) era of film. There are just so many great filmmakers from this period and so much interaction and sharing between them all. I think it was a golden era for filmmaking. Even American and British filmmakers were exchanging with the UFA artists (Hitchcock even did some early work in Germany and the influence shows).

And Murnau is at the top of that list for me (with Lang close behind). I just added Nosferatu to my S&S list, bringing my total to 128. It's just an incredible film and one of the best versions ever made of Stoker's work. Murnau had such a great eye and was able to create very dense works full of imagery and symbolism without sacrificing a narrative engagement.

Murnau was also one of the best silent directors period. I'm very much in agreement with his ideas of limiting the intertitles to the bare minimum, instead using the visuals and acting to tell the story.

Brook K · 04-08-2003, 02:40 PM

I hope you get a chance to see Murnau's final film, Seth, Tabu, a great work combining his expressionism with the emotional realism of using non-professional actors in natural settings. Beautiful film and an excellent Milestone DVD.

Bergman too contemplative for you? That's my favorite thing about his films, but those aren't the only kinds of films he could make. Check out Smiles Of A Summer Night a wonderful comedy that was a huge influence on Woody Allen, Summer With Monika which feels like a Fassbinder film 20 years early, Fanny & Alexander, or his spectacular staging of The Magic Flute.

Jeff Gross · 04-08-2003, 03:26 PM

I've watched two more recently bringing my total to 62:

Nights of Cabiria (1957)
Bob le flambeur (1955)

Lew Crippen · 04-08-2003, 04:38 PM

Quote:

or his spectacular staging of The Magic Flute.

To which you could apply the word, ‘fanciful’.

John^Lal · 04-08-2003, 05:08 PM

L'Avventura (B+)
Les Enfants du paradis...watched the first disc last night, didn't think it was spread over 2 discs, so i won't be able to finish this one for a few days, doh, sometimes i hate netflixs.
as of now i have seen 55

John^Lal · 04-09-2003, 01:36 AM

Rio Bravo (A). Just finished this one and i think it's my fav john wayne so far. 56

Seth Paxton · 04-09-2003, 02:43 PM

Quote:

I hope you get a chance to see Murnau's final film, Seth, Tabu

It's already in the queue.

Brook K · 04-09-2003, 03:52 PM

Great, make sure you listen to the commentary Seth. It's much more historical than aesthetic, but Tabu is a great story with it's troubled production history of multiple snafu's, lawsuits and smuggled negative and the whole Murnau-Robert Flaherty relationship.

Seth Paxton · 04-09-2003, 08:29 PM

Yeah, I'm doing a paper on Sunrise for my film history class so I'm all over everything Murnau lately. I was watching Faust late last night till I fell asleep (it was very late and I was pushing it). I think I might like Faust more than the other "big 3" from him and would put it right there with Metropolis and Dr. Caligari, though when I get that Sunrise disc in I'm sure I will be reminded of just how much I loved that film too.

But his sense of character and imagary is uncanny. In Faust when he depicts Satan as a giant looming over the village...those are the kinds of images that are missing from almost all modern film. It makes me appreciate just what Coppola was able to bring back for his version of Dracula. FFC really did give us a look at a modern version of the styles found in the films of the UFA studio filmmakers.

So much of film today, especially effects, is about the literal rather than the metaphorical. It eliminates a huge arena for the art to work within.

Anyway, commentaries, books, I'm checking into all of it (though I will probably see Tabu after my paper is long since turned in).