Just a little foreword:
Directors and actors can help us into understanding the oppressive society we live in. Their genius often inspired by great writers is of essential value. They look at art, history, the contemporary for us and in very subtle ways show us the strategies employed.They as all artist help us in making a better world. Here are a couple that I have selected for you. The ones that have inspired me.
All Kubrick movies. Especially:
Paths of Glory
Dr Strangelove
2001: A Space Odyssey
A Clockwork Orange
Except his last one. I didn't get nothing out of it. So vague.
Many of his movies are inspired by great writers which I also have read. Well most of them. Never say all of them.
His main body of work has helped us understand the American military establishment, how it works, its goals, its mastery at psychological warfare and how military institutions work in general. In other words(i.e.), its cunningness as well as its genius. He analyzed as nobody else could. His themes were always related with society, oppression and its strategies to that last goal. His movies are basics to understanding society in general.
Rowan Atkinson's Black Adder. Especially:
Season 4
Undoubtly the best critic and Genius ever to have walk on this planet.
All Alfred Hitchock movies. Especially:
Rope
Psycho
Frenzy
Also the short series in Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Some are even better than his movies. Mind boggling understanding of the human mind on a personal level.
All Akira Kurosawa movies. Especially:
Ran
The Hidden Fortress which is the inspiration for R2D2 and C3PO about two idiots wandering about. Also the princess:-)
The Idiot A Dostojevski interpretation.
Seven Samurai gives us a great insight into Japanese feudalism. Not the best of films but a good starter if you want to understand Japanese culture.
Kurosawa was one of the greatest idealists of the last century, with all its shortcomings as well.
All that I have seen of Satyajit Ray movies. Many. Especially:
Pather Panchali
Aparajito
Apu Sansar. These three movies are referred to as the Apu Trilogy. His most famous work in the West.
The Music Room is also great.
Ray gives us a unique understanding to Indian culture, its poetic beauty and culture.
I haven't seen them all yet. Some of them are even harder to get than Indian relics.
George's Lucas Star Wars. Especially:
The Empire Strikes Back before it's re-editing.
Some Spielberg movies.
All Tarantino movies.
Some Wim Wenders movies.
Jim Jarmusch is by far my most favourite director.
Etc. Etc..
Man-woman relationship movies.
A Bout De Souffle
Basic Instinct 2
I've also enjoyed so much M.A.S.H. with Alan Alda which is according to my humble scholarship a great existentialist even better than Woody Allen. See Alda's movies. They are superb. Of course with all the setbacks of existentialism. I've just laid a mine for you if you didn't notice!
My most favourite French Director is of course Jean-Luc Besson et Jean-Luc Goddard.
I am not well acquainted with French cinema. I tend to drop off in the middle of the movie. Often too intellectual for me. My favourite French actor is of course Jean Gabin, Jean Reno, Jean-Paul Belmondo et Gerard Depardieu. You have guessed who my preferred actrice is, which I have had the honor to meet and speak to. I won't tell you what she told me when I touched her:-) That's top-secret. She's a Genius. If you can guess you will get 100 Euro from me. It's not what you think.
Favourite Documentaries:
Bowling For Columbine
A Very heartfelt documentary from Michael Moore. All his stuff is good.
All Wiseman documentaries. Especially:
Central Park
Missile
Panama
One that I can't find about selling the Bible.
Very Kubrick-like into understanding the American establishment. The best documentary maker I have come across. Also Zola'esque documentary making. A master at displaying.
A Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing documentary called Jesus Camp. It's a unique documentary about christian fundamentalism in the
Dark Star. A master piece of cinematography. It's Theatrical!
The Bad Seed. A must see! Which gives us a good understanding of the female gender at its worst.
Outlander. Supreme science-fiction. The best attempt at science-fiction yet. It’s a complete logical sci-fi. It's TW onscreen.
Evil Dead. I am not into the horror genre. This one though has changed my life for ever!
Two-Lane Blacktop. Stylistic cinematography at its best.
Bagdad Cafe. Some directors have an undaunting faith in the human kind. Heartbreaking and spiritual, proof that everything is possible.
Hamburger Hill.
The Man Who Would Be King. Great movie and great book by Kipling. Sean Connery is such a great actor.
How To Get Ahead In Advertising. Wow, this one a must see! I just love advertising.
Full Metal Jacket which is the third best
The next one comes from a Chinese exiled to
A Touch Of Zen by King Hu. Unbelievable stuff really. I've of course seen all his movies, which from now on be referred to as Of course…
I am also a great fan of Ben Kingsley
He played so well Gandhi. Nobody on this earth could do a better job than he did. Death And The Maiden is also great as many others. Maybe the best actor of this world. He's so irritating though some times; when he gets sentimental.
Let's continue:
They are so many I can't remember.
Planes Trains And Automobiles. John Candy is so great. Steve though is quite a scary character. It's the meeting of extremes!
And of course just to be irritating I like Steven Seagal too. Is he not the inspiration for Chewbaca? One of his Ecology movies was quite good. Forgot the title.
Duck You Sucker Leone's best film by far.
Down By Law with the very sexy and young Ellen Barkin. MY favourite actrice. She only marries multi-millionaires though. A pity. Jim Jarmusch is so great. His movies are indescribable. Poetry in motion. Of course... You must see them. Get onboard!
Jacob's Ladder with Tim Robbins a long time ago. I was disappointed with his last movie. JL is about agent orange!
I of course love Vampire movies and you have guessed I love Béla Lugosi. He's such a junky! The one and only.
Let’s read on!
Last Days by director Gus Van Sant. A bizarre film director. Still Last Days will remain engraved for ever in my memory! Of course...
I can't start naming all the Japanese and Hong-Kong movies I have seen. I just forgot the titles. Most of them I saw in olm. They often have many names. Besides it would be off the point. I am just naming a couple that changed my life. Always look in olm whence you can.
Patton is my most favorite general and right he was although not always the brightest. He has a couple of unnecessary casualties on his karma. Don't get shell-shock on me! He's a Genius. You dumbf*cks don't deserve better anyway.
Marilyn Monroe last movie is also great. The Misfits is very good cinematography! Great theme about relinquishers. Why aren't all woman like her? The perfect maid.
The Godfather Trilogy. Not just your average gangster movie! Part 3 is my favourite.
If ever you have time don't forget to look at some of the masterpieces of the 40's and 50's in the genre noire as well. One of them is:
Beautiful movie with American intellectual Dustin Hoffman in his early days: Midnight Cowboy. Dustin is great although he misses the point very often. A good heart is not enough in this world!
Let's get prime!
Last Train To Freo. That's what you call a Masterpiece. The best homage yet to Becket. An Australian avant-garde cinematographical achievement of unequivocal achievement. See! a good movie brings a good sentence!
Bill Murray is such a stand up! Have you seen Lost In Translation? Coppola is quite a good director. Yes! which brings me to the lovely Scarlett Johanson which has played in some very good movies of the last ten years. I hope she's well coached and tutored? Some great movies recently are:
A Love Song For Bobby Long with Travolta a great actor and dancer!
Scoop with Woody Allen a sometimes great director. Still that guy got some problems!
Did you know that Ghostbusters 3 is due for 2012? I am actually looking forward to that!
Solaris form the good old soviet days! It's maybe the best what communism had to offer to us. At least they made one good movie.
Underground by master cinematographer Emir Kusturica
A very emotional display of repression and its strategies in former
Fellini I just can't watch. It's too intellectual! Maybe I get to it one day. Yes I did see the occasional movie from him. Don't remember about a marriage on the Italian country side:-)
Let's get black!
Samuel L. Jackson a great actor and philanthropist!? I've enjoyed so much his movies. He's such a hard working man. You can fit him anywhere. He'll get your moving going. That's what you call black!
Morgan Freeman a heartfelt sublime movie star. All his films are great. That's what you call African American!
Bahamian born Sydney Poitier is a daunty one. He's played in some great classics in very difficult times for example in The Defiant Ones and another one I can't find when he gets arrested in a county jail, being a policeman. My favourite. Can't find it on Wikipedia either. Damn my memory! Almost a relic of the past.
Let's get rolling again!
Burnt By The Sun
Sirocco the best Bogart movie. It's far ahead of its time. It's about gun dealing! There is always one Bogart movie that you haven't seen yet!
Hotel Rwanda an unforgettable movie. Not for the faint-hearted here. Its genocide all the way! Some people actually still bother to bring out some of the problems in
The best Fidel movie yet. Superb and honest bio-doc-movie-making. It’s a unique movie into understanding Fidel Castro.
You're into
The Human Condition of Japanese make gives us a good understanding into Chinese communism, Japanese Second World War oppression and it's done for you in the most artistic possible way. Highly idealistic though and such a long movie! Great stuff. Basics to understanding
called Wild Swans by Jung Chang. It's a feminist and historical piece of Art! And such narration, reads like a rollercoaster. It's a gem of information!
Let’s continue!
When you are about to retire don't forget to see The World's Fastest Indian with Anthony Hopkins. He is so entertaining and an amazing actor. He can get your spirit into the right spirit!
Michael Caine too can inspire. Death Trap is very good. One of his better movies. I just love Helga. It's an Ira Levin adaptation. I've read all his books. The Boys From Brazil is my favourite.
Have you seen Cromwell? the best movie on the great statesman Oliver Cromwell. It's a masterpiece of English cinema. And such drama!
Mrs. Miniver a must see! Did Hitler really loose the war in
Sometimes directors attempt at alternative history. What would have happened if Hitler had won the war? Can't remember that movie from a great documentary maker, that I just can't remember. The result is just off the planet. Its proof that he never could have won the war.
Hiroshima Mon Amour is a beautiful portrayal of post war
A Touch Of Evil from Orson Welles a great movie. Gives us yet again a good understanding of the American establishment. That guy's weird! This movie though I will remember.
Let's get prime!
Fishing With John is quite entertaining and very educational. Is Dennis Hopper just an actor? Let's get scary. His best movie is Out Of The Blue.
Trainspotting gives us a good insight into
John Ford is quite a good director when he gets serious. Fort Apache gives us a great understand into the
Death Race 2000. A great futuristic-society-critic-movie with David Carradine, deceased not so long ago.
Let’s end on a cheerful note for the time being!
Clockwise with John Cleese. Unbelievable stuff!
Or a philosophical note!
The Whole Shootin' Match by Eagle Pennell is great cinema!
Still forgetting the best ones though.
Also got to get my best books out, and favorite music.
To be continued...
