jackhammer

Film making is art. That art has been buried in the mass production of films and commercialisation which is understandable these days but just like music, there are a whole host of film makers who make their own films regardless of current trends of studio expectancy

Films just like music are a highly personal experience or at least I hope they are. Just as the commercial world of music tells us that we should be listening to this or that artist through media outlets and most of us ignore that and have our opinions (and quite rightly so), the same is applicable for movies.

There is a whole host of films out there (some with major studio back up admittedly) that beg to be seen even if it is just once to illustrate the sheer diversity of what is out there under the radar or indeed; misunderstood by the mainstream and remain seemingly inaccessible.

As film is primarily a visual medium I am disillusioned with the lack of originality out there when I watch films. I want films to use colour,framing and camera angles as well as audio effects and manipulation to offer me something different.

I don't always look for this and I make no secret of my love for B movies, extreme horror and social realism films but I know what to expect from them and the film makers make no apologies to what they are making. What I miss is a film made with passion and a little forethought and individuality.

So in this thread I will post about films that you may or may not have heard of that are just that little bit different from the usual. This is almost certainly not a thread that I throw up films with original plots to justify their merits or some unknown B movie. I am looking for something more than that. I want to talk about films that look different, smell different and leave an indelible mark on you even if you don't enjoy the whole of it you can enjoy the sum of it's parts.


I will start with a film that many people know and that is:



For my reviews the plot will take a back seat a lot of the time as I want to concentrate on the film as a whole.

The film is basically about everlasting love and the possibility of reincarnation. The film is set in 3 time periods : the 16th century, the present day and 2500 A.D.

The film runs at just over 90 mins and considering the sheer breadth of it's narrative that is a relatively short time. Each era is interwoven into each other yet the set design is distinctively different as is the music. Reds and oranges are used for the 16th century matching the brutish violent Spanish conquistador regime in which it is set but the present day is full of greys and whites mirroring the dissatisfaction of the present day living in inner city architecture yet the future is almost monochrome with a rare splash of colour. Is this because we just cannot see the future so the colours are irrelavant? I think this is what is conveyed perfectly.

The music used for the 16th century is light but littered with foreboding and the present day is ambient almost non-descript. The future is illusive, almost ephemeral and this is reflected well.

I watch this film and yearn for eternal life but ultimately know that it won't necessarily bring happiness or internal satisfaction but instead highlight our own foibles that are just part of our genetic make up. This is not a bad thing though.

I find this a film that doesn't really get to the core of philosophical ego dissection at all but it does keep me spellbound to a world and a universe through the use of colour and music that I am not allowed to understand and that is maybe a good thing.

I think this clip perfectly encapsulates what I am trying to say if I was better educated!

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DoctorSoft

Great write up on a very underrated movie.

jackhammer

Please feel free to post about movies that mean a lot more to you than basic plot and that goes for everyone. I would love to read similar posts.

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lucifer_sam

I think the metaphysical themes in the Fountain were probably overlooked by the greater portion of the public. Especially the whole climactic sequence where the true nature of the Fountain of Life/Tree of Knowledge was illustrated. That being said, the cinematography was some of the best of any films of Darren Aronofsky.

On a larger note, I completely disagree with your viewpoint that a film can't be both cerebral and accessible. Shit, look at Aronofsky's most recent film, Black Swan, or Christopher Nolan's Inception, both of which came out last year and were reasonably successful. I'm not saying that either film was as ambitious as the Fountain, but I think with proof of their successes, major studios might risk larger budgets on more academic filmmakers.

I might venture forth an opinionated diatribe on the merits of Andrei Tarkovsky sometime later. That is, once I figure out what the hell he was doing in his films.

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first.am

jackhammer

I alluded to this but never mentioned this at all. The purpose primarily for this thread is to showcase movies that have much going on than mere plot and show why many of us are film buffs and look for many facets of a film that may not always be apparent.

I agree with you on the metaphysical aspects of this film but as said before, I am trying to concentrate less on the plot of the films and talk about other aspects of a film that appeal to me.

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Howard the Duck

i'll go with this:-



one of the earliest espionage movies, this is a monchromatic silent German film.... utterly engrossing from start to finish, and is probably Lang's best piece of work

everything is just so perfect with this, the early noir ambience, the framing

additional info here:-

Spione - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

the entire movie's on youtube if you so desire to watch it, here's the trailer from the restored version:-

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Malaise is THE dominant human predilection.

bob.

Tears Of The Black Tiger (2000)


i think this film is a perfect example of what you are looking for jackhammer.....amazing and an absolute eyeball orgasm

i had the absolute pleasure of being smart enough to catch this in its very limited US release in 2005....it took five years to get US distribution and man it was worth seeing on the big screen

for the most part the director made an homage film....paying homage to 60s slashers, epic dramas, and italian westerns.....think a hershel gordon lewis film spliced with Gone With The Wind spliced with El Topo.....but within doing this he simply created something that really stands out on its own

the colors are blinding and just unreal...or perhaps surreal is a better description....i mean the lipstick on the heroine is blinding and just beautiful.....the bright painted backgrounds are as of kilter as they are needed....the acting is melodramatic but in an absolutely fitting....

in short this is a prime example of making a film that is as artistic as it is a joy to just simply watch

i suggest this to anybody who is enjoying this thread....

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A kiss is the beginning of cannibalism.

Reach out, pierce the fine fabric of the sheltering sky, take repose.

ThePhanastasio

Akira Kurosawa's Dreams


My disappointment with many takes on this film must be addressed, first and foremost. The most common complaint I've seen regarding this gorgeous bit of cinema is that from an Anglican standpoint, the folk tales and history touched upon isn't accessible. Where a Japanese audience would be familiar with the folklore concerning foxes and ghosts, these stories aren't ingrained in our particular society.

I disagree with this. Within the film, there are 8 "dreams" (3 of which are nightmares) explored through film, all having taken places at different times in Kurosawa's life. If one were willing to, for the duration of the film, simply suspend their disbelief, I feel that it's a work which can stand on its own, with or without previously held knowledge about Japanese society; I personally know little to nothing about Japanese society and still greatly appreciated the effort as a whole.

There are some shots which particularly take ones' breath away. See for example the cover, a still from the first dream segment, Sunshine Through the Rain. In this shot, the young boy has gone to find the foxes (kitsune) who live beneath a rainbow. I won't spoil how this came about for anyone interested in the film, but shots of that nature, and certain bits of each individual piece shine as a total aesthetic treat.

This movie is pretty, in addition to having moments of surreal fantasy, intense sadness, terror, futility, and a whole gamut of the human experience. Some have argued previously that using ones' own dreams in art is self-indulgent. Maybe so, and maybe not - I do believe, however, that in this film it was just as enjoyable for the viewer as it was cathartic and special for the director.

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jackhammer

Please close this mods.

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Howard the Duck

^^why?

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Malaise is THE dominant human predilection.