Angel Dust on 16/7/2009 at 05:45
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
Herzog had a movie out a while back that looked fascinating - (
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1093824/) Encounters at the End of the World. Did you see it at all?
It hasn't come out on DVD here yet so that's a no at the moment. Herzog's documentary work is something I can recommend without hesistation though. I'm sure you've probably seen
The Grizzly Man (edit: I see you have!) but
The White Diamond and
Wheel Of Time are also excellent.
Tonamel on 16/7/2009 at 05:59
If Scots runs out of patience with slow movies, recommending Andrei "Long Take" Tarkovsky might not be doing him any favors ;)
But then, I've only seen Stalker. Maybe Solaris is peppier?
But I'll totally second Rashomon, which always makes me think of the first episode I ever saw of Batman the Animated Series: "(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vco2ZR91mk) POV." After having seen Rashomon years later, the inspiration is obvious.
Sulphur on 16/7/2009 at 07:49
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
Also, can you believe that I've never seen a single Kurosawa? I've downloaded Seven Samurai and still not found the time to watch it in one sitting.
Seven Samurai really is one of those seminal films you have to see.
I'd also add Ran to the list of Kurosawa movies Angel Dust recommended. Ran might 'just' be a retelling of King Lear, but it hits the right notes with all the power a story of its magnitude should, and is easier to connect with on many levels because of this.
Thirith on 16/7/2009 at 08:05
Ran is definitely an 'artsy' movie, though, and there are one or two moments where it helps to have a high level of tolerance for this. (That 'human condition' caption, anyone?) Not only by comparison, Seven Samurai is an immediately enjoyable film - it's got fun characters, some cool action and the plot moves pretty fast. My own impression is that Kurosawa gets more and more contemplative throughout his career - many of his early films, while formally great, are basically genre cinema rather than arthouse. Even Rashomon isn't all that artsy (it is artistic, mind you), unless you count the structure as artsy. Early Kurosawa is also very tongue-in-cheek, which is best represented by Toshiro Mifune's acting.
Scots, if you watch any of the 'arthouse classics', it helps to forget as much as possible that these are the films that have been giving critics hard-ons for the last few dozen years. Many of the ones I've seen - Kurosawa's films, Truffaut's Jules et Jim, even The Seventh Seal - have a freshness and immediacy that is compelling. There's often an unexpected sense of humour that is all too often completely lost when filtered through revering critics.
(Side-note: I guess that's what I enjoy about Tarantino - I like watching films that give me the impression the film-maker was having fun. Gleeful, giggling fun. I'm not a big fan of violent films, but the slapstick ballet of blood that is the battle with the Crazy 88 in Kill Bill Vol. I strikes me as funnier than the entire oeuvre of the Farrelly brothers.)
Angel Dust on 16/7/2009 at 09:59
Quote Posted by Tonamel
If Scots runs out of patience with slow movies, recommending Andrei "Long Take" Tarkovsky might not be doing him any favors ;)
Which is why I didn't recommend any of his films specifically ;)
Quote Posted by Thirith
My own impression is that Kurosawa gets more and more contemplative throughout his career - many of his early films, while formally great, are basically genre cinema rather than arthouse.
That's pretty much why I highly recommend Kurosawa to anybody who likes a good film. His films are often placed in the 'arty-farty' category by dint of the fact they are old and foreign when really they are usually pure entertainments, extremely well made ones mind you.
henke on 16/7/2009 at 10:27
Quote Posted by Queue
What about Spartacus
Just saw it the other day actually. Defenitely better than Ben-Hur. Didn't realize Kubrik had directed it before you just pointed it out. :)
DDL on 16/7/2009 at 13:01
Jesus
christ. Thanks for that.:wot:
*shudders*
Thirith on 16/7/2009 at 13:14
Care to spoil it for those of us who are at work? :)
belboz on 16/7/2009 at 13:14
The only trouble with reservoir dogs is that its not an original film, its based on a (not sure) japanesse film, and once you've seen the original film the tarrantino remake is just that, a bad remake.
DDL on 16/7/2009 at 13:37
Quote Posted by Thirith
Care to spoil it for those of us who are at work? :)
It's just text, so you could probably read it in work. But think VC snipers. Think utterly utterly horrible VC snipers.
Repeatedly shooting bits off the face of a medic trying to save someone, then shooting the next potential rescuer in both legs and then the groin, and then when he tries to kill himself, shooting him in the hand so he can't. And so on. And getting away with it. No payback here, just horrible things happening to people.