Foreign Films Are Cool…
by Jimmy Arone…And sometimes they’re down right exceptional.
Paging Mr. Schlichter…paging Mr. Kurt Schlichter. You see, while reading the recent article, “Top 10: Lead Performances of the Last 25 Years” I stumbled across these words: ”And you film snobs out there are out of luck. This list completely ignores foreign language films…”
Film snobs? WTF!? Movie lovers who enjoy foreign language films are artistic snoots in the eyes of Mr. KS? Nah, I don’t think so. Not me.
While I could appreciate the article and some of the choices of lead performances by actors over the past 25 years, I do believe KS missed out when he decided to exclude performances by actors in foreign films.
As reader J.B. stated in the comment section:
“I would nominate the late Ulrich Muhe in THE LIVES OF OTHERS, which is probably the best new film I’ve seen in the last 25 years. Muhe gives a remarkable performance as an East German Stasi agent who has a gradual awakening of conscience…”
I agree.
Then again, as so-called film snobs, what do we know?
Look, the point I wish to make is that there are all kinds of films for us to enjoy in life. Whether or not they’re English language or foreign language should not be an issue. If they’re good, they’re good. Or as John Nolte so nicely put it in a recent article:
“A good film is one that casts a spell and doesn’t break it.”
Works for me.
If KS, in writing his article, chose to exclude performances by actors in foreign films from his list, well then, that’s his call. However, I didn’t think it was necessary to take such a cheap shot at those of us who dig a good foreign flick every now and then.
Which is why, in my article, I would like to add to the mix, a few of my favorite foreign films from the last 25 years and give a well deserved nod to the filmmakers, other artists and actors who made these works so memorable.
Beginning with, the aforementioned, “The Lives of Others.” The Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Film (2007) from Germany. The feature film debut of writer/director, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, takes place in 1984 East Germany, as Stasi Captain, Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Muhe) is assigned to spy on a local playwright. The performance by the late actor is one for the ages. Watching his character and the various transformations which he goes through, is film acting at its highest level. A brave, nuanced depiction that will stay with you long after the movie has ended. A truly great work by all who were involved in the making.
A very different film, also from Germany is Wim Wenders, “Wings of Desire” (1987). A magical little drama of a love story, set in West Berlin during the 80s, the film follows two angels (the ever so very fine, Bruno Ganz and Otto Sander), as they keep watch over various individuals throughout the city. Also in the cast is Peter Falk, playing an actor on location shooting a movie, who at one time was an angel himself. The cinematography, by the great Henri Alekan, was shot in both black/white and color. (It has to do with the angels and the human beings points of view but it all works beautifully, trust me.) A unique mood piece which I would highly recommend.
The love of movies, as a subject, is in fine form with Guiseppe Tornatore’s “Cinema Paradiso,” which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film (1989) from Italy. Told in flashback, it’s the story of a young boy, Salvatore, nicknamed “Toto” (Salvatore Cascio) and how his life has been shaped by his experiences at the Cinema Paradiso, where he learns about life and love through the magic of movies from his wise, old friend, Alfredo (Philippe Noiret). Upon receiving the news that his friend, has died, the adult Salvatore (Jacques Perrin), returns home for the funeral. With music from the legendary, Ennio Morricone, “Cinema Paradiso” remains a treat for movie lovers everywhere.
180 degrees from “Cinema Paradiso” and next on my list, is a powerful film, from New Zealand, “Once Were Warriors” (1994) directed by Lee Tamahori. The movie paints a riveting picture of domestic family violence, along with issues pertaining to the Maori culture and stars Rena Owen as Beth and Temuera Morrison, as her husband Jake “the Muss” Heke.
When I reflect back on seeing this film for the first time, I remember being stunned. The performances by the two leads left me awestruck. Their work so raw, so brutally honest in their portrayals; to this day I can’t shake them from my head. The fine supporting cast includes the fantastic Cliff Curtis, who as Uncle Bully, is one truly twisted soul. Not an easy film to watch, I would highly recommend, “Once Were Warriors” if only to experience the brave, gutsy performance of Rena Owen, as a woman determined to save herself and her children from a living hell.
Switching gears there’s “Life is Beautiful” starring/written/directed by Roberto Benigni, which won the 1998 Academy Award Best Foreign Film from Italy. Benigni also took home the Best Actor Award in one of the most memorable acceptance speeches in the history of the Academy.
After Guido (Benigni) meets and falls in love with schoolteacher Dora (Nicoletta Braschi, real life wife of Roberto Benigni) they marry and have a son, Joshua (Giorgio Cantarini). Years later, when the war breaks out, they are sent to a Nazi prison camp, where Guido’s spirit, love and imagination are key ingredients to keeping his family safe.
The film is proof that despite a dark subject matter, in the hands of the right talent certain material can soar. A wonderful movie.
Finally, from director Gavin Hood, “Tsotsi” which took home the 2005 Oscar for Best Foreign Film from South Africa. The story revolves around a young man named Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae) who is the leader of Soweto street gang. Things go from bad to worse as Tsotsi, who is involved in a murder and up to his eyeballs in trouble, ends up stealing a car, which unbeknownst to him has a three month old baby in the back seat.
Faced with a difficult decision, he realizes he is unable to care for the child and finds a young mother Miriam (Terry Pheto) to take the baby in. The end result finds Tsotsi confronting his own violent past while facing himself in the process.
“Tsotsi” is a movie that will move you with its energy and story of hope. It has a fantastic score, including music by the artist, Zola, who also stars in the film.
So there you have it. A few good foreign films. All different, in their own special ways but each sharing the constant thread of a well told tale, brought to the screen by passionate artists and filmmakers who we, the audience, are made a bit richer for having gone along for the cinematic ride.
The performances in this handful of films, I believe can stand with the best of them. If you’re not familiar with the work, I do hope you’ll check them out.
For what makes a good movie has little to do with language or the country from which it originates, what makes a good movie is…
“one that casts a spell, doesn’t break it, that you dig, in any ol’ language”
Finis.
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102 Comments
Bravo! Superb choices.
I'd add…"Whale Rider"… "IL Postino"… "Johnny Stecchino"… "Red Lantern"…
..and I'll eagerly await the rest of the Commenters choices…
Jimmy I would suggest the cheapshot has to do with the attitude that many lovers of foreign films show towards American films. NOT ALL, but most, at least in my experience look down on American films. They seem incapable of loving both.
Das Boot
Those are mostly good selections, but I would replace "Life is Beautiful" with "Jean de Florette" or "Audition". Benigni was so annoying, I was actually rooting for the Nazis in that movie.
It is rather strange that many conservative reviewers are constantly attacking Hollywood, but won't recognize that Hollywood isn't dying, its already dead, and that all the Juice is with the big film industries of Asia especially in India and Hong Kong.
Some of my Foreign Faves: Jean Cocteau's "Belle e La Bette"; "My Father's Glory" and "My Mother's Castle"; Gerard Depardieu's "Cyrano de Bergerac"; "Le Visiteurs" (the French oiginal) with Jean Reno; and "The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob". An incomplete list; I'll think of a dozen more when I post.
Fernanda Montenegro's performance in the 1998 Brazilian film "Central Station" has to be one of the best leading actress performances of the last 20 years.
Anyone who simply dismisses foreign language cinema as pretentious twaddle is depriving themselves of a lot of great films. I get the sort of thing they are thinking off- depressing Swedish or French meditations on the futility of life in which everyone commits suicide in the end- but not all foreign cinema is like that.
"Cinemo Paradiso" was pure magic. A couple years ago, I saw it in an outdoor screening on a date. So, the famous scene in the rain was very meta — a memorable experience.
Recently, nothing beats "The Lives of Others". I highly recommend it on bluray.
Of course, the old ones are still strong. Most people have seen "The Bicycle Thief", but if you're looking for more De Sica, you must check out "Umberto D" — it's heart-wrenching.
My favorite body of work, however, still comes from Kurosawa. "The Secen Samurai" hits bluray this year — it may be the film event I'm anticipating the most.
Please forgive the narrowness of my selections, but I am a WWII buff:
"Downfall" — which also deserves some sort of honorable mention for providing what must among the most repeatedly spoofed movie scenes on the internet
"Stalingrad" — the battle at the Tractor Factory is almost as good as the Omaha Beach sequence in "Saving Private Ryan"
and, of course, "Das Boot"
A Very Long Engagement
Nine Queens
The Brotherhood of War
Downfall
Oldboy
Also, "The Counterfeiters"
Joyeux Noel was the best foreign film I've seen in recent memory.
Another Chinese movie…."The Road Home" Beautiful, touching little love story
Agree — excellent picture
Delicatessen
Amelie
Hope and Glory
The Killer
Le Pacte De Loups
To additions to Misanthropicus' list:
* We All Loved Each Other So Much (C'eravamo tanto amati) Ettore Scola –
* Ridicule –
…. I'll stop here -
"Ridicule" – a wicked portrayal of the 18th century French aristocracy.
"Picnic at Hanging Rock" – dated now but I enjoyed it years ago.
No disrespect to Cinema Paradiso, and I'll probably find some way to watch it, but first looking at the poster photo, I was time-warped back to Leave it to Beaver.
The Lives of Others is worth a look IMO.
Two more:
Babette's Feast
Antonia's Line
I certainly know what you are talking about. Not all people who like foreign-language films are film snobs, but all film snobs claim to like foreign-language films.
Of course, the difference between a film nut and a film snob is that film snobs like excluding people. If you tell a film nut that you haven't seen the movie they are raving about, half the time you'll end up going home with their DVD copy and a promise to watch it as soon as possible. If you tell a film snob that you haven't seen the movie they are raving about they'll give you a smug look, make a snide comment, and move on to somebody 'smarter'. Both film nuts and film snobs will lament the general audience's unwillingness to watch subtitled films, but only the film nut really means it. If the 'great unwashed' suddenly started turning up in large numbers to 'his' movies, it would totally ruin the film snob's day.
Jimmy, Great point! I always find it funny when people decide that somehow liking something makes others into snobs. That tells us much more about the ignorance of the commenter than the subject of the comment. Being proud of our ignorance and narrow-mindedness, and especially being self-righteous about it, is nothing anyone should respect.
I love foreign films because of the different perspective they give. I like seeing the different points of view and the quirky bits that fill these films.
Everything you list is great. In terms of some of my favorites: Tampopo (Japanese), anything by Kurosawa — especially High and Low, Das Boot (German), Run Lola Run (German), Diagolique (French), Hero (Chinese), Breaker Morant and Strictly Ballroom (if you count Australian films as foreign), My Sassy Girl (Korean), The Grudge (Japanese), Shall We Dance (Japanese), and many more.
Can't argue with any of the films mentioned. I thought Downfall was tremendous. I felt like I was in the bunker with Hitler. The whole cast was great Bruno Ganz in particular but all of them. I think Mostly Martha was very very enjoyable and Malena a coming of age story with Monica Bellucci who does some very fine work in it and is extremely easy on the eyes to say the least.
I agree with some of your choices. Wim Wender's Wings of Desire is a masterpiece, routinely voted one of the best films of the Eighties. Henri Alekan's cinematography is a marvel, certainly some of the best I've ever seen. Wender's direction is brilliant and defies gravity as does the performance of Bruno Ganz, who was also brilliant as Adolf Hitler in Untergang (Downfall). I'm so gald Once Were Warriors was mentioned. This is definitely a hidden gem from the nineties. Temeura Morrison and Rena Owen give brilliant, visceral performances. Roger Ebert rightly compared Morrison to the early Brando in assessing his onscreen magnetism and ferocity. I will also capitulate and mention anything by Kurosawa, especially Ikiru and Seven Samurai, Fellini (especially La Dolce Vita, which is my favorite film of all time), anything by Tarkovsky, and, of course, Ingmar Bergaman (his whole canon is requisite viewing). It is good to see so many responding with their choices. It certainly gives me hope that the spirit of cinema lives vicariously through you all.
Very good, but you forgot "The Army of Shadows" a true masterpiece.
The Lives of Others is so good it reaches that rare pantheon of films that make me tear up _just THINKING about it_. So glad for the TLoO love here.
Other great foreign classics of the last 25 years:
Comedy: Tampopo, Kung Fu Hustle, Bon Voyage, The Dinner Game
Drama: Best of Youth, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Romance: The Girl on the Bridge, In the Mood for Love
Action: Run Lola Run, Hero, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Horror: Let the Right One In, [Rec]
These films are so good that it's terribly upsetting that Hollywood, for all their creativity, simply don't know how to craft movies on par with this. (Tho Hollywood has gotten pretty good at pyrotechnics…)
I'm so used to watching sub-titles that I've left the theater in a heated argument over if the movie was dubbed or subtitled or not because I really did not notice.
But I watch Japanese and Hong Kong films, so I think I fail the snob quotient anyhow. I can even tolerate Bollywood. Once you get past the musical numbers… but I think I like those, too, or will once I get used to them.
Wow. Is there anything you guys don't pity yourself over? Now you can't watch foreign films because some people who like them are mean to the movies you watch?
DOWNFALL is Amazing! To deny that film praise simply because it is foreign-made should disqualify one from film criticism. In my book.
There are thousands of great foreign filmmakers. Too many to name. One of my favorites though is Akira Kurosawa who has a huge repetoir of masterpieces and whose films inspired movies as diverse as Memento, Saving Private Ryan, and The Magnificent Seven. Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Throne of Blood, Ikiru, and Ran are among the best films ever made.
I prefer subtitles in foreign language movies because I find dubbing to be terribly distracting.
If you aren't going to bother to actually read my comments, don't bother to reply to them either.
Like Water For Chocolate….
You nailed the others.
Just saw Grand Illusion. Gabin and the supporting case were excellent.
Oh, yeah, that's a winner…the scene where the bedraggled husband suddenly takes an interest in his wife's swaying bottom as she scrubs the floor….romantic comedy gold !
The very long War and Peace with the ultimate Natasha
My goodness, no Fellini?? No 8 1/2? No La Strada? No Dolce Vita? No I Vitelloni? No Satyricon, even?
How about Aguirre, the Wrath of God, or Fitzcaralldo? Who can forget watching that ship steam up the jungle hills?
Or how about A Nous la Liberte? Or Danton, one of the greatest pictures about the French Revolution?
One of my favorite "Christmas" movies is Comfort And Joy, a Scottish film — rent it, it's fantastic!
Yes, it's a big world out there…
Just saw it too. Very beautiful and very sad film.
Lives of Others is the best film I've seen in the past few years, period. And between the incredible score and the beauty of the story, Cinema Paradiso is special for me. I also concur with many of the commenters suggestions; thank you all for reminding me how much I loved those films. Here are a few I have not yet seen:
For an awesome period piece, Queen Margot: Adjani is powerful and radiant.
Chnese films: To Live and Raise the Red Lantern – both films have great performances in the lead roles.
Excellent list!
Das Leben der Anderen is best. I'd pick Kung Fu Hustle second and then everything in your Action genre. I haven't seen the rest as I usually watch older films, foreign and domestic but thanks for giving me some movies to look forward to.
Speaking of Scottish movies.the touching "Dear Frankie" with Gerard Butler Too bad he subsequently went "Hollywood" in his choice of roles. Rent this movie and you'll see why I say that.
Thumbs up. Extraordinary indeed.
Hi, thanks for the Amen on foreign films in general and LIVES OF OTHERS in particular. It is definitely the best film I’ve covered in four years of reviewing. In that time it has seemed far more likely for international films (especially Eastern European as one might expect) to paint a critical portrait of Communism than our own domestic products. At times they were brutal watching, but films like CARGO 200 and A WOMAN IN BERLIN were highly critical of the Soviets.
That just counts films with theatrical distribution. There are always great films at the Romanian Film Festival that address the horrors of Caeusescu. Even under martial law, Polish filmmakers were far likelier than Hollywood to produce films critical of Communism (of course they were often working in exile, but not by choice). Right now, there is a great retrospective of Solidarity era Polish cinema at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. BIG readers should check it out. Even if they’re not in NY, a number of the films are available on Netflix.
I admit, I'm one of those people who goes nuts everytime I recommend a foreign movie but the person I'm talking to balks at the thought of reading subtitles. And it DOES take a little getting used to, but after a while you can do it with ease. People don't know what they're missing when they pass up movies like "Pan's Labyrinth", "Seven Samurai", "Cinema Paradiso", and the occasional Asian horror movie.
Dubbed versions just aren't…the same.
Jimmy: I tend to agree with you, though I think it's partially my default mode since so many American movies from the recent era are so vacuous. Wings of Desire is an excellent example. The American version (City of Angels</i) didn't even come close. And though I wouldn't ever want any of my female friends to know it, I occasionally even enjoy some Wertmuller films (Swept Away being among them.
Heavy on the Horror, my personal cinematic passion, and in no order whatsoever:
Pan's Labyrinth (Spain)
Solaris (Russia)
STALKER (Russia)
Them (France)
[REC] (Spain)
Let the Right One In (Sweden)
Next Door (Norway)
Lila Says (France)
Calvaire (Belgium)
No Smoking (India)
Eden Lake (England)
Inside (France)
Amelie (France)
The Lives of Others (Germany?)
The Road Warrior (Australia)
and the movie that EVERY thinking conservative must see: After the Truth (Germany). It CAN happen again and it is.
I'm a great fan of foreign films… at least I gravitate towards them and I think it has to do with politics. It is possible to find foreign films that do not lace the storyline with asinine jabs at conservatives or stick in obvious dumbed down crap to appeal to 14 year olds. ( no offense kids!). You can find adult themed movies. Yeah, some people can't stand subtitles but then again, some people can't watch BW movies. Here's some of my favs
Das Boot; The Black Book; Bon Voyage; The Lives of Others; The Valet; The Memory of a Killer; Vitus; Delicatessen; Amelie; Good Bye Lenin; The Beat that my Heart Skipped; Moliere; Cinema Paradiso; Valkarye ( the German version); The one that got away; Decision before Dawn; Lock Stock and two smoking Barrels; Hero; Kung fu hustle; Iron Monkey.
Swept Away? Hehehe – so what Madonna's take on that?
Just kiddin' -
Well, it depends on the type of movie: fast-paced action movies can be hard to follow when they are subtitled, and re-dubbing is natural for animated movies. But in general, I agree with you.
City of Lost Children- Dominique Pinon plays six cloned brothers, each with his own personality.
El Imperio de la Fortuna- A Mexican Pearl filtered through Bunuel.
Thank you for mentioning Life Is Beautiful. That's my favorite movie, though I have a lot of others that come close. It's such a beautiful movie, but I can't even sit through the dubbed version. It loses so much magic from the original Italian.
A few years ago, I had some Italian roommates who were delighted to find it sitting on my dvd shelf. They explained how everybody was absolutely shocked when this film came out, because Benini was the equivalent of the Italian Jim Carrey, who was known for stupid, crude, very adolescent humor. Just like with Carrey's more dramatic roles, they had no idea he was capable of making a film like this.
At the risk of sounding windy, watching Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, which I saw recently, is like having the whole human condition brought home to you. This is the mark of the truly great ones.
I love 'Dear Frankie'!
How about the American remake of "Diabolique"? That was just ghastly.
I have to see Cinema Paradiso once every 5-10 years, usually forcing it on someone who doesn't think it's nearly as great as I do.
Misanthropics: I got a little carried away with the italics, didn't I? Yeah, I know, Madonna and Guy Ritchie. It is a pretty good example of how bad acting and bad directing can ruin a formerly good movie. I hadn't had my second cup of morning coffee yet, and my fingers had a will of their own. I usually remember to close parenthetical phrases as well. LOL
Another Carolyn: Stinks, too. I suspect this list could get pretty long.
Every time I see a good Asian horror movie (and there are a lot of them), I get depressed thinking about the lousy American remake that will inevitably follow. The only good news I've read lately is that the "Oldboy" remake seems to have stalled.
Another Carolyn: Ditto for Asian (particularly Japanese) action/warrior movies. I will admit, though, that I think "The Magnificent Seven" was as good as "Seven Samurai," but I had to reach back to 1960 to come up with it.
It also looks like I've got us stuck in italics. Oops.
I'm with you regarding "The Magnificent Seven", an exception to the rule of lousy American remakes. Watched it again yesterday on TCM.
Back to odious remakes, I nominate "The Outrage", a Western version of "Rashomon" starring Paul Newman as a Mexican bandit.
Another Carolyn: Newman wasn't a particularly believable blue-eyed Indian in "Hombre" either. And "Rashomon" was indeed by far the better film.
LawHawkSF: Newman wasn't an Indian in that flick. He was a white kid raised by the Apaches if memory serves me right. I thought he was pretty good in it also. Now the movie Apache with Burt Lancaster his eyes were so blue you could drown in them. Never bought his Indianess, for lack of a better word for a second but what the hell it was Burt Lancaster.
So do I. I think you misunderstood me. Careless punctuation my part. Other than 'The 300", "Dear Frankie" was the last really good movie he was in.
AllAmerican: I'm only doing this from memory, but I seem to remember that even during the filming of "Hombre," there was considerable talk about Newman being a blue-eyed Indian which prompted a re-write that eventually explained away the blue eyes. But I could be wrong. I loved "Apache," so I forgave that one.
I don't know if they're still around, but there used to be a hauling company called Navajo Freight Lines. They had a Navajo logo (natch) with the same trait. Their slogan was "look for the blue-eyed Indian," so maybe this is even more common than we had thought.
Loved Downfall, The Lives of Others, Dear Frankie and Mostly Martha. Another Scottish flick I love is called Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself, loved every minute of it.
The Legend of 1900.
Thanks for the piece on foreign films. My view is that foreign film makers still feel an obligation to tell you a story,not just lecture about politics and social issues they deem significant. The films you cite are all good ones, especially Lives of Others as is Downfall. I have seen and liked several Indian films, a trilogy, Earth, Fire and Water,Monsoon Wedding, and the Namesake,good stories all. Brazilian films,Central Station, City of God , also A very Long Engagement, I've Loved You So Long, The Counterfeiters and Volver. Someone cited Babette's Feast as a good film and I second that. Now BF is about the things most of us struggle with ambition,disappointment, faith ,generosity and it is done with such wisdom. If you are put off by sub-titles then you are missing out on some great films.
Not to mention cheap at times.
Little overdone with the italics there, though I agree with you.
YC: I really apologize for the italics problem, but I'm afraid if I tried to undo it, I'd only make it worse. I'm hoping the administrators catch it and make the necessary tweaks to correct it.
Am I imagining things, or did my reply just show up without the italics?
Great piece and excellent suggestions, from you and the commentors. I'd like to put in a word for some of my favorites: Jules Dassin's "Rififi" (1955), one of the great heist films of all time, shot on a shoestring budget in a gloomy post-war Paris, starring Jean Servais. "The Conformist" (1970), Bernardo Bertolucci's masterpiece about an ordinary man who becomes a fascist, perhaps Trintignant's greatest performance. "Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion" (1970), Elio Petri's masterpiece about a homicide detective who leaves clues to his own crime, starring the great but underrated actor Gian Maria Volonté.
A modern German fairy tale.."The Princess and the Warrior" with the haunting Franka Potente
I simply cannot understanding this pendulum either/ or, where conservatives absurdly dis all foreign films, and liberals faunt their supposedly superior preferences,both attitudes derived from the home cultural war. Also, while I uniformly despise liberals, fact is that many Americans simply do not know that foreign films are not carriers of liberal agendae, there or here, and are fare strictly on their own merits. Here are a few great foreign pictures which, while Andy Dick's fans would bah, many other will watch mesmerized:
* Viridiana (incidentally, one of Michael Savage's greast, too) –
* Woman of the Sands (Dunes) –
* Solaris (Tarkovsky, not the version botched by Cameron, Clooney and Soderbergh) –
* Ecce Homo Homulka, and Hogo-Fogo Homulka –
* The Lacemaker –
* The Duelists –
* Far From The Madding Crowd –
* The Steppe –
* My Brilliant career,
… and the list is long, long…
My favorite; it scared the bejeezes out of me as a kid, was the original Diabolique.
Are any films other than animated ones still dubbed, though? I thought that butchery had died out decades ago.
Whoops! Forgot The Seventh Seal, merely one of the best films ever made.
If you like "Rififi," you'll probably like the parody/satire "Big Deal on Madonna Street."
http://www.criterion.com/films/652
"Breaker Morant" is the single greatest movie to come put of Australia and quite possibily one of and if not the best courtroom/war movie of all-time. If anyone who reads these posts hasn't seen it, make it a point to be the very n ext foreign film you see. I put it as my second favorite foreign film right behind Fritz Lang's "M" and just ahead of Wolfgang Peterson's "Das Boot". Fantastic to say the least.
I saw "Cinema Paradiso" when I'd just turned 21 and knew even then that I had seen something special. Magical is a quite appropriate word for this incredibile and simplistic movie.
I have just seen "The Lives of Others"……………and all I have to say is "holy sh*t!" Stunned is a word that comes to mind and that performance by Ulrich Muhe will stand the test of time as one of the greatest to be put on the big or little screen. Just amazing. In my top 5 all-time foreign films and probably #3.
Ditto on "Raise the Red Lantern". I was going to list it, but having seen it long ago, I thought the title was simply "Red Lantern", which when I googled showed up as a 1919 silent with Alla Nazimova !
The list was originally limited to the past 25 years, which is why many commenters didn't list such classics, including my #1…8 1/2. But, we've bent the rules as the thread goes on, and everyone'snow just showin' the love for their all-time favorites….
I also loved the Tricolour movies: Red, White and Blue, though more for their fantastic direction than for any one memorable acting performance.
A lot of wonderful films mentioned, but I'd like to add the films of Miyazaki ("Spirited Away," "Howl's Moving Castle," et al) and Koreeda (esp "Nobody Knows" and "Afterlife").
True.
I think (on reflection) what I meant was "filmed in English" or "subtitled." I reacted that way to both "Hero" (I think it was) and "Kung Fu Hustle." Kung Fu Hustle was the one I tried to convince my husband wasn't subtitled, and of course it was.
I just watched a Bollywood film on Hulu that was distracting all around because there was English mixed in with the Hindi, and the subtitles where really really bad… literal translations of idioms. Ack!
It still had a certain charm, though, and grew on me by the end.
Hey, I have loved many of the movies you all have already mentioned – especially "The Lives of Others" and the two movies/one story of "Jean de Flourette" and "Manon of the Spring."
I just must add two foreign film that are absolute delights: "Italian for Beginners" (Danish) and "Bread and Tulips" (Italian). These are two I re-watch often to enjoy the delight of first time viewers with whom I watch. If you haven't seen these two, you must.
Oh, and for pete's sake, do watch "Kitchen Stories" (Norwegian) a gentle comedy of a very unexpected nature.
I adore the foreign movie so much that I could go on for a long, long list.
You must see "Zelary" (Czech) a stunning drama of epic proportions.
Oh, how about the Chinese movie "Raise the Red Lantern" about the numerous wives of one man, each lives in a different wing of his home, the man as a peripheral character whose face we, the audience, never see but who is of overwhelming importance to the women.
And ALL of the (animated) movies by Hayao Miyazaki: "Totoro," "Porco Rosso" (amazing!), "Spirited Away," "The Castle in the Sky," "Kiki's Delivery Service" and on and on…
Okay, it's late. I must stop now…or…I shall find myself here in the morning adding just one more to the list of foreign movies I have adored….
Thank you for sharing. I'm eager to see some new (to me) interesting movie content.
Thank you for sharing. I'm eager to see some new (to me) interesting movie content.
For what makes a good movie has little to do with language or the country from which it originates, what makes a good movie is…
Yeah – quoted the author and broke the italics curse….I hope.
Anyway – I would like to point out to 'non-snobs' that not all foreign films are 'art films'. Many are just home grown movies for the folks in those various countries.
I like THE STARMAKER a lot. From the folks who did CINEMA PARADISO, IIRC. It;s about a scam artist that drives around the Italian country side circa 1950 telling people he is from 'Universal Studios Roma' and charges local people and peasants for screen tests. Funny and touching at the same time.
THE WAGES OF FEAR – Very exciting. 4 down n outers driving rickety trucks filled with nitro to put out an oil fire. Great set pieces. It would run after football games in this country under different circumstances.
That Isabel Adjani where she is the town hottie with a secret – forgot the name.
LOCAL HEREO – Oil co exec goes to buy a Scottish seaside village, but finds he likes it there.
HEAR MY SONG – Shyster Brit music hall promoter (Franc Cinatra, Bing Krosby) must go to Ireland to find Josef Locke, the Irish tenor, who fled England to avoid tax problems. Ned Beatty in a terrific role and David McCallum as the tax man. Much based on a true set of incidents. Gotta love a film where someone's Mom was "MIss Dairy Goodness" back in the day.
Tired…..sorry…time to sleeeeeep….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
City of God is my favorite film of the last decade. Powerful stuff.
Ja, ser gut.
Also very good, the 1931 classic "M" with Peter Lorre and directed by German-American Fritz Lang.
I enjoy the DDR period, especially the DEFA films.
Here are some of mine:
DEFA:
Murderers Are Among Us
Traces of Stones
Based on truth:
The Baader Meinhof Complex
The Tunnel – (Edge of yer seat!)
Fiction:
The Legend of Rita
LB,
I don't know about Adjani in a role like that, but since you mentioned Tomatore's other films, he made one with a similar (it seems) plot: Malena, with Monica Bellucci in the title hottie role. Another great one; I liked it more than Starcatcher, but nothing else he ever did can beat Cinema Paradiso IMO.
If you like Miyazaki, you'll like last year's flick from a much younger filmmaker, Summer Wars. Amazing stuff.
Das right! Ja.
@Faramir-
The American title was ONE DEADLY SUMMER. The French : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086655/
I will try and remember MALENA.
Watched the Lives of Others last night. Fantastic. Just fantastic.
Cinema Paradiso up next.
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