Even More of The Greatest part 2

More of my favourite films in no particular order.








70. The Swimmer (1968)
The Swimmer, adapted from a short story by John Cheever and directed by Frank Perry and Sydney Pollack, is the story of middle aged advertising executive Ned Merrill (Burt Lancaster), who after visiting some friends decides to swim home via a "river" of swimming pools provided by his friends and neighbours: the New England, suburban social elite. After appearing unexpectedly from behind some foliage wearing only a pair of swimming trunks, he is welcomed warmly at first by close friends. It seems he's been away for a while, and apparently missed. When he reveals his plan it's taken with a pinch of salt, Ned is always the life and soul. As the journey progresses, each pool introduces another set of characters revealing different aspects of his past, and the at first vital and charismatic Ned is soon shown to be a man in extreme denial. This great story, adapted by Eleanor Perry (Franks wife), makes for one of the most interesting screenplays to come out of Hollywood in the 60s. Ned lives in the same world as Mike Nichols' Graduate, but he's looking at it from over the proverbial hill. Consequently, it's a much more cynical look at the American dream and its distinctive class system, which it subtley undermines.



























69. La Terra Trema (1948)

Luchino Visconti's La Terra Trema is a masterpiece of world cinema and a shining example of the Italian neo-realist movement. It's a film about the exploitation of fishermen by ruthless wholesalers in a small coastal town in rural sicily. This subject is tipified by the plight of the Valastro's, a traditionally large and empoverished family of fishermen. The Valastro family were played by non actors, some of whom were actually related to each other, and all from Aci Trezza, the town the film was shot and set in. They seem to be playing themselves in their own story. This, and the deep, re-assuring voice narrative make the film seem almost like a documentary and it seems to embody in some way the spirit of Italian neo-realism. The tragic and complexed story is told partly through the beautiful cinematography, and its full of images that are unforgetable and iconic. The incredible beauty in this film is enhanced by its realness.










































68. Short Cuts (1993)

Robert Altman's magnum opus, Short Cuts is an epic three hour journey through the lives of a collection of over twenty main characters, played by an all star cast including: Tim Robbins, Matthew Modine, Jullianne Moore, Fred Ward, Andie MacDowell, Lili Taylor, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Robert Downey Jnr., Chris Penn, Madeleine Stowe, Lily Tomlin, Tom Waits and Jack Lemon. Adapted from the short stories of Raymond Carver, each characters stories meet and intermingle in different ways, the characters are all connected. The extent to which is offcourse only apparent to us, the audience. Seemingly, Short Cuts is a film about fate and chance, the things that affect us that we're not aware of. It's a film starring everyone, about everyone.


























67. Mad Max (1979)



























66. The Last Picture Show (1971)

Based on the book by Larry McMurty, Peter Bogdanovich's epic coming of age drama is one of the greatest ever to come out of Hollywood, influencing a generation of American arthouse films like Rumble Fish, The Outsiders and American Graffiti. It's episodic plot is told simply and beautifully in cold black and white, the harshness of the photography and the mono sound makes the film seem stripped down, older than it is, even of the early 1950s in which the story is set. Infact it was made twenty years later. Sonny Crawford (Timothy Bottoms) and Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges) are two high school footballers living in a dying town in west Texas. Virtually everything that happens there centres around the diner, cinema and small pool hall all owned by Sam the Lion (Ben Johnson), an older, stetson wearing Texan archetype and father figure to both boys. Cloris Leachman won an oscar for her portrayal of Ruth Popper, the unhappy wife of the local football coach, and Cybill Shepherd is also great in her debut as the beautiful but selfish town princess Jacy Farrow.

























65. The Ninth Gate (1999)

This is one of my favourite Polanski films, perhaps its not as celebrated as Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown or Frantic, but neverhteless its a film I end up re-visiting alot. I think its one of the most watchable and atmospheric of all his films, an example of a master at the peak of his ability. Adapted from the novel El Club Dumas By Arturo Perez-Reverte, the story incorporates horror and occult themes into a mystery thriller. Dean Corso (Johnny Depp) is a ruthless, rare books dealer motivated solely by profit. One day a client, the publishing mogul and rare book collector Boris Balkan (Frank Langella), explains to Corso that he has acquired one of the only three existing copies of The Nine Gates To The Kingdom Of Shadows, a 16th century book written by an occultist who was burned at the steak for heresy. Balkan believes that his copy is a forgery however, and recruits Corso to go to Europe and acquire the other two copies at any expense, or by any means. The rusult is a thoroughly enjoyable, mystery adventure with ample helpings of the absurd, something which Polanski has a natural instinct for, and is counterbalanced by Depps unusually subdued performance. It's a film where the absurd and the unsetling often overlap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTEZ2Cf0ngQ


























64. La Residencia (1969)
La Residencia a.k.a. The Boarding School or The House That Screamed, is a Spanish gothic horror film directed by Narciso Ibanez Serrador, legendary writer director of Who Can Kill A Child? As the title would suggest, its set in a boarding school, a girls boarding school in France some time around the late 19th century. The story, written by Serrador, is a masterpeice of macabre subtletey and imagination. Revolving around the murders of five of the girls by an unknown assailant, the plot is full of twists and strange dissjointed scenes that set it appart from most horror films of the time. It also features a number of incredibly well drawn and very sinister characters, including the manacing and sadistic head girl Irene (played by Mary Maude), the stern disciplinarian head mistress Madame Fourneau (Lilli Palmer) and her voyeristic teenage son Luis (John Moulder-Brown). Serrador's direction is impeccable, the film looks beautiful and is incredibly atmospheric. Of his two films this is probably the greater. Good fun and perhaps the only gothic giallo.




























63. Parenthood (1989)

In 1989, Ron Howard, ex star of Happy Days and veteran director of family classics like Splash, Cocoon and Willow, wrote and directed Parenthood, his last foray into the genre before the more seriously toned Backdraft in 1991.
Parenthood in many ways is the ultimate family movie, it's actually about the family, and the generational divide. The story revolves loosely around three generations, and three units of the Buckmans. The excellent script deals with what are at times quite moving subjects, but with a subtlety and lightness of tone thats ultimately life affirming. Its simply one of the greatest screenplays to come out of Hollywood in the whole of the 80s. This film also has a great cast, including Jason Robards, Rick Moranis, Dianne West, Mary Steenburgen and most importantly Steve Martin, truly one of the greatest comic actors. Both funny and incredibly poignant, Parenthood is a film to literally make you laugh and cry.



























62. The Gospel According to Matthew (1964)

Pier Paolo Passolini's The Gospel According to Matthew (a 'St.' was added before 'Matthew' during translation against the directors will), is truly one of the greatest religious epics ever committed to celluloid. Pasolini was inspired to make it after reading a copy of the New Testament in a hotel room, regarding Matthew's version of the life and philosophies of Jesus as the most appropiate to the cinema. Much of the script that resulted was a more or less exact transcript of what the Gospel of Matthew actually says, none of the words are changed, and virtually no scenes where added for dramatic effect, it seems in part to be a reaction against the Hollywood style adaptation of the Bible. This is also apparent in the restrained visualisation of the miracles and the crucifixion, they are distinctly un-sentimental. Infact, the film is incredibly minimalistic visually, paying little attention to historical authenticity, and seemingly a direct influence on Scorcesse's The Last Temptation of Christ. The film pays some homage to Italian neo-realism, the entire cast consisted of non actors and it was shot in southern Italy rather than the Holy Land. Passolini also used handheld cameras for many scenes, and even zoom shots. His ongoing obsession with the human face seems most un-restrained in this film, especially in scenes with less dialogue (virtually all the talking is left to Jesus himself), and in few of his films are the faces so expressive. Another unconventional aspect of the film is the music. Instead of an original score, Passolini used an eclectic mix of popular and classical music, ranging from Mozart and Bach to Congolese gospel choir Missa Luba, and even the blues standards of Billie Holliday and Blind Willie Johnson. The film seems to be partly about the modern worlds relationship to Christianity, with Jesus as a champion of the peasantry, an angry working class hero. Whats remarkable is that it does this while changing virtually nothing from the Biblical source. The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the most authentic Biblical films, and certainly the most groundbreaking and inventive.




























61. Andrei Rublev (1966)

Andrei Tarkovsky's episodic re-imagining of the life of the 15th century icon painter and monk, Andrei Rublev, is both epic in scale and dreamlike. Tarkovsky manages to reflect the serenity and calm of Rublev's art in his camera style, encorporating slow, contemplative tracking shots and images of natural beauty that are simply and profoundly moving. This is juxtaposed in a segment like The Raid, a sequence depicting the sacking of a town by Mongolic 'Tartars'. The Raid is filmed in long continuous tracking shots, making these scenes seem chaotic and giving the feeling of spontaneity. A riderless horse is shown stumbling down stairs during This segment, apparently symbolic of tainted innocence and the chaos of war. Wild or lone horses feature regularly in the films imagery. They seem to also represent the kind of natural benevolence, purity, serenity and perfection apparent in Rublev's art. His paintings seem to conjure the divine.

This is a film made in and for a devoutly religious country, specifically dealing with Russian faith and belief. Other segments of the film include The Fool, Andrei's Passion, The Last Judgement and The Bell. This last segment, in which Rublev is the aged observer of the casting of a huge bronze bell, is perhaps the most moving and a seemingly perfect metaphor for the creative process. This depiction of the creative act is one we share with Rublev himself. In the end he seems to be rewarded with some understanding of the beauty he has given to the poor, suffering people of Russia, and to humanity itself.