list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Wings of Desire on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Wings_of_Desire/38528/default.aspx Title: Wings of Desire
Year: 1987
Director: Wim Wenders
Plot: Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) are angels who watch over the city of Berlin. They don't have harps or wings (well, they usually don't have wings) and they prefer overcoats to gossamer gowns. But they can travel unseen through the city, listening to people's thoughts, watching their actions and studying their lives. While they can make their presence felt in small ways, only children and other angels can see them. They spend their days serenely observing, unable to interact with people, and they feel neither pain nor joy. One day, Damiel finds his way into a circus and sees Marion (Solveig Dommartin), a high-wire artist, practicing her act; he is immediately smitten. After the owners of the circus tell the company that the show is out of money and must disband, Marion sinks into a funk, shuffling back to her trailer to ponder what to do next. As he watches her, Damiel makes a decision: he wants to be human, and he wants to be with Marion, to lift her spirits and, if need be, to share her pain. Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire is a remarkable modern fairy tale about the nature of being alive. The angels witness the gamut of human emotions, and they experience the luxury of simple pleasures (even a cup of coffee and a cigarette) as ones who've never known them. From the angels' viewpoint, Berlin is seen in gorgeous black-and-white -- strikingly beautiful but unreal; when they join the humans, the image shifts to rough but natural-looking color, and the waltz-like grace of the angels' drift through the city changes to a harsher rhythm. Peter Falk appears as himself, revealing a secret that we may not have known about the man who played Columbo, and there's also a brief but powerful appearance by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. Wings of Desire hinges on the intangible and elusive, and it builds something beautiful from those qualities. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 21
Number of Lists: 36
Number of blog posts: 3
Number of discussion threads: 5
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:31:41 GMTWings of Desire1987Wim WendersDamiel (<a href="/players/P____25786/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Bruno Ganz</a>) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) are angels who watch over the city of Berlin. They don't have harps or wings (well, they usually don't have wings) and they prefer overcoats to gossamer gowns. But they can travel unseen through the city, listening to people's thoughts, watching their actions and studying their lives. While they can make their presence felt in small ways, only children and other angels can see them. They spend their days serenely observing, unable to interact with people, and they feel neither pain nor joy. One day, Damiel finds his way into a circus and sees Marion (<a href="/players/P____19574/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Solveig Dommartin</a>), a high-wire artist, practicing her act; he is immediately smitten. After the owners of the circus tell the company that the show is out of money and must disband, Marion sinks into a funk, shuffling back to her trailer to ponder what to do next. As he watches her, Damiel makes a decision: he wants to be human, and he wants to be with Marion, to lift her spirits and, if need be, to share her pain. <a href="/players/P___116407/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Wim Wenders</a>' Wings of Desire is a remarkable modern fairy tale about the nature of being alive. The angels witness the gamut of human emotions, and they experience the luxury of simple pleasures (even a cup of coffee and a cigarette) as ones who've never known them. From the angels' viewpoint, Berlin is seen in gorgeous black-and-white -- strikingly beautiful but unreal; when they join the humans, the image shifts to rough but natural-looking color, and the waltz-like grace of the angels' drift through the city changes to a harsher rhythm. <a href="/players/P____22575/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Peter Falk</a> appears as himself, revealing a secret that we may not have known about the man who played Columbo, and there's also a brief but powerful appearance by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. Wings of Desire hinges on the intangible and elusive, and it builds something beautiful from those qualities. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide21Tag Target (>10)36354http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t31133xbhar.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Wings_of_Desire/38528/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_Which_of_these_film_movments_have_produced_film/657/40557/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 2/19/2009 3:15:26 PM
Body: [quote user="pippin06"] This is out of my league too. I consider myself an average to above average filmgoer/viewer but am not sure if I've seen anything in any category (maybe I have and I didn't know it...but maybe not). Like I said, I saw a lot of French films in college, but who knows if they fall under New Wave or something like that... ...but maybe we could somehow start a discussion somewhere where people schooled in these film schools could make recommendations for beginners. That would be cool, right? Or, maybe it's already somewhere...anyone know? [/quote] Ok, well I'll try to give some insight on what I know about them and any recommendations I may have. Czechoslovakian New Wave may be one of the lesser movements listed here. It kind of started in the 60s. A discription from wikipedia says "Trademarks of the movement contain long unscripted dialogues, dark and absurd humour, and the casting of nonactors." I don't know if I've actually seen any, but some of the more popular ones are available from the Criterion Collection like The Shop on Main Street (which people have mentioned on Spout before), Closely Watched Trains, and lots of Milos Forman's (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Man on the Moon, Amadeus) early work like Loves of a Blonde and The Fireman's Ball. Dogme 95 was an official movement started by Lars Von Trier and a few other Danish filmmakers that had specific rules about it. You could actually submit your film to them to be labeled as an official Dogma 95 film. You can probably find the rules online somewhere, but it involved using only digital film and found locations, props, and costumes. You aren't supposed to add any special effects. The full rules are of course available at good old wikipedia. The most famous of the films would probably The Celebration, The Idiots, and my favorite, Julien Donkey-Boy. The French New Wave is a pretty broad movement usually referring to the iconoclastic filmmakers from France. I think the tail end of the 50s is really when this started to get into full swing. Like Tennenbaums mentioned earlier, Jean Luc-Godard and François Truffaut are often the most identifiable filmmakers with the movement, although there are probably dozens if not more who have been lumped into this movement. SkyPilot mentioned Jean-Pierre Melville's Bob le Flambeur. I have seen that one and was disappointed. I've also seen Godard's Breathless and Truffaut's Jules and Jim both of which I did not enjoy. Truffaut's The 400 Blows I appreciated a bit more, but still not a favorite. Some people throw Éric Rohmer into this category as well, although some argue his style is considerably different and stems from somewhere other than many other of the French New Wave filmmakers. I have enjoyed what little I've seen of his work. Expressionism was a movement in Europe in the early 20th century. It stressed intense emotion conveyed through exaggerated and distorted style and forms. The Germans took this movement and put it in film. I'm sure you recognize famous directors like F. W. Murnau and Fritz Lang. Some of these films had extremely expressionistic and highly unrealistic visuals like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Some like The Last Laugh were just more more distorted versions of reality. With all the Dracula talk that has happend on Spout at times I'm guessing you've also heard of Nosferatu. Some of Lang's works that came a bit later that are well known might also count like M and Metropolis. When I looked into it, I can't really define Iranian New Wave any better than just saying it's basically films that were made in Iran. I guess the most popular filmmaker is Abbas Kiarostami. Look him up and you may recognize a lot of his films. Maybe not. I have seen two films from Majid Majidi and would recommend The Color of Paradise. It's kind of recent though so I don't really know if it's a good representation of the first wave of the Iranian New Wave. Italian neorealism is what it probably sounds like. Italian films that stressed trying to give a realistic depiction of every day working class people. They did this by shootings things on location and often with non-actors. And a lot of the the "boring" action of normal life that might not find it's way into other films is here. Although I sure don't find it boring. The time frame we are looking at is the later forties. The most famous example is Vittorio De Sica's The Bicycle Thief which I would highly recommend, although De Sica's Shoeshine and Umberto D are also amazing. Other big name directors are Luchino Visconti and Roberto Rossellini. The Japanese New Wave like the French New Wave were a bunch of iconoclastic filmmakers that started with works being released around the end of the 50s through the 70s. You could put Seijun Suzuki in this category who is one of my favorite directors. Tokyo Drifter, Fighting Elegy, Branded to Kill, and Youth of the Beast are all fims of his that I love and are available on the Criterion Collection. Hiroshi Teshigahara also has some of his movies released through Criterion, one of which, Woman in the Dunes, I just saw recently and is amazing. Shohei Imamura also has some of his movies available through Criterion (this is basically just a big Criterion ad). Nagisa Oshima is probably the biggest name from this moment in my mind and I'm rather embarassed to say I still haven't seen any of his films. Mumblecore core is the newest term on this list and has gotten a lot of press on Spout, so maybe you've heard of it. I don't know if I've really seen any movies that would fit this category hardcore, but you probably recognize the trend in independent cinema. I think it has a lot to do with young adults living in big cities. Very low budget. Lots of slang and hip music and culture references with a realistic style. Correct me if I'm wrong on this. Joe Swanberg had a short film series on Spout for a while I think. New French Extremity is the other really new term here. I just came across the name recently to refer to a recent wave of confrontational French films ove the past decade or so. You know how we had a group here on spout called "extreme films"? Well a lot of these would probably fit in nice there. They show you the extreme fifth, cruelty, and violence of humanity often in graphic detail. You may recognize a lot of these names. Gaspar Noé's Irreversible is one of the most well known state side I think. It's the one that runs backwards. I've seen his I Stand Alone and let me say it's pretty striking and depression, very confrontational to the dark and depressing side of the human condition. Other examples are some of Claire Denis' and Leos Carax's recent work, Bruno Dumont (The Life of Jesus, Humanité), Catherine Breillat (Fat Girl). Maybe you have also heard of the infamous Baise-moi (Fuck Me). If you listen to a lot of the horror fans we have on the site too you may hear them rave about many of the violent horror films comming out of France recently. These could probably fit in well too. The most well known now being High Tension. As for New German Cinema, you've heard of Werner Herzog right?? He's one of my favorites (check out The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser, Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Stroszek, Fitzcarraldo). Well he and some other German folks such as R. W. Fassbinder (Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, The Marriage of Maria Braun, The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (the guy made well over fourty films in a span of sixteen years including the fifteen hour long Berlin Alexanderplatz)), Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire, Paris, Texas), Volker Schlöndorff (The Tin Drum) and several others started making the first original movies starting in the late 60s since before the rise of the Nazis (Werner Herzog even made a remake of the classic German film Nosferatu). Finally Germany was a force in the world of Cinema making original and revolutionary films again. Anyone have anything to add?
]]>Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:15:26 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls2/19/2009 3:15:26 PM[quote user="pippin06"] This is out of my league too. I consider myself an average to above average filmgoer/viewer but am not sure if I've seen anything in any category (maybe I have and I didn't know it...but maybe not). Like I said, I saw a lot of French films in college, but who knows if they fall under New Wave or something like that... ...but maybe we could somehow start a discussion somewhere where people schooled in these film schools could make recommendations for beginners. That would be cool, right? Or, maybe it's already somewhere...anyone know? [/quote] Ok, well I'll try to give some insight on what I know about them and any recommendations I may have. Czechoslovakian New Wave may be one of the lesser movements listed here. It kind of started in the 60s. A discription from wikipedia says "Trademarks of the movement contain long unscripted dialogues, dark and absurd humour, and the casting of nonactors." I don't know if I've actually seen any, but some of the more popular ones are available from the Criterion Collection like The Shop on Main Street (which people have mentioned on Spout before), Closely Watched Trains, and lots of Milos Forman's (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Man on the Moon, Amadeus) early work like Loves of a Blonde and The Fireman's Ball. Dogme 95 was an official movement started by Lars Von Trier and a few other Danish filmmakers that had specific rules about it. You could actually submit your film to them to be labeled as an official Dogma 95 film. You can probably find the rules online somewhere, but it involved using only digital film and found locations, props, and costumes. You aren't supposed to add any special effects. The full rules are of course available at good old wikipedia. The most famous of the films would probably The Celebration, The Idiots, and my favorite, Julien Donkey-Boy. The French New Wave is a pretty broad movement usually referring to the iconoclastic filmmakers from France. I think the tail end of the 50s is really when this started to get into full swing. Like Tennenbaums mentioned earlier, Jean Luc-Godard and Fran&ccedil;ois Truffaut are often the most identifiable filmmakers with the movement, although there are probably dozens if not more who have been lumped into this movement. SkyPilot mentioned Jean-Pierre Melville's Bob le Flambeur. I have seen that one and was disappointed. I've also seen Godard's Breathless and Truffaut's Jules and Jim both of which I did not enjoy. Truffaut's The 400 Blows I appreciated a bit more, but still not a favorite. Some people throw &Eacute;ric Rohmer into this category as well, although some argue his style is considerably different and stems from somewhere other than many other of the French New Wave filmmakers. I have enjoyed what little I've seen of his work. Expressionism was a movement in Europe in the early 20th century. It stressed intense emotion conveyed through exaggerated and distorted style and forms. The Germans took this movement and put it in film. I'm sure you recognize famous directors like F. W. Murnau and Fritz Lang. Some of these films had extremely expressionistic and highly unrealistic visuals like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Some like The Last Laugh were just more more distorted versions of reality. With all the Dracula talk that has happend on Spout at times I'm guessing you've also heard of Nosferatu. Some of Lang's works that came a bit later that are well known might also count like M and Metropolis. When I looked into it, I can't really define Iranian New Wave any better than just saying it's basically films that were made in Iran. I guess the most popular filmmaker is Abbas Kiarostami. Look him up and you may recognize a lot of his films. Maybe not. I have seen two films from Majid Majidi and would recommend The Color of Paradise. It's kind of recent though so I don't really know if it's a good representation of the first wave of the Iranian New Wave. Italian neorealism is what it probably sounds like. Italian films that stressed trying to give a realistic depiction of every day working class people. They did this by shootings things on location and often with non-actors. And a lot of the the "boring" action of normal life that might not find it's way into other films is here. Although I sure don't find it boring. The time frame we are looking at is the later forties. The most famous example is Vittorio De Sica's The Bicycle Thief which I would highly recommend, although De Sica's Shoeshine and Umberto D are also amazing. Other big name directors are Luchino Visconti and Roberto Rossellini. The Japanese New Wave like the French New Wave were a bunch of iconoclastic filmmakers that started with works being released around the end of the 50s through the 70s. You could put Seijun Suzuki in this category who is one of my favorite directors. Tokyo Drifter, Fighting Elegy, Branded to Kill, and Youth of the Beast are all fims of his that I love and are available on the Criterion Collection. Hiroshi Teshigahara also has some of his movies released through Criterion, one of which, Woman in the Dunes, I just saw recently and is amazing. Shohei Imamura also has some of his movies available through Criterion (this is basically just a big Criterion ad). Nagisa Oshima is probably the biggest name from this moment in my mind and I'm rather embarassed to say I still haven't seen any of his films. Mumblecore core is the newest term on this list and has gotten a lot of press on Spout, so maybe you've heard of it. I don't know if I've really seen any movies that would fit this category hardcore, but you probably recognize the trend in independent cinema. I think it has a lot to do with young adults living in big cities. Very low budget. Lots of slang and hip music and culture references with a realistic style. Correct me if I'm wrong on this. Joe Swanberg had a short film series on Spout for a while I think. New French Extremity is the other really new term here. I just came across the name recently to refer to a recent wave of confrontational French films ove the past decade or so. You know how we had a group here on spout called "extreme films"? Well a lot of these would probably fit in nice there. They show you the extreme fifth, cruelty, and violence of humanity often in graphic detail. You may recognize a lot of these names. Gaspar No&eacute;'s Irreversible is one of the most well known state side I think. It's the one that runs backwards. I've seen his I Stand Alone and let me say it's pretty striking and depression, very confrontational to the dark and depressing side of the human condition. Other examples are some of Claire Denis' and Leos Carax's recent work, Bruno Dumont (The Life of Jesus, Humanit&eacute;), Catherine Breillat (Fat Girl). Maybe you have also heard of the infamous Baise-moi (Fuck Me). If you listen to a lot of the horror fans we have on the site too you may hear them rave about many of the violent horror films comming out of France recently. These could probably fit in well too. The most well known now being High Tension. As for New German Cinema, you've heard of Werner Herzog right?? He's one of my favorites (check out The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser, Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Stroszek, Fitzcarraldo). Well he and some other German folks such as R. W. Fassbinder (Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, The Marriage of Maria Braun, The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (the guy made well over fourty films in a span of sixteen years including the fifteen hour long Berlin Alexanderplatz)), Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire, Paris, Texas), Volker Schl&ouml;ndorff (The Tin Drum) and several others started making the first original movies starting in the late 60s since before the rise of the Nazis (Werner Herzog even made a remake of the classic German film Nosferatu). Finally Germany was a force in the world of Cinema making original and revolutionary films again. Anyone have anything to add? http://www.spout.com/blogs/thefilmpanelnotetaker/archive/2008/7/1/31961.aspx Post By: thefilmpanelnotetaker
Post To: thefilmpanelnotetaker Blog
Post Date: 7/1/2008 12:01:17 PM
Body: The Film Panel Notetaker’s One-on-One Q&A with… Dawn Scibilia – Director, Producer, DP, Editor&Alan Cooke – Producer, Writer, NarratorOver the weekend, I got a pleasant surprise when Alan Cooke sent me an instant chat message from Ireland on Facebook. He asked me if I had seen the documentary he produced, wrote, and narrated called Home. It was a film that I was familiar with, but had not yet had the opportunity to see, so I asked him if he could send me a screener. He put me in touch with the film’s director Dawn Scibilia. We spoke on the phone, and met the next rainy day outside of BAM where Dawn gave me the DVD. (I had just come from Sujewa’s documentary shoot where he interviewed Tambay Obenson nearby in Brooklyn.) I immediately took the DVD home with me to watch. It is a beautifully shot and well-told story of Alan’s experience coming from Ireland to live in New York City, as well as other stories told by people who call New York home, whether they came here as immigrants or were born and raised here. Some familiar faces include Liam Neeson, Susan Sarandon, Woody Allen, Mike Meyers, Frank and Malachy McCourt, and more. The film resonated with me very well. I don’t come from too far away, Western New York State, but I can certainly relate as New York has become my home. I wanted to find out more about the making of Home, so I did a One-on-One (or Two) Q&A with Dawn and Alan. They are currently seeking distribution opportunities here in the U.S.In the mean time, here are a few ways in which you can see Home before then—Home will air on Thirteen/WNET New York this Thursday, July 3 at 10pm, and to purchase a DVD of Home, visit http://homethemovie.com/.TFPN: Who came to who first to propose making the film? Dawn, did you already have the topic in mind, or did Alan pitch it to you? How did it all come about?Scibilia: In 2000, I was toying with the idea of a documentary about how New York had changed in recent years. I had even shot some footage, mainly streetscapes, buildings and parts of the city I wanted to remember as they were. After 9/11, I abandoned the idea for obvious reasons. In 2004, I met actor Alan Cooke who was interested in doing a one man show about his experiences in New York as a recent Irish Immigrant. We got to talking and decided to merge our ideas and our talents.Cooke: Dawn was documenting the city visually before I met her and I was writing fragments about my own life as a newly arrived immigrant. I was renting an apt for my landlord and Dawn was going to take it, we got chatting and had an interest in the changes and effects of New York and on my own transformation being away from home. We went out the next day with a MiniDV camera and began a journey of capturing the city in its essence of energy, in the visual and poetical sense. As we moved deeper into the piece we discovered a language that existed on the city streets and found ourselves with a work that was growing organically with no preconceived plan, just following our hearts and passions and the calling of the streets of New York.TFPN: How did you select all the people to be interviewed in the film? How did you gain access to the celebrities?Scibilia: We thought it would be interesting to get well known people who would open up to us and reflect on the city just as we were doing. And we believed we could pull it off. We each came up with a list of people who had an interesting relationship with the city and would want to share it with us because of their love of the city, people who were inspired by the city and understood its history. We wanted a mix of Irish immigrants like Liam Neeson and native New Yorkers like Susan Sarandon and Pete Hamill, or an interesting mix of both as in (Frank and Malachy) McCourt who were born in Brooklyn, went back to Ireland and then decided to return to New York. After unsuccessful attempts at getting past agents and managers, we found ways of meeting them and pitching them in person. Some face to face meetings were pure accidents. Only in New York!Cooke: We came upon them in situations like bars and theatres and movie premieres. I met Liam Neeson in Central Park, by an eight million to one chance! We got them because we had passion and an original idea and they saw in our eyes a desire to capture something honest, poetic and real.TFPN: Were you at all inspired by any other films on immigration? If so, what are some of the great films on the immigrant experience in America that you've seen?Scibilia: We watched Wings of Desire and Baraka for its poetry and the great New York: A Documentary Film by Rick Burns which was a great way to quickly delve into the city’s history and some of its most devoted citizens.Cooke: I personally took my influence from the street culture of New York and from other poetic films like Wings of Desire, Joyce’s Ulysses, Kerouac, dreamers and notions of myth and the human journey. I love films that involve a single characters transformation for I feel that is what happened to me. Our film Home is a reflection of all of these inspirations layered into the film.TFPN: What message would you like your film to deliver? Scibilia: It wasn't our intention to send a message or answer questions, but if I had to give you an answer I guess it would be, life itself is a journey. And if you should find yourself in New York, recognize and appreciate its importance to your journey and all who came before you.Cooke: It has been seen by maybe one million people so far in festivals and on TV. We have had many wonderful reactions, I want the film to move people and show that all of our journeys have meaning and New York. Moments can change you forever. The film delivers a message of hope that New York still has a spiritual power and you can be fully realized on many different levels if you choose to call it HOME.TFPN: (To Cooke) Was your narration in the film based on any previous writings you've done, or was it written solely for the film?Cooke: The narration was based on my experiences and some writing I was working on. I just expanded it as I went along. As Dawn created pieces of film, I would write around them and vice verse. It was a very organic response in how the film was created. Being an actor helped because it meant I was able to create some truth in my voice and it was also part of how I shaped the words, looking for the realness in what I was trying to say. I learned a huge amount from the process and the audiences so far have reacted very strongly to my narration. They have said it’s like I’m bringing them on a journey…a personal journey on the streets.TFPN: What has been the reaction from people who have seen the film, particularly from immigrants?Scibilia: There’s a strong identification with the film. They've all made a point of telling me that they felt as though they had just seen themselves on the screen. So I'm happy to know I've done my job as a director. For me personally, the biggest compliment of all is when a New Yorker tells me that it completely captured the city for them, because that means we satisfied the most jaded audience members perhaps in the world! And since this is my home town, it meant a lot.Cooke: Some have been moved to tears. I believe we have caught the essence of the immigrant’s journey in New York, the strife, the self-belief, the challenges and the moments of real transformation. People from London, New York, San Francisco, Australia…have all responded in saying how poetic and how beautiful the piece is…it’s very endearing.TFPN: The film is being distributed in Ireland right now. How's that going? What has been the reaction from people there?Cooke: We have our first theatrical release in Ireland. I’m very excited. We have shown it on TV here and in some small one-off screenings. People have been very moved by my story. I am brining so much back home to them.TFPN: What are you both working on next?Scibilia: I'm polishing a screenplay I've just completed and hope to direct – a film noir set in NYC. I'm hoping to take it to the IFP Market this September.Cooke: I’m half way through a book about New York, an extension of the film and a more personal and expressionistic look at a series of moments I have had in the city. I hope maybe to make a film about my journey in Ireland sometime soon, and I am trying to audition again for the stage. That is my first love as a professional stage actor, but life can throw some funny roads at you! Originally posted on:The Film Panel Notetaker - Miss a panel discussion? Don't worry! We took notes for you.
]]>Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:01:17 GMTthefilmpanelnotetakerthefilmpanelnotetaker Blog7/1/2008 12:01:17 PMThe Film Panel Notetaker’s One-on-One Q&A with… Dawn Scibilia – Director, Producer, DP, Editor&Alan Cooke – Producer, Writer, NarratorOver the weekend, I got a pleasant surprise when Alan Cooke sent me an instant chat message from Ireland on Facebook. He asked me if I had seen the documentary he produced, wrote, and narrated called Home. It was a film that I was familiar with, but had not yet had the opportunity to see, so I asked him if he could send me a screener. He put me in touch with the film’s director Dawn Scibilia. We spoke on the phone, and met the next rainy day outside of BAM where Dawn gave me the DVD. (I had just come from Sujewa’s documentary shoot where he interviewed Tambay Obenson nearby in Brooklyn.) I immediately took the DVD home with me to watch. It is a beautifully shot and well-told story of Alan’s experience coming from Ireland to live in New York City, as well as other stories told by people who call New York home, whether they came here as immigrants or were born and raised here. Some familiar faces include Liam Neeson, Susan Sarandon, Woody Allen, Mike Meyers, Frank and Malachy McCourt, and more. The film resonated with me very well. I don’t come from too far away, Western New York State, but I can certainly relate as New York has become my home. I wanted to find out more about the making of Home, so I did a One-on-One (or Two) Q&A with Dawn and Alan. They are currently seeking distribution opportunities here in the U.S.In the mean time, here are a few ways in which you can see Home before then—Home will air on Thirteen/WNET New York this Thursday, July 3 at 10pm, and to purchase a DVD of Home, visit http://homethemovie.com/.TFPN: Who came to who first to propose making the film? Dawn, did you already have the topic in mind, or did Alan pitch it to you? How did it all come about?Scibilia: In 2000, I was toying with the idea of a documentary about how New York had changed in recent years. I had even shot some footage, mainly streetscapes, buildings and parts of the city I wanted to remember as they were. After 9/11, I abandoned the idea for obvious reasons. In 2004, I met actor Alan Cooke who was interested in doing a one man show about his experiences in New York as a recent Irish Immigrant. We got to talking and decided to merge our ideas and our talents.Cooke: Dawn was documenting the city visually before I met her and I was writing fragments about my own life as a newly arrived immigrant. I was renting an apt for my landlord and Dawn was going to take it, we got chatting and had an interest in the changes and effects of New York and on my own transformation being away from home. We went out the next day with a MiniDV camera and began a journey of capturing the city in its essence of energy, in the visual and poetical sense. As we moved deeper into the piece we discovered a language that existed on the city streets and found ourselves with a work that was growing organically with no preconceived plan, just following our hearts and passions and the calling of the streets of New York.TFPN: How did you select all the people to be interviewed in the film? How did you gain access to the celebrities?Scibilia: We thought it would be interesting to get well known people who would open up to us and reflect on the city just as we were doing. And we believed we could pull it off. We each came up with a list of people who had an interesting relationship with the city and would want to share it with us because of their love of the city, people who were inspired by the city and understood its history. We wanted a mix of Irish immigrants like Liam Neeson and native New Yorkers like Susan Sarandon and Pete Hamill, or an interesting mix of both as in (Frank and Malachy) McCourt who were born in Brooklyn, went back to Ireland and then decided to return to New York. After unsuccessful attempts at getting past agents and managers, we found ways of meeting them and pitching them in person. Some face to face meetings were pure accidents. Only in New York!Cooke: We came upon them in situations like bars and theatres and movie premieres. I met Liam Neeson in Central Park, by an eight million to one chance! We got them because we had passion and an original idea and they saw in our eyes a desire to capture something honest, poetic and real.TFPN: Were you at all inspired by any other films on immigration? If so, what are some of the great films on the immigrant experience in America that you've seen?Scibilia: We watched Wings of Desire and Baraka for its poetry and the great New York: A Documentary Film by Rick Burns which was a great way to quickly delve into the city’s history and some of its most devoted citizens.Cooke: I personally took my influence from the street culture of New York and from other poetic films like Wings of Desire, Joyce’s Ulysses, Kerouac, dreamers and notions of myth and the human journey. I love films that involve a single characters transformation for I feel that is what happened to me. Our film Home is a reflection of all of these inspirations layered into the film.TFPN: What message would you like your film to deliver? Scibilia: It wasn't our intention to send a message or answer questions, but if I had to give you an answer I guess it would be, life itself is a journey. And if you should find yourself in New York, recognize and appreciate its importance to your journey and all who came before you.Cooke: It has been seen by maybe one million people so far in festivals and on TV. We have had many wonderful reactions, I want the film to move people and show that all of our journeys have meaning and New York. Moments can change you forever. The film delivers a message of hope that New York still has a spiritual power and you can be fully realized on many different levels if you choose to call it HOME.TFPN: (To Cooke) Was your narration in the film based on any previous writings you've done, or was it written solely for the film?Cooke: The narration was based on my experiences and some writing I was working on. I just expanded it as I went along. As Dawn created pieces of film, I would write around them and vice verse. It was a very organic response in how the film was created. Being an actor helped because it meant I was able to create some truth in my voice and it was also part of how I shaped the words, looking for the realness in what I was trying to say. I learned a huge amount from the process and the audiences so far have reacted very strongly to my narration. They have said it’s like I’m bringing them on a journey…a personal journey on the streets.TFPN: What has been the reaction from people who have seen the film, particularly from immigrants?Scibilia: There’s a strong identification with the film. They've all made a point of telling me that they felt as though they had just seen themselves on the screen. So I'm happy to know I've done my job as a director. For me personally, the biggest compliment of all is when a New Yorker tells me that it completely captured the city for them, because that means we satisfied the most jaded audience members perhaps in the world! And since this is my home town, it meant a lot.Cooke: Some have been moved to tears. I believe we have caught the essence of the immigrant’s journey in New York, the strife, the self-belief, the challenges and the moments of real transformation. People from London, New York, San Francisco, Australia…have all responded in saying how poetic and how beautiful the piece is…it’s very endearing.TFPN: The film is being distributed in Ireland right now. How's that going? What has been the reaction from people there?Cooke: We have our first theatrical release in Ireland. I’m very excited. We have shown it on TV here and in some small one-off screenings. People have been very moved by my story. I am brining so much back home to them.TFPN: What are you both working on next?Scibilia: I'm polishing a screenplay I've just completed and hope to direct – a film noir set in NYC. I'm hoping to take it to the IFP Market this September.Cooke: I’m half way through a book about New York, an extension of the film and a more personal and expressionistic look at a series of moments I have had in the city. I hope maybe to make a film about my journey in Ireland sometime soon, and I am trying to audition again for the stage. That is my first love as a professional stage actor, but life can throw some funny roads at you! Originally posted on:The Film Panel Notetaker - Miss a panel discussion? Don't worry! We took notes for you. http://www.spout.com/groups/Friends_of_Foreign_Flicks/Re_Foreign_Gems/591/28010/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: gambrel83
Post To: Friends of Foreign Flicks
Post Date: 4/30/2008 1:06:08 PM
Body: I agree with the recommendation for The Terrorist. It's a great film, sort of along the lines of The Battle of Algiers, which I also recommend. Here are so more: Il Postino L'Auberge Espagnole Scenes from a Marriage - Watch the extended TV version, the acting by Ullman and the dialogue are amazing! The Return Wings of Desire
]]>Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:06:08 GMTgambrel83Friends of Foreign Flicks4/30/2008 1:06:08 PMI agree with the recommendation for The Terrorist. It's a great film, sort of along the lines of The Battle of Algiers, which I also recommend. Here are so more: Il Postino L'Auberge Espagnole Scenes from a Marriage - Watch the extended TV version, the acting by Ullman and the dialogue are amazing! The Return Wings of Desire http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/8/17/18302.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/17/2007 3:02:16 PM
Body: This week on The Media Diet, we check in with Andrew Grant and Aaron Hillis. Grant is the brain behind Filmbrain; Hillis is a freelance critic and reporter whose work can be found at Premiere, The Village Voice and his personal blog, Cinephiliac. Together, they’ve just launched Benten Films, a boutique DVD distribution company aimed at drawing attention to “overlooked gems that deserve greater recognition.” Benten’s first release, Joe Swanberg’s LOL, will hit stores on August 28 (more on that closer to the date). They’re also planning to release two films by Aaron Katz, Dance Party USA and Quiet City, sometime after both screen at The New Talkies festival in New York, which begins next week. SPOUT: We start each installment of The Media Diet with the old desert island question: you’re packing your suitcase for life-long seclusion on a tropical island that happens to have a full entertainment system. What records, books, movies, video games, websites, etc do you bring with? AARON: I’m a media whore, so this stream of consciousness might change in an hour: I’m watching Playtime, Once Upon a Time in the West, 2001, Wings of Desire, Suspiria, Penn & Teller Get Killed, and the collected works of Herzog, Buñuel, Altman, Godard, and the Marx Brothers. I’m listening to Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Zappa, James Kochalka Superstar, and the four actresses covering Blue Hearts songs in Linda Linda Linda. Also, if my island has internet and video games, who needs books? (Kidding!) ANDREW: I’ll try to keep this sensible, i.e., what I could reasonably carry in my backpack. The only book I’d need (the only book anybody needs for that matter) is William Gaddis’ The Recognitions, for it says everything there is to say about the human condition. I’d like to have every note recorded by John Coltrane, some Nick Drake, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, and that Scarlett Johansson album of Tom Waits covers. (No, I haven’t heard it, but, come on…) Films, of course, are tough—give me complete box sets of Godard, Allen, Cassavetes and Imamura. Throw in The Big Lebowski, Lawrence of Arabia, and Xanadu and I’m set. (more…) Originally posted on:Spoutblog
]]>Fri, 17 Aug 2007 19:02:16 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/17/2007 3:02:16 PMThis week on The Media Diet, we check in with Andrew Grant and Aaron Hillis. Grant is the brain behind Filmbrain; Hillis is a freelance critic and reporter whose work can be found at Premiere, The Village Voice and his personal blog, Cinephiliac. Together, they’ve just launched Benten Films, a boutique DVD distribution company aimed at drawing attention to “overlooked gems that deserve greater recognition.” Benten’s first release, Joe Swanberg’s LOL, will hit stores on August 28 (more on that closer to the date). They’re also planning to release two films by Aaron Katz, Dance Party USA and Quiet City, sometime after both screen at The New Talkies festival in New York, which begins next week. SPOUT: We start each installment of The Media Diet with the old desert island question: you’re packing your suitcase for life-long seclusion on a tropical island that happens to have a full entertainment system. What records, books, movies, video games, websites, etc do you bring with? AARON: I’m a media whore, so this stream of consciousness might change in an hour: I’m watching Playtime, Once Upon a Time in the West, 2001, Wings of Desire, Suspiria, Penn & Teller Get Killed, and the collected works of Herzog, Buñuel, Altman, Godard, and the Marx Brothers. I’m listening to Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Zappa, James Kochalka Superstar, and the four actresses covering Blue Hearts songs in Linda Linda Linda. Also, if my island has internet and video games, who needs books? (Kidding!) ANDREW: I’ll try to keep this sensible, i.e., what I could reasonably carry in my backpack. The only book I’d need (the only book anybody needs for that matter) is William Gaddis’ The Recognitions, for it says everything there is to say about the human condition. I’d like to have every note recorded by John Coltrane, some Nick Drake, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, and that Scarlett Johansson album of Tom Waits covers. (No, I haven’t heard it, but, come on…) Films, of course, are tough—give me complete box sets of Godard, Allen, Cassavetes and Imamura. Throw in The Big Lebowski, Lawrence of Arabia, and Xanadu and I’m set. (more…) Originally posted on:Spoutblog http://www.spout.com/groups/Directors/Re_Directors_who_have_yet_to_make_their_masterpie/406/16468/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Jymkata
Post To: Directors
Post Date: 7/26/2007 9:53:55 AM
Body: When I think of a Wes Anderson masterpiece I think of Bottle Rocket. I know it's a "small" film but I think it's a perfect little comedy. I love that movie! I think Soderberg is a good pick for this topic, he is very talented but nothing feels like a masterpiece to me. The Coens have had so many that are perfectly on-pitch in their own oddball way, but I don't think they will ever win over a mass audience enough to be universally claimed a masterpiece.I don't know why, but I really did not like Paris, Texas. It was so down-beat and slow and it just screamed indie movie and I didn't get the point. Wings of Desire was great though.
]]>Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:53:55 GMTJymkataDirectors7/26/2007 9:53:55 AMWhen I think of a Wes Anderson masterpiece I think of Bottle Rocket. I know it&#39;s a "small" film but I think it&#39;s a perfect little comedy. I love that movie! I think Soderberg is a good pick for this topic, he is very talented but nothing feels like a masterpiece to me. The Coens have had so many that are perfectly on-pitch in their own oddball way, but I don&#39;t think they will ever win over a mass audience enough to be universally claimed a masterpiece.I don&#39;t know why, but I really did not like Paris, Texas. It was so down-beat and slow and it just screamed indie movie and I didn&#39;t get the point. Wings of Desire was great though. http://www.spout.com/blogs/jlgdrd/archive/2007/7/2/12863.aspx Post By: jlgdrd
Post To: Wicked Fun
Post Date: 7/2/2007 4:08:00 PM
Body: Sleek, evanescent, shadowy, with a low-gloss platinum luster reminiscent of Wender's Wings of Desire, Kerry Conran's Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a grand ride, full of whiz-bang gimmickry and homage to the glory days of retro-Science Fiction. An attempt to refine, fulfill, and exceed the spirit of wonder and astonishment that permeated comic books, novels, and movies like The Day the Earth Stood Still, Flash Gordon, and Metropolis. Funny though, once you start making a list of Sky Captain's numerous visual allusions, it's hard to know where to stop — Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Star Wars, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and Veronica Voss — with its expressionist use of high relief, dusty sunlight, and columns of smoke. It's all tossed into the mix, with no attempt at concealment. And all things considered it works surprisingly well. Despite the borrowed structures of its milieu, there are no apparent seams. It has a look all its own. Many of the establishing or epiphany shots are stupendous, with a depth of field that is mesmerizing - rich, muted, elaborate backdrops you could gaze into forever. The film opens with the arrival of enigmatic German scientist Dr. Jenkins and the invasion of flying robots in New York City. Reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) acquires some mysterious vials in a rendezvous with Dr. Jenkins and seeks out her ex-boyfriend and fighter pilot, Joe Sullivan a.k.a. Sky Captain. Joe (Jude Law) is still pissed at Polly for sabotaging his plane in an act of jealousy, but she uses blueprints as leverage to secure a "sweetheart" deal. Equipped with souped-up flight transportation spiffier than the Mach-5, Joe and Polly set out on the trail of the nefarious Dr. Totenkopf. Along the way they are assisted by Jenkins, Joe's protégé, Dex (Giovanni Ribisi), and Captain "Franky" Cook (Angelina Jolie). Jolie is well cast, delivering the goods with wry gusto. Ribisi did not get top billing (a crime in my book) despite the fact he has more screen time than Jolie. His incredible talent often gets overlooked, because his subtlety doesn't pull him over the top. He lets the camera come to him. A film of this sort hinges on special effects and salient impact and when Sky Captain falters — when it lapses in judgment — the problems are with these aspects. There's an air-battle scene, pretty early in the film, where Joe (with Polly tagging along) returns to New York to subdue airships that resemble birds of prey. In the midst of this harrowing struggle, Polly nags and antagonizes Joe, in an attempt to heighten an already tense event and add some comic relief. It doesn't work. Which isn't to say it couldn't. For some reason, the rhythms are all wrong. This kind of sequence is like a symphony, balancing visual information with dialogue, sounds, music, and so on. When it doesn't hold together, the effect is discordant, queasy. Conran throws so much at us, we end up being distracted rather than consumed. Fortunately, as the film continues to unwind, he begins to find his balance.There's a certain degree of hokiness (part and parcel of this genre), an irresistible corniness that Conran makes no apologies for, making Sky Captain that much more giddy and gleeful. The gaps in logic, ominous musical cues, flying robots, and "Mysterious Woman" (dressed like a dominatrix seal with goggles) all seem perfectly acceptable, because it's consistent with the loopy tone. But the acting technique used by Law and Paltrow feels completely out of sync with the rest of the film. You can tell by the content the writing is funny, but there's no snap, no timing. Compare it to the work of Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tim Robbins in The Hudsucker Proxy. Or Loy And Powell in The Thin Man series. Law and Paltrow (or Conran) don't have the first clue about veiled romantic banter; they deliver it like they're doing Chekhov or Shaw. It may sound more natural, but it's inappropriate for the material. I want to give Kerry Conran credit for the women's roles in Sky Captain. To use the current terminology, there's a lot of empowerment built into the script. You can tell he's using Paltrow's looks in an ambiguous way - she's capable without losing her "damsel" appeal. But there's something else too, the use of makeup and Paltrow's semi-crooked mouth, that make her look almost boyish. Captain (Francesca) Cook and "The Mysterious Woman" (Bai Ling) deliver an even stronger message. Cook leads an all-female squadron with aplomb and Bai Ling is menacing and formidable. In a sense Conran is re-writing the sci-fi film genre, but it seems plausible. It gibes with the visionary nature of a dream of life in the future.
]]>Mon, 02 Jul 2007 20:08:00 GMTjlgdrdWicked Fun7/2/2007 4:08:00 PMSleek, evanescent, shadowy, with a low-gloss platinum luster reminiscent of Wender's Wings of Desire, Kerry Conran's Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a grand ride, full of whiz-bang gimmickry and homage to the glory days of retro-Science Fiction. An attempt to refine, fulfill, and exceed the spirit of wonder and astonishment that permeated comic books, novels, and movies like The Day the Earth Stood Still, Flash Gordon, and Metropolis. Funny though, once you start making a list of Sky Captain's numerous visual allusions, it's hard to know where to stop &mdash; Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Star Wars, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and Veronica Voss &mdash; with its expressionist use of high relief, dusty sunlight, and columns of smoke. It's all tossed into the mix, with no attempt at concealment. And all things considered it works surprisingly well. Despite the borrowed structures of its milieu, there are no apparent seams. It has a look all its own. Many of the establishing or epiphany shots are stupendous, with a depth of field that is mesmerizing - rich, muted, elaborate backdrops you could gaze into forever. The film opens with the arrival of enigmatic German scientist Dr. Jenkins and the invasion of flying robots in New York City. Reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) acquires some mysterious vials in a rendezvous with Dr. Jenkins and seeks out her ex-boyfriend and fighter pilot, Joe Sullivan a.k.a. Sky Captain. Joe (Jude Law) is still pissed at Polly for sabotaging his plane in an act of jealousy, but she uses blueprints as leverage to secure a "sweetheart" deal. Equipped with souped-up flight transportation spiffier than the Mach-5, Joe and Polly set out on the trail of the nefarious Dr. Totenkopf. Along the way they are assisted by Jenkins, Joe's prot&eacute;g&eacute;, Dex (Giovanni Ribisi), and Captain "Franky" Cook (Angelina Jolie). Jolie is well cast, delivering the goods with wry gusto. Ribisi did not get top billing (a crime in my book) despite the fact he has more screen time than Jolie. His incredible talent often gets overlooked, because his subtlety doesn't pull him over the top. He lets the camera come to him. A film of this sort hinges on special effects and salient impact and when Sky Captain falters &mdash; when it lapses in judgment &mdash; the problems are with these aspects. There's an air-battle scene, pretty early in the film, where Joe (with Polly tagging along) returns to New York to subdue airships that resemble birds of prey. In the midst of this harrowing struggle, Polly nags and antagonizes Joe, in an attempt to heighten an already tense event and add some comic relief. It doesn't work. Which isn't to say it couldn't. For some reason, the rhythms are all wrong. This kind of sequence is like a symphony, balancing visual information with dialogue, sounds, music, and so on. When it doesn't hold together, the effect is discordant, queasy. Conran throws so much at us, we end up being distracted rather than consumed. Fortunately, as the film continues to unwind, he begins to find his balance.There's a certain degree of hokiness (part and parcel of this genre), an irresistible corniness that Conran makes no apologies for, making Sky Captain that much more giddy and gleeful. The gaps in logic, ominous musical cues, flying robots, and "Mysterious Woman" (dressed like a dominatrix seal with goggles) all seem perfectly acceptable, because it's consistent with the loopy tone. But the acting technique used by Law and Paltrow feels completely out of sync with the rest of the film. You can tell by the content the writing is funny, but there's no snap, no timing. Compare it to the work of Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tim Robbins in The Hudsucker Proxy. Or Loy And Powell in The Thin Man series. Law and Paltrow (or Conran) don't have the first clue about veiled romantic banter; they deliver it like they're doing Chekhov or Shaw. It may sound more natural, but it's inappropriate for the material. I want to give Kerry Conran credit for the women's roles in Sky Captain. To use the current terminology, there's a lot of empowerment built into the script. You can tell he's using Paltrow's looks in an ambiguous way - she's capable without losing her "damsel" appeal. But there's something else too, the use of makeup and Paltrow's semi-crooked mouth, that make her look almost boyish. Captain (Francesca) Cook and "The Mysterious Woman" (Bai Ling) deliver an even stronger message. Cook leads an all-female squadron with aplomb and Bai Ling is menacing and formidable. In a sense Conran is re-writing the sci-fi film genre, but it seems plausible. It gibes with the visionary nature of a dream of life in the future. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_black_and_white_movies_made_after_1970/190/6030/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 3/4/2007 11:20:33 PM
Body: [quote user="BigJeffLebowski"]5. Lenny[/quote]Huh, I've never seen the movie Lenny. I'd heard of it but never even realized it was in black and white. Would you recommend really listening to some recordings of Lenny Bruce before actually seeing the movie to get prepared?[quote user="BigJeffLebowski"]No one really brings this up when they mention the film, but I think the monetary restraints on the original Clerks (black and white, stationary camera) give the film a certain security-camera feel that really helps the juxtaposition of the mundane and the outlandish, and is part of the reason Clerks is able to assimilate the two so well.[/quote]You say this is never brought up, but I thought I actually heard Smith himself claim that was the effect in mind even when he was shooting it. I could be mistaken though. I've definitely heard that security camera type of angle discussed before though.[quote user="BigJeffLebowski"]And shouldn't we have special mention for films that either spot-color or switch between black and white and color for more than simply flashbacks? For instance: Rumble Fish, American History X, Pleasantville, Memento, Wings of Desire, Zelig, The Notorious Bettie Page?[/quote]The movie If.... also switchs between color and black and white, and although it was commended by critics as some kind of artistic choice, it turns out it was merely due to their budget forcing them to swtich to black and white stock at a certain point in the shoot.
]]>Mon, 05 Mar 2007 04:20:33 GMTRisseladaTop 53/4/2007 11:20:33 PM[quote user="BigJeffLebowski"]5. Lenny[/quote]Huh, I&#39;ve never seen the movie Lenny. I&#39;d heard of it but never even realized it was in black and white. Would you recommend really listening to some recordings of Lenny Bruce before actually seeing the movie to get prepared?[quote user="BigJeffLebowski"]No one really brings this up when they mention the film, but I think the monetary restraints on the original Clerks (black and white, stationary camera) give the film a certain security-camera feel that really helps the juxtaposition of the mundane and the outlandish, and is part of the reason Clerks is able to assimilate the two so well.[/quote]You say this is never brought up, but I thought I actually heard Smith himself claim that was the effect in mind even when he was shooting it. I could be mistaken though. I&#39;ve definitely heard that security camera type of angle discussed before though.[quote user="BigJeffLebowski"]And shouldn&#39;t we have special mention for films that either spot-color or switch between black and white and color for more than simply flashbacks? For instance: Rumble Fish, American History X, Pleasantville, Memento, Wings of Desire, Zelig, The Notorious Bettie Page?[/quote]The movie If.... also switchs between color and black and white, and although it was commended by critics as some kind of artistic choice, it turns out it was merely due to their budget forcing them to swtich to black and white stock at a certain point in the shoot. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_black_and_white_movies_made_after_1970/190/6017/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: BigJeffLebowski
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 3/4/2007 1:35:04 PM
Body: Manhattan's my favorite film, so that's obviously going to have to be my number one. Beyond that, though, the question must be raised: how much can the mere aesthetics of the film affect our selections? There are some black and white films which are beautifully shot, but are not as good as a Jarmusch or Clerks. Trying to focus on the film itself, I'm going to have to say:1. Manhattan (and also Stardust Memories and Broadway Danny Rose by Allen)2.The Last Picture Show3. Raging Bull4. Pi5. LennyThese are all films which I think are superb upon their own merits, but the fact that they are in black and white adds a new dimension.No one really brings this up when they mention the film, but I think the monetary restraints on the original Clerks (black and white, stationary camera) give the film a certain security-camera feel that really helps the juxtaposition of the mundane and the outlandish, and is part of the reason Clerks is able to assimilate the two so well.I really agree with everyone who said Man Bites Dog, Ed Wood, Good Night and Good Luck, The Man Who Wasn't There, and the David Lynch films, but we are limited to five...And shouldn't we have special mention for films that either spot-color or switch between black and white and color for more than simply flashbacks? For instance: Rumble Fish, American History X, Pleasantville, Memento, Wings of Desire, Zelig, The Notorious Bettie Page?
]]>Sun, 04 Mar 2007 18:35:04 GMTBigJeffLebowskiTop 53/4/2007 1:35:04 PMManhattan&#39;s my favorite film, so that&#39;s obviously going to have to be my number one. Beyond that, though, the question must be raised: how much can the mere aesthetics of the film affect our selections? There are some black and white films which are beautifully shot, but are not as good as a Jarmusch or Clerks. Trying to focus on the film itself, I&#39;m going to have to say:1. Manhattan (and also Stardust Memories and Broadway Danny Rose by Allen)2.The Last Picture Show3. Raging Bull4. Pi5. LennyThese are all films which I think are superb upon their own merits, but the fact that they are in black and white adds a new dimension.No one really brings this up when they mention the film, but I think the monetary restraints on the original Clerks (black and white, stationary camera) give the film a certain security-camera feel that really helps the juxtaposition of the mundane and the outlandish, and is part of the reason Clerks is able to assimilate the two so well.I really agree with everyone who said Man Bites Dog, Ed Wood, Good Night and Good Luck, The Man Who Wasn&#39;t There, and the David Lynch films, but we are limited to five...And shouldn&#39;t we have special mention for films that either spot-color or switch between black and white and color for more than simply flashbacks? For instance: Rumble Fish, American History X, Pleasantville, Memento, Wings of Desire, Zelig, The Notorious Bettie Page? http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
Number of films tagged: 12478

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Number of films tagged: 5

Number of people who tagged: 10

Number of times used: 12

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