Filmmaking - The Most Professional Movie You Have Ever Seen

[David M. Leugers]

Mattias

I don't think Schindler's List is that great a film, but out of Spielberg's films it stands out in my mind because of the magnificent black and white images in widescreen. Also because of its unflinching look at brutality which was kind of new for an American film. I think it took some guts for him to release it in black and white, just wish more would do the same when appropriate. I think most movie fans are short changed by producers who think all films must be made in color.


David M. Leugers

[jean]

I admit, I like one thing in almost all american films - the professionality. There seems to be a consensus that hollywood produces crap, which sure depends on ones expectations in what a film should do or not do. And if art is expected, hollywood performs poorly. But I have seen only few hollywood movies that have been weak in terms of technique: lighting, cut, photography, dialogue or actors. Technically, they're mostly perfect.

On the other hand, german movies (i live in germany) suffer from technical shortcomings.. bad (read: flat) lighting (a shadow? help! more lights!!), horrible dialogues, bad sound and a noticeably small choice of actors, local starlets, mostly. And the attempt to imitate the hollywood productions with visibly lower ressorces (and the same artistical creativity, of course)

Das boot is a wonderful exception, as are the "Comedian Harmonists" or "Solino", a recent movie I recommend to anyone interested in german movies.

To add to the list of movies:

La dolce vita, Italy
Der blaue engel, Germany (talking about german movies )
Les enfants du paradis, France
Un chien andalou and L'age d'or, Spain (ah, Bunuel!)

All b/w and quite old, but I enjoy actual hollywood productions as well.

[Carlos 8mm]

Un chien andalou and L'age d'or, Spain (ah, Bunuel!)

Both films were made in collaboration with Salvador Dalí, but those films were produced in France.

My personal list:

Das kabinet des Doktor Calligari (1919, Germany)
The kid (1921, USA)
The battleship Potemkin (1925, USSR)
Entreact (1924, France)
The gold rush (1925, USA)
Un chien andalou (1928, France) (yeah, Me too)
Man With a Movie Camera (1929, USSR)
Los tres berretines (1933, Argentina)
Modern times (1936, USA)
Citizen Kane (1940, USA)
La guerra gaucha (1942, Argentina)
Ladri di biciclette (1948, Italy)
The third man (1949, UK)
La strada (1954, Italy)
La dolce vita (1959, Italy)
Lawrence of Araby (1962, USA)
La casa del ángel (1957, Argentina)
A hard day's night (1964, U.K. - USA)
Blow Up (1966, U.K)
Dance of the vampires (1967, U.K.)
La hora de los hornos (1968, Argentina, clandestine film)
The Exorcist (1973, USA)
Amarcord (1973, Italy)
Apocalypse now (1979, USA)
Midnight Express (1978, U.K.)
Das boot (1981, Germany)
La Historia Oficial (1984, Argentina)
Amadeus (1986, USA)
Platoon (1986, USA)
The last emperor (1987, U.K.-Italy)
Time of the gypsies (1987, Ex- Yugoeslavia)
Átame! (1990, Spain)
JFK (1991, USA)
El mariachi (1993, Mexico)
Pulp fiction (1993, USA)
Natural Born Killers (1994, USA)
Fresa y chocolate (1994, Cuba)
The piano lesson, (1995, USA)
Trainspotting ( 1996, U.K.)
Un crisantemo estalla en Cincoesquinas (1996, Argentina)
Run Lola run (1999, Germany)
Black cat, white cat (1999, France, Germany, Serbian Director)
La comunidad (2000, Spain)
Nueve Reinas (2000, Argentina)
Amores perros (2001, Mexico)
Cidade de Deus (2002, Brazil)

...and some more.

Carlos.

[mattias]

Das boot is a wonderful exception, as are the "Comedian Harmonists" or "Solino", a recent movie I recommend to anyone interested in german movies.

i thought "in den tag hinein" was great, technically as well as in most other aspects. one other german film that i thought was nicely put together, with great photography and acting, although i didn't like it much is "school trip", and one i did like but that looked horrible is "crazy". to me it seems like the underground filmmakers in germany are finally breaking through all the horrible comedies and police thriller crap. perhaps it's all because of tom tykwer and run lola, just as lukas moodysson liberated all swedish young filmmakers over one night with fucking åmål, i don't know. and i don't live in germany so i might be way off when it comes to the complete picture?

/matt

[Lucas Lightfeat]

On the subject of analysing American cinema, the thing that I dislike most about American cinema, (obviously dismissing the clearly commercial crap), is that in otherwise well written and made films, the Americans often lean too far into over-sentimentality. I thought of this because we were discussing Spielberg, and it made me think of his worst film yet, IMHO, A.I., which has the most vomit provoking ending I have ever seen in a film. Robin Williams, who I often admire, had a habit for many years, of turning on the waterworks at every possible opportunity, often ruining his films for me.

British films now fall into two genres, "good but miserable 'kitchen sink' drama" (Mike Liegh, Ken Loach, Gary Oldman, Tim Roth) and "terrible."

There are superb exceptions, like Dirty Pretty Things, Withnail and I, Trainspotting etc. but not nearly enough.

Every nation's cinema has it's own distinct genre strengths and it's obvious weaknesses, and USA is no exception, but overall they are a hugely important cinematic nation, I think.

Lucas

[mattias]

in otherwise well written and made films, the Americans often lean too far into over-sentimentality.

for sure. that and the desire to make sure every single person in the entire world "gets it" without having to use their brains. this is probably not a flaw in american movies only or in all american movies, but a result of having to get the money back after spedning such insane amounts in production. capitalism is usually a great thing but it should be held on a short leash in the art world imho...

/matt

[Lucas Lightfeat]

Perhaps it should be kept on a much shorter leash all around, Mattias.

I am amazed at your English, by the way Mattias. Extraordinary!

[Pedro]

I have a 360 m Super 8 print of "Das Boot". It is the last Super 8 print mad by Piccolo in the beginning 1980ies, in really great picture and sound quality, perhaps a direct optical print from the 35 mm negative (?), really impressive. If you find it at ebay, GET IT!
"Das Boot" had been produced mainly in the Bavaria Film Studios in Munich and the submarine models are a big visitor attraction even nowadays. You can walk thru the submarine and everything looks and smells like reality. If you ever happen do come to Munich, don´t miss to visit the Bavaria Studios and walk thru the boat, and perhaps also visit the Super 8 department, second hand shop and Beaulieu service shop located close to the submarine models on the other hand of the same road.
Pedro