Movies every film maker should see

S

skippyfetus

Carbonite Member
I'm sick of going to blockbuster and having to choose between crap and poop. I know there's lots of great movies I haven't seen yet, but I always draw a blank when I go to the video store. Let's make a list of movies that every film maker should watch at least once.

Of course there's Citizen Kane, which is a masterpeice. Personally, one of my all time favorite movies is Gummo by Harmony Korine.

Ok, now help me make a list for blockbuster...
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

John Carpenters THE THING - Watch and Study how Carpenter displays tension and claustrophobia amongst the paranoid.

TAXI DRIVER - Low budget Gritty and Real

EL MARIACHI - If he can do this then we can do this

Anything by Quentin Tarantino - Genius

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA - You could MUTE this and follow exactly what was going on; stunning visuals
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

Clerks--- again if he can...we can.

Boondock Saints--- first time writer director Troy Duffy.

Fight Club, Momento, and Requiem for a Dream...great ways of telling a modern age story.
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

Nice picks!

here is an interesting thought:

Compare El Mariachi to Desperado. You can see the growth.
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

[quote author=John Hudson link=board=movies;num=1093667155;start=0#1 date=08/27/04 at 22:06:26]John Carpenters THE THING - Watch and Study how Carpenter displays tension and claustrophobia amongst the paranoid.

TAXI DRIVER - Low budget Gritty and Real

EL MARIACHI - If he can do this then we can do this

Anything by Quentin Tarantino - Genius

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA - You could MUTE this and follow exactly what was going on; stunning visuals


[/quote]
Cool, I haven't seen The Thing and I haven't seen Lawrence of Arabia, but I've heard about it.

[quote author=Phil link=board=movies;num=1093667155;start=0#2 date=08/27/04 at 22:32:06]Clerks--- again if he can...we can.

Boondock Saints--- first time writer director Troy Duffy.

Fight Club, Momento, and Requiem for a Dream...great ways of telling a modern age story.[/quote]
Yup, seen all those great movies except for Boondock Saints... haven't even heard of that.

Here's one: The Apostle
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

[quote author=Tony_H link=board=movies;num=1093667155;start=0#4 date=08/27/04 at 22:51:16]
Cool, I haven't seen The Thing[/quote]

GASP! :o
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

[quote author=John Hudson link=board=movies;num=1093667155;start=0#5 date=08/27/04 at 22:55:07]

GASP! :o[/quote]

Yeah, but it's a shame watching Lawrence of Arabia on the small screen. At least watch it on a really big big screen.

As for other films:

  • Alien(s)
  • 2001 : a space odeyssey
  • Nosforatu (the original b&w silent Dracula)
  • the City of Lost Children
  • Blade Runner
  • Brazil
  • Unforgiven
  • Jeremiah Johnson
  • Metropolis
  • The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
  • Seven Samurai
  • Yojimbo
  • Indiana Jones (I & III, maybe II to see what not to do)
  • Classic silents (Chaplin's etc.. being able to entertain without sound is true film)
  • Jaws
  • Star Wars
  • Jeesh, it goes on and on and on....
  • Oh, mine one day! ;)
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

In addition to some of the greats already mentioned (Raiders, Unforgiven, Star Wars, Aliens, Citizen Kane):

Cabaret
Lenny
Annie Hall
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Slacker
Nashville
The Conversation
Walkabout
Singin' in the Rain
The Graduate
Duel
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Bicycle Thief
Toy Story 1 & 2
Groundhog Day
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

When I think of Hollywood movies, I think of movies that rely on special effects to carry a story instead of good old fashion acting and directing. Here are some of my fav's (non hollywood)

Shine
Pulp Fiction (Who would have thought that a quarter pounder with cheese
and a foot massage could be so entertaining)
The Hurricane
Fargo (Should have won the Oscar)
The Grifters
Antwone Fisher
Pay it Forward
Happy Texas
Mating Habits of the EarthBound Human
State & Main
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

Every film by:

Tarkovsky
Bresson
Tarr
Antonioni
Dreyer
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

Nobody's mentioned "The Shawshank Redemption" yet...

or
- Amadeus (simply brilliant)
- The Godfather I&II (though I guess that goes without saying?)
- Amelie (if not for the cute story, the gorgeous cinematography)
- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (classic Sergio)

I'll stop here :D
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

Great suggestions. I'll add:

Ikiru
Casablanca
The Elephant Man
The Player
The Matrix 1
Dr. Strangelove
A Clockwork Orange
Once Upon a Time in the West
Apocalypse Now
The Conversation
Wild Strawberries
American Beauty
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
GoodFellas
Mean Streets
Crumb

And all indie film makers should see:

American Movie (documentary, hilarious and oddly inspirational)
Living in Oblivion (Steve Buscemi as an indie director, 'nuff said!)
Bedhead (the Robert Rodriguez 9 minute short)
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

[quote author=PaulK link=board=movies;num=1093667155;start=0#11 date=08/28/04 at 11:25:25]Great suggestions. I'll add:



And all indie film makers should see:

American Movie (documentary, hilarious and oddly inspirational)
Living in Oblivion (Steve Buscemi as an indie director, 'nuff said!)
Bedhead (the Robert Rodriguez 9 minute short)



[/quote]


I saw "American Movie" when it came to the Ft. Lauderdale Film Festival. I have to agree, it had some funny parts to it, and they way the filmaker bilked his uncle out of the money to finance the film was interesting. After seeing this movie, I was shocked it won the Grand Jury prize for best Documentary at Sundance. Good for those guys, maybe he paid his uncle back.
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

Among many others I would like to add a lesser known film, but you might have heard of it or seen it at blockbuster:
LA HAINE, or Hate in English. Absolute brilliance.
-directed by Mattheiu Kassovitz
won best director at cannes 1995
and 3 caesar awards
has nothing but great reviews
Gritty black and white, realistic dialogue, great acting from new actors, perfect cinematography, perfect writing, gripping.
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

I think the Lord of the Rings films should be seen. They are technical masterpieces.
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

Y'know....I think I'd rather watch films that are closer to what I am capable of doing. Otherwise, what I see are things I can't do because of budget, equipment, (ahem) talent...

Watched Duel yesterday (as mentioned elsewhere). Shot in 13 days, minimal cast and effects. Gotta-make-it-work with-what-we-have technique.

Something like that, I could do.

Even something like Wender's Wings Of Desire, when all is said and done...and assuming I wake up tomorrow wiht more talent than I went to sleep with.

LOTR? Nuh-uhn. Adventures In Babysitting? Sure. No problem. Lawrence Of Arabia? Sheesh. Be much better off watching Time Rider.

Dan
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

I know what you mean, but I think it's definitely good to watch movies even if they have millions more dollars than I have right now. Creativity is creativity, and it doesn't hurt to see what other people *can* do with lots of money.
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

For some of the more obscure titles, could you mention why you think that an aspiring film makers should watch it.

Here's another: Julien Donkey Boy by Harmony Korine. Shot on a Canon XL1, it's very artistic and revolutionary. Besides being a great movie, it's inspirational like American Movie especially if you watch the behind the scenes stuff.
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

In America

A wonderful film. Speaks volumes of lo-budget and minimal resources.
 
Re: Movies every film maker should see

Have a look at these:

Beijing Bicycle (Chinese - brillant character driven story)
The Road Home (Chinese - beautiful cinematography)
J.S.A (Korean - a staple in Korean cinema)
City of God (Portuguese - great camerawork)
Lone Star (U.S.; dir. John Sayles - my favorite Sayles film)
The Straight Story (U.S.; dir. David Lynch - the best since 'The Elephant Man')

Low budget? One of the best foreign films done on low budget is a Japanese film called "After Life." Brought me to tears.

You should be able to find at least three of these films at your local Blockbuster outlet.
 
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