My favourite directors and their movies ranked
Only directors with, at least, two movies with 8s.
Exceptions: If the director already has one movie with +8, short movies will only need 7s (Iván Zulueta). There is no need for +8s movies if the director has at least five short movies rated +7 (Chuck Jones).
Exceptions: If the director already has one movie with +8, short movies will only need 7s (Iván Zulueta). There is no need for +8s movies if the director has at least five short movies rated +7 (Chuck Jones).
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John Ford came to Hollywood following one of his brothers, an actor. Asked what brought him to Hollywood, he replied "the train". He became one of the most respected directors in the business, in spite of being known for his westerns, which were not considered "serious" film. He won six Oscars, counting (he always did) the two that he won for his WWII documentary work. He had one wife; a son and daughter; and a grandson, Dan Ford who wrote a biography on his famous grandfather.1. The Quiet Man (1952)--> 12/10
2. The Searchers (1956)--> 12/10
3. The Long Gray Line (1955)--> 12/10
4. My Darling Clementine (1946)--> 11/10
5. How Green Was My Valley (1941)--> 11/10
6. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)--> 10/10
7. The Sun Shines Bright (1953)--> 10/10
8. Fort Apache (1948)--> 9/10
9. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)--> 9/10
10. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)--> 9/10
11. The Wings of Eagles (1957)--> 9/10
12. The Horse Soldiers (1959)--> 9/10
13. Stagecoach (1939)--> 9/10
14. 3 Bad Men (1926)--> 9/10
15. The Long Voyage Home (1940)--> 9/10
16. Sergeant Rutledge (1960)--> 8/10
17. Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)--> 8/10
18. Four Sons (1928)--> 8/10
19. Two Rode Together (1961)--> 8/10
20. Rio Grande (1950)--> 8/10
21. Judge Priest (1934)--> 8/10
22. They Were Expendable (1945)--> 8/10
23. Wagon Master (1950)--> 8/10
24. Steamboat Round the Bend (1935)--> 8/10
25. The World Moves On (1934)--> 8/10
26. The Informer (1935)--> 8/10
27. The Last Hurrah (1958)--> 8/10
28. 3 Godfathers (1948)--> 8/10
29. The Iron Horse (1924)--> 8/10
30. Pilgrimage (1933)--> 8/10
31. 7 Women (1966)--> 8/10
32. Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)--> 7/10
33. Gideon of Scotland Yard (1958)--> 7/10
34. The Plough and the Stars (1936)--> 7/10
35. Mogambo (1953)--> 7/10
36. The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936)--> 7/10
37. Cheyenne Autumn (1964)--> 7/10
38. Straight Shooting (1917)--> 7/10
39. Doctor Bull (1933)--> 7/10
40. The Rising of the Moon (1957)--> 7/10
41. Tobacco Road (1941)--> 7/10
42. The Whole Town's Talking (1935)--> 7/10
43. Just Pals (1920)--> 7/10
44. The Lost Patrol (1934)--> 7/10
45. Kentucky Pride (1925)--> 7/10
46. The Hurricane (1937)--> 7/10
47. Donovan's Reef (1963)--> 7/10
48. Arrowsmith (1931)--> 7/10
49. The Fugitive (1947)--> 6/10
50. Air Mail (1932)--> 6/10
51. When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950)--> 6/10
52. How to Operate Behind Enemy Lines (1943)--> 6/10
53. Wagon Train: The Colter Craven Story (1960)--> 6/10
54. Hangman's House (1928)--> 6/10
55. Screen Directors Playhouse: Rookie of the Year (1955)--> 6/10
56. Men Without Women (1930)--> 6/10
57. The Battle of Midway (1942)--> 6/10
58. The Shamrock Handicap (1926)--> 6/10
59. Submarine Patrol (1938)--> 6/10
60. Flesh (1932)--> 6/10
61. Bucking Broadway (1917)--> 6/10
62. Up the River (1930)--> 6/10
63. Mister Roberts (1955)--> 6/10
64. What Price Glory (1952)--> 6/10
65. Wee Willie Winkie (1937)--> 5/10
66. Upstream (1927)--> 5/10
67. Seas Beneath (1931)--> 5/10
68. It's Your America (1946)--> 5/10
69. Hell Bent (1918)--> 5/10
70. December 7th (1943)--> 5/10
71. Riley the Cop (1928)--> 5/10
72. Born Reckless (1930)--> 5/10
73. The Last Outlaw (1919)--> 5/10
74. Mary of Scotland (1936)--> 5/10
75. The Village Blacksmith (1922)--> 5/10
76. Mother Machree (1927)--> 5/10
77. Alcoa Premiere: Flashing Spikes (1962)--> 5/10
78. Four Men and a Prayer (1938)--> 5/10
79. By Indian Post (1919)--> 4/10
80. The Brat (1931)--> 4/10
81. Chesty: A Tribute to a Legend (1976)--> 4/10
82. The Black Watch (1929)--> 4/10
83. North of Hudson Bay (1923)--> 4/10
84. Salute (1929)--> 4/10
85. Sex Hygiene (1942)--> 4/10
86. A Gun Fightin' Gentleman (1919)--> 4/10
87. Lightnin' (1925)--> 3/10
88. The Blue Eagle (1926)--> 3/10
89. The Growler Story (1958)--> 3/10
90. Torpedo Squadron (1942)--> 3/10
91. Cameo Kirby (1923)--> 3/10
92. This Is Korea! (1951)--> 2/10
93. German Industrial Manpower (1943)--> 2/10- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Jean-Luc Godard was born in Paris on December 3, 1930, the second of four children in a bourgeois Franco-Swiss family. His father was a doctor who owned a private clinic, and his mother came from a preeminent family of Swiss bankers. During World War II Godard became a naturalized citizen of Switzerland and attended school in Nyons, Switzerland. His parents divorced in 1948, at which time he returned to Paris to attend the Lycée Rohmer. In 1949 he studied at the Sorbonne to prepare for a degree in ethnology. However, it was during this time that he began attending with François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette, and Éric Rohmer.
In 1950 Godard, with Rivette and Rohmer, founded "Gazette du cinéma", which published five issues between May and November. He wrote a number of articles for the journal, often using the pseudonym "Hans Lucas". After Godard worked on and financed two films by Rivette and Rohmer, Godard's family cut off their financial support in 1951, and he resorted to a Bohemian lifestyle that included stealing food and money when necessary. In January 1952 he began writing film criticism for "Les cahiers du cinéma". Later that year he traveled to North and South America with his father and attempted to make his first film (of which only a tracking shot from a car was ever accomplished).
In 1953 he returned to Paris briefly before securing a job as a construction worker on a dam project in Switzerland. With the money from the job, he made a short film in 1954 about the building of the dam called Operation Concrete (1958). Later that year his mother was killed in a motor scooter accident in Switzerland. In 1956 Godard began writing again for "Les cahiers du cinéma" as well as for the journal "Arts". In 1957 Godard worked as the press attache for "Artistes Associés", and made his first French film, All Boys Are Called Patrick (1959).
In 1958 he shot Charlotte and Her Boyfriend (1958), his homage to Jean Cocteau. Later that year he took unused footage of a flood in Paris shot by Truffaut and edited it into a film called A Story of Water (1961), which was an homage to Mack Sennett. In 1959 he worked with Truffaut on the weekly publication "Temps de Paris". Godard wrote a gossip column for the journal, but also spent much time writing scenarios for films and a body of critical writings which placed him firmly in the forefront of the "nouvelle vague" aesthetic, precursing the French New Wave.
It was also in that year Godard began work on Breathless (1960). In 1960 he married Anna Karina in Switzerland. In April and May he shot The Little Soldier (1963) in Geneva and was preparing the film for a fall release in Paris. However, French censors banned it due to its references to the Algerian war, and it was not shown until 1963. In March 1960 Breathless (1960) premiered in Paris. It was hugely successful both with the film critics and at the box office, and became a landmark film in the French New Wave with its references to American cinema, its jagged editing and overall romantic/cinephilia approach to filmmaking. The film propelled the popularity of male lead Jean-Paul Belmondo with European audiences.
In 1961 Godard shot A Woman Is a Woman (1961), his first film using color widescreen stock. Later that year he participated in the collective effort to remake the film The Seven Deadly Sins (1962), which was heralded as an important project in artistic collaboration. In 1962 Godard shot Vivre sa vie (1962) in Paris, his first commercial success since "Breathless". Later that year he shot a segment entitled "Le Nouveau Monde" for the collective film Ro.Go.Pa.G. (1963), another important work in the history of collaborative multiple-authored art.
In 1963 Godard completed a film in homage to Jean Vigo entitled The Carabineers (1963), which was a resounding failure with the public and stirred furious controversy with film critics. Also that year he worked on a couple of collective films: The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers (1964) (from which Godard's sequence was later cut) and Six in Paris (1965). In 1964 Godard and his wife Anna Karina formed their own production company, Anouchka Films. They shot a film called A Married Woman (1964), which censors forced them to re-edit due to a topless sunbathing scene shot by Jacques Rozier. The censors also made Godard change the title to "Une femme marié" so as to not give the impression that this "scandalous" woman was the typical French wife. Later in the year, two French television programs were produced in devotion to Godard's work.
In the spring of 1965 Godard shot Alphaville (1965) in Paris; in the summer he shot Pierrot the Fool (1965) in Paris and the south of France. Shortly thereafter he and Anna Karina separated. Following their divorce, Godard shot Made in U.S.A (1966), "Deux ou trois choses que je sais d'elle (1966)", "L'amour en l'an 2000" (1966) (a sequel to "Alphaville" shot as a sketch for the collective film "L'amour travers les ages" (1966)).
In 1967 Godard shot The Chinese (1967) in Paris with Anne Wiazemsky, who was the granddaughter of French novelist François Mauriac. During the making of the film Godard and Wiazemsky were married in Paris. Later in the year he was prevented from traveling to North Vietnam for the shooting of a sequence for the collective film Far from Vietnam (1967). He instead shot the sequence in Paris, entitled "Camera-Oeil". Also during 1967 Godard participated (as the only Frenchman) on an Italian collective film called Love and Anger (1969).
In 1968 Godard was commissioned by French television to make Joy of Learning (1969). However, television producers were so outraged by the product Godard produced that they refused to show it. In May of that year Henri Langlois was fired by the head of the French Jean-Pierre Gorin to form the Dziga-Vertov group, infuriating Godard. He became increasingly concerned with socialist solutions to an idealist cinema, especially in providing the proletariat with the means of production and distribution. Along with other militantly political filmmakers in the Dziga-Vertov group, Godard published a series of 'Ciné-Tracts' outlining these viewpoints. In the summer of 1968 Godard traveled to New York City and Berkeley, California, to shoot the film "One American Movie", which was never completed. In September he made a trip to Canada to start another film called "Communication(s)", which also went unfinished, and then made a visit to Cuba before returning to France.
In 1969 Godard traveled to England, where he made the film See You at Mao (1970) for BBC Weekend Television, but the network later refused to show it. In the late spring he traveled with the Dziga-Vertov group to Prague to secretly shoot the film "Pravda". Later that year he shot Lotte in Italia (1971) ("Struggle for Italy") for Italian television. It was never shown, either.
In 1970 Godard traveled to Lebanon to shoot a film for the Palestinian Liberation Organization entitled "Jusque à la victoire" (1970) ("Until Victory"). Later that year he traveled to dozens of American universities trying to raise money for the film. In spite of his efforts, it was never released.1. Le Mépris (1963)--> 12/10
2. Histoire(s) du Cinéma (1988-1999)--> 11/10
3. Pierrot le Fou (1965)--> 11/10
4. Vivre sa Vie: Film en Douze Tableaux (1962)--> 10/10
5. Éloge de l'Amour (2001)--> 9/10
6. Je vous Salue, Marie (1985)--> 9/10
7. JLG/JLG - Autoportrait de Décembre (1994)--> 9/10
8. À Bout de Souffle (1960)--> 9/10
9. Le Livre d'Image (2018)--> 9/10
10. Passion (1982)--> 9/10
11. Sauve Qui Peut (La Vie) (1980)--> 8/10
12. Alphaville, une Étrange Aventure de Lemmy Caution (1965)--> 8/10
13. La Chinoise (1967)--> 8/10
14. Prénom Carmen (1983)--> 8/10
15. Bande à Part (1964)--> 8/10
16. Allemagne 90 Neuf Zéro (1991)--> 8/10
17. Notre Musique (2004)--> 8/10
18. Tout Va Bien (1972)--> 8/10
19. Ici et Ailleurs (1976)--> 8/10
20. Je Vous Salue, Sarajevo (1993)--> 8/10
21. Adieu au Langage (2014)--> 8/10
22. Hélas pour Moi (1993)--> 8/10
23. Nouvelle Vague (1990)--> 8/10
24. Numéro Deux (1975)--> 8/10
25. De l'Origine du XXIe Siècle (2000)--> 8/10
26. Film Socialisme (2010)--> 8/10
27. Soigne ta Droite (1987)--> 8/10
28. Masculin Féminin (1966)--> 8/10
29. Le Petit Soldat (1963)--> 8/10
30. Dans le Noir du Temps (2002)--> 8/10
31. Une Femme Mariée: Suite de Fragments d'un Film Tourné en 1964 (1964)--> 7/10
32. Puissance de la Parole (1988)--> 7/10
33. Grandeur et Décadence d'un Petit Commerce de Cinéma (1986)--> 7/10
34. For Ever Mozart (1996)--> 7/10
35. The Old Place (2000)--> 7/10
36. Détective (1985)--> 7/10
37. Le Gai Savoir (1969)--> 7/10
38. Lotte in Italia (1971)--> 7/10
39. Moments Choisis des Histoire(s) du Cinéma (2004)--> 7/10
40. France/Tour/Detour/Deux/Enfants (1977)--> 7/10
41. Le Rapport Darty (1989)--> 7/10
42. Le Vent d'Est (1970)--> 7/10
43. 2 ou 3 Choses que Je Sais d'elle (1967)--> 7/10
44. Soft and Hard (1985)--> 7/10
45. Six Fois Deux/Sur et Sous la Communication (1976)--> 7/10
46. Weekend (1967)--> 7/10
47. Scénario du Film 'Passion' (1982)--> 7/10
48. Liberté et Patrie (2002)--> 7/10
49. Une Femme est une Femme (1961)--> 7/10
50. King Lear (1987)--> 7/10
51. Lettre à Freddy Buache (1982)--> 7/10
52. Made in U.S.A. (1966)--> 6/10
53. Sympathy for the Devil (1968)--> 6/10
54. Anticipation, ou l'amour en l'an 2000 (1967)--> 6/10
55. British Sounds (1970)--> 6/10
56. 3x3D: Les Trois Désastres (2013)--> 6/10
57. Deux Fois 50 Ans de Cinéma Français (1995)--> 6/10
58. Vladimir et Rosa (1971)--> 6/10
59. Tribute to Éric Rohmer (2010)--> 6/10
60. Petites Notes à Propos du Film 'Je vous salue, Marie' (1983)--> 6/10
61. Pravda (1970)--> 6/10
62. Film Annonce du Film qui n'Existéra Jamais: 'Drôles de guerres' (2023)--> 6/10
63. Comment Ça Va? (1976)--> 6/10
64. Khan Khanne (2014)--> 6/10
65. Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still (1972)--> 6/10
66. Le Monde Comme Il ne Va Pas (1996)--> 6/10
67. Quelques Remarques Sur la Réalisation et la Production du Film 'Sauve Qui Peut (La Vie)' (1979)--> 6/10
68. Vrai Faux Passeport (2006)--> 6/10
69. Meetin' WA (1986)--> 6/10
70. Charlotte et Véronique, ou Tous les Garçons s'appellent Patrick (1959)--> 5/10
71. L'Enfance de l'Art (1992)--> 5/10
72. Un Film Comme les Autres (1968)--> 5/10
73. Les Carabiniers (1963)--> 5/10
74. Le Dernier Mot (1988)--> 5/10
75. Une Histoire d'eau (1961)--> 5/10
76. Une Bonne à Tout Faire (1981)--> 5/10
77. Paris vu par: Montparnasse-Levallois (1965)--> 5/10
78. Prières pour Refusniks (2004)--> 5/10
79. Les Enfants Jouent à la Russie (1993)--> 5/10
80. 1 P.M. (1971)--> 5/10
81. Une Catastrophe (2008)--> 4/10
82. Reportage Amateur Maquette Expo (2006)--> 4/10
83. Charlotte et son Jules (1960)--> 4/10
84. Plus Oh! (1996)--> 4/10
85. Changer d'Image - Lettre à la Bien-Aimée (1982)--> 4/10
86. Bande-annonce de 'Mouchette' (1967)--> 4/10
87. On s'est Tous Défilé (1988)--> 4/10
88. Closed Jeans (1987)--> 4/10
89. Faut pas Rêver (1977)--> 4/10
90. Remerciements de Jean-Luc Godard à son Prix d'Honneur du Cinéma Suisse (2015)--> 4/10
91. Une Femme Coquette (1955)--> 3/10
92. Metamorphojean (1990)--> 3/10
93. Passion, le Travail et l'Amour: Introduction à un Scénario, ou Troisième État du Scénario du Film Passion (1982)--> 3/10
94. Bande-annonce de la 22ème Édition du Festival International du Film Focumentaire de Jihlava (2018)--> 3/10
95. Film-Tract n° 1968 (1968)--> 3/10
96. Adieu au TNS (1998)--> 3/10
97. Closed (1988)--> 3/10
98. Opération 'Béton' (1958)--> 2/10
99. Shick After Shave (1971)--> 2/10- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Born in precisely the kind of small-town American setting so familiar from his films, David Lynch spent his childhood being shunted from one state to another as his research scientist father kept getting relocated. He attended various art schools, married Peggy Lynch and then fathered future director Jennifer Lynch shortly after he turned 21. That experience, plus attending art school in a particularly violent and run-down area of Philadelphia, inspired Eraserhead (1977), a film that he began in the early 1970s (after a couple of shorts) and which he would work on obsessively for five years. The final film was initially judged to be almost unreleasable weird, but thanks to the efforts of distributor Ben Barenholtz, it secured a cult following and enabled Lynch to make his first mainstream film (in an unlikely alliance with Mel Brooks), though The Elephant Man (1980) was shot through with his unique sensibility. Its enormous critical and commercial success led to Dune (1984), a hugely expensive commercial disaster, but Lynch redeemed himself with the now classic Blue Velvet (1986), his most personal and original work since his debut. He subsequently won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival with the dark, violent road movie Wild at Heart (1990), and achieved a huge cult following with his surreal TV series Twin Peaks (1990), which he adapted for the big screen, though his comedy series On the Air (1992) was less successful. He also draws comic strips and has devised multimedia stage events with regular composer Angelo Badalamenti. He had a much-publicized affair with Isabella Rossellini in the late 1980s.1. Mulholland Drive (2001)--> 12/10
2. Lost Highway (1997)--> 12/10
3. Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)--> 11/10
4. Twin Peaks (1990-1991)--> 11/10
5. INLAND EMPIRE (2006)--> 10/10
6. Blue Velvet (1986)--> 9/10
7. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)--> 9/10
8. The Straight Story (1999)--> 9/10
9. Eraserhead (1977)--> 9/10
10. The Elephant Man (1980)--> 8/10
11. Twin Peaks: International Pilot (1989)--> 8/10
12. Rabbits (2002)--> 8/10
13. More Things That Happened (2007)--> 8/10
14. Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces (2014)--> 8/10
15. Wild at Heart (1990)--> 7/10
16. Hotel Room (1993)--> 7/10
17. Darkened Room (2002)--> 7/10
18. The Grandmother (1970)--> 7/10
19. Lady Blue Shanghai (2010)--> 7/10
20. Absurda (2007)--> 7/10
21. The Alphabet (1968)--> 6/10
22. What Did Jack Do? (2017)--> 6/10
23. Georgia Coffee: Twin Peaks (1993)--> 6/10
24. Fire (PoZar) (2015)--> 6/10
25. Premonition Following an Evil Deed (1995)--> 6/10
26. Eraserhead Stories (2001)--> 6/10
27. Meditation, Creativity, Peace (2012)--> 6/10
28. DumbLand (2002)--> 5/10
29. Boat (2007)--> 5/10
30. David Lynch Cooks Quinoa (2007)--> 5/10
31. Dune (1984)--> 5/10
32. We Care About New York (1991)--> 5/10
33. The Story of a Small Bug (2020)--> 5/10
34. David Lynch's Comic-Con Message (2017)--> 5/10
35. Room to Dream: Tools for the Independent Filmmaker (2005)--> 5/10
36. Playstation 2: The Third Place (2000)--> 5/10
37. Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted (1990)--> 5/10
38. Early Experiments 16 mm (1968)--> 5/10
39. Calvin Klein: Obssession (1990)--> 5/10
40. Dream #7 (2010)--> 5/10
41. Hollyshorts Greeting (2008)--> 5/10
42. Adidas: The Wall (1993)--> 4/10
43. Les Français vus par: The Cowboy and the Frenchman (1988)--> 4/10
44. Six Men Getting Sick (1966)--> 4/10
45. Blue Green (2007)--> 4/10
46. David Lynch Signature Cup Coffee (2011)--> 4/10
47. On the Air (1992)--> 4/10
48. The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed (2002)--> 4/10
49. The 3 Rs (2011)--> 4/10
50. Twin Peaks Festival Greeting (2008)--> 4/10
51. Duran Duran: Unstaged (2014)--> 4/10
52. Out Yonder (Teeth) (2007)--> 4/10
53. Ficticious Anacin Commercial (1967)--> 3/10
54. Ballerina (2007)--> 3/10
55. Intervalometer Experiments (2004)--> 3/10
56. Sailing with Bushnell Keeler (1967)--> 3/10
57. Bug Crawls (2008)--> 3/10
58. Lamp (2003)--> 3/10
59. Absurd Encounter with Fear (1967)--> 3/10
60. Ant Head (2018)--> 3/10
61. The Adventures of Alan R. (2020)--> 3/10
62. Working with Marilyn Manson (2007)--> 3/10
63. Sunset (2001)--> 3/10
64. Out Yonder (Neighbor Boy) (2007)--> 3/10
65. Laura Palmer (2002)--> 3/10
66. Idem Paris (2013)--> 3/10
67. Out Yonder (Chicken) (2007)--> 3/10
68. The Amputee (1974)--> 2/10
69. Barilla: Cafè (1993)--> 2/10
70. Dead Mouse with Ants (2002)--> 2/10
71. Memory Film (2012)--> 2/10
72. Industrial Soundscape (2008)--> 2/10
73. Bees (2002)--> 2/10
74. How Was Your Day Honey? (2020)--> 2/10
75. Coyote (2002)--> 2/10
76. The Pig Walks (2002)--> 1/10
77. Factory Mask (2002)--> 1/10
78. Head with Hammer (2001)--> 1/10
79. Pierre and Sonny Jim (2001)--> 1/10- Writer
- Director
- Additional Crew
Tokyo-born Yasujiro Ozu was a movie buff from childhood, often playing hooky from school in order to see Hollywood movies in his local theatre. In 1923 he landed a job as a camera assistant at Shochiku Studios in Tokyo. Three years later, he was made an assistant director and directed his first film the next year, Zange no yaiba (1927). Ozu made thirty-five silent films, and a trilogy of youth comedies with serious overtones he turned out in the late 1920s and early 1930s placed him in the front ranks of Japanese directors. He made his first sound film in 1936, The Only Son (1936), but was drafted into the Japanese Army the next year, being posted to China for two years and then to Singapore when World War II started. Shortly before the war ended he was captured by British forces and spent six months in a P.O.W. facility. At war's end he went back to Shochiku, and his experiences during the war resulted in his making more serious, thoughtful films at a much slower pace than he had previously. His most famous film, Tokyo Story (1953), is generally considered by critics and film buffs alike to be his "masterpiece" and is regarded by many as not only one of Ozu's best films but one of the best films ever made. He also turned out such classics of Japanese film as The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice (1952), Floating Weeds (1959) and An Autumn Afternoon (1962).
Ozu, who never married and lived with his mother all his life, died of cancer in 1963, two years after she passed.1. Tôkyô Monogatari (1953)--> 12/10
2. Banshun (1949)--> 10/10
3. Sanma no Aji (1962)--> 10/10
4. Bakushû (1951)--> 9/10
5. Ukikusa (1959)--> 9/10
6. Tôkyô Boshoku (1957)--> 9/10
7. Ohayô (1959)--> 9/10
8. Higanbana (1958)--> 9/10
9. Akibiyori (1960)--> 8/10
10. Kohayagawa-ke no Aki (1961)--> 8/10
11. Chichi Ariki (1942)--> 8/10
12. Ochazuke no Aji (1952)--> 8/10
13. Hitori Musuko (1936)--> 8/10
14. Sôshun (1956)--> 8/10
15. Nagaya Shinshiroku (1947)--> 8/10
16. Otona no Miru Ehon - Umarete wa Mita Keredo (1932)--> 8/10
17. Ukikusa Monogatari (1934)--> 7/10
18. Munekata Kyôdai (1950)--> 7/10
19. Tôkyô no Yado (1935)--> 7/10
20. Toda-ke no Kyôdai (1941)--> 7/10
21. Tôkyô no Onna (1933)--> 7/10
22. Kaze no Naka no Mendori (1948)--> 7/10
23. Hijôsen no Onna (1933)--> 7/10
24. Seishun no Yume ima Izuko (1932)--> 7/10
25. Tôkyô no Kôrasu (1931)--> 7/10
26. Sono yo no Tsuma (1930)--> 7/10
27. Hogaraka ni Ayume (1930)--> 6/10
28. Dekigokoro (1933)--> 6/10
29. Shukujo wa Nani o Wasureta ka (1937)--> 6/10
30. Rakudai wa shitakeredo (1930)--> 6/10
31. Haha wo Kowazuya (1934)--> 6/10
32. Gakusei Romansu: Wakaki Hi (1929)--> 6/10
33. Shukujo to Hige (1931)--> 5/10
34. Tokkan Kozô (1929)--> 5/10
35. Daigaku wa Detakeredo (1929)--> 5/10
36. Wasei Kenka Tomodachi (1929)--> 4/10
37. Kagamijishi (1936)--> 4/10- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Admirers have always had difficulty explaining Éric Rohmer's "Je ne sais quoi." Part of the challenge stems from the fact that, despite his place in French Nouvelle Vague (i.e., New Wave), his work is unlike that of his colleagues. While this may be due to the auteur's unwillingness to conform, some have argued convincingly that, in truth, he has remained more faithful to the original ideals of the movement than have his peers. Additionally, plot is not his foremost concern. It is the thoughts and emotions of his characters that are essential to Rohmer, and, just as one's own states of being are hard to define, so is the internal life of his art. Thus, rather than speaking of it in specific terms, fans often use such modifiers as "subtle," "witty," "delicious" and "enigmatic." In an interview with Dennis Hopper, Quentin Tarantino echoed what nearly every aficionado has uttered: "You have to see one of [his movies], and if you kind of like that one, then you should see his other ones, but you need to see one to see if you like it."
Detractors have no problem in expressing their displeasure. They use such phrases as "tedious like a classroom play," "arty and tiresome" and "donnishly talky." Gene Hackman, as jaded detective Harry Moseby in Night Moves (1975), delivered a now famous line that sums up these feelings: "I saw a Rohmer film once. It was kind of like watching paint dry." Undeniably, his excruciatingly slow pace and apathetic, self-absorbed characters are hallmarks, and, at times, even his greatest supporters have made trenchant remarks in this regard. Said critic Pauline Kael, "Seriocomic triviality has become Rohmer's specialty. His sensibility would be easier to take if he'd stop directing to a metronome." In that his proponents will quote attacks on him, indeed Rohmer may be alone among directors. They revel in the fact that "nothing of consequence" happens in his pictures. They are mesmerized by the dense blocks of high-brow chatter. They delight in the predictability of his aesthetic. Above all, however, they are touched by the honesty of a man who, uncompromisingly, lays bear the human soul and "life as such."
Who is Eric Rohmer? Born Jean-Marie Maurice Scherer on December 1, 1920 in Nancy, a small city in Lorraine, he relocated to Paris and became a literature teacher and newspaper reporter. In 1946, under the pen name Gilbert Cordier, he published his only novel, "Elizabeth". Soon after, his interest began to shift toward criticism, and he began frequenting Cinémathèque Français (founded by archivist Henri Langlois) along with soon-to-be New Wavers Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol and François Truffaut. It was at this time that he adopted his pseudonym, an amalgam of the names of actor/director Erich von Stroheim and novelist Sax Rohmer (author of the Fu Manchu series.) His first film, Journal d'un scélérat (1950), was shot the same year that he founded "Gazette du Cinema" along with Godard and Rivette. The next year, Rohmer joined seminal critic André Bazin at "Cahiers du Cinema", where he served as editor-in-chief from 1956 to 1963. As Cahiers was an influential publication, it not only gave him a platform from which to preach New Wave philosophy, but it enabled him to propose revisionist ideas on Hollywood. An example of the latter was "Hitchcock, The First Forty-Four Films", a book on which he collaborated with Chabrol that spoke of Alfred Hitchcock in highly favorable terms.
Rohmer's early forays into direction met with limited success. By 1958, he had completed five shorts, but his sole attempt at feature length, a version of La Comtesse de Ségur's "Les Petites filles modèles", was left unfinished. With Sign of the Lion (1962), he made his feature debut, although it was a decade before he achieved recognition. In the interim, he turned out eleven projects, including three of his "Six contes moraux" (i.e., moral tales), films devoted to examining the inner states of people in the throes of temptation. The Bakery Girl of Monceau (1963) and Suzanne's Career (1963) are unremarkable black-and-white pictures that best function as blueprints for his later output. They also mark the beginning of a business partnership with Barbet Schroeder, who starred in the former of the two. The Collector (1967), his first major effort in color, has been mistaken for a Lolita movie; on a deeper plane, it questions the manner in which one collects or rejects experience. Rohmer's first "hit" was My Night at Maud's (1969), which was nominated for two Oscars and won several international awards. It continues to be his best-known work. In it, on the eve of a proclaiming his love to Francoise, his future wife, the narrator spends a night with a pretty divorcée named Maud. Along with a friend, the two have a discussion on life, religion and Pascal's wager (i.e., the necessity of risking all on the only bet that can win.) Left alone with the sensual Maud, the narrator is forced to test his principles. The final parts in the series, Claire's Knee (1970) and Love in the Afternoon (1972) are mid-life crisis tales that cleverly reiterate the notion of self-restraint as the path to salvation.
"Comedies et Proverbs," Rohmer's second cycle, deals with deception. The Aviator's Wife (1981) is the story a naïve student who suspects his girlfriend of infidelity. In stalking her ex-lover and ultimately confronting her, we discover the levels on which he is deceiving himself. Another masterpiece is Pauline at the Beach (1983), a seaside film about adolescents' coming-of-age and the childish antics of their adult chaperones. Of the remaining installments, The Green Ray (1986) and Boyfriends and Girlfriends (1987) are the most appealing. The director's last series is known as "Contes des quatre saisons" (i.e., Tales of the Four Seasons), which too presents the dysfunctional relationships of eccentrics. In place of the social games of "Comedies et Proverbs", though, this cycle explores the lives of the emotionally isolated. A Tale of Springtime (1990) and A Tale of Winter (1992) are the more inventive pieces, the latter revisiting Ma Nuit chez Maud's "wager." Just as his oeuvre retraces itself thematically, Rohmer populates it with actors who appear and reappear in unusual ways. The final tale, Autumn Tale (1998), brings together his favorite actresses, Marie Rivière and Béatrice Romand. Like "hiver," it hearkens back to a prior project, A Good Marriage (1982), in examining Romand's quest to find a husband.
Since 1976, Rohmer has made various non-serial releases. Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle (1987) and Rendez-vous in Paris (1995), both composed of vignettes, are tongue-in-cheek morality plays that merit little attention. The lush costume drama The Marquise of O (1976), in contrast, is an excellent study of the absurd formalities of 18th century aristocracy and was recognized with the Grand Prize of the Jury at Cannes. His other period pieces, regrettably, have not been as successful. Perceval le Gallois (1978), while original, is a failed experiment in stagy Arthurian storytelling, and the beautifully dull The Lady and the Duke (2001) is equally unsatisfying for most fans of his oeuvre. Nonetheless, the director has demonstrated incredible consistency, and that he was able to deliver a picture of this caliber so late in his career is astounding. The legacy that this man has bestowed upon us rivals that of any auteur, with arguably as many as ten tours de force over the last four decades. Why, then, is he the least honored among the ranks of the Nouvelle Vague and among all cinematic geniuses?
Stories of Rohmer's idiosyncrasies abound. An ardent environmentalist, he has never driven a car and refuses to ride in taxis. There is no telephone in his home. He delayed the production of Ma Nuit chez Maud for a year, insisting that certain scenes could only be shot on Christmas night. Once, he requested a musical score that could be played at levels inaudible to viewers. He refers to himself as "commercial," yet his movies turn slim profits playing the art house circuit. Normally, these are kinds of anecdotes that would endear a one with the cognoscenti. His most revealing quirk, however, is that he declines interviews and shuns the spotlight. Where Hitchcock, for instance, was always ready to talk shop, Rohmer has let his films speak for themselves. He is not worried about WHAT people think of them but THAT, indeed, they think.
It would be dangerous to supplant the aforementioned "je ne sais quoi" with words. Without demystifying Rohmer's cinema, still there are broad qualities to which one may point. First, it is marked by philosophical and artistic integrity. Long before Krzysztof Kieslowski, Rohmer came up with the concept of the film cycle, and this has permitted him to build on his own work in a unique manner. A devout Catholic, he is interested in the resisting of temptation, and what does not occur in his pieces is just as intriguing as what occurs. Apropos to the mention of his spirituality is his fascination with the interplay between destiny and free will. Some choice is always central to his stories. Yet, while his narrative is devoid of conventionally dramatic events, he shows a fondness for coincidence bordering on the supernatural. In order to maintain verisimilitude, then, he employs more "long shots" and a simpler, more natural editing process than his contemporaries. He makes infrequent use of music and foley, focusing instead on the sounds of voices. Of these voices, where his narrators are male (and it is ostensibly their subjective experience to which we are privy), his women are more intelligent and complex than his men. Finally, albeit deeply contemplative, Rohmer's work is rarely conclusive. Refreshingly un-Hollywood, rather than providing an escape from reality, it compels us to face the world in which we live.1. Le Rayon Vert (1986)--> 10/10
2. Ma Nuit Chez Maud (1969)--> 10/10
3. L'Ami de mon Amie (1987)--> 9/10
4. La Femme de l'Aviateur (1981)--> 9/10
5. Pauline à la Plage (1983)--> 9/10
6. Conte d'Automne (1998)--> 9/10
7. Le Genou de Claire (1970)--> 9/10
8. Conte d'Été (1996)--> 9/10
9. 4 Aventures de Reinette et Mirabelle (1987)--> 9/10
10. L'Amour, l'Après-midi (1972)--> 9/10
11. Conte d'Hiver (1992)--> 8/10
12. Les Rendez-Vous de Paris (1995)--> 8/10
13. Le Beau Mariage (1982)--> 8/10
14. La Collectionneuse (1967)--> 8/10
15. Les Nuits de la Pleine Lune (1984)--> 8/10
16. Die Marquise von O... (1976)--> 8/10
17. L'Arbre, le Maire et la Médiathèque (1993)--> 7/10
18. Conte de Printemps (1990)--> 7/10
19. Louis Lumière (1968)--> 7/10
20. Les Amours d'Astrée et de Céladon (2007)--> 7/10
21. La Boulangère de Monceau (1963)--> 7/10
22. La Carrière de Suzanne (1963)--> 7/10
23. Triple Agent (2004)--> 6/10
24. Le Signe du Lion (1962)--> 6/10
25. Cinéastes de Notre Temps: Carl Th. Dreyer (1965)--> 6/10
26. L'Anglaise et le Duc (2001)--> 6/10
27. Nadja à Paris (1964)--> 6/10
28. La Sonate à Kreutzer (1956)--> 6/10
29. Perceval le Gallois (1978)--> 6/10
30. L'Ère Industrielle: Métamorphoses du Paysage (1964)--> 6/10
31. Paris vu par: Place de l'Étoile (1965)--> 5/10
32. Bérénice (1954)--> 5/10
33. Véronique et Son Cancre (1958)--> 5/10
34. Fermière à Montfaucon (1967)--> 5/10
35. Une Étudiante d'Aujourd'hui (1966)--> 5/10
36. Mallarmé (1968)--> 5/10
37. Entretien sur Pascal (1965)--> 5/10
38. Présentation ou Charlotte et Son Steak (1960)--> 4/10
39. Perceval ou Le conte du Graal (1965)--> 4/10
40. Les Cabinets de Physique au XVIIIème Siècle (1964)--> 3/10
41. Bois ton Café (1986)--> 2/10- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Manoel de Oliveira was born on 11 December 1908 in Oporto, Portugal. He was a director and writer, known for The Cannibals (1988), I'm Going Home (2001) and Christopher Columbus, the Enigma (2007). He was married to Maria Isabel Brandão de Meneses de Almeida Carvalhais. He died on 2 April 2015 in Oporto, Portugal.1. Amor de Perdição (1978)--> 11/10
2. Vale Abraão (1993)--> 10/10
3. Francisca (1981)--> 9/10
4. O Estranho Caso de Angélica (2010)--> 9/10
5. O Passado e o Presente (1972)--> 9/10
6. Um Filme Falado (2003)--> 9/10
7. Benilde ou a Virgem Mãe (1975)--> 9/10
8. Viagem ao Princípio do Mundo (1997)--> 9/10
9. La Lettre (1999)--> 9/10
10. O Convento (1995)--> 8/10
11. 'Non', ou A Vã Glória de Mandar (1990)--> 8/10
12. Acto da Primavera (1963)--> 8/10
13. Inquietude (1998)--> 8/10
14. Aniki-Bóbó (1942)--> 8/10
15. O Dia do Desespero (1992)--> 8/10
16. Os Canibais (1988)--> 8/10
17. O Princípio da Incerteza (2002)--> 8/10
18. O Pão (1959)--> 7/10
19. Porto da Minha Infância (2001)--> 7/10
20. Je Rentre à la Maison (2001)--> 7/10
21. Palavra e Utopia (2000)--> 7/10
22. Douro, Faina Fluvial (1931)--> 7/10
23. A Divina Comédia (1991)--> 7/10
24. Mon Cas (1986)--> 7/10
25. A Caça (1964)--> 7/10
26. Party (1996)--> 7/10
27. O Pintor e a Cidade (1956)--> 6/10
28. Famalicão (1941)--> 6/10
29. A Caixa (1994)--> 6/10
30. Le Soulier de Satin (1985)--> 6/10
31. Nice - À Propos de Jean Vigo (1983)--> 5/10
32. As Pinturas do Meu Irmão Júlio (1965)--> 4/10- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born in Leytonstone, Essex, England. He was the son of Emma Jane (Whelan; 1863 - 1942) and East End greengrocer William Hitchcock (1862 - 1914). His parents were both of half English and half Irish ancestry. He had two older siblings, William Hitchcock (born 1890) and Eileen Hitchcock (born 1892). Raised as a strict Catholic and attending Saint Ignatius College, a school run by Jesuits, Hitch had very much of a regular upbringing. His first job outside of the family business was in 1915 as an estimator for the Henley Telegraph and Cable Company. His interest in movies began at around this time, frequently visiting the cinema and reading US trade journals.
Hitchcock entering the film industry in 1919 as a title card designer. It was there that he met Alma Reville, though they never really spoke to each other. It was only after the director for Always Tell Your Wife (1923) fell ill and Hitchcock was named director to complete the film that he and Reville began to collaborate. Hitchcock had his first real crack at directing a film, start to finish, in 1923 when he was hired to direct the film Number 13 (1922), though the production wasn't completed due to the studio's closure (he later remade it as a sound film). Hitchcock didn't give up then. He directed The Pleasure Garden (1925), a British/German production, which was very popular. Hitchcock made his first trademark film in 1927, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927) . In the same year, on the 2nd of December, Hitchcock married Alma Reville. They had one child, Patricia Hitchcock who was born on July 7th, 1928. His success followed when he made a number of films in Britain such as The Lady Vanishes (1938) and Jamaica Inn (1939), some of which also gained him fame in the USA.
In 1940, the Hitchcock family moved to Hollywood, where the producer David O. Selznick had hired him to direct an adaptation of 'Daphne du Maurier''s Rebecca (1940). After Saboteur (1942), as his fame as a director grew, film companies began to refer to his films as 'Alfred Hitchcock's', for example Alfred Hitcock's Psycho (1960), Alfred Hitchcock's Family Plot (1976), Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy (1972).
Hitchcock was a master of pure cinema who almost never failed to reconcile aesthetics with the demands of the box-office.
During the making of Frenzy (1972), Hitchcock's wife Alma suffered a paralyzing stroke which made her unable to walk very well. On March 7, 1979, Hitchcock was awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award, where he said: "I beg permission to mention by name only four people who have given me the most affection, appreciation, and encouragement, and constant collaboration. The first of the four is a film editor, the second is a scriptwriter, the third is the mother of my daughter Pat, and the fourth is as fine a cook as ever performed miracles in a domestic kitchen and their names are Alma Reville." By this time, he was ill with angina and his kidneys had already started to fail. He had started to write a screenplay with Ernest Lehman called The Short Night but he fired Lehman and hired young writer David Freeman to rewrite the script. Due to Hitchcock's failing health the film was never made, but Freeman published the script after Hitchcock's death. In late 1979, Hitchcock was knighted, making him Sir Alfred Hitchcock. On the 29th April 1980, 9:17AM, he died peacefully in his sleep due to renal failure. His funeral was held in the Church of Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. Father Thomas Sullivan led the service with over 600 people attended the service, among them were Mel Brooks (director of High Anxiety (1977), a comedy tribute to Hitchcock and his films), Louis Jourdan, Karl Malden, Tippi Hedren, Janet Leigh and François Truffaut.1. Vertigo (1958)--> 12/10
2. North by Northwest (1959)--> 11/10
3. Psycho (1960)--> 10/10
4. Notorious (1946)--> 9/10
5. Rear Window (1954)--> 9/10
6. The Birds (1963)--> 9/10
7. Frenzy (1972)--> 9/10
8. Rope (1948)--> 9/10
9. Dial M for Murder (1954)--> 8/10
10. Marnie (1964)--> 8/10
11. Rebecca (1940)--> 8/10
12. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)--> 8/10
13. Under Capricorn (1949)--> 8/10
14. Strangers on a Train (1951)--> 8/10
15. Topaz (1969)--> 8/10
16. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)--> 8/10
17. Suspicion (1941)--> 8/10
18. The Wrong Man (1956)--> 8/10
19. The 39 Steps (1935)--> 7/10
20. Spellbound (1945)--> 7/10
21. The Lady Vanishes (1938)--> 7/10
22. Lifeboat (1944)--> 7/10
23. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Breakdown (1955)--> 7/10
24. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Bang! You're Dead (1961)--> 7/10
25. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Crystal Trench (1959)--> 7/10
26. The Trouble with Harry (1955)--> 7/10
27. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: One More Mile to Go (1957)--> 7/10
28. Foreign Correspondent (1940)--> 7/10
29. The Lodger (1927)--> 7/10
30. Family Plot (1976)--> 7/10
31. Sabotage (1936)--> 7/10
32. Suspicion: Four O'Clock (1957)--> 7/10
33. I Confess (1953)--> 7/10
34. To Catch a Thief (1955)--> 7/10
35. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Lamb to the Slaughter (1958)--> 7/10
36. Blackmail (1929)--> 6/10
37. Stage Fright (1950)--> 6/10
38. Torn Curtain (1966)--> 6/10
39. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Case of Mr. Pelham (1955)--> 6/10
40. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)--> 6/10
41. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Dip in the Pool (1958)--> 6/10
42. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Poison (1958)--> 6/10
43. Saboteur (1942)--> 6/10
44. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat (1960)--> 6/10
45. Young and Innocent (1937)--> 6/10
46. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Perfect Crime (1957)--> 6/10
47. Secret Agent (1936)--> 6/10
48. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Back for Christmas (1956)--> 6/10
49. Murder! (1930)--> 6/10
50. The Alfred Hitchcock Hour: I Saw the Whole Thing (1962)--> 6/10
51. The Paradine Case (1947)--> 6/10
52. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Horse Player (1961)--> 6/10
53. Downhill (1927)--> 6/10
54. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Arthur (1959)--> 5/10
55. Bon Voyage (1944)--> 5/10
56. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Banquo's Chair (1959)--> 5/10
57. Jamaica Inn (1939)--> 5/10
58. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Revenge (1955)--> 5/10
59. Rich and Strange (1931)--> 5/10
60. The Manxman (1929)--> 5/10
61. The Skin Game (1931)--> 5/10
62. The Ring (1927)--> 5/10
63. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Wet Saturday (1956)--> 5/10
64. Sound Test for Blackmail (1929)--> 5/10
65. Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941)--> 4/10
66. Easy Virtue (1928)--> 4/10
67. Aventure Malgache (1944)--> 4/10
68. Waltzes from Vienna (1934)--> 4/10
69. Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Mr. Blanchard's Secret (1956)--> 4/10
70. Champagne (1928)--> 4/10
71. The Farmer's Wife (1928)--> 3/10
72. Startime: Incident at a Corner (1960)--> 3/10
73. The Pleasure Garden (1925)--> 3/10
74. Mary (1931)--> 3/10
75. Numer Seventeen (1932)--> 3/10
76. The Fighting Generation (1944)--> 2/10
77. Juno & the Paycock (1930)--> 2/10- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Ernst Ingmar Bergman was born July 14, 1918, the son of a priest. The film and T.V. series, The Best Intentions (1992) is biographical and shows the early marriage of his parents. The film Sunday's Children (1992) depicts a bicycle journey with his father. In the miniseries Private Confessions (1996) is the trilogy closed. Here, as in 'Den Goda Viljan' Pernilla August play his mother. Note that all three movies are not always full true biographical stories. He began his career early with a puppet theatre which he, his sister and their friends played with. But he was the manager. Strictly professional he begun writing in 1941. He had written a play called 'Kaspers död' (A.K.A. 'Kaspers Death') which was produced the same year. It became his entrance into the movie business as Stina Bergman (not a close relative), from the company S.F. (Swedish Filmindustry), had seen the play and thought that there must be some dramatic talent in young Ingmar. His first job was to save other more famous writers' poor scripts. Under one of that script-saving works he remembered that he had written a novel about his last year as a student. He took the novel, did the save-poor-script job first, then wrote a screenplay on his own novel. When he went back to S.F., he delivered two scripts rather than one. The script was Torment (1944) and was the fist Bergman screenplay that was put into film (by Alf Sjöberg). It was also in that movie Bergman did his first professional film-director job. Because Alf Sjöberg was busy, Bergman got the order to shoot the last sequence of the film. Ingmar Bergman is the father of Daniel Bergman, director, and Mats Bergman, actor at the Swedish Royal Dramatic Theater. Ingmar Bergman was also C.E.O. of the same theatre between 1963-1966, where he hired almost every professional actor in Sweden. In 1976 he had a famous tax problem. Bergman had trusted other people to advise him on his finances, but it turned out to be very bad advice. Bergman had to leave the country immediately, and so he went to Germany. A few years later he returned to Sweden and made his last theatrical film Fanny and Alexander (1982). In later life he retired from movie directing, but still wrote scripts for film and T.V. and directed plays at the Swedish Royal Dramatic Theatre for many years. He died peacefully in his sleep on July 30, 2007.1. Persona (1966)--> 12/10
2. Smultronstället (1957)--> 10/10
3. Viskningar och Rop (1972)--> 10/10
4. Fanny och Alexander (1982)--> 9/10
5. Nattvardsgästerna (1963)--> 9/10
6. Scener ur ett Äktenskap (1973)--> 9/10
7. Vargtimmen (1968)--> 9/10
8. Det Sjunde Inseglet (1957)--> 9/10
9. Tystnaden (1963)--> 8/10
10. Sommaren med Monika (1953)--> 8/10
11. Höstsonaten (1978)--> 8/10
12. Aus dem Leben der Marionetten (1980)--> 8/10
13. Såsom i en Spegel (1961)--> 8/10
14. Skammen (1968)--> 8/10
15. Saraband (2003)--> 8/10
16. En Passion (1969)--> 8/10
17. Ansiktet (1958)--> 7/10
18. Jungfrukällan (1960)--> 7/10
19. Fängelse (1949)--> 7/10
20. Ansikte mot Ansikte (1976)--> 7/10
21. Sommarlek (1951)--> 7/10
22. Trollföjten (1975)--> 7/10
23. Sommarnattens Leende (1955)--> 7/10
24. Nära Livet (1958)--> 6/10
25. Das Schlangenei (1977)--> 6/10
26. Gycklarnas Afton (1953)--> 6/10
27. Fårödokument 1969 (1970)--> 6/10
28. Till Glädje (1950)--> 6/10
29. Riten (1969)--> 6/10
30. Skepp Till India Land (1947)--> 6/10
31. Kvinnodröm (1955)--> 6/10
32. Ett Drömspel (1963)--> 6/10
33. En Lektion i Kärlek (1954)--> 6/10
34. Kris (1946)--> 5/10
35. Beröningen (1971)--> 5/10
36. Hamnstad (1948)--> 5/10
37. De Fördömda Kvinnornas Dans (1976)--> 5/10
38. Djävulen Öga (1960)--> 5/10
39. Oväder (1960)--> 5/10
40. Kvinnors Väntan (1952)--> 5/10
41. Det Regnar på vår Kärlek (1946) --> 5/10
42. Herr Sleeman Kommer (1957)--> 5/10
43. Fårö-dokument 1979 (1979)--> 5/10
44. Musik i Mörker (1948)--> 4/10
45. Törst (1949)--> 4/10
46. Rabies (1958)--> 4/10
47. För att inte tala om alla om alla dessa Kvinnor (1964)--> 3/10
48. Venetianskan (1958)--> 3/10
49. Sånt Händer inte Här (1950)--> 2/10- Writer
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Bresson trained as a painter before moving into films as a screenwriter, making a short film (atypically a comedy), Public Affairs (1934) in 1934. After spending more than a year as a German POW during World War II, he made his debut with Angels of Sin (1943) in 1943. His next film, The Ladies of the Bois de Boulogne (1945) would be the last time he would work with professional actors. From Journal d'un cure de campagne (1951) (aka "Diary of a Country Priest") onwards, he created a unique minimalist style in which all but the barest essentials are omitted from the film (often, crucial details are only given in the soundtrack), with the actors (he calls them "models") giving deliberately flat, expressionless performances. It's a demanding and difficult, intensely personal style, which means that his films never achieved great popularity (it was rare for him to make more than one film every five years), but he has a fanatical following among critics, who rate him as one of the greatest artists in the history of the cinema. He retired in the 1980s, after failing to raise the money for a long-planned adaptation of the Book of Genesis.1. Un Condamné à Mort s'est Échappé ou Le Vent Souffle où Il Veut (1956)--> 12/10
2. Au Hasard Balthazar (1966)--> 10/10
3. Pickpocket (1959)--> 10/10
4. L'Argent (1983)--> 9/10
5. Mouchette (1967)--> 9/10
6. Le Diable Probablement (1977)--> 9/10
7. Quatre Nuits d'un Rêveur (1971)--> 9/10
8. Procès de Jeanne d'Arc (1962)--> 8/10
9. Journal d'un Curé de Campagne (1951)--> 8/10
10. Lancelot du Lac (1974)--> 8/10
11. Une Femme Douce (1969)--> 8/10
12. Les Anges du Péché (1943)--> 7/10
13. Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne (1945)--> 7/10
14. Les Affaires Publiques (1934)--> 3/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Fritz Lang was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1890. His father managed a construction company. His mother, Pauline Schlesinger, was Jewish but converted to Catholicism when Lang was ten. After high school, he enrolled briefly at the Technische Hochschule Wien and then started to train as a painter. From 1910 to 1914, he traveled in Europe, and he would later claim, also in Asia and North Africa. He studied painting in Paris from 1913-14. At the start of World War I, he returned to Vienna, enlisting in the army in January 1915. Severely wounded in June 1916, he wrote some scenarios for films while convalescing. In early 1918, he was sent home shell-shocked and acted briefly in Viennese theater before accepting a job as a writer at Erich Pommer's production company in Berlin, Decla. In Berlin, Lang worked briefly as a writer and then as a director, at Ufa and then for Nero-Film, owned by the American Seymour Nebenzal. In 1920, he began a relationship with actress and writer Thea von Harbou (1889-1954), who wrote with him the scripts for his most celebrated films: Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler (1922), Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (1924), Metropolis (1927) and M (1931) (credited to von Harbou alone). They married in 1922 and divorced in 1933. In that year, Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels offered Lang the job of head of the German Cinema Institute. Lang--who was an anti-Nazi mainly because of his Catholic background--did not accept the position (it was later offered to and accepted by filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl) and, after secretly sending most of his money out of the country, fled Germany to Paris. After about a year in Paris, Lang moved to the United States in mid-1934, initially under contract to MGM. Over the next 20 years, he directed numerous American films. In the 1950s, in part because the film industry was in economic decline and also because of Lang's long-standing reputation for being difficult with, and abusive to, actors, he found it increasingly hard to get work. At the end of the 1950s, he traveled to Germany and made what turned out to be his final three films there, none of which were well received.
In 1964, nearly blind, he was chosen to be president of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. He was an avid collector of primitive art and habitually wore a monocle, an affectation he picked up during his early days in Vienna. After his divorce from von Harbou, he had relationships with many other women, but from about 1931 to his death in 1976, he was close to Lily Latte, who helped him in many ways.1. Der Tiger von Eschnapur (1959)--> 10/10
2. Das Indische Grabmal (1959)--> 10/10
3. You Only Live Once (1937)--> 9/10
4. Scarlet Street (1945)--> 9/10
5. The Big Heat (1953)--> 9/10
6. The Woman in the Window (1944)--> 9/10
7. While the City Sleeps (1956)--> 9/10
8. Metropolis (1927)--> 9/10
9. Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (1924)--> 9/10
10. Human Desire (1954)--> 8/10
11. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956)--> 8/10
12. M (1931)--> 8/10
13. Moonfleet (1955)--> 8/10
13. Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (1922)--> 8/10
15. Ministry of Fear (1944)--> 8/10
16. Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (1933)--> 8/10
17. Hangmen Also Die! (1943)--> 8/10
18. Die Nibelungen: Kriemhilds Rache (1924)--> 8/10
19. Der Müde Tod (1921)--> 8/10
20. Rancho Notorious (1952)--> 8/10
21. Man Hunt (1941)--> 8/10
22. Fury (1936)--> 7/10
23. Spione (1928)--> 7/10
24. Cloak and Dagger (1946)--> 7/10
25. Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse (1960)--> 7/10
26. Clash by Night (1952)--> 7/10
27. Frau im Mond (1929)--> 7/10
28. House by the River (1950)--> 7/10
29. The Blue Gardenia (1953)--> 7/10
30. You and Me (1938)--> 7/10
31. Secret Beyond the Door... (1947)--> 7/10
32. The Return of Frank James (1940)--> 7/10
33. Western Union (1941)--> 6/10
34. American Guerrilla in the Philippines (1950)--> 6/10
35. Die Spinnen, 2. Teil - Das Brillantenschiff (1920)--> 6/10
36. Liliom (1934)--> 6/10
37. Die Spinnen, 1. Teil - Der Goldene See (1919)--> 6/10
38. Das Wandernde Bild (1920)--> 5/10
39. Harakiri (1919)--> 5/10
40. Vier um die Frau (1921)--> 4/10- Additional Crew
- Writer
- Director
The most famous Soviet film-maker since Sergei Eisenstein, Andrei Tarkovsky (the son of noted poet Arseniy Tarkovsky) studied music and Arabic in Moscow before enrolling in the Soviet film school VGIK. He shot to international attention with his first feature, Ivan's Childhood (1962), which won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival. This resulted in high expectations for his second feature Andrei Rublev (1966), which was banned by the Soviet authorities for two years. It was shown at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival at four o'clock in the morning on the last day, in order to prevent it from winning a prize - but it won one nonetheless, and was eventually distributed abroad partly to enable the authorities to save face. Solaris (1972), had an easier ride, being acclaimed by many in Europe and North America as the Soviet answer to Kubrick's '2001' (though Tarkovsky himself was never too fond of his own film nor Kubrick's), but he ran into official trouble again with Mirror (1975), a dense, personal web of autobiographical memories with a radically innovative plot structure. Stalker (1979) had to be completely reshot on a dramatically reduced budget after an accident in the laboratory destroyed the first version, and after Nostalghia (1983), shot in Italy (with official approval), Tarkovsky defected to Europe. His last film, The Sacrifice (1986) was shot in Sweden with many of Ingmar Bergman's regular collaborators, and won an almost unprecedented four prizes at the Cannes Film Festival. He died of lung cancer at the end of the year. Two years later link=Sergei Parajanov dedicated his film Ashik Kerib to Tarkovsky.1. Offret (1986)--> 12/10
2. Stalker (1979)--> 11/10
3. Nostalghia (1983)--> 10/10
4. Zerkalo (1975)--> 9/10
5. Solyaris (1972)--> 9/10
6. Andrey Rublev (1966)--> 9/10
7. Ivanovo Detstvo (1962)--> 8/10
8. Katok i Skripka (1961)--> 7/10
9. Tempo di Viaggio (1983)--> 6/10
10. Segodnya Uvolneniya ne Budet (1959)--> 5/10
11. Ubiytsy (1956)--> 5/10- Writer
- Director
- Editor
Together with Fellini, Bergman and Kurosawa, Michelangelo Antonioni is credited with defining the modern art film. And yet Antonioni's cinema is also recognized today for defying any easy categorization, with his films ultimately seeming to belong to their own distinctive genre. Indeed, the difficulty of precisely describing their category is itself the very quintessence of Antonioni's films. Among the most-cited contributions of Antonioni's cinema are their striking descriptions of that unique strain of post-boom ennui everywhere apparent in the transformed life and leisure habits of the Italian middle and upper classes. Detecting profound technological, political and psychological shifts at work in post-WWII Italy, Antonioni set out to explore the ambiguities of a suddenly alienated and dislocated Italy, not simply through his oblique style of narrative and characters, nor through any overt political messaging, but instead by tearing asunder the traditional boundaries of cinematic narrative in order to explore an ever shifting internal landscape expressed through architecture, urban space and the sculptural, shaping presence of objects, shapes and emotions invented by camera movement and depth of focus.
Antonioni deftly manipulates the quieter, indirect edges of cinematic structure, often so discretely that his existential puzzles are felt before they can be intellectualized. The negative space is as prominent as the positive, silence as loud as noise, absence as palpable as presence, and passivity as driving a force as direct action. Transgressing unspoken cinematic laws, Antonioni frequently focuses on female protagonists while refusing to sentimentalize or morally judge his characters and placing them on equal footing with the other elements within his total dynamic system, like sounds or set pieces. And he violates spoken rules with unconventional cutting techniques, fractured spatial and temporal continuity, and a camera that insistently lingers in melancholy pauses, long after the actors depart, as if drifting just behind an equally distracted, dissipating narrative. Leaving questions unanswered and plot points irresolute, dispensing with exposition, suspense, sentimentality and other cinematic security blankets, Antonioni releases the viewer into a gorgeous, densely layered fog to contemplate and wrestle with his characters' imprecise quandaries and endless possibilities. Culminating in tour de force endings that often reframe the narrative in a daring, parting act of deconstruction, Antonioni's rigorously formal, yet open compositions allow his great, unwieldy questions to spill over into the world outside the cinema and outside of time.
Born into a middle-class family in the northern Italian town of Ferrara, Antonioni studied economics at the University of Bologna where he also co-founded the university's theatrical troupe. While dedicating himself to painting, writing film reviews, working in financial positions and in different capacities on film productions, Antonioni suffered a few false starts before expressing his unique directorial vision and voice in his first realized short film, Gente del Po, a moving portrait of fisherman in the misty Po Valley where he was raised. Uncomfortable with the neo-realist thrust of Italian cinema, Antonioni directed a series of eccentric and oblique documentary shorts that, in retrospect, reveal his desire to investigate the psyche's mysterious interiors. In his first fictional feature, Story of a Love Affair, Antonioni immediately subtly challenged traditional plot and audience expectation in ways that anticipate the formal and emotional expressionist dynamic that would fully flower within the groundbreaking L'Avventura (1960).
Reversing its raucous 1960 premiere to an infuriated Cannes audience, L'Avventura was rapturously lauded by fellow artists and filmmakers and awarded a special Jury Prize "for its remarkable contribution toward the search for a new cinematic language." It also presented the controlled ambivalence of Monica Vitti, who would become his partner, muse and psychological constant throughout his famed trilogy of L'Avventura, La Notte (1961) and L'Eclisse (1962) in addition to the exquisite Red Desert (1964), a film that marked another significant shift toward expressive color, male leads and working with soft focus and faster cuts. After the phenomenal commercial success of the MGM-produced Blow-Up (1966), Antonioni was devastated by the anti-climactic box office disaster of Zabriskie Point (1970) and returned to documentary. Invited to make Chung Kuo China by the Chinese government, Antonioni delivered a mesmerizing yet unsentimental four-hour tour of China which was vehemently rejected by its solicitors. A few years later, Antonioni returned to fictional form in his last masterpiece, The Passenger (1975), an enigmatic fable of vaporous identity that offers a bold companion piece to L'Avventura. Aside from the thematically retrospective Identification of a Woman (1982) and a period film made for television, The Mystery of Oberwald (1980) in which he conducted unusual experiments with color and video, Antonioni closed out his career with mostly short films, many of which were made after he suffered a stroke in 1985.
Tremendously influential yet largely taken for granted, Antonioni made difficult, abstract cinema mainstream. Embracing an anarchic geometry, Antonioni turned the architecture of narrative filmmaking inside-out in the most eloquent way possible, with many of his iconic scenes eternally preserved in the depths of the cinema's psyche. Observing modern maladies without judgment - sexism, dissolution of family and tradition, ecological/technological quandaries and the eternal questions of our place in the cosmos - Antonioni's prescience continues to resonate deeply as we find our way in the quickly moving fog.1. La Notte (1961)--> 11/10
2. L'Eclisse (1962)--> 10/10
3. L'Avventura (1960)--> 10/10
4. Professione: Reporter (1975)--> 9/10
5. Blow-Up (1966)--> 9/10
6. Il Deserto Rosso (1964)--> 9/10
7. Zabriskie Point (1970)--> 9/10
8. Il Grido (1957)--> 8/10
9. Cronaca di un Amore (1950)--> 7/10
10. Identificazione di una Donna (1982)--> 7/10
11. La Signora Senza Camelie (1953)--> 7/10
12. Le Amiche (1955)--> 7/10
13. Il Mistero di Oberwald (1980)--> 7/10
14. I Vinti (1953)--> 7/10
15. Gente del Po (1947)--> 6/10
16. Chung Kuo - Cina (1972)--> 6/10
17. Lo Sguardo di Michelangelo (2004)--> 6/10
18. Eros: The Dangerous Thread of Things (2004)--> 5/10
19. Noto, Mandorli, Vulcano, Stromboli, Carnevale (1992)--> 5/10
20. Sette Canne, un Vestito (1949)--> 5/10
21. N.U. (1948)--> 5/10
22. La Villa dei Mostri (1950)--> 4/10
23. L'Amorosa Menzogna (1949)--> 3/10
24. Superstizione (1949)--> 2/10- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Son of the famous Impressionist painter Pierre Auguste, he had a happy childhood. Pierre Renoir was his brother, and Claude Renoir was his nephew. After the end of World War I, where he won the Croix de Guerre, he moved from scriptwriting to filmmaking. He married Catherine Hessling, for whom he began to make movies; he wanted to make a star of her. They separated in 1930, although he remained married to her until 1943. His next partner was Marguerite Renoir, whom he never married, although she took his name. He left France in 1941 during the German invasion of France during World War II and became a naturalized US citizen.1. Le Fleuve (1951)--> 11/10
2. La Règle du Jeu (1939)--> 10/10
3. La Grande Illusion (1937)--> 9/10
4. French Cancan (1955)--> 9/10
5. Partie de Campagne (1936)--> 9/10
6. Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe (1959)--> 9/10
7. Toni (1935)--> 8/10
8. This Land Is Mine (1943)--> 8/10
9. La Bête Humaine (1938)--> 8/10
10. Le Caporal Épinglé (1962)--> 8/10
11. Le Carrosse d'Or (1952)--> 8/10
12. La Chienne (1931)--> 8/10
13. Swamp Water (1941)--> 8/10
14. Boudu Sauvé des Eaux (1932)--> 8/10
15. The Woman on the Beach (1947)--> 7/10
16. Le Crime de Monsieur Lange (1936)--> 7/10
17. Le Testament du Docteur Cordelier (1959)--> 7/10
18. The Southerner (1945)--> 7/10
19. La Petite Marchande d'Allumettes (1928)--> 7/10
20. Les Bas-Fonds (1936)--> 7/10
21. Elena et les Hommes (1956)--> 7/10
22. The Diary of a Chambermaid (1946)--> 7/10
23. La Marseillaise (1938)--> 7/10
24. Le Petit Théâtre de Jean Renoir (1970)--> 7/10
25. Madame Bovary (1934)--> 6/10
26. Nana (1926)--> 6/10
27. La Nuit du Carrefour (1932)--> 6/10
28. Le Bled (1929)--> 6/10
29. Chotard et Cie (1933)--> 6/10
30. Une Vie sans Joie (1924)--> 6/10
31. La Fille de l'Eau (1925)--> 6/10
32. Tire-au-flanc (1928)--> 5/10
33. On Purge Bébé (1931)--> 5/10
34. Le Tournoi dans la Cité (1928)--> 5/10
35. Sur un Air de Charleston (1927)--> 4/10- Writer
- Director
- Editor
The illegitimate son of a Danish farmer and his Swedish housekeeper, Carl Theodor Dreyer was born in Copenhagen on the 3th of February, 1889. He spent his early years in various foster homes before being adopted by the Dreyers at the age of two. Contrary to popular belief (perhaps nourished by the fact that his films often deal with religious themes) Dreyer did not receive a strict Lutheran upbringing, but was raised in a household that embraced modern ideas: in his spare time the adoptive father was an avid photographer, and the Dreyers voted for The Danish Social Democrates. When he was baptized the reasoning was culturally, not religiously motivated. Dreyer's childhood was an unhappy one. He did not feel his adoptive parents' love (especially the mother), and longed for his biological mother, whom he never knew.
After working as a journalist, he entered the film industry, and advanced from reading scripts to directing films himself. In the silent era his output was large, but it quickly diminished with the arrival of the talkie. In his lifetime he was recognized as being a fanatical perfectionist amongst producers, and thus difficult to work with. His career was dogged by problems with the financing of his films, which led to large gaps in his output - and after the critics, too, denounced Vampyr (1932), he returned to journalism in 1932, and became a cinema manager in 1952 - though he still made features up to the mid- 1960s, a few years before his death. His films are typically slow, intense studies of human psychology, usually of people undergoing extreme personal or religious crises. He is now regarded as the greatest director ever to emerge from Denmark.1. Ordet (1955)--> 12/10
2. La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928)--> 11/10
3. Gertrud (1964)--> 10/10
4. Vredens Dag (1943)--> 9/10
5. Vampyr - Der Traum des Allan Grey (1932)--> 9/10
6. Två Människor (1945)--> 9/10
7. Præsidenten (1919)--> 8/10
8. Mikaël (1924)--> 8/10
9. Du Skal ære din Hustru (1925)--> 7/10
10. Glomdalsbruden (1926)--> 7/10
11. Die Gezeichneten (1922)--> 7/10
12. Blade af Satans Bog (1921)--> 7/10
13. Prästänkan (1920)--> 6/10
14. De Nåede Færgen (1948)--> 6/10
15. Der var Engang (1922)--> 6/10
16. Mødrehjælpen (1942)--> 5/10
17. Kampen mod Kræften (1947)--> 5/10
18. Storstrømsbroen (1950)--> 5/10
19. Vandet på Landet (1946)--> 4/10
20. Landsbykirken (1947)--> 4/10
21. Thorvaldsen (1949)--> 4/10
22. Et Slot i et Slot: Krogen og Kronborg (1955)--> 3/10- Writer
- Director
- Producer
The master filmmaker Roberto Rossellini, as one of the creators of neo-realism, is one of the most influential directors of all time. His neo-realist films influenced France's nouvelle vague movement in the 1950s and '60s that changed the face of international cinema. He also influenced American directors, including Martin Scorsese.
He was born into the world of film, making his debut in Rome on May 8, 1906, the son of Elettra (Bellan), a housewife, and Angiolo Giuseppe "Beppino" Rossellini, the man who opened Italy's first cinema. He was immersed in cinema from the beginning, growing up watching movies in his father's movie-house from the time that film was first quickening as an art form. Italy was one of the places were movie-making matured, and Italian film had a huge influence on D.W. Griffith and other international directors. Between the two world wars, Hollywood would soon dictate what constituted a "well-made" film, but Rossellini would be one of the Italian directors who once again put Italy at the forefront of international cinema after the Second World War.
His training in cinema was thorough and extensive and he became expert in many facets of film-making. (His brother Renzo Rossellini, also was involved in the industry, scoring films.) He did his apprenticeship as an assistant to Italian filmmakers, then got the chance to make his first film, a documentary, "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune", in 1937. Due to his close ties to Benito Mussolini's second son, the critic and film producer Vittorio Mussolini, he flourished in fascist Italy's cinema. Once Il Duce was deposed, Rossellini produced his first classic film, the anti-fascist Rome, Open City (1945) ("Rome, Open City") in 1945, which won the Grand Prize at Cannes. Two other neo-realist classics soon followed, Paisan (1946) ("Paisan") and Germany Year Zero (1948) ("Germany in the Year Zero"). "Rome, Open City" screenwriters Sergio Amidei and Federico Fellini were nominated for a Best Writing, Screenplay Oscar in 1947, while Rossellini himself, along with Amidei, Fellini and two others were nominated for a screen-writing Oscar in 1950 for "Paisan".
"I do not want to make beautiful films, I want to make useful films," he said. Rossellini claimed, "I try to capture reality, nothing else." This led him to often cast non-professional actors, then tailor his scripts to their idiosyncrasies and life-stories to heighten the sense of realism.
With other practitioners of neo-realism, Vittorio De Sica and Luchino Visconti, film was changed forever. American director Elia Kazan credits neo-realism with his own evolution as a filmmaker, away from Hollywood's idea of the well-made film to the gritty realism of On the Waterfront (1954).
Rossellini had a celebrated, adulterous affair with Ingrid Bergman that was an international scandal. They became lovers on the set of Stromboli (1950) while both were married to other people and Bergman became pregnant. After they shed their spouses and married, producing three children, history repeated itself when Rossellini cheated on her with the Indian screenwriter Sonali Senroy DasGupta while he was in India at the request of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to help revitalize that country's film industry. It touched off another international scandal, and Nehru ousted him from the country. Rossellini later divorced Bergman to marry Das Gupta, legitimizing their child that had been born out-of-wedlock.
Rossellini continued to make films until nearly his death. His last film The Messiah (1975) ("The Messiah"), a story of The Passion of Christ, was released in 1975.
Roberto Rossellini died of a heart attack in Rome on June 3, 1977. He was 71 years old.1. Viaggio in Italia (1954)--> 12/10
2. Stromboli, Terra di Dio (1950)--> 10/10
3. Germania, Anno Zero (1948)--> 9/10
4. La Prise de Pouvoir par Louis XIV (1966)--> 9/10
5. Europa '51 (1952)--> 9/10
6. Roma Città Aperta (1945)--> 9/10
7. Blaise Pascal (1972)--> 8/10
8. India: Matri Bhumi (1959)--> 8/10
9. Francesco, Giullare di Dio (1950)--> 8/10
10. Socrate (1971)--> 8/10
11. Cartesius (1974)--> 8/10
12. Il Messia (1975)--> 8/10
13. Il Generale Della Rovere (1959)--> 8/10
14. Paisà (1946)--> 8/10
15. L'Età di Cosimo de Medici (1973)--> 7/10
16. Non Credo Più all'Amore (La paura) (1954)--> 7/10
17. Atti Degli Apostoli (1969)--> 7/10
18. Era Notte a Roma (1960)--> 7/10
19. Agostino d'Ippona (1972)--> 7/10
20. L'Amore (1948)--> 7/10
21. Dov'è la Libertà...? (1954)--> 7/10
22. Anno Uno (1974)--> 7/10
23. La Macchina Ammazzacattivi (1952)--> 6/10
24. Beaubourg, Centre d'Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou (1977)--> 6/10
25. Anima Nera (1962)--> 6/10
26. Idea di un'isola (1967)--> 6/10
27. Vanina Vanini (1961)--> 6/10
28. Intervista a Salvador Allende: La Forza e la Ragione (1973)--> 6/10
29. Viva l'Italia (1961)--> 6/10
30. Fantasia Sottomarina (1940)--> 6/10
31. Il Tacchino Prepotente (1939)--> 5/10
32. Giovanna d'Arco al Rogo (1954)--> 5/10
33. La Vispa Teresa (1939)--> 5/10
34. Un Pilota Ritorna (1942)--> 4/10
35. Concerto per Michelangelo (1977)--> 4/10
36. La Nave Bianca (1941)--> 4/10
37. L'Uomo dalla Croce (1943)--> 3/10- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Born in the Bronx, Ferrara started making amateur films on Super 8 in his teens before making his debut with violent exploitation films such as 'Driller Killer' and 'Ms.45'. Good reviews for the latter helped create his cult reputation, leading to larger budgets, studio funding and 'name' actors (Christopher Walken, Harvey Keitel), but he still likes taking his camera out onto the meanest streets of New York, as the ultra-cheap, highly controversial 'Bad Lieutenant' demonstrates.1. New Rose Hotel (1998)--> 12/10
2. The Blackout (1997)--> 10/10
3. 4:44 Last Day on Earth (2011)--> 9/10
4. King of New York (1990)--> 9/10
5. Zeros and Ones (2021)--> 9/10
6. Dangerous Game (1993)--> 9/10
7. The Addiction (1995)--> 8/10
8. Mary (2005)--> 8/10
9. Tommaso (2019)--> 8/10
10. Body Snatchers (1993)--> 8/10
11. Ms .45 (1981)--> 8/10
12. The Funeral (1996)--> 8/10
13. Bad Lieutenant (1992)--> 7/10
14. Go Go Tales (2007)--> 7/10
15. Siberia (2020)--> 7/10
16. China Girl (1987)--> 7/10
17. 'R Xmas (2001)--> 7/10
18. Welcome to New York (2014)--> 7/10
19. Pasolini (2014)--> 7/10
20. Sportin' Life (2020)--> 6/10
21. Napoli, Napoli, Napoli (2009)--> 6/10
22. The Projectionist (2019)--> 6/10
23. Fear City (1984)--> 6/10
24. The Driller Killer (1979)--> 6/10
25. Chelsea on the Rocks (2008)--> 6/10
26. Hans (2017)--> 6/10
27. Crime Story - Pilot (1986)--> 5/10
28. Alive in France (2017)--> 5/10
29. The Gladiator (1986)--> 5/10
30. Could This Be Love (1973)--> 5/10
31. Mulberry St. (2010)--> 5/10
32. Piazza Vittorio (2017)--> 5/10
33. Cat Chaser (1989)--> 4/10
34. No Saints (2012)--> 4/10
35. The Hold Up (1972)--> 3/10
36. 9 Lives of a Wet Pussy (1976)--> 3/10
37. Nicky's Film (1971)--> 2/10- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Coming from a lower class family Mizoguchi entered the production company Nikkatsu as an actor specialized in female roles. Later he became an assistant director and made his first film in 1922. Although he filmed almost 90 movies in the silent era, only his last 12 productions are really known outside of Japan because they were especially produced for Venice (e.g The Life of Oharu (1952) or Sansho the Bailiff (1954). He only filmed two productions in color: Yôkihi (1955) and Taira Clan Saga (1955).1. Ugetsu Monogatari (1953)--> 11/10
2. Sanshô Dayû (1954)--> 10/10
3. Chikamatsu Monogatari (1954)--> 9/10
4. Saikaku Ichidai Onna (1952)--> 9/10
5. Akasen Chitai (1956)--> 9/10
6. Zangiku Monogatari (1939)--> 9/10
7. Oyû-sama (1951)--> 8/10
8. Uwasa no Onna (1954)--> 8/10
9. Yôkihi (1955)--> 8/10
10. Gion Bayashi (1953)--> 8/10
11. Yoru no Onnatachi (1948)--> 8/10
12. Gion no Shimai (1936)--> 8/10
13. Naniwa Erejî (1936)--> 7/10
14. Yuki Fujin Ezu (1950)--> 7/10
15. Utamaro o Meguru Gonin no Onna (1946)--> 7/10
16. Taki no Shiraito (1933)--> 7/10
17. Musashino Fujin (1951)--> 7/10
18. Genroku Chûshingura (1941)--> 7/10
19. Shin Heike Monogatari (1955)--> 7/10
20. Orizuru Osen (1934)--> 7/10
21. Waga Koi wa Moenu (1949)--> 7/10
22. Aien Kyo (1937)--> 7/10
23. Josei no Shôri (1946)--> 6/10
24. Joyû Sumako no Koi (1947)--> 6/10
25. Tôkyô Kôshinkyoku (1929)--> 6/10
26. Meitô Bijomaru (1945)--> 6/10
27. Maria no Oyuki (1935)--> 6/10
28. Miyamoto Musashi (1944)--> 5/10
29. Gubijinsô (1935)--> 5/10
30. Furusato no Uta (1926)--> 5/10
31. Asahi wa Kagayaku (1929)--> 4/10
32. Tôjin Okichi (1930)--> 3/10- Director
- Cinematographer
- Editor
Jonas Mekas, born December 24, 1922, Semeniskiai, Birzai, Lithuania, is a director, cinematographer, editor, writer, actor, poet, artist and publicist. More than 60 years of tireless work in film, arts and media has earned him the epithet "The Godfather of American Avant-Garde Cinema". In 1944 Jonas Mekas left Lithuania, with his brother Adolfas, because of the war. The both of them were imprisoned in a labor-camp in Elmshorn, Germany. After eight months they escaped to Denmark. By the end of 1949 the Mekas brothers emigrated to the U.S., settling in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. Two weeks after his arrival, he borrowed the money to buy his first Bolex 16mm camera and began to record brief moments of his life. Soon he got deeply involved in the American Avant-Garde film movement. In 1954, together with his brother, he started Film Culture magazine, which soon became the most important film publication in the US. In 1958 Jonas Mekas began his legendary Movie Journal column in the Village Voice. In 1962 he founded the Film-Makers' Cooperative, and in 1964 the Film-Makers' Cinematheque, which eventually grew into Anthology Film Archives, one of the world's largest and most important repositories of avant-garde cinema, and a screening venue. Jonas Mekas film "The Brig" was awarded the Grand Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 1963. Other films include "Walden" (1969), "Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania" (1972), "Lost Lost Lost" (1975), "Scenes from the Life of Andy Warhol" (1990), "Scenes from the Life of George Maciunas" (1992), "As I was Moving Ahead I saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty" (2000), "Letter from Greenpoint" (2005), "Sleepless Nights Stories" (2011) and "Out-takes from the Life of a Happy Man" (2012). In 2007, he completed a series of 365 short films released on the internet -- one film every day -- and since then has continued to share new work on his website. He currently lives and works in New York City.1. As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000)--> 12/10
2. Walden: Diaries, Notes and Sketches (1969)--> 11/10
3. Out-Takes from the Life of a Happy Man (2012)--> 9/10
4. Lost, Lost, Lost (1976)--> 9/10
5. Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania (1972)--> 9/10
6. He Stands in the Desert Counting the Seconds of His Life (1986)--> 8/10
7. Song of Avignon (1998)--> 8/10
8. Notes for Jerome (1978)--> 8/10
9. Paradise Not Yet Lost, or Oona's Third Year (1980)--> 8/10
10. Scenes from the Life of Andy Warhol: Friendships and Intersections (1990)--> 8/10
11. The Song of Italy (1967)--> 8/10
12. Zefiro Torna or Scenes from the Life of George Maciunas (Fluxus) (1992)--> 7/10
13. This Side of Paradise: Fragments of an Unfinished Biography (1999)--> 7/10
14. Correspondencia Jonas Mekas - J.L. Guerin (2011)--> 7/10
15. Birth of a Nation (1997)--> 7/10
16. Report from Millbrook (1966)--> 7/10
17. In Between (1978)--> 7/10
18. The Song of Avila (1967)--> 7/10
19. WTC Haikus (2010)--> 7/10
20. Happy Birthday to John (1997)--> 7/10
21. Guns of the Trees (1961)--> 7/10
22. Quartet Number One (1991)--> 7/10
23. Cassis (1966)--> 6/10
24. Sleepless Nights Stories (2011)--> 6/10
25. The Brig (1964)--> 6/10
26. The Song of Moscow (1971)--> 6/10
27. Notes on an American Film Director at Work (2008)--> 6/10
28. Williamsburg, Brooklyn (2003)--> 6/10
29. Hare Krishna (1966)--> 6/10
30. The Song of Stockholm (1981)--> 6/10
31. Self Portrait (1980)--> 6/10
32. The Song of Assisi (1967)--> 6/10
33. Notes on the Circus (1966)--> 6/10
34. Imperfect Three Image Films (1995)--> 5/10
35. A Letter from Greenpoint (2005)--> 5/10
36. Award Presentation to Andy Warhol (1964)--> 5/10
37. Robert Haller's Wedding (1980)--> 5/10
38. Salvador Dali at Work (1964)--> 5/10
39. Scenes from Allen's Last Three Days on Earth as a Spirit (1997)--> 5/10
40. Time & Fortune Vietnam Newsreel (1969)--> 4/10
41. Elvis (2001)--> 4/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
F.W. Murnau was a German film director. He was greatly influenced by Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Shakespeare and Ibsen plays he had seen at the age of 12, and became a friend of director Max Reinhardt. During World War I he served as a company commander at the eastern front and was in the German air force, surviving several crashes without any severe injuries.
One of Murnau's acclaimed works is the 1922 film Nosferatu, an adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Although not a commercial success due to copyright issues with Stoker's novel, the film is considered a masterpiece of Expressionist film.
He later emigrated to Hollywood in 1926, where he joined the Fox Studio and made three films: Sunrise (1927), 4 Devils (1928) and City Girl (1930). The first of these three is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.
In 1931 Murnau travelled to Bora Bora to make the film Tabu (1931) with documentary film pioneer Robert J. Flaherty, who left after artistic disputes with Murnau, who had to finish the movie on his own. A week prior to the opening of the film Tabu, Murnau died in a Santa Barbara hospital from injuries he had received in an automobile accident that occurred along the Pacific Coast Highway near Rincon Beach, southeast of Santa Barbara. Only 11 people attended his funeral. Among them were Robert J. Flaherty, Emil Jannings, Greta Garbo and Fritz Lang, who delivered the eulogy.
Of the 21 films Murnau directed, eight are considered to be completely lost.
In July 2015 Murnau's grave was broken into, the remains disturbed and the skull removed by persons unknown. Wax residue was reportedly found at the site, leading some to speculate that candles had been lit, perhaps with an occult or ceremonial significance. As this disturbance was not an isolated incident, the cemetery managers are considering sealing the grave.1. Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)--> 11/10
2. Der Letzte Mann (1924)--> 11/10
3. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)--> 10/10
4. Nosferatu: Eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)--> 9/10
5. Faust: Eine Deutsche Volkssage (1926)--> 9/10
6. City Girl (1930)--> 8/10
7. Phantom (1922)--> 8/10
8. Der Gang in die Nach (1921)--> 7/10
7. Herr Tartüff (1925)--> 7/10
9. Der Brennende Acker (1922)--> 7/10
10. Schloß Vogelöd (1921)--> 6/10
12. Die Finanzen des Großherzogs (1924)--> 5/10
13. Marizza, genannt die Schmuggler-Madonna (1922)--> 5/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Brian De Palma is one of the well-known directors who spear-headed the new movement in Hollywood during the 1970s. He is known for his many films that go from violent pictures, to Hitchcock-like thrillers. Born on September 11, 1940, De Palma was born in Newark, New Jersey in an Italian-American family. Originally entering university as a physics student, De Palma became attracted to films after seeing such classics as Citizen Kane (1941). Enrolling in Sarah Lawrence College, he found lasting influences from such varied teachers as Alfred Hitchcock and Andy Warhol.
At first, his films comprised of such black-and-white films as To Bridge This Gap (1969). He then discovered a young actor whose fame would influence Hollywood forever. In 1968, De Palma made the comedic film Greetings (1968) starring Robert De Niro in his first ever credited film role. The two followed up immediately with the films The Wedding Party (1969) and Hi, Mom! (1970).
After making such small-budget thrillers such as Sisters (1972) and Obsession (1976), De Palma was offered the chance to direct a film based on Stephen King's classic novel "Carrie". The story deals with a tormented teenage girl who finds she has the power of telekinesis. The film starred Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie and John Travolta, and was for De Palma, a chance to try out the split screen technique for which he would later become famous.
Carrie (1976) was a massive success, and earned the two lead females (Laurie and Spacek) Oscar nominations. The film was praised by most critics, and De Palma's reputation was now permanently secured. He followed up this success with the horror film The Fury (1978), the comedic film Home Movies (1979) (both these films featured Kirk Douglas), the crime thriller Dressed to Kill (1980) starring Michael Caine and Angie Dickinson, and another crime thriller entitled Blow Out (1981) starring John Travolta.
His next major success was the controversial, ultra-violent film Scarface (1983). Written by Oliver Stone and starring Al Pacino, the film concerned Cuban immigrant Tony Montana's rise to power in the United States through the drug trade. While being a critical failure, the film was a major success commercially.
Moving on from Scarface (1983), De Palma made two more movies before landing another one of his now-classics: The Untouchables (1987), starring old friend Robert De Niro in the role of Chicago gangster Al Capone. Also starring in the film were Kevin Costner as the man who commits himself to bring Capone down, and Sean Connery, an old policeman who helps Costner's character to form a group known as the Untouchables. The film was one of De Palma's most successful films, earning Connery an Oscar, and gave Ennio Morricone a nomination for Best Score.
After The Untouchables (1987), De Palma made the Vietnam film Casualties of War (1989) starring Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn. The film focuses on a new soldier who is helpless to stop his dominating sergeant from kidnapping a Vietnamese girl with the help of the coerced members of the platoon. The film did reasonably well at the box office, but it was his next film that truly displayed the way he could make a hit and a disaster within a short time. The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990) starred a number of well-known actors such as Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman, however it was still a commercial flop and earned him two Razzie nominations.
But the roller coaster success that De Palma had gotten so far did not let him down. He made the horror film Raising Cain (1992), and the criminal drama Carlito's Way (1993) starring Al Pacino and Sean Penn. The latter film is about a former criminal just released from prison that is trying to avoid his past and move on. It was in the year 1996 that brought one of his most well-known movies. This was the suspense-filled Mission: Impossible (1996) starring Tom Cruise and Jon Voight.
Following up this film was the interesting but unsuccessful film Snake Eyes (1998) starring Nicolas Cage as a detective who finds himself in the middle of a murder scene at a boxing ring. De Palma continued on with the visually astounding but equally unsuccessful film Mission to Mars (2000) which earned him another Razzie nomination. He met failure again with the crime thriller Femme Fatale (2002), the murder conspiracy The Black Dahlia (2006), and the controversial film Redacted (2007) which deals with individual stories from the war in Iraq.
Brian De Palma may be down for the moment, but if his box office history has taught us anything, it is that he always returns with a major success that is remembered for years and years afterwards.1. Blow Out (1981)--> 11/10
2. Carlito's Way (1993)--> 10/10
3. Femme Fatale (2002)--> 9/10
4. Body Double (1984)--> 9/10
5. Dressed to Kill (1980)--> 9/10
6. Passion (2012)--> 9/10
7. Snake Eyes (1998)--> 8/10
8. Obsession (1976)--> 8/10
9. Carrie (1976)--> 8/10
10. The Untouchables (1987)--> 8/10
11. Sisters (1972)--> 8/10
12. Redacted (2007)--> 7/10
13. Scarface (1983)--> 7/10
14. Mission: Impossible (1996)--> 7/10
15. Mission to Mars (2000)--> 7/10
16. Phantom of the Paradise (1974)--> 7/10
17. The Black Dahlia (2006)--> 7/10
18. Hi, Mom! (1970)--> 7/10
19. Raising Cain (1992)--> 6/10
20. Domino (2019)--> 6/10
21. Casualties of War (1989)--> 6/10
22. The Fury (1978)--> 6/10
23. Murder à la Mod (1968)--> 5/10
24. Wise Guys (1986)--> 5/10
25. Home Movies (1979)--> 4/10
26. The Responsive Eye (1966)--> 4/10
27. Greetings (1968)--> 4/10
28. The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)--> 3/10
29. Woton's Wake (1962)--> 3/10
30. Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972)--> 3/10- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Film director Douglas Sirk, whose reputation blossomed in the generation after his 1959 retirement from Hollywood filmmaking, was born Hans Detlef Sierck on April 26, 1897, in Hamburg, Germany, to a journalist. Both of his parents were Danish, and the future director would make movies in German, Danish and English. His reputation, which was breathed to life by the French nouvelle vague critiques who developed the "auteur" (author) theory of film criticism, casts him as one of the cinema's great ironists. In his American and European films, his characters perceive their lives quite differently than does the movie audience viewing "them" in a theater. Dealing with love, death and societal constraints, his films often depend on melodrama, particularly the high-suds soap operas he lensed for producer Ross Hunter in the 1950s: Magnificent Obsession (1954), All That Heaven Allows (1955) and his last American film, Imitation of Life (1959) (Sirk's favorite American film was the Western Taza, Son of Cochise (1954), which was shot in 3-D).
Sirk's path to crafting what are now considered paradigmatic dissections of conformist 1950s American society began when he was 14 years old, in his native Germany, when he discovered the theater. He was very influenced by William Shakespeare's history plays. The young Sirk also liked the cinema, particularly films starring Danish actress Asta Nielsen. Sirk credited Nielsen's films with providing him an early exposure to "dramas of swollen emotions".
After World War One he studied law at Munich University beginning in 1919, then transferred to Hamburg University, where he read philosophy and the history of art. Following in the vein of his father, he wrote for the newspapers to earn money, and also began to work in the theater. It was in his native Hamburg that he made his professional debut as a theatrical director, with 'Hermann Bossdorf''s "Bahnmeister Tod" ("Stationmaster Death") in 1922. Until forced to leave Germany with the rise of the Nazi dictatorship, Sirk developed into one of the leading theatrical directors in the Weimar Republic. He began directing shorts at UFA Studios in 1934, and made his first feature film, April, April! (1935), shooting it first in Dutch and then in German).
His cinema technique was influenced by his interest in painting, particularly the works of Daumier and Delacroix, which he later claimed left "their imprint on the visual style of my melodramas". He made eight films in all for UFA through 1937, and the German Minister of Propaganda who oversaw the film industry, Dr. Joseph Goebbels, was an admirer. However, he left Germany in 1937 after his second wife, stage actress 'Hilde Jary', had fled to Rome to escape persecution as a Jew. Sirk's first wife and the mother of his only child, Lydia Brinken, a follower of Adolf Hitler, had denounced Sirk and his relationship with Jary, necessitating their departure. Sirk never saw his son again, who died during World War Two.
Sirk and Jary eventually made it to the US by 1941, and he joined the community of émigré/refugee film people working in Hollywood. His first directorial stint in America was Hitler's Madman (1943), but it is for his work at Universal International in the 1950s for which he is primarily known. For producer Ross Hunter he made nine films, many of which involved the collaboration of Rock Hudson, cinematographer Russell Metty, screenwriter George Zuckerman and art director Alexander Golitzen.
"I was, and to a large extent still am, too much of a loner," he said in his retirement, and his partnership with Universal, Hollywood and American society at large was a love-hate relationship. He and his wife did not approve of the excesses of the Hollywood life style, such as nude women splashing around in producer Albert Zugsmith's pool during a party (he shot two films for Zugsmith). Even though he had his biggest success with the remake of "Imitation of Life" (winner of the Laurel Award given out by movie exhibitors for the most successful picture of 1959), he and his wife left the US for Switzerland after the movie wrapped. The move was partly due to poor health, but by 1959 he had had enough of America, which he never felt at home in. The couple lived in Lugano, Switzerland until his death in 1987.
When he retired from American filmmaking (he was to make only one more feature length film, in German, in 1963), his reputation was that of a second- or third-tier director who turned out glossy Hollywood soap operas, a sort of second-rate Vincente Minnelli without the saving grace of Minelli's undeniable genius for musicals. In the nearly half-century since, Sirk has become one of the most revered of Hollywood's auteurs.
Jean-Luc Godard got the ball rolling in the April 1959 issue of "Cahiers du cinéma", in which he wrote a love letter to Sirk about his adaptation of the 'Erich Maria Remarque' novel A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958). But the true genesis of the Sirk cult was another "Cahiers" article, "L'aveugle et le Miroir ou l'impossible cinema de Douglas Sirk" ("The Blind Man and the Mirror or The Impossible Cinema of Douglas Sirk"), which was in the April 1967 issue. That issue of "Cahiers" also featured an extended interview with Sirk and a "biofilmographie". More converts came to the Sirk cult via Andrew Sarris, who popularized the "auteur" concept in his seminal 1968 work, " The American Cinema," Yb Gucci Gae ranked Sirk on "The Far Side of Paradise". Sarris faintly praised Sirk's handling of the soap elements of his Universal oeuvre by his not shirking from going for broke and stirring all the improbable elements of melodrama into a heady witches' brew; he also complemented his distinctive visual style. However, the major work that transformed Sirk's reputation was rooted in the intelligence and thoughtfulness of the man himself: Jon Halliday's 1971 book-long interview, "Conversations with Sirk", which made his critical reputation in the English-speaking world. The Sirk of Halliday's book is an intellectual with a thorough grasp of filmmaking. The book is must-reading for any student or practitioner of the cinema. The 1972 Edinburgh Film Festival featured a 20-film retrospective of Sirk, and in 1974, the University of Connecticut Film Society put on a complete retrospective of Sirk's American films. The rise of 'Rainer Werner Fassbinder' as the best and the brightest of the post-war German directors also burnished Sirk's reputation, as Fassbinder was an unabashed fan of his films. Fassbinder's films clearly were indebted to Sirk's melodrama, his mise-en-scene, and his irony (Fassbinder visited Sirk at his Swiss home, and the two became friends. Sirk later, with Fassbinder's encouragement, taught at the Munich film school).
Society is an omnipresent character in Sirk's films, as important as the characters played by his actors, such as Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson. Sirk's characters are buffeted by forces beyond their control, as their lives are delineated by cultural mores that constrain their behavior and their moral choices. In addition to this fatalism, Sirk's characters must contend with repression. It is the latter trope that recruits the most converts to the Sirk cult, as the forces of repression are "signalled" through the imagery of a Sirk film, which typically was crafted in collaboration with the Oscar-winning lighting cameraman Russell Metty when Sirk worked for Hunter at Universal. The plots of the movies that are at the core of the Sirk cult are rooted in problems that would be insurmountable but for the miracles provided by the deus ex machina known as the Hollywood Happy Ending.
While Sirk was glad that his reputation had waxed since his retirement and that he was now respected, he was uncomfortable with some of the criticisms of his work. He particularly was irritated by cineastes' labeling him an unequivocal critic of the American Way and of the social conformity of 1950s America. Many critics seemed to see Sirk as American cinema's equivalent to Bertolt Brecht, that is, a fierce critic of the bourgeoisie. Sirk, like many of his generation in Germany, had been influenced by Brecht (he had directed a production of Brecht/Kurt Weill's Three Penny Opera (1963) in Germany), but he did not feel that he was a brother-in-arms of the unabashed communist Brecht, as many of his critics would have it. Like one of his own characters, Sirk was now subjected to societal forced outside his control, quite unlike the worlds he had controlled as a director in Germany and the United States.
Ironically for the great ironist, when Douglas Sirk died on January 14, 1987, his reputation was not yet in full flower. He continues to exert his influence on a new generation of filmmakers all over the world.1. A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958)--> 11/10
2. Imitation of Life (1959)--> 10/10
3. Written on the Wind (1956)--> 9/10
4. There's Always Tomorrow (1955)--> 9/10
5. Magnificent Obsession (1954)--> 9/10
6. All That Heaven Allows (1955)--> 9/10
7. The Tarnished Angels (1957)--> 9/10
8. All I Desire (1953)--> 8/10
9. Interlude (1957)--> 8/10
10. Captain Lightfoot (1955)--> 8/10
11. Lured (1947)--> 7/10
12. Summer Storm (1944)--> 7/10
13. Has Anybody Seen My Gal (1952)--> 7/10
14. Shockproof (1949)--> 7/10
15. Battle Hymn (1957)--> 7/10
16. Thunder on the Hill (1951)--> 7/10
17. Zu Neuen Ufern (1937)--> 7/10
18. A Scandal in Paris (1946)--> 7/10
19. Bourbon Street Blues (1979)--> 7/10
20. Das Mädchen vom Moorhof (1935)--> 6/10
21. Sleep, My Love (1948)--> 6/10
22. Silvesternacht - Ein Dialog (1978)--> 6/10
23. Schlußakkord (1936)--> 6/10
24. Taza, Son of Cochise (1954)--> 6/10
25. Hitler's Madman (1943)--> 6/10
26. Sprich zu mir wie der Regen (1975)--> 6/10
27. No Room for the Groom (1952)--> 6/10
28. The First Legion (1951)--> 6/10
29. Slightly French (1949)--> 6/10
30. Stützen der Gesellschaft (1935)--> 6/10
31. Boefje (1939)--> 5/10
32. Meet Me at the Fair (1953)--> 5/10
33. Das Hofkonzert (1936)--> 5/10
34. La Habanera (1937)--> 5/10
35. The Lady Pays Off (1951)--> 4/10
36. Mystery Submarine (1950)--> 4/10
37. Sign of the Pagan (1954)--> 4/10
38. Week-End with Father (1951)--> 3/10
39. Take Me to Town (1953)--> 3/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
David Wark Griffith was born in rural Kentucky to Jacob "Roaring Jake" Griffith, a former Confederate Army colonel and Civil War veteran. Young Griffith grew up with his father's romantic war stories and melodramatic nineteenth-century literature that were to eventually shape his movies. In 1897 Griffith set out to pursue a career both acting and writing for the theater, but for the most part was unsuccessful. Reluctantly, he agreed to act in the new motion picture medium for Edwin S. Porter at the Edison Company. Griffith was eventually offered a job at the financially struggling American Mutoscope & Biograph Co., where he directed over four hundred and fifty short films, experimenting with the story-telling techniques he would later perfect in his epic The Birth of a Nation (1915).
Griffith and his personal cinematographer G.W. Bitzer collaborated to create and perfect such cinematic devices as the flashback, the iris shot, the mask and cross-cutting. In the years following "Birth", Griffith never again saw the same monumental success as his signature film and, in 1931, his increasing failures forced his retirement. Though hailed for his vision in narrative film-making, he was similarly criticized for his blatant racism. Griffith died in Los Angeles in 1948, one of the most dichotomous figures in film history.1. Intolerance (1916)--> 11/10
2. Way Down East (1920)--> 11/10
3. True Heart Susie (1919)--> 9/10
4. A Corner in Wheat (1909)--> 9/10
5. Broken Blossoms (1919)--> 9/10
6. Enoch Arden (1911)--> 9/10
7. The Unchanging Sea (1910)--> 8/10
8. The Birth of a Nation (1915)--> 8/10
9. Lines of White on a Sullen Sea (1909)--> 8/10
10. The Country Doctor (1909)--> 8/10
11. The Avenging Conscience: or 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' (1914)--> 8/10
12. The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912)--> 7/10
13. A Romance of Happy Valley (1919)--> 7/10
14. The Love Flower (1920)--> 7/10
15. Death's Marathon (1913)--> 7/10
16. The Mender of Nets (1912)--> 7/10
17. The Lonedale Operator (1911)--> 7/10
18. An Unseen Enemy (1912)--> 7/10
19. In the Border States (1910)--> 7/10
20. The New York Hat (1912)--> 6/10
21. Ramona (1910)--> 6/10
22. Hearts of the World (1918)--> 6/10
23. The Massacre (1912)--> 6/10
24. The House with Closed Shutters (1910)--> 6/10
25. The Painted Lady (1912)--> 6/10
26. Dream Street (1921)--> 6/10
27. The Girl and Her Trust (1912)--> 6/10
28. The Sealed Room (1909)--> 6/10
29. The Lonely Villa (1909)--> 6/10
30. Those Awful Hats (1909)--> 6/10
31. The White Rose (1923)--> 6/10
32. The Mothering Heart (1913)--> 5/10
33. A Trap for Santa Claus (1909)--> 5/10
34. A Drunkard's Reformation (1909)--> 5/10
35. Judith de Bethulia (1914)--> 5/10
36. Adventures of Dollie (1908)--> 5/10
37. Edgar Allan Poe (1909)--> 4/10
38. His Trust: The Faithful Devotion and Self-Sacrifice of an Old Negro Servant (1911)--> 4/10
39. The Battle of Elderbush Gulch (1913)--> 4/10
40. His Trust Fulfilled (1911)--> 3/10
41. The Mended Lute (1909)--> 3/10- Director
- Producer
- Writer
What do the classic films Scarface (1932), Twentieth Century (1934), Bringing Up Baby (1938), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), His Girl Friday (1940), Sergeant York (1941), To Have and Have Not (1944), The Big Sleep (1946), Red River (1948) Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) and Rio Bravo (1959) have in common? Aside from their displays of great craftsmanship, the answer is director Howard Hawks, one of the most celebrated of American filmmakers, who ironically, was little celebrated by his peers in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences during his career.
Although John Ford--his friend, contemporary and the director arguably closest to him in terms of his talent and output--told him that it was he, and not Ford, who should have won the 1941 Best Director Academy Award (for Sergeant York (1941)), the great Hawks never won an Oscar in competition and was nominated for Best Director only that one time, despite making some of the best films in the Hollywood canon. The Academy eventually made up for the oversight in 1974 by voting him an honorary Academy Award, in the midst of a two-decade-long critical revival that has gone on for yet another two decades. To many cineastes, Hawks is one of the faces of American film and would be carved on any film pantheon's Mt. Rushmore honoring America's greatest directors, beside his friend Ford and Orson Welles (the other great director who Ford beat out for the 1941 Oscar). It took the French "Cahiers du Cinema" critics to teach America to appreciate one of its own masters, and it was to the Academy's credit that it recognized the great Hawks in his lifetime.
Hawks' career spanned the freewheeling days of the original independents in the 1910s, through the studio system in Hollywood from the silent era through the talkies, lasting into the early 1970s with the death of the studios and the emergence of the director as auteur, the latter a phenomenon that Hawks himself directly influenced. He was the most versatile of American directors, and before his late career critical revival he earned himself a reputation as a first-rate craftsman and consummate Hollywood professional who just happened, in a medium that is an industrial process, to have made some great movies. Recognition as an influential artist would come later, but it would come to him before his death.
He was born Howard Winchester Hawks in Goshen, Indiana, on Decoration Day, May 30, 1896, the first child of Franklin Winchester Hawks and his wife, the former Helen Brown Howard. The day of his birth the local sheriff killed a brawler at the town saloon; the young Hawks was not born on the wild side of town, though, but with the proverbial silver spoon firmly clenched in his young mouth. His wealthy father was a member of Goshen's most prominent family, owners of the Goshen Milling Co. and many other businesses, and his maternal grandfather was one of Wisconsin's leading industrialists. His father's family had arrived in America in 1630, while his mother's father, C.W. Howard, who was born in Maine in 1845 to parents who emigrated to the U.S. from the Isle of Man, made his fortune in the paper industry with his Howard Paper Co. Ironically, almost a half-year after Howard's birth, the first motion picture was shown in Goshen, just before Christmas on December 10, 1896. Billed as "the scientific wonder of the world," the movie played to a sold-out crowd at the Irwin Theater. However, it disappointed the audience, and attendance fell off at subsequent showings. The interest of the boy raised a Presbyterian would not be piqued again until his family moved to southern California.
Before that move came to pass, though, the Hawks family relocated from Goshen to Neenah, Wisconsin, when Howard's father was appointed secretary/treasurer of the Howard Paper Co. in 1898. Howard grew up a coddled and spoiled child in Goshen, but in Neenah he was treated like a young prince. His maternal grandfather C.W. lavished his grandson with expensive toys. C.W. had been an indulgent father, encouraging the independence and adventurousness of his two daughters, Helen and Bernice, who were the first girls in Neenah to drive automobiles. Bernice even went for an airplane ride (the two sisters, Hawks' mother and aunt, likely were the first models for what became known as "the Hawksian women" when he became a director). Brother Kenneth Hawks was born in 1898, and was looked after by young Howard. However, Howard resented the birth of the family's next son, William B. Hawks, in 1902, and offered to sell him to a family friend for ten cents. A sister, Grace, followed William. Childbirth took a heavy toll on Howard's mother, and she never quite recovered after delivering her fifth child, Helen, in 1906. In order to aid her recovery, the family moved to the more salubrious climate of Pasadena, California, northeast of Los Angeles, for the winter of 1906-07. The family returned to Wisconsin for the summers, but by 1910 they permanently resettled in California, as grandfather C.W. himself took to wintering in Pasadena. He eventually sold his paper company and retired. He continued to indulge his grandson Howard, though, buying him whatever he fancied, including a race car when the lad was barely old enough to drive legally. C.W. also arranged for Howard to take flying lessons so he could qualify for a pilot's license, an example followed by Kenneth.
The young Howard Hawks grew accustomed to getting what he wanted and believed his grandfather when C.W. told him he was the best and that he could do anything. Howard also likely inherited C.W.'s propensity for telling whopping lies with a straight face, a trait that has bedeviled many film historians ever since. C.W. also was involved in amateur theatrics and Howard's mother Helen was interested in music, though no one in the Hawks-Howard family ever was involved in the arts until Howard went to work in the film industry.
Hawks was sent to Philips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire, for his education, and upon graduation attended Cornell University, where he majored in mechanical engineering. In both his personal and professional lives Hawks was a risk-taker and enjoyed racing airplanes and automobiles, two sports that he first indulged in his teens with his grandfather's blessing.
The Los Angeles area quickly evolved into the center of the American film industry when studios began relocating their production facilities from the New York City area to southern California in the middle of the 1910s. During one summer vacation while Howard was matriculating at Cornell, a friend got him a job as a prop man at Famous Players-Lasky (later to become Paramount Pictures), and he quickly rose trough the ranks. Hawks recalled, "It all started with Douglas Fairbanks, who was off on location for some picture and phoned in to say they wanted a modern set. There was only one art director . . . and he was away on another location. I said, 'Well, I can build a modern set.' I'd had a few years of architectural training at school. So I did, and Fairbanks was pleased with it. We became friends, and that was really the start."
During other summer vacations from Cornell, Hawks continued to work in the movies. One story Hawks tells is that the director of a Mary Pickford film Hawks was working on, A Little Princess (1917), became too inebriated to continue working, so Hawks volunteered to direct a few scenes himself. However, it's not known whether his offer was taken up, or whether this was just one more of his tall tales. During World War I Hawks served as a lieutenant in the Signal Corps and later joined the Army Air Corps, serving in France. After the Armistice he indulged in his love of risk, working as an aviator and a professional racing car driver. Drawing on his engineering experience, Hawks designed racing cars, and one of his cars won the Indianapolis 500. These early war and work experiences proved invaluable to the future filmmaker.
He eventually decided on a career in Hollywood and was employed in a variety of production jobs, including assistant director, casting director, script supervisor, editor and producer. He and his brother Kenneth shot aerial footage for motion pictures, but Kenneth tragically was killed during a crash while filming. Howard was hired as a screenwriter by Paramount in 1922 and was tasked with writing 40 story lines for new films in 60 days. He bought the rights for works by such established authors as Joseph Conrad and worked, mostly uncredited, on the scripts for approximately 60 films. Hawks wanted to direct, but Paramount refused to indulge his ambition. A Fox executive did, however, and Hawks directed his first film, The Road to Glory (1926) in 1926, also doubling as the screenwriter.
Hawks made a name for himself by directing eight silent films in the 1920s, His facility for language helped him to thrive with the dawn of talking pictures, and he really established himself with his first talkie in 1930, the classic World War I aviation drama The Dawn Patrol (1930). His arrival as a major director, however, was marked by 1932's controversial and highly popular gangster picture Scarface (1932), a thinly disguised bio of Chicago gangster Al Capone, which was made for producer Howard Hughes. His first great movie, it catapulted him into the front rank of directors and remained Hawks' favorite film. Unnder the aegis of the eccentric multi-millionaire Hughes, it was the only movie he ever made in which he did not have to deal with studio meddling. It leavened its ultra-violence with comedy in a potent brew that has often been imitated by other directors.
Though always involved in the development of the scripts of his films, Hawks was lucky to have worked with some of the best writers in the business, including his friend and fellow aviator William Faulkner. Screenwriters he collaborated with on his films included Leigh Brackett, Ben Hecht, John Huston and Billy Wilder. Hawks often recycled story lines from previous films, such as when he jettisoned the shooting script on El Dorado (1966) during production and reworked the film-in-progress into a remake of Rio Bravo (1959).
The success of his films was partly rooted in his using first-rate writers. Hawks viewed a good writer as a sort of insurance policy, saying, "I'm such a coward that unless I get a good writer, I don't want to make a picture." Though he won himself a reputation as one of Hollywood's supreme storytellers, he came to the conclusion that the story was not what made a good film. After making and then remaking the confusing The Big Sleep (1946) (1945 and 1946) from a Raymond Chandler detective novel, Hawks came to believe that a good film consisted of at least three good scenes and no bad ones--at least not a scene that could irritate and alienate the audience. He said, "As long as you make good scenes you have a good picture--it doesn't matter if it isn't much of a story."
It was Hawks' directorial skills, his ability to ensure that the audience was not aware of the twice-told nature of his films, through his engendering of a high-octane, heady energy that made his films move and made them classics at best and extremely enjoyable entertainments at their "worst." Hawks' genius as a director also manifested itself in his direction of his actors, his molding of their line-readings going a long way toward making his films outstanding. The dialog in his films often was delivered at a staccato pace, and characters' lines frequently overlapped, a Hawks trademark. The spontaneous feeling of his films and the naturalness of the interrelationships between characters were enhanced by his habit of encouraging his actors to improvise. Unlike Alfred Hitchcock, Hawks saw his lead actors as collaborators and encouraged them to be part of the creative process. He had an excellent eye for talent, and was responsible for giving the first major breaks to a roster of stars, including Paul Muni, Carole Lombard (his cousin), Lauren Bacall, Montgomery Clift and James Caan. It was Hawks, and not John Ford, who turned John Wayne into a superstar, with Red River (1948) (shot in 1946, but not released until 1948). He proceeded to give Wayne some of his best roles in the cavalry trilogy of Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Rio Grande (1950), in which Payne played a broad range of diverse characters.
During the 1930s Hawks moved from hit to hit, becoming one of the most respected directors in the business. As his fame waxed, Hawks' image replaced the older, jodhpurs-and-megaphone image of the Hollywood director epitomized by Cecil B. DeMille. The new paradigm of the Hollywood director in the public eye was, like Hawks himself, tall and silver-haired, a Hemingwayesque man of action who was a thorough professional and did not fail his muse or falter in his mastery of the medium while on the job. The image of Hawks as the ultimate Hollywood professional persists to this day in Hollywood, and he continues to be a major influence on many of today's filmmakers. Among the directors influenced by Hawks are Robert Altman, who used Hawksian overlapping dialog and improvisation in M*A*S*H (1970) and other films. Peter Bogdanovich, who wrote a book about Hawks, essentially remade Bringing Up Baby (1938) as What's Up, Doc? (1972). Brian De Palma remade "Scarface" (Scarface (1983)). Other directors directly indebted to Hawks are John Carpenter and Walter Hill.
Hawks was unique and uniquely modern in that, despite experiencing his career peak in an era dominated by studios and the producer system in which most directors were simply hired hands brought in to shoot a picture, he also served as a producer and developed the scripts for his films. He was determined to remain independent and refused to attach himself to a studio, or to a particular genre, for an extended period of time. His work ethic allowed him to fit in with the production paradigms of the studio system, and he eventually worked for all eight of the major studios. He proved himself to be, in effect, an independent filmmaker, and thus was a model for other director-writer-producers who would arise with the breakdown of the studio system in the 1950s and 1960s and the rise of the director as auteur in the early 1970s. Hawks did it first, though, in an environment that ruined or compromised many another filmmaker.
Hawks was not interested in creating a didactic cinema but simply wanted to tell, give the public, a good story in a well-crafted, entertaining picture. Like Ernest Hemingway, Hawks did have a philosophy of life, but the characters in his films were never intended to be role models. Hawks' protagonists are not necessarily moral people but tend to play fair, according to a personal or professional code. A Hawks film typically focuses on a tightly bound group of professionals, often isolated from society at large, who must work together as a team if they are to survive, let alone triumph. His movies emphasize such traits as loyalty and self-respect. Air Force (1943), one of the finest propaganda films to emerge from World War II, is such a picture, in which a unit bonds aboard a B-17 bomber and the group is more than the sum of the individuals.
Aside from his interest in elucidating human relationships, Hawks' main theme is Hemingwayesque: the execution of one's job or duty to the best of one's ability in the face of overwhelming odds that would make an average person balk. The main characters in a Hawks film typically are people who take their jobs with the utmost seriousness, as their self-respect is rooted in their work. Though often outsiders or loners, Hawksian characters work within a system, albeit a relatively closed system, in which they can ultimately triumph by being loyal to their personal and professional codes. That thematic paradigm has been seen by some critics and cinema historians as being a metaphor for the film industry itself, and of Hawks' place within it.
In a sense, Hawks' oeuvre can be boiled down to two categories: the action-adventure films and the comedies. In his action-adventure movies, such as Only Angels Have Wings (1939), the male protagonist, played by Cary Grant (a favorite actor of his who frequently starred in his films between 1947 and 1950), is both a hero and the top dog in his social group. In the comedies, such as Bringing Up Baby (1938), the male protagonist (again played by Grant) is no hero but rather a victim of women and society. Women have only a tangential role in Hawks' action films, whereas they are the dominant figures in his comedies. In the action-adventure films society at large often is far away and the male professionals exist in an almost hermetically sealed world, whereas in the comedies are rooted in society and its mores. Men are constantly humiliated in the comedies, or are subject to role reversals (the man as the romantically hunted prey in "Baby," or the even more dramatic role reversal, including Cary Grant in drag, in I Was a Male War Bride (1949)). In the action-adventure films in which women are marginalized, they are forced to undergo elaborate courting rituals to attract their man, who they cannot get until they prove themselves as tough as men. There is an undercurrent of homo-eroticism to the Hawks action films, and Hawks himself termed his A Girl in Every Port (1928) "a love story between two men." This homo-erotic leitmotif is most prominent in The Big Sky (1952).
By the time he made "Rio Bravo," over 30 years since he first directed a film, Hawks not only was consciously moving towards parody but was in the process of revising his "closed circle of professionals" credo toward the belief that, by the time of its loose remake, "El Dorado" in 1966, he was stressing the superiority of family loyalties to any professional ethic. In "Rio Bravo" the motley group inside the jailhouse eventually forms into a family in which the stoical code of conduct of previous Hawksian groups is replaced by something akin to a family bond. The new "family" celebrates its unity with the final shootout, which is a virtual fireworks display due to the use of dynamite to overcome the villains who threaten the family's survival. The affection of the group members for each other is best summed up in the scene where the great character actor Walter Brennan, playing Wayne's deputy Stumpy, facetiously tells Wayne that he'll have tears in his eyes until he gets back to the jailhouse. The ability to razz Wayne is indicative of the bond between the two men.
The sprawl of Hawks' oeuvre over multiple genres, and their existence as high-energy examples of film as its purest, emphasizing action rather than reflection, led serious critics before the 1970s to discount Hawks as a director. They generally ignored the themes that run through his body of work, such the dynamics of the group, male friendship, professionalism, and women as a threat to the independence of men. Granted, the cinematic world limned by Hawks was limited when compared to that of John Ford, the poet of the American screen, which was richer and more complex. However, Hawks' straightforward style that emphasized human relationships undoubtedly yielded one of the greatest crops of outstanding motion pictures that can be attributed to one director. Hawks' movies not only span a wide variety of genres, but frequently rank with the best in those genres, whether the war film ("The Dawn Patrol"), gangster film ("Scarface"), the screwball comedy (His Girl Friday (1940)), the action-adventure movie ("Only Angels Have Wings"), the noir (The Big Sleep (1946)), the Western ("Red River") and "Rio Bravo"), the musical-comedy (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)) and the historical epic (Land of the Pharaohs (1955)). He even had a hand in creating one of the classic science-fiction films, The Thing from Another World (1951), which was produced by Hawks but directed by Christian Nyby, who had edited multiple Hawks films and who, in his sole directorial effort, essentially created a Hawks film (though rumors have long circulated that Hawks actually directed the film rather than Nyby, that has been discounted by such cast members as Kenneth Tobey and James Arness, who have both stated unequivocally that it was Nyby alone who directed the picture).
Though Howard Hawks created some of the most memorable moments in the history of American film a half-century ago, serious critics generally eschewed his work, as they did not believe there was a controlling intelligence behind them. Seen as the consummate professional director in the industrial process that was the studio film, serious critics believed that the great moments of Hawks' films were simply accidents that accrued from working in Hollywood with other professionals. In his 1948 book "The Film Till Now," Richard Griffin summed this feeling up with "Hawks is a very good all rounder."
Serious critics at the time attributed the mantle of "artist" to a director only when they could discern artistic aspirations, a personal visual style, or serious thematic intent. Hawks seemed to them an unambitious director who, unlike D.W. Griffith or the early Cecil B. DeMille, had not made a major contribution to American film, and was not responsible for any major cinematic innovations. He lacked the personal touch of a Charles Chaplin, a Hitchcock or a Welles, did not have the painterly sensibility of a John Ford and had never matured into the master craftsman who tackled heavy themes like the failure of the American dream or racism, like George Stevens. Hawks was seen as a commercial Hollywood director who was good enough to turn out first-rate entertainments in a wide variety of genre films in a time in which genre films such as the melodrama, the war picture and the gangster picture were treated with a lack of respect.
One of the central ideas behind the modernist novel that dominated the first half of the 20th-century artistic consciousness (when the novel and the novelist were still considered the ultimate arbiters of culture in the Anglo-American world) was that the author should begin something new with each book, rather than repeating him-/herself as the 19th century novelists had done. This paradigm can be seen most spectacularly in the work of James Joyce. Of course, it is easy to see this thrust for "something new" in the works of D.W. Griffith and C.B. DeMille, the fathers of the narrative film, working as they were in a new medium. In the post-studio era, a Stanley Kubrick (through Barry Lyndon (1975), at least) and Lars von Trier can be seen as embarking on revolutionary breaks with their past. Howard Hawks was not like this, and, in fact, the latter Hawks constantly recycled not just themes but plots (so that his last great film, "Rio Bravo," essentially was remade as "El Dorado (1966)" and Rio Lobo (1970)). He did not fit the "modernist" paradigm of an artist.
The critical perception of Hawks began to change when the auteur theory--the idea that one intelligence was responsible for the creation of superior films regardless of their designation as "commercial" or "art house"--began to influence American movie criticism. Commenting on Hawks' facility to make films in a wide variety of genres, critic Andrew Sarris, who introduced the auteur theory to American movie criticism, said of Hawks, "For a major director, there are no minor genres." A Hawks genre picture is rooted in the conventions and audience expectations typical of the Hollywood genre. The Hawks genre picture does not radically challenge, undermine or overthrow either the conventions of the genre or the audience expectations of the genre film, but expands it the genre by revivifying it with new energy. As Robert Altman said about his own McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), he fully played on the conventions and audience expectations of the Western genre and, in fact, did nothing to challenge them as he was relying on the audience being lulled into a comfort zone by the genre. What Altman wanted to do was to indulge his own artistry by painting at and filling in the edges of his canvas. Thus, Altman needed the audience's complicity through the genre conventions to accomplish this.
As a genre director, Hawks used his audience's comfort with the genre to expound his philosophy on male bonding and male-female relationships. His movies have a great deal of energy, invested in them by the master craftsman, which made them into great popular entertainments. That Hawks was a commercial filmmaker who was also a first-rate craftsman was not the sum total of his achievement as a director, but was the means by which he communicated with his audience.
While many during his life-time would not have called Hawks an artist, Robin Wood compared Hawks to William Shakespeare and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, both of whom created popular entertainments that could also appeal to elites. According to Wood, "The originality of their works lay not in the evolution of a completely new language, but in the artist's use and development of an already existing one; hence, there was common ground from the outset between artist and audience, and 'entertainment' could happen spontaneously without the intervention of a lengthy period of assimilation."
The great French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, who began his cinema career as a critic, wrote about Hawks, "The great filmmakers always tie themselves down by complying with the rules of the game . . . Take, for example, the films of Howard Hawks, and in particular 'Rio Bravo'. That is a work of extraordinary psychological insight and aesthetic perception, but Hawks has made his film so that the insight can pass unnoticed without disturbing the audience that has come to see a Western like all the others. Hawks is the greater because he has succeeded in fitting all that he holds most dear into a well-worn subject."
A decade before Godard's insight on Hawks, in the early 1950s, the French-language critics who wrote for the cinema journal "Cahiers du Cinema" (many of whom would go on to become directors themselves) elevated Howard Hawks into the pantheon of great directors (the appreciation of Hawks in France, according to Cinématheque Francaise founder Henri Langlois, began with the French release of "Only Angels Have Wings." The Swiss Éric Rohmer, who would one day become a great director himself, in a 1952 review of Hawks' "The Big Sky" declared, "If one does not love the films of Howard Hawks, one cannot love cinema." Rohmer was joined in his enthusiasm for Hawks by such fellow French cineastes as Claude Chabrol, François Truffaut and Jacques Rivette. The Cahiers critics claimed that a handful of commercial Hollywood directors like Hawks and Alfred Hitchcock had created films as artful and fulfilling as the masterpieces of the art cinema. André Bazin gave these critics the moniker "Hitchcocko-Hawksians".
Rivette wrote in his 1953 essay, "The Genius of Howard Hawks," that "each shot has a functional beauty, like a neck or an ankle. The smooth, orderly succession of shots has a rhythm like the pulsing of blood, and the whole film is like a beautiful body, kept alive by deep, resilient breathing." Hawks, however, considered himself an entertainer, not an "artist." His definition of a good director was simply "someone who doesn't annoy you." He was never considered an artist until the French New Wave critics crowned him one, as serious critics had ignored his oeuvre. He found the adulation amusing, and once told his admirers, "You guys know my films better than I do."
Commenting on this phenomenon, Sarris' wife Molly Haskell said, "Critics will spend hours with divining rods over the obviously hermetic mindscape of [Ingmar Bergman], [Michelangelo Antonioni], etc., giving them the benefit of every passing doubt. But they will scorn similar excursions into the genuinely cryptic, richer, and more organic terrain of home-grown talents."
Hawks' visual aesthetic eschews formalism, trick photography or narrative gimmicks. There are no flashbacks or ellipses in his films, and his pictures are usually framed as eye-level medium shots. The films themselves are precisely structured, so much so that Langlois compared Hawks to the great modernist architect Walter Gropius. Hawks strikes one as an Intuitive, unselfconscious filmmaker.
Hawks' definition of a good director was "someone who doesn't annoy you." When Hawks was awarded his lifetime achievement Academy Award, the citation referred to the director as "a giant of the American cinema whose pictures, taken as a whole, represent one of the most consistent, vivid, and varied bodies of work in world cinema." It is a fitting epitaph for one of the greatest directors in the history of American, and world cinema.1. Only Angels Have Wings (1939)--> 11/10
2. Rio Bravo (1959)--> 9/10
3. Red River (1948)--> 9/10
4. Hatari! (1962)--> 9/10
5. Man's Favorite Sport? (1964)--> 9/10
6. To Have and Have Not (1944)--> 9/10
7. The Big Sleep (1946)--> 8/10
8. His Girl Friday (1940)--> 8/10
9. Scarface (1932)--> 8/10
10. El Dorado (1966)--> 8/10
11. Ball of Fire (1941)--> 8/10
12. The Dawn Patrol (1930)--> 8/10
13. Red Line 7000 (1965)--> 8/10
14. Bringing Up Baby (1938)--> 7/10
15. Monkey Business (1952)--> 7/10
16. Ceiling Zero (1936)--> 7/10
17. Land of the Pharaohs (1955)--> 7/10
18. Today We Live (1933)--> 7/10
19. The Big Sky (1952)--> 7/10
20. Come and Get It (1936)--> 7/10
21. The Road to Glory (1936)--> 7/10
22. I Was a Male War Bride (1949)--> 7/10
23. Rio Lobo (1970)--> 7/10
24. The Criminal Code (1930)--> 7/10
25. A Song Is Born (1948)--> 7/10
26. Twentieth Century (1934)--> 6/10
27. Sergeant York (1941)--> 6/10
28. A Girl in Every Port (1928)--> 6/10
29. Tiger Shark (1932)--> 6/10
30. The Crowd Roars (1932)--> 6/10
31. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)--> 6/10
32. Barbary Coast (1935)--> 6/10
33. Paid to Love (1927)--> 5/10
34. Air Force (1943)--> 5/10
35. Fig Leaves (1926)--> 5/10
36. The Cradle Snatchers (1927)--> 4/10
37. Fazil (1928)--> 4/10- Writer
- Director
- Actor
The father of cinematic Surrealism and one of the most original directors in the history of the film medium, Luis Buñuel was given a strict Jesuit education (which sowed the seeds of his obsession with both religion and subversive behavior), and subsequently moved to Madrid to study at the university there, where his close friends included Salvador Dalí and Federico García Lorca.
After moving to Paris, Buñuel did a variety of film-related odd jobs in Paris, including working as an assistant to director Jean Epstein. With financial assistance from his mother and creative assistance from Dalí, he made his first film, the 17-minute Un chien andalou (1929), in 1929, and immediately catapulted himself into film history thanks to its shocking imagery (much of which - like the sliced eyeball at the beginning - still packs a punch even today). It made a deep impression on the Surrealist Group, who welcomed Buñuel into their ranks.
The following year, sponsored by wealthy art patrons, he made his first feature, the scabrous witty and violent L'Age d'Or (1930), which mercilessly attacked the church and the middle classes, themes that would preoccupy Buñuel for the rest of his career. That career, though, seemed almost over by the mid-1930s, as he found work increasingly hard to come by and after the Spanish Civil War he emigrated to the US where he worked for the Museum of Modern Art and as a film dubber for Warner Bros.
Moving to Mexico in the late 1940s, he teamed up with producer Óscar Dancigers and after a couple of unmemorable efforts shot back to international attention with the lacerating study of Mexican street urchins in The Young and the Damned (1950), winning him the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival.
But despite this new-found acclaim, Buñuel spent much of the next decade working on a variety of ultra-low-budget films, few of which made much impact outside Spanish-speaking countries (though many of them are well worth seeking out). But in 1961, General Franco, anxious to be seen to be supporting Spanish culture invited Buñuel back to his native country - and Bunuel promptly bit the hand that fed him by making Viridiana (1961), which was banned in Spain on the grounds of blasphemy, though it won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
This inaugurated Buñuel's last great period when, in collaboration with producer Serge Silberman and writer Jean-Claude Carrière he made seven extraordinary late masterpieces, starting with Diary of a Chambermaid (1964). Although far glossier and more expensive, and often featuring major stars such as Jeanne Moreau and Catherine Deneuve, the films showed that even in old age Buñuel had lost none of his youthful vigour.
After saying that every one of his films from Belle de Jour (1967) onwards would be his last, he finally kept his promise with That Obscure Object of Desire (1977), after which he wrote a memorable (if factually dubious) autobiography, in which he said he'd be happy to burn all the prints of all his films- a classic Surrealist gesture if ever there was one.
1. Viridiana (1961)--> 9/10
2. Él (1953)--> 9/10
3. El Ángel Exterminador (1962)--> 9/10
4. Le Charme Discret de la Bourgeoisie (1972)--> 9/10
5. Los Olvidados (1950)--> 9/10
6. Belle de Jour (1967)--> 9/10
7. Ensayo de un Crimen (1955)--> 8/10
8. Cet Obscur Objet du Désir (1977)--> 8/10
9. Un Chien Andalou (1929)--> 8/10
10. Tristana (1970)--> 8/10
11. Nazarín (1959)--> 8/10
12. Le Fantôme de la Liberté (1974)--> 8/10
13. Susana (1951)--> 7/10
14. Simón del Desierto (1965)--> 7/10
15. L'âge d'or (1930)--> 7/10
16. El Bruto (1952)--> 7/10
17. La Ilusión Viaja en Tranvía (1954)--> 7/10
18. The Young One (1960)--> 7/10
19. La Voie Lactée (1969)--> 7/10
20. El Gran Calavera (1949)--> 7/10
21. El Río y la Muerte (1954)--> 6/10
22. Le Journal d'une Femme de Chambre (1964)--> 6/10
23. Las Hurdes, Tierra sin Pan (1933)--> 6/10
24. La Fièvre Monte à El Pao (1959)--> 6/10
25. La Mort en ce Jardin (1956)--> 6/10
26. La Hija del Engaño (1951)--> 6/10
27. Cela s'Appelle l'Aurore (1956)--> 6/10
28. Abismos de Pasión (1954)--> 6/10
29. Subida al Cielo (1952)--> 6/10
30. Una Mujer Sin Amor (1952)--> 5/10
31. Robinson Crusoe (1954)--> 5/10
32. Gran Casino (1947)--> 4/10- Director
- Writer
- Actress
Chantal Akerman was born on 6 June 1950 in Brussels, Belgium. She was a director and writer, known for The Meetings of Anna (1978), Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) and I, You, He, She (1974). She was married to Sonia Wieder-Atherton. She died on 5 October 2015 in Paris, France.1. Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)--> 10/10
2. Les Rendez-vous d'Anna (1978)--> 9/10
3. La Captive (2000)--> 9/10
4. Tous les Garçons et les Filles de Leur Âge...: Portrait d'une Jeune Fille de la Fin des Années 60 à Bruxelles (1994)--> 9/10
5. Toute une Nuit (1982)--> 9/10
6. News from Home (1977)--> 9/10
7. Nuit et Jour (1991)--> 8/10
8. Golden Eighties (1986)--> 8/10
9. D'Est (1993)--> 8/10
10. La Folie Almayer (2011)--> 8/10
11. Histoires d'Amérique: Food, Family and Philosophy (1989)--> 7/10
12. Là-bas (2006)--> 7/10
13. Je, Tu, Il, Elle (1974)--> 7/10
14. Letters Home (1986)--> 7/10
15. No Home Movie (2015)--> 7/10
16. Demain on Déménage (2004)--> 7/10
17. L'Homme à la Valise (1984)--> 7/10
18. Le Déménagement (1993)--> 7/10
19. Les Années 80 (1983)--> 7/10
20. Dis-moi (1980)--> 6/10
21. Sud (1999)--> 6/10
22. J'Ai Faim, J'Ai Froid (1984)--> 6/10
23. Un Divan à New York (1996)--> 6/10
24. Hôtel Monterey (1972)--> 6/10
25. Saute Ma Ville (1968)--> 6/10
26. De l'autre Côté (2002)--> 6/10
27. Cinéastes de Notre Temps: Chantal Akerman par Chantal Akerman (1997)--> 6/10
28. Le Jour Où... (1997)--> 5/10
29. La Chambre (1972)--> 5/10
30. Un Jour Pina a Demandé... (1986)--> 5/10
31. La Paresse (1986)--> 5/10
32. Trois Strophes sur le Nom de Sacher (1989)--> 4/10
33. Family Business: Chantal Akerman Speaks About Film (1984)--> 4/10
34. L'Enfant Aimé ou Je Joue à Être une Femme Mariée (1971)--> 3/10- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Nicholas Ray was born Raymond Nicholas Kienzle in 1911, in small-town Galesville, Wisconsin, to Lena (Toppen) and Raymond Joseph Kienzle, a contractor and builder. He was of German and Norwegian descent. Ray's early experience with film came with some radio broadcasting in high school. He left the University of Chicago after a year, but made such an impression on his professor and writer Thornton Wilder that he was recommended for a scholarship with Frank Lloyd Wright, where he learned the importance of space and geography, not to mention his later love for CinemaScope. When political differences came between the seasoned architect and his young protégé, Ray left for New York and became immersed in the radical theater.
He joined the Theatre of Action , which is where he met his good friend Elia Kazan, and later the Group Theatre. Times were tough and money was tight, but Ray loved the bohemian lifestyle of the close-knit group and enjoyed one of the happiest times of his life. Anybody who met him always noted his intellect and amazing energy. During this period he, along with his fellow Theater Group members, was also active in Socialist/Communist movement (which curiously went unnoticed during the Red Scare). In January 1937, Ray was put in charge of local theater activities by the Department of Agriculture's Resettlement Administration and moved to Washington with his wife Jean Evans, who was pregnant with his first child, Anthony. He also, along with Alan Lomax, traveled around the south and recorded folk musicians for the Library of Congress. The collaboration proved worthy, and in the early 40s Lomax and Ray were hired by CBS to produce a regular evening slot, headed by Woody Guthrie. In between this time Ray divorced his wife. Ray soon met John Houseman, who would become a very close friend. Houseman asked Ray to produce shows for the Overseas Branch of the Office of War Information, which ended quickly due to political pressures. Meanwhile, Ray's good friend of the Group Theatre days Elia Kazan had been called to Hollywood to make his feature film debut A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), and hired Ray to be his assistant, where Ray was first introduced to filmmaking. Houseman called Ray back to New York where Ray made his live TV debut with the enormously popular Sorry, Wrong Number (1946), plus some other radio work.
In 1946 Houseman lent Ray the novel "Thieves Like Us" by Edward Anderson, and Ray fell in love with it; he was familiar with the Depression-era south. He worked hard at the adaptation, and though uncredited for the screenplay, Ray actually contributed a large amount to it. There was never any question of Ray directing the film, and under the sympathetic eyes of producers Houseman and Dore Schary, who was well-known for giving first-time writers and directors breaks, Ray enjoyed possibly the only truly happy film making experience of his career. The film stars Farley Granger and Cathy O'Donnell as young, naive lovers trying to let their love blossom while running from the law. The film is remembered today for Ray's unique use of the camera (this was one of the first times a helicopter was used to shoot action), a fast pace, and above all, his extreme empathy for society's outsiders. Sadly, the film was shelved for two years due to Howard Hughes's takeover of RKO, and the film was released to a single theater in England to great reviews before it was finally released in the U.S.
Ray was eager to go back to work and quickly accepted a project without thinking. That film was A Woman's Secret (1949), which Ray probably would've turned down had he though twice about going back to work, as it bears little of his fingerprints. The film is only memorable because it is where Ray met actress Gloria Grahame, who became his second wife. Ray referred to the film as "a disastrous experience, among other things because I met her." When she became pregnant, Grahame divorced her husband and married Ray, because they thought it was the right thing to do. The same day that she became divorced, Ray and Grahame were wed in Las Vegas, but their marriage was over before it even started; Grahame spent their honeymoon alone while Ray gambled away nearly $40,000 in one night. Though RKO's publicity department alleged that Grahame and Ray met after Grahame's separation and that their son Timothy was born nearly 4 months premature, certain obvious truths contradict that statement. The marriage was disastrous; the two separated a year later and their attempt at professional friendship ended when Ray caught Grahame in bed with his son by Jean Evans. They divorced in 1952. Although They Live by Night (1948) was still unreleased in the US at this time, several Hollywood stars had their own private screening rooms and the film was seen by several important people.
One such person was Humphrey Bogart, who was so impressed with the debut that he invited Ray to direct his first independent production, Knock on Any Door (1949), for a loan-out at Columbia. Though Bogart was initially puzzled by Ray's intensely emotional style of directing, the two had a lot in common and became good friends. The film became a modest success, but Ray had misgivings and later said, "I wish Luis Buñuel had made The Young and the Damned (1950) before I made Knock on Any Door (1949), because I would have made a hell of a lot better film." Indeed, though the subject (juvenile delinquents) is close to Ray's heart, the film is too perhaps too polemic for its own good. Back at RKO, Ray was obliged to make films close to Howard Hughes's heart but not to his own. Despite Ray's leftist views and previous association with the Communist Party, his friendship with Hughes benefited Ray for the better during the Red Scare, and Ray remained untouched, but was morally and contractually obligated to make films he had no care for, such as Born to Be Bad (1950), which starred Hughes' one-time lover, Joan Fontaine, and Flying Leathernecks (1951), a blatant pro-war film that went against Ray's politics. Ray also did uncredited touch-up work to film such as Roseanna McCoy (1949), The Racket (1951), Androcles and the Lion (1952), and Macao (1952) during his years at RKO. Though Ray had his misgivings on their last collaboration, Bogart must have been impressed with Ray because he was optioned for a second loan-out at Columbia. Based loosely on a novel by Dorothy B. Hughes, In a Lonely Place (1950) tells the story of a violent screenwriter who falls in love with a fellow Hollywood burnout while he is under investigation for a murder of a girl he barely knew. The story was changed drastically from the source novel and shaped to better suit Bogart, and the result is considered one of Bogart's best and most complex performances. Despite their marital problems, Ray insisted on casting Gloria Grahame for the role of Bogart's lover because he knew she was right for the role, and Grahame was praised for her work as well.
A critically acclaimed film at the time of its release but something of a box-office disappointment, In a Lonely Place (1950) has gained a reputation over the decades as a classic example of both film noir and existential, heartbreaking romance. Before his contract was finished at RKO, Ray was at least able to make two memorable films: On Dangerous Ground (1951) was a complex cop drama that again featured expressionistic camera moves (hand-held cameras were used, a rarity for the 1950s) and a look into a violent protagonist, and The Lusty Men (1952), a film about the complexity of coming home was disguised as a rodeo movie. It is considered an underrated work of both Robert Mitchum and Ray. After he left RKO, his first project was the pseudo Western Johnny Guitar (1954), which he never liked and hated making (mostly because of Joan Crawford) despite its box-office success. Today the film has gathered a cult status (Martin Scorsese is a big fan), and during this period the French New Wave directors began to take note of this American auteur; Jean-Luc Godard in particular idolized Ray and once stated that "the cinema is Nicholas Ray." In September of 1954, Ray wrote a treatment to "The Blind Run," about three troubled teenagers who create a new family in each other. This would form the basis for his most popular and influential film, Rebel Without a Cause (1955). After some re-writes, Ray started shopping for a lead actor. After a trip to the Strasberg Institute in New York proved fruitless, he learned that Elia Kazan had recently discovered a New York stage actor for his latest film, but he wasn't recommending him; even after Ray saw a rough cut of this actor's latest film he still wasn't sure.
It was only when Ray met 24-year-old James Dean at a party did he realize that this hot new talent would be perfect for the role of Jim Stark, a troubled youth whose world is unraveled in a 24-hour period. Ray and Dean formed a very close bond during filming, with Ray allowing Dean to improvise and even direct to his liking. The rest of the cast came together with the talents of two fifteen-year-olds: Natalie Wood (to whom Ray was rumored to have made advances) and Sal Mineo; as well as smaller roles, which Ray cast based on weeks of bizarre, improvised auditions as well as interviews with the actors. Filming was a wild ride, but it paid off; Mineo and Wood were both Oscar-nominated in the supporting acting categories, and Ray received his only Oscar nomination, for the screenplay.
Ray and Dean planned to make more movies after this, but Dean's death would never make that possible, and at least they left movie audiences with one great film. Ray loved working with younger actors and wanted to only make movies about them, but first he made Hot Blood (1956), based on research that his ex-wife had compiled about gypsies. During a stay in Paris Ray read an article called "Ten Feet Tall," about a teacher whose life fell apart because of a Cortisone addiction. Ray was fascinated by this and empathized with teachers' low pay at the time. Star and producer James Mason played Ed Avery, a family man whose life takes a nightmarish turn when he becomes addicted to Cortisone. Though a critical and financial disaster, today Bigger Than Life is considered Nicholas Ray's masterpiece and very ahead of its time. The French magazine Cahiers du Cinema named it one of the 10 best films of the 50s. In fact, the magazine was a huge admirer of Ray, and frequently would acclaim Ray's films for their style and substance while American critics dismissed them, adding to Ray's cult status as a director. Ray continued to make films, but his health started to become a problem on the set of Wind Across the Everglades (1958), and Ray was fired, with most of his footage discarded.
In the 1960s, he was invited to make two big-budget films in Spain, the Biblical epic King of Kings (1961) and 55 Days at Peking (1963), where he suffered a heart attack brought on by years of heavy drinking and smoking, not to mention stress. This sadly brought his Hollywood career to a premature finish. After his heart attack, he tried many times to direct again, but no projects made it off the ground. In addition, Ray was frequently using drugs and immersing himself in the chaos of the 1960s and the hippie generation. He did not direct again until the satirical porn short Wet Dreams (1974). Also in the 1970s, he became a teacher at New York University (one of his students was Jim Jarmusch), and despite his eccentricity, he connected with his students and together they made We Can't Go Home Again (1973), half documentary and half fiction. With the help of his friend Wim Wenders, he completed his last film, Lightning Over Water (1980), which was supposed to be about a painter dying of cancer and trying to sail to China to find a cure, but instead it became a sad documentary about Ray's last days.
Nicholas Ray died on June 6th, 1979 of lung cancer, but before his death he left the world some of the most painfully realized and contemporary motion pictures ever put on celluloid, and shared a fully realized vulnerability that will never be duplicated. Thirty years after his death, the cinema still is Nicholas Ray.1. Johnny Guitar (1954)--> 12/10
2. They Live by Night (1948)--> 10/10
3. In a Lonely Place (1950)--> 9/10
4. Bitter Victory (1957)--> 9/10
5. On Dangerous Ground (1951)--> 9/10
6. Bigger Than Life (1956)--> 8/10
7. Party Girl (1958)--> 8/10
8. The Lusty Men (1952)--> 8/10
9. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)--> 8/10
10. We Can't Go Home Again (1973)--> 8/10
11. Run for Cover (1955)--> 7/10
12. The True Story of Jesse James (1957)--> 7/10
13. The Savage Innocents (1960)--> 7/10
14. Born to Be Bad (1950)--> 6/10
15. Knock on Any Door (1949)--> 6/10
16. King of Kings (1961)--> 6/10
17. Wind Across the Everglades (1958)--> 6/10
18. Hot Blood (1956)--> 6/10
19. A Woman's Secret (1949)--> 5/10
20. Flying Leathernecks (1951)--> 5/10
21. 55 Days at Peking (1963)--> 5/10- Director
- Cinematographer
- Editor
Stan Brakhage was born on 14 January 1933 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He was a director and cinematographer, known for The Loom (1986), The God of Day Had Gone Down Upon Him (2000) and Dog Star Man (1964). He was married to Marilyn Jull and Jane Wodening. He died on 9 March 2003 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.1. Dog Star Man (1964)--> 10/10
2. Anticipation of the Night (1958)--> 9/10
3. Star Garden (1974)--> 9/10
4. Visions in Meditation (1990)--> 9/10
5. The Dante Quartet (1987)--> 9/10
6. Window Water Baby Moving (1959)--> 8/10
7. 23rd Psalm Branch (1967)--> 8/10
8. The Mammals of Victoria (1994)--> 8/10
9. Lovesong (2001)--> 8/10
10. For Marilyn (1992)--> 8/10
11. Comingled Containers (1997)--> 8/10
12. Seasons... (2002)--> 8/10
13. Boulder Blues and Pearls and... (1992)--> 8/10
14. Scenes from Under Childhood #1 (1967)--> 8/10
15. Persian Series (2001)--> 8/10
16. I Take These Truths (1994)--> 7/10
17. The Domain of the Moment (1977)--> 7/10
18. Delicacies of Molter Horror Synapse (1991)--> 7/10
19. Murder Psalm (1980)--> 7/10
20. The Wonder Ring (1959)--> 7/10
21. The Cat of the Worm's Green Realm (1997)--> 7/10
22. Interim (1952)--> 7/10
23. The Machine of Eden (1970)--> 7/10
24. The Dark Tower (1999)--> 7/10
25. Mothlight (1963)--> 7/10
26. The Stars Are Beautiful (1974)--> 7/10
27. Yggdrasill: Whose Roots Are Stars in the Human Mind (1997)--> 7/10
28. Desert (1976)--> 7/10
29. Black Ice (1994)--> 7/10
30. Duplicity III (1980)--> 7/10
31. First Hymn to the Night - Novalis (1994)--> 7/10
32. Night Music (1986)--> 7/10
33. The Garden of Earthly Delights (1981)--> 7/10
34. The Text of Light (1974)--> 6/10
35. Water for Maya (2003)--> 6/10
36. Crack Glass Eulogy (1991)--> 6/10
37. Cat's Cradle (1959)--> 6/10
38. Stellar (1993)--> 6/10
39. Burial Path (1978)--> 6/10
40. Creation (1979)--> 6/10
41. Rage Net (1988)--> 6/10
42. The Dead (1960)--> 6/10
43. The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes (1971)--> 6/10
44. Glaze of Cathexis (1990)--> 6/10
45. Unconscious London Strata (1981)--> 6/10
46. Reflections on Black (1955)--> 6/10
47. I... Dreaming (1988)--> 6/10
48. The Riddle of Lumen (1972)--> 6/10
49. Chinese Series (2003)--> 6/10
50. ... Reel Five (1999)--> 6/10
51. Concrescence (1996)--> 6/10
52. Two: Creeley/McClure (1965)--> 5/10
53. SB (One Minute for Vienna) (2002)--> 5/10
54. Wedlock House: An Intercourse (1959)--> 5/10
55. The Process (1972)--> 5/10
56. Centuries of June (1955)--> 5/10
57. Garden Path (2001)--> 5/10
58. Arabic Numeral Series 12 (1982)--> 5/10
59. Kindering (1987)--> 5/10
60. Thot-Fal'N (1978)--> 5/10
61. Desistfilm (1954)--> 5/10
62. Coupling (1999)--> 5/10
63. Deus Ex (1971)--> 5/10
64. Eye Myth (1967)--> 5/10
65. Thigh Line Lyre Triangular (1961)--> 4/10
66. The Wold Shadow (1972)--> 4/10
67. Study in Color and Black and White (1993)--> 4/10
68. Unglassed Windows Cast a Terrible Reflection (1953)--> 4/10
69. The Way to Shadow Garden (1954)--> 3/10
70. Blue Moses (1962)--> 3/10
71. Sirius Remembered (1959)--> 3/10
72. The Extraordinary Child (1954)--> 2/10- Director
- Actor
- Writer
From Ernst Lubitsch's experiences in Sophien Gymnasium (high school) theater, he decided to leave school at the age of 16 and pursue a career on the stage. He had to compromise with his father and keep the account books for the family tailor business while he acted in cabarets and music halls at night. In 1911 he joined the Deutsches Theater of famous director/producer/impresario Max Reinhardt, and was able to move up to leading acting roles in a short time. He took an extra job as a handyman while learning silent film acting at Berlin's Bioscope film studios. The next year he launched his own film career by appearing in a series of comedies showcasing traditional ethnic Jewish slice-of-life fare. Finding great success in these character roles, Lubitsch turned to broader comedy, then beginning in 1914 started writing and directing his own films.
His breakthrough film came in 1918 with The Eyes of the Mummy (1918) ("The Eyes of the Mummy"), a tragedy starring future Hollywood star Pola Negri. Also that year he made Carmen (1918), again with Negri, a film that was commercially successful on the international level. His work already showed his genius for catching the eye as well as the ear in not only comedy but historical drama. The year 1919 found Lubitsch directing seven films, the two standouts being his lavish Passion (1919) with two of his favorite actors--Negri (yet again) and Emil Jannings. His other standout was the witty parody of the American upper crust, The Oyster Princess (1919) ("The Oyster Princess"). This film was a perfect example of what became known as the Lubitsch style, or the "Lubitsch Touch", as it became known--sophisticated humor combined with inspired staging that economically presented a visual synopsis of storyline, scenes and characters.
His success in Europe brought him to the shores of America to promote The Loves of Pharaoh (1922) ("The Loves of Pharaoh") and he become acquainted with the thriving US film industry. He soon returned to Europe, but came back to the US for good to direct new friend and influential star Mary Pickford in his first American hit, Rosita (1923). The Marriage Circle (1924) began Lubitsch's unprecedented run of sophisticated films that mirrored the American scene (though always relocated to foreign or imaginary lands) and all its skewed panorama of the human condition. There was a smooth transition between his silent films for Warner Bros. and the sound movies--usually at Paramount--now embellished with the flow of speech of Hollywood's greats lending personal nuances to continually heighten the popularity at the box office and the fame of Lubitsch's first-rate versatility in crafting a smart film. There was a mix of pioneering musical films and some drama also through the 1930s. The of those films resulted in Paramount making him its production chief in 1935, so he could produce his own films and supervise production of others. In 1938 he signed a three-year contract with Twentieth Century-Fox.
Certainly two of his most beloved films near the end of his career dealt with the political landscape of the World War II era. He moved to MGM, where he directed Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas in Ninotchka (1939), a fast-paced comedy of "decadent" Westerners meeting Soviet "comrades" who were seeking more of life than the mother country could--or would--offer. During the war he directed perhaps his most beloved comedy--controversial to say the least, dark in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way--but certainly a razor-sharp tour de force in smart, precise dialog, staging and story: To Be or Not to Be (1942), produced by his own company, Romaine Film Corp. It was a biting satire of Nazi tyranny that also poked fun at Lubitsch's own theater roots with the problems and bickering--but also the triumph--of a somewhat raggedy acting troupe in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. Jack Benny's perfect deadpan humor worked well with the zany vivaciousness of Carole Lombard, and a cast of veteran character actors from both Hollywood and Lubitsch's native Germany provided all the chemistry needed to make this a classic comedy, as well as a fierce statement against the perpetrators of war. The most poignant scene was profoundly so, with Felix Bressart--another of Reinhardt's students--as the only Jewish bit player in the company. His supreme hope is a chance to someday play Shylock. He gets his chance as part of a ruse in front of Adolf Hitler's SS bodyguards. The famous soliloquy was a bold declaration to the world of the Axis' brutal inhumanity to man, as in its treatment of and plans for the Jewry of Europe.
Lubitsch had a massive heart attack in 1943 after having signed a producer/director's contract with 20th Century-Fox earlier that year, but completed Heaven Can Wait (1943). His continued efforts in film were severely stymied but he worked as he could. In late 1944 Otto Preminger, another disciple of Reinhardt's Viennese theater work, took over the direction of A Royal Scandal (1945), with Lubitsch credited as nominal producer. March of 1947, the year of his passing, brought a special Academy Award (he was nominated three times) to the fading producer/director for his "25-year contribution to motion pictures." At his funeral, two of his fellow directorial émigrés from Germany put his epitaph succinctly as they left. Billy Wilder noted, "No more Lubitsch." William Wyler answered, "Worse than that - no more Lubitsch films."1. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)--> 11/10
2. Angel (1937)--> 9/10
3. To Be or Not To Be (1942)--> 9/10
4. Trouble in Paradise (1932)--> 9/10
5. The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927)--> 9/10
6. Heaven Can Wait (1943)--> 9/10
7. Broken Lullaby (1932)--> 8/10
8. Cluny Brown (1946)--> 8/10
9. Lady Windermere's Fan (1925)--> 8/10
10. Die Puppe (1919)--> 8/10
11. Design for Living (1933)--> 8/10
12. Ninotchka (1939)--> 7/10
13. Bluebeard's Eight Wife (1938)--> 7/10
14. One Hour with You (1932)--> 7/10
15. The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)--> 7/10
16. Die Austernprinzessin (1919)--> 7/10
17. Eternal Love
18. The Marriage Circle (1924)--> 7/10
19. Madame DuBarry (1919)--> 6/10
20. Die Bergkatze (1921)--> 6/10
21. Ich Möchte kein Mann Sein (1918)--> 6/10
22. Monte Carlo (1930)--> 6/10
23. Das Weib des Pharao (1922)--> 6/10
24. The Merry Widow (1934)--> 6/10
25. So This Is Paris (1926)--> 6/10
26. Anna Boleyn (1920)--> 6/10
27. The Love Parade (1929)--> 6/10
28. That Uncertain Feeling (1941)--> 6/10
29. Kohlhiesels Töchter (1920)--> 5/10
30. Rosita (1923)--> 5/10
31. Carmen (1918)--> 5/10
32. Meyer aus Berlin (1919)--> 5/10
33. Das Fidele Gefängnis (1917)--> 5/10
34. Sumurun (1920)--> 5/10
35. Romeo und Julia im Schnee (1920)--> 4/10
36. Forbidden Paradise (1924)--> 4/10
37. Wo ist Mein Schatz? (1916)--> 4/10
38. Die Augen der Mumie Ma (1918)--> 4/10
39. Schuhpalast Pinkus (1916)--> 3/10- Actor
- Writer
- Director
His father, Richard Head Welles, was a well-to-do inventor, his mother, Beatrice (Ives) Welles, a beautiful concert pianist; Orson Welles was gifted in many arts (magic, piano, painting) as a child. When his mother died in 1924 (when he was nine) he traveled the world with his father. He was orphaned at 15 after his father's death in 1930 and became the ward of Dr. Maurice Bernstein of Chicago. In 1931, he graduated from the Todd School in Woodstock, Illinois. He turned down college offers for a sketching tour of Ireland. He tried unsuccessfully to enter the London and Broadway stages, traveling some more in Morocco and Spain, where he fought in the bullring.
Recommendations by Thornton Wilder and Alexander Woollcott got him into Katharine Cornell's road company, with which he made his New York debut as Tybalt in 1934. The same year, he married, directed his first short, and appeared on radio for the first time. He began working with John Houseman and formed the Mercury Theatre with him in 1937. In 1938, they produced "The Mercury Theatre on the Air", famous for its broadcast version of "The War of the Worlds" (intended as a Halloween prank). His first film to be seen by the public was Citizen Kane (1941), a commercial failure losing RKO $150,000, but regarded by many as the best film ever made. Many of his subsequent films were commercial failures and he exiled himself to Europe in 1948.
In 1956, he directed Touch of Evil (1958); it failed in the United States but won a prize at the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. In 1975, in spite of all his box-office failures, he received the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 1984, the Directors Guild of America awarded him its highest honor, the D.W. Griffith Award. His reputation as a filmmaker steadily climbed thereafter.1. Touch of Evil (1958)--> 11/10
2. Citizen Kane (1941)--> 10/10
3. Vérités et Mensonges (1973)--> 9/10
4. The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)--> 9/10
5. Le Procès (1962)--> 9/10
6. The Lady from Shanghai (1947)--> 8/10
7. The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice (1952)--> 8/10
8. Histoire Immortelle (1968)--> 8/10
9. Campanadas a Medianoche (1965)--> 8/10
10. The Stranger (1946)--> 8/10
11. Macbeth (1948)--> 7/10
12. Mr. Arkadin (1955)--> 7/10
13. The Fountain of Youth (1958)--> 6/10
14. Erinnerungen an 'Othello' (1978)--> 6/10
15. Filming 'The Trial' (1981)--> 6/10
16. Around the World with Orson Welles (1955)--> 6/10
17. Don Quijote de Orson Welles (1992)--> 6/10
18. It's All True (1993)--> 5/10
19. The Other Side of the Wind (2018)--> 5/10
20. The Spirit of Charles Lindbergh (1984)--> 5/10
21. Orson Welles' Magic Show (1985)--> 5/10
22. Too Much Johnson (1938)--> 5/10
23. The Hearts of Age (1934)--> 4/10
24. Vienna (1968)--> 4/10- Actor
- Director
- Writer
John Cassavetes was a Greek-American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He is considered a pioneer of American independent film, as he often financed his own films.
Cassavetes was born in New York City in 1929 to Nicholas John Cassavetes (1893-1979) and his wife, Katherine Demetre (1906-1983). Nicholas was an immigrant from Greece, while Katherine was Greek-American who had been born in New York City. The Cassavetes family moved back to Greece in the early 1930s, and John learned Greek as his primary language. The family moved back to the United States around 1936, possibly to evade Greece's new dictatorship, the 4th of August Regime (1936-1941). Young John had to learn to speak English. He spent his late childhood and most of his teenage years in Long Island, New York. From 1945-47, he attended the Port Washington High School. He wrote for the school newspaper and the school yearbook. The 18-year-old Cassavetes was then transferred to the Blair Academy, a boarding school located in Blairstown, New Jersey. When the time came for him to start college, Cassavetes enrolled at Champlain College (in Burlington, Vermont) but was expelled owing to poor grades.
After a brief vacation to Florida, Cassavetes enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA), in New York City. Several of his old friends were already students there and had recommended it to Cassavetes, who would be mentored by Don Richardson (1918-1996). After graduating, he began to regularly perform on stage while also appearing in small roles in films and television shows.
Cassavetes's first notable film role was that of Robert Batsford, one of the three villains (along with Vince Edwards and David Cross) in The Night Holds Terror (1955). His next major role was juvenile delinquent Frankie Dane in the crime film "Crime in the Streets" (1956). He won a lead role in Edge of the City (1957) as drifter Axel Nordmann. His co-star for the film was Sidney Poitier, who played stevedore Tommy Tyler. The film helped break new ground, portraying a working-class interracial friendship. Cassavetes gained critical acclaim for his role, and film critics compared him to Marlon Brando. Cassavetes's success as an actor led to his becoming a contract player for MGM. In 1959, he directed his first film, Shadows (1958). It depicted the lives of three African-American siblings in New York City. It won the Critics Award at the Venice Film Festival.
His next directing effort, Too Late Blues (1961), was about the professional and romantic problems of a struggling jazz musician. The film was poorly received at the time, though its autobiographical elements are considered remarkable. Cassavetes then directed A Child Is Waiting (1963), which depicted life in a state institution for mentally handicapped and emotionally disturbed children. The film was a documentary-style portrayal of problems in the social services. It was praised by critics but failed at the box office.
In 1968, Cassavetes had a comeback as a director with Faces (1968), which depicts a single night in the life of a middle-aged married couple. After 14 years of marriage, the two feel rather miserable and seek happiness in the company of friends and the beds of younger lovers, but neither manages to cure their sense of misery. The film gained critical acclaim, and, in 2011, was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
Cassavetes returned to the theme of a midlife crisis in his next film, Husbands (1970). The film depicts three middle-aged men, professionally successful and seemingly happily married. The death of a close childhood friend reminds them of their own mortality, and of their fading memories of youth. They flee their ordinary lives with a shared vacation to London, but their attempts to rejuvenate themselves fail. This film attracted mixed reviews, with some critics praising its "moments of piercing honesty" and others finding fault with its rambling dialogue.
Cassavetes's next film was Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), about the romantic relationship between a seemingly incompatible couple, jaded museum curator Minnie Moore and the temperamental drifter Seymour Moskowitz. It was well received and garnered Cassavetes a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen. His next film was A Woman Under the Influence (1974), concerning the effects of mental illness on a working-class family. In the film, ordinary housewife Mabel Longhetti starts displaying signs of a mental disorder. She undergoes psychiatric treatment for six months while her husband, Nick Longhetti, attempts to play the role of a single father. But Nick seems to be a social misfit in his own right, and neither parent seems to be "normal". Cassavetes was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for this film, but the award was won by Francis Ford Coppola.
Cassavetes next directed the gritty crime film, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976). In the film, Korean War veteran and cabaret owner Cosmo Vittelli owes a large debt to a criminal organization and is coerced to serve as their hit-man in an assassination scheme. He has been told that the target is an insignificant bookie, but after the assassination Vittelli learns that he just killed a high-ranking crime boss of the Chinese mafia and that he himself is now a target for assassination. The film gained good reviews and a cult following.
His next film, Opening Night (1977), was more enigmatic, mixing drama with horror elements. Protagonist Myrtle Gordon (played by Cassavetes's wife, Gena Rowlands) is a famous actress, but aging and dissatisfied with the only theatrical role available to her. After seeing teenager Nancy Stein, one of her obsessive fans , get killed in a car accident, Myrtle starts having visions of Nancy's ghost. As she keeps fighting the ghost, drinking heavily and chain-smoking, the film ends without explaining what seems to be going wrong with Myrtle's perception of reality. The film was a hit in Europe but flopped in the United States.
Cassavetes had another directing comeback with "Gloria" (1980). In the film, Gloria Swenson (formerly a gangster's girlfriend) is asked to protect Phil Dawn, the young son of an FBI informant within a New York crime family. After the apparent assassination of Phil's parents, Gloria finds herself targeted by gangsters and wanted by the police as a kidnapping suspect. The film won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival, and protagonist Gena Rowlands was nominated for several acting awards.
Cassavetes's 11th directing effort was the rather unconventional drama Love Streams (1984), about the relationship between two middle-aged siblings. In the film, Sarah Lawson suffers from depression following a messy divorce and moves in with her brother, Robert Harmon, an alcoholic writer with self-destructive tendencies. Though estranged from his ex-wife and his only son and unable to protect himself from violent foes, in the end Robert finally has someone for whom to care. The film won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Cassavetes' swan song as a director was the comedy Big Trouble (1986), replacing the much younger Andrew Bergman. The film concerns an insurance agent who needs $40,000 for college tuition for his three daughters. He agrees to cooperate in an insurance scam with the wife of one of his clients, though the plan may require them to murder her husband. Several elements of the film were recycled from the plot of the iconic film noir Double Indemnity (1944), and "Big Trouble" served as its unofficial remake. The film was unsuccessful, and Cassavetes himself reportedly disliked the script.
In the late 1980s, Cassavetes suffered from health problems and his career was in decline. He died in 1989 from cirrhosis of the liver caused by many years of heavy drinking. He was only 59 years old. He is buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles, having left more than 40 unproduced screenplays and an unpublished novel. His son, Nick Cassavetes, eventually used one of the unproduced screenplays to direct a new film, the romantic drama, She's So Lovely (1997). It was released eight years after the death of John Cassavetes, and was well received by critics.1. Love Streams (1984)--> 10/10
2. Opening Night (1977)--> 10/10
3. A Woman Under the Influence (1974)--> 9/10
4. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)--> 9/10
5. Faces (1968)--> 9/10
6. Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)--> 8/10
7. Shadows (1959)--> 8/10
8. Husbands (1970)--> 7/10
9. Gloria (1980)--> 7/10
10. Too Late Blues (1961)--> 6/10
11. Big Trouble (1986)--> 6/10
12. A Child Is Waiting (1963)--> 6/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Hong Sang-soo was born on 25 October 1960 in Seoul, Korea. He is a director and writer, known for Right Now, Wrong Then (2015), Night and Day (2008) and The Woman Who Ran (2020).1. Dangsinjasingwa Dangsinui Geot (2016)--> 9/10
2. Bamui Haebyun-eoseo Honja (2017)--> 9/10
3. Dangsin-eolgul-apeseo (2021)--> 9/10
4. Bam Gua Nat (2008)--> 9/10
5. Ji-geum-eun-mat-go-geu-ddae-neun-teul-li-da (2015)--> 9/10
6. Ja-yu-eui eon-deok (2014)--> 8/10
7. Grass (2018)--> 8/10
8. Nugu-ui ttal-do Anin Hae-won (2013)--> 8/10
9. Saenghwalui Balgyeon (2002)--> 8/10
10. Book Chon Bang Hyang (2011)--> 8/10
11. Haebyonui Yeoin (2006)--> 8/10
12. Geu-hu (2017)--> 8/10
13. Gangbyub Hotel (2018)--> 8/10
14. So-seol-ga-ui yeong-hwa (2022)--> 8/10
15. Geuk Jang Jeon (2005)--> 8/10
16. Jal al-ji-do mot-ha-myeon-seo (2009)--> 7/10
17. Keul-le-eo-ui Ka-me-la (2017)--> 7/10
18. List (2011)--> 7/10
19. Hahaha (2010)--> 7/10
20. Woori Sunhee (2013)--> 7/10
21. Inteurodeoksyeon (2021)--> 7/10
22. Oh! Soo-jung (2000)--> 7/10
23. Da-reun na-ra-e-seo (2012)--> 7/10
24. Tab (2022)--> 7/10
25. Ok-hui-ui Yeonghwa (2010)--> 7/10
26. Domangchin Yeoja (2020)--> 7/10
27. Yeojaneun Namjaui Miraeda (2004)--> 6/10
28. Cheopcheopsanjung (2009)--> 6/10
29. Kangwon-do ui Him (1998)--> 6/10
30. Daijiga Umule Pajinnal (1996)--> 5/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Víctor Erice was born on 30 June 1940 in Karrantza, Vizcaya, País Vasco, Spain. He is a director and writer, known for Close Your Eyes (2023), El Sur (1983) and The Spirit of the Beehive (1973).1. El Espíritu de la Colmena (1973)--> 12/10
2. El Sur (1983)--> 11/10
3. Cerrar los Ojos (2023)--> 9/10
4. El Sol del Membrillo (1992)--> 9/10
5. Alumbramiento (2002)--> 8/10
6. La Morte Rouge (2006)--> 8/10
7. Víctor Erice: Abbas Kiarostami: Correspondencias (2007)--> 8/10
8. Los Días Perdidos (1963)--> 7/10- Writer
- Director
- Editor
Chris Marker was born on 29 July 1921 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France. He was a writer and director, known for 12 Monkeys (1995), Sans Soleil (1983) and Third Side of the Coin (1960). He died on 29 July 2012 in Paris, France.1. Sans Soleil (1983)--> 11/10
2. La Jetée (1962)--> 10/10
3. Le Fond de l'Air Est Rouge (1977)--> 9/10
4. Level Five (1997)--> 9/10
5. Le Joli Mai (1963)--> 9/10
6. Le Tombeau d'Alexandre (1993)--> 8/10
7. Lettre de Sibérie (1957)--> 8/10
8. Le Souvenir d'un Avenir (2001)--> 8/10
9. Les Statues Meurent Aussi (1953)--> 8/10
10. Description d'un Combat (1960)--> 7/10
11. L'Héritage de la Chouette (1990)--> 7/10
12. Une Journée d'Andrei Arsenevitch (1987)--> 7/10
13. Le Mystère Koumiko (1965)--> 7/10
{ 14. ...A Valparaíso (1964)--> 7/10 }
15. Dimanche à Pekin (1956)--> 7/10
16. Si J'Avais Quatre Dromadaires (1966)--> 7/10
17. L'Ambassade (1973)--> 7/10
18. 2084: Video Clip pour une Réflexion Syndicale et pour le Plaisir (1984)--> 7/10
19. Vive la Baleine (1972)--> 7/10
20. Classe de Lutte (1969)--> 6/10
21. Le Train en Marche (1971)--> 6/10
22. Junkopia (1981)--> 6/10
23. ¡Cuba Sí! (1961)--> 6/10
24. E-clip-se (1999)--> 6/10
25. Puisqu'on Vous Dit que c'est Possible (1973)--> 6/10
26. Mémoires pour Simone (1986)--> 6/10
27. On Vous Parle de Paris: Maspero. Les Mots Ont un Sens (1970)--> 6/10
28. Chat Écoutant la musique (1988)--> 6/10
29. A.K. (1985)--> 6/10
30. On Vous Parle de Prague: Le Deuxième Procès d'Artur London (1971)--> 6/10
31. À Bientôt, J'espère (1968)--> 6/10
32. La Sixième Face du Pentagone (1968)--> 6/10
33. On Vous Parle du Brésil: Carlos Marighela (1970)--> 5/10
34. Casque Bleu (1995)--> 5/10
35. Quand le Siècle a Pris Forme (Guerre et Révolution) (1978)--> 5/10
36. On Vous Parle du Chili: Ce que Disait Allende (1973)--> 5/10
37. Zoo Piece (1990)--> 5/10
38. La Solitude du Chanteur de Fond (1974)--> 5/10
39. Le 20 Heures dans les Camps (1993)--> 5/10
40. Tokyo Days (1988)--> 5/10
41. On Vous Parle du Brésil: Tortures (1969)--> 5/10
42. Un Maire au Kosovo (2000)--> 5/10
43. Olympia 52 (1952)--> 5/10
44. Berliner Ballade (1990)--> 4/10
45. Les Astronautes (1959)--> 4/10
46. Théorie des Ensembles (1991)--> 4/10
47. Trois Video Haikus (1994)--> 4/10
48. Rhodia 4x8 (1969)--> 4/10
49. Slon Tango (1990)--> 4/10
50. Bullfight in Okinawa (1994)--> 3/10
51. Jour de Tournage (1969)--> 3/10
52. An Owl Is an Owl Is an Owl (1990)--> 3/10
53. Silent Movie (Edit 2) (1995)--> 2/10
54. Matta '85 (1985)--> 2/10- Music Department
- Writer
- Composer
John Howard Carpenter was born in Carthage, New York, to mother Milton Jean (Carter) and father Howard Ralph Carpenter. His family moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where his father, a professor, was head of the music department at Western Kentucky University. He attended Western Kentucky University and then USC film school in Los Angeles. He began making short films in 1962, and won an Academy Award for Best Live-Action Short Subject in 1970, for The Resurrection of Broncho Billy (1970), which he made while at USC. Carpenter formed a band in the mid-1970s called The Coupe de Villes, which included future directors Tommy Lee Wallace and Nick Castle. Since the 1970s, he has had numerous roles in the film industry including writer, actor, composer, producer, and director. After directing Dark Star (1974), he has helmed both classic horror films like Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), and The Thing (1982), and noted sci-fi tales like Escape from New York (1981) and Starman (1984).1. The Thing (1982)--> 10/10
2. Halloween (1978)--> 9/10
3. Starman (1984)--> 9/10
4. They Live (1988)--> 9/10
5. In the Mouth of Madness (1994)--> 9/10
6. Escape from New York (1981)--> 8/10
7. Assault on Precint 13 (1976)--> 8/10
8. Prince of Darkness (1987)--> 8/10
9. The Fog (1980)--> 8/10
10. Christine (1983)--> 8/10
11. Vampires (1998)--> 7/10
12. Escape from L.A. (1996)--> 7/10
13. Masters of Horror: Cigarette Burns (2005)--> 7/10
14. Someone's Watching Me! (1978)--> 7/10
15. Ghosts of Mars (2001)--> 7/10
16. The Ward (2010)--> 6/10
17. Body Bags (1993)--> 6/10
18. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)--> 6/10
19. Village of the Damned (1995)--> 6/10
20. Elvis (1979)--> 6/10
21. Dark Star (1974)--> 5/10
22. Masters of Horror: Pro-Life (2007)--> 5/10
23. Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)--> 5/10
24. Captain Voyeur (1969)--> 4/10- Writer
- Actor
- Director
Considered to be one of the most pivotal stars of the early days of Hollywood, Charlie Chaplin lived an interesting life both in his films and behind the camera. He is most recognized as an icon of the silent film era, often associated with his popular character, the Little Tramp; the man with the toothbrush mustache, bowler hat, bamboo cane, and a funny walk.
Charles Spencer Chaplin was born in Walworth, London, England on April 16, 1889, to Hannah Harriet Pedlingham (Hill) and Charles Chaplin, both music hall performers, who were married on June 22, 1885. After Charles Sr. separated from Hannah to perform in New York City, Hannah then tried to resurrect her stage career. Unfortunately, her singing voice had a tendency to break at unexpected moments. When this happened, the stage manager spotted young Charlie standing in the wings and led him on stage, where five-year-old Charlie began to sing a popular tune. Charlie and his half-brother, Syd Chaplin spent their lives in and out of charity homes and workhouses between their mother's bouts of insanity. Hannah was committed to Cane Hill Asylum in May 1903 and lived there until 1921, when Chaplin moved her to California.
Chaplin began his official acting career at the age of eight, touring with the Eight Lancashire Lads. At age 18, he began touring with Fred Karno's vaudeville troupe, joining them on the troupe's 1910 United States tour. He traveled west to California in December 1913 and signed on with Keystone Studios' popular comedy director Mack Sennett, who had seen Chaplin perform on stage in New York. Charlie soon wrote his brother Syd, asking him to become his manager. While at Keystone, Chaplin appeared in and directed 35 films, starring as the Little Tramp in nearly all.
In November 1914, he left Keystone and signed on at Essanay, where he made 15 films. In 1916, he signed on at Mutual and made 12 films. In June 1917, Chaplin signed up with First National Studios, after which he built Chaplin Studios. In 1919, he and Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and D.W. Griffith formed United Artists (UA).
Chaplin's life and career was full of scandal and controversy. His first big scandal was during World War I, at which time his loyalty to England, his home country, was questioned. He had never applied for American citizenship, but claimed that he was a "paying visitor" to the United States. Many British citizens called Chaplin a coward and a slacker. This and other career eccentricities sparked suspicion with FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), who believed that he was injecting Communist propaganda into his films. Chaplin's later film The Great Dictator (1940), which was his first "talkie", also created a stir. In the film, Chaplin plays a humorous caricature of Adolf Hitler. Some thought the film was poorly done and in bad taste. However, the film grossed over $5 million and earned five Academy Award Nominations.
Another scandal occurred when Chaplin briefly dated 22 year-old Joan Barry. However, Chaplin's relationship with Barry came to an end in 1942, after a series of harassing actions from her. In May 1943, Barry returned to inform Chaplin that she was pregnant and filed a paternity suit, claiming that the unborn child was his. During the 1944 trial, blood tests proved that Chaplin was not the father, but at the time, blood tests were inadmissible evidence, and he was ordered to pay $75 a week until the child turned 21.
Chaplin also was scrutinized for his support in aiding the Russian struggle against the invading Nazis during World War II, and the United States government questioned his moral and political views, suspecting him of having Communist ties. For this reason, HUAC subpoenaed him in 1947. However, HUAC finally decided that it was no longer necessary for him to appear for testimony. Conversely, when Chaplin and his family traveled to London for the premier of Limelight (1952), he was denied re-entry to the United States. In reality, the government had almost no evidence to prove that he was a threat to national security. Instead, he and his wife decided to settle in Switzerland.
Chaplin was married four times and had a total of 11 children. In 1918, he married Mildred Harris and they had a son together, Norman Spencer Chaplin, who lived only three days. Chaplin and Harris divorced in 1920. He married Lita Grey in 1924, who had two sons, Charles Chaplin Jr. and Sydney Chaplin. They were divorced in 1927. In 1936, Chaplin married Paulette Goddard, and his final marriage was to Oona O'Neill (Oona Chaplin), daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill in 1943. Oona gave birth to eight children: Geraldine Chaplin, Michael Chaplin, Josephine Chaplin, Victoria Chaplin, Eugene Chaplin, Jane Chaplin, Annette-Emilie Chaplin, and Christopher Chaplin.
In contrast to many of his boisterous characters, Chaplin was a quiet man who kept to himself a great deal. He also had an "un-millionaire" way of living. Even after he had accumulated millions, he continued to live in shabby accommodations. In 1921, Chaplin was decorated by the French government for his outstanding work as a filmmaker and was elevated to the rank of Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1952. In 1972, he was honored with an Academy Award for his "incalculable effect in making motion pictures the art form of the century". He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1975 New Year's Honours List. No formal reason for the honour was listed. The citation simply reads "Charles Spencer Chaplin, Film Actor and Producer".
Chaplin's other works included musical scores that he composed for many of his films. He also authored two autobiographical books, "My Autobiography" (1964) and its companion volume, "My Life in Pictures" (1974).
Chaplin died at age 88 of natural causes on December 25, 1977 at his home in Vevey, Switzerland. His funeral was a small and private Anglican ceremony according to his wishes. In 1978, Chaplin's corpse was stolen from its grave and was not recovered for three months; he was re-buried in a vault surrounded by cement.
Six of Chaplin's films have been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress: The Immigrant (1917), The Kid (1921), The Gold Rush (1925), City Lights (1931), Modern Times (1936), and The Great Dictator (1940).
Charlie Chaplin is considered one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of American cinema, whose movies were and still are popular throughout the world and have even gained notoriety as time progresses. His films show, through the Little Tramp's positive outlook on life in a world full of chaos, that the human spirit has and always will remain the same.1. Limelight (1952)--> 10/10
2. City Lights (1931)--> 10/10
3. Modern Times (1936)--> 9/10
4. Monsieur Verdoux (1947)--> 9/10
5. The Gold Rush (1925)--> 9/10
6. The Circus (1928)--> 8/10
7. A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)--> 8/10
8. A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923)--> 8/10
9. The Great Dictator (1940)--> 8/10
10. The Kid (1921)--> 8/10
11. A Dog's Life (1918)--> 8/10
12. The Immigrant (1917)--> 7/10
13. A King in New York (1957)--> 7/10
14. The Pilgrim (1923)--> 7/10
15. The Adventurer (1917)--> 7/10
16. Shoulder Arms (1918)--> 7/10
17. The Idle Class (1921)--> 7/10
18. One A.M. (1916)--> 7/10
19. Pay Day (1922)--> 7/10
20. The Rink (1916)--> 7/10
21. Easy Street (1917)--> 7/10
22. The Cure (1917)--> 7/10
23. The Bank (1915)--> 6/10
24. A Day's Pleasure (1919)--> 6/10
25. The Tramp (1915)--> 6/10
26. The Pawnshop (1916)--> 6/10
27. The Champion (1915)--> 6/10
28. The Vagabond (1916)--> 6/10
29. Police (1916)--> 6/10
30. Behind the Screen (1916)--> 6/10
31. The Floorwalker (1916)--> 6/10
32. Sunnyside (1919)--> 6/10
33. A Night in the Show (1915)--> 6/10
34. A Woman (1915)--> 6/10
35. Dough and Dynamite (1914)--> 6/10
36. Shanghaied (1915)--> 5/10
37. The Count (1916)--> 5/10
38. The Face on the Barroom Floor (1914)--> 5/10
39. A Jitney Elopement (1915)--> 5/10
40. The Fireman (1916)--> 5/10
41. His Trysting Place (1914)--> 5/10
42. Work (1915)--> 5/10
43. How to Make Movies (1918)--> 5/10
44. Laughing Gas (1914)--> 5/10
45. The New Janitor (1914)--> 5/10
46. His New Job (1915)--> 5/10
47. Mabel's Married Life (1914)--> 5/10
48. Twenty Minutes of Love (1914)--> 5/10
49. His New Profession (1914)--> 5/10
50. His Musical Career (1914)--> 5/10
51. A Night Out (1915)--> 4/10
52. By the Sea (1915)--> 4/10
53. The Masquerader (1914)--> 4/10
54. The Bond (1918)--> 4/10
55. A Burlesque on Carmen (1915)--> 4/10
56. The Property Man (1914)--> 4/10
57. Getting Acquainted (1914)--> 4/10
58. Gentlemen of Nerve (1914)--> 4/10
59. Triple Trouble (1918)--> 4/10
60. Caught in the Rain (1914)--> 3/10
61. In the Park (1915)--> 3/10
62. Those Love Pangs (1914)--> 3/10
63. Nice and Friendly (1922)--> 3/10
64. The Rounders (1914)--> 3/10
65. Charlie Butts In (1920)--> 3/10
66. His Prehistoric Past (1914)--> 3/10
67. The Professor (1919)--> 3/10
68. Recreation (1914)--> 2/10
69. A Busy Day (1914)--> 2/10- Director
- Editor
- Actor
Central figure of the American avant-garde. An artist who made an isolated animated short, A to Z (1956), Snow concentrated on his painting career until moving to New York in 1963. After attending avant-garde film screenings organized by critic-filmmaker Jonas Mekas and turning out a second film, the formalist New York Eye and Ear Control (1972), he made the highly influential Wavelength (1967). WAVELENGTH consists of a 45-minute zoom across a loft--interruped at several points by a cryptic narrative involving a murder--which ends on a close-up of a photograph of ocean waves. The film quickly earned a reputation in international avant-garde circles and inspired a generation of structuralist filmmakers. It was the first in a series of Snow's works which reduce the film medium to one of its most basic elements--camera movement: Standard Time (1967) is made up of 360-degree pans; in _Back and Forth (1969)_, the camera moves backwards and forwards at varying speeds, recording events in a classroom; in The Central Region (1971), Snow's remote-controlled camera, mounted on a tripod in the middle of the Quebec tundra, executes 360 degree rotations in three different circular patterns (at various speeds) while zooming in and out.1. Wavelength (1967)--> 10/10
2. 'Rameau's Nephew' by Diderot (Thanx to Dennis Young) by Wilma Schoen (1974)--> 9/10
3. La Région Centrale (1971)--> 9/10
4. *Corpus Callosum (2002)--> 9/10
5. <---> (1969)--> 9/10
6. So Is This (1982)--> 8/10
7. Presents (1981)--> 8/10
8. Sshtoorrty (2005)--> 7/10
9. Cityscape (2019)--> 7/10
10. WVLNT: Wavelength For Those Who Don't Have The Time (2003)--> 7/10
11. Prelude (2000)--> 7/10
12. Standard Time (1967)--> 7/10
13. To Lavoisier, Who Died in the Reign of Terror (1991)--> 7/10
14. One Second in Montreal (1969)--> 6/10
15. New York Eye and Ear Control (1964)--> 5/10
16. Breakfast (Table Top Dolly (1976)--> 5/10
17. Solar Breath (2002)--> 4/10
18. Puccini Conservato (2008)--> 4/10
19. Dripping Water (1969)--> 3/10
20. A to Z (1956)--> 2/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Stanley Kubrick was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Sadie Gertrude (Perveler) and Jacob Leonard Kubrick, a physician. His family were Jewish immigrants (from Austria, Romania, and Russia). Stanley was considered intelligent, despite poor grades at school. Hoping that a change of scenery would produce better academic performance, Kubrick's father sent him in 1940 to Pasadena, California, to stay with his uncle, Martin Perveler. Returning to the Bronx in 1941 for his last year of grammar school, there seemed to be little change in his attitude or his results. Hoping to find something to interest his son, Jack introduced Stanley to chess, with the desired result. Kubrick took to the game passionately, and quickly became a skilled player. Chess would become an important device for Kubrick in later years, often as a tool for dealing with recalcitrant actors, but also as an artistic motif in his films.
Jack Kubrick's decision to give his son a camera for his thirteenth birthday would be an even wiser move: Kubrick became an avid photographer, and would often make trips around New York taking photographs which he would develop in a friend's darkroom. After selling an unsolicited photograph to Look Magazine, Kubrick began to associate with their staff photographers, and at the age of seventeen was offered a job as an apprentice photographer.
In the next few years, Kubrick had regular assignments for "Look", and would become a voracious movie-goer. Together with friend Alexander Singer, Kubrick planned a move into film, and in 1950 sank his savings into making the documentary Day of the Fight (1951). This was followed by several short commissioned documentaries (Flying Padre (1951), and (The Seafarers (1953), but by attracting investors and hustling chess games in Central Park, Kubrick was able to make Fear and Desire (1952) in California.
Filming this movie was not a happy experience; Kubrick's marriage to high school sweetheart Toba Metz did not survive the shooting. Despite mixed reviews for the film itself, Kubrick received good notices for his obvious directorial talents. Kubrick's next two films Killer's Kiss (1955) and The Killing (1956) brought him to the attention of Hollywood, and in 1957 he directed Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory (1957). Douglas later called upon Kubrick to take over the production of Spartacus (1960), by some accounts hoping that Kubrick would be daunted by the scale of the project and would thus be accommodating. This was not the case, however: Kubrick took charge of the project, imposing his ideas and standards on the film. Many crew members were upset by his style: cinematographer Russell Metty complained to producers that Kubrick was taking over his job. Kubrick's response was to tell him to sit there and do nothing. Metty complied, and ironically was awarded the Academy Award for his cinematography.
Kubrick's next project was to direct Marlon Brando in One-Eyed Jacks (1961), but negotiations broke down and Brando himself ended up directing the film himself. Disenchanted with Hollywood and after another failed marriage, Kubrick moved permanently to England, from where he would make all of his subsequent films. Despite having obtained a pilot's license, Kubrick was rumored to be afraid of flying.
Kubrick's first UK film was Lolita (1962), which was carefully constructed and guided so as to not offend the censorship boards which at the time had the power to severely damage the commercial success of a film. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) was a big risk for Kubrick; before this, "nuclear" was not considered a subject for comedy. Originally written as a drama, Kubrick decided that too many of the ideas he had written were just too funny to be taken seriously. The film's critical and commercial success allowed Kubrick the financial and artistic freedom to work on any project he desired. Around this time, Kubrick's focus diversified and he would always have several projects in various stages of development: "Blue Moon" (a story about Hollywood's first pornographic feature film), "Napoleon" (an epic historical biography, abandoned after studio losses on similar projects), "Wartime Lies" (based on the novel by Louis Begley), and "Rhapsody" (a psycho-sexual thriller).
The next film he completed was a collaboration with sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is hailed by many as the best ever made; an instant cult favorite, it has set the standard and tone for many science fiction films that followed. Kubrick followed this with A Clockwork Orange (1971), which rivaled Lolita (1962) for the controversy it generated - this time not only for its portrayal of sex, but also of violence. Barry Lyndon (1975) would prove a turning point in both his professional and private lives. His unrelenting demands of commitment and perfection of cast and crew had by now become legendary. Actors would be required to perform dozens of takes with no breaks. Filming a story in Ireland involving military, Kubrick received reports that the IRA had declared him a possible target. Production was promptly moved out of the country, and Kubrick's desire for privacy and security resulted in him being considered a recluse ever since.
Having turned down directing a sequel to The Exorcist (1973), Kubrick made his own horror film: The Shining (1980). Again, rumors circulated of demands made upon actors and crew. Stephen King (whose novel the film was based upon) reportedly didn't like Kubrick's adaptation (indeed, he would later write his own screenplay which was filmed as The Shining (1997).)
Kubrick's subsequent work has been well spaced: it was seven years before Full Metal Jacket (1987) was released. By this time, Kubrick was married with children and had extensively remodeled his house. Seen by one critic as the dark side to the humanist story of Platoon (1986), Full Metal Jacket (1987) continued Kubrick's legacy of solid critical acclaim, and profit at the box office.
In the 1990s, Kubrick began an on-again/off-again collaboration with Brian Aldiss on a new science fiction film called "Artificial Intelligence (AI)", but progress was very slow, and was backgrounded until special effects technology was up to the standard the Kubrick wanted.
Kubrick returned to his in-development projects, but encountered a number of problems: "Napoleon" was completely dead, and "Wartime Lies" (now called "The Aryan Papers") was abandoned when Steven Spielberg announced he would direct Schindler's List (1993), which covered much of the same material.
While pre-production work on "AI" crawled along, Kubrick combined "Rhapsody" and "Blue Movie" and officially announced his next project as Eyes Wide Shut (1999), starring the then-married Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. After two years of production under unprecedented security and privacy, the film was released to a typically polarized critical and public reception; Kubrick claimed it was his best film to date.
Special effects technology had matured rapidly in the meantime, and Kubrick immediately began active work on A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), but tragically suffered a fatal heart attack in his sleep on March 7th, 1999.
After Kubrick's death, Spielberg revealed that the two of them were friends that frequently communicated discreetly about the art of filmmaking; both had a large degree of mutual respect for each other's work. "AI" was frequently discussed; Kubrick even suggested that Spielberg should direct it as it was more his type of project. Based on this relationship, Spielberg took over as the film's director and completed the last Kubrick project.
How much of Kubrick's vision remains in the finished project -- and what he would think of the film as eventually released -- will be the final great unanswerable mysteries in the life of this talented and private filmmaker.1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)--> 11/10
2. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)--> 11/10
3. Barry Lyndon (1975)--> 9/10
4. The Shining (1980)--> 9/10
5. The Killing (1956)--> 8/10
6. Paths of Glory (1957)--> 8/10
7. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)--> 7/10
8. Lolita (1962)--> 7/10
9. A Clockwork Orange (1971)--> 6/10
10. Spartacus (1960)--> 6/10
11. Full Metal Jacket (1987)--> 6/10
12. Killer's Kiss (1955)--> 5/10
13. Day of the Fight (1951)--> 4/10
14. Fear and Desire (1953) --> 3/10
15. Flying Padre (1951)--> 3/10
16. The Seafarers (1953)--> 2/10- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Manuel Mur Oti was born on 25 October 1908 in Vigo, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain. He was a writer and director, known for Orgullo (1955), Un hombre va por el camino (1949) and El batallón de las sombras (1957). He died on 5 August 2003 in Madrid, Spain.1. Morir... Dormir... Tal Vez Soñar (1976)--> 11/10
2. Orgullo (1955)--> 9/10
3. Cielo Negro (1951)--> 9/10
4. Condenados (1953)--> 9/10
5. Fedra (1956)--> 8/10
6. Duelo en la Cañada (1959)--> 8/10
7. Un Hombre Va por el Camino (1949)--> 8/10
8. Milagro a los Cobardes (1962)--> 8/10
9. A Hierro Muere (1962)--> 8/10
10. La Guerra Empieza en Cuba (1957)--> 7/10
11. El Batallón de las Sombras (1957)--> 7/10
12. La Encadenada (1975)--> 6/10
13. Pescando Millones (1959)--> 5/10
14. Loca Juventud (1965)--> 4/10
15. Una Chica de Chicago (1960)--> 3/10- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Born on November 6, 1947 in Shanghai, China, Edward Yang has become one of the most talented international filmmakers of his generation. Along with Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Tsai Ming-Liang, Yang ranks among the leading artists of the Taiwanese New Wave, and one of the world's most brilliant auteurs. Growing up in Taipei, Taiwan, he was very interested in Japanese Manga/Comic Books, which led to the writing of his own screenplays. After studying engineering in Taiwan, he enrolled in the Electrical Engineering program at The University of Florida, receiving his Masters degree in 1974 while doing work with The Center for Informatics Research. Yang did not pursue a PhD and instead attended USC Film School briefly, but dropped out after feeling disenchanted by the program's commerce-and-business focus and his own misgivings of pursuing a Film Career. Upon working in Seattle with microcomputers and Defense software, an encounter with a piece by Werner Herzog (Aguirre, Wrath of God) gave him inspiration to observe classics in world cinema and reignited his interest in Film. He eventually wrote the script and served as a production aide on the Hong Kong TV movie, The Winter of 1905 (1981). Although he returned to Taiwan to direct a number of television shows, his break came in 1982 with the direction and writing of the film short, Desires (1982), in the seminal Taiwanese New Wave collaboration In Our Time(1982). While Hou Hsiao-Hsien's movies dealt primarily with history or Taiwan's countryside, Yang created films analyzing and revealing the many themes of city and urban life. His first major piece was That Day On The Beach (1983), a modernist narrative reflecting on couples and family. He followed with the urban films Taipei Story (1984), a reflection on urban-Taiwan through a couple - where he cast fellow auteur Hou Hsiao Hsien as the lead - and The Terrorizer (1986), a complex multi-narrative tale. In Yang's brilliant A Brighter Summer Day (1991), a sprawling examination of teen gangs, societal clashes, the influence of American pop-culture and youth, his first authentic masterpiece was crafted. He has followed with the satires A Confucian Confusion (1995), and Mahjong (1996), films that looked at the struggle between the modern and the traditional, the relationship between business and art, and how capitalistic greed may corrupt, influence, or effect art. It is, however, his most recent film, Yi Yi (2000), that is considered his magnum opus, an epic story about the Jian family seen through their different perspectives. The three-hour masterwork begins with a wedding, ends with a funeral, and examines all areas of human life in a variety of interesting, artistic ways. He has also collaborated with fellow auteur, novelist, and screenwriter Nien-Jen Wu on the piece, casting him as one of the leads, NJ. Yang's filmmaking style looks at the uncertain future of modernizing Taiwan in an enlightening manner, and his vision is one of the most original operating in world cinema today.1. Gu Ling Jie Shao Nian Sha Ren Shi Jian (1991)--> 12/10
2. Yi Yi (2000)--> 10/10
3. Hai Tan De Yi Tian (1983)--> 9/10
4. Kong Bu Fen Zi (1986)--> 8/10
5. Qing Mei Zhu Ma (1985)--> 8/10
6. Ma Jiang (1996)--> 7/10
7. Du Li Shi Dai (1994)--> 7/10
8. Likely Consequence (1992)--> 5/10- Writer
- Director
- Editor
Abbas Kiarostami was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1940. He graduated from university with a degree in fine arts before starting work as a graphic designer. He then joined the Center for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, where he started a film section, and this started his career as a filmmaker at the age of 30. Since then he has made many movies and has become one of the most important figures in contemporary Iranian film. He is also a major figure in the arts world, and has had numerous gallery exhibitions of his photography, short films and poetry. He is an iconic figure for what he has done, and he has achieved it all by believing in the arts and the creativity of his mind.1. Ta'm e Guilass (1997)--> 10/10
2. Nema-ye Nazdik (1990)--> 9/10
3. Copie Conforme (2010)--> 9/10
4. Zendegi va Digar Hich (1992)--> 9/10
5. Zire Darakhatan Zeyton (1994)--> 8/10
6. Khane-ye Doust Kodjast (1987)--> 8/10
7. Bad ma ra Khahad Bord (1999)--> 8/10
8. Víctor Erice: Abbas Kiarostami: Correspondencias (2007)--> 8/10
9. Dah (2002)--> 8/10
10. Like Someone in Love (2012)--> 7/10
11. Shirin (2008)--> 7/10
12. Mossafer (1974)--> 7/10
13. Roads of Kiarostami (2005)--> 7/10
14. Five Dedicated to Ozu (2003)--> 7/10
15. 10 on Ten (2004)--> 6/10
16. ABC Africa (2001)--> 6/10
17. Lebassi Baraye Arossi (1976)--> 6/10
18. Seagull Eggs (2014)--> 6/10
19. Mashgh-e Shab (1989)--> 6/10
20. Rah Hal-e Yek (1978)--> 6/10
21. Gozaresh (1977)--> 6/10
22. Hamsarayan (1982)--> 6/10
23. Tadjrebeh (1973)--> 6/10
24. Ghazieh-e Shekl-e Aval, Ghazieh-e Shekl-e Dou Wom (1979)--> 5/10
25. Nan va Koutcheh (1970)--> 5/10
26. Avaliha (1984)--> 5/10
27. 24 Frames (2017)--> 5/10
28. Zang-e Tafrih (1972)--> 5/10
29. No (2010)--> 5/10
30. Be Tartib ya Bedoun-e Tartib (1981)--> 5/10
31. Az Oghat-e Faraghat-e Khod Chegouneh Estefadeh Konim? (1977)--> 5/10
32. Rangha (1976)--> 4/10
33. Dow Rahehal Baraye yek Massaleh (1975)--> 4/10
34. Hamshahri (1983)--> 4/10
35. Behdasht-e Dandan (1980)--> 3/10
36. Tavalod-e Nur (1997)--> 3/10- Director
- Writer
- Editor
The son of an affluent architect, Eisenstein attended the Institute of Civil Engineering in Petrograd as a young man. With the fall of the tsar in 1917, he worked as an engineer for the Red Army. In the following years, Eisenstein joined up with the Moscow Proletkult Theater as a set designer and then director. The Proletkult's director, Vsevolod Meyerhold, became a big influence on Eisenstein, introducing him to the concept of biomechanics, or conditioned spontaneity. Eisenstein furthered Meyerhold's theory with his own "montage of attractions"--a sequence of pictures whose total emotion effect is greater than the sum of its parts. He later theorized that this style of editing worked in a similar fashion to Marx's dialectic. Though Eisenstein wanted to make films for the common man, his intense use of symbolism and metaphor in what he called "intellectual montage" sometimes lost his audience. Though he made only seven films in his career, he and his theoretical writings demonstrated how film could move beyond its nineteenth-century predecessor--Victorian theatre-- to create abstract concepts with concrete images.1. Bronenosets Potyomkin (1925)--> 10/10
2. Ivan Groznyy II. Skaz Vtoroy: Boyarskiy Zagovor (1958)--> 9/10
3. Ivan Groznyy I (1944)--> 9/10
4. Aleksandr Nevskiy (1938)--> 8/10
5. Staroye i Novoye (1929)--> 8/10
6. Stachka (1925)--> 8/10
7. Oktyabr (1928)--> 8/10
8. Romance Sentimentale (1930)--> 8/10
9. ¡Que Viva México! (1979)--> 7/10
10. Frauennot - Frauenglück (1930)--> 7/10
11. La Destrucción de Oaxaca (1931)--> 6/10
12. Bezhin Lug (1937)--> 6/10
13. Death Day (1934)--> 6/10
14. Ivan Groznyy III (1988)--> 5/10
15. Dnevnik Glumova (1923)--> 3/10- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Originally planning to become a lawyer, Billy Wilder abandoned that career in favor of working as a reporter for a Viennese newspaper, using this experience to move to Berlin, where he worked for the city's largest tabloid. He broke into films as a screenwriter in 1929 and wrote scripts for many German films until Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933. Wilder immediately realized his Jewish ancestry would cause problems, so he emigrated to Paris, then the US. Although he spoke no English when he arrived in Hollywood, Wilder was a fast learner and thanks to contacts such as Peter Lorre (with whom he shared an apartment), he was able to break into American films. His partnership with Charles Brackett started in 1938 and the team was responsible for writing some of Hollywood's classic comedies, including Ninotchka (1939) and Ball of Fire (1941). The partnership expanded into a producer-director one in 1942, with Brackett producing and the two turned out such classics as Five Graves to Cairo (1943), The Lost Weekend (1945) (Oscars for Best Picture, Director and Screenplay) and Sunset Boulevard (1950) (Oscars for Best Screenplay), after which the partnership dissolved. (Wilder had already made one film, Double Indemnity (1944) without Brackett, as the latter had refused to work on a film he felt dealt with such disreputable characters.) Wilder's subsequent self-produced films would become more caustic and cynical, notably Ace in the Hole (1951), though he also produced such sublime comedies as Some Like It Hot (1959) and The Apartment (1960) (which won him Best Picture and Director Oscars). He retired in 1981.1. Sunset Boulevard (1950)--> 9/10
2. Double Indemnity (1944)--> 9/10
3. The Apartment (1960)--> 9/10
4. Some Like It Hot (1959)--> 8/10
5. Fedora (1978)--> 8/10
6. Ace in the Hole (1951)--> 8/10
7. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)--> 8/10
8. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)--> 8/10
9. The Lost Weekend (1945)--> 7/10
10. The Front Page (1974)--> 7/10
11. Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)--> 7/10
12. Avanti! (1972)--> 7/10
13. Love in the Afternoon (1957)--> 7/10
14. Sabrina (1954)--> 7/10
15. Stalag 17 (1953)--> 7/10
16. The Fortune Cookie (1966)--> 7/10
17. The Spirit of St. Louis (1957)--> 7/10
18. Irma la Douce (1963)--> 7/10
19. A Foreign Affair (1948)--> 7/10
20. One, Two, Three (1961)--> 6/10
21. Five Graves to Cairo (1943)--> 6/10
22. The Seven Year Itch (1955)--> 6/10
23. The Major and the Minor (1942)--> 6/10
24. The Emperor Waltz (1948)--> 5/10
25. Buddy, Buddy (1981)--> 5/10- Actor
- Director
- Producer
For more than three decades, Henry King was the most versatile and reliable (not to mention hard-working) contract director on the 20th Century-Fox lot. His tenure lasted from 1930 to 1961, spanning most of Hollywood's "golden" era. King was renowned as a specialist in literary adaptations (A Bell for Adano (1945), The Sun Also Rises (1957)) and for his nostalgic depictions of rural or small-town America (Margie (1946)). Much of his work was characterized by an uncomplicated approach and a vivid visual style rather than cinematic tricks or technical individuality. For the most part it was his meticulous attention to detail, and his reliance on superior plots and good acting, that got the job done. King was, above all, an astute judge of talent. He introduced Ronald Colman to American audiences in The White Sister (1923), drawing a mustache on the actor's clean-shaven face with a retouching pencil--the real thing later becoming a Colman trademark. King discovered Gary Cooper and cast him in a leading dramatic role in his outdoor western The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926), over the initial objections of producer Samuel Goldwyn who thought Coop was just another "damn cowboy". Goldwyn quickly changed his mind after seeing the rushes. Other King discoveries included the lovely Jean Peters (in Captain from Castile (1947)) and Tyrone Power, whom he actively promoted to the point of badgering studio boss Darryl F. Zanuck to star him in Lloyd's of London (1936). Power subsequently became one of Fox's most popular stars.
All in all, not bad for a guy who had left school at 15 to work for the Norfolk & Western Railroad. After enduring the machine shops for a few years, King found more suitable employment as an apprentice actor with the touring Empire Stock Company, where he often performed song-and-dance routines in blackface. During his travels he befriended comedy actress Pearl White. While accompanying her on a visit to the Lubin film studio in Philadelphia in 1913, he was somehow talked into trying out as an actor. Before long King found himself cast as assorted western villains in scores of one-reelers. Moving to California the following year, he graduated to romantic leads in full-length feature films with the Balboa Amusement Company, often co-starring opposite popular child actress Marie Osborne. King's directing career began in 1915 and gathered momentum after he joined The American Film Manufacturing Company, and, subsequently, Thomas H. Ince. His first success was the army comedy 23 1/2 Hours' Leave (1919). By 1921 King fronted his own production company, Inspiration Pictures, releasing through First National. The rustic southern drama Tol'able David (1921) was his next critically acclaimed picture, but not until joining Goldwyn at United Artists (1925-30) did he manage to turn out a consistent string of hits, including The White Sister (1923) and Romola (1924)--both shot on location in Italy--and the archetypal tearjerker Stella Dallas (1925). For King, the transition to sound pictures was a mere formality.
In 1930 King qualified for his pilot's license and began busily scouting locations from the air, earning him the sobriquet "The Flying Director". When not airborne or on the golf course (his other passion), he demonstrated his amazing versatility with box-office hits across a wide variety of genres: striking and colorful swashbucklers (The Black Swan (1942)); romantic or religious melodramas--their sentimentality well-tempered so they never seemed maudlin--such as (The Song of Bernadette (1943) and Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)); epics (In Old Chicago (1938), with its splendid recreation of the 1871 great fire, the entire enterprise filmed at a staggering cost of $1.8 million); popular musicals (Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938), Carousel (1956)); psychological war drama (Twelve O'Clock High (1949)); and uncompromisingly tough, offbeat westerns (The Gunfighter (1950) and the underrated The Bravados (1958)). The latter three all starred King's preferred leading actor, Gregory Peck. Peck was also on hand for The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), reputedly Ernest Hemingway's favorite among all his filmed adaptations. Of course, King also had his occasional failures. Topping that list was Zanuck's pet project, the biopic Wilson (1944). Overly serious to the point of being dour, its pacifist message was lost to an audience in the middle of a world war. King's other notable dud, near the end of his career, was Beloved Infidel (1959). Badly miscast, the film chronicling the affair between F. Scott Fitzgerald and Hollywood gossip columnist Sheilah Graham was played out, inaccurately, as a genteel and overly glossy romance.
Though nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Director, King failed to snag the coveted trophy. However, he did win a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of America in 1956. More importantly, perhaps, he seems to have enjoyed his work, stating in a 1978 interview, "I've had more fun directing pictures than most people have playing games" (New York Times, July 1 1982).1. Beloved Infidel (1959)--> 9/10
2. Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie (1952)--> 9/10
3. Jesse James (1939)--> 9/10
4. Remember the Day (1941)--> 9/10
5. Captain from Castile (1947)--> 8/10
6. The Gunfighter (1950)--> 8/10
7. I'd Climb the Highest Mountain (1951)--> 8/10
8. The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926)--> 8/10- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Joseph Frank Keaton was born on October 4, 1895 in Piqua, Kansas, to Joe Keaton and Myra Keaton. Joe and Myra were Vaudevillian comedians with a popular, ever-changing variety act, giving Keaton an eclectic and interesting upbringing. In the earliest days on stage, they traveled with a medicine show that included family friend, illusionist Harry Houdini. Keaton himself verified the origin of his nickname "Buster", given to him by Houdini, when at the age of three, fell down a flight of stairs and was picked up and dusted off by Houdini, who said to Keaton's father Joe, also nearby, that the fall was 'a buster'. Savvy showman Joe Keaton liked the nickname, which has stuck for more than 100 years.
At the age of four, Keaton had already begun acting with his parents on the stage. Their act soon gained the reputation as one of the roughest in the country, for their wild, physical antics on stage. It was normal for Joe to throw Buster around the stage, participate in elaborate, dangerous stunts to the reverie of audiences. After several years on the Vaudeville circuit, "The Three Keatons", toured until Keaton had to break up the act due to his father's increasing alcohol dependence, making him a show business veteran by the age of 21.
While in New York looking for work, a chance run-in with the wildly successful film star and director Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, resulted in Arbuckle inviting him to be in his upcoming short The Butcher Boy (1917), an appearance that launched Keaton's film career, and spawned a friendship that lasted until Arbuckle's sudden death in 1933. By 1920, after making several successful shorts together, Arbuckle moved on to features, and Keaton inherited his studio, allowing him the opportunity to begin producing his own films. By September 1921, tragedy touched Arbuckle's life by way of a scandal, where he was tried three times for the murder of Virginia Rapp. Although he was not guilty of the charges, and never convicted, he was unable to regain his status, and the viewing public would no longer tolerate his presence in film. Keaton stood by his friend and mentor through out the incident, supporting him financially, finding him directorial work, even risking his own budding reputation offering to testify on Arbuckle's behalf.
In 1921, Keaton also married his first wife, Natalie Talmadge under unusual circumstance that have never been fully clarified. Popular conjecture states that he was encouraged by Joseph M. Schenck to marry into the powerful Talmadge dynasty, that he himself was already a part of. The union bore Keaton two sons. Keaton's independent shorts soon became too limiting for the growing star, and after a string of popular films like One Week (1920), The Boat (1921) and Cops (1922), Keaton made the transition into feature films. His first feature, Three Ages (1923), was produced similarly to his short films, and was the dawning of a new era in comedic cinema, where it became apparent to Keaton that he had to put more focus on the story lines and characterization.
At the height of his popularity, he was making two features a year, and followed Ages with Our Hospitality (1923), The Navigator (1924) and The General (1926), the latter two he regarded as his best films. The most renowned of Keaton's comedies is Sherlock Jr. (1924), which used cutting edge special effects that received mixed reviews as critics and audiences alike had never seen anything like it, and did not know what to make of it. Modern day film scholars liken the story and effects to Christopher Nolan Inception (2010), for its high level concept and ground-breaking execution. Keaton's Civil War epic The General (1926) kept up his momentum when he gave audiences the biggest and most expensive sequence ever seen in film at the time. At its climax, a bridge collapses while a train is passing over it, sending the train into a river. This wowed audiences, but did little for its long-term financial success. Audiences did not respond well to the film, disliking the higher level of drama over comedy, and the main character being a Confederate soldier.
After a few more silent features, including College (1927) and Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928), Keaton was informed that his contract had been sold to MGM, by brother-in-law and producer Joseph M. Schenck. Keaton regarded the incident as the worst professional mistake he ever made, as it sent his career, legacy, and personal life into a vicious downward spiral for many years. His first film with MGM was The Cameraman (1928), which is regarded as one of his best silent comedies, but the release signified the loss of control Keaton would incur, never again regaining his film -making independence. He made one more silent film at MGM entitled Spite Marriage (1929) before the sound era arrived.
His first appearance in a film with sound was with the ensemble piece The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929), though despite the popularity of it and his previous MGM silents, MGM never allowed Keaton his own production unit, and increasingly reduced his creative control over his films. By 1932, his marriage to Natalie Talmadge had dissolved when she sued him for divorce, and in an effort to placate her, put up little resistance. This resulted in the loss of the home he had built for his family nicknamed "The Italian Villa", the bulk of his assets, and contact with his children. Natalie changed their last names from Keaton to Talmadge, and they were disallowed from speaking about their father or seeing him. About 10 years later, when they became of age, they rekindled the relationship with Keaton. His hardships in his professional and private life that had been slowly taking their toll, begun to culminate by the early 1930s resulting in his own dependence on alcohol, and sometimes violent and erratic behavior. Depressed, penniless, and out of control, he was fired by MGM by 1933, and became a full-fledged alcoholic.
After spending time in hospitals to attempt and treat his alcoholism, he met second wife Mae Scrivens, a nurse, and married her hastily in Mexico, only to end in divorce by 1935. After his firing, he made several low-budget shorts for Educational Pictures, and spent the next several years of his life fading out of public favor, and finding work where he could. His career was slightly reinvigorated when he produced the short Grand Slam Opera (1936), which many of his fans admire for giving such a good performance during the most difficult and unmanageable years of his life.
In 1940, he met and married his third wife Eleanor Norris, who was deeply devoted to him, and remained his constant companion and partner until Keaton's death. After several more years of hardship working as an uncredited, underpaid gag man for comedians such as the Marx Brothers, he was consulted on how to do a realistic and comedic fall for In the Good Old Summertime (1949) in which an expensive violin is destroyed. Finding no one who could do this better than him, he was given a minor role in the film. His presence reignited interest in his silent films, which lead to interviews, television appearances, film roles, and world tours that kept him busy for the rest of his life.
After several more film, television, and stage appearances through the 1960s, he wrote the autobiography "My Wonderful World of Slapstick", having completed nearly 150 films in the span of his ground-breaking career. His last film appearance was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966) which premiered seven months after Keaton's death from the rapid onset of lung cancer. Since his death, Keaton's legacy is being discovered by new generations of viewers every day, many of his films are available on YouTube, DVD and Blu-ray, where he, like all gold-gilded and beloved entertainers can live forever.1. Sherlock Jr. (1924)--> 9/10
2. The Cameraman (1928)--> 9/10
3. The General (1926)--> 9/10
4. Seven Chances (1925)--> 8/10
5. The Navigator (1924)--> 8/10
6. Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)--> 8/10
7. One Week (1920)--> 8/10
8. The Goat (1921)--> 8/10
9. Our Hospitality (1923)--> 8/10
10. Neighbors (1920)--> 7/10
11. Battling Butler (1926)--> 7/10
12. Three Ages (1923)--> 7/10
13. The Electric House (1922)--> 7/10
14. Go West (1925)--> 7/10
15. The High Sign (1921)--> 7/10
16. College (1927)--> 7/10
17. Cops (1922)--> 7/10
18. Spite Marriage (1929)--> 7/10
19. The Scarecrow (1920)--> 7/10
20. Convict 13 (1920)--> 6/10
21. Day Dreams (1922)--> 6/10
22. The Play House (1921)--> 6/10
23. The Love Nest (1923)--> 6/10
24. The Railrodder (1965)--> 6/10
25. The Haunted House (1921)--> 6/10
26. The Frozen North (1922)--> 6/10
27. Grand Slam Opera (1936)--> 6/10
28. Hard Luck (1921)--> 6/10
29. The Blacksmith (1922)--> 6/10
30. The Boat (1921)--> 6/10
31. The Paleface (1922)--> 5/10
32. My Wife's Relations (1922)--> 5/10
33. Mixed Magic (1936)--> 5/10
34. The Balloonatic (1923)--> 5/10
35. Allez Oop! (1934)--> 5/10
36. The Gold Ghost (1934)--> 5/10
37. The Rough House (1917)--> 4/10
38. Hollywood Handicap (1938)--> 4/10- Producer
- Writer
- Director
As a director, screenwriter, and producer, four-time Academy Award nominee Michael Mann has established himself as one of the most innovative and influential filmmakers in American cinema. After writing and directing the Primetime Emmy Award-winning television movie The Jericho Mile (1979), Mann made his feature-film directorial debut with Thief (1981), followed by executive producing the television series Miami Vice (1984). He went on to direct Manhunter (1986), The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Heat (1995), and The Insider (1999), Ali (2001), Collateral (2004), a film adaptation of Miami Vice (2006), Public Enemies (2009), and Blackhat (2015).
As a producer, Mann's work includes Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004), Hancock (2008), Texas Killing Fields (2011), and the HBO series Luck (2011) and Witness (2012). He has been a member of the Directors Guild of America since 1977 and has served on the DGA's National Board.1. Heat (1995)--> 11/10
2. Miami Vice (2006)--> 9/10
3. Collateral (2004)--> 9/10
4. Blackhat (2015)--> 8/10
5. The Insider (1999)--> 8/10
6. Thief (1981)--> 8/10
7. Manhunter (1986)--> 8/10
8. Public Enemies (2009)--> 7/10
9. Ali (2001)--> 7/10
10. The Last of the Mohicans (1992)--> 6/10
11. L.A. Takedown (1989)--> 6/10
12. The Jericho Mile (1979)--> 4/10
13. The Keep (1983)--> 4/10- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Aki Kaurismäki did a wide variety of jobs including postman, dish-washer and film critic, before forming a production and distribution company, Villealfa (in homage to Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville (1965)) with his older brother Mika Kaurismäki, also a film-maker. Both Aki and Mika are prolific film-makers, and together have been responsible for one-fifth of the total output of the Finnish film industry since the early 1980s, though Aki's work has found more favour abroad. His films are very short (he says a film should never run longer than 90 minutes, and many of his films are nearer 70), eccentric parodies of various genres (road movies, film noir, rock musicals), populated by lugubrious hard-drinking Finns and set to eclectic soundtracks, typically based around '50s rock'n'roll.
In the 1990s he has made films in Britain (I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)) and France (The Bohemian Life (1992)).1. Kuolleet Lehdet (2023)--> 9/10
2. Kauas Pilvet Karkaavat (1996)--> 9/10
3. I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)--> 9/10
4. Mies Vailla Menneisyyttä (2002)--> 8/10
5. Le Havre (2011)--> 8/10
6. Varjoja Paratiisissa (1986)--> 8/10
7. La Vie de Bohème (1992)--> 8/10
8. Ariel (1988)--> 8/10
9. Tulitikkutehtaan Tyttö (1990)--> 8/10
10. Toivon Tuolla Puolen (2017)--> 8/10
11. Laitakaupungin Valot (2006)--> 8/10
12. Pidä Huivista Kiinni, Tatjana (1994)--> 7/10
13. Rikos ja Rangaistus (1983)--> 7/10
14. Juha (1999)--> 7/10
15. Hamlet Liikemaailmassa (1987)--> 7/10
16. Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)--> 6/10
17. Calamari Union (1985)--> 6/10
18. Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (1994)--> 6/10
19. Total Balalaika Show (1994)--> 6/10
20. Likaiset Kädet (1989)--> 5/10
21. Rocky VI (1986)--> 5/10
22. Leningrad Cowboys: Thru the Wire (1987)--> 5/10
23. Leningrad Cowboys: Those Were the Days (1992)--> 5/10
24. Valimo (2007)--> 4/10
25. Leningrad Cowboys: These Boots (1993)--> 4/10
26. Leningrad Cowboys: L.A. Woman (1987)--> 3/10- Director
- Editor
- Writer
Alain Resnais was born on 3 June 1922 in Vannes, Morbihan, France. He was a director and editor, known for Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959), Same Old Song (1997) and My American Uncle (1980). He was married to Sabine Azéma and Florence Malraux. He died on 1 March 2014 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France.1. L'Annèe Dernière à Marienbad (1961)--> 11/10
2. Hiroshima mon Amour (1959)--> 9/10
3. Nuit et Brouillard (1955)--> 9/10
4. Les Statues Meurent Aussi (1953)--> 8/10
5. Toute la Mémoire du Monde (1956)--> 7/10
6. Guernica (1951)--> 6/10
7. Van Gogh (1948)--> 6/10
8. Le Chant du Styrène (1958)--> 5/10
9. Gauguin (1949)--> 5/10
10. Visite à Oscar Dominguez (1947)--> 3/10- Writer
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
After training as a painter (he storyboards his films as full-scale paintings), Kurosawa entered the film industry in 1936 as an assistant director, eventually making his directorial debut with Sanshiro Sugata (1943). Within a few years, Kurosawa had achieved sufficient stature to allow him greater creative freedom. Drunken Angel (1948) was the first film he made without extensive studio interference, and marked his first collaboration with Toshirô Mifune. In the coming decades, the two would make 16 movies together, and Mifune became as closely associated with Kurosawa's films as was John Wayne with the films of Kurosawa's idol, John Ford. After working in a wide range of genres, Kurosawa made his international breakthrough film Rashomon (1950) in 1950. It won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, and first revealed the richness of Japanese cinema to the West. The next few years saw the low-key, touching Ikiru (1952) (Living), the epic Seven Samurai (1954), the barbaric, riveting Shakespeare adaptation Throne of Blood (1957), and a fun pair of samurai comedies Yojimbo (1961) and Sanjuro (1962). After a lean period in the late 1960s and early 1970s, though, Kurosawa attempted suicide. He survived, and made a small, personal, low-budget picture with Dodes'ka-den (1970), a larger-scale Russian co-production Dersu Uzala (1975) and, with the help of admirers Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, the samurai tale Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (1980), which Kurosawa described as a dry run for Ran (1985), an epic adaptation of Shakespeare's "King Lear." He continued to work into his eighties with the more personal Dreams (1990), Rhapsody in August (1991) and Madadayo (1993). Kurosawa's films have always been more popular in the West than in his native Japan, where critics have viewed his adaptations of Western genres and authors (William Shakespeare, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Maxim Gorky and Evan Hunter) with suspicion - but he's revered by American and European film-makers, who remade Rashomon (1950) as The Outrage (1964), Seven Samurai (1954), as The Magnificent Seven (1960), Yojimbo (1961), as A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and The Hidden Fortress (1958), as Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977).1. Dersu Uzala (1975)--> 9/10
2. Tengoku to Jigoku (1963)--> 9/10
3. Kumonosu-jô (1957)--> 9/10
4. Akahige (1965)--> 8/10
5. Shichinin no Samurai (1954)--> 8/10
6. Ikiru (1952)--> 8/10
7. Rashômon (1950)--> 8/10
8. Ran (1985)--> 8/10
9. Yôjinbô (1961)--> 8/10
10. Warui Yatsu Hodo Yoku Nemuru (1960)--> 7/10
11. Tsubaki Sanjûrô (1962)--> 7/10
12. Yoidore Tenshi (1948)--> 7/10
13. Hachigatsu no Rapusodî (1991)--> 7/10
14. Nora Inu (1949)--> 7/10
15. Kakushi-Toride no San-Akunin (1958)--> 7/10
16. Kagemusha (1980)--> 7/10
17. Yume (1990)--> 7/10
18. Waga Seishun ni Kuinashi (1949)--> 6/10
19. Mâdadayo (1993)--> 6/10
20. Ikimono no Kiroku (1955)--> 6/10
21. Shûbun (1950)--> 6/10
22. Hakuchi (1951)--> 6/10
23. Shizukanaru Kettô (1949)--> 6/10
24. Subarashiki Nichiyôbi (1947)--> 6/10
25. Donzoko (1957)--> 6/10
26. Dodesukaden (1970)--> 6/10
27. Tora No o Wo Fumu Otokotachi (1945)--> 5/10
28. Sugata Sanshirô (1943)--> 5/10
29. Uma no Uta (1970)--> 5/10
30. Ichiban Utsukushiku (1944)--> 4/10
31. Zoku Sugata Sanshirô (1945)--> 3/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
A prolific director--over 700 films, most of them short- or medium-length--Louis Feuillade began his career with Gaumont where, as well as directing his own features, he was appointed artistic director in charge of production in 1907. His work was largely comprised of film series; his first series, begun in 1910 and numbering 15 episodes, was 'Le Film Esthétique', a financially unsuccessful attempt at "high-brow" cinema. More popular was La vie telle qu'elle est (1911), which moved from the costume pageantry of his earlier work to a more realistic--if somewhat melodramatic--depiction of contemporary life. Feuillade also directed scores of short films featuring the characters Bébé and René Poyen. His most successful feature-length serials were Fantômas: In the Shadow of the Guillotine (1913), which chronicled the diabolical exploits of the "emperor of crime," and Les vampires (1915), which trailed a criminal gang led by Irma Vep (Musidora) and was noted for its imaginative use of locations and lyrical, almost surreal style.1. Les Vampires (1915)--> 10/10
2. Fantômas (1913)--> 9/10
3. Tih Minh (1918)--> 9/10
4. Judex (1916)--> 8/10- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Frank Borzage was born on 23 April 1894 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Bad Girl (1931), 7th Heaven (1927) and No Greater Glory (1934). He was married to Juanita Scott, Edna Skelton and Rena Rogers. He died on 19 June 1962 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.1. 7th Heaven (1927)--> 10/10
2. Street Angel (1928)--> 9/10
3. Lucky Star (1929)--> 9/10
4. The River (1928)--> 8/10
5. Lazybones (1925)--> 8/10
6. Back Pay (1922)--> 7/10
7. Humoresque (1920)--> 7/10
8. Until They Get Me (1917)--> 7/10
9. The Pilgrim (1916)--> 7/10
10. The Circle (1925)--> 6/10
11. The Pitch o' Chance (1915)--> 6/10
12. The Lady (1925)--> 6/10
13. The Pride of Palomar (1922)--> 5/10
14. Secrets (1924)--> 5/10
15. Nugget Jim's Pardner (1916)--> 5/10
16. The Nth Commandment (1923)--> 4/10
17. Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1925)--> 4/10- Producer
- Director
- Additional Crew
Béla Tarr was born on 21 July 1955 in Pécs, Hungary. He is a producer and director, known for Werckmeister Harmonies (2000), The Turin Horse (2011) and Satantango (1994). He is married to Ágnes Hranitzky.1. Werckmeister Harmóniak (2000)--> 9/10
2. A Torinói Ló (2011)--> 9/10
3. Sátántangó (1994)--> 9/10
4. A Londoni Férfi (2007)--> 8/10
5. Kárhozat (1988)--> 8/10
6. Öszi Almanach (1984)--> 7/10
7. Családi Tüzfészek (1978)--> 6/10
8. Utazás az Alföldon (1995)--> 6/10
9. Panelkapcsolat (1982)--> 6/10
10. Szabadgyalog (1981)--> 5/10
11. Macbeth (1982)--> 4/10
12. Hotel Magnezit (1978)--> 4/10- Director
- Cinematographer
- Writer
Teo Hernandez was born on 23 December 1939 in Ciudad Hidalgo, Michoacan, Mexico. He was a director and cinematographer, known for Cristo (1977), Lacrima Christi (1980) and 4 à 4 Métro-Barbès-Rochechou-Art (1982). He died in 1993 in Paris, France.1. Lacrima Christi (1980)--> 10/10
2. Cristaux (1978)--> 9/10
3. Salomé (1976)--> 8/10
4. L'Eau de la Seine (1983)--> 8/10
5. Nuestra Señora de París (1982)--> 8/10
6. Le Voyage au Mexique (1989)--> 8/10
7. Cristo (1977)--> 8/10
8. 4 à 4 Métro-Barbès-Rochechou-Art (1983)--> 7/10
9. Graal (1980)--> 7/10
10. Sacré-Coeur (1983)--> 7/10
11. Liberté Provisoire (1977)--> 7/10
12. Gong (1981)--> 7/10
13. Sol y Sombra (1988)--> 7/10
14. Souvenirs/Florence (1981)--> 7/10
15. Tables d'Hiver (1979)--> 7/10
16. Pas de Ciel (1987)--> 7/10
17. Corps Aboli (1978)--> 7/10
18. Estrellas de Ayer (1969)--> 6/10
19. Fragments de l'ange (1984)--> 6/10
20. Souvenirs/Rouen (1983)--> 6/10
21. Citron Pressé au Blue Bar (1984)--> 6/10
22. Sara (1981)--> 6/10
23. Michel Nedjar (1978)--> 5/10
24. Trois Gouttes de Mezcal dans une Coupe de Champagne (1983)--> 5/10
25. Pause (1970)--> 5/10
26. Avec Bernardo (1991)--> 4/10
27. Juanito (1970)--> 4/10
28. 14, Bina Garden (1968)--> 3/10
29. Tauride (1992)--> 3/10
30. Chutes de Concertino (1990)--> 2/10- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Francis Ford Coppola was born in 1939 in Detroit, Michigan, but grew up in a New York suburb in a creative, supportive Italian-American family. His father, Carmine Coppola, was a composer and musician. His mother, Italia Coppola (née Pennino), had been an actress. Francis Ford Coppola graduated with a degree in drama from Hofstra University, and did graduate work at UCLA in filmmaking. He was training as assistant with filmmaker Roger Corman, working in such capacities as sound-man, dialogue director, associate producer and, eventually, director of Dementia 13 (1963), Coppola's first feature film. During the next four years, Coppola was involved in a variety of script collaborations, including writing an adaptation of "This Property is Condemned" by Tennessee Williams (with Fred Coe and Edith Sommer), and screenplays for Is Paris Burning? (1966) and Patton (1970), the film for which Coppola won a Best Original Screenplay Academy Award. In 1966, Coppola's 2nd film brought him critical acclaim and a Master of Fine Arts degree. In 1969, Coppola and George Lucas established American Zoetrope, an independent film production company based in San Francisco. The company's first project was THX 1138 (1971), produced by Coppola and directed by Lucas. Coppola also produced the second film that Lucas directed, American Graffiti (1973), in 1973. This movie got five Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture. In 1971, Coppola's film The Godfather (1972) became one of the highest-grossing movies in history and brought him an Oscar for writing the screenplay with Mario Puzo The film was a Best Picture Academy Award-winner, and also brought Coppola a Best Director Oscar nomination. Following his work on the screenplay for The Great Gatsby (1974), Coppola's next film was The Conversation (1974), which was honored with the Golden Palm Award at the Cannes Film Festival, and brought Coppola Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay Oscar nominations. Also released that year, The Godfather Part II (1974), rivaled the success of The Godfather (1972), and won six Academy Awards, bringing Coppola Oscars as a producer, director and writer. Coppola then began work on his most ambitious film, Apocalypse Now (1979), a Vietnam War epic that was inspired by Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (1993). Released in 1979, the acclaimed film won a Golden Palm Award at the Cannes Film Festival, and two Academy Awards. Also that year, Coppola executive produced the hit The Black Stallion (1979). With George Lucas, Coppola executive produced Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (1980), directed by Akira Kurosawa, and Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985), directed by Paul Schrader and based on the life and writings of Yukio Mishima. Coppola also executive produced such films as The Escape Artist (1982), Hammett (1982) The Black Stallion Returns (1983), Barfly (1987), Wind (1992), The Secret Garden (1993), etc.
He helped to make a star of his nephew, Nicolas Cage. Personal tragedy hit in 1986 when his son Gio died in a boating accident. Francis Ford Coppola is one of America's most erratic, energetic and controversial filmmakers.1. The Godfather: Part II (1974)--> 12/10
2. Apocalypse Now (1979)--> 11/10
3. The Godfather (1972)--> 9/10
4. The Conversation (1974)--> 9/10
5. Rumble Fish (1983)--> 8/10
6. The Godfather: Part III (1990)--> 8/10
7. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)--> 7/10
8. The Cotton Club (1984)--> 7/10
9. The Outsiders (1983)--> 6/10
10. Tetro (2009)--> 6/10
11. Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)--> 6/10
12. Youth Without Youth (2007)--> 5/10
13. The Rain People (1969)--> 5/10
14. Twixt (2011)--> 5/10
15. Dementia 13 (1963)--> 5/10
16. One From the Heart (1981)--> 5/10
17. The Rainmaker (1997)--> 5/10
18. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)--> 4/10
19. Gardens of Stone (1987)--> 3/10
20. You're a Big Boy Now (1966)--> 3/10
21. Captain EO (1986)--> 3/10
22. Finian's Rainbow (1968)--> 2/10
23. Jack (1996)--> 1/10- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Producer
Jean-Charles Fitoussi was born on 1 June 1970 in Tours, France. He is a director and assistant director, known for The Days When I Do Not Exist (2002), Je ne suis pas morte (2008) and Bienvenue dans l'éternité (2007).1. Je Ne Suis Pas Morte (2008)--> 10/10
2. Les Jours Où Je n'existe Pas (2003)--> 9/10
3. Le Dieu Saturne (2004)--> 7/10
4. D'Ici Là (1997)--> 7/10- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Dario Argento was born on September 7, 1940, in Rome, Italy, the first-born son of famed Italian producer Salvatore Argento and Brazilian fashion model Elda Luxardo. Argento recalls getting his ideas for filmmaking from his close-knit family from Italian folk tales told by his parents and other family members, including an aunt who told him frighting bedtime stories. Argento based most of his thriller movies on childhood trauma, yet his own--according to him--was a normal one. Along with tales spun by his aunt, Argento was impressed by stories from The Grimm Brothers, Hans Christian Andersen and Edgar Allan Poe. Argento started his career writing for various film journal magazines while still in his teens attending a Catholic high school. After graduation, instead of going to college, Argento took a job as a columnist for the Rome daily newspaper "Paese Sera". Inspired by the movies, he later found work as a screenwriter and wrote several screenplays for a number of films, but the most important were his western collaborations, which included Cemetery Without Crosses (1969) and the Sergio Leone masterpiece Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). After its release Argento wrote and directed his first movie, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), which starred Tony Musante and and British actress Suzy Kendall. It's a loose adoption on Fredric Brown's novel "The Screaming Mimi", which was made for his father's film company. Argento wanted to direct the movie himself because he did not want any other director messing up the production and his screenplay.
After "The Bird With the Crystal Plumage" became an international hit, Argento followed up with two more thrillers, The Cat o' Nine Tails (1971), starring 'Karl Madlen' (qv" and 'James Fransiscus', and Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) ("Four Flies On Black Velvet"), both backed by his father Salvatore. Argento then directed the TV drama Testimone oculare (1973) and the historical TV drama The Five Days (1973). He then went back to directing so-called "giallo" thrillers, starting with Deep Red (1975), a violent mystery-thriller starring David Hemmings that inspired a number of international directors in the thriller-horror genre. His next work was Suspiria (1977), a surreal horror film about a witch's coven that was inspired by the Gothic fairy tales of the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson, which he also wrote in collaboration with his girlfriend, screenwriter/actress Daria Nicolodi, who acted in "Profondo Rosso" ("Deep Red") and most of Argento's films from then to the late 1980s. Argento advanced the unfinished trilogy with Inferno (1980), before returning to the "giallo" genre with the gory Tenebrae (1982), and then with the haunting Phenomena (1985).
The lukewarm reviews for his films, however, caused Argento to slip away from directing to producing and co-writing two Lamberto Bava horror flicks, Demons (1985) and Demons 2 (1986). Argento returned to directing with the "giallo" thriller Opera (1987), which according to him was "a very unpleasant experience", and no wonder: a rash of technical problems delayed production, the lead actress Vanessa Redgrave dropped out before filming was to begin, Argento's father Salvatore died during filming and his long-term girlfriend Daria broke off their relationship. After the commercial box-office failure of "Opera", Argento temporarily settled in the US, where he collaborated with director George A. Romero on the two-part horror-thriller Two Evil Eyes (1990) (he had previously collaborated with Romero on the horror action thriller Dawn of the Dead (1978)). While still living in America, Argento appeared in small roles in several films and directed another violent mystery thriller, Trauma (1993), which starred his youngest daughter Asia Argento from his long-term relationship with Nicolodi.
Argento returned to Italy in 1995, where he made a comeback in the horror genre with The Stendhal Syndrome (1996) and then with another version of "The Phantom of the Opera", The Phantom of the Opera (1998), both of which starred Asia. Most recently, Argento directed a number of "giallo" mystery thrillers such as Sleepless (2001), The Card Player (2003) and Do You Like Hitchcock? (2005), as well as two gory, supernatural-themed episodes of the USA TV cable anthology series Masters of Horror (2005).
Having always wanted to make a third chapter to his "Three Mothers" horror films, Argento finally completed the trilogy in 2007 with the release of Mother of Tears (2007), which starred Asia Argento as a young woman trying to identify and stop the last surviving evil witch from taking over the world. In addition to his Gothic and violent style of storytelling, "La terza madre" has many references to two of his previous films, "Suspiria" (1997) and "Inferno" (1980), which is a must for fans of the trilogy.
His movies may be regarded by some critics and opponents as cheap and overly violent, but second or third viewings show him to be a talented writer/director with a penchant for original ideas and creative directing.1. La Sindrome di Stendhal (1996)--> 9/10
2. Opera (1987)--> 9/10
3. Suspiria (1977)--> 9/10
4. Phenomena (1985)--> 8/10
5. Tenebre (1982)--> 8/10
6. Profondo Rosso (1975)--> 8/10
7. Inferno (1980)--> 8/10
8. Ti Piace Hitchcock? (2005)--> 7/10
9. Il Cartaio (2003)--> 7/10
10. Due Occhi Diabolici (1990)--> 7/10
11. Il Gatto a Nove Code (1971)--> 7/10
12. Non Ho Sonno (2001)--> 6/10
13. L'Uccello dalle Piume di Cristallo (1970)--> 6/10
14. Masters of Horror: Jenifer (2005)--> 6/10
15. Trauma (1993)--> 6/10
16. 4 Mosche di Velluto Grigio (1971)--> 6/10
17. Masters of Horror: Pelts (2006)--> 5/10
18. Testimone Oculare : La Porta sul Buio (1973)--> 5/10
19. Testimone Oculare : Il Tram (1973)--> 5/10
20. Il fantasma dell'opera (1998)--> 4/10
21. Le Cinque Giornate (1973)--> 4/10- Producer
- Director
- Actor
Martin Charles Scorsese was born on November 17, 1942 in Queens, New York City, to Catherine Scorsese (née Cappa) and Charles Scorsese, who both worked in Manhattan's garment district, and whose families both came from Palermo, Sicily. He was raised in the neighborhood of Little Italy, which later provided the inspiration for several of his films. Scorsese earned a B.S. degree in film communications in 1964, followed by an M.A. in the same field in 1966 at New York University's School of Film. During this time, he made numerous prize-winning short films including The Big Shave (1967), and directed his first feature film, Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967).
He served as assistant director and an editor of the documentary Woodstock (1970) and won critical and popular acclaim for Mean Streets (1973), which first paired him with actor and frequent collaborator Robert De Niro. In 1976, Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976), also starring De Niro, was awarded the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and he followed that film with New York, New York (1977) and The Last Waltz (1978). Scorsese directed De Niro to an Oscar-winning performance as boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980), which received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, and is hailed as one of the masterpieces of modern cinema. Scorsese went on to direct The Color of Money (1986), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), Cape Fear (1991), The Age of Innocence (1993), Casino (1995) and Kundun (1997), among other films. Commissioned by the British Film Institute to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of cinema, Scorsese completed the four-hour documentary, A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995), co-directed by Michael Henry Wilson.
His long-cherished project, Gangs of New York (2002), earned numerous critical honors, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Director; the Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator (2004) won five Academy Awards, in addition to the Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for Best Picture. Scorsese won his first Academy Award for Best Director for The Departed (2006), which was also honored with the Director's Guild of America, Golden Globe, New York Film Critics, National Board of Review and Critic's Choice awards for Best Director, in addition to four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Scorsese's documentary of the Rolling Stones in concert, Shine a Light (2008), followed, with the successful thriller Shutter Island (2010) two years later. Scorsese received his seventh Academy Award nomination for Best Director, as well as a Golden Globe Award, for Hugo (2011), which went on to win five Academy Awards.
Scorsese also serves as executive producer on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire (2010) for which he directed the pilot episode. Scorsese's additional awards and honors include the Golden Lion from the Venice Film Festival (1995), the AFI Life Achievement Award (1997), the Honoree at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's 25th Gala Tribute (1998), the DGA Lifetime Achievement Award (2003), The Kennedy Center Honors (2007) and the HFPA Cecil B. DeMille Award (2010). Scorsese and actor Leonardo DiCaprio have worked together on five separate occasions: Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006), Shutter Island (2010) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).1. Taxi Driver (1976)--> 11/10
2. Raging Bull (1980)--> 9/10
3. Goodfellas (1990)--> 8/10
4. After Hours (1985)--> 8/10
5. The Age of Innocence (1993)--> 8/10
6. The King of Comedy (1982)--> 8/10
7. Casino (1995)--> 8/10
8. Mean Streets (1973)--> 7/10
9. A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995)--> 7/10
10. No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005)--> 7/10
11. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)--> 7/10
12. The Irishman (2019)--> 7/10
13. Bringing Out the Dead (1999)--> 7/10
14. The Last Waltz (1978)--> 7/10
15. The Departed (2006)--> 7/10
16. Cape Fear (1991)--> 6/10
17. Il Mio Viaggio in Italia (1999)--> 6/10
18. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)--> 6/10
19. Who's That Knocking at My Door? (1967)--> 6/10
20. The Color of Money (1986)--> 6/10
21. A Letter to Elia (2010)--> 6/10
22. The Big Shave (1968)--> 6/10
23. Shutter Island (2010)--> 6/10
24. American Boy: A Profile of - Steven Prince (1978)--> 6/10
25. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)--> 6/10
26. Lady by the Sea: The Statue of Liberty (2004)--> 6/10
27. Amazing Stories: Mirror, Mirror (1986)--> 6/10
28. Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues - Feel Like Going Home (2003)--> 6/10
29. Silence (2016)--> 5/10
30. Gangs of New York (2002)--> 5/10
31. Shine a Light (2008)--> 5/10
32. New York, New York (1977)--> 5/10
33. The Key to Reserva (2007)--> 5/10
34. Made in Milan (1990)--> 5/10
35. The Aviator (2004)--> 5/10
36. Hugo (2011)--> 5/10
37. Italianamerican (1974)--> 5/10
38. It's Not Just You, Murray! (1964)--> 5/10
39. Eric Clapton: Nothing But the Blues (1995)--> 5/10
40. The Last Temptation of Christ: On Location in Morocco (1988)--> 5/10
41. Boxcar Bertha (1972)--> 4/10
42. Kundun (1997)--> 4/10
43. What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? (1963)--> 4/10
44. Michael Jackson: Bad (1987)--> 3/10
45. The Audition (2015)--> 3/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Leo McCarey was born on 3 October 1896 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a director and writer, known for An Affair to Remember (1957), Going My Way (1944) and Love Affair (1939). He was married to Virginia Stella Martin. He died on 5 July 1969 in Santa Monica, California, USA.1. An Affair to Remember (1957)--> 11/10
2. Love Affair (1939)--> 9/10
3. Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)--> 8/10
4. Duck Soup (1933)--> 7/10- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Victor Sjöström was born on September 20, 1879, and is the undisputed father of Swedish film, ranking as one of the masters of world cinema. His influence lives on in the work of Ingmar Bergman and all those directors, both Swedish and international, influenced by his work and the works of directors whom he himself influenced.
As a boy Sjöström was close to his mother, who died during childbirth when he was seven years old. Biographers see this truncated relationship as being essential to the evolution of his dramatic trope of strong-willed, independent women in his films. He was masterful at eliciting sensitive performances from actresses, such as that of Lillian Gish in his American classic The Wind (1928).
The teenaged Sjöström loved the theater, but after his education he turned to business, becoming a donut salesman. Fortunately for the future of Swedish cinema, he was a flop as a salesman, and turned to the theater, becoming an actor and then director. The Swedish film company Svenska Bio hired him and fellow stage director Mauritz Stiller to helm pictures, and from 1912-15 he directed 31 films. Only three of them survive (it is estimated that approximately 150,000 films, or 80% of the total silent-era production, has been lost). He directed Ingeborg Holm (1913), considered the first classic of Swedish cinema.
Despite the exigencies of working in an industrial art form, most Svenska Bio films of this period are embarrassments in an artistic sense--turgid melodramas, absurd romances and shaggy dog-style comedies--and there is no reason to think that the director didn't helm his share of such fare. Even taking that into account, Sjöström managed to develop a personal style. The reason he became internationally famous (and wooed by Hollywood) was the richness of his films, which were full of psychological subtleties and natural symbolism that was integrated into the works as a whole. He dealt with such major themes as guilt, redemption and the rapidly evolving place of women in society.
His 1920 film The Phantom Carriage (1921) (a.k.a. "Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness") was an internationally acclaimed masterpiece, and Goldwyn Pictures hired him to direct Name the Man! (1924) (Goldwayn was folded into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1924, where he worked until shortly after the advent of sound). Sjöström's name was changed to "Victor Seastrom" (a phonetic pronunciation in a country with limited word fonts), and he became a major American director, a pro-to David Lean, who was renowned for balancing artistic expression with a concern for what would play at the box office. His first MGM film was the Lon Chaney melodrama He Who Gets Slapped (1924). It was not only a critical success but a huge hit, getting the new studio off onto a sound footing.
He was highly respected by MGM chief Louis B. Mayer and by production head Irving Thalberg, who shared Sjöström's concerns with art that did not exclude profit. Sjöström became one of the most highly paid directors in Hollywood, reaching his peak at the end of the silent era (when the silent film reached its maturation as an art form) with two collaborations with Lillian Gish: The Scarlet Letter (1926) and "The Wind" (1926), his last masterpiece.
He departed Hollywood for Sweden after A Lady to Love (1930), returning one last time to helm Under the Red Robe (1937) for 20th Century-Fox, and although he made two movies in Sweden in the intervening years, his career as a director basically ended with the sound era. He returned to his first avocation, acting in Swedish films, in the 1930s, '40s and '50s. In his later years he was a mentor to Ingmar Bergman and gave a remarkable performance in Bergman's masterpiece "Wild Strawberries" (1957), for which he won the National Board of Review's Best Actor Award. In his professional life he was a workaholic, and in his private life was reticent about his films and his fame and remained intensely devoted to his wife Edith Erastoff and his family.
Victor Sjöström died on January 3, 1960, at the age of 80.1. The Wind (1928)--> 9/10
2. Körkarlen (1921)--> 9/10
3. Berg-Ejvind och Hans Hustru (1918)--> 9/10
4. Terje Vigen (1917)--> 8/10
5. Ingeborg Holm (1913)--> 8/10- Animation Department
- Writer
- Art Department
Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan's greatest animation directors. The entertaining plots, compelling characters, and breathtaking visuals in his films have earned him international renown from critics as well as public recognition within Japan.
Miyazaki started his career in 1963 as an animator at the studio Toei Douga studio, and was subsequently involved in many early classics of Japanese animation. From the beginning, he commanded attention with his incredible drawing ability and the seemingly endless stream of movie ideas he proposed.
In 1971, he moved to the A Pro studio with Isao Takahata. In 1973, he moved to Nippon Animation, where he was heavily involved in the World Masterpiece Theater TV animation series for the next 5 years. In 1978, he directed his first TV series, Future Boy Conan (1978). Then, he moved to Tokyo Movie Shinsha in 1979 to direct his first movie, the classic Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979). In 1984, he released Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), which was based on the manga of the same title he had started 2 years before. The success of the film led to the establishment of a new animation studio, Studio Ghibli. Since then, he has since directed, written, and produced many other films with Takahata. More recently, he has produced with Toshio Suzuki. All enjoyed critical and box office success, in particular Princess Mononoke (1997). It received the Japanese equivalent of the Academy Award for Best Film and was the highest-grossing (about USD $150 million) domestic film in Japan's history at the time of its release.
In addition to animation, he also draws manga. His major work was Nausicaä, an epic tale he worked on intermittently from 1982 to 1984 while he was busy making animated films. Another manga Hikotei Jidai, later evolved into Porco Rosso (1992).1. Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (2001)--> 9/10
2. Mononoke-hime (1997)--> 9/10
3. Tonari no Totoro (1988)--> 8/10
4. Kaze Tachinu (2013)--> 8/10
5. Kurenai no Buta (1992)--> 8/10
6. Kimitachi Wa Dô Ikiru Ka (2023)--> 8/10
7. Tenkû no Shiro Rapyuta (1986)--> 8/10
8. Kaze no Tani no Naushika (1984)--> 7/10
9. Hauru no Ugoku Shiro (2004)--> 7/10
10. Majo no Takkyûbin (1989)--> 7/10
11. Gake no Ue no Ponyo (2008)--> 7/10
12. Rupan Sansei: Kariosutoro no Shiro (1979)--> 7/10
13. Pan-dane to Tamago-hime (2010)--> 6/10
14. Mei to Konekobasu (2003)--> 5/10
15. Sora Iro no Tane (1992)--> 5/10
16. Yuki no Taiyou (1972)--> 4/10
17. Mizugumo Monmon (2006)--> 4/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Theo Angelopoulos began to study law in Athens but broke up his studies to go to the Sorbonne in Paris in order to study literature. When he had finished his studies, he wanted to attend the School of Cinema at Paris but decided instead to go back to Greece. There he worked as a journalist and critic for the newspaper "Demokratiki Allaghi" until it was banned by the military after a coup d'état. Now unemployed, he decided to make his first movie, Anaparastasi (1970). Internationally successful was his trilogy about the history of Greece from 1930 to 1970 consisting of Days of '36 (1972), The Travelling Players (1975), and Oi kynigoi (1977). After the end of the dictatorship in Greece, Angelopoulos went to Italy, where he worked with RAI (and more money). His movies then became less political.1. Mia Aioniotita Kai Mia Mera (1998)--> 9/10
2. To Vlemma tou Odyssea (1995)--> 9/10
3. Topio Stin Omihli (1988)--> 8/10
4. Taxidi sta Kythira (1984)--> 8/10
5. Trilogia I: To Livadi pou Dakryzei (Eleni) (2004)--> 8/10
6. O Thiassos (1975)--> 8/10
7. To Meteoro Vima tou Pelargou (1991)--> 7/10
8. O Melissokomos (1986)--> 7/10
9. O Megalexandros (1980)--> 7/10
10. Trilogia II: I Skoni Tou Hronou (The Dust of Time) (2008)--> 7/10
11. Athina, Epistrofi Stin Akropoli (1983)--> 7/10
12. Oi Kynigoi (1977)--> 6/10
13. Meres tou '36 (1972)--> 6/10
14. Anaparastasi (1970)--> 6/10
15. I Ekpombi (1968)--> 5/10- Director
- Writer
- Production Manager
Jean Epstein was born on 25 March 1897 in Warsaw, Poland, Russian Empire [now Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland]. He was a director and writer, known for The Fall of the House of Usher (1928), Mauprat (1926) and Le lion des Mogols (1924). He died on 2 April 1953 in Paris, France.1. La Chute de la Maison Usher (1928)--> 9/10
2. Coeur Fidèle (1923)--> 9/10
3. Le Tempestaire (1947)--> 9/10
4. Chanson d'Armor (1934)--> 8/10- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Peter Watkins began his career in advertising as an assistant producer and turned to amateur filmmaking in the late 1950s. In the mid-'60s he was commissioned by BBC-TV to make two feature-length docudramas incorporating a quasi-newsreel style and nonprofessional actors. The second of these, The War Game (1966), graphically portrayed the nightmare of nuclear war and was banned from broadcast. It was subsequently released in theaters and earned a best documentary Oscar in 1966. Watkins enjoyed modest success with the commercial feature film Privilege (1967), but has subsequently worked primarily in the documentary genre, based in various Scandinavian countries. One of his more recent films, Resan (1987), is an 873-minute (14-hour) epic that addresses such issues as the arms race and global hunger.1. La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2000)--> 10/10
2. Edvard Munch (1974)--> 9/10
3. Punishment Park (1971)--> 8/10
4. The War Game (1966)--> 7/10- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Dziga Vertov was born on 2 January 1896 in Bialystok, Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire [now Podlaskie, Poland]. He was a director and writer, known for Man with a Movie Camera (1929), Three Songs About Lenin (1934) and The Sixth Part of the World (1926). He was married to Elizaveta Svilova. He died on 12 February 1954 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].1. Chelovek s Kino-Apparatom (1929)--> 10/10
2. Entuziazm: Simfoniya Donbassa (1931)--> 9/10
3. Kinoglaz (1924)--> 8/10
4. Tri Pesni o Lenine (1934)--> 8/10
5. Shestaya Chast Mira (1926)--> 7/10
6. Istoriya Grazhdanskoy Voyny (1922)--> 7/10
7. Kolybelnaya (1937)--> 7/10
8. Odinnadtsatyy (1928)--> 7/10
9. Kino-Pravda (1925)--> 7/10
10. Godovshchina Revolyutsii (1918)--> 7/10
11. Shagay, Sovet! (1926)--> 6/10
12. Kino-Nedelya (1918)--> 6/10
13. Kazakhstan - Frontu! (1942)--> 5/10
14. Pamyati Sergo Ordzhonikidze (1937)--> 5/10
15. Sovetskie Igrushki (1924)--> 4/10
16. Mozg Sovietskoi Rossii (1919)--> 3/10- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Wong Kar-wai (born 17 July 1956) is a Hong Kong Second Wave filmmaker, internationally renowned as an auteur for his visually unique, highly stylised, emotionally resonant work, including Ah fei zing zyun (1990), Dung che sai duk (1994), Chung Hing sam lam (1994), Do lok tin si (1995), Chun gwong cha sit (1997), 2046 (2004) and My Blueberry Nights (2007), Yi dai zong shi (2013). His film Fa yeung nin wa (2000), starring Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung, garnered widespread critical acclaim. Wong's films frequently feature protagonists who yearn for romance in the midst of a knowingly brief life and scenes that can often be described as sketchy, digressive, exhilarating, and containing vivid imagery. Wong was the first Chinese director to win the Best Director Award of Cannes Film Festival (for his work Chun gwong cha sit in 1997). Wong was the President of the Jury at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, which makes him the only Chinese person to preside over the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. He was also the President of the Jury at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival in February 2013. In 2006, Wong accepted the National Order of the Legion of Honour: Knight (Highest Degree) from the French Government. In 2013, Wong accepted Order of Arts and Letters: Commander (Highest Degree) by the French Minister of Culture.1. Fa Yeung nin Wa (2000)--> 10/10
2. 2046 (2004)--> 9/10
3. Chung Hing Sam Lam (1994)--> 8/10
4. Cheun Gwong Tsa Sit (1997)--> 8/10
5. Duo Luo Tian Shi (1995)--> 7/10
6. Eros: The Hand (2004)--> 7/10
7. Ah Fei Zing Zyun (1990)--> 6/10
8. Wong Gok ka Moon (1988)--> 6/10
9. My Blueberry Nights (2007)--> 5/10
10. Yi Dai Zong Shi (2013)--> 5/10
11. The Hire: The Follow (2001)--> 5/10
12. There's Only One Sun (2007)--> 5/10
13. Hua Yang de Nian Hua (2000)--> 4/10
14. Déjà Vu (2012)--> 4/10
15. Dung Che Sai Duk (1994)--> 3/10
16. Motorola (1998)--> 3/10
17. Midnight Poison (2007)--> 2/10
18. wkw/tk/1996@7'55"hk.net (1996)--> 2/10- Writer
- Director
- Actress
Ms. Duras was born in southern Vietnam and lost her father at age 4. The family savings of 20 years bought the family a small plot in Cambodia, but everything was lost in a single season's flooding. The disaster killed her mother as a result. After high school in Saigon, Ms. Duras left Indochina to study law in Paris. As a young woman, she worked as a secretary in France's Ministry of Colonies from 1935 to 1941, before becoming a writer. She wrote 34 novels from 1943 to 1993, and became an enduring part of Paris's intellectual elite. In addition to her writing, she also directed about 16 films. For the film India Song (1975), she won France's Cinema Academy Grand Prix. She claimed to have rescued French president François Mitterand during World War II, when he was a resistance fighter and remained a friend and unconditional campaigner. Her most noted novel is "L'Amant", the story of a girl, from a poor French family in Indochina, who becomes the mistress of a wealthy Indochinese notable's son.1. India Song (1975)--> 12/10
{ 2. Hiroshima mon Amour (1959)--> 9/10 }
3. Des Journées Entières dans les Arbres (1977)--> 8/10
4. La Femme du Gange (1974)--> 8/10
5. Son Nom de Venise dans Calcutta Désert (1976)--> 7/10
6. La Musica (1967)--> 7/10
7. Nathalie Granger (1972)--> 7/10
8. Détruire dit-elle (1969)--> 6/10
9. Jaune le Soleil (1971)--> 4/10- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Roman Polanski is a Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few truly international filmmakers. Roman Polanski was born in Paris in 1933.
His parents returned to Poland from France in 1936, three years before World War II began. On Germany's invasion in 1939, as a family of mostly Jewish heritage, they were all sent to the Krakow ghetto. His parents were then captured and sent to two different concentration camps: His father to Mauthausen-Gusen in Austria, where he survived the war, and his mother to Auschwitz where she was murdered. Roman witnessed his father's capture and then, at only 7, managed to escape the ghetto and survive the war, at first wandering through the Polish countryside and pretending to be a Roman-Catholic kid visiting his relatives. Although this saved his life, he was severely mistreated suffering nearly fatal beating which left him with a fractured skull.
Local people usually ignored the cinemas where German films were shown, but Polanski seemed little concerned by the propaganda and often went to the movies. As the war progressed, Poland became increasingly war-torn and he lived his life as a tramp, hiding in barns and forests, eating whatever he could steal or find. Still under 12 years old, he encountered some Nazi soldiers who forced him to hold targets while they shot at them. At the war's end in 1945, he reunited with his father who sent him to a technical school, but young Polanski seemed to have already chosen another career. In the 1950s, he took up acting, appearing in Andrzej Wajda's A Generation (1955) before studying at the Lodz Film School. His early shorts such as Two Men and a Wardrobe (1958), Le gros et le maigre (1961) and Mammals (1962), showed his taste for black humor and interest in bizarre human relationships. His feature debut, Knife in the Water (1962), was one of the first Polish post-war films not associated with the war theme. It was also the first movie from Poland to get an Oscar nomination for best foreign film. Though already a major Polish filmmaker, Polanski chose to leave the country and headed to France. While down-and-out in Paris, he befriended young scriptwriter, Gérard Brach, who eventually became his long-time collaborator. The next two films, Repulsion (1965) and Cul-de-sac (1966), made in England and co-written by Brach, won respectively Silver and then Golden Bear awards at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 1968, Polanski went to Hollywood, where he made the psychological thriller, Rosemary's Baby (1968). However, after the brutal murder of his wife, Sharon Tate, by the Manson Family in 1969, the director decided to return to Europe. In 1974, he again made a US release - it was Chinatown (1974).
It seemed the beginning of a promising Hollywood career, but after his conviction for the sodomy of a 13-year old girl, Polanski fled from he USA to avoid prison. After Tess (1979), which was awarded several Oscars and Cesars, his works in 1980s and 1990s became intermittent and rarely approached the caliber of his earlier films. It wasn't until The Pianist (2002) that Polanski came back to full form. For that movie, he won nearly all the most important film awards, including the Oscar for Best Director, Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or, the BAFTA and Cesar Award.
He still likes to act in the films of other directors, sometimes with interesting results, as in A Pure Formality (1994).1. Chinatown (1974)--> 10/10
2. Rosemary's Baby (1968)--> 9/10
3. Le Locataire (1976)--> 9/10
4. Repulsion (1965)--> 8/10
5. Nóz W. Wodzie (1962)--> 8/10
6. Tess (1979)--> 7/10
7. Bitter Moon (1992)--> 7/10
8. The Pianist (2002)--> 7/10
9. Gdy Spadaja Anioly (1959)--> 7/10
10. Death and the Maiden (1994)--> 7/10
11. The Ghost Writer (2010)--> 7/10
12. The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)--> 6/10
13. Cul-de-sac (1966)--> 6/10
14. Macbeth (1971)--> 6/10
15. Dwaj Ludzie z Szafa (1958)--> 6/10
16. La Vénus a la Fourrure (2013)--> 6/10
17. J'accuse (2019)--> 6/10
18. Frantic (1988)--> 5/10
19. Lampa (1959)--> 5/10
20. The Ninth Gate (1999)--> 5/10
21. Carnage (2011)--> 5/10
22. D'après une Histoire Vraie (2017)--> 4/10
23. Usmiech Zebiczny (1957)--> 4/10
24. Che? (1972)--> 4/10
25. Le Gros et le Maigre (1961)--> 4/10
26. Oliver Twist (2005)--> 4/10
27. Pirates (1986)--> 3/10
28. Rozbijemy Zabawe (1957)--> 3/10
29. A Therapy (2012)--> 3/10
30. Ssaki (1962)--> 3/10
31. Morderstwo (1957)--> 2/10
32. Greed, a New Fragance by Vezzoli (2009)--> 2/10- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Terrence Malick was born in Ottawa, Illinois. His family subsequently lived in Oklahoma and he went to school in Austin, Texas. He did his undergraduate work at Harvard, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in philosophy in 1965.
A member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, he attended Magdalen College, Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship, but did not finish his thesis on Martin Heidegger, allegedly because of a disagreement with his advisor. Returning to the States, he taught philosophy at M.I.T. and published a translation of Heidegger's "Vom Wesen des Grundes" as "The Essence of Reasons". Malick did not get his PhD in philosophy: Instead, he attended the American Film Institute Conservatory in its inaugural year (1969), taking a Masters of Fine Arts degree in film-making. His masters thesis was the seventeen-minute comedy short Lanton Mills (1969), which starred Warren Oates and Harry Dean Stanton. Malick himself acted in the short.
At A.F.I., Malick made a lasting association with Jack Fisk, who would establish himself as an Oscar-nominated art director and production designer and serve as art director on all of Malick's films. He also picked up Mike Medavoy as an agent, who got Malick work doctoring scripts and marketed his original ones. He wrote the screenplay for the 1972 Alan Arkin trucker movie Deadhead Miles (1972), which was many miles from Harvard let along Oxford, and for the 1972 Paul Newman-Lee Marvin contemporary oater Pocket Money (1972), another departure from fields of academia. "Deadhead Miles" was dumped by Paramount as unreleasable and "Pocket Money", despite being headlined by two Top Ten Box Office stars, flopped. It was an inauspicious start to a legendary career, but it influenced Malick to begin directing his own scripts.
His first two films were the now critically acclaimed Badlands (1973) and Days of Heaven (1978). He then took a self-imposed retirement of nearly two decades from film-making before lensing his 1998 adaptation of James Jones's The Thin Red Line (1998), which was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including nods for Malick for directing and adapted screenplay.
Adopting a Kubrickian pace of movie-making, he directed The New World (2005) and the autobiographical The Tree of Life (2011) with gaps of only seven and six years, respectively, between release. However, he reportedly was working on ideas for "The Tree of Life" since the late 70s, including exposing footage that found its way into his finished film.
In an unprecedented burst of productivity, he shot his next four films, To the Wonder (2012), Knight of Cups (2015), an as-yet unnamed drama and the cosmic documentary Voyage of Time: Life's Journey (2016) back-to-back during and immediately after completing the long editing process of "Tree of Life". Like Stanley Kubrick, Malick usually takes well over a year to edit his films. All three are highly anticipated by cineastes the world over.1. The Thin Red Line (1998)--> 9/10
2. Days of Heaven (1978) --> 9/10
3. The Tree of Life (2011)--> 8/10
4. The New World (2005)--> 8/10
5. Badlands (1973) --> 8/10
6. A Hidden Life (2019)--> 6/10
7. Voyage of Time: Life's Journey (2016)--> 6/10
8. Knight of Cups (2015)--> 5/10
9. To the Wonder (2012)--> 5/10
10. Song to Song (2017)--> 5/10
11. Together (2018)--> 4/10
12. Filmed on Pixel 3 (2018)--> 3/10
13. Mon Guerlain: Notes of a Woman (2017)--> 3/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Writer/director James Gray made his first film Little Odessa (1994) at the age of twenty-five. The film, which starred Tim Roth, Edward Furlong, Vanessa Redgrave and Maximilian Schell, received critical acclaim and was the winner of the Venice Film Festival's prestigious Silver Lion Award in 1994.
Miramax Films released James Gray's second feature, The Yards (2000) starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Faye Dunaway, Ellen Burstyn, Charlize Theron and James Caan in fall of 2000. The film was selected for official competition at the 2000 Cannes International Film Festival. Prior to "The Yards" and "Little Odessa", Gray attended film school at the University of Southern California. It was there that his student film Cowboys and Angels was first seen by producer Paul Webster, who encouraged Gray to write his first feature script.
As a child growing up in Queens, New York, Gray aspired to be a painter. However, when introduced in his early teenage years to the works of various filmmakers, including Francis Ford Coppola, Gray's interests expanded to the art of filmmaking. The Yards returned Gray to Queens where the story takes place.1. Two Lovers (2008)--> 9/10
2. Ad Astra (2019)--> 9/10
3. We Own the Night (2007)--> 8/10
4. Armageddon Time (2022)--> 8/10
5. The Lost City of Z (2016)--> 8/10
6. The Yards (2000)--> 8/10
7. The Immigrant (2013)--> 7/10
8. Little Odessa (1994)--> 7/10
9. Taco Bell: Nacho Fries: Retrieval (2019)--> 3/10- Writer
- Director
- Actor
The women who both attracted and frightened him and an Italy dominated in his youth by Mussolini and Pope Pius XII - inspired the dreams that Fellini started recording in notebooks in the 1960s. Life and dreams were raw material for his films. His native Rimini and characters like Saraghina (the devil herself said the priests who ran his school) - and the Gambettola farmhouse of his paternal grandmother would be remembered in several films. His traveling salesman father Urbano Fellini showed up in La Dolce Vita (1960) and 8½ (1963). His mother Ida Barbiani was from Rome and accompanied him there in 1939. He enrolled in the University of Rome. Intrigued by the image of reporters in American films, he tried out the real life role of journalist and caught the attention of several editors with his caricatures and cartoons and then started submitting articles. Several articles were recycled into a radio series about newlyweds "Cico and Pallina". Pallina was played by acting student Giulietta Masina, who became his real life wife from October 30, 1943, until his death half a century later. The young Fellini loved vaudeville and was befriended in 1940 by leading comedian Aldo Fabrizi. Roberto Rossellini wanted Fabrizi to play Don Pietro in Rome, Open City (1945) and made the contact through Fellini. Fellini worked on that film's script and is on the credits for Rosselini's Paisan (1946). On that film he wandered into the editing room, started observing how Italian films were made (a lot like the old silent films with an emphasis on visual effects, dialogue dubbed in later). Fellini in his mid-20s had found his life's work.1. 8½ (1963)--> 9/10
2. La Dolce Vita (1960)--> 9/10
3. Le Notti di Cabiria (1957)--> 8/10
4. I Vitelloni (1953)--> 8/10
5. Amarcord (1973)--> 8/10
6. La Strada (1954)--> 8/10
7. Roma (1972)--> 7/10
8. Giulietta Degli Spiriti (1965)--> 7/10
9. Il Bidone (1955)--> 6/10
10. E la Nave Va (1983)--> 6/10
11. Ginger e Fred (1985)--> 6/10
12. Il Casanova di Federico Fellini (1976)--> 5/10
13. Fellini - Satyricon (1969)--> 4/10- Writer
- Actor
- Director
The comic genius Jacques Tati was born Taticheff, descended from a noble Russian family. His grandfather, Count Dimitri, had been a general in the Imperial Army and had served as military attaché to the Russian Embassy in Paris. His father, Emmanuel Taticheff, was a well-to-do picture framer who conducted his business in the fashionable Rue de Castellane and had taken a Dutch-Italian woman, Marcelle Claire van Hoof, as his wife. To Emmanuel's lasting dismay, Jacques had no intention of following in the family trade of framing and restoration. Instead, he went on to pursue an education (specialising in arts and engineering) at the military academy of Lycée de Saint Germain-en-laye. After graduating, his main preoccupation became sports. He already boxed and played tennis and was introduced to rugby during a sojourn in London. Back in Paris, he joined the Racing Club de France (1925-30), and for some time seriously contemplated a career as a professional rugby player. However, Jacques also had an uncanny talent for pantomime, imitating athletes at his school to the amusement of classmates and teachers. By the time he had reached the age of 24, encouraged by his success as an entertainer in the annual revue of the Racing Club, he suddenly decided to combine his two passions and, without further ado, entered the world of show business.
From 1931, Jacques toured the Parisian music halls, theatres and circuses with his impersonations, acrobatics, drunk waiter and comic tennis routines (the latter would be famously re-enacted by his alter ego, Monsieur Hulot). He had by this time changed his name to 'Tati' in order to accommodate theatre bills.The French magazine "Le Jour" was among the first to acknowledge his growing popularity, describing Jacques as "a clown of great talent". At the same time, he made his screen debut in a series of short featurettes, tailored to show off his practised gags, notably Oscar, champion de tennis (1932) and Watch Your Left (1936) ("Watch your left", a very funny boxing sketch). The Second World War, military service and inherent strictures resulting from the German occupation put a temporary halt to his career. Then, in 1946, through a friend, the writer-director Claude Autant-Lara, Jacques obtained a small role in the whimsical fantasy Sylvie et le fantôme (1946), about a girl (Odette Joyeux) in love with a ghost (Tati).
The small township of Sainte-Sévère, where Tati had taken refuge during the occupation, served as inspiration for his first film, initially conceived as a one-reeler entitled "L'Ecole des facteurs" (School for Postmen). Unable to find widespread distribution, Tati decided to re-shoot the bucolic comedy --with himself in the central role -- as a feature film, using the villagers as extras and filming everything on location. And thus, Jour de Fête (1949) and Francois the village postman came into being. However, the film was soon overshadowed by his next enterprise and a critic of the satirical publication Le Canard Enchainé even proposed to fight a duel with anyone who would prefer "Jour de Fete" to Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953)!
With "Holiday", Tati reinvented the visual comedy of the silent era in a style not dissimilar to that of Max Linder. There is hardly any dialogue, except for background chatter, but natural and human noises are enhanced whenever required for the desired comic effect. The film is almost plotless, essentially comprised of a series of vignettes (to the recurring musical motif of Alain Romans's breezy 1952 composition "Quel temps fait-il à Paris?") at a seaside resort frequented by assorted holiday makers. All are stereotypical of their respective social class, as are the villagers themselves. Their inability to escape social conditioning and the stress they endure in the process of 'enjoying themselves' are observed with a keen satirical eye through their interaction with each other. At the centre is the ever-present character of the bumbling Monsieur Hulot, who arrives in a rickety 1924 Amilcar. Tall and reedy, clad in a poplin coat, wearing a crumpled hat, striped socks, trousers which are patently too short, rolled umbrella, a pipe firmly clenched between his teeth and perambulating with an odd stiff-legged gait, Hulot cuts an ungainly, yet hilarious figure. Well-meaning though he is, he invariably leaves disaster in his wake and departs the scene quickly as things go wrong, letting others sort out the mess. "Holiday" is more than just a brilliant collection of sight gags, but also an ironic observation of the foibles of human nature. Tati acknowledged the influence of both Buster Keaton and W.C. Fields in the creation of Hulot. Very much like Keaton or Charles Chaplin, he was also a consummate perfectionist who micro-managed each scene with unerring precision. Comedy for Tati was a serious business.
In Tati's subsequent ventures, Hulot became relegated from being the focus of the story to merely subordinate to its concept. As just one of many characters, Hulot weaves in and out of My Uncle (1958) and Playtime (1967), his simple, old-fashioned world contrasted sharply against the coldness of mechanisation, obsessive consumerism and the growing uniformity of houses and cities. "Playtime", shot in 70mm, took six years to make and required the creation of a massive glass and concrete high-rise set with myriad corridors and cubicles (dubbed 'Tativille' and built at a cost of $800,000) which raised the picture's total budget to $3 million and left Tati bankrupt. His next project, Trafic (1971), a satire of modern man's love of cars, failed to recoup these losses. Creditors impounded Tati's films, which were not re-released until 1977, when a canny Parisian distributor expunged his outstanding debts. Throughout his career, Tati remained obdurately committed to his artistic integrity and to his independence as a film maker. He was one of few directors who consistently employed non-professional actors. He turned down offers from Hollywood for a 15-minute series of television comedies, following the success of "Mon Oncle". He summed it all up by declaring "I could have satisfied the producers of the world by making a whole series of little Hulot films, and I would have made a lot of money. But I would not have been able to do what I like - work freely". (NY Times, November 6, 1982)1. PlayTime (1967)--> 9/10
2. Mon Oncle (1958)--> 9/10
3. Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (1953)--> 8/10
4. Trafic (1971)--> 8/10
5. Jour de Fête (1949)--> 7/10
6. L'École des Facteurs (1947)--> 6/10
7. Parade (1974)--> 6/10
8. Forza Bastia (2002)--> 6/10- Director
- Additional Crew
- Music Department
Born Lester Anthony Minnelli in Chicago on February 28 1903, his father Vincent was a musical conductor of the Minnelli Brothers' Tent Theater. Wanting to pursue an artistic career, Minelli worked in the costume department of the Chicago Theater, then on Broadway during the depression as a set designer and costumer, adopting a Latinized version of his father's first name when he was hired as an art-director by Radio City Music Hall. The fall of 1935 saw his directorial debut for a Franz Schubert revue, At Home Abroad. The show was the first of three, in the best Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. spirit, before receiving Arthur Freed's offer to work at MGM. This was his second try at Hollywood -- a short unsuccessful contract at Paramount led nowhere. He stayed at MGM for the next 26 years. After working on numerous Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland vehicles, usually directed by Busby Berkeley, Arthur Freed gave him his first directorial assignment on Cabin in the Sky (1943), a risky screen project with an all-black cast. This was followed by the ambitious period piece Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) whose star Judy Garland he married in 1945. Employing first-class MGM technicians, Minnelli went on directing musicals -- The Band Wagon (1953) - as well as melodramas -- Some Came Running (1958) - and urban comedies like Designing Woman (1957), occasionally even working on two films simultaneously. Minnelli is one of the few directors for whom Technicolor seems to have been invented. Many of his films included in every one of his movies features a dream sequence.1. Home from the Hill (1960)--> 9/10
2. Some Came Running (1958)--> 9/10
3. Two Weeks in Another Town (1962)--> 8/10
4. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)--> 8/10
5. An American in Paris (1951)--> 7/10
6. Kismet (1955)--> 6/10- Editor
- Director
- Writer
Jean Eustache was born on 30 November 1938 in Pessac, Gironde, France. He was an editor and director, known for The Mother and the Whore (1973), My Little Loves (1974) and Les photos d'Alix (1982). He died on 3 November 1981 in Paris, France.- Cinematographer
- Director
- Writer
Creator of an extraordinary technological and artistic talent, "believer in cinema" and brightened by new horizons that were formed through the initials PLAT - (Spanish for) equivalent to the totaling concept Pict-lumen-audio-touch -, Val del Omar was contemporary and comrade in the Spanish Generation of 27, along with Lorca, Cernuda, Zambrano and co. En 1928 he had already anticipated some of his most characteristic techniques, like the concept of "touching vision". His work and his insistent researching activity, despite the confusion and oblivion that experimental cinema usually drags along, didn't begin to be "discovered" until not long after his death, is still bringing fans. As a curious fact, this Spanish director used to write "No end" at the end of his films.1. Tríptico Elemental de España: Aguaespejo Granadino, Fuego en Castilla y Acariño Galaico (1961)--> 10/10
2. Vibración de Granada (1935)--> 8/10
3. Festival en las Entrañas (1964)--> 8/10
4. Variaciones Sobre una Granada (1975)--> 7/10
5. Película Familiar (1938)--> 7/10
7. Fiestas Cristianas/Fiestas Profanas (1934)--> 6/10
8. Estampas 1932 (1932)--> 6/10- Actress
- Director
- Soundtrack
Tanaka Kinuyo was a highly regarded and prolific actress best known for her films with director Mizoguchi Kenji. She was immersed in the world of film having received her start in the world of entertainment at age fourteen, being a filmmaker herself, being the cousin of director Kobayashi Masaki and, very much like Hara Setsuko and Ozu Yasujiro, being anecdotally romantically linked with the aforementioned Mizoguchi. The director would later recommend against her being hired as a director, which caused a rift between the two. She received her first known credit in Shochiku's Genroku Onna in 1924. She stayed to become the studio's biggest actress, and a paradigm of beauty, until approximately 1949 when she travelled to the United States Of America as an ambassador of Japanese culture. Upon her return from the US the Japanese detected a change of attitude in her, as well as noting a new short hairdo, which momentarily lead to some criticism. She had married director Shimizu Hiroshi, with whom she had worked, in 1929. Sources claim this was a mere cohabitation however. The marriage lasted a matter of months, but the two worked together beyond their romantic union. She married another one of her directors Gosho Heinosuke, but not before also starring in several Ozu films. It looked like films like Aizen Katsu and Naniwa Onna would be the height of her fame with all their popularity, but post-war films like Life Of Oharu, Sansho The Bailiff and Ugetsu were even bigger classics and immortalized the actress. Another of her many other noteworthy performances was in The Ballad Of Narayama based on a tradition and folklore of Japan. As if to complete her tour de force of Japanese cinema she directed several films and even worked with Kurosawa Akira in Red Beard. She died of a brain tumor in 1977.1. Chibusa yo Eien Nare (1955)--> 9/10
2. Ogin-sama (1962)--> 8/10
3. Onna Bakari no Yoru (1961)--> 8/10
4. Tsuki wa Noborinu (1955)--> 8/10
5. Ruten no Ôhi (1960)--> 8/10
6. Koibumi (1953)--> 8/10- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Boris Barnet was born on 18 June 1902 in Moscow, Russian Empire [now Russia]. He was a director and actor, known for The Adventures of the Three Reporters (1926), Secret Agent (1947) and Okraina (1933). He was married to Yelena Kuzmina, Natalia Glan, Alla Kazanskaya and Valentina Barnet. He died on 8 January 1965 in Riga, Latvian SSR, USSR [now Latvia].1. U Samogo Sinego Morya (1936)--> 9/10
2. Dom na Trubnoy (1928)--> 9/10
3. Devushka s Korobkoy (1927)--> 8/10
4. Okraina (1933)--> 7/10
5. Miss Mend (1926)--> 7/10
6. Ledolom (1931)--> 6/10- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Eric Pauwels was born on 2 September 1953 in Antwerpen, Flanders, Belgium. He is a director and writer, known for Dreaming Film (2010), Letter from a Filmmaker to His Daughter (2002) and La deuxième nuit (2016).1. Les Films Rêvés (2010)--> 9/10
2. La Deuxième Nuit (2016)--> 9/10
3. Lettre d'un Cinéaste à sa Fille (2000)--> 7/10- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Anne-Marie Miéville was born on 11 November 1945 in Lausanne, Switzerland. She is a director and writer, known for Lou n'a pas dit non (1994), Mon cher sujet (1988) and How Is It Going? (1976). She was previously married to Jean-Luc Godard.1. Mon Cher Sujet (1988)--> 9/10
2. Nous Sommes Tous Encore Ici (1997)--> 8/10
3. Ici et Ailleurs (1976)--> 8/10
4. Lou n'a pas Dit Non (1994)--> 8/10
5. Le Livre de Marie (1985)--> 8/10
6. The Old Place (2000)--> 7/10
7. Après la Réconciliation (2000)--> 7/10
8. France/Tour/Detour/Deux/Enfants (1977)--> 7/10
9. Le Rapport Darty (1989)--> 7/10
10. Soft and Hard (1985)--> 7/10
11. Six Fois Deux/Sur et Sous la Communication (1976)--> 7/10
12. Liberté et Patrie (2002)--> 7/10
13. Deux Fois 50 Ans de Cinéma Français (1995)--> 6/10
14. Comment Ça Va? (1976)--> 6/10
15. L'Enfance de l'Art (1992)--> 5/10
16. Reportage Amateur Maquette Expo (2006)--> 4/10- Writer
- Director
- Editor
Aleksandr Dovzhenko was born on 10 September 1894 in Vyunishche, Sosnitsa Ueyzd, Chernigov Governorate, Russian Empire [now Sosnitsa, Sosnitsa Raion, Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine]. He was a writer and director, known for Earth (1930), Shors (1939) and Life in Bloom (1949). He was married to Yuliya Solntseva. He died on 25 November 1956 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia].1. Zemlya (1930)--> 9/10
{ 2. Poema o More (1958)--> 9/10 }
{ 3. Nezabyvaemoe (1967)--> 8/10 }
4. Arsenal (1929)--> 8/10
{ 5. Zacharovannaya Desna (1964)--> 8/10 }
6. Shchors (1939)--> 7/10
7. Zvenigora (1928)--> 7/10
8. Michurin (1949)--> 7/10
{ 9. Povest Plamennykh Let (1961)--> 7/10 }
10. Aerograd (1935)-->7/10
11. Ivan (1932)--> 7/10
12. Bitva za Nashu Sovetskuyu Ukrainu (1943)--> 6/10
13. Pobeda na Pravoberezhnoy Ukraine i Izgnanie Nemetsikh Zakhvatchikov za Predely Ukrainskikh Sovietskikh Zemel (1945)--> 6/10
14. Sumka Dipkuryera (1927)--> 6/10
15. Bukovina, Zemlya Ukrainskaya (1939)--> 5/10
16. Proshchay, Amerika! (1949)--> 5/10
17. Osvobozhdeniye (1940)--> 4/10
18. Yagodka Lyubvi (1929)--> 4/10- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Woody Allen was born on November 30, 1935, as Allen Konigsberg, in The Bronx, NY, the son of Martin Konigsberg and Nettie Konigsberg. He has one younger sister, Letty Aronson. As a young boy, he became intrigued with magic tricks and playing the clarinet, two hobbies that he continues today.
Allen broke into show business at 15 years when he started writing jokes for a local paper, receiving $200 a week. He later moved on to write jokes for talk shows but felt that his jokes were being wasted. His agents, Charles Joffe and Jack Rollins, convinced him to start doing stand-up and telling his own jokes. Reluctantly he agreed and, although he initially performed with such fear of the audience that he would cover his ears when they applauded his jokes, he eventually became very successful at stand-up. After performing on stage for a few years, he was approached to write a script for Warren Beatty to star in: What's New Pussycat (1965) and would also have a moderate role as a character in the film. During production, Woody gave himself more and better lines and left Beatty with less compelling dialogue. Beatty inevitably quit the project and was replaced by Peter Sellers, who demanded all the best lines and more screen-time.
It was from this experience that Woody realized that he could not work on a film without complete control over its production. Woody's theoretical directorial debut was in What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966); a Japanese spy flick that he dubbed over with his own comedic dialogue about spies searching for the secret recipe for egg salad. His real directorial debut came the next year in the mockumentary Take the Money and Run (1969). He has written, directed and, more often than not, starred in about a film a year ever since, while simultaneously writing more than a dozen plays and several books of comedy.
While best known for his romantic comedies Annie Hall (1977) and Manhattan (1979), Woody has made many transitions in his films throughout the years, transitioning from his "early, funny ones" of Bananas (1971), Love and Death (1975) and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972); to his more storied and romantic comedies of Annie Hall (1977), Manhattan (1979) and Hannah and Her Sisters (1986); to the Bergmanesque films of Stardust Memories (1980) and Interiors (1978); and then on to the more recent, but varied works of Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), Husbands and Wives (1992), Mighty Aphrodite (1995), Celebrity (1998) and Deconstructing Harry (1997); and finally to his films of the last decade, which vary from the light comedy of Scoop (2006), to the self-destructive darkness of Match Point (2005) and, most recently, to the cinematically beautiful tale of Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008). Although his stories and style have changed over the years, he is regarded as one of the best filmmakers of our time because of his views on art and his mastery of filmmaking.1. Manhattan (1979)--> 9/10
2. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)--> 8/10
3. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)--> 8/10
4. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)--> 8/10
5. Annie Hall (1977)--> 8/10
6. Zelig (1983)--> 7/10
7. Love and Death (1975)--> 7/10
8. Another Woman (1988)--> 7/10
9. Interiors (1978)--> 7/10
10. Broadway Danny Rose (1984)--> 7/10
11. Take the Money and Run (1969)--> 7/10
12. Stardust Memories (1980)--> 7/10
13. Radio Days (1987)--> 6/10
14. September (1987)--> 6/10
{ 15. Play It Again, Sam (1972)--> 6/10 }
16. A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982)--> 6/10
17. Sleeper (1973)--> 6/10
18. Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)--> 5/10
19. Bananas (1971)--> 4/10
20. Men of Crisis: The Harvey Wallinger Story (1971)--> 3/10
21. Cupid's Shaft (1969)--> 3/10- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Moved to New York City at the age of seventeen from Akron, Ohio. Graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in English, class of '75. Without any prior film experience, he was accepted into the Tisch School of the Arts, New York.1. Down by Law (1986)--> 9/10
2. Paterson (2016)--> 8/10
3. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)--> 8/10
4. Dead Man (1995)--> 8/10
5. Broken Flowers (2005)--> 8/10
6. Stranger than Paradise (1984)--> 8/10
7. Night on Earth (1991)--> 7/10
8. Mystery Train (1989)--> 7/10
9. Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)--> 7/10
10. The Limits of Control (2009)--> 7/10
11. Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)--> 7/10
12. Coffee and Cigarettes III (1993)--> 6/10
13. The Dead Don't Die (2019)--> 6/10
14. Gimme Danger (2016)--> 6/10
15. Year of the Horse (1997)--> 5/10
16. Permanent Vacation (1980)--> 5/10
17. Coffee and Cigarettes II (1989)--> 5/10
18. Coffee and Cigarettes (1986)--> 4/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Anderson was born in 1970. He was one of the first of the "video store" generation of film-makers. His father was the first man on his block to own a V.C.R., and from a very early age Anderson had an infinite number of titles available to him. While film-makers like Spielberg cut their teeth making 8 mm films, Anderson cut his teeth shooting films on video and editing them from V.C.R. to V.C.R.
Part of Anderson's artistic D.N.A. comes from his father, who hosted a late night horror show in Cleveland. His father knew a number of oddball celebrities such as Robert Ridgely, an actor who often appeared in Mel Brooks' films and would later play "The Colonel" in Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997). Anderson was also very much shaped by growing up in "The Valley", specifically the suburban San Fernando Valley of greater Los Angeles. The Valley may have been immortalized in the 1980s for its mall-hopping "Valley Girls", but for Anderson it was a slightly seedy part of suburban America. You were close to Hollywood, yet you weren't there. Would-bes and burn-outs populated the area. Anderson's experiences growing up in "The Valley" have no doubt shaped his artistic self, especially since three of his four theatrical features are set in the Valley.
Anderson got into film-making at a young age. His most significant amateur film was The Dirk Diggler Story (1988), a sort of mock-documentary a la This Is Spinal Tap (1984), about a once-great pornography star named Dirk Diggler. After enrolling in N.Y.U.'s film program for two days, Anderson got his tuition back and made his own short film, Cigarettes & Coffee (1993). He also worked as a production assistant on numerous commercials and music videos before he got the chance to make his first feature, something he liked to call Sydney, but would later become known to the public as Hard Eight (1996). The film was developed and financed through The Sundance Lab, not unlike Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992). Anderson cast three actors whom he would continue working with in the future: Altman veteran Philip Baker Hall, the husky and lovable John C. Reilly and, in a small part, Philip Seymour Hoffman, who so far has been featured in all four of Anderson's films. The film deals with a guardian angel type (played by Hall) who takes down-on-his-luck Reilly under his wing. The deliberately paced film featured a number of Anderson trademarks: wonderful use of source light, long takes and top-notch acting. Yet the film was reedited (and retitled) by Rysher Entertainment against Anderson's wishes. It was admired by critics, but didn't catch on at the box office. Still, it was enough for Anderson to eventually get his next movie financed. "Boogie Nights" was, in a sense, a remake of "The Dirk Diggler Story", but Anderson threw away the satirical approach and instead painted a broad canvas about a makeshift family of pornographers. The film was often joyous in its look at the 1970s and the days when pornography was still shot on film, still shown in theatres, and its actors could at least delude themselves into believing that they were movie stars. Yet "Boogie Nights" did not flinch at the dark side, showing a murder and suicide, literally in one (almost) uninterrupted shot, and also showing the lives of these people deteriorate, while also showing how their lives recovered.
Anderson not only worked with Hall, Reilly and Hoffman again, he also worked with Julianne Moore, Melora Walters, William H. Macy and Luis Guzmán. Collectively, Anderson had something that was rare in U.S. cinema: a stock company of top-notch actors. Aside from the above mentioned, Anderson also drew terrific performances from Burt Reynolds and Mark Wahlberg, two actors whose careers were not exactly going full-blast at the time of "Boogie Nights", but who found themselves to be that much more employable afterwards.
The success of "Boogie Nights" gave Anderson the chance to really go for broke in Magnolia (1999), a massive mosaic that could dwarf Altman's Nashville (1975) in its number of characters.
Anderson was awarded a "Best Director" award at Cannes for Punch-Drunk Love (2002).1. Phantom Thread (2017)--> 9/10
2. The Master (2012)--> 8/10
3. Licorice Pizza (2021)--> 8/10
4. Inherent Vice (2014)--> 8/10
5. There Will Be Blood (2007)--> 8/10
6. Magnolia (1999)--> 8/10
7. Boogie Nights (1997)--> 7/10
8. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)--> 7/10
9. Sydney (1996)--> 7/10
10. The Master: Back Beyond (2013)--> 6/10
11. Anima (2019)--> 6/10
12. Cigarettes & Coffee (1993)--> 5/10
13. Junun (2015)--> 5/10
14. Blossoms & Blood (2003)--> 5/10
15. Haim: Valentine (2017)--> 5/10
16. The Dirk Diggler Story (1988)--> 4/10
17. Phantom Thread: For the Hungry Boy (Deleted Scenes) (2018)--> 4/10
18. Mattress Man Commercial (2003)--> 3/10
19. Couch (2003)--> 2/10
20. SNL Fanatic (2000)--> 1/10- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Of the ten films that Hsiao-Hsien Hou directed between 1980 and 1989, seven received best film or best director awards from prestigious international films festivals in Venice, Berlin, Hawaii, and the Festival of the Three Continents in Nantes. In a 1988 worldwide critics' poll, Hou was championed as "one of the three directors most crucial to the future of cinema."
Hou's birthplace, a county in Kuangtung Province, had been well-known as an intellectual center in China. In 1948, his family moved to Taiwan and, like all children raised there, he went through an extremely demanding educational system. In 1969, he studied film at the National Taiwan Arts Academy. After graduation in 1972, he worked briefly as a salesman. Later he began his film career as a scriptwriter and assistant director.
Hou's films are often concerned with his experiences of growing up in rural Taiwan in the 1950s and 1960s. The 1950s marked a time in which refugee families from the mainland were struggling painfully for survival, while the 1960s saw the beginning of the most significant social change in modern Taiwan. The economic boom of that period meant the beginning of Western-style industrialization and urbanization. The normal frustrations of growing up were aggravated by these complicated changes, and Hou's films are intimate expressions of those experiences.
His emotionally charged work is replete with highly nostalgic images and beautiful compositions; their power lies in his total identification with the past and the fate of families who suffered through difficult times. His stories, often written in collaboration with scriptwriters T'ien-wen Chu and Nien-Jen Wu, depict the complex intertwining of the different strands that shape the lives of individuals. In a poetic yet relaxed style, they reflect a deep sympathy and a profound humanism.1. Qian Xi Man Bo (2001)--> 9/10
2. Tóngnián Wangshì (1985)--> 9/10
3. Dong Dong de Jiàqi (1984)--> 7/10
4. Feng Gui Lai de Ren (1983)--> 6/10
5. Erzi de da Wanou (1983)--> 5/10
6. Zai Na He Pan Qing Cao Qing (1982)--> 5/10
7. Jiu Shi Liu Liu De Ta (1980)--> 4/10
8. Feng Er Ti Ta Cai (1981)--> 3/10- Director
- Cinematographer
- Editor
Bruce Baillie was born on 24 September 1931 in Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA. He was a director and cinematographer, known for Mr. Hayashi (1963), Quixote (1965) and Quick Billy (1971). He was married to Lorie Apit. He died on 10 April 2020 in Camano Island, Washington, USA.1. Quick Billy (1971)--> 9/10
2. Quixote (1965)--> 8/10
3. Castro Street (1966)--> 8/10
4. To Parsifal (1963)--> 8/10
5. All My Life (1966)--> 8/10
6. Valentin de las Sierras (1971)--> 7/10
7. Roslyn Romance (1977)--> 7/10
8. Mass for the Dakota Sioux (1964)--> 7/10
9. On Sundays (1961)--> 7/10
10. Little Girl (1966)--> 6/10
11. Here I Am (1962)--> 6/10
12. Tung (1966)--> 5/10
13. Mr. Hayashi (1963)--> 4/10
14. The Gymnasts (1961)--> 4/10- Director
- Writer
- Production Designer
Yevgeni Bauer was the most important filmmaker of the early Russian cinema, who made about eighty silent films in 5 years before the Russian Revolution of 1917.
He was born Yevgeni Frantsevich Bauer in 1865, in Moscow, Russia, into an artistic family. His father, Franz Bauer, was a renown musician who played zither, his mother was an opera singer, and his sisters eventually became stage and cinema actresses. From 1882 - 1887 he studied at Moscow School of Art, Sculpture and Architecture, graduating in 1887, as an artist. At that time Bauer worked for Moscow theatres as a stage artist as well as a set designer for popular musicals and comedies. He was also known as a newspaper satirist, a caricaturist for magazines, a journalist, and a theatrical impresario. During the 1900s he became involved in still photography and worked as an artistic photographer, having several of his pictures published in the Russian media.
In 1912, Bauer was hired by A. Drankov and Taldykin as a production designer for Tryokhsotletie tsarstvovaniya doma Romanovykh (1913), then he became a film director for their company. After making four films as director for A. Drankov, he moved on to work for Pathe's Star Film Factory in Moscow, and made another four films for them. In 1913, Bauer was invited by the leading Russian producer Aleksandr Khanzhonkov. Their fruitful collaboration would last only four years, yielding about 70 films, of which less than a half survived. Among Bauer's best works with Khanzhyonkov were such films as After Death (1915), Her Sister's Rival (1916), and Revolyutsioner (1917), starring Ivane Perestiani as an Old revolutionary.
Bauer reached his peak in the genre of social drama, such as Daydreams (1915) (aka.. Daydreams), starring Alexander Wyrubow as Sergei, an obsessed widower who falls for an actress because of her resemblance of his late wife, but soon their characters clash, leading to a tragic end. Soon Yevgeni Bauer established himself as the leading film director in Russia. He achieved great financial success earning up to 40,000 rubles annually. In 1914, Bauer started using his wife's name, Ancharov, as his artistic name, due to the political pressure from rising Russian nationalism during the First World War, so he was credited as Ancharov in some of his films. Bauer was the main force behind successful careers of major Russian silent film stars of that time, such as Ivan Mozzhukhin and Vera Kholodnaya. With Vera Kholodnaya, Bauer made thirteen films back-to-back in one year. In After Death (1915) and Umirayushchiy lebed (1917), Bauer cast none other than Vera Karalli, the legendary ballerina of the Boshoi Theatre and Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes.
Bauer's style evolved from his experience as a theatre artist, actor and photographer who incorporated theatrical techniques in his films in a uniquely cinematic way. His mastery of lighting, his use of unusual camera angles and huge close-ups, his inventive and thoughtful montage and such theatrical effects as long shots through windows or his use of gauzes and curtains to alter the screen image, all these innovations were decades ahead of his time. Bauer was one of the first film directors who used the split screen. He introduced a multi-layered staging involving juxtaposed foreground and background with lush decor and thoughtful compositions alluding to classical paintings of the old masters. He developed ingenious camera movements, showing a remarkable depth of field, and achieving powerful dramatic effects. Bauer's vision and inventiveness, his integrated skills as artist, actor, photographer, and director, made him the leading filmmaker of the early Russian cinema.
Russia was a tough place for film and entertainment business, becoming increasingly unstable during the turbulent years of the First World War. Then Russian culture and film industry suffered from a cascade of troubles and destructions caused by several Russian Revolutions. However, by 1917 several major Russian film studios became established in Yalta, Crimea, near the Tsar's palaces and lush villas of other major patrons, where social environment of an upscale resort with a Mediterranean climate provided special conditions conducive for filming all year round. Bauer moved to Yalta and continued his work at the newly established Khanzhyonkov film studio, becoming also its major shareholder. There Bauer directed his last masterpiece, Za schastem (1917) (aka.. For happiness), passing the torch to his apprentice, Lev Kuleshov, who replaced the ailing Bauer in the role as painter Enrico, which Bauer wanted to play himself, but unfortunately he fell and broke his leg.
In spite of his illness, Bauer used a wheelchair, and began directing his last film, Korol Parizha (1917), which was initially designed as his largest project, but was ended as his last song. His broken leg and unexpected complications interrupted his work as he became bedridden in a Yalta hospital. The film was completed by actress Olga Rakhmanova and his colleagues at Khanzhyonkov studio. Yevgeni Bauer died of pneumonia on 22nd of July (9th of July, old style), 1917, in Yalta, Crimea, and was laid to rest in Yalta cemetery, Yalta, Crimea, Russia (now Yalta, Ukraine).
Bauer was married to actress and dancer Emma Bauer (nee Ancharova), whom he met in the 1890s during his stint as a theatre artist. In 1915 Lina Bauer starred as a flirtatious wife who hides her lover in a closet and successfully outwits her husband in Bauer's comedy The 1002nd Ruse (1915) (aka.. The 1002nd Ruse). Bauer's sister, Emma Bauer also starred in several of his films.1. Umirayushchiy Lebed (1917)--> 9/10
2. Za Schastem (1917)--> 8/10
3. Sumerki Zhenskoy Dushi (1913)--> 8/10
4. Posle Smerti (1915)--> 8/10
5. Zhizn za Zhizn (1916)--> 7/10
6. Gryozy (1915)--> 7/10
7. Revolyutsioner (1917)--> 6/10
8. Ditya Bolshogo Goroda (1914)--> 6/10- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Pedro Costa was born on 30 December 1958 in Lisbon, Portugal. He is a director and writer, known for Horse Money (2014), Vitalina Varela (2019) and Colossal Youth (2006).1. Cavalo Dinheiro (2014)--> 9/10
2. Juventude em Marcha (2006)--> 8/10
3. Vitalina Varela (2019)--> 8/10
4. No Quarto da Vanda (2000)--> 8/10
5. O Sangue (1989)--> 8/10
6. Où Gît Votre Sourire Enfoui? (2001)--> 7/10
7. Lamento da Vida Jovem (2012)--> 7/10
8. Casa de Lava (1994)--> 7/10
9. Ossos (1997)--> 7/10
10. Ne Change Rien (2009)--> 6/10
11. O Nosso Homem (2010)--> 6/10
12. A Caça ao Coelho com Pau (2007)--> 6/10
13. 6 Bagatelas (2001)--> 6/10
14.
15. Ne Change Rien (2005)--> 5/10
16. The End of a Love Affair (2003)--> 3/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Honored with many awards for his films and achievement in the horror genre, Tobe Hooper is truly one of the Masters of Horror (2005).
Tobe Hooper was born in Austin, Texas, to Lois Belle (Crosby) and Norman William Ray Hooper, who owned a theater in San Angelo. He spent the 1960s as a college professor and documentary cameraman. In 1974, he organized a small cast that was made up of college teachers and students, and then he and Kim Henkel made The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), featuring the maniacal chainsaw-wielder Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen). This film changed the horror film industry and became an instant classic, remaining on many lists of top horror films of all time. Hooper based it upon the real-life killings of Ed Gein, a cannibalistic killer responsible for the grisly murders of several people in 1950s Wisconsin. Rex Reed said, "It's the scariest film I have ever seen." Leonard Maltin wrote, "While not nearly as gory as its title suggests, 'Massacre' is a genuinely terrifying film made even more unsettling by its twisted but undeniably hilarious black comedy." It is in the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Modern Art, and was officially selected at the Cannes Film Festival of 1975 for Directors Fortnight.
Hooper's success with "Chainsaw" landed him in Hollywood. Hooper rejoined the cast of "Texas" and with Kim Henkle again for Eaten Alive (1976), a gory horror film with Mel Ferrer, Carolyn Jones, William Finley, and Marilyn Burns (who played the lead in "Chainsaw"). The film centered around a caretaker of a motel who feeds his guests to his pet alligator. Also in the film was Robert Englund, whom Hooper helped advance his career and worked with him again in the future. "Eaten Alive" also won many awards at Horror Film Festivals, receiving the first Saturn Award. Also in the film, making his debut, was Robert Englund.
Hooper was assigned to the Film Ventures International production of The Dark (1979), a science-fiction thriller. After only three day, he was fired from the film and replaced with John 'Bud' Cardos. Instead, Hooper had greater success with Stephen King's 1979 mini series Salem's Lot (1979). In 1981, Hooper directed the teen slasher film The Funhouse (1981) for Universal Pictures. Despite its success, "The Funhouse" was a minor disappointment. In 1982, Hooper found greater success when Steven Spielberg hired him to direct his production, haunted house shocker Poltergeist (1982), for MGM. It quickly became a top-ranking major motion picture, but Hooper's reputation was waylaid by uncorroborated and spurious rumors spread throughout the film's press coverage that Spielberg had largely directed the film.
"Poltergeist" was perhaps a greater success than "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," but it was three years until Hooper found work again. He signed a three-year contract with Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus's Cannon Group, and directed more films, including Lifeforce (1985), with Patrick Stewart for TriStar; the minor remake Invaders from Mars (1986); and the disappointing sequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), with Dennis Hopper. During the mid-1980s, Hooper also directed several television projects, including episodes of Amazing Stories (1985), The Equalizer (1985), Freddy's Nightmares (1988) and Tales from the Crypt (1989) with Whoopi Goldberg.
In the 1990s, Hooper continued working in both film and television: I'm Dangerous Tonight (1990), Nowhere Man (1995), Dark Skies (1996), Perversions of Science (1997) with Jamie Kennedy and Jason Lee, The Apartment Complex (1999) with Amanda Plummer for Showtime, Night Terrors (1993) and The Mangler (1995) for New Line, the latter two with Robert Englund. In the new century Hooper's career grew stronger, with Night Visions (2001), Shadow Realm (2002) and the pilot episode for Steven Spielberg's award-winning miniseries Taken (2002).
In 2003, Hooper co-produced the successful remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) for New Line. His final three films as director were Toolbox Murders (2004), with Angela Bettis, released through Lions Gate; Mortuary (2005), a zombie film with Dan Byrd; and evil genie tale Djinn (2013).
Tobe Hooper died on August 26, 2017, in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles.
Leatherface (2017), technically the eighth film in Hooper's Chainsaw franchise, was slated for release just weeks after his death.1. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)--> 9/10
2. Djinn (2013)--> 8/10
3. Eaten Alive (1976)--> 8/10
4. Spontaneous Combustion (1990)--> 8/10
5. Lifeforce (1985)--> 7/10
6. Salem's Lot (1979)--> 7/10
7. Down Friday Street (1966)--> 7/10
8. The Funhouse (1981)--> 7/10
9. Body Bags (1993)--> 6/10
10. The Mangler (1995)--> 6/10
11. Eggshells (1969)--> 6/10
12. Poltergeist (1982)--> 5/10
13. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)--> 5/10- Director
- Producer
- Cinematographer
Born in 1958 in Vienna. 1979 - 84 stay in Berlin. Filmmaker since 1979. Studied philosophy. Doctoral thesis: ^ÓFilm as Art. Towards a critical aesthetics of cinematography^Ô (1985/86). 1989 National Art Award for Film. Teaches filmmaking at the Academy of Art, Linz. Founding member of Sixpack Film. Organized several international avant-garde film festivals in Vienna and international film tours. Many publications and lectures on history and theory of avant-garde film. 1993-94 director of the Austrian National Film Festival (^ÓDiagonale^Ô).1. Coming Attractions (2010)--> 9/10
2. Outer Space (1999)--> 8/10
3. The Exquisite Corpus (2015)--> 8/10
4. Dream Work (2001)--> 8/10
5. Parallel Space: Inter-View (1992)--> 7/10
6. Instructions for a Light and Sound Machine (2005)--> 7/10
7. Tabula Rasa (1989)--> 7/10
8. Train Again (2021)--> 7/10
9. Happy-End (1996)--> 6/10
10. Manufraktur (1985)--> 6/10
11. L'Arrivée (1998)--> 6/10
12. Liebesfilm (1982)--> 5/10
13. Nachtstück (2006)--> 5/10
14. Get Ready (1999)--> 5/10
15. Miniaturen - Viele Berliner Künstler in Hoisdorf (1983)--> 5/10
16. Urlaubsfilm (1983)--> 5/10
17. Ballett 16 (1984)--> 4/10
18. Shot - Countershot (1987)--> 4/10
19. Erotique (1982)--> 4/10
20. Aderlaß (1981)--> 3/10
21. Motion Picture (La Sortie des Ouvriers de l'Usine Lumière à Lyon) (1984)--> 3/10
22. MUBI Ident (2019)--> 2/10- Writer
- Director
- Animation Department
Satoshi Kon was born in 1963. He studied at the Musashino College of the Arts. He began his career as a Manga artist. He then moved to animation and worked as a background artist on many films (including Roujin Z (1991) by 'Katsuhiro Otomo'). Then, in 1995, he wrote an episode of the anthology film Memories (1995) (this Episode was "Magnetic Rose"). In 1997, he directed his first feature film: the excellent Perfect Blue (1997). In 2001, he finished work on his second feature film, Millennium Actress (2001) (aka Millennium Actress).1. Pâfekuto Burû (1997) --> 9/10
2. Môsô Dairinin (2004)--> 8/10
3. Papurika (2006)--> 8/10
4. Sennen Joyû (2001) --> 7/10
5. Tôkyô Goddofâzâzu (2003) --> 7/10
6. Ohayô (2007)--> 6/10- Director
- Cinematographer
- Writer
Mikhail Kalatozov was born on 28 December 1903 in Tiflis, Russian Empire [now Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia]. He was a director and cinematographer, known for The Cranes Are Flying (1957), True Friends (1954) and Zagovor obrechyonnykh (1950). He died on 27 March 1973 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].- Actor
- Director
- Writer
An eccentric rebel of epic proportions, this Hollywood titan reigned supreme as director, screenwriter and character actor in a career that endured over five decades. The ten-time Oscar-nominated legend was born John Marcellus Huston in Nevada, Missouri, on August 5, 1906. His ancestry was English, Scottish, Scots-Irish, distant German and very remote Portuguese. The age-old story goes that the small town of his birth was won by John's grandfather in a poker game. John's father was the equally magnanimous character actor Walter Huston, and his mother, Rhea Gore, was a newspaperwoman who traveled around the country looking for stories. The only child of the couple, John began performing on stage with his vaudevillian father at age 3. Upon his parents' divorce at age 7, the young boy would take turns traveling around the vaudeville circuit with his father and the country with his mother on reporting excursions. A frail and sickly child, he was once placed in a sanitarium due to both an enlarged heart and kidney ailment. Making a miraculous recovery, he quit school at age 14 to become a full-fledged boxer and eventually won the Amateur Lightweight Boxing Championship of California, winning 22 of 25 bouts. His trademark broken nose was the result of that robust activity.
John married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Harvey, and also took his first professional stage bow with a leading role off-Broadway entitled "The Triumph of the Egg." He made his Broadway debut that same year with "Ruint" on April 7, 1925, and followed that with another Broadway show "Adam Solitaire" the following November. John soon grew restless with the confines of both his marriage and acting and abandoned both, taking a sojourn to Mexico where he became an officer in the cavalry and expert horseman while writing plays on the sly. Trying to control his wanderlust urges, he subsequently returned to America and attempted newspaper and magazine reporting work in New York by submitting short stories. He was even hired at one point by mogul Samuel Goldwyn Jr. as a screenwriter, but again he grew restless. During this time he also appeared unbilled in a few obligatory films. By 1932 John was on the move again and left for London and Paris where he studied painting and sketching. The promising artist became a homeless beggar during one harrowing point.
Returning again to America in 1933, he played the title role in a production of "Abraham Lincoln," only a few years after father Walter portrayed the part on film for D.W. Griffith. John made a new resolve to hone in on his obvious writing skills and began collaborating on a few scripts for Warner Brothers. He also married again. Warners was so impressed with his talents that he was signed on as both screenwriter and director for the Dashiell Hammett mystery yarn The Maltese Falcon (1941). The movie classic made a superstar out of Humphrey Bogart and is considered by critics and audiences alike--- 65 years after the fact--- to be the greatest detective film ever made. In the meantime John wrote/staged a couple of Broadway plays, and in the aftermath of his mammoth screen success directed bad-girl 'Bette Davis (I)' and good girl Olivia de Havilland in the film melodrama In This Our Life (1942), and three of his "Falcon" stars (Bogart, Mary Astor and Sydney Greenstreet) in the romantic war picture Across the Pacific (1942). During WWII John served as a Signal Corps lieutenant and went on to helm a number of film documentaries for the U.S. government including the controversial Let There Be Light (1980), which father Walter narrated. The end of WWII also saw the end of his second marriage. He married third wife Evelyn Keyes, of "Gone With the Wind" fame, in 1946 but it too lasted a relatively short time. That same year the impulsive and always unpredictable Huston directed Jean-Paul Sartre's experimental play "No Exit" on Broadway. The show was a box-office bust (running less than a month) but nevertheless earned the New York Drama Critics Award as "best foreign play."
Hollywood glory came to him again in association with Bogart and Warner Brothers'. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), a classic tale of gold, greed and man's inhumanity to man set in Mexico, won John Oscars for both director and screenplay and his father nabbed the "Best Supporting Actor" trophy. John can be glimpsed at the beginning of the movie in a cameo playing a tourist, but he wouldn't act again on film for a decade and a half. With the momentum in his favor, John hung around in Hollywood this time to write and/or direct some of the finest American cinema made including Key Largo (1948) and The African Queen (1951) (both with Bogart), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), The Red Badge of Courage (1951) and Moulin Rouge (1952). Later films, including Moby Dick (1956), The Unforgiven (1960), The Misfits (1961), Freud (1962), The Night of the Iguana (1964) and The Bible in the Beginning... (1966) were, for the most part, well-regarded but certainly not close to the level of his earlier revered work. He also experimented behind-the-camera with color effects and approached topics that most others would not even broach, including homosexuality and psychoanalysis.
An ardent supporter of human rights, he, along with director William Wyler and others, dared to form the Committee for the First Amendment in 1947, which strove to undermine the House Un-American Activities Committee. Disgusted by the Hollywood blacklisting that was killing the careers of many talented folk, he moved to St. Clerans in Ireland and became a citizen there along with his fourth wife, ballet dancer Enrica (Ricki) Soma. The couple had two children, including daughter Anjelica Huston who went on to have an enviable Hollywood career of her own. Huston and wife Ricki split after a son (director Danny Huston) was born to another actress in 1962. They did not divorce, however, and remained estranged until her sudden death in 1969 in a car accident. John subsequently adopted his late wife's child from another union. The ever-impulsive Huston would move yet again to Mexico where he married (1972) and divorced (1977) his fifth and final wife, Celeste Shane.
Huston returned to acting auspiciously with a major role in Otto Preminger's epic film The Cardinal (1963) for which Huston received an Oscar nomination at age 57. From that time forward, he would be glimpsed here and there in a number of colorful, baggy-eyed character roles in both good and bad (some positively abysmal) films that, at the very least, helped finance his passion projects. The former list included outstanding roles in Chinatown (1974) and The Wind and the Lion (1975), while the latter comprised of hammy parts in such awful drek as Candy (1968) and Myra Breckinridge (1970).
Directing daughter Angelica in her inauspicious movie debut, the thoroughly mediocre A Walk with Love and Death (1969), John made up for it 15 years later by directing her to Oscar glory in the mob tale Prizzi's Honor (1985). In the 1970s Huston resurged as a director of quality films with Fat City (1972), The Man Who Would Be King (1975) and Wise Blood (1979). He ended his career on a high note with Under the Volcano (1984), the afore-mentioned Prizzi's Honor (1985) and The Dead (1987). His only certifiable misfire during that era was the elephantine musical version of Annie (1982), though it later became somewhat of a cult favorite among children.
Huston lived the macho, outdoors life, unencumbered by convention or restrictions, and is often compared in style or flamboyancy to an Ernest Hemingway or Orson Welles. He was, in fact, the source of inspiration for Clint Eastwood in the helming of the film White Hunter Black Heart (1990) which chronicled the making of "The African Queen." Illness robbed Huston of a good portion of his twilight years with chronic emphysema the main culprit. As always, however, he continued to work tirelessly while hooked up to an oxygen machine if need be. At the end, the living legend was shooting an acting cameo in the film Mr. North (1988) for his son Danny, making his directorial bow at the time. John became seriously ill with pneumonia and died while on location at the age of 81. This maverick of a man's man who was once called "the eccentric's eccentric" by Paul Newman, left an incredibly rich legacy of work to be enjoyed by film lovers for centuries to come.1. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)--> 9/10
2. The Dead (1987)--> 8/10
3. The Asphalt Jungle (1950)--> 8/10
4. The Maltese Falcon (1941)--> 8/10- Director
- Writer
- Actress
Maya Deren came to the USA in 1922 as Eleanora Derenkowsky. Together with her father Solomon Derenkowsky, a psychiatrist, and her mother Maria Fidler, an artist, she fled the pogroms organized by the Bolsheviks against the Jews. She studied journalism and political science at the Syracuse University in New York, finishing her BA at the New York University (NYU) in June 1936, and then received her MA in English literature from the Smith College in 1939.
In 1943, she made her first film Meshes of the Afternoon (1943), co-starring with Alexander Hammid. Through this association, at Hammid's suggestion, she changed her name to Maya, meaning "illusion." Overall, she made six short films and several incomplete films, including Witch's Cradle (1944) starring Marcel Duchamp.
Deren is the author of two books, "An Anagram of Ideas on Art, Form, and Film" 1946 (reprinted in "The Legend of Maya Deren," vol 1, part 2) and "Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti" (1953)--a book that was made after her first trip to Haiti in 1947 and which is still considered one of the most useful on Haitian Voudoun. Deren wrote numerous articles on film and on Haiti. Maya Deren shot over 18,000 feet of film in Haiti from 1947 to 1954 on Haitian Voudoun, parts of which can be viewed in Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1993) made after her death by her then-husband Teiji Ito and his new wife Cherel Ito.
In 1947, Maya Deren became the first filmmaker to receive a Guggenheim grant for creative work in motion pictures. She wrote film theory, distributed her own films, traveled across the USA, and went to Cuba and Canada to promote her films using the lecture-demonstration format to teach film theory, and Voudoun and the interrelationship of magic, science, and religion. Deren established the Creative Film Foundation in the late 1950s to reward the achievements of independent filmmakers.1. Meshes of the Afternoon (1943)--> 9/10
2. At Land (1944)--> 8/10
3. Ritual in Transfigured Time (1946)--> 7/10
4. The Private Life of a Cat (1944)--> 7/10
5. The Very Eye of Night (1958)--> 6/10
6. Meditation on Violence (1948)--> 6/10
7. Witch's Cradle (1944)--> 6/10
8. Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1985)--> 5/10
9. A Study in Choreography for Camera (1945)--> 5/10
10. Ensemble for Somnambulists (1951)--> 4/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Mark Donskoy was born on 6 March 1901 in Odessa, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire [now Ukraine]. He was a director and writer, known for Gorky 1: The Childhood of Maxim Gorky (1938), Foma Gordeev (1959) and The Taras Family (1945). He died on 21 March 1981 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Berlanga commenced his studies in Valencia in1928, although in 1929 his family sent him and his brother Fernando (due to a lung disease) to the Beau-soleil hospital school in Switzerland. In 1930, he returned to the San José School in Valencia where he stayed until 1931, the year in which the Jesuits were expelled from Spain. In 1936, while he was studying at the Academia Cabanilles, the Spanish Civil War began, and he saw active service in the riflemen's 40th Division. After the war Franco's dictatorship imprisoned his father, then a member of the Spanish Parliament for the 'Frente Popular' (Popular Front). In an attempt to improve his father's situation in jail, he joined the División Azul (Blue Division) in 1941, and fought in Russia at the Novgorod front, returning to Spain in 1942.
Towards 1943 he began to take an interest in poetry and cinema, and started to write a screenplay entitled 'Cajón de perro', together with his first cinematographic reviews. In 1947 he entered the 'Instituto de Investigaciones y Experiencias Cinematográficas' (IIEC) (Institute of Cinematographic Research and Experiences). During his second year at the institute, he filmed a short entitled 'Paseo por una guerra antigua', {which he finished with the help of Juan Antonio Bardem, Florentino Soria and Agustín Navarro}. In 1951, he directed (together with Bardem) the film Esa pareja feliz (1953), starring Fernando Fernán Gómez and Elvira Quintillá.
After being expelled from the Falange, Berlanga started to adopt an individualistic and libertarian position, far removed from politics and considered fairly permissive. However, his open and conciliatory nature kept him out of trouble during the post-war period. Sadly his father died six months after being released from prison.
Berlanga and Bardem continued to collaborate on Welcome Mr. Marshall! (1953); this film received an International Award and a Special Mention Award at the Cannes Festival. It was also shown at the Venice Festival, where the president of the Jury, Edward G. Robinson, expressed his indignation at what he interpreted as an anti-American film.
Berlanga's conceptual and political audacity, so evident in Welcome Mr. Marshall! (1953) continued in his other films during the 50s, which tended not to be very well received by the censor. In fact, his film Los jueves, milagro (1957), was modified by the censors and was delayed for several years before its eventual release.
In 1955 he participated in the 'Conversaciones de Salamanca' (Salamanca's Discussions) where the future of Spanish cinema was debated. In 1956 he filmed Calabuch (1956), and in 1958 began lecturing at the IIEC. His subsequent film Se vende un tranvía (1959) was his first professional liaison with Rafael Azcona. Their next joint venture was Placido (1961), which received an Oscar nomination in 1963. That same year, Berlanga made of his best films: The Executioner (1963); however, his cruel portrait of Spanish society didn't please the pro-Franco authorities, although the film was well-received at the Venice Festival. In 1973 he went to Paris to begin filming _Grandeur nature (1973)_, another polemic film, focussing this time on the fetishism of a man who falls in love with a doll.
Several years later, after Franco's death, he filmed a trilogy comprising La escopeta nacional (1978), Patrimonio nacional (1981) and Nacional III (1982), where he clarified the disorders evident in the Spanish upper middle-class upon being confronted with a new political status quo. Following the same theme he filmed La vaquilla (1985), set in the Spanish Civil War and also beset by difficulties with the censors.
The quality of his cinematography and independence of criteria was welcomed during the years following the end of the dictatorship. In 1978 he was made president of the 'Filmoteca Nacional' (National Archive), in 1980 he won the 'Premio Nacional de Cinematografía' (National Cinematography Award), in 1982 he received the 'Medalla de Oro a las Bellas Artes' (Gold Medal to Arts), in 1986 he won the 'Premio Príncipe de Asturias de las Artes' (Príncipe de Asturias Arts' Award), in 1988 he was named member of the 'Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando' (San Fernando's Art's Real Academy), and in 1997 he was awarded the Doctor Honoris Causa title by the 'Universidad Politécnica de Valencia' (Valencia's Politechnical University). In addition he was made president of the 'Asociación de Titulados en Cinematografía' (Graduates in Cinematography's Association) and he was the first president of the Academia de las Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas de España (Spanish Academy of Arts and Cinematographic Sciences).
In 1994, his film Todos a la cárcel (1993) won three Goya Awards for Best Film, Best Director and Best Sound. In 2002, the 'Asociación de Directores de Cine' (Cinema Directors' Association) gave him an honorary award.1. El Verdugo (1963)--> 9/10
2. ¡Bienvenido, Míster Marshall! (1953)--> 8/10
3. Plácido (1961)--> 8/10- Director
- Writer
- Editor
An important British filmmaker, David Lean was born in Croydon on March 25, 1908 and brought up in a strict Quaker family (ironically, as a child he wasn't allowed to go to the movies). During the 1920s, he briefly considered the possibility of becoming an accountant like his father before finding a job at Gaumont British Studios in 1927. He worked as tea boy, clapper boy, messenger, then cutting room assistant. By 1935, he had become chief editor of Gaumont British News until in 1939 when he began to edit feature films, notably for Anthony Asquith, Paul Czinner and Michael Powell. Amongst films he worked on were Pygmalion (1938), Major Barbara (1941) and One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942).
By the end of the 1930s, Lean's reputation as an editor was very well established. In 1942, Noël Coward gave Lean the chance to co-direct with him the war film In Which We Serve (1942). Shortly after, with the encouragement of Coward, Lean, cinematographer Ronald Neame and producer 'Anthony Havelock-Allan' launched a production company called Cineguild. For that firm Lean first directed adaptations of three plays by Coward: the chronicle This Happy Breed (1944), the humorous ghost story Blithe Spirit (1945) and, most notably, the sentimental drama Brief Encounter (1945). Originally a box-office failure in England, "Brief Encounter" was presented at the very first Cannes film festival (1946), where it won almost unanimous praises as well as a Grand Prize.
From Coward, Lean switched to Charles Dickens, directing two well-regarded adaptations: Great Expectations (1946) and Oliver Twist (1948). The latter, starring Alec Guinness in his first major movie role, was criticized by some, however, for potential anti-Semitic inflections. The last two films made under the Cineguild banner were The Passionate Friends (1949), a romance from a novel by H.G. Wells, and the true crime story Madeleine (1950). Neither had a significant impact on critics or audiences.
The Cineguild partnership came to an end after a dispute between Lean and Neame. Lean's first post-Cineguild production was the aviation drama The Sound Barrier (1952), a great box-office success in England and his most spectacular movie so far. He followed with two sophisticated comedies based on theatrical plays: Hobson's Choice (1954) and the Anglo-American co-production Summertime (1955). Both were well received and "Hobson's Choice" won the Golden Bear at the 1954 Berlin film festival.
Lean's next movie was pivotal in his career, as it was the first of those grand-scale epics he would become renowned for. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) was produced by Sam Spiegel from a novel by 'Pierre Boulle', adapted by blacklisted writers Michael Wilson and Carl Foreman. Shot in Ceylon under extremely difficult conditions, the film was an international success and triumphed at the Oscars, winning seven awards, most notably best film and director.
Lean and Spiegel followed with an even more ambitious film, Lawrence of Arabia (1962), based on "Seven Pillars of Wisdom", the autobiography of T.E. Lawrence. Starring relative newcomer Peter O'Toole, this film was the first collaboration between Lean and writer Robert Bolt, cinematographer Freddie Young and composer Maurice Jarre. The shooting itself took place in Spain, Morocco and Jordan over a period of 20 months. Initial reviews were mixed and the film was trimmed down shortly after its world première and cut even more during a 1971 re-release. Like its predecessor, it won seven Oscars, once again including best film and director.
The same team of Lean, Bolt, Young and Jarre next worked on an adaptation of Boris Pasternak's novel "Dr. Zhivago" for producer Carlo Ponti. Doctor Zhivago (1965) was shot in Spain and Finland, standing in for revolutionary Russia and, despite divided critics, was hugely successful, as was Jarre's musical score. The film won five Oscars out of ten nominations, but the statuettes for film and director went to The Sound of Music (1965).
Lean's next movie, the sentimental drama Ryan's Daughter (1970), did not reach the same heights. The original screenplay by Robert Bolt was produced by old associate Anthony Havelock-Allan, and Lean once again secured the collaboration of Freddie Young and Maurice Jarre. The shooting in Ireland lasted about a year, much longer than expected. The film won two Oscars; but, for the most part, critical reaction was tepid, sometimes downright derisive, and the general public didn't really respond to the movie.
This relative lack of success seems to have inhibited Lean's creativity for a while. But towards the end of the 1970s, he started to work again with Robert Bolt on an ambitious two-part movie about the Bounty mutiny. The project fell apart and was eventually recuperated by Dino De Laurentiis. Lean was then approached by producers John Brabourne and Richard Goodwin to adapt E.M. Forster's novel "A Passage to India", a book Lean had been interested in for more than 20 years. For the first time in his career; Lean wrote the adaptation alone, basing himself partly on Santha Rama Rau's stage version of the book. Lean also acted as his own editor. A Passage to India (1984) opened to mostly favourable reviews and performed quite well at the box-office. It was a strong Oscar contender, scoring 11 nominations. It settled for two wins, losing the trophy battle to Milos Forman's Amadeus (1984).
Lean spent the last few years of his life preparing an adaptation of Joseph Conrad's meditative adventure novel "Nostromo". He also participated briefly in Richard Harris' restoration of "Lawrence of Arabia" in 1988. In 1990, Lean received the American Film Institute's Life Achievement award. He died of cancer on April 16, 1991 at age 83, shortly before the shooting of "Nostromo" was about to begin.
Lean was known on sets for his extreme perfectionism and autocratic behavior, an attitude that sometimes alienated his cast or crew. Though his cinematic approach, classic and refined, clearly belongs to a bygone era, his films have aged rather well and his influence can still be found in movies like The English Patient (1996) and Titanic (1997). In 1999, the British Film Institute compiled a list of the 100 favorite British films of the 20th century. Five by David Lean appeared in the top 30, three of them in the top five.1. Brief Encounter (1945)--> 9/10
2. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)--> 8/10
3. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)--> 8/10
4. Doctor Zhivago (1965)--> 7/10- Director
- Writer
- Actress
Lois Weber, who had been a street-corner evangelist before entering motion pictures in 1905, became the first American woman movie director of note, and a major one at that. Herbert Blaché, the husband of Frenchwoman Alice Guy, the first woman to direct a motion picture (and arguably, the first director of either gender to helm a fictional narrative film), cast her in the lead of "Hypocrites" (1908). Weber first got behind the camera on A Heroine of '76 (1911), a silent that was co-directed by pioneering American director Edwin S. Porter and actor Phillips Smalley, who played George Washington. She also starred in the picture.
In 1914, a year in which she helmed 27 movies, Weber co-directed William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (1914) with Smalley, who also played Shylock, making her the first woman to direct a feature-length film in the US. (Jeanie Macpherson, who would play a major role in cinema as Cecil B. DeMille's favorite screenwriter, also acted in the film).
In the spirit of her evangelism, she began directing, writing and then producing films of social import, dealing with such themes as abortion, alcoholism, birth control, drug addiction and prostitution. By 1916 she had established herself as the top director at Universal Film Manufacturing (now Universal Studios), the top studio in America at the time, making her the highest-paid director in the world. The following year she formed Lois Weber Productions.
She directed over 100 films, but her production company went bankrupt in the 1920s as her career faltered. She did not make the transition to sound, although she did make one talkie, White Heat (1934), in 1934.- Director
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- Animation Department
Don Hertzfeldt was born on 1 August 1976 in Fremont, California, USA. He is a director and writer, known for World of Tomorrow (2015), It's Such a Beautiful Day (2011) and The Simpsons (1989).1. It's Such a Beautiful Day (2012)--> 9/10
2. World of Tomorrow (2015)--> 7/10
3. Rejected (2000)--> 7/10
4. World of Tomorrow. Episode Two: The Burden of Other People's Thoughts (2017)--> 7/10
5. The Meaning of Life (2005)--> 6/10
6. Welcome to the Show/Intermission in the Third Dimension/The End of the Show (2003)--> 6/10
7. Genre (1996)--> 6/10
8. Lily and Jim (1997)--> 5/10
9. Billy's Balloon (1998)--> 5/10
10. The Simpsons: Don Hertzfeldt Couch Gag (2014)--> 5/10
11. Wisdom Teeth (2010)--> 4/10
12. Ah, L'amour (1995)--> 3/10- Writer
- Director
- Producer
French director François Truffaut began to assiduously go to the movies at age seven. He was also a great reader but not a good pupil. He left school at 14 and started working. In 1947, aged 15, he founded a film club and met André Bazin, a French critic, who became his protector. Bazin helped the delinquent Truffaut and also when he was put in jail because he deserted the army. In 1953 Truffaut published his first movie critiques in "Les Cahiers du Cinema." In this magazine Truffaut, and some of his friends as passionate as he was, became defenders of what they call the "author policy". In 1954, as a test, Truffaut directed his first short film. Two years afterwords he assisted Roberto Rossellini with some later abandoned projects.
The year 1957 was an important one for him: he married Madeleine Morgenstern, the daughter of an important film distributor, and founded his own production company, Les Films du Carrosse; named after Jean Renoir's The Golden Coach (1952). He also directed The Mischief Makers (1957), considered the real first step of his cinematographic work. His other big year was 1959: the huge success of his first full-length film, The 400 Blows (1959), was the beginning of the New Wave, a new way of making movies in France. This was also the year his first daughter, Laura Truffaut, was born.
From 1959 until his death, François Truffaut's life and films are mixed up. Let's only note he had two other daughters Eva Truffaut (b. 1961) and Josephine (b. 1982, with French actress Fanny Ardant). Truffaut was the most popular and successful French film director ever. His main themes were passion, women, childhood and faithfulness.1. Les Quatre Cents Coups (1959)--> 9/10
2. Baisers Volés (1968)--> 8/10
3. Tirez sur le Pianiste (1960)--> 7/10
4. Antoine et Colette (1962)--> 7/10
5. Domicile Conjugal (1970)--> 7/10
6. L'amour en Fuite (1979)--> 6/10
7. Les Mistons (1957)--> 6/10
8. Une Histoire d'eau (1961)--> 5/10- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Claude Lanzmann was born on 27 November 1925 in Bois-Colombes, Hauts-de-Seine, France. He was a director and writer, known for Shoah (1985), The Four Sisters (2018) and Israel, Why (1973). He was married to Dominique Lanzmann-Petithory, Angelika Schrobsdorff and Judith Magre. He died on 5 July 2018 in Paris, France.1. Shoah (1985)--> 9/10
2. Le Dernier des Injustes (2013)--> 8/10
3. Sobibór, 14 Octobre 1943, 16 Heures (2001)--> 7/10
4. Un Vivant qui Passe (1997)--> 7/10
5. Warum Israël (1973)--> 7/10
6. Le Rapport Karski (2010)--> 6/10
7. Tsahal (1994)--> 6/10
8. Napalm (2017)--> 5/10- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
- Director
Sergio Leone was virtually born into the cinema - he was the son of Roberto Roberti (A.K.A. Vincenzo Leone), one of Italy's cinema pioneers, and actress Bice Valerian. Leone entered films in his late teens, working as an assistant director to both Italian directors and U.S. directors working in Italy (usually making Biblical and Roman epics, much in vogue at the time). Towards the end of the 1950s he started writing screenplays, and began directing after taking over The Last Days of Pompeii (1959) in mid-shoot after its original director fell ill. His first solo feature, The Colossus of Rhodes (1961), was a routine Roman epic, but his second feature, A Fistful of Dollars (1964), a shameless remake of Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo (1961), caused a revolution. It was the first Spaghetti Western, and shot T.V. cowboy Clint Eastwood to stardom (Leone wanted Henry Fonda or Charles Bronson but couldn't afford them). The two sequels, For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), were shot on much higher budgets and were even more successful, though his masterpiece, Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), in which Leone finally worked with Fonda and Bronson, was mutilated by Paramount Pictures and flopped at the U.S. box office. He directed Duck, You Sucker! (1971) reluctantly (as producer he hired Peter Bogdanovich to direct but he left before shooting began), and turned down offers to direct The Godfather (1972) in favor of his dream project, which became Once Upon a Time in America (1984). He died in 1989 after preparing an even more expensive Soviet co-production on the World War II siege of Leningrad.1. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)--> 9/10
2. C'era una Volta il West (1968)--> 8/10
3. Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo (1966)--> 8/10
4. Per Qualche Dollaro in Più (1965)--> 7/10
5. Per un Pugno di Dollari (1964)--> 6/10
6. Giù la Testa (1971)--> 6/10
7. Il Colosso di Rodi (1961)--> 4/10- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Richard Quine was born on 12 November 1920 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was a director and writer, known for The Mickey Rooney Show (1954), The Cockeyed Miracle (1946) and Strangers When We Meet (1960). He was married to Diana Balfour, Fran Jeffries, Barbara Bushman and Susan Peters. He died on 10 June 1989 in Los Angeles, California, USA.