1965 Tokyo Olympiad - Kon Ichikawa

Tokyo Olympiad is a documentary by Kon Ichikawa which documents the Olympic games of 1964.

This movie was considered  a milestone in filmmaking. He shows us the atmosphere and the human side of the athletes instead of focussing on the winners and the scores.

Ichikawa's vision was controversial at the time sins his financiers expected the opposite.  

The Japanese government wanted a journalistic, historical recording of the event. 

They made him re-edit to better suit their needs to a movie of 93 minutes.

Quote of the week

'Coco avant Chanel' (2009) 

1950 All about Eve - Joseph L. Mankiewicz

This movie is probably the sharpest and darkest movies about showbusiness ever made. 

It got rewarded with six Oscars, among them, movie, director and script.

Bette Davis plays a depressed broadway-star who knows her carrier is almost at an end. She meets the young and talented Eve who compliments here and they become friends. 

Nevertheless, this wolf in sheep clothes has only her own best interest at heart.

I adored this movie and Bette Davis is my hero. You can watch it here.

1943 The Ox-Bow incident - William A. Wellman

The Ox-Bow incident is a American Western based on a book by Walter Van Tilburg Clark.

This movie was key in the development of the genre. 

It showed how heavy topics can work perfectly in a Western.

Henry Fonda (a saloon hopper) passes by a small city where a mob is trying to find justice for a murder.

1934 The thin man - W.S. Van Dyke

This popular detective couple is very straightforward and never dull.

Myrna Loy and William Powell have a strong chemistry 

that was previously showcased in 'Manhattan Melodrama'.

A retired detective gets intrigued by the disappearance of a whimsical inventor.

The storyline isn't the most important part. The best thing about the movie are the sharp dialogues.

I couldn't find a streaming link but here is a very witty trailer that shows what a clever movie this is:

Quote of the week

The movie 'Little Miss sunshine' by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris is heartwarming, encouraging and a little bit twisted. Their are many lovely quotes in this movie but this one sums it all up:

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

1927 The general - Clyde Bruckman & Buster Keaton

The general is a silent movie with Buster Keaton who co-produced and co-directed.

This movie, along with others by Keaton, is considered one of the best and funniest movies in the history of film.

The constant flow of well organized jokes is inspiring and balances perfectly with the suspense in the movie.

 

1915 The birth of a nation - D.W. Griffith

This very controversial movie knows fanatic proponents and opponents. 

It's quite unique how this film evokes so much praise and discontent at the same time.

The movie is based on Thomas Dixon's racist play 'the clansman: an historical romance of the ku klux klan'. However many sources claim that D.W. Griffith wasn't racist at all. 

The technical and artistic qualities of this movie stand high above it's immoral message.

All the possibilities of the movie medium are used and broadened and that's why D.W. Griffith is considered a pioneer. 

Watch the first real historical epos with the first dramatic close-up's ever, 'new' montage techniques and parallel action shots.

1903 The great train robbery - Edwin S. Porter

This 12 minute during film is considered the first Western. 

It was very popular at it's release and has often been imitated since.

What's remarkable about this film is the complexity of the story line. 

Two bandits force a telegrapher to send a false telegraph so a certain train will make a extra stop. 

We follow the bandits but also get to see what happens whit the telegrapher afterwards.

The most famous shot of the movie is sometimes shown before or after the movie: 

It's a close-up of the bandit shooting at his audience.

2012 Skyfall - Sam Mendes

Skyfall is the 23d James Bond film. 

There where film locations in London, Shanghai, Istanbul and Scotland.

The title song by Adele captures the movie perfectly. It's a very dark film. 

I specifically liked how they slide in a bit of humor here and there.

50 years have passed since the release of the first James Bond film 'Dr. No'.  

Daniël Craig carries the 007 legacy with pride and dignity.

2000 In the mood for love - Kar-wai Wong

This story takes place in 1962, Hong Kong. 

A journalist and a secretary move in next door to each other. 

Both their significant others are adulterers but they are not the focus of the movie, 

the cheated people are.

The clothes and the hairstyles are impeccable which stands in contrast 

with the melancholy hanging over the main characters.

This film is a true masterpiece and one of my all time favorites.

Quote of the week

I had a hard time picking just one quote from this movie.

1990 Airplane!

1990 Dances With Wolves - Kevin Costner

This movie epos with Costner in the lead role got 7 Oscars, 

took 5 years to create and had a budget of 19 million dollars. 

A idealistic federal soldier gets stationed in the Dakota's where he befriends a tribe of Lakota Sioux Indians. They're portrayed with the utmost of respect as loyal, fast, funny and proud by Indian actors.

Costner showed the world what a great director he is. 

This movie has great debts and sentiment and that's probably why it's over three hours long. 

Please don't let that scare you, you'll get what you've payed for.

Watch here.

1980 Airplan! - Jim Abrahams, David Zucker & Jerry Zucker

'Airplane!' was the third movie of the Zucker-Abrahams team. 

It shows perfectly their unique, parodistic and detailed style.

This movie is in fact a funny parody of disaster movies of the 70's. 

The story line and structure is almost identical to 'Zero Hour', a film of 1957 by Hall Bartlett 

(They bought the movie rights prior to making 'Airplane!').

Next to this story they added lots of story lines and create a absurd, over detailed comical masterpiece.

Surely you'll watch this film here.

1970 Woodstock - Michael Wadleigh

'Woodstock' is a documentary about the legendary music festival.

We see the performances as well as the activities offstage.

It gives a complete picture and it makes you wish you were there.

There is music from 'The Who', Joe Cocker, 'Sly and the family Stone', 

Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix to name a few.

Watch here.

1961 The Hustler - Robert Rossen

Paul Newman plays 'Fast Eddy' Felson, a cocky pool player who seeks glory and fame. 

He gets drawn into the hard world of gambling.

The movie breaths this perfect atmosphere of dingy, 

smokey pool halls but it's mostly about human nature.

This cynical piece shows a cruel world where loyalty doesn't count for much 

and winning doesn't make you a winner.

Watch it here.

1950 Rashomon - Akira Kurosawa

This movie is directed by one of my all time favorite directors: Kurosawa.

His movies are deep, witty and entertaining. 

Rashomon was also the first Japanese film with great success in the West. 

The story is about giving false witness. A woman gets raped and her husband murdered. 

But what really happened in the woods? 

The events starts all over again as the next witness tells his version. 

The viewer gets sucked in every time. 

Kurosawa questions objective truth and shows how vengeance, 

cowardice, honor and fear can shape one event. 

1948 Force of evil - Abraham Polonsky

Force of evil is an American film noir. 

There is moral corruption, paranoia, shadows and even a femme fatale.

Joe is the lawyer of a powerful criminal and gets the chance to 'earn' some extra money. 

He is in over is head and people he cares about get hurt.

I love a good film noir but 'Force of evil' is much more. 

There are beautiful shots that are groundbreaking for its time.

You can watch it here.

Quote of the week

Let's kick off the quote of the week with one I heard while watching 'Force of evil'.
It's an American film noir and I'll soon write a post about this movie because it's a good one.
Here is some background information before reading the quote:
A dirty wall street lawyer wants to offer a nice girl a lift.

"You know you can't tell about your life 'til you're all through living it. Come on, I'll give you a lift. You're tired, I'm tireder. What can happen to either one of us? You tell me the story of your life and maybe I can suggest a happy ending."
-Joe Morse (Force of evil 1948)

1932 Love me tonight - Rouben Mamoulian

Love me tonight is an American musical with music by Rodgers and Hart. 

It's a romantic comedy about a tailor (Maurice Chevalier) posing as a nobleman who falls for a princess played by Jeanette MacDonald. 

It's a wonderful movie full of irony, humor and amazingly constructed scenes.

On youtube you can find the full movie split up in 9 parts named 'LMT' by ForgottenClassics100

1921 Körkarlen - Victor Sjöström

'The Phantom Carriage' is a Swedish film notable for its special effects and flashbacks.
It's narrative structure was very advanced for its time and the movie has influenced brilliant directors as Ingmar Bergman.

Sjöström shows a grim and ghostly life after death and holds the audience captivated while he unravels pieces of the puzzle.

It's a film about remorse, decay, undying faith and finding peace. Truly a Swedish masterpiece.

1915 Les Vampires - Louis Feuillade

'Les Vampires' is a French crime film that played a great part in the development of 'he 'thriller' genre.

Two journalists investigate a criminal gang who call themselves 'the vampires'. The movie mixes realism with surrealism. There are secret passage ways, hints of danger and plot changes.

The main character 'Irma Vep' was played by Musidora who used to be an acrobat. She climes impressively on roofs and is best recognized by her iconic catsuit. 

The movie is split in 10 separate series with a total of 440 minutes. 

It's an important movie so don't let the duration scare you off. 

You get drawn into the story and time flies by. 

Trust me. 

Part one: 'The severed head'

Part two: 'The ring that kills'

Part three: 'The red code book'

Part four: 'The spectre'

Part five: 'Dead man's escape'

Part six: 'Hypnotic eyes'

Part seven: 'Satanas'

Part eight: 'The thunder master'

Part nine: 'The Poisoner'

Part ten: 'The terrible wedding'

1902 Le voyage dans la lune - George Méliès

Let me start with the first science fiction ever made 'A trip to the moon' by Georges Méliès.

This movie uses animation and special effects as well as tableau-vivants. 

There is no use of depth so it's like watching a theater scene. 

Méliès used to be a magician and he incorporates his tricks in the movie. He knows how to captivate his audience and even when your not a total film buff it's 13 minutes well spend.

Welcome

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.” 

― Lewis Carroll, Alice Adventures in Wonderland

I like to welcome you to a blog devoted  to film.

It has long been my mission to see the most cutting-edge movies of all time.

And then I'll see some more..

Sit back, relax and join me on this journey.