Favorite films.

American Beauty
Goodfellas
Schindler's List
The Godfather
A Clockwork Orange

 

I think Shawshank was a total flop when it came out and was panned by the Academy. Took a while before people started saying that was the best film ever. Similar to 'It's a Wonderful Life Really'...

 

To be fair, both Shawshank and Citizen Kane were nominated for plenty of Academy Awards, but Shawshank didn't win any due to Forrest Gump coming out the same year, and Orson Welles only won best screenplay for Citizen Kane. The 1942 Oscars were dominated by a film called How Green Was My Valley. What is that? And why did people at the time think it was better than Citizen Kane?

 

Optimistic

I share your enthusiasm for French films. Since "Amelie" and up to a few years ago, they seemed to be on a winning streak with regards to the films they were producing although I found "A prophet" too disurbing to be really enjoyable although I would concede that it is just the kind of thing that might happen inside a French prison. It is a shame that, other than "The artist", they haven't had much success in the last couple of years aothough I've got a DVD of "The big picture" to watch this weekend which came out some while ago and is supposed to be good.

There are several points worth noting. I think French cinema is hugely subsidised by the state and for this reason they also produce a lot of rubbish. About 70% of the films they make are shockingly poor and would probably not get made in either the UK or USA. Go on the"Films de France" website if you want proof! There are films like "Red light" and "Ecoute les temps" which are shockingly poor. Also saw a so -called family film about a girl vet and a boy who befriended a wolf which includes a vulgar remark that almost had my jaw hitting the floor! In addition, I think that whilst fans of foriegn cinema are always worried that the Americans will remake the film and totally ruin it, the French also borrow hugely from successful Hollywood / UK films. Off the top of my head, I would suggest the amusing "Moliere (again with Duris) which is effectively "Shakespeare in Love" or something like "Le dernier vol" which came out a few years back with Marion Cotillard in which owes a lot in style to "the English patient" and was also loosely based on a true story / character. Something like "L'appartement" owes a lot of Hitchcock too. "He loves me, he love me not" is also similar to fatal attraction but more low key and has the benefit of Audrey Tautou as well. Oddily enough, I think the French also think highly of English cinema. (they can't understand our humour though!)

The French have also released a lot of Hollywood style police / crime films in the 2000's which are very American in their feel . I would include "Tell no one, " "Point blank" (not the one with Lee Marvin) and "Anything for her" in this category. Neither are any cop in my opinion. "The serpent" is based on a book by the same author of "Get Carter" and is markedly better - a good thriller in my estimation. "36" is also pretty good but avoid the remake of "Le deuxieme souffle" which is a re-hash of a 1950's film and shot almost entirely in red. the eccentric lighting makes this film almost unwatchable as it is so tiring on the eyes. Both feauture Daniel Auteuil who is a good actor who often appears in crap films. The latter film also includes Eric Cantona who is woeful as a mob heavy! A really good police film though is "Go fast" with Roschidy Zem which is almost a documentary of an under-cover drugs operation and very similar in some respect to the second series of "Spiral."

More original efforts would include something like "Private fear in public places" which is based on a Aykbourne play or "I've loved you so long" which is a very good drama with Kirsten Scott Thomas. Avoid her film "Leaving" though. Surprised no one made a shout for the "Three colours trilogy" which were directed by a Pole whilst featuring a largely French cast. The black comedy "White" is the better of the three and has a brilliant plot that only makes sense in the final couple of scenes - "Blue" (With Binoche) and "Red" (Irene Jacob.) Avoid "Cache" as this is pretentious rubbish.

Personally, I love Agnes Jouai's films which are gentle but extremely well observed comedies. "Les goutes des autres" is a masterpiece and like all 3 of her films, incudes Jean-Pierre Bacri who is exceptional at playing self-obsessed characters. "Les goutes " is about a businessman who develops an infatuation with an actress who he employs to teach his English to clinch a business deal. It is very well written with artists being obsessed with money, business being obsessed with art, profound observations about life by two bodyguards. Basically, everyone is against type. Probably one of the best French films in the last twenty years. "Lets talk about the rain" is almost as good - this is about a documentary being made about a feminist politician.

The best French films of late have been "Mesrine", "La vie en rose", "Intimite enemies" (about the war in Algeria) and "Indigenes" which is about Algerian soldiers fighting in WW". The follow up "Hors la loi" is almost as good but deals with Algerian terrorism in France and Algeria. "A very long engagement" is also pretty good (beautifully filmed) and features Audrey Tautou again althoug Juenet can be a bit irritating as a director . There is another WW2 film called "Female agents" which is exciting although surprisingly old-fashioned. I would recommend "Army of crime" too as this offers a different perspective on the resistance movement and is extremely powerful.

Of course, many French films are pretty lightweight and frothy. "The artist" did well at the Oscars but the same team made two James Bond spoofs called "Oss 117" which are much funnier and non-PC. Quite enjoyed some of the humour in "Hors la prix" (Miss Tautou again) but I would have to single out the recent "Adele Blanc Sec" made by Luc Besson which mixes vols 1 and 3 of Tardi's comic into a fun piece of escapism. Louise Borgogne is also very easy on the eye! It is in the spirit of Tardi's work and the characters in the film are all recognisable from the cartoons.

One last recommendation would be "Angel of mine" which is a thriller about one woman who develops an obsession with the daughter of another woman who she believes to be her own daughter who died in a fire. Hardly anyone raved about this film when it came out preferring to praise the last Chabrol film with Ludivine Sagnier which was unwatchable. "Angel" is a very unstated film and works better because it seems so plausible. It also features Catherine Frot is a rare serious role. There is no bloodshed but the tension keeps your attention.

Of the older French films, its got to be "Lift to the scaffold" - not least as the film score was by Miles Davis.

By and large, a lot of French cinema is over-praised by the English speaking audience but the better films offer a good contrast from the usual Hollywood fare. The worse stuff is dire.

Hope this encourages you to explore further.

Cheers

Ian

 

Shawshank Redemption
Lethal Weapon series
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Airplane!
The Day of the Jackal
A Matter of Life and Death

 

The academy are notorious for getting things wrong. You mention it yourself, Forrest Gump beating Shawshank redemption to best picture. In hindsight, wrong. Having seen How Green Was My Valley though, it is brilliant, but it also tapped in to a wartime feeling in America of support for the British.

 

To be fair, Forrest Gump is pretty damn good. Shawshank does edge it for me though.

 

I think Pulp Fiction came out in the same year? A very strong year for film.

 

The Good The Bad and The Ugly
Chinatown
Blade Runner
Sleuth
Stuart a Life Backwards
Dead Man's Shoes
Fight Club
Kwaidan
Come and See
Tell No One
Shutter Island
Letters From Iwo Jima
The Prestige

 

I'm not really into French cinema but I have enjoyed:

Manon des Sources and Jean de Florette as well as Les Choristes but my favourite was one I can't remember the title to but was about a small village school in the Puy de Dôme which was simple in its concept but facinating in the insight it gave of French rural life but then it is French rural life that fascinates me and probably the majority of Francophiles.

 

Thanks for that Ian. Of course, you're right that French cinema has produced it's fair share of lame ducks and I don't believe that on balance, the French produce better films than anyone else. I think my enjoyment has something to do with the fact that they make so many hence on the balance of probability, there will be many good ones amongst the dross and the fun is finding them.
"Private fear in public places" was on film4 last Monday, so I've recorded it on my sky box for later when I'm stuck for something to watch. Mesrine is a great film, and is one I've bought on DVD.

Any country's cinema tends to be a mix of good and bad, hence British cinema having a good reputation despite also being responsible for "sex lives of the potato men." In my case, I have found more real gems from amongst French films than from other sources but that may be aided by being able to understand french to the degree that I don't have to rely on the subtitles to understand the dialogue.

I have a bit of catching up to do if I'm going to get as broad an education in French film as you seem to have, but I am a long term insomniac so have plenty of time on my hands .

 

Chomet's "The Illusionist" is a cartoon version of a Tati script which is very beautifully drawn even if the people themselves are often grotesque. I much preferred this film to his earlier "Bellevue Rendezvous."