Pier Paolo Pasolini was a genius and Salo was a definite statement movie. The Gospel According to St. Matthew is still one of the top 100 films ever and Salo while it's a bit hard to watch is still a very well made hard to watch film. But debating Pasolini with this group will sure bring out a passionate debate. We had a pretty deep Von Trier discussion a few months back. Dead Man? Yea, Jarmusch is pretty cool.
In no order here's the first 10+1 i could think of. Had to break it down into an old shit that i love that you may not have seen category groundhog day the education of sonny carson sword of swords hanabi beatstreet the street fighter django lone wolf mcquade shogun assassin the warriors the monster squad special mention all time favourite. enter the dragon
Just brought into mind Cristo si è fermato a Eboli. I'm in no way religious or nothing, but some of these Italian film makers create really moving images with the skill akin to what da Vinci might have done. And kudos for Pasolini, obviously. I will now try to trump you with the Big Lebowski! I know, you think it's retarted, but that rug.. well, enough said.
Yeah Phantasm and Django would be on my list to, as well as Evil Dead. Also for Trashy 80's good times, Dead Beat at Dawn and Street Trash are must watch movies. And also every Fritz Lang movie I've seen is awesome, but especially M, Manhunt, Metropolis and Die Nibelungen if you have like 4 hours to kill, it's definitely worth it though. I also really like Umberto D, if you like a good downer movie.
Salo makes more sense if you think about Pasolini's whole career, from working with the early neorealists in the aftermath of the war to staking his own territory as an auteur who reinterpreted classic myths and literature. Despite its inspiration in Sade, Salo is really meant to be a condemnation of the fascist mindset. Unfortunately some viewers mistake it to be an indulgence rather than a metaphorical political statement. It's understandable that the cruelty in the movie is too much for many people. It may have been part of what got Pasolini murdered if some accounts are to believed. I've listed my favorites in some of the older "favorites" threads so for now I'll just mention a few that I saw for the first time recently, and which impressed me. Hara-Kiri aka Seppuku directed by Masaki Kobayoshi. This movie is cool, cool, cool ... one of the best films set in the Samurai era. Heroic swordplay isn't the point here (although there is some at the end of the movie) but the concept of honor in the midst of corruption is, very much so. Seriously great movie-making. Drunken Angel directed by Kurosawa-san. The first Kurosawa movie to feature (a very young) Toshiro Mifune. Mifune is a bad-boy yakuza who has to face up to his own mortality, which he's confronted with by an elder doctor (the drunken angel of the title.) Kurosawa really asserts his feelings about corruption in post-war Japan here, although not with a heavy hand. The movie is surprisingly contemporary and entertaining despite its serious themes. An early masterpiece from the master. Walker directed by Alex Cox. A 1980s movie with an appropriately odd soundtrack by Joe Strummer. It's ostensibly about William Walker, the American who by strange circumstance was president of Nicaragua for a few years in the 19th century. It's almost as surreal as a Jodorowsky film, a little less inscrutable, though. Ed Harris gives a fantastic performance as the title character. If you like odd cult movies and haven't see this one, check it out. It's quite the thing, even if it's a little uneven. Hunger directed by UK painter Steve McQueen. A portrait of UDA/IRA martyr Bobby Sands, in my opinion one of the best films of the past decade. It's pretty grueling for some of the more nasty and violent scenes, but a great work of art that doesn't make snap judgements or deal in black-and-white morality. Incredibly good on every level. It's a shame so few have seen it. I'm probably going to catch "Ponyo" next.
Original 1933 King Kong is my number one. But enjoy most of the movies already posted. And yea, I also have seen Salo..... and still feel dirty.
in no particular order: Deep Red Last House on the Left (original) Dressed to Kill Videodrome Martin Suspiria House on the Edge of the Park I Spit on Your Grave The Brood
i have lloyd kaufman's number in my phone. i've never met him, but a friend used to work for him and i convinced my friend i was looking for a job. this was about four years ago. if he hasn't changed it, its still his number. i called it once, got the machine. i heart troma
I understand what he was getting at with Salo and that it is condemning facists....It was a good.. well.. it was an interesting experience. But yes, I still felt dirty! Suspiria was classic of course. Hey did anybody see Scarlet Diva? Argento's daugter's movie? It got really bad reviews, It is very cheesy and very self indulgent but I dunno It kinda grew on me... It's kinda like a modern B trash classic for me, and I definitley like all Asia's skin! And the 42nd Street Forever trailer compilations are fricking awesome!! Check out http://www.diabolikdvd.com for all kinds of great grindhouse stuff like that, if you haven't seen that site before...
Some random (non-horror) stuff. Some might be common, but you still might not have seen them yet: Excalibur Singles The Fifth Element (cheesy, but I love it) The Warriors Big Trouble in Little China Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires Mad Monster Party The Wanderers Searching for Bobby Fischer Zoolander King of New York The Professional Mirrormask
unfortunately the only thing kaufman does for that release is bring it down. it is 100% a crazy indonesian action flick. indonesia had a string of great action and horror flicks in the late 70s thru the mid 80s due to some economic boom they had there. i am thankful it was released on dvd though. many never were, so i cant complain about kaufman doing an intro on there with a topless, big chested weather girl or something like that
I see no value whatsoever in anything Troma has done (I differentiate that from what they have released) beyond a few things in the very beginning and even then begrudgingly. Diabolik DVD always make me feel all warm and fuzzy when I think back to getting his lists in the post. He changed my life forever, thanks to him I saw Men Behind the Sun. Totally forget his name though...
I like the first Toxic Avenger and the uber crappy Terror Firmer. Trying to sit through most most of their stuff is like pulling teeth though. Reminds me I just watched Combat Shock again recently, it's great.
Totally agree, Dean, with regard to Harakiri. It's amazing. Most Herzog, most Lynch Ran, Yojimbo/Sanjuro, High & Low, Seven Samurai etc. - pretty much everything Kurosawa, especially the period pieces. Possession (Zulawski), Hausu (Kobayashi), El Topo - these are my favorite cult films and among the few that I think really live up to the hype. All completely insane and awesome. Hausu (House) is being shown in theaters here & there this year--definitely go if you get the chance (a dvd release is also coming soon). Funeral Parade of Roses, Diary of a Shinjuku Thief, Woman in the Dunes, Throw away your books rally in the streets - anything related to Art Theatre Guild from the 60s - 70s. Stalker, Solarys, Blade Runner, 2001 - fave sci-fi A Pale Flower, The Yakuza Papers, and all the Suzuki Seijun yakuza films. Others: Werckmeister Harmonies, In the Mood for Love (and most Wong Kar-Wai), Celine & Julie Go Boating, Army of Shadows, L'Avventura, The Host, Let the Right One In, Death Laid an Egg, Vengeance is Mine, Forbidden Zone.
That reminds me ... if anyone hasn't seen Kobayoshi's Kwaidan yet, try to find the Eureka! Masters of Cinema edition. It's vastly superior to the old Criterion. It's the original Japanese release in its original aspect ratio. I realize that it's PAL and may be hard to track down outside of the UK but if you can and have the software/firmware to play PAL (or rip then re-encode to NTSC) it's worth the effort. Rumor has it that Criterion will release the same restored edition at some point, but who knows with them. Sometimes it takes years for their projects to find release. I can't find the old thread ... usually I tell people that my all-time favorite movie is Kubrick's Barry Lyndon.
Just recently tracked down Possession, it was really good. And I just saw that House is playing here in the next couple weeks, definitely going to check it out, looks insane.
forgot to mention Miyazaki & Agnes Varda. Kobayashi is pretty great all around. The Human Condition trilogy is a bit of a blunt instrument in terms of technique (you really get bludgeoned for many hours with the central theme) but it's still an incredible experience. I'll have to look for that Kwaidan. I haven't seen Barry Lyndon yet! I dunno why. Along with 2001 my favorite Kubricks are probably The Killing and Eyes Wide Shut. My favorite movie last year was Dear Doctor, which is something like a normal Japanese studio film, but extremely well done. The writer/director was Miwa Nishikawa, a protege of Kore-eda (who I like, but on the basis of this film, I think she could be far better). I'm really hoping it gets distribution in the US or at least a DVD release soon.
Emperor Of The North AKA Emperor Of The North Pole - Lee Marvin is the king of the hobos, and Ernest Borgnine is a murderous train conductor who kills any "damned 'bos" he catches riding on his train. I LOVE this one.
Count, you've gotta see Hausu aka House. It's totally insane in the best ways. That one's already out on Eureka! and Criterion will release it later this year. BASK peeps ... it's playing at SF's Castro Theater next week, Saturday the 17th. Great Japanese cheeseball psychedelic horror weirdness.
