“We’re as mad as hell, and we’re not going to take this anymore.” as Howard Beale would say in “Network”, the famous film directed by Sidnei Lumet. This post is not about anger. It’s about movies. I read that the Network was chosen for preservation in the Us National Congress for it’s historical and social value. There are entire generations that are really well documented on films much better than in history books. This is an interesting feature in the knowledge about these generations. One that i can use to talk about my generation is ‘The fight Club”. It defines really well those who grew up in the eighties. Besides is much more fun than history class in my opinion. You probably have films that reminds you of your life and you surroundings. Your dreams and your fears. More than entertainment movies are also a very efficient way of “selling” an idea. The United States was the first country that learned how to do it. Because of the golden age of cinema everybody in the world would know what kind of suit a man should wear and how his house should look like. What kind of car he should have and what kind of answer he would give in a certain situation. This is a very powerful weapon when used well. I’m not sure what will be the next important tool for cultural propaganda but certainly the web is not as fun as the movies. Much more addictive but surely not as fun. I wonder if in a couple centuries the kids will learn from books of from films. I just hope they don’t have to learn from websites.
That’s my second list but this time i decided to share my passion with all of you my friends. By choosing these ten films i’m not stating those are the best of all times. I’m just saying they were life changing to me. Also it would be great to see some ideas from you guys. I hope we have some films in common in this list. Just as a note this list is not in order of preference:
1. Dr. Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick):
This is a film you gotta try to watch through the lens of time. Shot in the heat of the cold war where armies were dominating our lives this film makes fun of the poor position our society uses to put it self in and how much our lives are depending on the stupidity of people we don’t know.
2. Blade Runner (Ridley scott):
This is the films where i started paying attention on style. From art direction to set design the great tale of the blade runner is dark and yet beautiful and full of passion in every scene. The story of Deckard and the droids searching for life is universal and it was told in a really authorial way which is a hard thing to do in big movies.
3. The godfather 2 (Francis Coppola):
The trilogy changed the way the world sees the italian Mafia. Coppola was able to find a really romantic and strong story with amazing characters. The second is the best one. The construction between the two eras makes this epic a sweet and sad story of the struggle the italians faced when immigrating to america.
4. Apocalipse Now (also Francis Coppola):
Please do not watch the REDUX which is a new version and a publicity stunt but nothing close to the first editing. It was probably one if the most chaotic shootings of all times and this fitted perfectly the emotional tension Joseph Conrad’s story demanded. it’s one of those cases where even if the director tried he would never do it again.
5. Blue Velvet (David Linch):
Against what many say i don’t think David Linch’s mind is twisted. I believe he is a guy that have no fear to dig deep into the weird and ugly of the human nature and a lot of heart is needed for that. I think he is a really sweet guy with a giant brain !!! LOL
6. 2001 (Stanley Kubrick):
It’s almost amazing to see how dated some films get and others seams to be always young. 2001 has this quality of having foreseeing many things stories are talking about today. Relations between computers and men. Evolution and spirituality.
7. The Silence of the Lambs ( Jonathan Demme):
Some films define a whole genre. That was the case with this one. The character played by anthony hopkins will not be forgotten for a long time.
8. 8 1/2 (Federico Fellini):
Fellini was a genius and this was one of his masterpieces. The ability to make really complicated issues sound like easy stuff is a trademark. You end up thinking it was not much of a story but at the same time a very complex one. It’s a paradox i know but that’s Fellini. Besides that just the glimpse of Claudia Cardinale is enough to make it a classic. The soundtrack alone is worth it. Really no downsides in this one.
9. Dogville (Lars von Trier)
A great trip into the cruel human mind and society.
10. Good Fellas (Martin Scorcese)
A kind of moviemaking that gotta be visited from time to time either in Scorcese’s or Spike Lee’s films. The crude feeling their films expose in it’s stories makes us get right into it and the contrast between the clean and pretty society and the dirt it produces underneath are always food for comparison with our reality.
Well… I hope you enjoy the list and give some opinions and tips of yours. Great weekend to you guys!!!
The eternal solitude of the restless Mind 