The Year in Lists, Part III: Ten Great Discoveries

Ten films seen for the first time in 2005, or for the first time theatrically. In reverse order: 10.Vesna (Spring). 1947, Grigori Aleksandrov, USSR. Kooky but charming film-within-a-film comedy-musical-sci-fi-romance that doubles as a piece of Stalin-era propaganda. Go figure. 9. Journey Into Fear. 1943, Norman Foster (and probably Orson Welles), USA 8. Slaughterhouse-Five. 1972, George Roy Hill, USA 7. Mr. Thank You. 1936, Hiroshi Shimizu, Japan. 6. The Mad Fox (aka Love, Thy Name Be Sorrow). 1962, Tomu Uchida, Japan Slightly experimental take on a classic Japanese tale about a man who marries a fox disguised in human form. Though somewhat theatrical in appearance (incorporating elements of Kabuki and Butoh), Uchida's direction is as impressive today as it was in 1962. 5. Street Angel. 1937, Yuan Mu-jih, China 4. Floating Clouds. 1955, Mikio Naruse, Japan. Better than Brief Encounter, and far more gut wrenching. D-Kaz's description of it as "the bleakest film ever" isn't far off the mark. 3. Barry Lyndon / Masculine Feminine / The Passenger. Kubrick, Godard, Antonioni, USA, France, Italy Three fantastic restorations of films I'd never seen on the big screen. The 11:00PM snowy Sunday screening of Barry Lyndon in Berlin was a near-religious experience. 2. Seopyeonje. 1993, Im Kwon-taek, Korea Im Kwon-taek has directed 99 films. This might very well be the best of them. Full review coming soon. 1. Love Streams. 1984, John Cassavetes, USA

Comments

[Peter Nellhaus]

I haven't seen Slaughterhouse Five since the critics' preview back in 1972, but it remains one of the two films by Hill I really like, the other being World of Henry Orient. I hope the Asian films you list become available with English subtitles in some format. I've seen the other films listed theatrically with Barry Lyndon at the Ziegfeld, one of my favorite first run theaters in NYC.

[ratzkywatzky]

Seopyeonje is the movie that made me realize I shouldn't disregard South Korean cinema. Up until that time, they were down there with Norway on my Least Essential list. Steve Shaviro insisted that I not let Seopyeonje pass me by when it came to town in a festival of Korean film. I suddenly realized what I'd been missing (I'd skipped several Im Kwon-Taek films before that point, and of course they've never had another theatrical screening in Seattle).
Now, if someone could just point me towards a better-than-adequate Norwegian film...

[Adam]

Am I the only one who keeps singing the Iggy Pop line "I am the passenger" this year whenever I read about the re-release of THE PASSENGER? La, La, La, La, La-la-la-laaaaaaaaaaah

Adam

[Brian]

Nope, I do that too, Adam. Though sometimes its the Siouxise Sioux version.

Seeing this makes me sad I missed Mr. Thank You at the PFA in the fall. Won't make the same mistake with Floating Clouds, that's for sure.

[Derek Hill]

Great to hear of someone else who finds BARRY LYNDON so rewarding. I've still never seen it theatrically but it's probably my favorite Kubrick film. Transcendent, to say the least.

[Mikko]

Any Kubrick film is a religous experience when viewed on screen, but Barry Lyndon, if it hits you, is something extremely special. To me personally, it is Kubrick's most touching film. And seeing those set pieces on 35mm is quite an experience.

[Jay Blanchard]

"Love Streams" is in my top five list of movies that I regret never seeing.

[Campaspe]

I was also blown away by Barry Lyndon. I read that it was a major flop upon release, so perhaps a reappraisal of Showgirls isn't such a long shot.

Seriously, I thought Scorsese's comments got it exactly right, when he talked about Lyndon replicating the very rhythm and pace of 18th century life. It isn't a pretty tapestry, it's an astonishing feat of historical ventriloquism.