Friday, 31 October 2008
New List, New Lister!
posted @7:54 p.m. by Richard Kelly
Let me declare this parliament back in session, for the simple reason that one STEVEN COWIE has sent in a list, and also offered comments on a couple of the previous (see Stephen King and Video Nasties.) Stephen's list of ten is under the heading of FANTASTIC CINEMA, a broad church but a lively one none the less, and right for the night of the year when Jack o' Lanterns are offering their jagged grins all across the (un)civilised world... In advance of Stephen's choices but in relation to his comments thereupon, I will simply say that: 1. I know more than a few movie fans who will only go see New York Trashed By Monster movies in theatres equipped for HEAVY BASS. 2. Darren Aronofsky's new movie is indeed called THE WRESTLER and does indeed star Mickey Rourke. I hope to write about it elsewhere in due course, and hope that one day some obsessive Rourke fan will post a ten to this site...
Fantastic Cinema
10 films chosen by Steven Cowie
10: CLOVERFIELD
Purely because I saw this in a decent cinema, it had me jumping out of my seat at regular intervals. Even if THE HOST is a better film, this made it on here as it did what it said in the tin, ahem.
9: THE UNTOLD STORY
Hong Kong madness starring Anthony Wong, who seems to have made a career out playing wackos, this beauty is basically a thriller with gore elements but as with most of this list, the proof is in the pudding (excuse the pun...)
8: THE HAUNTING (1963)
I detest remakes. Like bands covering a song, if youre going to attempt it, make it worthwhile. This is a tour de force and could never be equalled (well, THE INNOCENTS comes close but...) I have shown this to "non horror" fans with excellent results.
7: INLAND EMPIRE
With most of Lynch's work there is the joy of the initial viewing, then the fun of working it all out during subsequent showings... But beware, after 3 attempts to do so with this I gave up..it genuinely is like a dream. Pure Cinema.
6: THE BEYOND
I could pick any of Lucio Fulci's films and pontificate at length (undeservedly in some cases) but this takes the honours. Predating Saw/Hostel this is basically set piece upon set piece with no regard to plot logic. Don't get me wrong, I think that LF was a master of Shock cinema and the term "suspension of disbelief" was invented for him...
5: THE FOUNTAIN
You've got to love Aronofsky haven't you? I still can't believe he "got away" with this... essentially a love story, yet again like his debut PI he shows scant regard for genre boundaries but with an infinitely subtler touch. That last 20 min have got to be seen to be believed... i hear his next film is a wrestling movie with Mickey Rourke!! This would not surprise me...
4: MAN BITES DOG
A black and white Belgian film about a camera crew tailing a serial killer may not be everyone's idea of a comedy, but I cried with laughter the first time (despite very poor subtitling)... Of all the films on this list this is the one that people have sat through the most, probably on the car crash principle but hey a win is a win in my book.
3: THE 5000 FINGERS OF DR T
It's the oldest story in the book... boy hates piano lessons, boy has nightmare about piano lessons, boy symbolically castrates piano teacher...as this is from memory, please excuse any liberties i've taken with the plot. 50s oddness on par with THE BOY WITH GREEN HAIR, both of which i saw whilst recovering from chicken pox.
2: STALKER
After being introduced to Tarkovsky through SOLARIS I finally tracked this corker down recently and boy was it worth the wait... bleaker than any Bergman film.. Is it sci-fi? Is it a philosophical tract? Is it a buddy movie? Who cares...? My only regret is that i'll never get to see this on the big screen...
1: SUSPIRIA
What's not to like about Argento's take on the "teens in peril" genre? Its disorientating score (and plot), stylised set pieces, AND Udo Kier as a blind pianist!! Even after repeated viewing it retains its power... possibly because you know what's coming next...
Comments
Another film blog I read (www.thefilmtalk.com) has a 'latest comments' box on the home page so you can see when someone posts a comment on an old posting - might be useful here?
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