Third Man

I was searching for some infomation and titles on British films that really get your brain working, films which are really hard to understand or follow first time round but on repeat viewings all becomes clear and are rewarding once you understand their meaning, take for example Peter Greenaway's 'The Draughtman's Contract'.

Does anyone have any recomendations tht might fit the bill, I would like to keep clear of spy films if at all possible.

Thank you.

Simon

Steve Crook

Do they have to be hard to understand? What about films where you understand the basic story the first time but the more you watch it the more you see in the layers beneath the surface?

Steve

Third Man

Yes, I can go with that lots of hidden layers that become apparent on multiple viewings.

Simon

Moor Larkin

"Oh! What a Lovely war" didn't really make much sense until they were virtually running the titles at the end............

Although it's years since I saw it. The dvd is still sitting, waiting, patiently.

batman

Blow Up .... I have watched it several times and each time I watch it I enjoy it a bit more. I haven't got a clue what it is about though.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

D Cairns

Nicolas Roeg's films seem to reveal more on subsequent viewings -- films like BAD TIMING, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, PERFORMANCE.

I think THE SHOUT is a bit of a head-scratcher, in a good way.

Steve Crook

Well in that case it's no surprise that I'll nominate The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), A Canterbury Tale (1944), I Know Where I'm Going! (1945) and A Matter of Life and Death (1946). Four films in 4 years from the masters, Powell & Pressburger.

Steve

Third Man

The Shout, I've never seen so I ordered it.

Roeg's films are indeed a case for multiple viewings, I just picked up his films on Criterion so I will end up watching them again soon and I've got Oh What a Lovely War! waiting to watch on DVD in the pile of unwatched DVD's that is getting bigger again.

Of the P&P films I Know Where I'm Going and A Canterbury Tale come across as ethereal folk tales, I love them. Does the book by Pam Cook on I Know Where I'm Going shed any light on the different things going on in the film?

Antonnioni's Blow Up I still can't get my head around that one, perhaps wearing a daisy chain with a flowered shirt might help.

How about The Lavender Hill Mob is it a a daydream, an illusion,a melee of one mans mind wandering and reminiscing and therefore a lesson on how we view the past through rose tinted glasses?

Simon

batman

Plus a few 'interesting' cigarettes.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

DB7

Agree there, Performance and Walkabout confused me when I was young. Peter Collinson's Penthouse and Donner's The Caretaker also had to be viewed a few times over.

Steve Crook

Some, although like all the books in that BFI series, it's a personal view and impressions rather than a scholarly analysis. Despite the academic credentials of most of the writers. And quite a few of them do make mistakes as well

Steve

Everett Sloane

Blimey ... I always thought it was just a cracking comedy-thriller! I'd better watch it again.

Generally speaking I reckon most British films do the opposite of what you're looking for - they tend towards realism and literalism. I've noticed Lindsay Anderson's films - especially If ... - coming in for some stick here (see the overrated films thread) and I agree his flirtations with revolutionary politics look a bit silly now, but I do at least like the ambiguity of his films. If ..., O Lucky Man! and Britannia Hospital all end with really ambiguous, not to say incomprehensible, images in what is - for me - an oddly satisfying way. Not sure if repeated viewings clear anything up, though ...

Also perhaps try Joseph Losey's Accident. It's based on a novel by Nicholas Mosley and another film based on one of his books, Story of a Love Story, sounds as though it would also fit your bill. Haven't seen it though as it seems to be very hard to track down.

batman

Me too.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Joenoir

But what a great description! I shall certainly view it again in a different light

Start every day with a smile and get it over with.

Third Man

I do infact like If very much, dated maybe but interesting very much so. I see Accident has Dirk Bogarde in he took on some very interesting characters in his career especially in The Servant. The Story of a Love Story looks interesting as well, I usually like films about writers I just finished watching Barton Fink, US film I know but there just doesn't seem too be too many films about authors and writing.

Simon