Oneiric, mystical, enigmatic, hypnotic films..

[nandywell]

In my relatively short life I can honestly say that I've only come across a handful of films that have made me sit back and marvel at the artistic beauty in each carefully crafted scene. I've been called cynical, I've been called narrow minded and I've even been called a purist, but I stand true to the belief that the 7th art is dying and dying fast. In my opinion, there are far too many 'quick-fix' films that are being made these days that just about serve their core purpose which is to entertain you for a couple of hours in the cinema at the weekend. Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox and continue with the main thrust of this thread. The handful of films that have inspired me, are these:



- Valerie a týden divu (Valerie and Her Week of Wonders)

- Picnic At Hanging Rock

- Is-Slottet (The Ice Palace)

- Viskningar Och Rop (Cries & Whispers)

..and until very recently, Lucile Hadzihalilovic's 2004 film, Innocence



Being that I'm only in my early twenties, I don't have the luxury of having seen quite as many films as I would have liked. I've created this thread in the hope that some of the more senior members of this forum might recommend some titles that are in a similar vein to the aforementioned films in regards to them being: non-mainstream, foreign, beautifully shot and mysterious.



If you can recommend any similar films that you think I might like, then please do.



Nandywell.

[GRAEME]

Very definitely in the catagory you describe - almost everything by Powell & Pressburger. But in my opinion, especially:



A Matter of Life and Death

Black Narcissus

The Red Shoes

A Canterbury Tale

I know Where I'm Going

[nandywell]

Thanks for those GRAEME, I'll look into those. Cheers.

[Steve Crook]

name='GRAEME']Very definitely in the catagory you describe - almost everything by Powell & Pressburger. But in my opinion, especially:



A Matter of Life and Death

Black Narcissus

The Red Shoes

A Canterbury Tale

I know Where I'm Going

Yes, and of those, especially

A Matter of Life and Death

A Canterbury Tale

I know Where I'm Going

for the oneiric, mystical, enigmatic & hypnotic elements.

The other two for the artistic beauty in each carefully crafted scene.



There are others, by other people that Powell & Pressburger but they were the masters of the mystical, enigmatic and artistic film that masqueraded as a mainstream film.



But I agree with your main assumption nandywell, you'll have to look a bit further than most of the regular blockbuster films to find these things. A few good people do manage to sneak such films through the system nowadays, but they're very rare. They weren't all that common in the old days either but as you look back over the years there are a lot more to choose from



Steve

[Everett Sloane]

As soon as I read your post, one film immediately came to mind:



Chamane (1996)



I saw this film just once, at a Spanish film festival more than a decade ago, but the bleak, beautiful imagery, and the dreamlike logic of the narrative have burned themselves onto my memory. I can't understand why it isn't better known - it's so obscure I don't think it can even count as a cult classic.



Still, given the other titles in your list I think you would make a real connection with this one!



There are copes out there on DVD, but you might have to search for it.

[John Hodson]

Top of my head, I'd put two of Carol Reed's films in there; Odd Man Out and a A Kid for Two Farthings, Charles Laughton's wonderful Night of The Hunter, Frank Borzage's Strange Cargo, plus another P&P, Gone To Earth.

[batman]

Val Lewton's The Seventh Victim .... one of the most 'dream like' films ever made.

[Owlett]

A Canterbury Tale.



Shamane? Forgive me I'm a neophyte, but I thought this was the Brit-movie forum.

[nandywell]

Sounds interesting Chamane, I'll have to look around for it. Thanks.



Keep your suggestions coming in, they're great.

[Everett Sloane]

name='Owlett']A Canterbury Tale.



Shamane? Forgive me I'm a neophyte, but I thought this was the Brit-movie forum.

The original poster specified "non-mainstream, foreign, beautifully shot and mysterious".



Cocteau's Orphee is another one that I think fits these criteria.

[kezzy]

Try Kwaidan by Masaki Kobayashi. Kaidan (1964)

It's a collection of meditative, haunting Japanese supernatural myths, and utterly breathtaking in a frozen-in-the-forest sort of way.

[smiffy]

My immediate input would be , Cinema paradiso , Life is beautiful and Seven samurai , Films that are infinitely better due to having to listen to the native tongue and read the sub titles

[nandywell]

I forgot to add Barry Lyndon to the list, such a well photographed film. It still remains one of the most lush films in terms of it's vivid colour, even after over 30 years on.



You're correct, Cinema paradiso is a very good film.

[Freddie Freeloader]

hi nandywell......



Tarkovsky



Dreyer



Kurasawa



Ozu



Bergman



Renoir



Kubrick



Powell and Pressburger



........a healthy relationship with any of the above ( as well as a shelf-load of Criterion) should keep your brain matter all a-glow for many a year.

I'll send you a PM of specific recommendations ( apart from the P and P recommendations already listed above, they don't really achieve BritMovie Status!).



Friedrich

[Mark O]

name='Everett Sloane'] "non-mainstream, foreign, beautifully shot and mysterious".

'Les yeux sans visage' fits all the above catagories Nandywell, it is not a 'Horror' Film in the traditional sense, but very well crafted and beautifully made



Here's a link to the IMDB page.......







Yeux sans visage, Les (1960)

[judylou]

Hi nandywell,

You have plenty to go on with, but you may enjoy "Walkabout" made in Australia (you included Picnic at Hanging Rock in your list, so this one should qualify) starring Jenny Aguter... it has fabulous visuals ... Australian outback, plus a little mystique of the aboriginal legends.

I hope you can get hold of it.

Cheers Judy

[Everett Sloane]

name='Mark O']'Les yeux sans visage'

I second that one. Amazing film.

[nandywell]

Judylou, Roeg's Walkabout is a stunning film. John Barry's score is just out of this world. I have seen it, and I urge anyone who hasn't already done so to watch it. Les Yeux Sans Visage looks and sounds very interesting and I haven't heard of it either so I'll look out for that one.



Thanks people, you're all giving me so much.

[Freddy]

Three Colours: Blue

Three Colours: White

Three Colours: Red



To be seen in that order. As should these two films



Wings of Desire

Faraway So Close



also



Fitzcarraldo

Chances and Coincidences

The Duellists



Regards

Freddy

[nandywell]

Freddy, I've just watched the trailer to Fitzcarraldo, and It looks right up my street that does. I love the blend of beautiful music and nature.



Cheers