FAVORITE OLD FILMS SEEN IN 2008

This is my comment in Girish Shambu’s blog:
http://www.girishshambu.com/blog/2009/01/favorite-cinema-discoveries-in-08.html


--Ryland, I have seen only two films by Jacques Doillon: THE CRYING WOMAN (1979) and LA PURITAINE (1986). I much prefer LA PURITAINE, because it is strange in the way it is mixing life and theatre. THE CRYING WOMAN is good, but I think it is just as good as many French films dealing with adultery and marital problems.


--My favorite old films seen in 2008:

1.MOSES AND AARON (1975, Jean-Marie Straub + Daniele Huillet)
I don’t think I should use the word “entertaining” with films by Straub+Huillet, but since my vocabulary knowledge is very limited, I have to say for now that I feel very entertained (maybe there is a better word?) or captivated by this opera/musical film, which is the opposite of what I feel for THE CHRONICLE OF ANNA MAGDALENA BACH and EUROPA 2005 – 27 OCTOBER. (I like these two films, too, though I have to try to focus my attention while watching these two.) I even think MOSES AND AARON entertains me or moves me much more than other opera films such as PARSIFAL (1982, Hans-Juergen Syberberg) and CARMEN (1984, Francesco Rosi).

2.JUBILEE (1977, Derek Jarman)
It is as outrageous as MADAME X: THE ABSOLUTE RULER (1978, Ulrike Ottinger).

3.HEART (1955, Kon Ichikawa)
I like the unintentionally homoerotic undertone of this film.

4.SARRAOUNIA (1986, Med Hondo, Burkina Faso)

5.SAMAR (1998, Shyam Benegal, India)

6.BOONTHING (1991, Hamer Salwala + Saipin Kulkanokwan + Orawan Ovathasarn, Thailand)
This is a very strange and memorable short film. I don’t understand anything in it at all.

7.BUNTOC EULOGY (1995, Marlon Fuentes, Philippines, documentary)

8.MOTHER (1963, Kaneto Shindo)

9.THE CREMATOR (1969, Juraj Herz, Czechoslovakia)

10.HAPPY END (1966, Oldrich Lipsky, Czechoslovakia)
This film tells its story backwards. Maybe there is nothing much in this film except its innovative way of storytelling, but if you like the narrative structure of MEMENTO or 5x2, maybe you can give this film a try.


--My favorite old horror/thriller films seen in 2008:

1.DEATH BED: THE BED THAT EATS (1977, George Barry, USA)
There is some strange charm in this film.
2.SHOCK TREATMENT (1973, Alain Jessua)
3.LET’S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH (1971, John Hancock)
4.RED QUEEN KILLS SEVEN TIMES (1972, Emilio P. Miraglia)
5.SPIDER BABY (1968, Jack Hill)
6.LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE (1974, Jorge Grau)
7.I DRINK YOUR BLOOD (1970, David E. Durston)
8.CHILDREN SHOULDN’T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS (1972, Bob Clark)
9.DOLLS (1987, Stuart Gordon)
10.THE GHOST STORY OF YOTSUYA (1959, Nobuo Nakagawa)


Thanks to Filmsick for giving me many films in the list above. :-)