tragedy rant

[namcopunk]

Today, as i sat watching "Wizard of Oz", i started thinking about great times in American cinema. There was the golden age of the mid 30s to the mid-50s where films were made that shook the industry and set new boundaries. The other age was an age between the late 60s and the early 80s when film makers began to no longer fear what people though. i

Comments

[anonymous]

Dearest Turtle,
After reading your latest entry, I found myself compelled to reply. There are shitty American films, I totally agree. Films like Brokeback Mountain and Million Dollar Baby, these films do take some risk, but yes, in the end, play it safe. However, do not lose hope in American cinema. There are amazing directors and films out there. I have thought of a few to suggest for you:

Paul Thomas Anderson (Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Punch-Drunk Love) / David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Lost Highway, Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive) / Sam Mendes (American Beauty) / Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) / Sofia Coppola (The Virgin Suicides, Lost In Translation)

If you do find yourself no longer spellbound by American cinema, I have also compiled a list of foreign directors/films that I would recommend:

Ingmar Bergman (The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Persona, Through A Glass Darkly, Winter Light) / Federico Fellini (La Dolcé Vita, 8 1/2), Michel Gondry (Human Nature, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind) / Hiayao Miazaki (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoké, Castle In The Sky)

I don't know what of these you have seen, but I'm sure you've seen a few of them, if not several. Nonetheless, these are the directors and films that I feel truly challenge the viewer and aspects of modern film-making. You may not agree with them all, and neither may whoever reads this, but I feel these are the important films from directors living and dead, old and new.

Let me know your feelings on these films as soon as you can. I love discussing film with people who really understand the nuances and effort that go into it.

I conclude this post with the following parable-
"Fry: It's just like the story of the grasshopper and the octopus. All year long, the grasshopper kept burying acorns for the winter, while the octopus mooched off his girlfriend and watched TV. But then the winter came, and the grasshopper died, and the octopus ate all his acorns. And also he got a race-car. Is any of this getting through to you?"

[anonymous]

P.S. - It's Cody. I posted the above comment and forgot to log in. Silly me.