Movie and Filmmaker Fan Club

[Teffnology]

I think this is a long overdue addition for those cinephile INTPs on here. Like the book club for film freaks.

How about we as a group commit to studying a filmmaker and his/her progression of work. Starting from the beginning of their careers and working towards the present.

EDIT: If you simply want to geek out on a filmmaker, I welcome and greatly appreciate your comments and ultimately just want discussion on the matter but a movie club sounded cool to try out. Make of this thread what you will...

For example, Paul Thomas Anderson. Starting with Hard Eight, then Boogie Nights, then Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood, The Master, and onto Inherent Vice.

Other filmmakers that come to mind are:

Tarantino
Scorsese
Francis Ford (or even Sofia) Coppola
David O. Russell
James Cameron
Stanley Kubrick
Robert Altman
George Lucas
Steven Speilberg
Christopher Nolan
Tony Gilroy
Wes Anderson
Rian Johnson
Shane Carruth
Spike Lee
Woody Allen
Clint Eastwood
David Lynch
David Fincher
Michael Mann
Coen brothers
David Cronenberg
Terrance Malick
Ang Lee
Richard Linklater
Spike Jonze
Steven Soderbergh
Wachowski brothers

Anybody down for this idea?
Any major omission on the list, not very international savvy admittedly?
Which one would you like to start with?

EDIT: Omissions list:

Darren Aronofsky
Guillermo del Toro
Elem Klimov
Larisa Sheptiko
Wim Wenders
Richard Ayoade

 

[Ex-User (11125)]

Out of the ones listed in the poll, wes anderson is my favourite.
I love alice in the cities (1974) and I'm planning on watching wings of desire sometime soon...if anyone cares

Edit: lol!!! I mixed up between wim wenders and wes anderson...sorry

 

[Ex-User (11125)]

Lately I'm obsessive about elem klimov and his wife larisa sheptiko (both directors). So far, I've seen 3 films by klimov and 1 by larisa. Im going to see wings(1966) tonight.
can I add more directors to the poll?
Already love this thread btw <3

 

[Jennywocky]

Dang. Nice list. And you even have Shane Carruth on there.

It's late, I'll see if I think of anymore for tomorrow.

 

[Teffnology]

@zerkalo I am completely unfamiliar of those that you mentioned above. I would be interested in wading in new waters. I am not sure if I have the patience for the style that you seem to gravitate to but I am willing to give anything the benefit of the doubt, if I can put up with 7 solid years of nonstop Disney animation and Dreamworks Shrek type brainwashing, then I'm sure I can give your style a shot.

EDIT: I tried to go back in and add more poll options but couldn't. I think a mod has to. I was trying to keep the poll semi-contained and mainstream/contmporary to appease the general forum population as a whole but am open to change.

 

[redbaron]

Coen Brothers win my vote.

 

[Yellow]

I'm not a film buff, but is there any reason that Guillermo del Toro isn't on any lists?

 

[Jennywocky]

^^ Toss him on.

I assume it's just because the list is so darn long, so people are going to be skipped over. You can add Darren Aronofsky as well.

I honestly don't care what people look at first, they're all decent in their own right.

 

[Teffnology]

Dang. Nice list. And you even have Shane Carruth on there.

I've been on the Carruth bandwagon for some time now. I first saw Primer back in '09 and immediately rewatched it 3 times. SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD! I still get thrown for a loop when I watch it. Literally have seen it over 20 times. That movie inspired me to want to become a filmmaker/director/screenwriter someday, not as a career but as an outlet for expression. He did basically everything except shoot it himself, which he even did for the scenes he wasn't in. He self-taught himself the trade on a shoestring budget, quite impressive.

Upstream Color took 3 viewings before I could even comprehended the plot fully. Now that I do, I can sit back and appreciate his mastery. His self-distribution and production is really going to revolutionize the film scene in the next decade. He is the one-man band of film production. Writes, directs, acts, edits, distributes, markets, and even has time to do time-travel consulting for his buddy Rian Johnson on Looper. No wonder it was almost 10 years between his films!

 

[Jennywocky]

I've been on the Carruth bandwagon for some time now. I first saw Primer back in '09 and immediately rewatched it 3 times. SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD! I still get thrown for a loop when I watch it. Literally have seen it over 20 times. That movie inspired me to want to become a filmmaker/director/screenwriter someday, not as a career but as an outlet for expression. He did basically everything except shoot it himself, which he even did for the scenes he wasn't in. He self-taught himself the trade on a shoestring budget, quite impressive.

Upstream Color took 3 viewings before I could even comprehended the plot fully. Now that I do, I can sit back and appreciate his mastery. His self-distribution and production is really going to revolutionize the film scene in the next decade. He is the one-man band of film production. Writes, directs, acts, edits, distributes, markets, and even has time to do time-travel consulting for his buddy Rian Johnson on Looper. No wonder it was almost 10 years between his films!

I've only watched about a third of Upstream Color and need to try again. It's still on Netflix, I think. His movies just demanded a few viewings to grasp them and I didn't have the time at the time. I should probably watch Aronofsky's "Pi" again, in that vein.

 

[Teffnology]

Yellow and Zerkalo I will add your suggestions and Aronofsky (I should at least attempt Pi once) to my list. I welcome other omissions whether large or small as my viewing scope is only so deep. I tend to focus on building off of my own movie snowball and can get pigeonholed into what I think I like then I'll get exposure to something different and think that I'll have been missing out on all of these years, Robert Altman was that for me lately.

So keep throwing suggestions out there. I already added a few to my personal list from your guys recc's.

I do also want to come to a convergence on a possible starting point as a group in the relatively near future, if possible at all.

 

[Teffnology]

Richard Ayoade (The Double, Submarine) would be a fun and relatively short one but I think at least 3 movies is a neccessary sample size for this kind of thing, sorry Shane Carruth.

 

[Teffnology]

This thread was inspired by listening to Brian Koppelman's* podcast "The Moment" interviewing Tony Gilroy (Bourne series, Michael Clayton, Duplicity). They geeked out about screenwriting and the production process. Gilroy's brother, Danny, wrote and directed Nightcrawler as his debut. The way he talked about his approach to writing a screenplay definitely captivated me and encouraged me to continue along the path I am on, in my quest to have my writings actually get made.

*Koppelman is my personal hero. He and lifelong buddy David Levein co-wrote the screenplay for Rounders in their late 20's while trying to make a living as unpublished writers, law students, and card players. When on the poker scene they got the inspiration to write a movie about it. The rest, as they say is history. The movie wasn't a box office hit but gained a cult following and the script launched their (admittedly slightly above average series of follow up films) careers. I am extremely excited for their new show Billions with Damien Lewis however and rumblings of Rounders 2 are gaining some momentum.

 

[Architect]

I love movies - they're the one big treat I give myself at the end of a long day, but I let myself be lazy and unorganized about it. I just pick up whatever movie strikes my mood. Last night I was so meh, so I watched an early Abbott and Costello film.

So good idea, and I'd like to participate but getting organized or focused around movies kills the fun for me. It's the one area where I can just sit, watch and enjoy.

 

[Teffnology]

I agree, movies truly are the best way for me to unwind at the end of the day and get lost in them.

Funny thing you mention Abbott and Costello. My dad was on set for a majority of the filming of those movies, as a little boy. His father, my Grandpa who died before i was born, Murray Teff was Bud Abbott's stunt double. I have a ton of pictures of the 3 of them and their agent sitting together at Murray's burlesque studio in the Valley, The Zomba. One of my cherished possessions that my dad passed on to me was a Palladium (1940s era rare metal used during war times for jewelry- that is actually being used in China now as a Platinum knock off- valued in between Platinum and Gold in value today) watch with an engraving that the 3 of them wore when they were out on the town. Bud Abbott (the money hog of the 3; which later caused the falling out of both Lou Costello and Murray) bought them as gifts for Lou Costello and my Grandpa Murray, when times were good amongst them.

Murray has the most screen time in Africa Screams, When they meet Frankenstein, one with a Mummy, and a few others that are escaping me right now. My dad, before he passed, made contact with an Abbott and Costello historian. I will try to dig up some of their correspondence to pass along if you desire.

 

[Jennywocky]

I agree, movies truly are the best way for me to unwind at the end of the day and get lost in them.

Funny thing you mention Abbott and Costello. My dad was on set for a majority of the filming of those movies, as a little boy. His father, my Grandpa who died before i was born, Murray Teff was Bud Abbott's stunt double. I have a ton of pictures of the 3 of them and their agent sitting together at Murray's burlesque studio in the Valley, The Zomba. One of my cherished possessions that my dad passed on to me was a Palladium (1940s era rare metal used during war times for jewelry- that is actually being used in China now as a Platinum knock off- valued in between Platinum and Gold in value today) watch with an engraving that the 3 of them wore when they were out on the town. Bud Abbott (the money hog of the 3; which later caused the falling out of both Lou Costello and Murray) bought them as gifts for Lou Costello and my Grandpa Murray, when times were good amongst them.

Murray has the most screen time in Africa Screams, When they meet Frankenstein, one with a Mummy, and a few others that are escaping me right now. My dad, before he passed, made contact with an Abbott and Costello historian. I will try to dig up some of their correspondence to pass along if you desire.

Dayum.

You are definitely quite the cinema buff, both by interest AND by blood.

I remember watching Abbott and Costello when I was 8-10, back in the 70's, including the old monster movies they were involved in.

I was really big into monster movies in general from the black and white era when I was a kid. That was my Saturday afternoon, sometimes. My friend's dad owned the village country store down the street, so I'd go over, and he'd swipe junk food off the store shelves like sticky buns and candy, etc., and we'd retreat to the private residence in his store, and we'd watch Channel 20 from Wash DC I think (is that the right number?), we couldn't get it at my house but he could, and we'd watch old black and white monster movies by Hammer and other companies all afternoon. Rodan, Frankenstein, Godzilla, King Kong, Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolfman, and whatever else was on. (Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr, Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, etc.) I would get books out of the library too about the movies. It was a fun time.

 

[Teffnology]

I love movies - they're the one big treat I give myself at the end of a long day, but I let myself be lazy and unorganized about it. I just pick up whatever movie strikes my mood. Last night I was so meh, so I watched an early Abbott and Costello film.

So good idea, and I'd like to participate but getting organized or focused around movies kills the fun for me. It's the one area where I can just sit, watch and enjoy.

I find it kind of funny that when you were living in an apartment and thinking about how to design your house, you WEREN'T going to have a home theater and then flip-flopped. Curious as to what sparked this. (Info obtained from AA thread btw).

In your case, or most INTPs, for that matter, I propose an alternative. And a multi-pronged approach to this thread, in addition to the original proposed concept.

How about ON YOUR OWN TIME, you work within the frame work of reporting on a specific filmmaker and your analysis of their career arc. For instance, say in the next 3 months or so you say that you are going to give a report on Christopher Nolan films (or any other specific filmmaker of your choosing) starting with Following (really neat B+W noir thriller on Netflix) and finishing with Interstellar. Commenting on the films individually as well as observations on the filmmaker's arc.

This can be an open thread for anyone to geek out on their favorite filmmaker's and the ranking of their works over their respective careers, as well as a way to have an organized simultaneous viewing experience via democratic process.

Maybe this can be a way for people to discover movies they may not have heard of but will probably like based upon their preferences. Basically a more detailed and focused version of the "What movie you watched last" thread that I love.

 

[Teffnology]

Dayum.

You are definitely quite the cinema buff, both by interest AND by blood.

I remember watching Abbott and Costello when I was 8-10, back in the 70's, including the old monster movies they were involved in.

I was really big into monster movies in general from the black and white era when I was a kid. That was my Saturday afternoon, sometimes. My friend's dad owned the village country store down the street, so I'd go over, and he'd swipe junk food off the store shelves like sticky buns and candy, etc., and we'd retreat to the private residence in his store, and we'd watch Channel 20 from Wash DC I think (is that the right number?), we couldn't get it at my house but he could, and we'd watch old black and white monster movies by Hammer and other companies all afternoon. Rodan, Frankenstein, Godzilla, King Kong, Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolfman, and whatever else was on. (Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr, Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, etc.) I would get books out of the library too about the movies. It was a fun time.

That is a really neat story! Believe it or not I have a half-brother in your generation and he has a lot of similar type stories only on the Left Coast. Watching those shows as reruns on TV in the 70s.

I found a mentioning of the interview my dad did but have yet to track down a digital copy of the newsletter so far. Here is the secondary source information I found on it. I have a hard copy that I can scan if I can't find it eventually.

The Official Abbott & Costello Fan Club Quarterly
The current issue of the Abbott & Costello Fan Club Quarterly is here and features an interview with Alan Teff, son of Murray Teff, Bud Abbott’s bodyguard.

Spoiler

http://aurorasginjoint.com/2014/01/30/buck-privates-turns-73-in-the-abbott-and-costello-newsletter//

 

[Teffnology]

Just found a news article of all 3 of them getting arrested together.

http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%205/Brooklyn%20NY%20Daily%20Eagle/Brooklyn%20NY%20Daily%20Eagle%201942%20Grayscale/Brooklyn%20NY%20Daily%20Eagle%201942%20Grayscale%20-%207948.pdf

""Who's drunk!" Says Abbott, Insists on Test." The name of the article on that pdf. According to my dad, Bud did have a nasty drinking problem and that only exacerbated his role of chief money hog in the venture and further alienated his business partners over time.

My Grandpa also knew every Judge from San Francisco to Mexico, through his nightclub business which was classified as burlesque which nowadays would look like a bar/comedy club/strip joint all under one roof. So he got my dad completely off of a lot of charges that had conviction written all over them (but could only do so much in certain instances) due to his political connections. It appears in this instance he used those connections to help out his employer, friends, and himself. That was an interesting nugget no one in family knew about until I went digging. Man the internet is freaking cool! I wish that I could go back in time and see Murray in action, he sounds like a really level headed guy that I would gravitate towards.

EDIT: My mom just corrected me on the fact that Murray didn't really get his Judge connections until after he became a Bail Bondsmen later in life. He got to being a Bail Bondsman after his relationship with Abbott and Costello ran its course and he lost/gave up his burlesque license. He only got to become a Bail Bondsman because all of the police, he had to pay off while owning the burlesque studio, liked him and they would call him first as a favor to Murray. That allowed him to have an edge in the business and make a living on it until he developed some health issues later in life.

 

[Jennywocky]

^^ Pretty amusing stuff. And not what you'd find out just by knowing the movies they were in. Real life is far more intriguing.

(Good grief, my mother wasn't even born yet on the day that happened -- she'd be born a month later.)

 

[Teffnology]

^^ Pretty amusing stuff. And not what you'd find out just by knowing the movies they were in. Real life is far more intriguing.

(Good grief, my mother wasn't even born yet on the day that happened -- she'd be born a month later.)

My genealogy is totally whack I know. Both of my Grandpa's were young adults when the Depression was in full force. My parents were born just at the beginning of the baby boom, if not even a little before it officially began. My half-brother would always get asked if he was my dad, when outsiders wouldn't know otherwise. I have a Niece, his daughter, who is 9 months younger than I am. My slightly older full-brother and I were total unplanned accidents, my mom had her tubes tied and still popped us both out as she was approaching 40. Not the typical family tree that is for sure.

 

[Ex-User (11125)]

Funny thing you mention Abbott and Costello. My dad was on set for a majority of the filming of those movies, as a little boy. His father, my Grandpa who died before i was born, Murray Teff was Bud Abbott's stunt double. I have a ton of pictures of the 3 of them and their agent sitting together at Murray's burlesque studio in the Valley, The Zomba. One of my cherished possessions that my dad passed on to me was a Palladium (1940s era rare metal used during war times for jewelry- that is actually being used in China now as a Platinum knock off- valued in between Platinum and Gold in value today) watch with an engraving that the 3 of them wore when they were out on the town. Bud Abbott (the money hog of the 3; which later caused the falling out of both Lou Costello and Murray) bought them as gifts for Lou Costello and my Grandpa Murray, when times were good amongst them.

Murray has the most screen time in Africa Screams, When they meet Frankenstein, one with a Mummy, and a few others that are escaping me right now. My dad, before he passed, made contact with an Abbott and Costello historian. I will try to dig up some of their correspondence to pass along if you desire.

wow...this is too cool

In your case, or most INTPs, for that matter, I propose an alternative. And a multi-pronged approach to this thread, in addition to the original proposed concept.

How about ON YOUR OWN TIME, you work within the frame work of reporting on a specific filmmaker and your ANALYSIS of their CAREER arc. For instance, say in the next 3 months or so you say that you are going to give a report on Christopher Nolan films (or any other specific filmmaker of your choosing) starting with Following (really neat B+W noir thriller on Netflix) and finishing with Interstellar. Commenting on the films individually as well as observations on the filmmaker's arc.

love this idea...it would also be fun to assign films from time to time and then discuss them here

 

[Ex-User (11125)]

so...to start the geeking...
what got you guys into films?

Spoiler

for me it was a film i chanced upon years ago, called vivre sa vie. the film was just O.K. but there was this scene where the main character, nana, starts talking to a random stranger in a coffee shop and then they go off on tangents and start talking about limits of speech and language and what it means to be true. a little excerpt from the scene:

the conversation was so beautiful and memorable, i just had to see more of godard's works. it was the first time for me to see sth this sublime in a film. most of his other works were disappointing though, i found them too pretentious and empty...except 2 or 3 things i know about her(1967) in which he once again examined the subject of language and it's limitations...this time, it was a scene where a man considers cup of coffee amidst the hubbub of a café:

again, i was my mind blown, and did a lot of research on films and thats how i discovered <3tarkovsky<3, then read his book sculpting in time. watching his films was a transcendental(i hate this word) experience
...and thats how i turned into a cinephile

 

[Jennywocky]

I'm a musician and writer who also does a bit of visual art.

I think film is intriguing because it merges all three of those together (plus some other forms of art, like acting). And with all those dimensions, the combinations of how to approach a story seem rather limitless, aside from a few boundaries (like the edges of the screen, although there are techniques to ignore/expand that as well). A writer controls words on a page; a director can control and shape various channels of data to the audience. And film allows for probably the closest in accessible full-body immersion (sight and sound) into a story at this time.

Good film can be transcendent, emotionally and viscerally. For example, the book "Jurassic Park" was a decent read... but it still is awe-inspiring (and even moreso in 1993) to look at the big screen and finally see dinosaurs towering over you as if they were actually alive. It can be overpowering or it can be intimate. The director can control color palettes and music to impact mood.

It can also pull on heartstrings. For example, I remember seeing Back to the Future in 1985... and falling in love with Doc Brown as a character. It's difficult to believe he doesn't actually exist. To experience a person as that real and endearing (and that experience has been repeated time and time again for me since then with numerous movies), well, that's pretty amazing.

I think as a teenager in the 80's, I started watching film just to pass the time. But the more i watched, the more it grew on me and I began to see films as artistic shapings and forms of creation.

 

[Ex-User (11125)]

I should probably watch Aronofsky's "Pi" again, in that vein.

what did you think of pi? requiem for a dream is the only film ive seen by him so far

I think film is intriguing because it merges all three of those together (plus some other forms of art, like acting). And with all those dimensions, the combinations of how to approach a story seem rather limitless, aside from a few boundaries (like the edges of the screen, although there are techniques to ignore/expand that as well). A writer controls words on a page; a director can control and shape various channels of data to the audience.

yeah...that's why i think film making is one of the most difficult professions, but also the most fulfilling(probably). to me, a good film is one that is both honest and intimate. intimate as in...it tries to connect with the audience rather than show or tell them something

 

[Jennywocky]

what did you think of pi? requiem for a dream is the only film ive seen by him so far

I haven't seen it for, like 12-14 years (?), so I'd like to watch it again to compare it to everything I've seen by him later.

Thoughts of Aronofsky:

Spoiler

He has directed six major films, and I've seen all of them, I just remember little about Pi and plan to watch Requiem for a Dream again since it's been years for that as well.

I think he is a great film maker -- he has his own unique vision, he's not afraid to follow it regardless of budget or studio interest, and he is usually at least palatable and often successful even if I don't consider him a mainstream/blockbuster director. I know his films will make me think and/or look at a particular topic in a different way.

He basically gave Mickey Rourke a role that revitalized his career (and brought him some accolades), and the same for Natalie Portman with "Black Swan." (Her career was on the way to being rebuilt after the debacle of the Star Wars prequels -- her role in Closer in 2004 for example was a risk that paid off for her -- but that part really stretched her and gave everyone a sense of what she was truly capable of. Even Mila Kunis was good there. I'm actually surprised Black Swan made it more into the mainstream viewer's consciousness, though, as it's still an arthouse-style movie at core.)

Even his movie "The Fountain" usually draws either criticism or high praise. It's not a perfect movie, but... it's intriguing and moving. I watch it periodically, it's in my "snowball" so to speak.

He took some liberties from the mainstream evangelical interpretation of "Noah" and might have focused a little too much on the Watchers (which are from the Book of Enoch); but what I liked is that he dared to confront Noah's zealotry headon -- here's the story of a guy who chose to stand alone in the face of mockery from his culture and persist (according to the Bible) in building a crazy ship for a century when it wasn't even clear if they knew what rain and oceans were. Psychologically, for a man to persist in his own spiritual vision, what does that actually look like, and how does it impact all his relationships? The Christian retellings just provide a prechewed pabulum of "Oh, he just had faith, what a wonderful guy, Christians should be like him!" but Aronofsky actually explored what that would reasonably look like. It's not a lovey-dovey faith but a stark, severe, ruthless sort that enables a man to persevere for so long in the face of such ridicule and obstacles.

yeah...that's why i think film making is one of the most difficult professions, but also the most fulfilling(probably). to me, a good film is one that is both honest and intimate. intimate as in...it tries to connect with the audience rather than show or tell them something

It's kind of a tricky business. At least with books, the readers HAVE to participate -- they need to imagine the story in their heads and stage the scene. Meanwhile, the director has more control over the reader interpretation, down to the actual appearance of things... but he also has more power to ruin the narrative. (It's funny when people create new trailers for movies using scenes in the movie but editing them / pacing them / setting new music and context for them -- you can take a comedy and make it a horror pic and vice versa. Well, the director is doing that on his FIRST pass... he determines the tone just by what is shot, how it's shot, how it's edited, etc.)

A writer is a more intimate artist, she is telling a story one-on-one to a reader from her own perspective. The director is hiring and directing a large staff of artists, from cinematographer to composer, actor to set designer, and trying to create a cohesive vision out of all their efforts -- it seems to take more people and organization skills + more.

 

[Architect]

I find it kind of funny that when you were living in an apartment and thinking about how to design your house, you WEREN'T going to have a home theater and then flip-flopped. Curious as to what sparked this. (Info obtained from AA thread btw).

Interesting story actually, at least I think so. Well first I wasn't in an apt, haven't done that since grad school. Rented houses once I got a job, it's one of my pet peeves. Keirsey says a wo/mans house is their castle, at least for NT's (my INTP friend says "Like Odo, I'm a private man!")

Anyhow I used to hate theaters. The smell, the people, worst of all the music systems universally suck. Too loud, too distorted, too screwed up. And half the time the movie would be screwy, certainly back in the film days (misaligned, etc). Only the IMAX got this right, but they blow it in making it too f***ing loud.

Wasn't until recently that the Home Theater could be as good as, or actually much better than the commercial theater. And I don't have to leave home, it's cheaper in the long run (movies have gotten expensive), and no smelly theaters and people.

Specifically what happened was I didn't plan it, but this house we got had a dining room that was really designed as a theater room. It's perfect, part of the living room, but on the side and can be enclosed with curtains, it's delicious. Problem solving you see ... everybody was blown out that I put a theater in, but that was what the house wanted there, and then I fell in love with it. A-priori I wouldn't have come up with doing that.

How about ON YOUR OWN TIME, you work within the frame work of reporting on a specific filmmaker and your analysis of their career arc. For instance, say in the next 3 months or so you say that you are going to give a report on Christopher Nolan films (or any other specific filmmaker of your choosing) starting with Following (really neat B+W noir thriller on Netflix) and finishing with Interstellar. Commenting on the films individually as well as observations on the filmmaker's arc.

Sure that would be amusing.

 

[Teffnology]

I have also seen movies as a way for people to bond. References are a part of the vernacular a point of shared interest amongst family members and such.

I can attest, as movies have held my brother's and my volatile relationship together via talking about them and suggesting ones to each other. Also it was a way to help spend some time and have something to talk about with dad toward the end of his life, when he couldn't do anything else.

When I really started thinking about writing a script for a movie was watching Rounders during my 2nd year in college and playing online poker. I read about the guys that wrote it and how they did it and convinced myself that anyone could write a great script (partially true but never without connections).

That was about 6.5 years ago and non-coincidently about at the same time that online streaming became the real deal. I remember being a beta-version member of Netflix streaming (had the 2 DVD option just so we could have a copy of Rounders at all times and another movie), they gave us 90 days of it free and it blew my mind back then in 2008. Now it is THE way people watch movies and Netlfix's stock 30x'ed in that time frame, nbd. 1 share only goes so far, however. Takes money to make money, as they say.

I love movies and I hope to make them someday or contribute to the making of them in some manner. Editing seems to be my strength so far and that seems to be in demand but only for the truly elite film editors get opportunities, on work that is not their own.

 

[Puffy]

Cool idea for a thread. In honesty, I'll probably just watch individual films if I participate, though guess I could do some detailed posts on directors I like (we could even do skype group viewings, possibly?).

Directors I like: Nicholas Roeg <3<3, Roman Polanski, Alfred Hitchcock, Akira Kurosawa, Ingmar Bergman, Chris Marker. A lot of others.

so...to start the geeking...
what got you guys into films?

Spoiler

for me it was a film i chanced upon years ago, called vivre sa vie. the film was just O.K. but there was this scene where the main character, nana, starts talking to a random stranger in a coffee shop and then they go off on tangents and start talking about limits of speech and language and what it means to be true. a little excerpt from the scene:

the conversation was so beautiful and memorable, i just had to see more of godard's works. it was the first time for me to see sth this sublime in a film. most of his other works were disappointing though, i found them too pretentious and empty...except 2 or 3 things i know about her(1967) in which he once again examined the subject of language and it's limitations...this time, it was a scene where a man considers cup of coffee amidst the hubbub of a café:

again, i was my mind blown, and did a lot of research on films and thats how i discovered <3tarkovsky<3, then read his book sculpting in time. watching his films was a transcendental(i hate this word) experience
...and thats how i turned into a cinephile

Cool story, I still need to respond to your vm. Your taste in film is interesting, I haven't heard of a fair few people you've cited, and want to catch up. Agreed on Godard for the most part though, I couldn't get into French New Wave for similar reasons of pretentiousness.

EXCEPT ALAIN RESNAIS ACTUALLY! His films Last Year in Marienbad & Hiroshima Mon Amour are awesome.

I had a strong interest in horror since childhood, and largely got into film through that actually; originally sought out the most disturbing & weird films, then art-house horrors &, as that matured my ability to read film, art-house more generally.

I had a pretty tame middle-class upbringing & was always excited by film as a violent rupturing of mundanity -- opening a window onto these strange (often horrific ) worlds from the safety of my room. I can't stand the majority of mainstream film as I find it too safe & standardised, an extension of that mundanity, prefer weird, eccentric, independent, etc.

 

[Ex-User (11125)]

I won't let this thread die a premature death *wipes dust off thread*

 

[Perfectly Normal Beast]

adam curtis

 

[Teffnology]

I am alive and well. Now employed and have a residence that will remain undisclosed but am no longer a Californian. Life is grand.

Still interested in the idea for this thread but understand that it is tricky to implement.

Apologies to anyone who has tried to contact me lately, I have been through quite a bit since I last posted but all is well now.

Looking forward to conversing with y'all in the near future.

Cheers!

 

[Ex-User (11125)]

Now employed and have a residence that will remain undisclosed but am no longer a Californian. Life is grand.

congrats!


arvo pärt+cinemaic landscapes:

scenes from the mirror set to arvo pärt's mirror in the mirror
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dweiGyjxhHs


scenes from satantango set to Salve Regina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1CNNf9iU9Y


long candle sequence from nostalghia set to mirror in the mirror
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rREFR65jwU0