BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?

Subject: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 11 May 03 - 09:37 AM

Yes....Ed Wood's name is supposed to be a JOKE!!

When I was about 13 I saw several Ingemar Bergman films over a short period of time (I was playing hookey from private school and hiding out in an "art film" house)...boy, they had quite an effect. Just the lighting was something I wasn't used to. I'd just gobble up the sub-titles, and enjoy watching those incredibly depressed Swedes. I also remember a rather pneumatic blonde named Gunnel Lindblom....sort of "Jayne Mansfield" to Liv Ullman's "Katherine Hepburn".

It didn't help my integration into 'real' society that while my peers were enjoying the exploits of Troy Donahue, I was more familiar with Gunnar Bjornstrand, and the ultimate depressed guy, Max Von Sydow.

But even though I was seeing a LOT of foreign films (I played hookey a lot) I still remember the American actress BARBARA PARKINS(!!) but not her director. Ross somebody?

I have to admit not being a Hitchcock fan, but "Strangers on a train was fun".

Funny thing but I THINK I've enjoyed every David Lean film I've ever seen, and definitely was a fan of John Cassavetes.

Any faves or hates?

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Micca
Date: 11 May 03 - 10:43 AM

Luc Besson for... Nikita
Claude Chabrol for Poulet au Vinagre and Le Boucher
and a legion of other French directors
Robert Altman for Nashville and several others
Stanley Kubric for 2001 and manyothers
Akira Kurasawa for Hidden Fortress, Sanjuro, Yojimbo and 7 samurai, and others
the Coen Brothers for Fargo and Oh Brother,
Donna Deitch for Desert Hearts
and about 100 other directors...

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Peter T.
Date: 11 May 03 - 10:56 AM

I hate to be so cliched, but there is a reason why the top three are often Citizen Kane, Vertigo, and Seven Samurai.

Two of the best directed films in recent years were Kieslowski's "Red" (beautifully edited, really something you could put in front of film students for a year), and all but the last ten minutes of Spielberg's "Minority Report" (stop that man before he kills himself at the last minute again!).

Three and a half great directors today: Ang Lee, Pedro Almodovar, and the Makhmalbuf family (father and daughter!!!). Overall, I have to go with the Iranians. I don't know anyone doing anything to match them creatively, except possibly the American special effects people -- if the special effects people would ever get some decent scripts, their movies would be the best in the world. Hard to blame this on the director, but he or she is ultimately responsible. They all run out of gas 20 minutes before the film ends -- Terminator II, Blade Runner, The Matrix -- just when the special effects usually peak.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Les B
Date: 11 May 03 - 11:13 PM

Even though he's a fugitive from justice, I still thing Roman Polanski's work is great, and not just the one he got Best Director Academy Award for, The Pianist.

Hey, what a great double feature - The Pianist, and The Piano - by another fine director, the Aussie, Jane Campion. (Or is she from New Zealand?)

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Les B
Date: 11 May 03 - 11:14 PM

Ah hell - should be "think" - not THING !!

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: DougR
Date: 12 May 03 - 01:22 PM

John Ford (particularly his westerns), I liked Hitchcock, Robert Wise, Coen brothers (already mentioned).

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: musicmick
Date: 13 May 03 - 01:42 AM

I also attended a Bergman marathon at an art theater. I have never gotten over "The Seventh Seal". A few more giants are Preston Sturges,
Norman Jewison, John Huston and Charles Chaplin. Scorcese aint chopped liver either and neither was Billy Wilder.

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Cluin
Date: 13 May 03 - 02:24 AM

How about Peter Greenaway?
I didn't understand any of it. He must be great! Why else would all those people be naked and none of them having sex?...

Seriously, I would say that I've liked almost everything I've seen come from Robert Redford's directing. If nothing else, he has excellent taste in projects attempted.

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Peg
Date: 13 May 03 - 12:34 PM

in some cases these directors are also the authors of the films...

Peter Weir when he was still working in Australia; his Hollywood efforts have not all been good (except maybe Witness).

Jane Campion (tho I am tired of Harvey Keitel's naked ass)

Federico Fellini.

Ingmar Bergman.

Albicocco for "The Wanderer"

I do like the Coen Brothers for the most part.

Alan Parker.

Danny Boyle.

Terry Gilliam.

Todd Haynes.

Rose Troche.

John Boorman.

Ken Loach.

Woody Allen until about 6 or 7 years ago...

Michael Haneke.

Frederic Thor Fredericsson.

Hal Hartley.

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Wesley S
Date: 13 May 03 - 01:44 PM

I'll toss in Ron Howard. I hated him as an actor and I doubt that any of his films will be studied as great art - but for popcorn eatin' movies he does rather well.

For art I enjoy Hitchcock, John Houston, Akira Kurasawa, And David Lean. And Speilberg has done some wonderful films.

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Beccy
Date: 20 May 03 - 07:53 AM

No one mentioned Miyazaki... granted, it's anime, but "Grave of the Fireflies", "Totoro", "Castle In the Sky", and more!!!!!!!

Beccy

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Peter T.
Date: 20 May 03 - 08:43 AM

What is "Grave of the Fireflies?" (I just saw Spirited Away, and Princess Mononkone, and am interested in his other work, but I balked at something called "Kiki's Delivery Service"). That sounds a bit more adult. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 20 May 03 - 09:35 AM

My favourites, some already mentioned, + my fave movie by that director:

Lars von Trier. "Breaking the Waves"
Coen Brothers. "Barton Fink"
Wes Anderson. "The Royal Tenenbaums"
Terry Gilliam. "12 Monkeys"
Zhang Yimou. "Shanghai Triad" (screw you, I like it)
Jim Jarmusch. "Night on Earth"

Ah, this is hard. Lots of directors I like, but I'm either not familiar enough with their films to call them "favourites," or I think they have one or two good movies, the rest being ehhh. (Think Kevin Smith.) Ah, well.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 20 May 03 - 11:27 PM

In addition to Bergman, Hitchcock -
Martin Scorsese
Frank Capra
Erich Von Stroheim
Sidney Lumet
Cecil B. DeMille
Francis Ford Coppola
Steven Spielberg
Billy Wilder
Coen brothers

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 21 May 03 - 12:33 AM

Raoul Walsh

Guy Kibbee

Ray Harryhausen

Sayles

John Cassvetese

Ida Lupino

Stanley Kubrich (Before Barry Lyndon)

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Cluin
Date: 21 May 03 - 12:44 AM

Burt Kennedy for his two western spoofs "Support Your Local Sheriff" ans "Support Your Local Gunfighter". Still a couple of the funniest films ever.

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Peg
Date: 21 May 03 - 10:45 AM

Kiki's Delivery Service is a film aimed at kids, actually...

Subject: RE: BS: Greatest Directors, Bergman, Wood, etc?
From: Beccy
Date: 21 May 03 - 01:17 PM

Peter T... The reason you've probably not heard of it in your Miyazaki search is 'cause I miscredited it. The same animation director worked on most of Miyazaki's stuff, but it was directed by Isao Takahata (at the suggestion of Miyazaki.) I'm sorry about that, but "Grave of the Fireflies", should still be required viewing for anyone who loves films. To quote the back of the DVD cover,

"In the aftermath of a World War II bombing, two orphaned children struggle to survive in the Japanese countryside. To Seita and his four year old sister, the helplessness and indifference of their countrymen is even moe painful than the enemy raids. Through desperation, hunger and grief, these children's lives are as heartbreakingly fragile as their spirit and love is inspiring. Grave of the Fireflies is a tale of the true tragedy of war and innocence lost, not only of the abandoned young, but of an entire nation."

This is a 4 tissue-box film for certain.

Now, as for Miyazaki and "Totoro"- it may be aimed at kids, but it's a FANTASTIC movie. My kids liked it, but after they went to bed, my husband and I watched it again. As with most of Miyazaki's work, there are layers of meaning in the films. Totoro is a film about the innocence of youth and life in the Japanese countryside.

Beccy