Thursday, September 10, 2020

Thursday Movie Picks-Foreign Language Films

 

Ahh, the wonderful world of the foreign film where one might be forced to watch a bowl of fruit for 15 minutes before you see the words, "Fin". Hahahaa, ok, they are not that bad and, in fact, many are quite good, excellent actually, but I don't see that many in my humble town I live in and I wanted to "bend" the rules because I love doing that. Wandering Through The Shelves is a weekly blog post where anyone can join and choose 3 films that suit that theme. Here are my 3...

1. THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI-1920(I THOUGHT IT WAS 1917)

Post war German film exploded where we can see the effects of the German expressionism to this day. None shows this better than this film with all the jagged cuts, wonky lines and a great way to use black and white. The film industry was poor to say the least so they used inventive ways to create a story and film it. This is a great film that is shown in every film class and with reason. You have Francis telling the story to an older man about how he met the beautiful Jane at some fair. At this fair, they are "entertained" by Dr. Caligari who shows them a somnambulist, played by Conrad Veidt, who is at the complete control of the doctor. Soon enough, murders start happening and Jane is in mortal danger. This is a must see in my eyes with an unexpected ending that left me gobsmacked. I just realized this flicker is 100 years old!

2. THE LAST LAUGH-1924

I watched this film only this past year and I loved it! This German film is directed by the great FW Murnau(of Nosferatu fame) and stars Emil Jannings as a proud doorman of a prestigious Berlin hotel. He is proud of his position as it holds high esteem but his employer believes that younger blood is needed and demotes him to a lower level bathroom attendant. He is so humiliated that he keeps up the charade where he lives and with his daughter. It shows the slow decline of a once proud man to one who hates to look in the mirror. Jannings often played these types of characters and he did it well. Murnau hated the fact that he had to tack on a happy ending and, even though it looks contrived, I don't mind it.

3. DIE NIBELUNGEN-SIEGFRID-1924

Oh those Germans and there sagas. I actually read the book and wrote an essay on this of which I got an A-...for this C student, I was tickled pink. This is like the Tales of King Arthur but German with a cast of thousands. The hero, after killing a dragon and getting the horde of gold from the dwarf King,  is asked by his king to win the beautiful Brunhild's hand in marriage. With help from some magic, he wins and Brunhild marries Gunther while Siegfried marries Kriemhild(ughh, these names!). Let's just say Brunhild is suspicious and things don't end well. You see, Siegfried defeated the dragon Fafner and bathed in his blood to become invincible not realizing a leaf fell on his back making him susceptible in this one spot. There is a second part to this film but I have not seen it yet but would love to. This is a pretty good retelling of this legend and, once again, I enjoyed watching it. I am a sucker for silent films.

Have you seen foreign films? Let me know...

30 comments:

  1. Hi, Birgit!

    Yes, indeed! Rich in technique, the silent horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (not to be confused with the equally scary Cabinet of Donald Trump) was one of the films I studied in my college course.

    Although I haven't seen it, The Last Laugh looks like a film I'd appreciate. "It shows the slow decline of a once proud man to one who hates to look in the mirror." Sounds like Shady Del Knight. :) The plot reminds me of Requiem for a Heavyweight, the teleplay written by Rod Serling and produced for the live TV series Playhouse 90. That TV production starred Jack Palance and Keenan Wynn. A few years later Requiem was made into a movie that starred Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason and Mickey Rooney. I saw and loved both versions.

    I have not seen the third film. I refuse to watch anything I cannot pronounce. :) But wait a minute, I see that the film features a cool dragon that gets a stick in the eye. His famous last words: "You slay me." Now I wanna watch this movie!

    Thanks for the education and entertainment, dear friend BB. Enjoy the rest of your week!

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    1. Requiem For a Heavyweight is excellent but I only saw the version with Anthony Quinn. I want to see the TV version with Jack Palance. I am certain you would like both films I chose because the one does represent a fall from grace while the other has dragons, magic, heros, royalty, fights and damsels

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    2. Ughh. I think the Cabinet of Donny Trumpstump is more scary. I wonder when one of the press will finally ask him how he became a narcissistic moron:)

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  2. Yes, your first pick would've been mine. There's also Metropolis which was really ambitious for its time.

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    1. Love Metropolis which is so unique and really, could be of these times. Fritz Lang is the director of this film and Die Nibelungen

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  3. I was here last night when my internet came back on. Just as I was about to leave you a comment on your lovely cards you made, it went off again. You went WAY back in the film files for these, dear. Needless to say, I've never heard of any of these, the actors, or the principles. But the first one sounds like one I would enjoy and appreciate.

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    1. Yeah, these films were made before my mom was born but my dad was 11 when the last 2 films were in the theatre...weird eh? I hope your internet stops acting up.

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  4. Haven't seen any of these but now I want to. I love foreign films - even British ones. Oh, I know that is not what you meant but I always tell folks about watching The Wind that Shakes the Barley. I got it from the local library and started watching but could not understand it. Thinking they were speaking a foreign language I set it for subtitles. Then I realized with the subtitles they were actually speaking English - an Irish brogue English. I felt like an idiot, but hey, I couldn't understand them.

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    1. I have to look up this film but I think I saw it. I kept putting the volume thinking that would help.

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  5. I have never heard of any of these. They look quite interesting though. Are they easy to find being so old? And nice cards too. I've been straight out and no chance to do much commenting. Hope you are well. Hugs-Erika

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    1. Thank you about my cards! The Cabinet would be easier to find than the others.

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  6. No not seen any of these Birgit, but the last one looks interesting, It reminds me of Wagner's The Ring cycle, which I love.
    Hope all is well with you, Kate x

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    1. Yes, you are right about the ring cycle...it is in the same vein

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  7. Like the way you circumvented the theme but still stayed within.

    The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is indeed a massively impressive film deserving of all its accolades. Have you ever seen the 60's remake with Glynis Johns? It's nowhere near the original but ya know Glynis makes up for a lot of shortcomings.

    Murnau and Jannings were a powerful team and The Last Laugh is a heartbreaking example of their skillful collaboration. Jannings was such a fine actor a pity he was a fervent Nazi. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend his work in The Last Command which has a surprising villain-William Powell!!

    I'm going to have to go on the hunt for Siegfried, it sounds fascinating.

    I've been working on my foreign language viewing, I can only do so many in a period and get overwhelmed. Luckily TCM ran an entire day of Kurosawa films this year for his birthday....it took me a couple of weeks to get through them but I saw six that were new to me. So I include one that isn't as well known and two French films I saw within the last year.

    Drunken Angel (1948)-Gangster Toshiro Mifune visits Dr. Takashi Shimura, after an unfortunate incident with a bullet. The doctor, who despises the Yakuza, discovers the young man is suffering from tuberculosis, a disease symbolic of what is happening to the doctor and the community he serves. Facing his own anger and fear, the doctor aligns himself with the gangster's world. This film noir was directed by Akira Kurosawa.

    Le Silence de la Mer (1949)-An elderly Frenchman (Jean-Marie Robain) and his niece (Nicole Stéphane) are forced to give shelter to a Nazi soldier (Howard Vernon) who seemingly loves their country and culture. Though they refuse to speak to him over time they form a strange sort of bond.

    La Notte (1961)-In Milan, Lidia (Jeanne Moreau) suddenly storms out of a fancy party held in honor of her husband, Giovanni (Marcello Mastroianni), to celebrate the publication of his new novel. Distressed at the news that her friend Tommaso (Bernhard Wicki) has a terminal illness, Lidia begins roaming the streets of the city, questioning her marriage to Giovanni. Meanwhile, Giovanni, seemingly oblivious to his crumbling relationship with Lidia, attempts to seduce beautiful young Valentina (Monica Vitti). Written and directed by Michelangelo Antonioni.

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    1. Yeah...Emil chose the wrong side thinking that will do him well and it backfired. I think he was a bit of an arrogant snob too. I have not seen the remake of Caligari but I wouldn't mind seeing it. I have a feeling you will like Die Nibelungen part 1 and 2. I have not seen any of your film choices but I am intrigued by Le Silence de la Mer. You lucky guy to have TCM.

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  8. I haven't seen any of your picks but now I'm super interested in checking out all of them.

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    1. I think you would like them even though they are silent. They are amazing works.

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  9. Your theme within a theme was pretty specific today. I haven't heard of any of those, although they seem worth the trouble.

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  10. I haven't seen these nor do I think I have seen any foreign films except maybe the early Godzilla ones. Do those count?

    Betty

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  11. I haven't seen any of these. The biggest shame is that The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari has been on my watchlist forever.

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  12. Hi Birgit - I'd love to see these ... perhaps as I age: treats in store ... our film society here always shows foreign films - so educative about life in other parts of the world. Take care - Hilary

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  13. I'm not familiar with these. Glad you shared.
    YOU have a lovely weekend.

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  14. I remember seeing the first movie when I was a teenager. Went over my head. Maybe I'd fare better today. Cheers, Birgit!

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  15. Sure struck out here. Irreversible was the last i saw years ago. Will make your skin crawl.

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  16. I don't know any of yours. I guess I have some work to do.

    As for my own, oh, so many...

    Cinema Paradiso and Tampopo are easily all-time Top 10 for me.

    One of our cats is named after Amelie.

    All of Miyazaki and the other Studio Ghibli films.
    Kurosawa faves: Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Hidden Fortress, Throne of Blood.
    Like Water for Chocolate
    Run, Lola, Run
    The Underground
    Life Is Beautiful

    I think Persepolis was originally in French.

    So many.

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  17. Great picks, and that's hard to do when there are a whole globe worth of foreign movies!

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  18. My computer has been down for the past several days, but here I am--computer still a bit slow as it continues to "upgrade" but at least now I'm back on.

    I watch a lot of foreign films. I've seen your first two picks and they are good ones. I've mentioned here before that I'm a big fan of Federico Fellini and I'll add most of his films to my list.

    Some other favorites that come to mind are di Sica's The Bicycle Thief, Wim Wenders Wings of Desire, and Los Cronocrímenes by Nacho Vigalondo. There are many more, but these came to mind first.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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  19. Hi sis, The Seven Samurai and Life is Beautiful are two foreign films already mentioned here that immediately came to mind. I would also highly recommend "City of God" and "Y tu mama tambien."

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    1. Your first are great and I really like Y Tu Mama Tambien but I still have to see City of God. Glad to see you here

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  20. The Cabin of Dr. Caligari is the only I'm familiar with but I'm yet to watch it.

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