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Tôkyô monogatari (1953)
Ozu's poetic masterpiece
"Tokyo Story" is one of Ozu's poetic masterpieces. It is the story of a journey - of an older couple visiting their relatives in the bustling metropolis of Tokyo in the 1950s, the journey of the coming of age, and finally, the journey of life itself. With his touching images, Ozu manages to capture the spirit of a simple Japanese family's household but also the unsaid conflict and tension that can never really evacuate because of a cultural taboo. "Tokyo Story" is a wonderful narrative which contrasts tradition and modernity and the abrupt changes life brings. The perspective of the film shots is remarkable, as we can see the actors sitting or lying on the floor most of the time - this approach allows the viewer greater access to the more intimate spheres of a Japanese house while the dialogs reveal strong emotions. The film, despite its very modest storyline, will not leave anybody untouched because the impressions in it are very intense and unique.
C'era una volta il West (1968)
A unique poetic Italo-Western
It is surprising that Sergio Leone's brilliant masterpiece "Once upon a time in the West" did not turn out as successful in the United States as it was hoped for. The European audience, however, was enthralled and charmed by this unique artistic work. In German, Leone's Italo-Western has a much more appropriate title which would translate as "Play me the tune of death". Indeed, the storyline is quite capturing: A lonesome harmonica player (Charles Bronson) ends up in a final showdown with his arch-enemy Frank, who shot down a woman's (Claudia Cardinale) family to make profit in the Mid-West. The spectator is thrilled right from the first moment - not only by the powerful dialogs and gunfights, but by the poetic scenery and imagery. One has to admit that the movie would only have turned out half as good without Ennio Morricone's beautiful music which imparts a somehow romantic and epic touch. Along with that, Claudia Cardinale plays the amazing part of an unbreakable, totally intrepid widow. Leone's directing style consists of ellipses which he applied perfectly to enhance suspense and to allow silent dialog and emotion through eye contact. It is a style that is very characteristic of that era and evokes feelings of nostalgia for all fans of neo-realist Italian cinema.
Nosferatu - Phantom der Nacht (1979)
A great version of Nosferatu that gives you some creeps
Along with "Fitzcarraldo", Werner Herzog's "Nosferatu" is probably one of his best movies in co-operation with the charismatic acting legend Klaus Kinsky, who convinces and stuns the audience in his role as a bloody and lonesome vampire from Transylvania. Those who know Murnau's original from 1922 will notice that Herzog's version is almost identical concerning storyline, settings, characters and the plot. Only cuts and dialogs are quite different, apart from a few scenes which had been added at the ending. One aspect typical of Herzog's movies is the scenery and wildlife cuts that he includes - this somehow imparts a nostalgic image that matches perfectly with the melancholic scenery of Germany and Romania. A brilliant entertainment for vampire- and Herzog fans alike.
Ninotchka (1939)
A humorous and entertaining love comedy
"Ninotschka" is not only a typical Lubitsch-style romantic comedy, it is a satirical political movie. Greta Garbo excels in her performance as a Soviet-drilled inspector who undergoes her own transformation the longer she stays in Paris and the more she begins to have romantic feelings for the Count d'Algout. All characters have been finely developed and watching this black and white film becomes a nice afternoon or evening entertainment. Apart from this, we get a nice scenic impression of Paris in contrast to what the East, Moscow, was imagined at that time. With "Ninotschka", Ernst Lubitsch has created a very entertaining and funny love comedy which is certainly a must-see for all Garbo fans!
Fellini - Satyricon (1969)
Ancient Rome as it may have been
Although this is clearly not one of Fellini's best rated movies, "Satyricon" is a fantastic modern science-fiction drama that is certainly worth seeing. It is true that the story lacks a red line, a plot that clearly interconnects each scene or scenario. However, if one watches it carefully enough and with an open mind, there is a story-line and character development in it. It is the life passage of a young man (Encolpius) and his friend and antagonist (Ascyltus), former gladiators who were taken to a foreign island and undergo diverse colorful, partly erotic adventures in dream-like sequences and images. You will find action in each scene but, more than that, Fellini is probably the only director who has managed, with this film, to create an understanding of what life in ancient Rome MAY have been like for the lower and middle-class ordinary civilians. Far from the bombastic installations as we know them from DeMille's monumental films, this is an abstract piece of art that deserves to be called a masterpiece that leaves room for interpretation and speculation about Petronius' ancient novel.
I vitelloni (1953)
A pastime love comedy-drama
"I Vitelloni" is an early, somehow autobiographical Fellini movie that tells the story of five young men hanging around in a provincial town and trying to make ends meet. In the movie, we get to see what the life of grown-ups who still live in their parents' house (something very common in Italy) is like. The story itself is rather simple and, while it mainly focuses on one character (Fausto), quite tedious although there are some comedian aspects in it (as Fausto betrays his wife and how his employer throws him out). Although Fellini wanted to give some depth to this movie - e.g. by showing the fateful encounter of Moraldo and the boy working at the local railway station - he somehow missed the point. The dialogs are not profound enough, action and reaction of the characters remain predictable and the "spice", which we can find in other Fellini movies, seems to be missing in this one.