A few years down the road Steven Jay Schneider composed one of the most interesting books of recent years, the compilation of greatest films ever made entitled "1001 Movies to See Before You Die". There isn't actually 1001 films since each year goes by, a new entry of films are included and some are removed from the list. For cinema lovers, the book can go two ways: worthy of praise because it contains commendable films, all the best film has to offer or highly controversial because either there's film that don't need to be there or because there's something missing. I'm tend to go with the latter one on both accounts, since there is great classics missing (Schneider's list begins in 1902 and he forgets to mention early important cinema moments from Lumière brothers, the official birth of cinema) or films that shouldn't been there at all ("The Mad Masters", really? Shockumentary is an almost pointless genre). Nevermind the whole debate. The book was important enough to make this project to exist. Jonathan Keogh took the challenge and tried his best to present to us some of those greatest film experiences ever made in this gripping and marvelous film tribute.
Bursting some bubbles but (sad but truth), this short film not only doesn't contain the 1001 films listed (not even for Schneider's mandatory flicks he doesn't remove entry through the years) but it also includes films that aren't part of the list. Keogh's intention is to present important films from popular culture in recent years - and his editing is so amazing and the films he added were so deserving of mention that one actually thinks they were on the original list. The time machine takes us in between 1900 with a Mèlies classic and 2013 with an indie favorite, and the usual mandatory film suspects are all there with no exception...but you need to have a keen eye to spot all movies brilliantly presented in this film. I spotted 370 films (having seen almost 800 of those listed) and with its diminutive running time it's easy to say that there aren't 1001 film clips in between those powerful editing moments which intersects scenes, clips, audio moments and music to fit them all. This homage is broken into segments (some are good, others are just there to appease the majority since Schneider is a horror film producer - biased moments). The sci-fi segment is spectacular, just as much the sequences intertwining Tommy Lee Jones' speech in "No Country for Old Men" with several other films (excellent combination) and one with Woody Allen in "Annie Hall" detailing situations presented in other films.
Keogh's film is an outstanding collage worthy of view and praise. The amazing feat of editing down the whole material he had available, hours of films and the exact clips to make a point it's an incredible hard-working endeavor that must be seen. He creates an orgasm to the senses that we, as film lovers, love to see. I've did a similar project some years ago, way before knowing about the book and I know how difficult it is to make something like this. Time, patience, effort and to present as something audiences would like to see. He makes great use of sound, effects, the music (I'd change one or two songs) and the dialogue between films and music, image and sound is a pure work that allows us to see the magnificent importance the seventh art has in people's lives. We love movies! They reveal something to us, and the film echoes part of what the book says to us when stating facts of their importance in film history. Magic, relevance, art or entertaining...just imagine mankind without those glourious artistic triumphs. A tribute like this makes you admire and re-think about the power and glory of cinema and films.
I absolutely loved the montage, it appealed to me. But with a title like that, it should be mandatory that all of the 1001 films were to be presented without the inclusion of films that weren't listed even though they deserved to be present there - I went crazy happy when "Bringing Out the Dead" was there but I noticed that many documentaries aren't there, except for "Grey Gardens" and many Brazilian films as well, no mention of "City of God"???). With that, we'd have a point of image reference to follow them all and the title wouldn't be slightly misleading. For those who enjoy a challenge, this is a great knowledge test. To be seen several times in a row just so you can find and count all the great movies selected and presented in this mosaic. 9/10
Bursting some bubbles but (sad but truth), this short film not only doesn't contain the 1001 films listed (not even for Schneider's mandatory flicks he doesn't remove entry through the years) but it also includes films that aren't part of the list. Keogh's intention is to present important films from popular culture in recent years - and his editing is so amazing and the films he added were so deserving of mention that one actually thinks they were on the original list. The time machine takes us in between 1900 with a Mèlies classic and 2013 with an indie favorite, and the usual mandatory film suspects are all there with no exception...but you need to have a keen eye to spot all movies brilliantly presented in this film. I spotted 370 films (having seen almost 800 of those listed) and with its diminutive running time it's easy to say that there aren't 1001 film clips in between those powerful editing moments which intersects scenes, clips, audio moments and music to fit them all. This homage is broken into segments (some are good, others are just there to appease the majority since Schneider is a horror film producer - biased moments). The sci-fi segment is spectacular, just as much the sequences intertwining Tommy Lee Jones' speech in "No Country for Old Men" with several other films (excellent combination) and one with Woody Allen in "Annie Hall" detailing situations presented in other films.
Keogh's film is an outstanding collage worthy of view and praise. The amazing feat of editing down the whole material he had available, hours of films and the exact clips to make a point it's an incredible hard-working endeavor that must be seen. He creates an orgasm to the senses that we, as film lovers, love to see. I've did a similar project some years ago, way before knowing about the book and I know how difficult it is to make something like this. Time, patience, effort and to present as something audiences would like to see. He makes great use of sound, effects, the music (I'd change one or two songs) and the dialogue between films and music, image and sound is a pure work that allows us to see the magnificent importance the seventh art has in people's lives. We love movies! They reveal something to us, and the film echoes part of what the book says to us when stating facts of their importance in film history. Magic, relevance, art or entertaining...just imagine mankind without those glourious artistic triumphs. A tribute like this makes you admire and re-think about the power and glory of cinema and films.
I absolutely loved the montage, it appealed to me. But with a title like that, it should be mandatory that all of the 1001 films were to be presented without the inclusion of films that weren't listed even though they deserved to be present there - I went crazy happy when "Bringing Out the Dead" was there but I noticed that many documentaries aren't there, except for "Grey Gardens" and many Brazilian films as well, no mention of "City of God"???). With that, we'd have a point of image reference to follow them all and the title wouldn't be slightly misleading. For those who enjoy a challenge, this is a great knowledge test. To be seen several times in a row just so you can find and count all the great movies selected and presented in this mosaic. 9/10
