The Pleasure of Intelligent Films......

(Ref Wikepedia)


When it comes to films I am very selective. I love quality high brow movies which have a strong sense of depth, and meaning. Most films are somehow lacking this dimension as far as I am concerned. Alot of them are shallow, and weak on character, and plot. Quite a number of them are frankly de-humanising with an obssession with senseless voyeuristic violence. This is a sad reflection of society, and our world in general.

Anyway, I thought I would list my key film favourites. Propero's Books is at the top of my list, and is my all time favourite....but most people would find it dull, and heavy going....

The following is my personal listing...


1. The Draughtsman Contract (1982).
A film directed by the legendary Peter Greenaway, and gorgious music by the one, and only Michael Nyman. The former also directed Prosperos Books...


2. The Piano (1993).
I knew the man who actually made the Piano for the Piano film, a certain Alan Whear who lived in Windsor, where he had a work shop behind the barracks. Even though the film company had bought the piano he was still concerned whether it was being treated properly. Music by Michael Nyman is again used to great effect...


3. Amelie (2001).
A warm, and beautiful romantic comedy from France.


4. The Russian Ark (2002).
An long, and remarkable work filmed in one take!


5. Downfall (2004).
A stark, and convincing film of the last days of Hitler in his bunker.


6. Four Weddings, and a Funeral (1994).
The funniest film I ever saw in a cinema. Even the audience were laughing out aloud! Rare indeed!


7. Bellevue Rendez-vous (2003).
An interesting animation.


8. Naked Lunch (1991).
An intriguing journey into "hallucinations".


9. Moulin Rouge (2001).
Brilliant, and colourful entertainment.


10. Bicycle Thieves (1948).
How poverty can lead to crime.


11. Il Postino (The Postman, 1991).
A pleasant tale.


12. The Curse of the Golden Flower (2006).
A beautiful film with some action packed into it!


13. Frida (2002).
About the famous artist with communist leanings.


14. The Phantom of the Opera (2004).
The classic tale, and classic music.


15. The Lady, and the Duke (2001).
An unusual period film set at the time of French Revolution.



16. Tous les Matins du Monde (1991).
A period film featuring among other things exquisite baroque music.


17. Immortal Beloved.
Beethoven set to Beethoven, so to speak................


18. Devdas (2002).
The latest version of this film was stunning visually, and musically like some of the other the Indian films one finds around...Mind you, I prefer traditional Arabic music rather than Indian music. For me, the former seems to have a more mysterious quality than the latter.


Ofcourse, I have seen many other films but the above as far as I am concerned have impressed me the most. The other films I have seen include Nightmare at Christmas, The Infidel, Shadowlands, Iris, The Claim, Waterloo, I, Robot, Gattaca, Donnie Darko, Hilary, and Jackie, Heavenly Creatures, The Night of the Deer Hunter, The Imitation Game, Lincoln, and the early James Bond series with their superb film music.