Auteurs (The Great Directors of Cinema History): Part 2 – Movies Spotlight – April 2015

List is in alphabetical order.

Part I and Part III

Part II – The Rise of the Auteur and Experimentation

Woody Allen

Style/system: American; worked in American independent film; known for his dialog and contribution to the romantic comedy genre

Active: 1966-Present

Key films to see: Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors, and Midnight in Paris

Robert Altman

Style/system: American; worked in Hollywood and American independent film; large ensemble casts, naturalistic style, a leading filmmaker in the New Hollywood era

Active: 1951-2006

Key films to see: MASH, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, The Long Goodbye, Nashville, and The Player

Ingmar Bergman

Style/system: Swedish; worked in Sweden; a director’s director, very influential and beloved by those who came after him, his work often focused on the human condition

Active: 1946-2007

Key films to see: The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Persona, Cries and Whispers, and Fanny and Alexander

Bernardo Bertolucci

Style/system: Italian; worked in Italy and America; strikingly beautiful and poetic films, often dealing with character facing moments of monumental change in their lives

Active: 1962-Present

Key films to see: The Conformist, Last Tango in Paris, 1900, and The Last Emperor

Robert Bresson

Style/system: French; worked in France; influenced the filmmakers who birthed the French New Wave, a director’s director (influential and beloved), Jean-Luc Godard wrote: “Robert Bresson is French cinema, as Dostoevsky is the Russian novel and Mozart is German music.”

Active: 1934-1983

Key films to see: Diary of a Country Priest, A Man Escaped, Pickpocket, Au Hasard Balthazar, and Mouchette

John Cassavetes

Style/system: American; worked in American independent film; an actor’s director, known for garnering some of cinema’s greatest performances from his troupe of actors, often made films about normal life and the great strain that exists within it

Active: 1959-1986

Key films to see: Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Opening Night, and Gloria

Francis Ford Coppola

Style/system: American; worked in Hollywood and American independent film; a prominent member of the New Hollywood wave of filmmakers, the filmmaker of the 1970s (only to seemingly never again make a truly great film)

Active: 1959-Present

Key films to see: The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather: Part II, Apocalypse Now, The Outsiders, and Dracula

Stanley Donen

Style/system: American; worked in Hollywood; marvelous musicals (with Gene Kelly) and masterful Hollywood genre films (with Audrey Hepburn), bright and colorful, pure Hollywood

Active: 1949-1999

Key films to see: On the Town, Singin’ in the Rain, Funny Face, Charade, and Two for the Road

Federico Fellini

Style/system: Italian; worked in Italy; blends fantasy and baroque imagery with realism, yet another of the most influential filmmakers of those to follow him

Active: 1950-1990

Key films to see: La Strada, The Nights of Cabiria, La Dolce Vita, 8 ½, and Amarcord

Milos Forman

Style/system: Czech; worked in Czechoslovakia and Hollywood; a leader of the Czechoslovak New Wave moment, bringing his biting satire and rebellion against authority to Hollywood

Active: 1960-Presnet

Key films to see: The Loves of a Blonde, The Fireman’s Ball, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Hair, and Amadeus

Jean-Luc Godard

Style/system: French; worked in France; a leader of the French New Wave, an artist often working with experiment cinema techniques

Active: 1955-Present

Key films to see: Breathless, Vivre Sa Vie, Contempt, Band of Outsiders, and Pierrot le Fou

Stanley Kubrick

Style/system: American; worked in Hollywood and England; evocative films, strikingly beautiful films, incredibly influential, a prominent leader of the New Hollywood wave

Active: 1951-1999

Key films to see: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, and The Shining

Sergio Leone

Style/system: Italian; worked in Italy and America; known for his grand Spaghetti Westerns (modernizing and stylistically changing the western forever)

Active: 1954-1984

Key films to see: A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good , the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West, and Once Upon a Time in America

Sidney Lumet

Style/system: American; worked in Hollywood; an actor’s director with expert craftsmanship, prolific, his films often address social realism

Active: 1952-2007

Key films to see: 12 Angry Men, Fail Safe, The Hill, Dog Day Afternoon, and Network

Terrence Malick

Style/system: American; worked in American independent film; ethereal filmmaking almost more montage than narrative, more poetic than structured, stunning visuals, deeply philosophical

Active: 1969-Presnet

Key films to see: Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, The New World, and The Tree of Life

Jean-Pierre Melville

Style/system: French; worked in France; a minimalist, French film noir and gangster films, his style is the epitome of cool, influenced the French New Wave

Active: 1946-1972

Key films to see: Bob le Flambeur, Le Doulos, Le Samourai, The Army of Shadows, and Le Cercle Rouge

Mike Nichols

Style/system: German; worked in Hollywood and Broadway; an actor’s director, experimental and aggressively progressive stylistically completely changing the narrative language on American cinema with one film (The Graduate)

Active: 1966-2007

Key films to see: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Graduate

Sam Peckinpah

Style/system: American; worked in Hollywood; innovative and explicit use of violence, reworked the western to be much grittier and moral ambiguous (replacing white hats and black hats with versions of gray)

Active: 1958-1983

Key films to see: The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Getaway, and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

Roman Polanski

Style/system: Polish; worked in Poland, England, France and Hollywood; a master of the thriller, an expressive style utilizing camera movement, framing and mise en scene to their greatest effect

Active: 1955-Present

Key films to see: Repulsion, Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown, The Tenant, and The Pianist

Nicolas Roeg

Style/system: English; worked in England; disjunctive editing, cryptic plots that are fascinating even so (to be revealed in full in the end), films that draw the view in, often terrifying due to a foreboding sense of atmosphere

Active: 1970-2007

Key films to see: Performance, Walkabout, Don’t Look Now, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and Bad Timing

Martin Scorsese

Style/system: American; worked in Hollywood; a leader of the New Hollywood wave, revitalizing the American gangster film (along with Francis Ford Coppola), highly stylized use of music, camera moves and editing, cinema’s greatest student, fan and protector

Active: 1959-Present

Key films to see: Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, and Casino

Ridley Scott

Style/system: English; worked in England and Hollywood; a grandiose scene of scope and scale, atmospheric visuals, modernization of sci-fi crossing it over with other genres (like the horror/thriller and noir/hard boiled detective)

Active: 1965-Present

Key films to see: Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, and Black Hawk Down

Steve Spielberg

Style/system: American; worked in Hollywood; created the modern blockbuster (along with George Lucas) and blockbuster filmmaking, a leader of the New Hollywood wave, maybe the world’s most famous director

Active: 1959-Present

Key films to see: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Schindler’s List

Andrei Tarkovsky

Style/system: Russian; worked in Russia, Italy and Sweden; a director’s director, changed film language for many to follow him with his style and storytelling, life as a reflection, as a dream

Active: 1956-1986

Key films to see: Ivan’s Childhood, Andrei Rublev, Solaris, The Mirror, and Stalker

François Truffaut

Style/system: French; worked in France; a principal filmmaker of the French New Wave, a student and critic of cinema, as well-versed as any

Active: 1955-1983

Key films to see: The 400 Blows, Shoot the Pianist, Jules and Jim, Stolen Kisses, and Day for Night

Part I and Part III

Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) – Review

Review: Exodus: Gods and Kings is a grand epic of spectacle, built around the changing relationship between two brothers and impressive visuals.

The film is about Moses and Ramses. Pharaoh Seti found baby Moses abandoned in a basket along the Nile river, deciding to raise him as his own along with his natural son Ramses. The two brothers grew up as princes, relying on it other in battle and life; however, as the brothers come into their own, Moses learns about his past – that he is actually of Jewish decent (a downtrodden people who are greatly abused as slaves by the Egyptians) – a truth he refuses to believe. Once Pharaoh Seti has died of illness and Ramses becomes leader of Egypt, enemies of Moses expose his secret. Always slightly fearing Moses’s power and the love his father showed him, Ramses ceases the opportunity to banish Moses. Far from Egypt, Moses struggles to accept the truth about himself and the new mission his people’s god has anointed him with – to set the Jewish people free in Egypt. Moses, now with newfound purpose, returns to Egypt to do just that, but Ramses will not make it easy on him.

Director Ridley Scott’s biblical epic feels very similar to his other religious epic Kingdom on Heaven. Exodus: Gods and Kings features impressive visuals, a massive scale and scope and very good central performances. Yet, like Kingdom of Heaven’s theatrical release, which was gutted of most of its character moments in favor of a shorter runtime, this film too seems to lack needed character moments for its supporting cast. Moses and Ramses have their moments, and the story does serve them well, but no one else is really given much to do (while the film still runs for around 150 minutes), leading me to believe that this too was streamlined for its theatrical release and somewhat expect a fuller, longer version of the film to be released for home consumption – keeping the runtime under a certain length allows the film to screen more times in a day, which theoretically translates to more box office, at the expense of creative expression/integrity (because Hollywood moviemaking is a business first, and that is especially true for massive blockbusters like this film). It is just too bad, as the film would have played a lot stronger with its supporting characters fleshed out and overall narrative given time to breath, allowing the emotion and drama to be more fully realized. As it is, the film works solely thanks to its impressive aesthetics and great leading performances.

Even at 150 minutes, the film is paced rather briskly (presumably thanks to much of the extra dramatic meat being cut out of Scott’s initial version). Time passes in chunks in between scenes in many instances, requiring viewers to pay extra attention or lose their place.

Scott is a very skilled filmmaker, and that is clear again with Exodus: Gods and Kings. Aesthetically, the film showcases the stark juxtaposition between the wealthy Egyptian lords and the impoverished slaves – possibly drawing comparisons to the ever-widening wealth gap in the western world (let alone the rest of the world). Some fear that if the struggling classes ever really found out how the very wealthy live, there would be a revolution. Maybe that sounds dramatic and far-fetched, but history shows us that it has happen again and again throughout time – this film detailing one of the most famous (along with its overlying religious aspects).

Scott takes a very evenhanded approach to religion in Kingdom of Heaven, treating Islam with respect and fairness, when many films focus more on the negative factions (something that seems to tinge many, if not all, religions). Here, Scott is less so. The Egyptians are portrayed as many villains are in many films of this nature – entitled, ambivalent and uncaring. The slaves are just that, not deserving a second thought. The slaves are a subspecies in their minds, existing only to benefit their interests, and thus do not deserve the same rights and freedoms. When the Jewish god unleashes the plagues upon the Egyptian people. They are bewildered, refusing to accept that this god is more powerful than their own, that these people should be set free. Ramses sees himself as a god on Earth. He just cannot accept that to be untrue, as it crushes his whole way of life, his whole belief system. The brisk pacing does not give Scott the opportunity to explore the Egyptians any further, leaving them mostly as seemingly out-of-touch, arrogant villains – even though there are certainly strong hints that Scott intended much more depth.

The portrayal of god in the film, as a young boy, is an interesting choice. In the story, god must do great and terrible things to the Egyptians. Things that seem cruel and viscous, but they are done because the Egyptians (and Ramses) just will not accept the truth of the circumstances, because it goes against everything they believe. I think Scott chose god to be seen as a small child to juxtapose the terror he must rain upon the Egyptians with the innocence of a small child. Although, at the same time, young children can also be the most cruel and vicious when left to their own devices. Without societal pressures and laws obstructing them, children have been shown to act sometimes without compassion (think of the classic example: Lord of the Flies), exhibiting our natural tendencies for survival, stronger oppressing the weaker. A childlike god, though capable of love and compassion, might also act when angered with unabated rage and cruelty.

In many ways, Exodus; Gods and Kings is a disappointing film, as Scott’s films always have so much promise (based on the great works of his past). It features all the ingredients to be something special and yet it is lacking – namely in dramatic weight and fuller supporting characters. Scott does do a good job with the central drama of the film, as Moses and Ramses are fleshed out and their narrative is compelling, but everything else feels incomplete – and it probably has do to with the film being revised down from its original longer version for theatrical release. As I said above, it is too bad. But, hopefully, the film as it was initially intended will be released later (as Kingdom of Heaven and Blade Runner’s director’s cut eventually were).

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Ridley Scott makes fantastically impressive visual films. Exodus: Gods and Kings follows in that tradition. Visually speaking, it is quite entertaining on a spectacle level with a grand scope and scale. Scott also garners very good performances as well, and this too is true of this film. Despites the film’s commercial and critical failings, I do hope to see Scott’s director’s cut at some point (assuming it is released) and his next film The Martian, coming next year.

On a quick side note, with Exodus: Gods and Kings and Noah. It is interesting to see biblical stories being portrayed in a darker manner, stripping away some of the overly rosy arbitrage and getting right at the heart of what is actually transpiring. In each story, god’s actions directly result in the death of thousands (millions in Noah’s case) of people. The films do not just focus on the justification of these actions (be them teaching humanity a lesson or helping his people find freedom) but also on the gravity of the actions, which is much more compelling.

Back to the aesthetics, composer Alberto Iglesias provides a score for the film that tonally fits well and captures the flavor of the time and place. Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski’s photography is very good, as he uses mostly a more washed out color palate, which too fits the darker tone the film has. His work, along with production designer Arthur Max’s (whose sets, as always, are brilliant), also highlights the striking economic differences between the Egyptian lords, who are covered in clean whites and gold jewelry, inhabiting expansive homes, and the slaves, who are packed in dirty, crowded, cramped environments. The Egyptians are all very manicured and without facial hair (assuming I remember correctly) while the slaves are bearded and somewhat unkempt. Interestingly, Moses has a beard from the start, but it is much more groomed than any of the slaves’ beards. As he comes to accept his place among them as their leader, his beard becomes more unwieldy.

There are quite a few name actors in the film who have had their roles essentially cut out due to most of the supporting character work and excess drama being taken out. Aaron Paul, Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley almost have nothing to do in the film (outside of a scene, here or there).  Indira Varma, Maria Valverde and John Turturro are good in small supporting roles. Ewen Bremner plays a scientist of sorts in the Egyptian court, explaining the logic behind the plagues, assuring that they are not acts from an angry god. He is just fantastic and goofy in the small role. Ben Mendelsohn, also in a small role, playing the corrupt Egyptian Viceroy Hegep, who outs Moses to Ramses, is wonderful as well. He is so smarmy and slimy. He is a great character actor – one of the best currently. Joel Edgerton is very good as Ramses, bringing the right mix of entitlement, compassion and utter bewilderment about what is happening to the role. In lesser hands, Ramses would have been a one dimensional, boring villain, but here he is a full character. Christian Bale is excellent as Moses (as he generally is in everything he does). He is able to convey the heartbreak of his deteriorating relationship with his brother and the pain of finding out the truth about himself. The scenes with god could have played as being a bit odd, Moses conversing with a young boy, but Bale plays the scenes with complete commitment. Despite the gutting the film seems to have gone through during its final edit, it still works thanks in most part of Bale’s great performance.

Summary & score: Exodus: Gods and Kings lacks emotional and dramatic depth, and yet it is still an entertaining, visually compelling and overall solid epic due to Ridley Scott’s fine directing and strong central characters (and great leading performances), overcoming its shortcomings. 7/10

Movie of the Week – Kingdom of Heaven

This week’s movie: Kingdom of Heaven (2005) – Director’s Cut

After being sought out by his estranged father (back from the Crusades) in France, Balian decides to follow his father back to Jerusalem to start a new life (during the 12^th century). When he gets there, he finds the region embroiled in a deadly struggle as Christian and Muslim hostilities put their truce in jeopardy. The only thing holding the peace together is the just King of Jerusalem; however, he is unwell and near death. Balian pledges himself to the defense of the King and the people of Jerusalem, placing him right in the middle of the struggle.

Kingdom of Heaven is maybe director Ridley Scott’s most epic film to date, as its scope and scale are comparable to that of Lawrence of Arabia (a film that seems to have been a big influence). Scott set out to make an epic in the style of old Hollywood classics (complete with a musical overture, intermission and musical entr’acte). Composer Harry Gregson-Williams delivers his career-best score (it is phenomenal). Cinematographer John Mathieson and production designer Arthur Max also do great work.

The film stars Orlando Bloom and has an impressive supporting cast, including: Michael Sheen, David Thewlis, Liam Neeson, Kevin McKidd, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Marton Csokas, Alexander Siddig, Eva Green, Brendan Gleeson, Jeremy Irons, Edward Norton, Ghassan Massoud, Ian Glen, and Robert Pugh.

Twentieth Century Fox was skeptical that releasing a film with a runtime over three hours would prove to be financially sound. Thus, they recut Scott’s film to be 144 minutes and released it to mild reviews and domestic box office (grossing just $211 million worldwide against its $130 million production budget, only $47 million domestically). Critics complained that the film felt incomplete and lacking texture. Fox’s cut left the film to play as a blockbuster when the film is really so much more (actually having something of substance to say about religious tolerance). Thankfully, Scott’s director’s cut was released later. The film is restored to its 190 minute runtime with much more depth and historical perspective. It is by no means a perfect film, but as an epic costume drama it plays quite well. It is well-worth checking out for fans of epic films in the classical style.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray

Movies Spotlight – December 2014 – Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott is a British film director and producer who has made many of our most iconic films since his breakthrough with 1979’s Alien. He is known for his stunning visuals and often his grand scale and scope.

This month he has a new epic – Exodus: Gods and Kings – telling the tale of Moses and Rhamses. They grew up as brothers (Moses, an adopted brother), but as they became men their paths deviated. Moses saw the tyranny by which Rhamses ruled and the cruelty he showed his slaves, many of which shared the same background as Moses. They were just less fortunate. Seeing only injustice, Moses decides to lead a slave rebellion against Rhamses with the endgame of finding the slaves a new home as freed men. Here is the trailer.

Early Career:

Scott attended the Royal College of Art, helping to establish its film department. He started making short films and working as a production designer during the early 1960s. He also began directing episodes of British television. In 1968, Scott and his brother Tony founded Ridley Scott Associates, a film and commercial production company. Scott directed numerous commercials during the 1970s.

In 1977 with The Duellists, Scott made his feature film directing debut. The film won Best First Film at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival. The film is about two officers, D’Hubert and Feraud, who have a life-long grudge with one and other, engaging in multiple duels seeking justice for their perceived grievances.

Science Fiction:

The Duelists made Scott a star director overnight, allowing him to pursue projects in Hollywood. His initial plan was to next adapt Tristan and Iseult, but then he saw Star Wars. This changed everything. He became enthralled by large scale, effects-driven films and science fiction. Scott accepted the job to direct Alien. The film was a smash hit critically and commercially, as Scott expertly created a cinematic experience that is both a terrifying horror movie and a cool and visually impressive sci-fi adventure featuring a strong female lead (Ripley played by Sigourney Weaver). Directors are still trying to replicate it to this day (including Scott himself).

Next, Scott made what is probably an even better sci-fi film with 1982’s Blade Runner. Here, Scott works with Star Wars’ star Harrison Ford, in a film that blends sci-fi elements with a hard-boiled detective narrative. It is a masterpiece of design, style and directing. And, like Alien, Blade Runner again redefined the sci-fi genre.

From there, Scott made the adventure fantasy Legend, starring Tom Cruise, the poorly received crime drama Someone to Watch Over Me, and the action thriller Black Rain with Michael Douglas.

Scott once again found his touch with 1991’s Thelma & Louise, telling the tale of two women who murder a rapist and then go on the run. Again, Scott made a film that is iconic to this day (especially the film’s ending) – also, look out for a young Brad Pitt. Scott earned his first Best Director Oscar nomination for his work on the film.

Scott finished off the 1990s with three less than stellar outings. First, the Christopher Columbus biopic 1942: Conquest of Paradise (a film that paints Columbus as more of a villain, contrary to the popular view at the time), then the doomed sailing adventure drama White Squall, and finally G.I. Jane, an action drama starring Demi Moore about a woman who is offered the chance to be the first female trainee in the U.S. Navy’s elite SEAL/C.R.T. selection program (it is probably Scott’s worst film to date).

Award-Winning:

In 2000, Scott directed his greatest critical triumph, Gladiator. The film also marks the director’s first collaboration with Russell Crowe, whom he has worked with four more times since. The film about a Roman general who is betrayed and sold into slavery only to return to Rome years later to seek revenge as a gladiator won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor (for Crowe). Scott received his second Best Director nomination.

Scott next made the forgettable The Silence of the Lambs sequel Hannibal (side note, watch Bryan Fuller’s TV series Hannibal; it is brilliant); however, he followed it up with his best film of the decade: Black Hawk Down. This war drama recounting the true events of a failed mission by U.S. armed forces in Somalia garnered Scott his third Best Director nomination. It is gripping and one of the best war films ever made.

Scott then directed the fun crime drama Matchstick Men about a phobic con artist and his protégé who are about to make a big score when his teenage daughter suddenly crashes the party. It features a great performance from Sam Rockwell.

Scott next returned to epic historical dramas with Kingdom of Heaven. The film has a massive scope and scale as well as a wonderful cast. Scott’s director’s cut of the film was deemed too long to be released in theaters by Twentieth Century Fox. Thus, they release a shorter, lesser cut. The film played to mild reviews and box office. Thankfully, Scott’s cut was eventually released. It is well worth seeking out.

Scott then set up three films with Russell Crowe to close out the decade. The first is the mediocre romance drama A Good Year about a career obsessed man who has a life revelation while in Provence. Next, the very good biographical gangster film American Gangster about Frank Lucas and the cop who took him down (Denzel Washington is quite good as Lucas). And lastly, the action thriller Body of Lies, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio. What makes the film unique and interesting (in addition to it being a strong thriller) is that it takes the position that maybe U.S. intelligence tactics are flawed.

Trying Something New & Revisiting the Past:

Okay, Scott made one more film with Russell Crowe, throwing his hat into the Robin Hood adaptation bin. The film finds Robin in the thirteenth century as a man who conspires to combat local corruption in his village – an uprising that leads to a power struggle with the crown itself. It was not well-received, but personally I think it is a decent enough action adventure drama.

Scott then decided to return to his past, making a prequel to maybe his most famous film, Alien, in the form of Prometheus. It is a highly flawed film, as the story and character motivations are pretty well ridiculous; but visually, it is marvelous. Scott again does make something that is stylistically impressive and fairly scary and thrilling as well. It is just too bad that the film makes almost no sense.

Author Cormac McCarthy writes very dense novels. The most popular adaptation of one of his works his the Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men. McCarthy met with Scott, however, to try something different, making his first foray into screenwriting. Their collaboration gave birth to The Counselor, probably 2013’s most misunderstood film. It is brilliant, as it tackles the nature of good and evil within man, playing out mostly through a series of conversations. Critics and viewers expected something different, something more action-packed. It is a gem that will eventually find its audience.

Upcoming Projects:

Scott has a number of science fiction projects upcoming. The first, due in 2015, is The Martian. It is about an astronaut who is stranded on Mars, struggling to survive until help can reach him (or her). Scott has assembled quite a cast with Jessica Chastain, Matt Damon, Jeff Daniels, Kate Mara, Kristen Wiig, Sean Bean, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

In 2016 and beyond, Scott has a sequel to Prometheus, a sequel to Blade Runner and a sci-fi thriller series set up at Fox called The Hot Zone.

Scott Free, Producing Films and TV:

Through his production company Scott Free Productions, Scott has also produced a number of highly successful films and television programs. Here are the highlights: In Her Shoes, Tristan + Isolde, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Cracks, The A-Team, The Grey, Stoker, Out of the Furnace, The Gathering Storm, The Company, The Good Wife, and The Pillars of the Earth.

Upcoming, Scott is producing the eagerly anticipated NFL Concussion drama (currently untitled) from Peter Landesman, starring Will Smith.

Career Highlights:

1)      The Duellists (1977) – director (Blu-ray, Video On-Demand, Trailer)

2)      Alien (1979)* – director (Blu-ray, VideoOn-Demand, Trailer)

3)      Blade Runner (1982)* – director (Blu-ray, VideoOn-Demand, Trailer)

4)      Thelma & Louise (1991) – director, producer (Blu-ray, Video On-Demand, Trailer)

5)      Gladiator (2000) – director, producer (Blu-ray, VideoOn-Demand, Trailer)

6)      Black Hawk Down (2001)* – director, producer (Blu-ray, Video On-Demand, Trailer)

7)      Matchstick Men (2003) – director, producer (DVD, Video On-Demand, Trailer)

8)      Kingdom of Heaven (2005)* – director, producer (Blu-ray, Video On-Demand, Trailer)

9)      American Gangster (2007) – director, producer (Blu-ray, Video On-Demand, Trailer)

10)   Body of Lies (2008) – director, producer (Blu-ray, Video On-Demand, Trailer)

11)   Prometheus (2012) – director, producer (Blu-ray, Video On-Demand, Trailer)

12)   The Counselor (2013)* – director, producer (Blu-ray, Video On-Demand, Trailer)

*Editor’s picks

Top 100 Films of the 20th Century – Part 15: 35-31

40-36

Rank: 35

Title: Blade Runner

Release Year: 1982

Genre: Sci-Fi Action/Mystery

Director: Ridley Scott

Cast: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah, and William Sanderson

Plot Summary: Rick Deckard is a blade runner, hot on the trail of four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator. Deckard is charged with terminating the replicants, as they have broken the law and are very dangerous.

What Makes It Special: Blade Runner masterfully blends the hard-boiled detective and sci-fi genres, creating a film that is both visually striking and profoundly engaging. It is a film that has seen multiple cuts (I personally like Ridley Scott’s Final Cut the most) and started many debates regarding the meaning of the film and whether or not Deckard is himself a replicant as well. Blade Runner offers sci-fi fans everything the genre promises to be (visually and philosophically), coming together with beauty, intellect, and emotional depth.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

Rank: 34

Title: Sunset Blvd.

Release Year: 1950

Genre: Film-Noir/Drama

Director: Billy Wilder

Cast: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, and Nancy Olson

Plot Summary: Somewhat desperate for work, screenwriter Joe Gillis is hired by aging former silent cinema star Norma Desmond to write her a new film that will hopefully rejuvenate her career.

What Makes It Special: Sunset Blvd. takes film-noir in a different direction. Usually, it is a style used for mysteries and detective films, but here Billy Wilder uses it to create a sense of faded glory that has stripped away everything revealing a monster (Norma Desmond). The cinematography is wonderful with a stark contrast between its blacks and whites, accentuating the noir style. The film also features one of cinema’s grandest performances, as Gloria Swanson’s Desmond overwhelms each scene. As the drama plays, Joe Gillis finds that he is not some much a guest or employee of Desmond’s but rather that he is a prisoner that she has lured in and trapped forever in her mad, dark world. This is especially a gem for cinephiles, as it features cameos from some of cinema’s greatest silent film era stars and filmmakers.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

Rank: 33

Title: Once Upon a Time in the West

Release Year: 1968

Genre: Western

Director: Sergio Leone

Cast: Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, Charles Bronson, and Gabriele Ferzetti

Plot Summary: A ruthless assassin working for a railroad baron sets his sights on a beautiful woman. He kills her family to claim her and her land for himself; however, a mysterious stranger with a harmonica teams up with a notorious desperado to help her, setting up a showdown.

What Makes It Special: Once Upon a Time in the West is a fantastic epic spaghetti western, featuring all the iconic troupes the genre is known for as well as one of Ennio Morricone’s best scores. The western genre is all but dead today, but grand films like Once Upon a Time in the West saw it at its artistic height. This is a must-see for all fans of the genre.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

Rank: 32

Title: Some Like It Hot

Release Year: 1959

Genre: Screwball Comedy

Director: Billy Wilder

Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon.

Plot Summary: Joe and Jerry are two Chicago musicians who witness a mob hit. In a frantic attempt to escape the mob’s clutches, they pretend to be women, disguising themselves and joining an all-female band on its way to Florida. Complications arise when Joe finds himself falling for a ukulele player in the group named Sugar Kane Kowalczyk and Jerry is pursued by a millionaire (who really does think he is a woman). All this and somehow the mob has still tracked them down.

What Makes It Special: Some Like It Hot is a bit of a throwback to the 1930s. Billy Wilder brings back the screwball comedy style, creating wonderful hijinks and laughs using the classic ploy of men dressing up as women (my first film experience of this was Nuns on the Run, but there are many instances). The film is infectiously funny, succeeding on the pure comic genius of Jack Lemmon and his chemistry with Tony Curtis. Marilyn Monroe is also at her best in the film. Comedy has seldom been funnier or better done in cinema.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

Rank: 31

Title: The Night of the Hunter

Release Year: 1955

Genre: Horror/Drama

Director: Charles Laughton

Cast: Robert Mitchum, Shelly Winters, and Lillian Gish

Plot Summary: Harry Powell shares a cell with Ben Harper where he hears how Harper hid $10,000.00 he stole somewhere on his land. Powell is released from prison and Harper is hanged for his crimes. Powell makes his way to the Harper homestead to find the money. He takes advantage of Harper’s gullible widow, but the two young children are reluctant to tell him where the money is hidden.

What Makes It Special: The Night of the Hunter is one of the most artistically compelling films in cinema history. It plays like a nightmare, with scary almost fantasy imagery and Robert Mitchum is brilliant as the murderous villain Harry Powell, who uses charm and religious fanaticism to trick and deceive all around him. The great actor Charles Laughton only directed one film, but what a film he made. The noirish cinematography and production design alone are magnificent. The Night of the Hunter is a strange and special film, the likes of which cinema will probably never see again.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

30-26