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Hi folksI've watched a couple of thousand movies over the last few years. Most of the established great movies are already known, but I have made some discoveries which have either fallen out of the spotlight or have cropped up out of the blue. Here goes:
Marketa Lazarova (1967) - A three hour Czech avant-garde masterpiece, which the Czechs voted the best Czech movie of all time. Set in the 13th century and dealing with a family blood-feud, it is reminiscent of Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev. Warning - you will have to watch this movie several times before it makes sense. The Criterion Blu-Ray is hands down the best black and white transfer I have ever seen. Mind-blowing.
Tess (1979) - Directed by Roman Polanski. I hadn't seen this before. The Blu-Ray is stunning. It's a long, but never boring, movie that entrances you with its deliberately slow pacing. I don't think a movie like this would ever be made these days.
Croupier (1998) - Directed by Mike "Get Carter" Hodges. After a string of duds in the 1980s, Hodges returns to form with this film noir starring the young-looking Clive Owen. Like the title suggests, it's about a croupier who gets dragged into criminal intrigue.
Pale Flower (1964) - A Japanese film noir about a Yakuza, recently released from jail, who meets a strange woman at a gambling joint. They try to outdo each other in excess. This movie out-noirs the best of the American noirs of the 1940s for atmosphere. Incredible Criterion Blu-Ray.
The Servant (1963) - Directed by Joseph Losey, from a Harold Pinter screenplay. Psycho-drama about a rich man and his servant.
The Go-Between (1970) - Another Losey/Pinter collaboration. A young boy goes to a country estate for the summer and becomes the romantic go-between for a rich woman and a working-class man. Another Pinter attack on the class system, but done well.
Monsieur Klein (1976) - Directed by Joseph Losey, starring Alain Delon. Set in WWII, it features an Aryan art dealer who takes advantage of Jewish art collectors to line his own pockets. However, when a Jewish newspaper is deliverd to his address (addressed to another Mr Klein, who is Jewish), it starts a Kafkaesque ball rolling.
3 Women (1977) - Directed by Robert Altman. Surreal, trippy and hypnotic tale of two women, Sissy Spacek and Shelley Duvall, who work together, but who gradually change places with each other. Inspired by a dream Altman had, this movie defies categorization.
The Cruel Sea (1953) - From the Ealing studios. Probably the best portrayal of naval life during WWII.
Ice Cold In Alex (1958) - Directed by J Lee Thompson. Probably the best portrayal of the North African campaign of WWII. Fantastic-looking Blu-Ray.
Above Us The Waves (1955) - Probably the second-best WWII submarine movie, after Das Boot.
The Duellists (1977) - Ridley Scott's first movie. Brilliant historical grudge match. Unfortunately the Blu-Ray is terrible.
Le Silence de la Mer (1949) - John-Pierre Melville's first movie. A taught psycho-drama between a French family forced to billet a German officer during WWII. Only one of the characters speaks. A demonstration that voice-over can indeed drive narrative.
Odd Man Out (1947) - Directed by Carol Reed. Suspenseful film noir set in Ireland. Every bit as good as The Third Man.
Wake In Fright (1971) - Directed by Ted Kotcheff. Lost for many years, now available on a heavily DNRd Blu-Ray. The story is the surreal wandering of an English teacher in the Australian outback. Warning for the squeamish - lots of kangaroos are slaughtered in this movie. I think this is better than Nic Roeg's Walkabout.
Rapture (1965) - Directed by John Guillermin. This is a haunting movie about a young girl (played by Patricia Gozzi) who develops a friendship with an escaped convict.
Sundays and Cybele (1962) - Also starring Patricia Gozzi who, like in Rapture, forms a friendship with an older man; this time a battle-scarred pilot.
That's it for now. Anyone else want to add to the list?
Edits: 09/04/13Follow Ups:
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