Peeter Sauter

Comments

Professione: reporter

Perhaps essence of Antonioni. Personal identity crisis story. But there is more. Close to camus' novel The Stranger. Existential crisis. Collapse of modern man. Both are followers of Kafka (but there are no good films after Kafka).

Stalker

Not sure it is the best Tarkovsky. But here come long quiet episodes that carry well. Japanese are also sometimes good at that. Tarkovsky's crisis is not only personal. It is social, religious maybe, existential in different way than Antonioni.

Aguirre, Wrath of God

Severe questioning of oneself, purpose in life, your passionate quest, can take to absurd and cruelty, at the same can be sensitive, passionate. On the verge of madness. How far can you let yourself to plunge into irreality? Can you sacrifice others for noble purpose. A thousand years of crusades in different parts of world taken together.

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

Here perhaps for style renewal, predecessor of Tarantino, following after French film noir (which is perhaps sometimes better and so is Tarantino), but still I would pay respects to Cassavetes' madness. Perhaps for his independent attitude and approach. Example that you can make good film without famous names. Ok, it will not travel far, but still is value.

PROVA D'ORCHESTRA

A simple, but significant parable. Deep, but easy. Improvisation in film, which later has become more important.

Well, one Fellini should be on the list. Why not the one where he can take it with ease?

"my friend ivan lapshin"

A good example of Russian kitchen-sink drama. Full of exact details. A picture of a certain era. Attitudes, morals and immorality, absurd. Without giving any meaning or moral.

Nanook of the North

A breakthrough in doc film. Getting close to natives. (But also making rehearsed fake scenes). All that was beginning of something that is still in use.

Les FAVORIS DE LA LUNE

Just to have in one film of Georgian background, although the film was made in France. Ioseliani carries on Jaques Tati's easiness and sees world as a sequence of bizarre happening of strange humans who all follow their own interests, but are a bit ridiculous, though sincere. Close to Fellini's Amarcord. Ioseliani is not sarcastic, nor critical of anyone. Human approach. Although also absurd. Some Asian films have got close to that attitude in recent years.

REKOPIS ZNALEZIONY W SARAGOSSIE

A breakthrough into story in story structure. And multiple turning points or plot points. Has been basis of many later film scripts. Perhaps not the most well-known Polish cinema, but one from Poland should be included.

Rashomon

A multiple-point-of-view story. Similar reasons to include as with Saragossa. Plus also to include Japanese film and one Kurosawa. This film from 1950 works well even now. Tense plot and well cut. Or good story well told.

Further remarks

Perhaps my choice was rather to cover different script approaches, different cultures and styles - than to find very best films. Which seems impossible task. And with that my choices could perhaps differ daily.