Geoff Dunbar

Comments

Andrei Rublev

A wonderful piece of work, breathtaking in its breadth and depth. I can assume it is historically accurate as the director was deeply passionate about his art and all of his films are crafted with great skill and finesse.

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

Sunrise has always captivated me; still in the silent era, yet the industry is closing in on the sound revolution. Sunrise is the consummate movie – as good as a Rembrandt painting. It’s all there: story, characters,

set design, lighting – all before 1930. The fairground sequence is astonishing in its inventiveness. A great movie! Maybe the greatest.

Broken Blossoms or the Yellow Man and the Girl

A great, powerful work by D.W. Griffith, with wonderful performances by Lillian Gish and Richard Barthelmess.

A young Donald Crisp appears as the brutal father, extraordinary acting for the photoplay genre.

This movie sits firmly in the pantheon of movie greats! Lillian Gish’s performance is totally captivating.

Along with Sunrise, it puts the silent movie on an equal plane with theatre, opera, etc.

In the Mood for Love

Divine, a film I want to pour into a glass and slowly sip, never reaching the end.

Bambi

As with all Disney works prior to Walt’s demise, the class of filmmaking is second to none!

But in Bambi the tight construction is just tremendous! The timing, the laying out of the chapters and the cute animation are all of the highest order.

The way we are introduced to the characters! The swinging start to the springtime (drip! drop! drip! drop! etc.),

just marvellous! The art and talent involved in the making of Bambi is a celebration of the genre.

Les Enfants du paradis

A film that envelops and wraps you up in its drama and romance. The genius of Jean Louis Barrault is mesmerising, and one falls deeply in love with Arletty.

Such a wonderful piece of work; perfect storylines, lighting, staging – not to be missed in a lifetime!

A masterwork.

My Neighbour Totoro

Another great milestone in moviemaking. Miyazaki reinvented the animated feature with his design and movement. I love the characterisation, the style of movement – limited yet superbly studied.

The sequence in the forest at the bus stop is a magnificent mini film in itself.

The Last Picture Show

A beautifully nostalgic work; how we yearn for our Picture Palaces.

The Last Picture Show evokes that time of the dying of the small cinemas, the gathering of the communities

sharing the adventure and romance of the movies, of a time gone by.

Great performances, great detail and passion and great bottom scratching by Timothy Bottoms.

L' Homme Qui Plantait Des Arbres

One of the greatest drawn-animated films of all time. It's difficult to imagine this story being told in any other way: the gentle beauty, the easy pacing and wonderful casting of voiceover for all the versions.

Transitional animation at its very best – great design, great animation!

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

This film is one that changed my outlook on life and work. This superb period of socialist art was liberating beyond measure – Billy Liar, Room at the Top, etc. – opening a window, letting fresh spring air fill the room. Beautifully crafted performances, miraculous! Interesting that it takes a Czech genius to peer in from the outside and see the passion and drama of our society – in whatever so-called level it takes place, particularly in the 60s!

Further remarks

Well, I'm looking back on this list and wondering how many hundreds of films I could have included here.

Whatever! I am honoured to have been asked and hope my selection is of interest.