I think in order to get the wheels turning I need to introduce myself. But not in a bullshit way. I really don't think you give a damn what I do at all. If you're on a blog called "Alex Hall Film Analysis", I'm pretty damn sure that you're interested in film. So that's what I'm going to give you. But the way I'm going to acquaint you with myself is expose you to my taste and personal (as well as current views) on film.
The reason I say current is, taste changes. Especially in formative years, which I'm unfortunately facing at the moment. I can't tell you how much I embarrass myself with my faux-intellectual shit and what kind of trouble that gets me into. I look back at things I've written and feel shame, and also the over powering need to delete whatever fucking evidence there is that I'm a complete idiot.
I must say I get off topic often. But let's just get started. I think the best way to show you who I am is to give you the low down. My top 15 favorite directors.
DIRECTORS
15.
WONG-KAR WAI
The hong-kong prodigy of
Jean-Luc Godard is one of world cinema's finest contributors. His films are all beautifully composed and richly detailed. For example, any
Wes Anderson fan looking for a bridge into foreign cinema, Kar-Wai is your man. My personal favorite Kar-Wai feature is 1994's
CHUNGKING EXPRESS. An ode to the love of making cinema. Well, that's not quite what the film is about, but that's what it is to me. His use of lighting and camera work will make any appreciative film goer's mouth drop in awe and likewise to anybody who respects art in general.
14.
WOODY ALLEN
The legendary filmmaker, comic, writer, actor, etc. Woody Allen is one of the greatest minds of the 20th century. His comic genius is unparalleled, and he's one of the finest writers in the history film. Allen has a distinct voice that screams philosophical issues, existential crisis, neurotic existence, and the light shade of the dark human condition. Like his idols
Ingmar Bergman &
Federico Fellini, Allen has a body of work that really speaks for itself. He has made over 40 films. Some good, some bad, a decent portion of them are brilliant. He has a wonderful range of talent (on and off screen), and is one of the most valuable voices in film today.
13.
DAVID LYNCH
A visionary director like David Lynch needs no introduction. His films are often baffling, and surreal. I like to think of him as if
Bunuel's surrealism morphed with
Kubrick's atmosphere,
Antonioni's mystery, and
Tarkovsky's imagery. I'm not incredibly enamored by all of Lynch's work, but there are those few that just strike me like lightning.
12.
JIM JARMUSCH
Before
Napoleon Dynamite or
Wes Anderson there was Jim fucking Jarmusch. The king of deadpan. His debut
STRANGER THAN PARADISE is among one of the greatest film debuts of all time. He single handedly relit the torch
John Cassavetes had lit in 1959 with his debut
Shadows. Jarmusch became the leader of the 1980's independent movement that included the likes of
Spike Lee and others. His films are funny, poignant, and not easily categorizable. Don't let me make you think he ever made the same film twice. Jarmusch was a guy of tremendous range. One could look at
GHOST DOG and
BROKEN FLOWERS, and then see
MYSTERY TRAIN and
DOWN BY LAW. I'm sure that within the confides of those films you'll see a range that retains that original voice.
11.
LOUIS MALLE
A criminally underrated auteur, Louis Malle made many great films. The thing that is most admiral for me is they were all things that Malle was interested in. Whether it was the French occupation with
AU REVOIR, LES ENFANTS and
LACOMBRE, LUCIEN, adolescence with
MURMUR OF THE HEART and
ZAZIE DANS LE METRO, the creative process with
MY DINNER WITH ANDRE and
VANYA ON 42ND STREET, or just the miscellaneous
ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS,
ATLANTIC CITY, and
BLACK MOON. Oh yeah, did I mention all of those films are great? Malle was another director who's body of work and range meant everything. See a theme developing here? I believe that range and bodies of work make a director one of the best.
10.
JEAN-PIERRE MELVILLE
Maaaan. Melville's style is a spell. To me he's the greatest magician. Honestly, no film inspires me more to make my own films than Melville's 1968 masterpiece
LE SAMOURAI. This is due to his flawless ability to cut audio to video. Simple as that. All of his films are stylistically significant, but never overbearing. What he is trying to say isn't always obvious, which is why his films are so interesting. His films are truly something you have to see to understand or (believe so to speak).
9.
TERRENCE MALICK
Beauty is the word. Malick paints portraits so vividly and colorfully I could never dismiss him. The dismissive nature of most of the population who hate Terrence Malick's art is painful to me. I still can't understand why the ambition of his films makes people react so negatively. I'll never forget the religious experience I had watching
THE TREE OF LIFE and everybody else stood up and recoiled. One man even hissed at the screen in the aisle of the theater when the titles closed. I personally feel all of Malick's work to be some of the best ever done. I will forever associate the word "beauty" with
DAYS OF HEAVEN,
THE THIN RED LINE and Terrence Malick.
8.
JOHN CASSAVETES
Do you like films that weren't made in Hollywood and had monster budgets, special effects, and millions of dollars to make? Well, if so I do believe you owe a man by the name of John Cassavetes a bit of gratitude. He's the reason why you have movies that aren't all mindless popcorn fairs. Cassavetes made the first ever independent films. He came at a very significant time too. Just when the studio system in America had crashed, and all of the films that were actually of merit were made overseas (particularly in France, Japan, Italy, and Germany) Cassavetes brought together a group of actors in workshop that he ran and made personal stories all about the way humans have relationships with one another. All of his films are a testament to superb acting captured on film.
A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE in my opinion, features the greatest female performance ever put on film by
Gena Rowlands (Cassavetes' real life wife). So really, his films taught us all who aspire to make films what it takes to make them and what a legacy can create.
7.
INGMAR BERGMAN
One of the most talented directors of all time, Ingmar Bergman made several films. Many of these films are well regarded classics. One cannot forget the haunting images of death playing chess with the knight in Bergman's epic tale
THE SEVENTH SEAL which comes closer than any other film to finding the meaning of life. If that doesn't intrigue you enough to watch his films I don't know what will. You will be immersed into somber black & white explorations like nothing else you've seen. Even Bergman's later work in color like
FANNY AND ALEXANDER ,
CRIES AND WHISPERS, and
AUTUMN SONATA hold the same thematic elements and style. His whole body of work makes up this whole grandiose masterpiece which is why watching a majority of his films are essential and rewarding.
6.
AKIRA KUROSAWA
The William Shakespeare of cinema. Every film cliche there is, Kurosawa probably wrote it. This man inspired everyone before and after him. New Hollywood guys like
Martin Scorsese,
Francis Ford Coppola,
Steven Spielberg, and
George Lucas would of never been had it not have been for Kurosawa. I feel his his presence in films more often that not. Even in
Star Wars Kurosawa was given his homage. R2-D2 & C-3P0 are directly derived from two bumbling morons wondering in
THE HIDDEN FORTRESS. This man is owed his respect by everyone in the film community.
5.
JEAN-LUC GODARD
The rebellious revolutionary. Jean-Luc Godard himself, broke every rule hollywood set in the book. He made what he wanted and didn't take shit from anybody. His character may come into question for me personally but the man was a brilliant talent. His debut feature
BREATHLESS is one of the most significant films in history. It marked the date of a new movement. The infamous French New Wave. Then off he went! Making masterpiece after masterpiece and the public always indulging (no matter good or bad). Almost a similar figure to
Quentin Tarantino back in the 90's. It seems strangely fitting how Tarantino named his production company A Band Apart after Godard's Bande a part or
BAND OF OUTSIDERS. Godard is still alive today (off his rocker with
FILM SOCIALISME but let's not get into that) and still making films. Godard's legend stands today, and his name will always be alongside the word genius.
4.
FRANCOIS TRUFFAUT
After the legend
Jean-Luc Godard there was a fellow New Wave icon named Francois Truffaut who was much more humble and personal. His debut film
THE 400 BLOWS is in my eyes the greatest debut film of all time. It's sincerity and heart give the film such power that it stands the test of time. The man who made it made many other films of it's kind. Personal stories that a viewer can empathize and share experiences with. The sheer joy of
JULES AND JIM springs to mind when I think about the love Truffaut had for cinema.
3.
STANLEY KUBRICK
What can I say that hasn't already been said? Kubrick is easily one of the greatest minds ever to inhabit the earth not just in film, in general. He's the greatest visionary ever to touch a camera. I'm telling you my favorite directors right now, but above all Kubrick is the greatest. There is a difference between greatest and favorite. Like how I say that his film
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY is the greatest film ever made. He made perfect films. His body of work is unmatched by anybody. Nobody has made better satires than
DR. STRANGELOVE, nobody has made better anti-war films than
PATHS OF GLORY or
FULL METAL JACKET, or Sci-Fi films better than
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE or
2001. or even horror films better than
THE SHINING. (That's right
Hitchcock.) Kubrick is the one and only. The master of all motion picture.
2.
MARTIN SCORSESE
You know you're great when your name is synonymous with film in general. That's what Scorsese means basically. He makes the most entertaining pictures. The complete packages. Entertainment and art seamlessly married. His creations are the fabric of contemporary film. From the gritty darkness of
MEAN STREETS,
TAXI DRIVER, and
RAGING BULL to the similar grit & darkness but edge of
GOODFELLAS and
THE DEPARTED. No matter what, Scorsese is cinema.
1.
PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON
To me there is nobody out there right now who I am looking forward to their next film more then Paul Thomas Anderson. He's the one. The prodigy. Contemporary film's savoir. I personally believe he's the one who's going to be remembered. Above that he's going to down with the greats alike. That's all I have to say though. I've literally spent hours writing this and now I think we're are acquainted. I'm going to now get some much needed sleep that I've neglected so I could write this shit for whoever may be reading this. More awaits.
