Michaelangelo

[TQM]

Antonioni too.

First Bergman, now Antonioni.

There are periodic posts about greatest films ever here - the former's The Seventh Seal and the latter's Blow Up simply had to be in your top 30 somewhere if you wanted credibility.

Antonioni's influence isn't as widespread as Bergman's - but he certainly begat filmakers like Wim Wenders.

Not that my opinion matters, but the brilliance (to me) of Blow Up was that you had to work your way through a meandering first half hour, not undertanding that the film was actually going somewhere - all leading to the breathtaking ending. This is in sharp contrast to the Hollywood tradition of spelling everything out for the viewer turning film into pablum.

He made his films for himself, first and foremost - not a bad philosophy, if you ask me.

 

[Questor]

Antonioni too.

First Bergman, now Antonioni.

There are periodic posts about greatest films ever here - the former's The Seventh Seal and the latter's Blow Up simply had to be in your top 30 somewhere if you wanted credibility.

Antonioni's influence isn't as widespread as Bergman's - but he certainly begat filmakers like Wim Wenders.

Not that my opinion matters, but the brilliance (to me) of Blow Up was that you had to work your way through a meandering first half hour, not undertanding that the film was actually going somewhere - all leading to the breathtaking ending. This is in sharp contrast to the Hollywood tradition of spelling everything out for the viewer turning film into pablum.

He made his films for himself, first and foremost - not a bad philosophy, if you ask me.

I disagree with you last statement. Making films for yourself is terribly self-indulgent. If you expect others to watch the film, I think it should be made with them in mind. Otherwise, you end up with a film that makes absolutely no sense to anyone but yourself. Please bear in mind that this is not the same as making a film for the stupidest person who is likely to watch your film. At least, that is my opinion, but what do I know? I've never heard of The Seventh Seal, Blow Up, or Wim Wenders.

 

[TQM]

Confidence vs. Vanity

There's a difference. If you are confident in yourself - if you believe you would be your own worst critic - if you are the person who sets the highest standards for yourself - then you'd be making films for yourself too.

I wasn't just making it up about Antonioni - I was paraphrasing him, for the record.

 

[blackdog]

The great part of this debate is that all of these guys that people describe as pretentious and boring have given the mainstream hollywood guys their best tricks. You cant watch a mainstream movie without seeing the devices invented by the pretentious boring guys. Everything from cutting rhythms, montage schemes taken from "obscure cinema" are used in mainstream hollywood movies. Learn to watch good film. There is a payoff. You will enjoy good stuff much more, and know what shit is. A person who has only eaten mcdonalds only knows mcdonalds. A person who has eaten real cuisine soon learns the difference. Call me a pretentious snob. It means I know the difference.

 

[gar]

Antonioni too.



Antonioni's influence isn't as widespread as Bergman's - but he certainly begat filmakers like Wim Wenders.

Win Wenders main inflenuce in film is yasujiro ozu. He has stated has admiration for Ozu in numerous interviews and in the documentary "Tokyo Ga", where Wenders visits Ozu's grave.

 

[TQM]

gar

and Spielberg cites everybody but Capra as his influence.

Wenders actually finished a Bergman film, in case you are interested.

 

[xdog]

Whenever I visit the video store(try to find indy stores), I rent at least 1 movie that I've never heard or seen of. I also like to rent from the classics and foreign sections. Variety is the spice of life. I also like to introduce movies to my friends. As Blackdog stated, I want them to try more than mcDonald.s. Even if they don't like the movie, they can at least find out there's more than action thrillers or adam Sandler comedies.

x

 

[gar]

and Spielberg cites everybody but Capra as his influence.

Wenders actually finished a Bergman film, in case you are interested.

There are various degrees of influence, both negative and positive. Ozu had a profound influence on Wenders. If you see the documentary, Wender speaks of Ozu in reverent terms, speaking quietly and trying to maintain his emotions.
Wender says,


"If in our century something sacred still existed… if there were something like a sacred treasure of the cinema, then for me that would have to be the work of the Japanese director, Yasujiro Ozu.