Chinese and Chinese-language Films
Princess Iron Fan: first Asian full-length animated movie is an overstretched “short cartoon”
Wan Guchan and Wan Laiming, “Princess Iron Fan” / “Tian Shan Gong Zhu” (1941) This
The Andromeda Nebula: the Soviet Star Trek that was never to be in spite of impressive visual style
Yevgeny Sherstobitov, “The Andromeda Nebula” (1967) Based on a novel “Andromeda: a Space-Age Tale” by
Klute: crime thriller / psychological character study about personal control, paranoia and saving face
Alan J Pakula, “Klute” (1971) Ostensibly a crime thriller about a prostitute who assists a
Ikarie XB-1: an early 1960’s space travel movie that boldly went where no space travel movie went before
Jindrích Polák, “Ikarie XB-1” (1963) A compelling early 1960’s science fiction gem from the old
French and French-language Films
Paris qui dort: amusing and light-hearted short film about human nature and Paris as a fantasy city
René Clair, “Paris qui dort” (1925) An amusing and light-hearted moral fable about what would
Chinese and Chinese-language Films
Exiled: gangster movie about honour, loyalty and brotherhood celebrates life in the face of a chaotic and indifferent universe
Johnnie To, “Exiled” aka “Fong Juk” (2006) Set in Macau territory just before its return
French and French-language Films
La Jetée: a brave experiment in film-making about the nature of time and memory as it depicts a tragic romance
Chris Marker, “La Jetée” aka “The Jetty’ (1962) Unusual in its use of still black-and-white
The Planet of Storms: lowbrow 1960’s Soviet sci-fi film with high production values and slight subtext
Pavel Klushantsev, “Planeta Bur’ ” aka “The Planet of Storms” (1962) In the early 1960’s
Midnight Cowboy: satirical character study of two men pursuing their particular American Dreams
John Schlesinger, “Midnight Cowboy” (1969) Over forty years ago when this movie was released, it
Fermat’s Room: a light and entertaining if not completely satisfying film about professional rivalry and intellectual obsession
Luis Piedrahita and Rodrigo Sapeña, “Fermat’s Room” (2009) Three brilliant mathematicians and an inventor, each
