Waltzes from Vienna: Hitchcock ill at ease with musical comedy of Johann Strauss II
Alfred Hitchcock, “Waltzes from Vienna” (1934) What’s this? – a musical comedy about Johann Strauss II and his waltz “The Blue Danube” by Alfred Hitchcock? The…
French and French-language Films
Man Bites Dog: strong satire on Western cultures’ obsession with sadistic violence
Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, Benoît Poelvoorde, “C’est arrive près de chez vous” (“It could happen in your neighbourhood”) aka “Man Bites Dog” (1992) Made by four…
German and German-language Films
Cargo (dir. Ivan Engler): too much cargo taken on board in the plot and characters wreck a visually fine film
Ivan Engler, “Cargo” (2009) Debut full-length directorial feature for Ivan Engler, “Cargo” is a bloodless effort set in the distant future when the Earth has become…
Eraserhead: fascinating and hilarious dark horror film about social and religious pressures on struggling families
David Lynch, “Eraserhead” (1977) Five years in the making from 1971 to 1976, “Eraserhead” was David Lynch’s full-length directing debut feature. Based on his experiences in…
Blue Velvet: satirising American suburbia as cartoony more important than plot, characters and issues of exploitation
David Lynch, “Blue Velvet” (1986) A beautiful film to watch with noirish elements and a lot of symbolism yet oddly not very suspenseful or satisfying. “Blue…
Symbol (dir. Hatoshi Matsumoto): polished and slick slapstick comedy on nature of the universe
Hatoshi Matsumoto, “Symbol” (2009) A slapstick comedy about interrelationships and the impact one person can have on events around the world, “Symbol” is the second full-length…
Secret Agent (dir. Alfred Hitchcock): morality of espionage is questioned in an ordinary film lacking suspense
Alfred Hitchcock, “Secret Agent” (1936) The surprising thing about this film is that lead actor John Gielgud plays such a wooden and unappealing “hero” here after a…
Aelita, Queen of Mars: a multi-plot story with a moral about living in fantasy versus living in reality
Yakov Protazanov, “Aelita, Queen of Mars” (1924) This silent Soviet film from the mid-1920’s can be seen in nine parts on Youtube.com thanks to contributor Ishexan. Most…
Frostbiten: comedy/horror vampire story lacking in teeth
Anders Banke, “Frostbiten” (2006) ‘Tis a Swedish vampire movie that begins with a shot of the night sky against which light snow is seen falling softly…
Corruption, authoritarianism, oppression of women and intolerance are a hidden presence in “Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages”
Benjamin Christensen, “Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages” (1922) Intended as a study on how superstition and lack of knowledge about mental illness could have led to…