French and French-language Films
Orpheus: visually lovely meditation on triumph of love over death, the role of the artist and life in Vichy France
Jean Cocteau, “Orpheus / Orphée” (1950) Intriguing re-telling of the famous ancient Greek legend set
Tag: Fantasy
Ghostwatch: very funny hoax documentary that blurs reality and fiction, and raises issues about authenticity
Lesley Manning, “Ghostwatch” (1992) Subject of a post on Adam Curtis’s BBC blog, this BBC
Howl’s Moving Castle: cut-and-paste job of previous Studio Ghibli films masks a conservative message for women and girls
Hayao Miyazaki, “Howl’s Moving Castle” (2005) Up to and including “Spirited Away”, the animated films
Melancholia: meditation on depression and cosmic indifference to humanity waylaid by emphasis on shallow characters
Lars von Trier, “Melancholia” (2011) Fed up with the deadbeat rate of intellectual and cultural
French and French-language Films | Spanish Films
L’Age d’Or: cheeky and hilarious attack on religious, social and political repression and corruption
Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dali, “L’Âge d’Or” (1930) On the heels of “Un Chien Andalou”,
Un Chien Andalou: a special once-in-a-lifetime visual experience
Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dali, “Un Chien Andalou” (1929) Famous surrealist film that never fails
Rabbit’s Moon: two very different films in mood and themes in spite of superficial similarities
Kenneth Anger, “Rabbit’s Moon” (started 1950: long version 1972, short version 1979) Based on a
Fireworks: an ambivalent and powerful celebration of sexual attraction, submission and sadomasochism
Kenneth Anger, “Fireworks” (1947) Quite a remarkable debut film this is from a 17-year-old Kenneth
Lucifer Rising: a heartfelt expression of Aleister Crowley’s Thelema philosophy
Kenneth Anger, “Lucifer Rising” (1981) Begun some time in the 1960s but not fully completed
Din of Celestial Birds: exploration of evolution and development of consciousness in short film
Edmund Elias Merhige, “Din of Celestial Birds” (2006) Astonishing little film – it’s just 10