your favorite non english language film?

[vernon]

I was just watchin a bit of the olympics closing ceremony, the drum & dance performance by the beijing ppl reminded me of crouching tiger hidden dragon, which i think is a great film... the chello music and filming & graceful movements, i first saw a dubbed version and didn't think much... but then i saw it in mandarin with subtitles and thought it was really good, and could appreciate the story properly, its quite moving in parts and interesting.


Any favorite foreign language films you'd like to say about?

[Ribbit]

I love Chinese films... "Life on a String" is beautifully filmed and I love the music. My favourite Chinese film would have to be "Raise the Red Lantern"... I have the soundtrack too... love everything about that film.

I love French films, and my favourite is "le diner de cons"... I must have seen that ten times. I watched "Tatie Danielle" last night and thought that was very good indeed. "Amelie" is one of my favourites too. I saw "Tanguy" recently and I loved the mother in that.

I like Indian films... "Asoka" is my favourite, and I have the soundtrack to that too. Love the filming, the music, the atmosphere. And "Devdas". Actually there are loads of Indian films I love.

Italian films... anything with Roberto Benigni. I laugh if I just look at his face, he doesn't even have to do anything. "Life is Beautiful" is his best film without a doubt... if I think about that for too long I'll start laughing and then crying. I love his bit in "One Night on Earth" where he's a taxi driver. I watched that for the first time with my Italian teacher, and I have never laughed so much in an Italian lesson. :lol: "Johnny Stecchino" and the banana theft... oh I'm laughing just thinking about it! :hihi:

I love "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown", a Spanish film... very funny. I think I'll buy that one.

There are millions of foreign films I like... mr ribbit spends a lot of time searching the shelves of the local Blockbuster store.

ribbit :curly:

[Mr Ribbit]

Oooh, this one's difficult 'cos I have several favourites and there's no way I could pick any individual one. :unsure:

My favourite films by language are probably the following: -

French - Les Visiteurs, La Cage aux Folles or Le Bossu (First two for a good laugh, the latter for swashbuckling)
Japanese - Yojimbo or Seven Samurai (Either for nostalgia)
Chinese - Life on a String or Mr Vampire (If I'm feeling philosophical or in need for a good laugh with martial arts)
Italian - Life is Beautiful, Il Postino or Johnny Stecchino (depending on my mood!)
Spanish - Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown

There's too many to name... I want to go and buy a load of foreign films now!

mr ribbit B)

[vernon]

i really liked life is beautiful too! i know what you mean roberto benigni, he can be so funny, but theres so many sad parts to that film.

i haven't seen that many world cinema films, and most of the ones i have seen are recent.

If you like french films did you like jean de florette ribbit?
i liked nikita & the big blue too, I bought a film called "the reine margot" , just because it was a deal when getting something else...i've had it for a couple of years i'm not sure i'll ever watch it :D

thought amores perros was good, although not sure "good" is the best way of describing some films, thats not the happiest film either ;)

Oh yeah .. seven samurai great film.. quite long but so much init!

les visiteurs was fun :)

[Mr Ribbit]

Hi Vernon,

You've really started someting with your thread! :lol:

We haven't seen Jean de Florette yet, although we've seen the sequel Manon des Sources (a well filmed and acted story, but ribbit was more interested than myself to be honest). :blink: ;)

We rented La Reine Margot but ended up not watching it so ribbit has said we're going to rent it again in the next few days. :thumbs:

Nikita and Big Blue were definitely more my kind of films and I really enjoyed both. I think Jean Reno is brilliant so I enjoyed Leon as well.

If you haven't seen Johhny Stecchino with Roberto Benigni and you find him funny, you MUST see it. It's VERY funny. Not high on the production values, but it's brilliantly done nevertheless.

I'll shut up now or I'll go no forever! :)

mr ribbit - film critic extraordinaire :lol:

[Beth]

I quite like Bollywood films, I used to do night shifts every Sunday and there was always one on at about 3in the morning, it used to pass several hours quite nicely :)

[Mr Ribbit]

ribbit loves Bollywood films. She particularly likes the song/dance sequences - apparently to be a successful Bollywood film and to satisfy the public, it's vital to have 6 or 7 sequences in the film.

mr ribbit B)

[alicorn]

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the mandarin was wonderful and dreamlike. There is a rythm to the language that lends to the pace of the film.

I loved Cirano De Bergarac, with Gerard De Pardue. But i have never found a copy on VHS or DVD. I have had to stop playing my taped off the telly version, for fear of the tape stretching. Somehow the tragedy and passion has more depth in french, thank goodness i've never come across a dubbed version.

Does anyone else think that hearing the language adds a rythm, that dubbing doesn't?
Or is it just me

[Mr Ribbit]

Originally posted by alicorn+2nd October 2004 - 1:31 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(alicorn @ 2nd October 2004 - 1:31 AM)</div>I loved Cirano De Bergarac, with Gerard De Pardue. But i have never found a copy on VHS or DVD. I have had to stop playing my taped off the telly version, for fear of the tape stretching. Somehow the tragedy and passion has more depth in french, thank goodness i've never come across a dubbed version.
[/b]
Go to this link >>Amazon UK (Cyrano de Bergerac) CLICK HERE (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004Y3OX/qid=1096718195/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/026-1323050-8863618)

It's a Region 0 DVD so it will play on UK DVD players.

<!--QuoteBegin-alicorn@2nd October 2004 - 1:31 AM
Does anyone else think that hearing the language adds a rythm, that dubbing doesn't?**
Or is it just me
73574
I agree with you completely - I avoid watching dubbed movies if I can help it. It was very surreal watching Starsky and Hutch and Hawaii Five Oh in Chinese, Japaneseand Russian (I think) though :blink: . :)

mr ribbit B)

[IEHO]

I've just seen 'Hero' its in Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles. It's a Tarantino film, but no way as violent as Kill Bill. The martial arts scenes are hopelessly farfetched in the best Hong Kong movie traditions, but I love this film for the screenplay and photography.

IEHO

[hollygolightly]

The Passion of the Christ is/was an amazing film to watch (very emiotnally draining) - it is in Aramaic, but that doesn't detract from the film at all. :) It's definitely one to watch, imho. :)

[vernon]

ah aramaic??... according to monty python thats the ancient language used by christ... the makers of the passion of the whatsname must of seen "holy grail" :P


I agree totally about films in their original language, its also the performance of the actors in the way they say things...sometimes its how its said as much as whats actually said.

And really i just find dubbed films too distracting, the first time i saw CTHD was dubbed (bought by mistake, darn fine print!) and i wondered what all the fuss was about, until i saw it in the original manderin and appreciated the film as it was supposed to be seen, i agree with alicorn about the rythme too, it just sounds smoother.

i'll watch the orignal version of "hero" sometime (the latest release has been cut down quite a bit), i heard it was one of the best looking films ever! I didn't know tarantino was involved with it, i didn't like kill bill, pretty songs but i didn't like the things shown in that, the hospital part was a bit too much for me!

I've got a french film to watch called "betty blue" too, has anyone seen it?

[Domestic Goddess]

I really enjoyed "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" it's full of women kicking the living daylights of out of men!!!!
It's far fetched, but the fight scenes are fab. It's not blood and guts like most films, the fighting is ....."elegant", I can't think how else to describe it.

[vernon]

I think elegant is a good word for it too :)

(I just learned a bit of latin too after looking up your sig carrie :thumbs: )

[alicorn]

Mr Ribbit
thank you, thank you, thank you. :flowers:

I have just made my first ever online purchase. So thinking 'Carpe Dium'. I felt so brave I also ordered The Count of Monte Cristo. After all 'Radix Melorum et Cupiditus'. (okay, wasn't up to aramaic, so that's all the latin i know....just goes to show, what did the romans ever did for us?)

So with you Carrie, i have to admit a certain illicit enjoyment, when the women Elegantly, wupped the blokes :thumbs: in CTHD. As a Jackie Chan fan, it was a pleasure to see the almost ballet perfection, timing, humour and inventiveness, in its female form for a change.

I did go to see the Passion of Christ, really wanted to leave half way through though ...too graphic for me. I know that it was a feat to produce, it is overwelming, but it was a 'one watch' film for me, won't be adding it to my own collection.

'Hero' sounds interesting, think i may have to make time for that.

:D
Alicorn

[Mr Ribbit]

Originally posted by alicorn@5th October 2004 - 11:32 PM
thank you, thank you, thank you. :flowers:

I have just made my first ever online purchase. So thinking 'Carpe Dium'. I felt so brave I also ordered The Count of Monte Cristo.
Glad to have helped, although your bank balance may not thank me if you browse round Amazon a bit more - it's seriously addictive! :blush:

Hope you don't mind me asking, but Which version of The Count of Monte Cristo did you buy?

For anyone interested in Far Eastern films and music, this site is awesome >> www.yesasia.com (http://global.yesasia.com/en/index.aspx) BUT please check the region code of any DVD you buy AND check you are buying a DVD as they also sell different formats such as VCD as well. Other than that the selections you can find are amazing.

mr ribbit B)

[alicorn]

Hee Hee, :rolleyes: promise not to make you feel bad if there's too much month at the end of my wage packet, ;) mind you the day that doesn't happen, the devil will skate to work.
Another Gerard De Pardue (subtitled), i'm addicted, both to his films and grand epics. Curious ...why do you ask?

[Mr Ribbit]

Originally posted by alicorn@7th October 2004 - 8:40 PM
Another Gerard De Pardue (subtitled), i'm addicted, both to his films and grand epics. Curious ...why do you ask?
Because that's my favourite one too. I've only seen 3 or 4 versions of the story but I think our chum Gerard is brilliant.

For a list of Monte Cristo films, check out the movie search on the IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/find?tt=on;mx=20;q=monte%20cristo) site. It's a great database site that lets you cross reference actors/actresses, movie titles, etc, etc.

My dad phones me up just to check things on this web site (he's the biggest film nut I've ever met in my life) and he'll keep me on the phone for ages, just cross referencing actors, stories and directors! :D

mr ribbit B)

[TooManyMoves]

Mr.Ribbit great seeing that someone else enjoyed the chinese film "Mr. Vampire !
The hopping vampires cracked me up.

Another one of that style is "A Chinese Ghost Story" There are sequels to it, and I thought all of them were good. I think it's up to Ghost story part 4 now, but not sure.

I'm always interested in odd/funny Hong Kong martial arts movies like that. Any other suggestions of that type would be appreciated.

Chris

[E N D V R A]

Betty Blue. The music was fantastic and Béatrice Dalle looks stunning.

[Mr Ribbit]

Originally posted by TooManyMoves@7th October 2004 - 10:50 PM
Mr.Ribbit great seeing that someone else enjoyed the chinese film "Mr. Vampire !
The hopping vampires cracked me up.

Another one of that style is "A Chinese Ghost Story" There are sequels to it, and I thought all of them were good. I think it's up to Ghost story part 4 now, but not sure.

I'm always interested in odd/funny Hong Kong** martial arts movies like that. Any other suggestions of that type would be appreciated.

Hi there TMM, :)

The first Mr Vampire was brilliant. :thumbs: There were 3 more sequels which were fun but like many sequels, had a lot to live up to in the first place. Vampire vs Vampire is OK although I would strongly recommend Close Encounters of a Spooky Kind - it's a must see if you liked Mr Vampire. Zu Warriors is brilliant fun along the legendary-warriors-fighting type of film. :D

Loved the Chinese Ghost Story films, although we've only seen the first 3.

For a high budget film, try The Emperor and the Assassin. Absolutely amazing film! It's an epic about one of the Chinese Emperor's who wanted to unify China under his rule and how he went about it ( let's just say he wasn't very polite about it). I think it's actually based on true events - I'm not much good at Chinese history I'm afraid, just like the films. :blush:

For high budget films in the 'serous' category (i.e. hardly any swords swashing and buckling, very few high kicks and generally speaking, no blood), we would recommend Raise the Red Lantern, Farewell my Concubine and Life on a String. Very thought provoking and emotional films.

If you watch these films, I hope you enjoy them!

mr ribbit B)

[Eckie]

Betty Blue was good, Dalle is lovely. My fav foreign film is Brotherhood Of the Wolf. Very well made.

[vanner]

Das Boot, does that count ?? :unsure:

[vernon]

I watched the full version of "hero" the other day.

It seemed like it had some of the ppl who did crouching tiger hidden dragon involved in making it, its pretty special visually...and very colourful!


Worth a watch! :)

[vernon]

i've still not got round to watching betty blue :(... yet!

but i watched johnny stecchino!! very good and funny... when hes standing at the bar ;) .. it was well worth watching danke ribbit

[Mr Ribbit]

I haven't seen Betty Blue yet. Gotta get round to it. :)

You've made me want to watch johnny Stecchino again - think we'll watch that tonight. :thumbs: :lol:

[River daughter]

Hi there :)

Sorry I'm so late coming to this :( but I've got months and months to catch
up on ! ( :badpc: )

[quote]
I bought a film called "the reine margot" , just because it was a deal when getting something else...i've had it for a couple of years i'm not sure i'll ever watch it :D

If this is the old film "La Reine Margot", you might try watching it -
I seem to remember being quite spellbound by it some years ago.

Has anyone else seen "Travellers and Magicians" ? It's set in Bhutan and it's
gentle, subtle, deep and utterly beautiful to watch - at least, I think it is :blush:

What about "A Very Long Engagement" ? or " The Exterminating Angel" - a bit ancient, this one - but it wears well. :yes:
I, too, loved "Raise the Red Lantern" - it stays with you :)

Then there are all those old french films - "Jules et Jim"," Lancelot du Lac",
"la Ronde" - and too many more to name :blink:

I think CTHD is a classic - it's easy to watch time and again - it made me want to learn Mandarin . ( :hihi: )
And I agree with Mr. Ribbit - "The Emperor and the Assassin" is great - very epic and not always easy to watch.

It's good to be back ! :gathering:

RD
:)

[vernon]

ahh thanks RD maybe i will have to watch la reine after all!
(it is still sitting in the clear wrapper, waiting to come out)

"A very long engagement" is one i definetly hope to watch too, i love jeanet films.

I watched "trois colours" recently, all three films over a couple of days!!, i thought they were brilliant, and very memorable.
Just interesting stories, the films are very quiet, without lots of dialogue.

:)

[cinderella]

Amelie!!!!

:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

My most favourite film ever, full of so many beautiful images of Paris, and fits my quirky humour perfectly. When I saw it, I wanted to BE Amelie!

There's a fabulous scene where she is so overcome by her love for a man, that she literally dissolves into a puddle on the floor. Ahh - I know that feeling well. :blush:


xxx

Cinders

:D

[rdj]

cidade de deus (city of God) ace ace ace!!!!!!! love this film. but try Central station or Bus 149 or Carandiru all brill brazilian flicks.