Movies That Make You Want to Make Movies

[QUENTIN]

For those aspiring filmmakers out there or anyone who's ever considered picking up a camera and contributing to their beloved medium, what most inspires you?

From an "I can do this" perspective:
sex, lies, and videotape
Faces
Fresh
In The Company of Men
Slacker
Primer
The Apu Trilogy
Medium Cool
Once
12 Angry Men
Hustle & Flow
Drugstore Cowboy
Easy Rider
Blood Simple
Brick
Breathless
The 400 Blows
Pickpocket

From an "Imagine what I could do if I did this" perspective:
Mean Streets
Persona
2001
Magnolia
Badlands
JFK
Aguirre: The Wrath of God
La Haine
Memento
Playtime
Rushmore
Apoclypse Now
The Battle of Algiers
Paris, Texas

[bigred760]

Memento
Pulp Fiction
The Godfather
Unforgiven

[Cronos]

Films I watched and instantly had the urge to pick up a camera:

2001: A Space Odyssey
Apocalypse Now
Avalon
The Crow
Dersu Uzala
Dust Devil
El Topo
The Fall
The Holy Mountain
The Last Horror Movie
Oldboy
Once Upon A Time In The West
Seven Samurai
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... And Spring
Sunshine

[Mr. Creasy]

The Godfather
Road to Perdition
The Lord of The Rings Trilogy

[Natty]

I always thought I'd like to make a really hard-hitting film similar to Requiem for a Dream as well as something epic and powerful like There Will Be Blood.

Then again Tarantino's style is really inspiring. Of course I could never be that talented a writer-director, but I think if I made a film now for example it would just look like an extremely poor Tarantino flick, i.e. lots of geeky homage :p

Films like Mean Streets, La Haine and City of God probably fill me with the most desire to "pick up a camera", however I don't live in a violent area so I'm not sure where I'd head off to :D

All the great directors are inspirations, however when I think of what kind of filmmaker I'd like to be Martin Scorsese and Cameron Crowe come to mind (as well as QT), I'm a sucker for soundtracks. I actually have no intention to be a filmmaker (yet) though, I have no stories to share or 'voice' that needs to be heard. Steven Spielberg said that when he started out he was trying to be like Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford and he eventually realised that he just needs to be himself and see what he can do. Which is why I frown upon the critics who flaw his work for being "schmaltzy", it's him that's "schmaltzy", heck LIFE is "schmaltzy".

Got a little sidetracked there I know but those are the films I can think of for now.

[Reigh Kaufman]

Recently watched The White Ribbon. Liked it so much, I rewatched The Last Picture Show and Ratcatcher as a black and white double-bill. Liked them so much, I rewatched Werckmeister Harmonies and Night & Day.

Black and white films tend to make me feel creative.

[ProgWizardry]

Slacker
Clerks
Chasing Amy
Runaway Jury
Last House On The Left(1972)
Inglourious Basterds
The Breakfast Club
Revenge Of The Sith
Thief
Waco: Rules Of Engagement

[Cop No. 633]

The first movies to make me want to make films were John Carpenter classics from the late 70's to the 80's. I started paying attention more to directors as a kid because I noticed I really liked his films and that left an impression on me.

Now there's two things that make me want to make movies. Either films that are perfect and make me aspire to reach those peaks like Brazil, Children of Men, the Fountain, 8 1/2, the Thing, Amadeus, Mulholland Drive, the Prestige, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas.

Or there's movies that I think that if I had made them, they would've turned out better like Sunshine, Paranormal Activities... my mind is blank at the moment. But generally films that I see flaws with that could easily be fixed and improved upon.

[echo_bravo]

If I was ever a director I dont think I could handle some huge, epic scale type film (Lord of the Rings, The Dark Knight, Avatar etc). It would be just too overwhelming. I would be much more comfortable doing a smaller scale type of film.

I have always liked mysteries or "mind fuck" type films. As far as mysteries go, a film like Seven, Memento or Zodiac would be something I would like to do.
And the great thing about making a Lynch-type mindfuck film (Lost Highway, Eraserhead) is that it doesnt have to make sense!;)

[The Postmaster General]

http://hollywoodjesus.com/movie/baadasssss/art.jpg

[Frosty_86]

Pulp Fiction
Unforgiven
Heat
Goodfellas
The Dark Knight
Memento
The Usual Suspects
Se7en
Reservoir Dogs
Terminator
Aliens
Gangs of New York
Braveheart
Dogma
Clerks
Jaws
Pale Rider
Star Wars
Blade Runner
Good Will Hunting
Taxi Driver
Mystic River

[Jig Saw 123]

Blade Runner
Requiem for a Dream
The Blair Witch Project
Memento
Star Wars I-VI
Scream

[QUENTIN]

I don't know how I forgot these minimalist masterpieces of the last few years that belie the idea that if you have a good story, real characters, and strong vision, you can't just go out and make it:

George Washington
Man Push Cart
Chop Shop
Half-Nelson
Shotgun Stories
Wendy and Lucy
Goodbye Solo

While the "mumblecore" movement has yet to produce a truly great film (at least from what I've seen), it's further testament to that reality.

[ericdraven]

Children of Men
In Bruges

[Smiert Spionam]

Aside from those already mentioned....

The Matrix
The Way of the Gun
Pi
Naked Lunch
Layer Cake
Following
Casino Royale
Dark City
The Game

[Pentangeli]

Paths of Glory
The Godfather parts I&II
Psycho
Rear Window
The Killers
The Seventh Seal
Taxi Driver
Pulp Fiction
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Citizen Kane
Apocalypse Now
Aguirre, Wrath of God
Halloween
Alien
Aliens
The Exorcist
Once Upon a Time in the West

[Le_Big_Mac]

I'll divide 'em up like Quentin.


From an "I can do this" perspective:
Reservoir Dogs
Breathless
Eraserhead
Clerks
George Washington
Targets
Shoot the Piano Player
Pi
Detour
El Mariachi
A Woman Under the Influence

From an "Imagine what I could do if I did this" perspective:
2001: A Space Odyssey
A Clockwork Orange
Apocalypse Now
Pulp Fiction
Kill Bill
Taxi Driver
GoodFellas
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Paris, Texas
Blade Runner
Persona
There Will Be Blood

[APzombie]

I don't know how I forgot these minimalist masterpieces of the last few years that belie the idea that if you have a good story, real characters, and strong vision, you can't just go out and make it:

George Washington
Man Push Cart
Chop Shop
Half-Nelson
Shotgun Stories
Wendy and Lucy
Goodbye Solo

While the "mumblecore" movement has yet to produce a truly great film (at least from what I've seen), it's further testament to that reality.

Good call on the mumble core movement. Everytime i see one i've had the urge to get behind the camera and show them how to do it properly. There are good mumble core films like Wendy and Lucy, and there are obnoxious mumble core movies like Hump Day.

All of the above are good, sometimes great films that feel very real and honest.

As a filmmaker i'll name the top ten films i watch to get my blood pumping to write, film and think.

Amadeus
Shoot the Piano Player
Mean Streets
My Own Private Idaho
All the Real Girls
Boogie Nights
8 1/2
Citizen Kane
Slacker (i really, really love it)
The Conversation