Best films by Michael Powell

[sanshodayu]

My Powell favourites;
1.The Thief of Baghdad
2.The Red Shoes
3.A Matter of Life and Death(aka.Stairway to Heaven)
4.Black Narcissus
5.The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
6.A Canterbury Tale
7.Gone to Earth
8.Peeping Tom
9.I Know Where i'm Going
10.49th Parallel
I'd also be interested to know whether other schmoes prefer him or David Lean.

[mosespa]

WHO?

[jlovborg]

The only Powell (& Pressburger) movie I've seen is The Red Shoes. It has some brilliant, visually stunning dancing scenes, but overall it's too sentimental for my taste. However, I'm looking forward to seeing more films by Powell (especially Peeping Tom).

Sanshodayu, you've been posting lots of interesting top list queries, but unfortunately some of your topics seem a bit too esoteric for this site, and you get few replies. Why don't you write a couple of reviews into the Video Capsules forum? Now knowing the incredible range of movies you've seen, I'd be glad to read your thoughts of eg arthouse rarities.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by mosespa:
WHO?</font>

Shame on you. You should at the very least know him by name, as he's considered one of the greatest British directors ever! http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

[QUENTIN]

1.) Black Narcissus
2.) Peeping Tom
3.) The Red Shoes
4.) A Matter of Life and Death
5.) The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

[sanshodayu]

Thank you,jlovborg for the comments and suggestion- you'll see i've just made a little foray into the Video Capsule(Before Sunrise,where i was surprised to find you also appear).Yes,i have been fishing in a quiet part of this river,and will reduce my activity.("Best performance by a landscape"- insanity!)The British critic Raymond Durgnat considers The Red Shoes' central ballet "the peak of cinema",and he's not far wrong.It's certainly the most visually splendid British moment.A Matter of Life and Death may be Powell's most admired(mustn't forget co-director Pressburger).Peeping Tom i've not seen for years,must do so again;like all the Powell films i've listed it's excellent,a Scorsese favourite(he's been Powell's most famous champion)though perhaps easier to admire than enjoy?
jlovborg,i had considered a Finnish list,but mainly to explore largely unknown territory.Apart from Kaurismaki,much is a fascinating mystery.I know nothing of Varastettu Kuolema,one of the BFI'360 classics.I would be interested (hopefully not alone)in any info/opinions on Finnish films.

[Antonio]

I've only seen Powell's much-maligned, notorious lost classic PEEPING TOM, which premiered (and subsequently bashed) during the same year as PSYCHO. Loved it!

[jlovborg]

A very short course in history of Finnish film

I can't blame you for not knowing much about Finnish film. Not even the Finns (including many movie buffs like me) are that keen on domestic movies, due to the lack of their artistic quality. Another reason for the little foreign interest in Finnish movies is the fact that they usually deal with exclusively Finnish themes and topics, of which foreigners have no idea.

The "golden era" of Finnish film was in the 40s and 50s. It's called that not because of the greatness of the movies but because the production volume and the success at box-office were greater. Most of the movies from that era are silly and boring, and the main reason for viewing them today is nostalgia. Still, I find some of those movies fine, both entertaining and well-made. The most appreciated directors of the 40s and 50s are Matti Kassila, Teuvo Tulio, and Valentin Vaala.

By the end of the 50s the Finnish film industry virtually vanished, mainly owing to the emergence of tv. From then on Finnish film has been heavily dependent on government subsidies. The most renowned directors before the Kaurismäki brothers were Mikko Niskanen, and Risto Jarva.

Aki Kaurismäki in the most famous Finnish director nowadays, and practically the only one to win any international prestige. I've never liked his style of filmmaking that much, although his most recent endeavor Mies vailla menneisyyttä ("Man Without a Past") is quite pleasing, more optimistic than his earlier work (it's even competing for the Palme d'Or at Cannes this year).

The movie you mentioned, Varastettu kuolema ("Stolen Death", 1938) was directed by Nyrki Tapiovaara. Tapiovaara was kind of a Finnish Jean Vigo. He made only a few (but arguably excellent) movies until he died in the Russo-Finnish Winter War in 1940. I haven't seen any of his films yet, but I'm planning to do so soon.

Some acclaimed and popular Finnish movies (although I think it's almost impossible for you to get them anywhere, with the possible exception of Kaurismäki movies):

Valkoinen peura aka The White Reindeer (Erik Blomberg, 1952)
Tuntematon sotilas aka The Unknown Soldier (Edvin Laine, 1955)
Kahdeksan surmanluotia (Mikko Niskanen, 1972)
Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö aka The Match Factory Girl (Aki Kaurismäki, 1989)
Talvisota aka The Winter War (Pekka Parikka, 1989)
Kauas pilvet karkaavat aka Drifting Clouds (Aki Kaurismäki, 1996)

[sanshodayu]

Thanks a lot for the interesting info,jlovborg.Yes,i'd heard The White Reindeer is a classic.Have seen quite a few Kaurismaki films,of which i most like Drifting Clouds.Glad to hear from a native of the land of Sibelius,and someone to learn from.Have strayed from the original topic,will stop there.Best wishes.