Apocalypse Now - Redux (2001 Francis Ford Coppola)

At three and a quarter hours, I'd glad we'd started it the night before (with a 1964 Armagnac). I'm not convinced the political discussion in the plantation scene adds anything, though the lighting here is astonishing, as is most of Storaro's incredible smoky colourings. As usual, the film goes a bit flat at the end of the journey but at least Sam Bottoms' tripped out surfer Lance survives (ironically, he died four days later of a brain tumour, at 53). It's still an astonishing experience.

Where though is the original ending that I saw at the cinema on January 27th (and February 9th) 1980 (the 153 minute version)? Apparently Coppola had to destroy the Kurtz camp set and filmed its demolition, but it logically fits into the story as an air strike has been ordered. The sight of those big stone faces in the flames is mesmerizing. It's here, and it's amazing.

Underground / Podzemelje: Bila Jednum Jedna Zmelja / Once Upon a Time There was a Country (1995 Emir Kusturica)

I was glad I'd started the first hour of this long but remarkable film, in which the shocking image of a goose pecking an injured tiger (perhaps metaphorical?) burns into the mind. (Shortly after, an elephant steals Blacky's shoes, and he calls it a 'fat horse'.) I started to get a bit bored in the long wedding scene, and was resisting the Delicatessen / Gilliam underground plot thing, though it's clearly allegorical, and the tunnels to other cities was very Catch-22, but you cannot help but be caught up in the epic tale, whether the shifting relationships between Lazar Ristovski, Miki Manojlovic and Mirjana Jokovic, or the disastrous political turmoil of the Balkans that I then had to research (an extremely complicated and bloody story). 

It's mad, funny, sprawling, surreal, intelligent and has a monumental ending. The slightly insane-making gypsy music is absolutely infectious.

I was not too surprised to read that Kusturica challenged an ultra-nationalist leader to a duel in Belgrade in 1993 (he declined). Vilko Filac also shot Time of the Gypsies. Difficult to think of another film that so vibrates with life.

The Tenant (1976 Roman Polanski)

 Despite some groovy camerawork (Sven Nykvist) a load of silly, meaningless and unattractive jibble.

Bob Le Flambeur (1956 Jean-Pierre Melville)

You couldn't stop me smiling throughout Bob le Flambeur. It begins with that 5AM city feeling I like and we're plunged into the 1950s Montmartre atmosphere in which Roger Duchesne's Bob inhabits. (A pre-war star with a shady war-time record.) When asked if he's following the game with a visit to the restaurant, he says he's going home to sleep, but when his flic mate picks him up, he says he's going to the restaurant. Like Casablanca's Rick he's a man of dubious past, but integrity. It's a film noir with deadpan attitude and a beautiful ending, and there's even the casino at Deauville to admire.

Henri Decae also shot Le Samourai and Les 400 Coups and the location feel and American attitude no doubt influenced the New Wave.

Straw Dogs (1972 Sam Peckinpah)

In Peckinpah’s Cornish western, there’s a suggestion the co-writer/director may not be taking things too seriously. During the course of the Siege of Trencher’s Farm, the odious rat catcher (Jim Norton) is seen riding a kid’s tricycle. One of his fellow thugs chases him with it, threatening to wrap it round his neck. The next shot shows them racing each other, both on tricycles, amidst the mayhem. I can’t think of any other slapstick moments in Peckinpah’s other violent set pieces. And later, Hoffman despatches the rat catcher with what looks suspiciously like a golf swing. Perhaps it would have been more fitting to the latter’s profession if he’d been the one to succumb to the trap.

With neat irony, Hoffman’s maths professor has picked the wrong fight in protecting David Warner, who has just (albeit accidentally) killed village strumpet Sally Thomsett (who I suspect of killing the cat). At the moment when he fears his wife Susan George will switch sides to old beau Charlie (Del Henney), he specifically becomes his rival, striking her, then pulling her by the hair, both of which Charlie has inflicted on her prior to the bizarre rape turned love scene turned gang rape. So whilst there’s audience pleasure in seeing the bad guys wiped out, are we also to acknowledge this as an anti-violence statement?

One thing’s for sure: this mismatched couple isn’t going to make it.

Along with those mentioned above, Ken Hutchison is also impressive as the ‘bad’ rapist, in a uniformly excellent cast.

Interesting to see the name of Tony Lawson as one of the editors. There’s occasional time jump editing in this that figures strongly in his work for Nic Roeg (from Bad Timing onwards), and also in Peckinpah’s later Cross of Iron, which along with Barry Lyndon Lawson also edited. And, I don’t know if it’s just me, but I love John Coquillon’s grey skies! (According to Lawson the original editor Norman Savage left without cutting anything - he and Peckinpah were like 'oil and water' - so Lawson became more involved in cutting to appease the backers ABC.)

117m 16 secs submitted to BBFC = 113 m Video

Hiroshima, Mon Amour (1959 Alain Resnais)

I should have seen it by now, really. Of course I can clearly see where Marienbad came from - it's in the opening horrific montage where she says she remembers and he says she does not. That weird first shot: the bodies seem covered in sand (it's ash), then water. The editing that then was so different (though the Cahiers crowd link it to Eisenstein); the many shots of her running to meet her lover; the current lover jump cut to the dead German; a low shot of a house for no reason (yet). Tracking shots through Hiroshima: fascinating to see it then at all. That strange feeling of a city very late at night. The light reflecting off the water (Sacha Vierny). The modernity (they are both married). Memory, forgetting. Forgetting love, forgetting Hiroshima. The first days of love. I think I was expecting something explosive. It is a very big film.

To Rohmer, Resnais is a 'cubist'. Interesting, as Guernica is one of his early shorts.

Breaking the Waves (1996 Lars Von Trier)

Having a hard job summarising feelings for this film. Emily Watson's performance is extraordinary. It's a sneaky movie really, because her (mentally unstable?) actions do ultimately save him (ironically he's getting much better). Clearly a lot to do with faith (the church, her talking to god), with playful (miracle) ending of bells suddenly ringing. Robby Muller's landscape vistas for chapter headings memorable. (Strangely on Film4 only in 16x9, though it's 2.35:1).

The Yearling (1946 Clarence Brown)

Looks great: the scene where everyone's around G. Peck's bed looks especially Old Mastery. Claude Jarman Jr's great as the human yearling, but when the other kid 'Fodderwing' comes on with his faraway look, you want to slap him. Such is the technical excellence of the film you're not sure sometimes whether  you're looking at a painting / studio or sky / exterior. Sympathy for the actual deer has definitely reduced over time!

Casino Royale (2006 Martin Campbell)

Determined to be different - pre-credits in black and white. Sniper / blood image at end. Graphic design titles (Martin Kleinman). Actually follows (some of) Fleming's plot. 'Bond, James Bond' at end.

Craig excellent (cool but vulnerable). Villain draws on tradition of European actors, Mads Mikkelsen more credible than other villains, but weedy. Didn't even recognise Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis. Paul Haggis had a hand in better-than-usual script. No campy humour, minimum gadgets. Great torture scene. Phil Méheux has come a long way since Out (remembered this after ?30 years). Arnold's score really a John Barry copy. Absolutely amazing standard-setting stunt / chase early scene free-running. It's long, but there's no 'big' set piece final shoot out: a definite plus.

Ashes and Diamonds (1958 Andrzej Wajda)

Though not as immediate as Kanal, and more complex, contains several moments of classic film: the couple in bed, all close-ups and darkness; the murder and fireworks; death on rubble; the chapel.

Kanal (1957 Andrzej Wajda)

Wow. Becomes surreal indeed in the dark, dark sewers, where Vladek Sheybal goes mad (what happens to him?) and almost everyone is caught. Distinctive soundtrack, the darkest photography, a satisfyingly downbeat ending. Only Daisy, we suspect, might be a survivor. Funnily enough, no mention  of the smell (except at the beginning, when she's been walking the sewers).

Die Büchse der Pandora / Pandora's Box (1928, rel 1929, Georg Wilhelm Pabst)

The lack of establishing and tracking shots can make the geography of silent films strange. (And why is silent movie music so goddam weird?) Nevertheless the story of free-spirited Lulu's descent into hell is still absorbing stuff, although claims about film's sexuality are overrated. Memorable. Who's the older guy in her apartment in beginning? 'It's funny how you can get booze on credit, but not bread.' Lulu sold to the Egyptian for £300. The sailor whose clothes she borrows. The desperation of the besotted countess. And finally, the survival of the old schemer (who Lulu delightfully refers to a 'My first ... patron') who manages to wheedle his Christmas pudding.

Watch the featurette.

Louise Brooks, Fritz Kortner, Francis Lederer

Ph. Günther Krampf

Lancelot du Lac (1974 Robert Bresson)

Did the Pythons see this before Holy Grail?* Despite the opening tangent (Lancelot even slightly resembles Michael Palin), this is a typically sparse rendition that manages to be both elliptical and dramatic. Strangely mesmerising in details (the knights' colours, horses).

*A long time after writing this, Michael Palin confirmed that they had!

Two-Lane Blacktop (1971 Monte Hellman)

James Taylor, Dennis (Beach Boys) Wilson, Warren Oates.

With its non-professional, minimalist performances, script, and lack of lighting and incidental music, this could be an early work of Dogme, directed by Bresson. Warren Oates has funny lines as he lies to a succession of hitchers.

Laurie Bird was living with Art Garfunkel when she killed herself eight years later. According to 'Fragile Geometry' (Joseph Lanza), Garfunkel had a fatal premonition of her while filming Bad Timing. He was about to return to the US for more filming when he heard she'd killed herself, the same way as Milena attempts it in the film.

They sure knew how to do film endings in the seventies.

Bully (2001 Larry Clark)

Brad Renfro, Rachel Miner

Typically raw and compelling take on true story by Vietnam vet/photographer Clark, whose Ken Park is so controversial it's only available from the Netherlands. Good music compilation.

Oldboy (2003 Chan-Wook Park)

South Korean.

Fabulous performance by Min-Sik Choi.

Mix of Shakespearean tragedy and ultra-violent comic book is a bit silly really, but truly memorable, fascinating and nasty.

The Anniversary Party (2001 Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh)

.. who as well as directing, wrote and starred in it, with Kevin Kline, John C Reilly, Parker Posey, Phoebe Cates.

Interesting, apparently.

Lantana (2001 Ray Lawrence)

 With Anthony LaPaglia, Rachel Blake, Kerry Armstrong.

DP Mandy Walker.

Excellent. Good music.

Anger Management (2003 Peter Segal)

Jack Nicholson, Adam Sandler, Marisa Tomei, Luis Guzman.

Got funnier as it went along, apparently.

Bringing Down the House (2003 Adam Shankman)

Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, Eugene Levy, Joan Plowright.

Good fun. (Can't remember a thing about it now.)

Edited by Jerry Greenberg