La Gloire de mon Pere - one of my French favourites
The French cinema magazine, Les Cahiers du Cinema, has listed their top 100 films of all time. Interestingly enough the list does not include any British made films but predominately Spanish, German, Italian, some American and of course many French films.
I like to think of myself as a true film lover so when I read through this list I was embarrassed to realize that I had only watched a handful of them. How long is it going to take me to watch (or re-watch) 100 films? Probably two years or more... Can't wait though, I love a movie as much - if not more- than my magazines.
To see the complete list click here but for now I am starting with the top 10.
Citizen Kane - Orson Welles
1941 - Flashback interviews that chronicle the life of Kane and reveal the secret meaning of his last word, 'Rosebud'.
Night of the Hunter - Charles Laughton
1955 - Harry Powell marries and murders women for their money
Rules of the Game (La Règle du jeu) - Jean Renoir
1939 - A look at bourgeois life in France at the beginning of WWII
Song of Two Humans (L'Aurore) - Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau
1927 -The story of corruption and redemption in a small German town
L'Atalante - Jean Vigo
1934 -On board romance and the ups and downs of newlyweds
M - Fritz Lang
1931 - drama/thriller based on the life of a serial killer
Singin' in the Rain - Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly
1952 - musical comedy with wonderful choreography
Vertigo - Alfred Hitchcock
1958 - a tale of obsession, love and overcoming fears
The Children of Paradise (Les Enfants du Paradis) - Marcel Carné
1945 - a tragic tale of ill-fated love
The Searchers - John Ford
1956 - Big Western style plot set three years after the end of the Civil war
Now I am going to have to try and track down the movie "8 Femmes" because that pic is so gorgeous and it has your recommendation! I better get searching! Tracey x
ReplyDeleteI too LOVE a good flick, english and foreign. Out of the 10 you listed I've seen three so I'd better get cracking on the rest. They all look enticing.
ReplyDeleteAnna :)
i'm going to book mark this list!
ReplyDeleteA perfect post for a night like tonight. It's rainy & cold, so I'm about to make some hot cider & put in Singin' in the Rain (an all time favorite)I'm going to have to catch up on my movies as well, I am suprised to see I have a lot of movies to watch! Thanks for this most perfect post!
ReplyDeleteJudith~
I often feel like I haven't seen lots of the films I 'should' have, mostly westerns I have to say- I just don't really identify with them.
ReplyDeleteAh but Mr. Hitchcock couldn't have been more British so perhaps we get in there a little bit?!
Some of my fave films are French- I love love love the Chorus and of course Amelie.
I've see only four of those! I'd better reconfigure my Netflix queue.
ReplyDeleteI have only seen three of the first ten too! Better light the fire, curl up and start watching! xv
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this list, I too love a good movie... BUT it has to be really good for me to have any interest in spending my time watching. Life's too short to watch cr%p!
ReplyDeleteI believe I may have seen one or two of the top 10. Boy, do I need to play catch-up!! Do you celebrate Thanksgiving? If you do Happpy Thanksgiving to you and your family if you don't Happy anyway!!
ReplyDeleteKris
Oh, I love this list! Thank you for sharing -- I would have never found it on my own. I'm so curious to check out some of these movies...I loovvveee French films so this will be a great list to work from. It's also interesting to see the American films the magazine has chosen.
ReplyDeletehow perfect for the wintry nights ahead
ReplyDeletelove that top photo with all the shades of beige and brown.
ReplyDeletewhat a fun list to follow over the next couple of years. I love watching movies late at night. I think I may start watching the list, must add to my netflix queue!!
What a task you've set for yourself! But one that will bring much pleasure I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteI read La Gloire de mon Pere in high school and loved it---the movie looks absolutely gorgeous! I'm a complete sucker for anything with period costumes ;)
I adore old films (the newer ones are often more disappointing) - great way to get through winter though, I've got a lot of catching up to do, apparently, as I've only ssen 4 of the top 10 too..!I love Pagnol and the film adaptation was extremaly "bien réussie"...
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing..:)
Guess what? I haven't watch any of them yet. I'd better get started. It is going to be an interesting journey.
ReplyDeleteGood to have found another aussie living in France! My network is growing.
Vicki Archer, Vicki Archer... don't I know that name? Surely it's not the author of the French book on my coffee table.... goodness, you have a blog! What an incredibly small world.... lovely to meet you. Thanks for dropping by my blog... not much to see over my way at present... just a frame and rusting nails, rain-warped chipboard and a half finished swimming pool full of dirty water and coke bottles! I appreciate your words of encouragement about the whole process.... what a learning curve. Just love 'My French Life'....just one of only a few precious books, not packed in boxes awaiting our new life. A-M xx
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by how many of the films I had seen. I do love French films and arthouse cinema. One of my favourite French directors is Jean Cocteau. I do think that the old films are so much more satisfying than current ones!
ReplyDeleteHello Vicki - interesting post as always, must get through your list. I have tagged you for the 7 things challenge if you get time, Mel xx
ReplyDeleteHi Vick, Thanks for the list, I too have much work to do!! I have been entrenched in Italian films for too long. Must break out. See you on the weekend. Carla x
ReplyDeleteOh my, what a catalogue, and some of them from my childhood, sparking memories and stories. Thank you for the post. I hope the olive harvest is going well. hugs Margie.
ReplyDeletesome old classics there and some ones Ive never heard of too - love reading people's favourite films...im always up for a good recommendation!
ReplyDeleteyou can see my list here
http://anastasiac.blogspot.com/2008/01/happy-new-year.html
Great memories Vicki of a Saturday years ago. My girlfriend Annie & I did Jean de Florette & Manon de Sources back to back at the Cinema! With just a 10min. loo break in between movies it was a marathon session, but ohhhh, it was a lovely way to overdose on Gerard D. Took my bum a week to recover from all the sitting though!
ReplyDeleteMillie ^_^
When my daughter, who now lives in Paris, was studying French at school her teacher used to loan her videos of French films and I would spend many a Saturday afternoon curled up on her bed watching them. Happy days!
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