My Top 12 Favorite International Films

Typically, I try to only post one blog entry today. But, today is Friday and my friend Moviezzz gave me a great idea.

It turns out that film blogger Edward Copeland has started a survey of foreign films. He made a list of 250 films, and he asks people to send it their 25 favorites. I will not list all 25 of the films I chose here. And, I am also adding three films to my list here that were not eligible for the Copeland list.

I have a feeling that my professor from Hollins University, Dr. Klaus Phillips, an expert on German cinema, might be disappointed that I chose only three German films (Fassbinder's "Ali: Fear Eats the Soul" and Herzog's "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" are not listed here since they are #17 and # 18 on my list) for my top 25.

But, he will be glad to know that I chose a German film as my favorite foreign film of all time. It is coincidentally the same one that Moviezzz chose. Although, only four other films made both of our lists (the ones not listed here are the Kurosawa's "Dersu Uzala" and Rohmer's "My Night at Maud's").

The number in parenthesis is the number in which they appear on moviezzz's list, as well The ones with two arrows are ones which were not eligible for Copeland's list. I decided to agree with Copeland and not choose films made before 2004 on this list here too.

So, here it goes:

1. Wings of Desire (1).........................Germany
2. Jules et Jim......................................France
3. Rashomon......................................Japan
4. The Pornographers **....................Japan
5.Yol**.............................................Turkey/Switzerland
6. masculin-feminin (8).............................France
7.The Cranes are Flying..........................Russia
8. The Battle of Algiers........................Italy
9. The Conformist (24)......................Italy
10. The Discrete Charm of the Bourgeoisie...France
11. The Gospel of St. Matthew..................Italy
12.When My Father Was Away on Business.........Yugoslavia (Bosnia)**

The next film on the list was the tense, erotic Japanese classic "Woman  in the Dunes."

"The Conformist" is also a favorite of my friend, independent filmmaker/blogger  Bilge  Ebiri, who is an expert on the film's director  Bernardo Bertolucci.

Ebiri has written about Bertolucci and Yilmaz Guney (the director of "Yol") for the internet journal "Senses of Cinema."

Modern dancer Nejla Yatkin, mentioned in an entry I posted earlier in the week, grew up in Berlin where "Wings of Desire," directed by Wim Wenders, was filmed. She has based a dance on themes presented in the film.

The 1982 classic which both Moviezzz and I have cited as our favorite foreign film was remade here in America into the Nicholas Cage/ Meg Ryan vehicle "City of Angels." I can't speak for Moviezzz or Nejla; but in my view, it basically sucks! Though there is a great U2 song on its soundtrack.

For more info on the survey, visit Moviezzz's blog at:

http://talkingmoviezzz.blogspot.com