Slumdog Thoughts

Having seen Slumdog alittle over a month ago, I've had time to sit back and really think about it. Being a HUGE fan of Danny Boyle and his previous work (28 Days Later, for my money, is as good of a horror film as any other released in the past 25 years), I have to say that I continue to be disappointed with Slumdog. I can understand why people like, even love it, but I have to think that some of those people find the film overly original or fresh. I also have to think that those people have not seen City of God or City of Men (either the TV show or feature length film companion), both of which deal with extreme poverty in massive cities and the attempts to escape the harsh nature of live in poor areas.

Both of the Meirelles projects (he directed the former, produced the latter) seem to bristle with a constant vitality. This isn't to say that Slumdog doesn't feel alive at points as it most certainly does, perhaps as much as any other film this fall, but never does it match the sheer rush of either of the Brazillian films. City of God may be more violent in its drug trade narrative focus but it also features a greater range of emotion. The more gut-wrenching scenes in Slumdog (the torture and mutiliation scenes come to mind) don't match the sheer heart in the throat points of City of God (there is nothing remotely close to the power of this scene, apologies for the sound being off and in another language). Slumdog never wants to take the real horror of those situations to their logical endpoint. Rather, it wants to stay as an almost Dickensian fable about poor kids in the big city. However, the inclusion of these thin line walking scenes which are too in your face to label the film as an audience pleaser, too reserved to actually make a true impression. It seemed to me that Slumdog didn't know what it wanted to be.

For those who think of City of God as being only a violent exploration of favela life, there are more than enough moments of genuine joy and exuberance that break through the darkness. Yet, City of God's blend seems more cohesive and fleshed out. Where as the horrific moments of City of God seem earned and necessary to the film, those moments in Slumdog seem so much more forced, so much less a necessity.

It's unfortunate that, as I believe Boyle to be a true master, Slumdog seems to be the film he's most remembered and adored for. His previous works (28 Days Later, Trainspotting, Millions, hell, even Sunshine in it's flawed glory) struck a much deeper chord with me than Slumdog ever did. It's not to say that Slumdog isn't a good, noteworthy work that adds to Boyle illustrious filmmography but to have it sweep the major awards and dominate critic circles best-of-lists seems like overpraise of the highest order.

It's a Wonderful Life

As December rolls in, so does the holiday season and with the holidays, so comes It's a Wonderful Life, Frank Capra's 1946 meditation on the little things in life, that has become less a part of American cinema as it has become a part of the American consciousness. Few films come to mind that are so instantly recognizable by so many, it's images seared into the minds of multiple generations, touching the hearts and minds of most everyone who is lucky enough to experience it. However, with its overwhelming holiday presence, too many people have begun to overlook the film's true accomplishments and view it strictly as a schmaltzy Christmas favorite. In reality, it is a tremendously dark view on the harsh realities of life, a work of art that masks itself as pop entertainment. While its conclusion, with all the singing and bells ringing, is undeniably optimistic, its first two hours are undeniably not. It is truly magical that Capra can so quickly and effectively switch the film's mood in a way that quite frankly, very few directors were/are capable of.

It's not difficult to see the intentions of the film. By setting up every memorable and positive event with a direct negative foil, Capra carefully engineers a life that one could look back on and see a minus for every plus. For example, George wants to travel the world yet his father dies unexpectedly, leaving him stuck in Bedford Falls while his brother is able to go off and live George's dream. He receives the news of his father's untimely demise during a romantic interlude between him and (unbeknownst to him) his future wife. His wedding day is offset by a financial crisis, leaving his honeymoon in jeopardy after he has to use his own money to keep his father's building and loan in business. Even events like his Uncle's forgetfulness and loss of a great sum of money, offset the optimism and promise of a new year on the horizon, of Christmas Eve. When it comes time for George's monumental decision of whether or not to take his own life, it is not difficult to place yourself in the poor man's shoes. His life has crumbled before his eyes and on top of a terrible day, he's having a worse night. Suicide and debt doesn’t exactly strike me as holiday season material.

The skill in which Capra pulls all of this utterly depressing material together, yet keeps the film compulsively watchable is never short of astounding. One is never turned off from the struggles of George Bailey (a great deal of acclaim must be given to Jimmy Stewart here, as he contributes one of the great everyman performances of all time). Instead, you desperately pull for this completely likable character to pull through, to recognize that his life is not as hopeless as it looks. Capra, utilizing a bleak, film noir-ish look for the night of George's great decision, brings everything to an almost unbearable peak, and with everything crashing down, one is left to ponder the worth of life in that brief moment on the bridge.

It is the redemption filled final 30 minutes that gives It's a Wonderful Life it's reputation as the holiday favorite it is. With a unabashed enthusiasm, Capra flies through an alternate reality that truly feels noir-ish, the small town charms of Bedford Falls replaced by the near urban decadence and decay of Pottersville. This sequence is oddly what feels most in step with the cinema of the day, a postwar view of the world that is cynical, dark and difficult. Seemingly borrowing from the noir masters of the time, Capra's sequence in Pottersville is also the most un-Capra like moment in the entire ordeal (maybe in his entire filmography) and it is what makes the film the classic it is. Had Capra not delved so deeply into the misery that dominates Pottersville, the entire film would have come to a grinding halt at its conclusion, its final moments feeling unearned and trite. They still may feel sappy and overwrought but certainly not unearned. Bailey has gone through hell and back to arrive at this point of jubilation. He has seen the world without his life, he has experienced the suffering and hardships and the moment with friends and family is earnest and moving. Its an ultimate triumph of the everyman over the evil Potter and in many ways, it is a celebration of community wealth, a near Marxist victory over the capitalistic Potter. In many ways, it seems almost anti-American in an economical sense, yet oddly American in its embrace of community.

To say that Capra was un-American is quite frankly absurd: his work in WWII and even Mr. Smith Goes to Washington negate any claims. However, it is curious that such a sentiment is able to creep into the ending of It's a Wonderful Life. In fact, despite the sudden influx of money into the Bailey household, the lasting line in the film is from Clarence, Bailey's guardian angel, and its message is undeniable: "Remember that no man is a failure who has friends." No where is their a mention of money or wealth. Instead, the film celebrates the community helping each other, not the money the community help provides. Its anti-capitalistic sentiments can be overlooked upon first viewing but with each subsequent, it becomes more difficult. For an American Christmas classic, the film tends to go against the stereotypical American ideologies in its conclusions. Yet it perseveres still. Perhaps it is the American's public willingness to overlook the politics in the weeks leading up to a day spent celebrating all that is worthwhile in life. It is a throwback to the real celebration of Christmas, an anti-commercialist, anti-capitalist fable about the true power of friends. Perhaps that is why the American public keeps on bringing back this wonderfully deceptive, yet completely entertaining and life affirming film.

Point is, to call It's a Wonderful Life just a holiday film is short sighted and lazy. While it undeniably fits the time of the season, there is a great deal more to Capra's work. Sure, it may be corny at times (it is, after all referred to as "Capracorn") but if there is ever a time of year to allow for nostalgia and good-natured celebration, now is it. I don't mean to say that It's a Wondeful Life is not a holiday film, too much says that it is, but one must look further. At its heart, there is a dark, postwar view of life, filled with desperation, heartbreak and hate. It hits notes as bleak as anything being made at the time and often times, is slyly and masterfully subversive. Most Christmas films don't touch those feelings, relying on good nature alone to exist. That is why It's a Wonderful Life is so much more, and that is why it is not only the finest of the Christmas films but one of the finest of American cinema, as well.

*Note here the almost Film Noir composition of this shot. The extreme close up of a face, just off center. A look of woe, a shadow being cast of part of the hero's face. Or here:

Doesn't exactly shout Ho Ho Ho, does it? Excuse the poor quality but the anger and grief in Stewart's face here is amazing, a man who has hit the end of his rope.

Outsider's Opinion: Top Ten Films of the 1960's

10. Le Samourai (1967)- One of the least well known films on this list, Le Samourai is Jean Pierre Melville's classic example of cool, a film built on restraint and minimalism. Combining elements of the American Gangster films of the 30's and 40's with the Japanese Samurai flick of the 50's and 60's, Le Samourai is a classic mishmash of genres with a monumental performance by Alain Delon at the center of it. He plays Jef Costello, a hit man who strives for perfection but after one hit goes wrong, is forced into a corner with devastating results. The film is methodical in its plot, often going extended period of times without dialogue. But Melville's shots are perfectly constructed and the time flows effortlessly, slowly revealing stunning moment after another and climaxing in a breathless chase, refreshingly devoid of any pounding music, allowing the suspense of the moment to continue, uninhibited by an external forces. Costello is the personification of cool, always seen in a trench coat and fedora and with jazz filling the streets of Paris, few films can match Le Samourai in its hipness. The Criterion Collection has recently released this on a newly remastered disc that is a must buy for anyone interested in the French New Wave, American Gangster or Japanese Samurai flicks. This is a monumental work that is criminally underestimated and overlooked. One for the ages.


9. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)- A family film that is deceptively complex, addressing issues such as race and class with a stunning clarity that is completely unrivaled in American cinema. Gregory Peck's performance of Atticus Finch is stuff of legend, as fine a lead acting job that has ever been captured on celluloid. The film's brilliance comes in the form of framing its difficult issues through the viewpoint of a child, filtering the complex problems of adults through the innocent and understanding thoughts of a child. Without Horton Foote's stunning adaptation of Harper Lee's classic novel, the film would be significantly less successful but as it is, there are few films in all of history that so accurately capture what its like to deal with difficult issues as one struggles with adolescence. A coming of age story, an examination of racial prejudice in the south and a complex view at the legal system, To Kill A Mockingbird was an anomaly for 1960's Hollywood, an endlessly successful and brave film that successfully emerged from the rubble of the Studio System. John Megna, Mary Badham and Phillip Alford contribute three of the greatest performances by children in cinematic history. They are absolutely stunning in their subtlety, humor and fear. As a primer to a discussion of the difficult to grasp issues (even for adults), To Kill a Mockingbird is a film that can educate and enlighten children and adults alike and should be required viewing for anyone with the slightest interest in the movies.


8. 2001: A Space Odyssey- Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece stands as a remarkable achievement that is virtually unrivaled in all of cinema in terms of an audio-visual experience. Despite disastrous first screenings (during which Rock Hudson famously stood up and walked out demanding “Will someone tell me what the hell this is about?”) that almost crippled the film, it escaped studio hands almost untouched and when released to the general public, was heralded as the true visionary work that it stands as today. Utterly confounding and at times, seemingly incomprehensible, it is a film to be experienced its first viewing rather than understood. Loaded with stunning imagery and themes and almost entirely open to interpretation, 2001 has acted as great divider to those who get it and those who don’t, which is unfortunate because it overlooks the intentions of the film. From the opening shots at the dawn of evolution, to the trippy star gate sequence to the final, haunting shots of the Star Child floating gently above Earth’s atmosphere, the film’s visuals wash over the viewer, electrifying their imagination and their intelligence. As thoughtful and heady of a movie as ever has been released to the mainstream, it signaled a new phase for Kubrick, one in which he became increasingly abstract and difficult, crafting film after film of astonishing beauty and complexity until his untimely death in 1999. He was one of the true masters, one who we’ll get to a little later on as well and 2001 was one of his crowning achievements, a scientifically accurate tale of man’s evolution through time and space.


7. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)- The film that almost single handily announced the arrival of the New Hollywood, Bonnie and Clyde stands as a violent, vicious masterpiece that divided critics, making and breaking some in the process. For Pauline Kael, who heavily praised the film, it provided her career with a leaping off point and with it, she would go on to become one of the most prominent and important film critics of the second half of the 20th century. On the other side is Bosley Crowther, the then New York Times film critic, known for his aging, conservative views. Crowther, highly critical of the film's violence, found himself on the wrong side of the argument as Kael bombarded his review and illuminated his views to be as out of touch as they were. Kael became a star, Crowther was soon ushered out of his job reviewing for the Times in 1968. Kael wasn't the only one who received praise: Warren Beatty, the young up and coming star, became one of the most powerful draws in Hollywood as the producer and star. Although the film is undeniably violent throughout, nothing could prepare audiences for the horrific ending, which is bracing even by today's standards. It is a singular moment in film history that is unforgettable, foreshadowing the dark, cynical feel that the 70's would soon adopt and forever leaving behind any semblance of the innocent, positive films that Hollywood had been putting out for much of the 1950's and early 60's. The acting is superb throughout and the script by David Newman and Robert Benton (later doctored by Robert Towne, who would soon go on to become one of the most desired screenwriters in Hollywood) is razor sharp. It is endlessly entertaining, simultaneously mixing dark comedy and stellar drama. Not to be missed.


6. Battaglia di Algeri, La (1966)- Along with Le Samourai, La Battaglia di Algeri is a little seen masterpiece, a firecracker of political fury, of emotional and intellectual turbulence. Telling the true story of the fight for Algerian independence from French rule, Gillo Pontecorvo crafted a timeless depiction of bravery and sacrifice. Told from both the view of Algerian freedom fighters and the French military, the film is a shocking exploration of the effects of insurgency, violence and warfare, all of which feel particularly timeless and relevant today. It rides one of Ennio Morricone's best scores, pulsing hypnotically along, providing a perfect coupling with the film's visuals. Blending elements of the French New Wave, Russian Cinema Verite and Italian Neo-Realism, The Battle of Algiers is a stylistic and visual wonder, placing strikingly realistic images on the screen: the rioting are startling and scary, the guerilla bombings are terrifying in their abruptness and the torture, given the images of Abu Gharib, is shocking and disturbing. Following the attacks of 9/11 and the start of the war in Iraq, the Pentagon found The Battle of Algiers so pertinent that they chose to hold a screening of it to give the military leaders an idea of what to expect during their time in Iraq. It is a shame that more Americans haven't seen this film as it honestly forces one to think in different ways about the current war on terrorism. The Criterion Collection released this as a three disc special edition in late 2005 that should be mandatory. The special features are interesting and illuminate the issues surrounding the film and the accompanying literature is a fascinating read, featuring interviews with the actual people involved in the resistance. The film is suspenseful and thoughtful, never stooping to the level of a common thriller yet never squandering its excitement in favor of bland political pandering and should be considered a must see for its amazing relevance to our society today.


5. The Wild Bunch (1969)- Sam Peckinpah's greatest accomplishment, The Wild Bunch is a wildly innovative and influential western that is often shocking and deranged. For those who feel like the Western was a jovial, easy going genre for 10 year old boys in the 1940's and 50's should look no further than The Wild Bunch, which brilliantly deconstructs the hallmarks and conventions of the Hollywood Western. Rated R upon its initial release, it was re-released in the early 90's and much to Warner Bros. surprise was hit with a NC-17 for its graphic violence, among other questionable subject matter. Pioneering in its use of slow motion and graphic violence, The Wild Bunch tells the story of a group of aging gunfighters who confront the closing of the west as it becomes increasingly civilized. The acting by the cast is wonderful with William Holden standing out in particular, but the real star here is Peckinpah, who even at this point was considered impossible to work with but who's genius is unquestionable. As an innovator of the modern day action film, the value of his influence can be questioned but its far reaching nature cannot. The film has lost none of its power and for those who grew up with the classic Hollywood Westerns of John Ford, Howard Hawks and Anthony Mann, The Wild Bunch will be particularly shocking. Mournful of the passing time, the film is harsh but also nostalgic. The awareness of the films that have come before it is vital to its viewing and appreciation and those who haven't seen Ford's or Hawk's work may not fully grasp Peckinpah's vision. However, if one is familiar with the work of the past masters, The Wild Bunch will be a fulfilling, exciting and interesting experience that is endlessly rewarding, increasing in value with each viewing.


4. C'era una volta il West (1968)- While not as purely entertaining as some of Sergio Leone's other works, Once Upon a Time in the West (or OUATITW), has become perhaps his most critically revered. As elegiac as film comes, Leone's work is a testament to all that had come before it (including his own works) with subtle twists and turns throughout. The results are nothing short of breathtaking, with the trademark Leone visuals teaming with a phenomenal story co-authored by Bernardo Bertolucci and Dario Argento, two towering figures in the Italian film scene. There is scene after scene of positively electrifying moments, from Claudia Cardinale's ride into Monument Valley to Henry Fonda's appearance as the film's villain. The opening segment, almost 10 minutes in length without a single word of dialogue slowly builds in suspense as only Leone could do until an abrupt and quick resolution. A star studded cast lends itself perfectly to the material and transforms every scene into a display of star prowess. Unlike The Wild Bunch, Peckinpah's calling card to the Old West, Leone's film largely eschews the violence to a surprising degree, focusing on the moments prior to a kill in amazing builds of tension rather than the moments directly after with Peckinpah's trademark slow motion and graphic violence. The cinematography, as in all of Leone's work, is spectacular, blending sweeping vistas with as close as them come shots filling up the screen. Like with The Wild Bunch, this is a film best enjoyed having digested the works that have come before it, although Once Upon a Time in the West is more palatable due to The Wild Bunch's violence. Its slow pacing is vintage Leone and requires some patience but for those who are able to get in tune with the master, they will not be disappointed.


3. 8 1/2 (1963)- The greatest movie ever about the creative process, 8 1/2 stands as a timeless, difficult and dense work by Federico Fellini, weaving surrealistic images with the realities of the world. It tells the story of Guido, a director stuck on a film he has no desire to make, and his creative and personal frustrations that arise as his life crumbles around him. Guido, played by Marcello Mastrorianni in one of the all time great performances, relies heavily on his personal memories (many of which were actually Fellini's) to draw inspiration and much to his frustration, is unable to come up with anything he is satisfied filming. As outside pressures mount, Guido looks further and further inward and as he does, the film becomes more and more surrealistic until the magnificent climatic sequence. Fellini, who wrote and directed the film, delves deeper into the creative process than anyone had before and the film shows this. As I attempt to enter into a creative profession, I notice I turn inward for inspiration, drawing from personal experience more and more. The more I realize this, the greater an achievement 8 1/2 becomes. Incredibly observant and unflinching in its depictions of Guido's struggles, 8 1/2 has become considered the film about film, with almost nothing else challenging its greatness. The black and white cinematography, by Gianni di Venanzo, is stunning in its crispness and it captures both the real and surreal with ease, keeping the visual scheme constant which makes each successive sequence harder to discern. Is the viewer watching one of Guido's dreams or is this actually happening? Upon first viewing, it can be frustrating but if one gives themselves to Fellini and allows him to take them along for the ride, the experience is an awesome trip into the human mind. It is funny and sad, comedic and tragic and it is Fellini's best work, one perfectly suited for his indulgences. In the hands of another director, 8 1/2 may not have worked but with Fellini and his imagination at the helm, it is never less than dazzling, a required experience for anyone interested in cinema.


2. Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964)- The 1960's most viciously funny satire and the best cinematic document of the insanity of Cold War paranoia, Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove is an unquestioned classic, a comedic masterpiece of the highest order. Featuring the greatest comedic actor of all time, Peter Sellers, at the top of his game playing, count 'em, three separate, all key roles and George C. Scott in a neurotic performance that almost equals Sellers, Dr. Strangelove is easily one of the greatest American films of all time. Released at the height of the Cold War, the film's brave stance against much of the standard political thinking of the day is superb and its ability to laugh at a situation that gripped the nation with terror is unmatched. Released a less than 2 years after the world stared down nuclear war with the Cuban Missile Crisis, the film is frank and unnerving in its depictions of the end of the world as the men in charge act like school boys, wrestling and arguing without any semblance of order or intelligence. Featuring a wickedly clever and gleefully chaotic script by humorist Terry Southern, every scene works and the humor of the film increases with each viewing as the heavily nuanced acting and directing play out with great subtlety. Featuring spectacular supporting work from Slim Pickens, Sterling Hayden amongst others, this film has no cinematic, narrative or thematic weaknesses as it moves along uninhibited. It is as close to perfection as any American film has come and stands today as a cinematic milestone that has lost nothing in the 43 years since its release. Not only Kubrick's best, not only the best American film of the 1960's, but hands down, one of the best films of all time, certainly in my personal Top Ten.


1. Il Buono, il brutto, il cattivo (1966)- Not only the most entertaining movie of the 1960's but also the decade's best, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is a breathtaking original, the peak of Sergio Leone's craft and easily one of the greatest westerns of all time, American, Italian or otherwise. Lead by classic performances from Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef, TGTBATU features a wonderfully expressive cast that slinks their way across Leone's vast screen. The use of widescreen is breathtaking, alternating between extreme close up and expansive long shots, all of which are striking in their composition. Each sequence stands as an indisputable classic, climaxing in Tuco's gleeful sprint through a graveyard near the film's conclusion. TGTBATU centers around three men's pursuit of a stash of lost gold and their continuing attempts to trump the others effort to discover the treasure. It may seem like a simple story (which it is) but Leone gracefully stretches it out across three glorious hours with his pitch perfect pacing and wonderful action. Ennio Morricone's score, much like his in Once Upon A Time In The West, is astonishing and the film's well known theme is as good as film scores get. Due to its widespread popularity and its trademark guitars, many overlook its true artistic value but when one listens to it outside of the film, any shred of doubt is immediately erased, replaced with the realization that one is listening to one of the great musical compositions of the 20th century. This is the western for those who don't like westerns. It’s gritty and dark and has aspects of wonderfully black comedy sprinkled throughout. As equally rich thematically as narratively, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly stands as the epitome of 1960's filmmaking, a violent, pulpy, bracing classic that is entertaining, intelligent and absolutely irresistible.

Outsider's Opinion: Top Ten Alfred Hitchcock Films

10. The 39 Steps- Undoubtedly one of Hitchcock's best spy movies (you'll find four on this list), The 39 Steps was one of his most successful films he made in Britain prior to arriving in Hollywood in the late 1930's, a change that would forever alter the mood and landscape of American film. With The 39 Steps Hitch was able to craft an entertaining and fast paced thriller that ranks with the best of his output. Made in 1935, the film is refreshingly suspenseful, even by today's standards, and shows that even earlier in his career (a good 15 years before he would enter what most consider to be his classic period), Hitch was innovating in a genre he would go on to dominate for the next half of a century. It showcases his sly, dark humor and is one of his most purely enjoyable films, filled with one memorable sequence after another. Often times missed due to it being created in his British period, any self respecting Hitchcock fan ought to track down the beautiful Criterion Collection DVD and enjoy the espionage.

9. Notorious- The pinnacle of Hitchcock's work with David O. Selsnick, the it Hollywood producer of the 30's and 40's, Notorious arrived on the heels of Spellbound, one of Hitchcock's most thematically and theoretically ambitious films to date. Spellbound, underrated in its own right, was Hitch's first real full foray into the psychoanalytic probing that would dominate his later, Freudian fueled films. Rather than expand on that immediately, Hitchcock turned back to espionage, creating a film concerned solely with entertaining the audience. It is wildly successful, utilizing the McGuffin to perfection, fueling Hitchcock's examination of a romance between a spy and an unsuspecting woman under the pretense for the search for missing uranium. As the story progress, the audience forgets about the initial reason for the spying and instead is completely absorbed by the romance between the two leads (Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman). Across the board, the acting is wonderful and the cinematography, borrowing from the emerging Film Noir movement, is nothing short of breathtaking. Written by Ben Hecht, one of the finest screenwriters in history, Notorious is an undisputed, complex classic.
8. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)- One of Hitch's most underrated and overlooked works from his classic period, The Man Who Knew Too Much is a terrific exercise in suspense and is a superior film to the original The Man Who Knew Too Much (also by Hitchcock, filmed in Britain in the 1930's). A globe spanning adventure film, Hitch's scope in TMWKTM is especially impressive and the final sequence in the Royal Albert Hall is wonderfully gripping, with each passing second increasing the tension to an almost unbearable level until it finally is released with a climatic cymbal crash. Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day prove why they were such huge attractions with smart, entertaining performances. Midway through his classic period (which I should probably define since I'm using it so much. From 1951 to 1963, Hitchcock created 12 films, 10 of which are widely considered to be cinematic classics. It is a period that is unrivaled in cinematic history, with perhaps only Preston Sturges' productions in the early to mid 1940's coming close), Hitchcock had fully hit his stride, innovating and entertaining at a feverish pitch. He was elevating cinema to a serious art form with each successive film elevating his status to newer heights.
7. Rope- Perhaps the most technically accomplished film of Hitchcock's career, Rope features a remarkably small number of cuts, 9 to be exact and most of those will be invisible to the mainstream audience. The result feels like a staging of a play yet still is oddly cinematic. Hitchcock wisely utilizes the devices afforded to him by the movies to make sure that it doesn't appear to be no more than a filmed play. Due to these long takes, the acting is superb, almost entirely without flaws. While many consider Hitchcock a great technical master, Rope works to prove that he was as equally adept at directing actors as camera movements. It is a testament to Hitch's skill that the film never feels dull or slow despite its lack of quick edits. Rather, it slowly builds suspense until the shocking conclusion. Rope's critics unfairly label it as nothing more than an experiment instead of the truly groundbreaking achievement it truly is. For a director to take such a risk and to pull it off so effortlessly is unique and this film, like many of his others, places Hitchcock in a realm untouched by others.
6. The Lady Vanishes- One of Hitchcock's last films in Britain, The Lady Vanishes is the best blend of humor and thrills of any Hitchcock film. It's brilliance in the blend of the two is amazing as Hitch is able to get his audience to laugh in the midst of a suspense sequence and then after breaking the tension, immediately create it again with grace and precision. His ability to virtually create tension out of thin air was and still is unmatched by any filmmaker. Even Spielberg, who is as manipulative a filmmaker as there is, needs to build suspense. For Hitchcock it instantly materializes out of thin air and is palpable to the audience. The Lady Vanishes benefits from its playful tone: the tension is never unbearable or uncomfortable as it is in some of Hitch's later works. This film, by comparison, is fairly light and airy, gracefully gliding through its 97 minute runtime, never outstaying its welcome. The pacing is pitch perfect and the characters, rare for an adventure film, are wonderfully developed and real. This is Hitchcock's best British film and like The 39 Steps, has a great Criterion Collection DVD that is the best means to watch this over 70 year old film that has aged as well as can be imagined.
5. Psycho- The film that most contribute with being the first slasher horror, which depending on who you ask is a mixed blessing, is also still its best. With two all time great sequences (the shower and the staircase), Psycho is considered by many to be one of the scariest films ever released, despite its grand old age of 46. It holds up remarkably well, as suspenseful and shocking as it must have been in 1960. It's timelessness is a testament to Hitchcock's tremendous skill as it scares even hardened, cynical modern audiences. Anthony Perkins gives the performance of a lifetime, with his ominous stare at film's end as disturbing as any other one shot in cinema history. While I personally think that its greatness pales in comparison to some of Hitchcock's other accomplishments, its importance in film cannot be understated. Its pioneering violence (all of which is off screen) and portrayal of a serial killer is startling in their freshness and its black and white cinematography adds to the creepiness of the situations. In the hands of an inferior director (Gus Van Sant), the remake sagged under its own weight, showing that it took a director of exceptional skill to sustain the film as well as Hitchcock does. Another indisputable classic.
4. Strangers on a Train- Hitchcock's most criminally underrated film, Strangers on a Train is a masterful adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel, brimming with suspense. Farley Granger gives a wonderful performance and Robert Walker is deliciously evil as a sociopath who tries to convince his hero, a tennis star, agree to a murder plot. This was near the start of the classic period and is overlooked due to its proximity to his other more intellectual masterpieces. However, like North By Northwest, this features some of the directors best sequences, particularly the climatic sequence at a carnival on a merry go round. The tension reaches amazing heights and for fans of thrillers, this should be required viewing. The script, penned by Raymond Chandler among others, is astounding. Chandler, my personal choice for the best crime novelist of all time in a close race with Hammett and Ellroy, shows that his work on Double Indemnity was no fluke as he is able to craft a screenplay filled with witty dialogue and wonderfully dangerous situations.
3. Vertigo- Of his classic works, Vertigo is Hitchcock's most intellectually stimulating (Rear Window is a close second) with its riveting and disturbing portrayal of a man obsessed with a dead woman. Jimmy Stewart contributes one of the best performances of his illustrious career. His work as Scottie Ferguson is remarkable in the way it plays against type. Stewart, who almost always played the moral protagonist of the film, here is a disturbed obsessive, determined to get to the bottom of an investigation. While the film starts off as supernatural, an oddity in Hitchcock's work, it quickly switches its tone back to reality, focusing on the downward spiral of Ferguson. The cinematography is stunning in its color and depth of field. The script is a wonderful adaptation of the French novel d'Entre les Morts and the supporting players are superb. The film's climax is a wonderful explanation of the films questions and leaves the viewer shaken to the core. A brave film for 1958, this was the start of a three film stretch that included North by Northwest and Psycho, an absolutely astounding run of filmmaking prowess.
2. Rear Window- Anchored by two fantastic lead performances by Jimmy Stewart and stunning Grace Kelly, Rear Window is an in depth examination of voyeurism masquerading as a simple thriller. Shot in only one room (much like Rope), its pacing are a marvelous technical achievement. The film, despite no changes of scenery, never drags or feels dull. It is exciting and suspenseful from the get go, and the films conclusion is as suspenseful as Hitch's films had ever gotten. Deceptively intelligent, it is a careful examination (like Vertigo) of obsession and voyeurism. There has been as much critical and scholarly writing on Rear Window as any other Hitchcock film and for good reason. There is a wealth of thematic and narrative material here that can be overlooked on first viewing. Its subtleties slow reveal themselves, enveloping the audience with each passing moment. Rear Window's masterful ability to act as either a thriller for the intellectual crowd or an intelligent thematic work for the thrill seekers has allowed it to stay vital and relevant, over 50 years after its initial release.
1. North By Northwest- Hitchcock's best work is a triumphant espionage thriller featuring memorable set piece after set piece, brimming with suspense, humor and fantastic performances. It is the ultimate distillation of Hitchcock's skill as a director and the peak of his creative career. Cary Grant is superb as a business man mistakenly caught up in an international spy ring who refuse to accept that he is who he says he is. What follows is a roller coaster ride through the United States with each moment revealing a clever new twist to the film's plot. The script is razor sharp, providing Grant with countless memorable lines to sink his teeth into. Don't be mistaken though, the character development is there as well, with interesting and believable arcs for each member of the cast. The famous crop duster sequence is as good as one can imagine and literally is one of the top 5 moments ever put on film. Hitchcock would work for another 15 years, but nothing would ever come close to his amazing achievement here with North By Northwest. This is the perfect starter film for a new viewer. It goes down easily and doesn't require intense thought, just a careful eye and the ability to follow a weaving plotline. Not only the best film by Hitchcock, it is undoubtedly one of the best films of all time.

An Outsider's Opinion: Top Ten Working American Directors

Sorry for the delay, here is the newest Outsider’s Opinion. Enjoy!

10. David Lynch- The most experimental, and probably most divisive, filmmaker on the list, David Lynch has created a career out of making confounding, brilliant works that are visual and aural delights as well as furious brainteasers. Beginning with Eraserhead in 1979, Lynch's films are often times simultaneously humorous and terrifying. While many of his critics label him as pretentious and confusing, a director incapable of making a cohesive, narrative film. To his admirers, those are his finest qualities and his creation of fluid, dreamlike pictures separate him from the stagnant mainstream American culture of film. His continued refusal to stay the course has allowed him to create such varied works as The Elephant Man (1984), Blue Velvet (1986), The Straight Story (1999), Mulholland Dr. (2001) and most recently Inland Empire (2006), which has almost unanimously been hailed as his strangest and least accessible work. To those willing to give themselves to Lynch's imagination, they will be amply rewarding with endlessly rewarding films that challenge both mainstream thought and emotion. Lynch's next film has yet to be announced and seeing how methodically he works, it may be sometime before we see another from him.9. Alexander Payne- Perhaps the most classical director on the list, Payne has spent the first part of the new century crafting films that strike a delicate balance between drama and outright humor. His films are never flashy, but rather, restrained examinations of the everyman struggling to cope with life. In Election, it was a high school teacher engaged in a heated, vicious student council election. In About Schmidt, it was the story of aging widower traveling cross country for his daughter's wedding. Finally, in Sideways, it is another high school teacher/struggling writer, one who brings his best friend on a week long bachelor's party, tasting wine, through the Napa Valley. Payne's films work so well because of their accessibility. The emotions are basic and human, the characters carefully considered. His use of humor is lifelike and effective. Never relying on outrageous gags, the situations smack of realism. Of the prominent American filmmakers of today, few have as much promise to become one of the best as Payne. His next film is not yet known.
8. Sofia Coppola- The only woman on the list is also the only woman in Hollywood continually making innovative and intelligent films with every effort. Starting with her wonderful adaptation of The Virgin Suicide, Coppola has furiously worked to extradite herself from her father's shadow, eagerly attempting to prove that she is as every bit worthy as Francis. While it has been difficult for Coppola to replicate her father's 70's successes in which he made 4 of the greatest films ever (The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, Apocalypse Now), she has certainly began to carve her own niche, creating 3 interesting movies that have enjoyed great critical success. Lost in Translation is her one definite classic in the making, an amazing exploration of two people's struggles to adapt to a foreign culture and finding solace in each other's company. Marie Antoinette was her most divisive, with its revisionist history and use of 80's pop songs. Its influence has yet to be determined but its originality is undeniable. It takes a story over 200 years old and re-invigorates it with a modern, punk sensibility that Gen-X’ers can relate to. Its a true visual and aural feast, a visionary look at a time gone by. Coppola's next film has not yet been announced.
7. Wes Anderson- Where Lynch is experimental, Anderson is wonderfully eccentric, his best films displaying a gleeful chaos. Ask anyone and there are bound to be differing opinions about which of Anderson's films is their favorite. For me, its his most recent and most divisive, 2004's incredibly funny The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. It is a perfect combination of his deadpan conversation, physical humor and perfectly suited visuals. It is a wonderful satire of Jacques Cousteau while remaining humane and endearing. It never feels cruel or hurtful but always good hearted. Of all the comedies being made today, Anderson's take the longest to reveal themselves. The Royal Tennebaums (2001), his most accessible film by far, is the least rewarding but is immensely enjoyable. It still provides great laughs and an impressive emotional impact. Rushmore (1999) is more like The Life Aquatic with its offbeat humor that slowly reveals itself with each viewing. Anderson can be credited with Bill Murray's comedic rebirth, as it was under his careful guidance in the three films mentioned above that Murray rediscovered his comic touch and tempered it with a careful humanism. Anderson's next project is a collaboration with Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman entitled The Darjeeling Limited that is currently filming now. It is scheduled for release sometime in 2008.
6. Quentin Tarantino- The most original filmmaker of the 1990's, Tarantino created a post-modernist film vocabulary with Reservoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994) and Jackie Brown (1997) that is still unrivaled by any American filmmaker. These films are wheeling pop culture free for all's, darkly hilarious and brimming with excellent dialogue. Jackie Brown, his most underrated film, is an intelligent and exciting manipulation of the exploitation (more specifically Blaxploitation) films of the 1970's, critique and deconstructing many of those films' clichés and hallmarks. Pulp Fiction is his unparalleled masterpiece, giddy with film history and theory while remaining wildly entertaining and technically astounding. It is certainly one of the finest American films in the past 20 years. His most recent work, the Kill Bill films are wonderful genre mash-ups, with the first installment relying on Japanese and Chinese cinemas to create a modern mash up of the classic Samurai and Kung Fu flicks of the 1950's, 60's and 70's. The second chapter adds the Italian spaghetti western into the mix and is a more substantial emotional film, where the first subsides on carefully orchestrated chaos. Tarantino's next film is the double feature Grindhouse, scheduled for release in April 2007 and is co-directed by Robert Rodriguez. It returns Tarantino 1970's exploitation cinema, this time the Horror films of the time, and promises to be an interesting and entertaining watch. The long rumored and delay Inglorious Bastards has been announced and should begin production sometime this year.
5. Steven Spielberg- The creator of the summer blockbuster is the still the only one who hasn't caved to the terrible nature of the summer months. Spielberg has produced consistently good work throughout his over 30 year career and most recently, has created one of his most mature and exciting works, Munich (2005). With age, his work has begun to vary in form and tone, relying on humor in Catch Me If You Can (2003), realistic depictions of warfare in Saving Private Ryan (1998) or dystopic visions of the future in Minority Report (2002). His first big splash (No pun intended), Jaws (1975) still stands as his finest work, an exciting and intelligent blockbuster that begins as a story about a huge fish and ends as a thoughtful examination of human fear of the unknown. He has produced countless classics (E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Indiana Jones Trilogy, Schindler's List) but is not higher on the list due to some of his more recent work. While Munich was excellent, War of the Worlds (2005) was uneven and The Terminal (2004) a minor work at best. His next film, Lincoln, is a biopic of the sixteenth president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln and is scheduled for release in 2008. He also begins shooting on the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series this summer, for release in 2008 as well.

4. Martin Scorsese- With The Departed (2006), Scorsese has continued a run of fantastic filmmaking, starting with Gangs of New York (2002) and continuing with The Aviator (2004) and Bob Dylan: No Direction Home (2005). The three most recent are legitimate classics and he doesn't appear to be stopping. This year will see the release of Shine a Light (2007), his documentary about the entire career of the Rolling Stones. He will then move onto a biopic of Teddy Roosevelt, which has Leonardo DiCaprio attached to it. His back catalog is as impressive as they come with Mean Streets (1974), Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980) and Goodfellas (1989) leading the way. He has long been considered the best director of his generation by many critics and with his recent work only adding to his legacy, Scorsese could be working on cementing his reputation as the greatest of all time. He is an avowed film fanatic and he almost single handedly attempts to teach younger generations about the films of the past. His examinations are thorough and responsible, showing a great deal of research and passion for his subjects.
3. Michael Mann- Perhaps the most unheralded director on this list, Mann has compiled a list of quiet masterpieces that are largely overlooked or forgotten merely because they lie in genre filmmaking. In reality, his films have grown increasingly complex and assured, and in recent years, technically groundbreaking. Starting with 1992's The Last of the Mohicans, bypassing his early films Manhunter and Thief (both underrated), Mann has hit a streak of gold, creating film after film with breathtaking virtuosity. The string of films (Heat (1995), The Insider (1999), Ali (2001), Collateral (2004), Miami Vice (2006)), is remarkable, each adding something different to Mann's canon. Heat is his undisputed masterpiece centered on a bank robber and the police officer chasing him. It is Mann's touch and direction that makes it into more than typical cops and robbers film, elevating it to a level of complex emotional and thematic explorations of masculinity and loyalty. The Insider features one of the best performances of all time (Russell Crowe's turn as a Big Tobacco whistle blower) and Ali, his most disrespected film, shows flashes of brilliance. When the viewer reaches Collateral and Miami Vice, Mann's technical abilities become evident as he pushes high definition, digital filmmaking farther than anyone before him. The films are visual miracles, capturing both night and day, urban and tropical areas with ease and filling the screen with a color palette virtually unmatched since the glorious days of Technicolor's bursting reds. Mann currently has two films in development, 2007's Arms and the Man and 2008's The Few. It is not yet known if he will using digital video or move back to film but what can be assured is that Mann's confident and cinematic touch will continue to change the ways genre pictures are viewed in the 21st century.
2. Spike Lee- The most racially aware American filmmaker of all time, Spike Lee's body of work is a staggering achievement filled with films that examine almost every aspect of American life. Poverty, race, ethnicity, drugs, terrorism, war: all are looked at and deconstructed in entertaining and enlightening fashions, illuminating many subjects that Americans might not feel comfortable discussing. Lee has been and will always be a controversial filmmaker due to his refusal to sit quietly and allow for the injustices he sees in society go unnoticed. His films are bracing, realistic and incredibly moving. Starting with 1989's Do The Right Thing, still the best film ever about racial issues, and moving through the 1990's and 2000's, Lee has created such classics as Malcolm X (1992), 4 Little Girls (1997), Bamboozled (2000), 25th Hour (2002) and recently his searing look at Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, When The Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Parts (2006). Even his "lesser" works are intelligent looks at potent issues: Jungle Fever (1991), Crooklyn (1994), Clockers (1995), He Got Game (1998) and 2006's The Inside Man, which is as entertaining and clever a heist movie as there has ever been. Lee has long been the most prominant African American filmmaker working in Hollywood and has miraculously been able to continue to make unwavering films that have strong beliefs that are presented with anger, intelligence and class. He is in talks for his next film to be Selling Time with Tom Cruise, scheduled for release in late 2007.
1. Clint Eastwood- There is no finer American director working today than Eastwood, who has created a restrained yet endlessly effective body of work that contains 5 legitimate masterpieces. 1992's Unforgiven was the best American western in more than 20 years and nothing has come close since. 2003's Mystic River features a spectacular ensemble cast and is a riveting look at the chilling effects of pedophilia. 2004's Million Dollar Baby is a devastating political statement masquerading as a boxing film and 2006's Flags of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima are the two best war films to be released since 1998's Saving Private Ryan. They both stand along with ease but when combined, they are an amazing achievement, a bracing and humane look at the Battle of Iwo Jima from both sides. The two films are emotionally effective and thematically they work to subvert many of the archetypes created by the Hollywood war epics of the past. To a common viewer, Flags and Letters might seem typical. To those who have an understanding of what came before them, they are a towering accomplishment that would be foolish to demean. For those counting at home, that’s four classic films in 4 years, an accomplishment unrivaled by any director working today. Eastwood's works are mature films, not for the weak of heart or mind. They require careful thought and consideration but for those willing to give themselves to his work, they are endlessly rewarding movies that will be fondly remembered in the years to come. This does not even mention Eastwood's earlier directorial work in westerns such as High Plains Drifter (1973) or The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), widely considered to be some of the best American westerns of the 1970's. Eastwood's next film has yet to be announced but he generally works quickly so look for something in late 2007, sometime in 2008.