Best 100 Non-American Films

sysyphus · Mar 2, 2007

As a sort of personal project I've been working my way through AFI's top 100 American Films. Of course, some of these aren't quite American (The Third Man comes to mind), but seem to have found their way to inclusion on the list nonetheless.

Now I'm thinking about great films which are not American made. The Bicycle Thief, Das Boot and Seventh Samurai are few that come to mind. So share with us all, what other films would belong on such a top 100 list?

Irish Caesar · Mar 2, 2007

Monty Python and the Holy Grail?

Fugitive Sisyphus · Mar 2, 2007

Irish Caesar said:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail?

And The Life Brian.

The Fifth Element.
Life is beautiful.
Lawrence of Arabia.
Many Alec Guiness movies.

Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

emzie · Mar 2, 2007

The Seventh Seal

sysyphus · Mar 2, 2007

FugitivSisyphus said:
Lawrence of Arabia.

Actually, this one is on the AFI list (though it is noted that its qualification as an "American" film is contreversial).

And yes... Python, always Python. I think Meaning of Life also warrants inclusion... though Terry Gilliam and Connie Booth are Americans... :crazyeye:

Otkell · Mar 2, 2007

Most of Akira Kurosawa's movie.
Can't thnk of any right now... stupid brain why wont you work?

Cheezy the Wiz · Mar 3, 2007

The Ten Samurai was a good one.

The Major · Mar 3, 2007

Paths of Glory...

(Although its by Kubrick, it was filmed entirely in Bavaria, that could constitute non-american...?)

aluka · Mar 3, 2007

Le Samourai
Aguirre Wrath of God

Perfection · Mar 3, 2007

Triumph of Will :mischief:

Fifty · Mar 3, 2007

city of god!!!

Adamb0mb · Mar 3, 2007

Run Lola Run

ummmm........ · Mar 3, 2007

I remember AFI's criteria for "American" are a bit loose (IIRC it means a film with American creative input, filmed in the US or financed by US companies -- that last one brings a whole slew of films into the fold).

I was going to just list a few personal faves -- which would basically be the same as everyone else's -- but then I remembered I have an old Entertainment Weekly book that lists the 'hundred best movies' of various genres, including 'Foreign' by which they mean 'foreign language'. I don't think EW brings any more critical gravitas to the table than the AFI does, but you sound kind of like me in that you like lists (I've already worked my way through the AFI list as well) so I thought you might like to see it. They're listed here in the same 1-100 order the book gives, which is a travesty (Seven Samurai in the 40s -- WTH?!?). I've made comments on those I've seen or am familiar with, and I apologize in advance for screwing up foreign capitalization conventions, the book lists the titles in ALLCAPS:

Spoiler :

Okay, that list was released in the mid-90s. Most of the other good foreign films should be represented by the 'CFC generation', but just in case I'll add:

La Femme Nikita (1991) Not that much better than the remake, but yeah, better.
La Belle Noiseuse (1991) Keep meaning to see it . . .
Hard Boiled (1992) Does kung-fu count?
Red (1994) Haven't seen it since the theatrical release, but the whole trilogy's probably worth it . . .
The Wind Will Carry Us (2000) Yup. Worth seeing.
Princess Mononoke (2000) Like nobody else was going to mention that one. But yeah, it's legitimate art.
Yi Yi (2000) Another that everybody else liked more than me. But there were enough everybody else's to convince me that there's something there . . .
Together (2000) Lukas Moodyson. I haven't seen Lilya-4-ever, or that would probably be in this space . . .
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) Or as my friend put it: 'If life doesn't go your way, jump off a bridge' . . .
The Circle (2001) Honestly, I fell asleep. But in its defense I was really, really tired.
Divided We Fall (2001) Remember vague disappointment, but it was fairly hyped . . .
Late Marriage (2002) All I remember is that it was a cute little film. But I still remember it five years later . . .
Nine Queens (2002) Wait, that was in English wasn't it?
The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat) (2002) Didn't get it. At all.
Y Tu Mama Tambien (2002) Again, I've got to believe somebody's mentioned this . . .
Talk to Her (2002) Unqualified recommendation.
To Be and To Have (2002) Overrated, IMHO, and spoiled by the aftermath in anyone's opinion, but meh, make up your own mind . . .
The Man Without a Past (2003)
Lilya 4-Ever (2003) Like I said, I haven't seen it, but I'm not letting that keep it off the list . . .
The Best of Youth (2003) Brilliant, but long. Multiple sittings.
Red Lights (2004) Again not what you think of when you think 'foreign film', but eminently watchable . . .
The Return (2004) Very good.
The Sea Inside (2004) That was in Spanish, right?
A Very Long Engagement (2004) I know. But it wasn't American, I promise.
Osama (2004)
The World (2004) soap-opera-ie, but not bad . . .
Bad Education (2004) That Almodovar guy strikes again . . .
Moolaade(2004)
House of Flying Daggers (2004)
The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) disappointing, but then I'm not a communist . . .
Maria Full of Grace (2004) That was mostly in Spanish, right?
Look at Me (2005) I thought it was crap -- another movie that could've been released in English by an American studio. But it was acclaimed :dunno:

Tony Takitani (2005) Brilliant. Seriously. Go watch it right now.
2046 (2005) Worth the effort
Days of Glory (2006) Keep meaning to see it . . .
Sweet Land (2006) Haven't seen it; not sure how much of it is non-English
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2006) The packaging sold this as a comedy. So I very clearly did not get it . .
Pan's Labyrith (2006) I didn't like it, but I thought maybe you'd heard of it?
Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) Haven't heard a negative word yet . . .

That's it for me. Hit Alt+S a couple of times inadvertently, but I think that more or less covers the biggies. Let me know if it was helpful . . .

Reno · Mar 3, 2007

Practically anything by Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki, all of them worth seeing over and over again. I can't get enough of them.

Films by Hayao Miyazaki (Future Boy Conan not listed as it is a series)

(Lupin III) The Castle of Cagliostro (1979, the name Lupin was dropped from western releases)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
(Laputa) Castle in the Sky (1986, the name Laputa was dropped from western releases)
My Neighbor Totoro (1988, double featured with Grave of the Fireflies)
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Porco Rosso (1992)
(On Your Mark) (1995, not really a film, but rather a music video diected by Miyazaki)
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Spirited Away (2001)
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Currently Miyzaki is working on a new film, but not too many details about it have been announced.

Films by Isao Takahata (Haven't seen all of his early production, mostly due to them not being released in the west)

Little Norse Prince (1968)
Chie the Brat (1981)
Gauche the Cellist (1982)
Grave of the Fireflies (1988, double featured with Totoro)
Only Yesterday (1991)
Pom Poko (1994)
My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999)

Other Studio Ghibli Films

Ocean Waves (1991)
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
The Cat Returns (2002)
Tales from Earthsea (2006, directed by Miyazaki's son Goro)

-------

For non-anime titles, films such as Goodbye Lenin come to mind.

Narz · Mar 3, 2007

I agree with Fifty and AdamB0mb.

The Seven Samurai was also cool.

And a movie called Morir o No (To Die or Not) was pretty decent.

Oh and Dersu Uzala. Awesome flick!

LuckyAC · Mar 3, 2007

I would put La Bell Noiseuse on the list of WORST films...

Good films that come to mind:
Kurosawa: for sure Ikiru, Ran, Rashomon, Seven Samurai (though personally one of my least favorite of his films).
?: Tokyo Story

Truffaut: Les Quatrecents Coups
Renoir: La Grand Illusion, la Regle du Jeu
Godard: A bout de souffle
?: Jean de Florette/Manon des Sources
?: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg

?: The Battle of Algiers
Fellini: 8 1/2 definitely, La Dolce Vita
Reggio: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Tartovsky: Solyaris

Lang: Metropolis
?: The Tin Drum
?: Das Boot

Bergman: Persona, Wild Strawberries

Lean: Bridge on the River Kwai
Attenborough: Gandhi
Monty Python: Holy grail, Life of Brian
Hitchcock: The Lady Vanishes
?: A Fish Called Wanda

Satjayit Ray: The Chessplayers

I haven't really seen that much cinema besides American, French, British and Japanese, though, so hardly an unbiased list.

Tboy · Mar 3, 2007

Every Monty Python film, Bridge on the River Kwai, and several others whose names I can't remember right now.

willemvanoranje · Mar 3, 2007

de Aanslag (The Assault, 1986) - Oscar

Cidade de Deus (City of God, 2000) - Oscar nomination

Amélie (2001) - Oscar nomination

O que é isso, companheiro (Four days in september, 1997) - Oscar nomination

Central do Brasil (Central Station, 1998) - Oscar nomination

Der Untergang (Downfall, 2004) - Oscar nomination

sysyphus · Mar 3, 2007

Fifty said:
city of god!!!

How did I forget that!

Neomega · Mar 3, 2007

City of Lost Children

http://imdb.com/title/tt0112682/

Best 100 Non-American Films

So they tell me

Yellow Jacket

Escape Artist

wicked witch of the North

So they tell me

Chieftain

Socialist In A Hurry

Warlord

Warlord

The Great Head.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lawless

Extremely normal.

The Studio Ghibli Fanatic

keeping it real

Immortal

Future world ruler

Curitibano

So they tell me

Deity

Similar threads