272. 8 1/2
Fellini’s masterpiece is often described as a film about not being able to make a film. But really it is about responsibility, liability, lying, loving and living.
Tag Archives: Oscars
251. Lawrence of Arabia
David Lean’s enduring masterpiece is a rare breed; an epic but also a portrait that refuses to explain its enigmatic subject.
229. The Conformist
Few films are as layered as The Conformist. But whether you see it as an exercise in style, character study, or philosophical thesis, it’s a flat out masterpiece.
214. Revolutionary Road
Like the novel, Revolutionary Road so probed its subject audiences stayed away. Their loss. It is Sam Mendes’ best film.
68. Black & White
When it comes to cinema, many people consider black & white as old. Yet the same people also consider it beautiful. Surely black & white is more than that?
Spielberg’s Techniques
This video-essay examines Steven Spielberg’s career, from his days in television up until War Horse, and shows how he uses the disciplines of cinema to secure specific emotional responses.
58. Jane Austen in Film
Jane Austen’s readers zealously protect her novels from filmmakers. Does their pride prejudice or benefit the films?
57. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
With 4 Oscars and over $548m at the box-office, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid remains the most popular western ever made.
55. Brokeback Mountain
How did this film, adapted from Annie Proulx’s acclaimed short story and initially categorized as ‘the gay cowboy’ movie, go on to gross over $180m worldwide?
48. Don’t Look Now
Alfred Hitchcock was not the only person who could adapt Daphne Du Maurier’s work to the screen. In fact, you could argue Nicolas Roeg did it best.
47. Fashion in Film
Edith Head was one of cinema’s greatest costume designers. Here we discuss her work and explore the relationship between fashion and film.
40. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Blake Edwards’ adaptation of Truman Capote’s novella has an enduring appeal but is far removed from its literary source.
39. Sunset Blvd.
Sunset Blvd. tasted like very black coffee when it was released in 1950 and if anything, Billy Wilder’s classic tale has only darkened over the years.
38. High Noon
On its release in 1952, High Noon was seen as an allegory for the McCarthy witch-hunts, but as each new year passes older themes continue to emerge.
36. A Room with a View
James Ivory, Ismail Merchant and Ruth Prawer Jhabvala had been collaborating for decades when, in 1986 they delivered this mini-gem.
31. Double Indemnity
Double Indemnity boasts some pedigree; Billy Wilder directing a script he co-wrote with Raymond Chandler that they adapted from a book by James M. Cain.
28. Max Steiner
Max Steiner’s credits include some of the most popular films of all time. And while his influence is still heard today, his mentors echo down from the 19th century.
26. Black Narcissus
A landmark of British cinema from 1947, this frightening psychological drama involves a group of English nuns living high in the Himalayas.
23. To Kill a Mockingbird
When a great novel is adapted to the screen, due reverence can be ruinous. Did Robert Mulligan’s film of Harper Lee’s do it justice?
21. The Oscars
Oscars are awarded to the ‘best’ of each year, but is excellence the real reason why the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was first established?
18. Almost Famous
Cameron Crowe was 16 when he went on tour with the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Who and Iggy Pop. But in recounting the tales, Crowe turned to a most unusual source.
13. Platoon
Oliver Stone spent over a decade trying to make a film based on his experiences in Vietnam. Financed on a shoestring, Platoon won four Oscars including Best Picture.
7. West Side Story
A Broadway smash, West Side Story may have borrowed its plot from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet but the film itself drew inspiration from somewhere else.
