French Films--I love them

[UncleEd]

Through Netflix, I've gotten hooked on French films. Subtitles are
clear and short. I hope others have discovered their films.

If you like comedy, check out

OSS117, Lost in Rio and OSS117 Cairo, Nest of Spies

which are delightfully absolutely not politically correct spy spoofs
starring Jean DuJardin, who got an Oscar for The Artist.
I roared when in the Cairo film he does in the imam who keeps
him awake by calling out prayers four times a day.

And if you like tough shoot 'em ups see

Public Enemy, Killer Instinct and its second part Mesrine.
Mesrine was a public enemy hunted for decades.


A really hilarious one is Moliere, it's a laugh a minute.

Film I watched last night was

Rapt,

about a kidnapping during which the lead kidnapper talks about how ugly Glocks are, and what a horrible name for a gun. "I like my .357," he says. And he comments how his Beretta over/under is fine for sport, he doesn't need a Holland & Holland or Purdey. He tells the victim what a distinct nice
sound an AK47 makes.

Among the older French crime films is

The Red Circle

which is an hour and half film with more than a half hour of it without dialog. You know exactly everything that's happening
during a heist.

Of course, some of the older ones such as Borsolino are still considered classics of the gangster genre.

[sipowicz]

Same here....if you get a chance, check these two out. the first one I just saw at the LA French film festival...it's about 3 middle aged pals and one of them falls for the daughter of the other.

Amitiés sincères (2013)


The other is a very funny story about a bumbling guy who gets put on the trail of a missing girl.....nice to see Gerard when he was 200 pounds lighter...doubt they could do that poster today without special effects....

[A10]

I very much dislike subtitles........

[sipowicz]

Originally Posted by A10

I very much dislike subtitles........

(Je déteste beaucoup des sous-titres.)

[USAF385]

Originally Posted by A10

I very much dislike subtitles........

But.... If you don't like reading, what are you doing on a forum?

[wuluf]

You guys big Jerry Lewis fans too?

[Frank237]

"Le Visiteurs" great comedy.

[USAF385]

La Moustache

Strange movie.... All about a mustache...

[A10]

Originally Posted by USAF385

But.... If you don't like reading, what are you doing on a forum?

Oh I enjoy reading, I just prefer not to go to the movies to do it.

[ColbyBruce]

Apparently you never saw "The Draftsman's Contract".

[jhvaughan2]

Im not a big fan of french cinema as a genre, but I do love good film. I have a few to suggest. (Using U.S. titles)

Army of Crime (2009) - About the "foreign" french resistance in Paris, but don't expect constant, unrealistic action.
The City of Lost Children (1995) - I don't think you can place this film in a Genre. It is quite odd, in a good way. (If you cannot take a film like Brazil, then you will not like this) This film is so visually stunning I watched it with the sub titles and then immediately watched it again without, so I could focus on "seeing" it.
Léon: The Professional (1994) - Action and many, many weapons for gawking
La Femme Nikita (1990) - (Not the insipid American remake(s)) - A Stylistic Action film
Le cercle rouge (1970) - Gritty Crime thriller
Le Samouraï (1967) - Crime thriller from the point of a hit man
The Wages of Fear (1953) - Remade (not too bad) as Sorcerer in the us. I would categorize it a "suspense". One of the great films of history. Do not read much about it, there is so much that can be spoiled with pre-kowledge.

One thing french filmmakers excel in, over others, is making multi-dimensional characters -- even in action "flicks"

[jag312]

I prefer Italian Giallo movies and comedies, preferably with Edwige Fenech.

[MrJT]

I remember going to see Pan's Labyrinth in the theater. It came on with text on the screen (Spanish? I forget) with English subtitles below it.

I heard quite a few members I the audience groan when they realized it was subtitled... I got a chuckle out of that.

Originally Posted by A10

Oh I enjoy reading, I just prefer not to go to the movies to do it.

You're missing out!

[Jack Flash]

You might like Shoot the Piano Player.

Céline et Julie vont en bateau (Celine and Julie Go Boating) is kind of fun in a madcap way, as I remember.

[Silver Dollar]

The one French film I saw was on TCM a few years ago and had me rolling on the floor. I think the title was Mr. Heulot's Holiday. It had very little dialog but the slapstick antics were hysterical. It's too bad it hasn't come around recently.

[shouldazagged]

Closest I've come to a French flick in many years was Sellers as Clouseau. Preferably "Return Of The Pink Panther". This is because I am an uncultured, semi-civilized oaf.

Wonderful word, "oaf".

Conjugate the verb "to oaf"...

[JWNathan]

I dig Silent movies which aren't exactly foreign but there are a sort of subtitles, my wife thinks I'm crazy for my taste in old movies. Now "The Artist" was fantastic, one of the better movies I've seen lately. DuJardin's character was brilliant and Bejo was drop dead gorgeous. But as French movies go my wife's favorite movie is "Amélie" which is a cute story, entertaining and well shot. I'm always picking up new lil' details.
-Jesse

[sipowicz]

Originally Posted by JWNathan

Now "The Artist" was fantastic, one of the better movies I've seen lately.
-Jesse

Now, for 10 points, what was the revolver in the end scene?

[jimmy.jet]

Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" is a great one. And any movie with Jeanne Moreau is worth watching especially "La Notta" ( I know it's Italian but she's French.). Jp

[LVSteve]

I watch the subtitled stuff on the MHz Network all the time. I know just enough French to spot when the subtitles are wrong, which is at least once every episode of Maigret.

Pan's Labyrinth, now that is an "out there" movie in any language.

[chief38]

Used to watch some "French Films" when I was in High School - - - 8mm if I recall. Kept them well hidden from Mom & Dad of you know what I mean!

All kidding aside I have not seen any French movies lately, but have been watching a few German & Russian (sub-titled) films on Netflix. Some are quite good. I'll have to check into the Frenchy's though.

[brucev]

Les Vacances de M. Hulot

[UncleEd]

Hey Sip,

In "The Artist" I believe it was a too, too, too modern Model 10 snubby with definitely non-period grips. Probably something from the the 1960 to 1990 period.

[rwsmith]

Originally Posted by USAF385

But.... If you don't like reading, what are you doing on a forum?

I prefer subtitles to dubbed in voices. No one could have dubbed in Peter Lorre's voice in 'M'. I also saw two versions of Das Boot, subtitled and dubbed and the subtitled version was way superior in conveying what the people were saying and how they were saying it. For example, in 'Das Boot' the captain really sounded like a German U-boat captain. In the dubbed version, his authority and emotions were 'flattened'.

[westcoast362]

I really like French crime film noir of the fifties and sixties. When I think back on a foreign movie I watched a few days or weeks ago, I can't remember if they were subtitled or not. Reading subtitles is like shifting a stick shift car. You just do it, you don't have to think about it.

[kmyers]

Only seen two here, Martyrs and À l'intérieur, or Inside. Both are considered pretty extreme.

[DR505]

Watch "The Closet" (2001), you will fall off your chair laughing.

[Stephanie B]

There are some pretty decent satires of French noir films out there. The best one involves cats.

[coroboreeboy]

Partly subtitles: "Sarah's Key". Don't watch it with your mates if you don't want them to see you cry. "The Intouchables", Likewise, see above.

[sigp220.45]

One of my all-time favorite zombie movies is this French masterpiece:

La Horde - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Texas Star]

Try, "L'Annee des Meduses." ("The Year of the Jellyfish")

Young chick pushes her lover into a swarm of deadly stinging jellyfish.

Been years since I saw it, but I think the guy had also been her mom's man. I forget why she got mad at him.