Underrated French director Jacques Becker made this, his final film before dying of a heart attack at 53, an austere and claustrophobic prison drama full of emotional harrowing, patient attention to detail and a deep sense of humanism, all made evident in his unsentimental but profoundly moving look at the bond forging between prisoners as they begin to hatch an escape plan...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGdRJZ2jY7w
The Sting (1973)
This reunion of Robert Redford, Paul Newman and George Roy Hill, teaming up again after the success of "Butch Cassidy...", won 7 Oscars and is just as enjoyable as their previous effort... The two leads are as charismatic as ever, and the 1930s period setting and Scott Joplin inspired score are full of charm... all in all this film is a classic treat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqhTj3UDnf4
Le Trou:
ReplyDeleteThis was the first time I saw this film and it will long stay with me, right from the start with the actor introducing himself as one of the real protagonists of the true story I was hooked, and the grimly claustrophobic atmosphere made for a surprisingly engrossing watch throughout... never would I have expected that a 10+ minute dialogue-less scene meticulously charting every detail of a tunnel being dug would have me on the edge of my seat for every second, but it sure did.
The Sting:
As classic mainstream entertainment films with little to no subtext go, this is one where even a pretentious analytical prick like me can enjoy the charm and wit.