15 More Directors I have little/no experience with. MEGACUT

A few months ago, I released a list focused upon the forty directors I needed to experience more of. As time has gone on I have discovered even more directors I need to see more work of. So here is a list of the fifteen directors not included on that original list, who probably should have been.

15. Abel Gance

Recently I have been watching The Story of Film: An Odyssey by Mark Cousins. I will probably cover this wonderful documentary series at point during this month, however one of the interesting filmmakers I discovered during the first few episodes was Abel Gance. Considered the grandfather of French impressionism and the inspiration for many filmmakers in the decades to follow, perhaps most significantly Jean Cocteau. La Roue appears to be one of the most daring films of the early 1920's, and his four-hour epic Napoleon seems to be a sublime masterwork from only the ffew frames I have seen.

14. Michelangelo Antonioni

Considered a master of Italian neo-realism. I am fervently fascinated by his film Blow-up and it's highly influential standing amongst filmmakers across the world. Not too much more to say about this filmmaker, other than I should have included him along the other legendary Italian filmmakers on my first list.

13. Xavier Dolan

This Canadian filmmaker is perhaps the most significant homosexual director working today. His highly acclaimed body of work despite his youth shows exceptional raw talent despite inexperience. Now all I need to do is see some of his films so I can praise him even more. Would be higher on this list if not for his fairly small filmography as of the time of writing this list.

12. Kim Ki-duk

Unlike many on this list, I did consider this filmmaker for the original list. I eventually cut him as I felt there wasn't enough to truly intrigue me. Recently however Taste of Cinema posted an interesting retrospective on this director's career. From this I have gotten a better idea of exactly how influential this director is to contemporary Asian cinema, and I am now curious to say the least.

11. Spike Lee

I will admit something here. This filmmaker was not on the previous list based on entirely petty reasons. Spike Lee directed the Oldboy remake, a concept which angers me so much that I have effectively avoided the director ever since. I now realise how petty it is to to dislike an artist based on a single recent work and I now look forward to seeing his films for what they are. Namely the premier works in African-American cinema, from one of the most assertive directors working today.

10. Andrey Zvyagintsev



Some have referred to this director as the most influential Russian filmmaker since Andrei Tarkovsky. Tarkovsky himself is a director who I also need more experience with than this one, and he probably remains my priority in terms of Russian cinema. However this apparent master of humanist cinema, with a handful of outlandishly praised films under his belt, is certainly fascinating in his own right.

9. Abbas Kiarostami



The multi-lingual, multi-national filmmaker has been steadily growing in influence since the 90's. At this point he stands as one of the most influential men in all world cinema. I have little else to say, other than this filmmaker practically seems like required viewing at this stage.

8. Peter Greenaway



Peter Greenaway, one of the most enduring names in British independent cinema. By taking inspiration from baroque art and Jacobean tragedies, Greenaway has forged one of the most unique cinematic identities out there. So, I certainly have high expectations for his actual work, because he has been so interesting to read about.

7. Pedro Almodovar



What do I even say about this filmmaker? Almodovar is considered by many to be one of the definitive idols of current world cinema. He is known for his boundary pushing concepts and his peerless raw delivery. These are all qualities that I highly admire within directors and I am once again surprised that I have not come across his work before now.


6. Buster Keaton



If you saw my previous list you will remember that silent film legend Charlie Chaplin featured near the top of the list. My lack of experience with the only other silent comedy legend on par with Chaplin, leads me to conclude that I need more silent comedy in my life. Once again, I have The Story of Film to blame for my increased interest in this filmmaker, particularly his magnum opus The General.

5. Roberto Rossellini



The man that pioneered Italian neo-realism, perhaps the most important period in Italian cinema history (alongside the Spagehtti Western and the giallo horror periods). His most well known film Rome Open City is even written by Fredrico Fellini, so I have no excuse to have not seen it yet. A beloved and highly important historical icon.

4. Ben Wheatley



This filmmaker is currently dominating British independent cinema and from sheer reputation alone is set to be the definitive British filmmaker of the 2010's. I have a friend who has bombarded me an order to see A Field in England and so due to this, I will probably see a film from this director before any other on this list.

3. Yimou Zhang



It is surprising that Chinese cinema has so little representation on this blog. Zhang is perhaps the most enduring idol of Chinese cinema, outside of the legendary Jackie Chan and the also legendary John Woo. With a a vast and highly varied filmography, Zhang seems like yet another gem of world cinema which I have failed to pay my respects to as of now. And also, Raise the Red Lantern looks absolutely phenomenal from what I have seen of it.

2. Wim Wenders



In retrospect, this director was probably the most egregious snub from my last list. Wim Wenders stands with Werner Herzog as the most influential German director of the last several decades. His filmography is praised beyond rationality and I am honestly shocked that I was not made aware of this filmmaker before recently. When this list was originally sketched out, Wenders was #1. However then I began watching The Story of Film... 

1. Carl Theodor Dreyer



Mark Cousins introduced me to so many filmmakers in the first few episodes of his documentary alone. This director, although I had some prior knowledge of The Passion of Joan of Arc, was by far the most fascinating. One of the most influential filmmakers in European history, hell, world history and with a career spanning several decades. Carl Theodor Dreyer was the obvious and indisputable choice to top this list, and I eagerly await tucking into his filmography.

By Jack D. Phillips
A Zoom Film List

15 More Directors I have little/no experience with (10-6)

10. Andrey Zvyagintsev



Some have referred to this director as the most influential Russian filmmaker since Andrei Tarkovsky. Tarkovsky himself is a director who I also need more experience with than this one, and he probably remains my priority in terms of Russian cinema. However this apparent master of humanist cinema, with a handful of outlandishly praised films under his belt, is certainly fascinating in his own right.

9. Abbas Kiarostami



The multi-lingual, multi-national filmmaker has been steadily growing in influence since the 90's. At this point he stands as one of the most influential men in all world cinema. I have little else to say, other than this filmmaker practically seems like required viewing at this stage.

8. Peter Greenaway



Peter Greenaway, one of the most enduring names in British independent cinema. By taking inspiration from baroque art and Jacobean tragedies, Greenaway has forged one of the most unique cinematic identities out there. So, I certainly have high expectations for his actual work, because he has been so interesting to read about.

7. Pedro Almodovar



What do I even say about this filmmaker? Almodovar is considered by many to be one of the definitive idols of current world cinema. He is known for his boundary pushing concepts and his peerless raw delivery. These are all qualities that I highly admire within directors and I am once again surprised that I have not come across his work before now.


6. Buster Keaton



If you saw my previous list you will remember that silent film legend Charlie Chaplin featured near the top of the list. My lack of experience with the only other silent comedy legend on par with Chaplin, leads me to conclude that I need more silent comedy in my life. Once again, I have The Story of Film to blame for my increased interest in this filmmaker, particularly his magnum opus The General.

By Jack D. Phillips
A Zoom Film List
Part 2 of 3

The House is Black (1963) [Short Film]

A poetic and stunningly
effective documentary.

To follow my first 'Documentary Month' review, here is another lauded and highly influential film from Iran, however with a radically different style and purpose.

This film is a beautifully shot and stunningly empathetic work from a director who was not even a filmmaker by trade. Forugh Farrokhzad, mostly know for her highly influential poetry, hand crafted this stunning insight into a leper colony.

The film features some of the most ingenious editing and cinematography I have seen in a documentary like this. There are some stunning and heartbreaking shots of the inhabitants of the colony, showing the suffering and pain of these people with a bold rawness, uncommon for the time of the film's release.There are several moments where the film drifts from documenting the subject in question, and instead begins to poetically muse the nature of humanity through the visuals. This film is undoubtedly the product of a highly unique and distinct artistic voice, who tragically died far too young to continue this raw expression.

The documentary weaves its way through a number of themes within it's brief runtime. Spirituality, hope, beauty and various other ideas, whilst also describing and showcasing the intense struggles felt by the inhabitants of this odd community. The high-reaching thematic elements and the educational information blend together fantastically.The film crafts these themes through a combination of lovely narration, from the director herself,  and the film's aforementioned excellent editing. By intercuting shots of elderly sufferers of the disease to children, the audience is given a sense of the wide and indiscriminate nature of the disease. Touches like this are what makes this film a masterpiece of poetic realism in my eyes. So much is conveyed with so very little.

In conclusion, the film is a little miracle. This film can be credited with planting the roots which would later bloom into the Iranian new wave, and is often though as the earliest true masterpiece of Iranian cinema. I am most reminded of the classic 1930's film Freaks when I think of this film. A strange, poetic and thoroughly engrossing voyage into a relatable yet alien world, I would recommend both films highly. The House is Black is available on YouTube for free, in good quality (however the subs are a little tough to read at times) and I would highly recommend it.

By Jack D. Phillips
A Zoom Film Review
Documentary Month 2015 #2

This is not a Film (2011)

A poetic and

 thoroughly frustrating

document of a grave

 injustice against art.

If you are not aware of the unjust arrest and ban from film making which was committed upon Jafar Panahi by the Iranian government, I highly recommend that you do some research before watching this film. This context highly benefits the viewing experience in this instance. The fantastic 

web-show Brows Held High did a spectacular episode on this film, which gave all the appropriate background information without spoiling too much and I recommend this before watching the film.

Aside from the background surrounding it, how does this film stand on it's own terms?

Beautifully.

This is by far the best film I could have opened documentary month with, because this is where film making (and by extension, all true art) begins. Raw creativity, passion and above all, guts. This is one of the most risky and dangerous cinematic gambles I have ever seen, and it pays off tenfold.

Jafar Panahi shows all of the frustration, despair and angst expected of a man in his position. However he adds more than just that, the emotion that I see most from Panahi in this film is longing. He is a filmmaker who was forcefully shot down in the prime of his career, with films he still wanted to make. Watching his attempt to somehow breath life into a screenplay he can no longer produce is a maddening experience, even more so to anyone who knows how frustrating it is have projects which you know can never be achieved.

Aside from it's relevance to filmmakers on the whole, This...non-film, is also simply an enjoyable insight into a fascinating individual. I have never seen any of Panahi's other films before now, however I am certainly eager (even more so due to the clips Panahi plays during this film). Panahi's critical, yet benevolent attitude towards Middle-Eastern society seems to be prevalent throughout his films, and he may be the perfect introduction to Iranian film for me, a culture I have almost no experience with.

The film this reminds me of most is Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe, which was also a small scale insight into a fascinating filmmaker I have no real experience with. However where as that film was laid-back and relaxed in tone, this film has a constantly tense atmosphere. It almost feels like Panahi will be taken by the police, due to breaking his ban on filmmaking, at any moment and the occasional mentions of increasing police activity throughout the film makes matters even worse. We feel all of Panahi's fears first hand, and we feel his utter helplessness as he see him watching news footage of natural disasters within Iran. For all he knows, Iran is literally burning around him.

In conclusion, this film was a daring and wonderfully done insight into both a grave injustice, and a very interesting man. I desperately hope that Panhi is able to somehow keep his career going, for he of all people deserves recognition.

By Jack D. Phillips
A Zoom Film Review 
Documentary Month 2015 #1