Mid-career Woody Allen captures the essence of New York in the 1980s. With gorgeous black-and-white cinematography by Gordon Willis, and one of Allen's best acting performances, this serves as a great combination of comedic writing with visual panache. A classic time-capsule of a lost era that shows the benefits of shooting in real locations, and embracing the styles of the day. I'm especially fond of Mia Farrow's Buick Riviera.
9. "Singles" Cameron Crowe, 1992
Before "Jerry Maguire," Cameron Crowe made a perfectly-timed lovesong about dating in the '90s. An authentic Pacific-Northwest picture, this shows the strength of a writer who knows his setting. This story can be told anyplace, anytime - a familiar theme on this list - but all the creative elements in "Singles" equate to a singular work impossible to duplicate.
8. "Knife in the Water" Roman Polanski, 1962
Sure, it's never easy to film on water, but sometimes such restrictions can be creative gold. 3 characters, 94 minutes, no special effects, and a young man from Poland gets nominated for an Oscar. Tap into the dark side and learn how terrifying horror without gore can be.
7. "The Kid with a Bike" Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, 2011
Taking its influence from #4 below, this French gem updates the story to the 21st Century broken-family. Yet it feels like a tale taken from the Bible. This shows the benefits of recognizing a timeless and universal story, then making it specific and unique. Something all great artists on this list have accomplished. A sense of dread hangs over every scene in "The Kid with a Bike," but stick with it, learn from it, then imitate it.
6. "The Shooting" Monte Hellman, 1966
This "existential" western with Jack Nicholson was made for $75,000 and was filmed entirely in Utah's natural light. It's often frustrating, equally mesmerizing, but proof that the western is a viable cinematic genre that will never disappear. "The Shooting" works as an independent film because the western can successfully convey both big and obscure ideas. Possibly more than every other genre.
5. "Animal Kingdom" David Michod, 2010
Set in present-day Melbourne, this is a story that could be told in Cleveland, Milwaukee, or St. Louis. And each version would have it's own unique flair. A perfect example of local cinema, and possibly the template for a future movement. Sure it helps to have such great actors, but it would be a compelling movie even with an entirely unknown cast. The key, of course, is to write this brilliant to attract the talent.
4. "Bicycle Thieves" Vittorio De Sica, 1948
One of the simplest stories ever put on film. Yet why did it take 6 credited writers to get it right? I don't actually know why, but I'm sure it reflects how difficult it really is to tell a perfect story. This touching, worldly masterpiece could be shot today for pennies. Yet I don't see more people trying to replicate its honesty and clarity. I'm sure there's a "Bicycle Thieves" waiting to happen in every city in every state. Even I should be writing one.
3. "Badlands" Terrence Malick, 1973
Most young and independent filmmakers set their stories in the present day. Here, Malick shows the low-budget possibilities of a trip back 18 years. The reason it works so well is that the story could be set in any year, past or future. But, if you're gonna go back in time, this is the way to do it. If you've never seen a Malick movie, or you're turned off by his recent poetic extravagance, go back and watch this one. Then watch it again.
2. "Killer's Kiss" Stanley Kubrick, 1955
Everyone wants to be Stanley Kubrick, but it won't happen by watching "A Clockwork Orange." To understand his style and technique, start at the beginning, before he had big budgets and validation. I would suggest starting even before the beginning, by looking at his photography career. Study his compositions and use of lighting and you'll see more than a visual impact. You'll actually see a story. Kubrick knew that photographs can produce drama, and continued to explore it through his moving pictures. "Killer's Kiss" is his first major feature, which he also shot and edited. It's a prime example how an inexperienced and underfunded filmmaker can be original and timeless. The perfect way to launch a career.
1. "Mean Streets" Martin Scorsese, 1973
To understand the genius of "Goodfellas" go back 17 years to Scorsese's earliest feature on the same themes. I contend that "Goodfellas" is one of the best directed movies of all time because Scorsese always knows where to place the camera - as if instructed to by God. The real reason is because he's returning to characters and subjects he had explored throughout his entire life. This expertise makes Scoresese's technique seem otherworldly. This goes for the screenwriting as well. And all of this started in "Mean Streets." This early work has the authenticity of someone writing what they know, and subsequently shooting it with expert precision. Not everyone can make a movie about Italian crooks in New York in the mid-Twentieth Century, but everyone can tap into their own personal background to create consistently brilliant and unique films.
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