20 Great Foreign Language Films

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I love foreign language films (english too) and wanted some inspiration from likeminded people for future viewing.

20 (tried just 10) of my faves are:

SURVIVE STYLE 5+

MAN BITES DOG

AMORES PERROS

CITY OF GOD

PAN'S LABYRINTH

HIDDEN (cache)

SEVEN SAMURAI

YOJIMBO

THE VANISHING

GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

CINEMA PARADISO

JEAN DE FLORETTE

MANON DES SOURCES

KUNG FU HUSTLE

SHAOLIN SOCCER

ICHI THE KILLER

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

GOZU

DELICATESSEN

13 (TZAMETI)

Would appreciate any feedback or ideas for future viewing

Also love OLDBOY

 

[scene]

I would add a few based on the above:

Lady Vengance - an obvious one to view if you like Oldboy

Cyrano de Bergerac (with Gerard Depardieu - 1990 version IIRC)

The Wings of Desire, Wim Wenders great film, original German version

Battle Royale (Japan, but not it's sequel)

Death Note (maybe, it's an interesting film. If you enjoy it, watch the sequel)

 

[CraigDS]

Gregory's girl.

 

[Tonestar1]

La Haine, Taxi and Irreversible spring straight to mind.

 

[v1c]

Try these if you haven't seen them.....

The Good The Bad The Weird (Korean Western , Great Film)

Tae Guk Gi - The Brootherhood of War (Korean private Ryan and as good as)

Ong Bak (Muay Thai Martial arts)

Zatoichi - The Blind Swordsman (Japanese Samurai)

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Have seen LADY VENGEANCE and BATTLE ROYALE, good, but didn't blow me away. The others I will have to check out.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Greagory's Girl - Foreign - Like your thinking, but seen it and loved it

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Have seen La Haine, Taxi and Irreversible. Liked all, but didn't really do it for me.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Seen Good Bad & Weird (excellent), Ong Bak (Good) and Zatoichi (OK), not seen Tae Guk Gi, so will check it out.

Thanks all for your replys so far, very grateful.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Anyone have any opinions on the films I have chosen???

 

[Big Chris]

Taxi.

Taxi 2.

Timecrimes.

Kung Fu Hustle.

Battle Royale.

The Host.

Oldboy.

The Ring.

Lady Vengeance.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

District 13.

Tell No One.

Downfall

Das Boot.

KM31.

Mesrine.

Strugging to think of any others. 'Taxi 3' isn't awful, but not a patch on the first two, and I didn't fall in love with 'Let The Right One In'.

 

[Anonymous]

Good choice of films. City of God is one of the best films Ive seen full stop.

Essential viewing in my opinion

Audition

Bad Guy

A Bittersweet Life

Bangkok Dangerous

Visitor Q

Das Experiment

Dumplings

The Counterfeiters

Dead or Alive ( Miike Takashi one)

Maria Full of Grace

Infernal Affairs

Kamikaze Girls

 

[6th.replicant]

CraigDS:Gregory's girl.
Sassanach!

 

[6th.replicant]

Let the Right One In

M Hulot's Holiday

Mon Oncle

Le Samoura‹

36

A Very Long Engagement

Amelie

Delicatessen

Tell No-one

Subway

Run Lola Run

L'Appartement (very clever, and sexy)

Diva

Tous les Matins du Monde (Give us a Blu-ray, please!)

· Bout de Souffle

House of Flying Daggers

Belle Epoque (1992)

Open Your Eyes

Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios

Un Coeur en Hiver

 

[tvmog]

RAN (sort of Japanese version of King Lear)

 

[John Duncan]

OFFS.

The Lives of Others...

 

[SteveR750]

Tsotsi.

I thought City of God (aka a Brazilian Goodfellas) was over rated. The rest I agree with.

 

[Anonymous]

Good Bye Lenin

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

You're giving me some good ideas. Already ordered Blu Ray of WINGS OF DESIRE after reading some reviews, and I'm sure I'll be checking out some of the others. I've got DAS BOOT on sky+ but need to find a spare 4 hours to watch it. Also already have RAN on dvd but haven't found the time to watch it yet.

I would also recommend HIDDEN FORTRESS, RASHOMON and TOKYO STORY for anyone who likes older Japanese films. Also saw a 70's Japanese horror called HAUSU, which has got to be the craziest film ever. Read a few reviews of it, it's just plain bonkers.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I've just checked out some reviews for a lot of these films, and as much as I thank you for your imputs, my bank balance is going to take a big hit.

Thank you all very much, especially BOBBYG81, 6TH.REPLICANT and BIG CHRIS. TIMECRIMES looks fanatstic, but I've only so much room for DVDs and Blu Rays as my wife hates them on view, so I'll have to buy them gradually.

Please keep the ideas and opinions coming though, as i eventually want enough unseen films a possible so I can cancel SKY MOVIES and save some pennies

 

[scene]

Keep an eye on film4, time crimes was on there recently, they do show a lot of foreign cinema.

 

[gwynne61]

Strongly recommend The wages of fear, one of most tense movies I've seen.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

TED. Thanks for the recommendation and Father Ted quote, never get bored of it

 

[chebby]

Sopyonje. Directed by Im Kwon Taek.

 

[TheHomeCinemaCentre]

I like your list. City of God, Amores Perros and Oldboy are real favourites. I recently saw Dogtooth ( a greek film) that is weird and engaging. I would add Cinema Paridiso and Sex and Lucia ( very Lynch) both amazing and very different in style. I will check out some of your list though.