The 1965 Mini-List

[swo17]

RESULTS

Below is a list of films you can vote for from this year. If you want to be able to vote for something that isn't listed here, you need to ask me to add it to the list. The only reason I won't do so is if I deem that it belongs in another year. I have my own curious system for assigning films to years, but rest assured that I will never let a film miss its chance to qualify in one year or another. I am the ultimate arbiter of year assignments.

Discussion for this mini-list and requests for additions to the list of films below will run until August 31. On September 1 I will create a form for voting that will allow you to populate anything between a top 10 and a top 25 from among the films listed below. You will have until the end of the day September 18 (first Sunday on or after the 14th) to submit a ballot that way. If you don't see a certain film listed below, you won't be able to vote for it, so please speak up before August 31 to avoid disappointment.

Sorted alphabetically by title, using the native title for German and all Romance languages other than Romanian, and the English-language title in all other cases

Alphaville, une étrange aventure de Lemmy Caution (Jean-Luc Godard)
Always on Sunday (Ken Russell)
And This Is Free (Mike Shea)
Baby the Rain Must Fall (Robert Mulligan)
Bad Girls Go to Hell (Doris Wishman)
Beautiful Duckling (Lee Hsing)
Before Tonight Is Over (Peter Solan)
Belphégor ou Le fantôme du Louvre (Claude Barma)
Blood of Revenge (Tai Katō)
Blood on the Land (Vasilis Georgiadis)
Boeing Boeing (John Rich)
Le Bonheur (Agnès Varda)
Born Under Crossed Stars (Seijun Suzuki)
The Brigand of Kandahar (John Gilling)
La brûlure de mille soleils (Pierre Kast)
La bugiarda (Luigi Comencini)
Bunny Lake Is Missing (Otto Preminger)
A Charlie Brown Christmas (Bill Melendez)
The Collector (William Wyler)
Color Me Blood Red (Herschell Gordon Lewis)
Comizi d'amore (Pier Paolo Pasolini)
Compartiment tueurs (Costa-Gavras)
The Coward (Satyajit Ray)
Darling (John Schlesinger)
The Debussy Film (Ken Russell)
The Defilers (Lee Frost)
Diary of Yunbogi (Nagisa Ōshima)
Le Dictionnaire de Joachim (Walerian Borowczyk)
Doctor Zhivago (David Lean)
Dom Juan ou Le Festin de pierre (Marcel Bluwal)
La donna del lago (Luigi Bazzoni & Franco Rossellini)
Double Portrait (György Kovásznai)
Dracula: Prince of Darkness (Terence Fisher)
The East Is Red (Wang Ping)
Entretien sur Pascal (Éric Rohmer)
The Face of Fu Manchu (Don Sharp)
The Family Jewels (Jerry Lewis)
Fanatic (Silvio Narizzano)
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (Russ Meyer)
Film (Alan Schneider)
Flag in the Mist (Yōji Yamada)
The Flight of the Phoenix (Robert Aldrich)
Flik Flak (Jeff Keen)
Forest of the Hanged (Liviu Ciulei)
A Fugitive from the Past (Tomu Uchida)
Gamera the Giant Monster (Noriaki Yuasa)
Gare du Nord (Jean Rouch)
Le Gentleman de Cocody (Christian-Jaque)
Giulietta degli spiriti (Federico Fellini)
Les Grandes Gueules (Robert Enrico)
The Great Race (Blake Edwards)
The Greatest Story Ever Told (George Stevens)
The Hand (Jiří Trnka)
Help! (Richard Lester)
A High Wind in Jamaica (Alexander Mackendrick)
The Hill (Sidney Lumet)
The Holy Man (Satyajit Ray)
House of Terrors (Hajime Satō)
I Saw What You Did (William Castle)
In Harm's Way (Otto Preminger)
Inside Daisy Clover (Robert Mulligan)
Instant Cinema (Jeff Keen)
Intimate Lighting (Ivan Passer)
Invasion of Astro-Monster (Ishirō Honda)
Io la conoscevo bene (Antonio Pietrangeli)
The Ipcress File (Sidney Furie)
It Happened Here (Kevin Brownlow & Andrew Mollo)
Das Kaninchen bin ich (Kurt Maetzig)
King Rat (Bryan Forbes)
The Knack...and How to Get It (Richard Lester)
Kustom Kar Kommandos (Kenneth Anger)
Long Live the Republic (Karel Kachyňa)
The Loved One (Tony Richardson)
Loves of a Blonde (Miloš Forman)
Major Dundee (Sam Peckinpah)
Man Is Not a Bird (Dušan Makavejev)
The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short (André Delvaux)
Marie Chantal contre Dr. Kha (Claude Chabrol)
Metel (Vladimir Basov)
Mickey One (Arthur Penn)
Mirage (Edward Dmytryk)
Il momento della verità (Francesco Rosi)
The Money Trap (Burt Kennedy)
Mudhoney (Russ Meyer)
El mundo sigue (Fernando Fernán Gómez)
Murder Unincorporated (Hiroshi Noguchi)
My Hustler (Andy Warhol)
My Way Home (Miklós Jancsó)
Le Mystère Koumiko (Chris Marker)
The Naked Prey (Cornel Wilde)
The Nanny (Seth Holt)
90° in the Shade (Jirí Weiss)
Nightmare (Arne Mattsson)
Now! (Santiago Álvarez)
Ordinary Fascism (Mikhail Romm)
Organ (Štefan Uher)
Othello (Stuart Burge)
A Patch of Blue (Guy Green)
The Pawnbroker (Sidney Lumet)
Per qualche dollaro in più (Sergio Leone)
Pierrot le fou (Jean-Luc Godard)
Pleasures of the Flesh (Nagisa Ōshima)
Presence (Miklós Jancsó)
I pugni in tasca (Marco Bellocchio)
Quixote (Bruce Baillie)
The Railrodder (Gerald Potterton & Buster Keaton)
Rapture (John Guillermin)
Red Beard (Akira Kurosawa)
Red Line 7000 (Howard Hawks)
Repulsion (Roman Polański)
The Restless Ones (Dick Ross)
Return from the Ashes (J. Lee Thompson)
The Road That Has No End (Duygu Sağıroğlu)
Samurai Spy (Masahiro Shinoda)
Screen Test: Edie Sedgwick (Andy Warhol)
Screen Test: Paul America (Andy Warhol)
Sears Catalogue 1-3 (Paul Sharits)
The Sex Perils of Paulette (Doris Wishman)
Shakespeare Wallah (James Ivory)
Ship of Fools (Stanley Kramer)
The Shop on Main Street (Ján Kadár & Elmar Klos)
Simón del desierto (Luis Buñuel)
The Skull (Freddie Francis)
The Slender Thread (Sydney Pollack)
Le soldatesse (Valerio Zurlini)
Song 14 (Stan Brakhage)
Sopralluoghi in Palestina (Pier Paolo Pasolini)
The Sound of Music (Robert Wise)
A Spring for the Thirsty (Yuri Ilyenko)
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (Martin Ritt)
Stand Up, Nigel Barton / Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton (Gareth Davies)
Story of a Prostitute (Seijun Suzuki)
A Story Written with Water (Kijū Yoshida)
Strange Bedfellows (Melvin Frank)
Subarnarekha (Ritwik Ghatak)
Sunday at 6 (Lucian Pintilie)
Sword of the Beast (Hideo Gosha)
Les Temps morts (René Laloux)
Ten Second Film (Bruce Conner)
Terrore nello spazio (Mario Bava)
Thomas l'imposteur (Georges Franju)
Three (Aleksandar Petrović)
Thunderball (Terence Young)
Time to Love (Metin Erksan)
Tokyo Olympiad (Kon Ichikawa)
The Tomb of Ligeia (Roger Corman)
La 317ème section (Pierre Schoendoerffer)
Twenty Hours (Zoltán Fábri)
Two: Creeley/McClure (Stan Brakhage)
Una pistola per Ringo (Duccio Tessari)
Vaghe stelle dell'Orsa... (Luchino Visconti)
Le Vampire de Düsseldorf (Robert Hossein)
Vapors (Andy Milligan)
Viagem aos Seios de Duília (Carlos Hugo Christensen)
La Vie heureuse de Léopold Z (Gilles Carle)
Viento negro (Servando González)
Vinyl (Andy Warhol)
Von Ryan's Express (Mark Robson)
Walkower (Jerzy Skolimowski)
The War Game (Peter Watkins)
The War Lord (Franklin Schaffner)
White Mountains (Melis Ubukeyev)
Who Killed Teddy Bear? (Joseph Cates)
With Beauty and Sadness (Masahiro Shinoda)
You're the Judge (George B. Seitz Jr.)
Yoyo (Pierre Étaix)
Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (Kenji Misumi)
Zatoichi and the Doomed Man (Kazuo Mori)
Zatoichi's Revenge (Akira Inoue)

[yoshimori]

Thanks again for the compilation. There's no Falstaff / Chimes at Midnight here, which made me think I had the date wrong, but IMDB lists it as 1965 too. Also, could you add Chris Marker's fabulous "Le mystère Koumiko" and Pierre Kast's "La brûlure de mille soleils" and Bruce Baillie's Quixote? Those will rank high on my list. There's a second Shinoda film I'll vote for from 1965, which is as good as and possible better than Samurai Spy: With Beauty and Sorrow. And I'll likely vote for Oshima's "Yunbogi's Diary" too.

Since I'm typing, just wanted to encourage those who haven't seen them to seek out the films that will probably top my list. Yoshida's Story Written with Water is the first of his that features what becomes his unique style. And Franju's Thomas l'imposteur, which is both the best Franju and the best Cocteau, iyam. Not sure in what way it is available for home viewing, but my now-20-years-ago theater experience of seeing the twinkling stars above a military skirmish through which Franju's camera tracks accompanied by a Cocteau voice-over was unforgettable.

EDIT: Nevermind re the Welles. Not sure why IMDB (and I) have 1965, but the wikipedia page, fwiw, details the production and rushed post and indicates the movie premiered at Cannes in 1966.

[swo17]

Criterion also lists the Welles as 1966, which is where I have it. I've added all the other titles, thanks!

[therewillbeblus]

I have the following written down as 1965 in my notes, but they could very well be wrong:

Baby the Rain Must Fall (Robert Mulligan)
Belphegor, or Phantom of the Louvre (Claude Barma)
Red Angel (Yasuzo Masumura)
You’re the Judge (George B. Seitz Jr.)

[swo17]

Red Angel is 1966. I've added the others, thanks!

[therewillbeblus]

Thank you, swo!

My shortlist of ~28:

SpoilerShow

90 Degrees in the Shade
Alphaville
Baby the Rain Must Fall
Before Tonight is Over
Belphegor, or Phantom of the Louvre
Bunny Lake Is Missing
The Collector
The Family Jewels
The Flicker
For A Few Dollars More
A Fugitive from the Past
Gare du Nord
Inside Daisy Clover
Juliet of the Spirits
The Knack…and How to Get It
The Loved One
Loves of a Blonde
Pierrot le Fou
Pleasures of the Flesh
The Possessed
Red Beard
Repulsion
Simon of the Desert
Sword of the Beast
Thunderball
The Tomb of Ligeia
You’re the Judge
YoYo

[Rayon Vert]

Please add:
I Saw What You Did (William Castle)
Red Line 7000 (Howard Hawks) (yes, that's right)
A High Wind in Jamaica (Alexander Mackendrick)
The Nanny (Seth Holt)

[swo17]

Done

[therewillbeblus]

I feel like I've recorded my thoughts on most of my shortlist already, so I'll just recommend taking <45 min to watch Simon of the Desert, 30 min to watch The Flicker at night in pitch black with your phone in the other room, and 15 min to watch You’re the Judge on YT, and you'll still be under a normal feature length.

Belphegor, or Phantom of the Louvre is interesting, especially if you want to see its influence on Riget, but there are plenty more important movies to prioritize than this uneven serial. As crazy as this sounds, it'd be far more fruitful to binge the first three Connery Bonds just to see why Thunderball is a genius blending of all the knowing sleaze and sincere pleasures Bond has become in just a few short years. I still have no idea why 90 Degrees in the Shade hasn't received mass love here yet, but maybe this'll be the project to recruit some more defenders. The Family Jewels doesn't need defending, but its one-upping of Kind Hearts and Coronets in just about every way is worth experiencing even if you're on the fence with Lewis' shtick. This one has a worthy heart and is more diversely appealing than his other work- and I say that as a converted fan who can see both sides.

Before Tonight is Over is the best Second Run discovery I've made since The Fabulous Baron Munchausen, and I think plenty of people here will fall in love with it too if they haven't already. Likewise The Tomb of Ligeia for Corman, which unexpectedly explodes with phantasmagoric intangibility in the third act to reflexively signify Poe's themes on the limitations and possibilities of self will. If you want that feeling for an entire 2+ hour affair, just watch Juliet of the Spirits, one of the most pleasurable cinematic experiences ever, full stop.

Inside Daisy Clover is the melodrama to beat, showcasing that the genre could still go strong, maybe even stronger and more brutal as the Code's grip weakened; and Bunny Lake is Missing is the ultimate thriller, not least because of what Preminger implies about our lack of control with his film grammar and general approach to a deceptively humdrum tale with a shrug of a twist. I never tire of revisiting such a rich film that always tricks me with its shallowness at first glance, before I zoom out and realize what Preminger is really up to. Brilliant.

[ryannichols7]

I still have no idea why 90 Degrees in the Shade hasn't received mass love here yet, but maybe this'll be the project to recruit some more defenders.

Before Tonight is Over is the best Second Run discovery I've made since The Fabulous Baron Munchausen, and I think plenty of people here will fall in love with it too if they haven't already.

don't worry, my copy of 90 Degrees in the Shade just came in the mail the other day - I'm sure I'll be a fan.

Before Tonight is Over is a terrific movie that I plan to watch for the second time (hit it during the initial 60s run in winter) and have more thoughts on this time. I even managed to score dustybooks a copy of it so there will definitely be a good amount for that one

[therewillbeblus]

Excellent! We need more discussion in its dedicated thread

[therewillbeblus]

I just coincidentally stumbled upon Gunvor Nelson's incredible first feature Schmeerguntz which happens to be oft credited to '65, but I don't see it on any of the years in the list project, unless I'm misspelling the title? I'm definitely voting for it wherever it goes

[swo17]

Unless you have better evidence, I'd prefer to go with Re:voir's year assignments for all of her films. They put Schmeerguntz in 1966

[therewillbeblus]

I don't care where it goes, but a cursory search only showed posts about it from zedz so I wanted to ensure it was assigned to a year. I see it under year assignments now, apologies if I overlooked a post by you earlier

[swo17]

You didn't, I just added it. Thanks for bringing it up

[TMDaines]

Looks like I am off-piste in this particular year. All of the following will likely make my list:

Le soldatesse (Valerio Zurlini)
Vaghe stelle dell'Orsa... (Luchino Visconti)
Signore & signori (Pietro Germi)

Pretty sure The Saragossa Manuscript (Wojciech Has) and Age of Illusions (István Szabó) were 1965 premieres, but a bit late for me to challenge that now if people are already voting in 1964!

[swo17]

Yes, it's too late to change films currently being voted on for 1964. I've added the Zurlini and Visconti to 1965. The Germi is 1966 per IMDb, Letterboxd, and Mubi, and also won or was nominated for several awards in competition with other 1966 films, so I've put it in 1966

[TMDaines]

Yes, it's too late to change films currently being voted on for 1964. I've added the Zurlini and Visconti to 1965. The Germi is 1966 per IMDb, Letterboxd, and Mubi, and also won or was nominated for several awards in competition with other 1966 films, so I've put it in 1966

Thanks, agreed!

[alacal2]

Le Bonheur

It's unsettling sometimes when your critical faculties are ambushed by the guilty pleasures of the past. In the final scene I had my 'Howard and Hilda' moment. For those unfamiliar with old British sitcoms I 'll just say "Ever Decreasing Circles"!

[alacal2]

I'm just ploughing through The Wikipedia guide to British films of 1965 and there appear to be an intriguing and promising number worth a look. Rather than load your list at this stage I was going to binge on as many as possible on You Tube and come up with some suggestions. In the meantime I was surprised to see no inclusion for Shakespeare Wallah (Merchant/Ivory) unless you don't have it for 1965?

[swo17]

I've now added it, thanks

[the preacher]

To be added:

Meiji kyokyakuden - sandaime shumei
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122607/
(yakuza-eiga)

Les grandes gueules
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059241/
(adaptation of José Giovanni)

Compartiment tueurs
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059050/
(Costa-Gavras directorial debut)

Yang ya ren jia
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1345532/
(downgraded to 3.3 by IMDb trolls!)

To homa vaftike kokkino
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057892/
(Greek tragedy-western)

The Money Trap
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059460/
(neo noir loved by Sarris)

El mundo sigue
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057333/
(shot in 1963 but rarely seen until its restoration, half a century later)

Belyie gory
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2144017/
(beautiful Kyrgyz classic) Hey, only 63' long!

Metel
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058346/
(adaptation of Alexander Pushkin)

Terrore nello spazio
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059792/
(pulp pre-Alien)

Padurea spânzuratilor
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058439/
(highly regarded as one of the greatest Romanian films ever)

Bitmeyen Yol
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062206/
(as far as I know it was not released until 1967)

[yoshimori]

Master List Keeper - I quite enjoyed Kawalerowicz' Faraon, but I see IMDB and other sources list it as 1966.

[swo17]

To be added

All added, thanks. Just about everyone seems to list that last one as 1965. I'll leave it here for now unless anyone has strong feelings to move it to 1967

I quite enjoyed Kawalerowicz' Faraon but I see IMDB and other sources list it as 1966.

It's listed as 1965 in that Martin Scorsese Polish boxset, which is where I got it, but given where most sources appear to put it and that it was up for an Oscar and the Palme d'or as a 1966 film, I'll move it there

[domino harvey]

Swo, can you please add the East is Red, Othello, and the Restless Ones?