The 1960 Mini-List

[yoshimori]

For my money, the two top-ten worthy Japanese films of 1960 are Yoshida's Rokudenashi [Good-for-nothing] and Ichikawa's Otouto [Her Brother]. I encourage everyone to check them out.

[domino harvey]

I've seen Otôto but sadly didn't care for it much-- I found it to be a typical family melodrama with the only differentiation point being the Moby Dick-style color treatment

[Rayon Vert]

I'm going to go into several blind-buys. What's the consensus on Jigoku?

[domino harvey]

And here are films I don't have on hand but am interested in seeing and have access to grabbing. Can anyone speak to any of these as essential viewing or if they're skippable? Trying to not add too much to my already huge to watch list, but what's ten or twenty more movies?

Spoiler

Devi
Late Autumn

Spoiler

I thought these were good films, but not best-of-the-decade worthy.

Are they best-of-the-year good though?

[domino harvey]

I'm going to go into several blind-buys. What's the consensus on Jigoku?

I hated it. Your mileage may vary

[therewillbeblus]

Hated it too- also for domino's list, I didn't like Devi and Late Autumn was fine but unexceptional. I'm not exactly consistent champions of either filmmaker though..

[swo17]

I'm going to go into several blind-buys. What's the consensus on Jigoku?

It's a Criterion release that I haven't seen since it came out and remember nothing about so I might give it a rewatch. I feel bad though--do you not have a library where you can access at least some of these titles?

[Rayon Vert]

It's a Criterion release that I haven't seen since it came out and remember nothing about so I might give it a rewatch. I feel bad though--do you not have a library where you can access at least some of these titles?

Don't feel bad. That's almost always how I do it, and the collector in me revolts in viewing something I like that I don't have an immediate physical copy of that I own.

Late Autumn is also lesser Ozu in my book.

[Rayon Vert]

I was looking at the Criterion page for 1960. What do people think about The Naked Island?

I see Criterion considers Letter Never Sent a 1959 film, but IMDB's got it at 1960 and so I'm glad it's on swo's list because I'm looking forward to seeing that one.

[therewillbeblus]

Letter Never Sent is a audio-visual triumph of style-informing-narrative and will likely blow away any viewers new to it. The Naked Island, however, isn't my thing

[Pavel]

I was looking at the Criterion page for 1960. What do people think about The Naked Island?

I see Criterion considers Letter Never Sent a 1959 film, but IMDB's got it at 1960 and so I'm glad it's on swo's list because I'm looking forward to seeing that one.

Letter Never Sent is probably one of the most visually striking films I've ever seen. Made my decade list and will certainly make this list

EDIT: Ah, I see TWBB beat me to it haha

[swo17]

I would call Letter Never Sent eligible now regardless because it was explicitly not eligible during the '50s list and I won't let any films fall through the cracks on a technicality like that.

I like The Naked Island--it's much more meditative than Shindo's more famous films, with barely any talking even. Lots of time to just take in the sumptuous landscapes and think about how your life is no better than anyone else's

[therewillbeblus]

I would be interested in recommendations for shorts/experimental works that might otherwise be overlooked (*cough* swo)

Arnulf Rainer is a big deal, which you'll probably appreciate as it's very much in the vein of The Flicker. That's all I've got for now

I cued it up but had seen it before (perhaps you recommended it to me already within the last year?) - a good film, but doesn't pack the same punch for me, probably due to the at-times frustrating length of the dead spots

[domino harvey]

Didn't think much of the Naked Island either! I like the idea of getting a celebrity fan to talk about an underseen movie they love, but the Criterion extra with Benicio Del Toro is odd and useless too. Letter Never Sent is great though, definitely a safe blind buy if you like Cranes Are Flying et al

[swo17]

I would be interested in recommendations for shorts/experimental works that might otherwise be overlooked (*cough* swo)

Arnulf Rainer is a big deal, which you'll probably appreciate as it's very much in the vein of The Flicker. That's all I've got for now

I cued it up but had seen it before (perhaps you recommended it to me already within the last year?) - a good film, but doesn't pack the same punch for me, probably due to the at-times frustrating length of the dead spots

Understandable, though it's worth reading the Wikipedia page for some context about how it was constructed

[therewillbeblus]

Yes, very cool, thanks!

[Red Screamer]

I also think Arnulf Rainer (which will make my list) cries out to be seen on film in a theater, even moreso than The Flicker does. It did nothing for me when I saw it at home despite Kubelka's talent for brain-scratching irregular rhythms still coming through. But on 16mm it blew me away, the black frames throwing the audience into complete darkness and the white frames so bright that it felt like I was staring into the sun. Celluloid is also a requirement for seeing the liveliness of the film's only texture, the hair and scratches flying across the screen which have accumulated on the print over the decades. Though I realize none of this is helpful in the short term.

[swo17]

domino, did you overlook Le Dialogue des Carmélites when compiling your shortlist?

[Matt]

If I didn’t submit for the 1960s decade list, may I still participate in this mini list?

The Naked Island is my favorite of the handful of Shindo films I’ve seen. It’s much more like a direct cinema documentary than the more stylized fictions of Onibaba and Kuroneko.

On the subject of Japanese horror/supernatural films, I also did not like Jigoku. It has some cool effects at the end, I guess, but I disliked it enough not to consider a rewatch.

[TMDaines]

Tutti a casa

Will be on my 60s ballot again. One of Sordi’s best in a very strong comedic period for him.

[swo17]

If I didn’t submit for the 1960s decade list, may I still participate in this mini list?

Of course! You're also still welcome to submit a 1960s list at any time up until whenever the Round 2 deadline ends up being

[domino harvey]

domino, did you overlook Le Dialogue des Carmélites when compiling your shortlist?

It would be in the next tier for me, along with films like 5 Branded Women (would be an interesting double feature, actually!), as very good films that I know won’t make my final ballot regardless

Tutti a casa

Will be on my 60s ballot again. One of Sordi’s best in a very strong comedic period for him.

I think this will be one I do make time for, thanks!

[therewillbeblus]

Wow, my own chronological masterlist is severely impaired- 5 Branded Women could conceivably make my 1960 ballot depending on how many slots

[swo17]

domino, did you overlook Le Dialogue des Carmélites when compiling your shortlist?

It would be in the next tier for me, along with films like 5 Branded Women (would be an interesting double feature, actually!), as very good films that I know won’t make my final ballot regardless

Got it, I asked because I remember watching it after your high recommendation for it, but maybe it was only high relative to The Nun!

[Mr Sheldrake]

The Criterion Channel currently has 52 movies from 1960 available for streaming, a good starting point. Leaving the Channel tonight Jan 31 is Home From the Hill, The Sundowners, Wild River and The Grass is Greener. They are usually available until 9 AM EST tomorrow. As far as I could tell nothing is being added in February.