Listmania!
Best of the Best: European Directors
By an Amazon.com customer
Open CityOpen City
Buy new: $26.99 / Used from: $13.87
Roberto Rossellini is my absolute favorite director. In my opinion, he is the master storyteller who leaves a resounding emotion and message for days. His war trilogy Rome Open City, Paisan, and Germany Year Zero were groundbreaking in Italian Neorealism. Rome Open City is my favorite all time film: the best of the best. Although Paisan is not listed on amazon, I do recommend it.
Germany Year ZeroGermany Year Zero
Buy used from: $7.89
The film is shot in Berlin the year after WWII ends. Once again Rossellini continues to wring emotion by presenting ironies as the main storytelling component. Definitely a must see.
Stromboli [VHS]Stromboli [VHS]
Buy used from: $27.85
Rossellini leaves his war trilogy and enters psychological films with Stromboli, Europa '51 (The Greatest Love), and Voyage to Italy. Each one is a must. Europa '51 has the first Point of View shot ever, and I have not seen a POV shot to rival it yet. Voyage to Italy has a haunting shot selection, and Stromboli emits tremendous passion within itself.
Hiroshima Mon Amour - Criterion CollectionHiroshima Mon Amour - Criterion Collection
Buy new: $27.99 / Used from: $20.24
This is an amazing film by Alain Resnais. The story revolves around a love affair between a Japanese man who survived the bombing of Hiroshima and a French woman who went insane during Germany's occupation. The visuals and emotions produced will never be forgotten.
Blow UpBlow Up
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $6.27
Michelangelo Antonioni made the amazing film Blow Up about a photographer who accidently captures a murder in one of his pictures. Another great Antonioni film (not found on amazon) is The Adventure about a woman who disappears on a Mediterranean trip while her boyfriend and best friend become attracted to one another. The film's best shots are working with shadows and images of isolation.
La Strada - Criterion CollectionLa Strada - Criterion Collection
Buy new: $31.99 / Used from: $19.99
I put in one of Frederico Fellini's films although overall I despise all Fellini films. All of his films leave me depressed, negative, and sickened. Fellini seems to wallow in greed, selfishness, and amazing visuals. La Strada and Cabiri Nights were the only Fellini films I could say that I enjoyed. May all the world be rid of such self-inflicting hate and misery.
Last Year at MarienbadLast Year at Marienbad
Buy used from: $34.00
Alain Resnais is the only French New Wave director that I like. In this film he plays with mirrors and other great visuals as a man tries to get a married woman to run off with him. A beautiful film all around.
Wild Strawberries - Criterion CollectionWild Strawberries - Criterion Collection
Buy new: $27.99 / Used from: $13.88
Ingmar Bergman made a superb film portraying an old man's emptiness of existence.
The Seventh Seal - Criterion CollectionThe Seventh Seal - Criterion Collection
Buy used from: $15.99
Ingmar allegorizes the search for meaning through a fateful chess game between a knight returning from the crusades and Death.