5-Star Films - The Masters of Cinema Series deciphered

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The Masters of Cinema Series deciphered
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	Sunrise [Region 2] Buy used from: $19.94 ***** 1927. Directed by F.W. Murnau. Three Film Academy awards (Actress, Cinematography and Picture). A young farmer falls in love with a city girl who wants him to murder his wife. Murnau plays masterfully with antagonisms such as night/day, black/blonde or country/city. Masterpiece. Collection spine #1.
	The Holy Mountain Buy used from: $29.99 ****1/2 1926. Written and directed by Arnold Fanck. A ballerina, Diotima, gives a performance in an Alpine hotel. During a stroll, she meets Karl, a ski instructor whose only passion is to climb the highest mountains of the place. Highly recommended because of the outstanding cinematography and the several dancing acts performed by Leni Riefenstahl. Collection spine #2.
	Asphalt [Region 2] Buy used from: $18.95 ***1/2 1929. Co-written and directed by Joe May. A policeman falls in love with a thief who manages to seduces him after he caught her. The first scene of seduction in Else Kramer's apartment is a must for any movie lover. Recommended. Collection spine #7.
	Humanity and Paper Balloons ( Ninjo kami fusen ) ( Ballad of the Paper Balloons ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Great Britain ] Buy used from: $29.99 **** 1937. Directed by Sadao Yamanaka. Tokyo, 18th century, in a poor neighborhood. Matajuro Unno, a ronin (a samurai without master) is desperately trying to meet Mori, the local mob boss, to get a job and Shinza, the barber, kidnaps a wealthy young girl in order to gain recognition. Highly recommended. Collection spine #11.
	Naked Island ( Hadaka no shima ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Great Britain ] Buy used from: $25.95 ***1/2 1960. Written and directed by Kaneto Shindô. Grand Prix of the Moscow International Film Festival. Japan, the late 50's. A family of peasants lives on an island. The parents have to go by boat every day on the coast in order to search for fresh water. An impressionist film, without dialogues, very human. Recommended. Collection spine #12.
	Kuroneko ( Yabu no naka no kuroneko ) ( Black Cat from the Grove ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Great Britain ] Buy used from: $35.99 ***1/2 1968. Written and directed by Kaneto Shindô. After having been raped and killed by samurais, a woman and her daughter-in-law come on terms with evil spirits. They come back as ghosts hungry for samurai blood. Ginjoki, the son and husband of these ghouls, is designed to kill them. Recommended. Collection spine #14.
	The Assassination (1964) ( Ansatsu ) ( The Assassin ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Great Britain ] Buy used from: $33.99 *** 1964. Directed by Masahiro Shinoda. 1860. When foreign boats come near the Japanese coast, the Shogunates and the Emperor's partisans start to fight. Hachiro Kiyokawa, a ronin, tries to train an army of samurais in order to gain power. Interesting stylized effort worth a look. Collection spine #20.
	The Expedition ( Abhijaan ) ( Abhijan ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Great Britain ] Buy used from: $22.98 **** 1962. Written and directed by Satyajit Ray. Narsingh is a taxi driver who, after having been fired, decides to come back home. He accidentally stops in a friendly small town where he gets a taxi license and meets acquaintances from his own village. But a wealthy merchant offers him to smuggle drugs. Highly recommended. Collection spine #27.
	Toni [NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Region 2 Import - Great Britain] Buy used from: $29.99 ****1/2 1935. Written and directed by Jean Renoir. A small town near Marseilles. Toni, an Italian migrant worker, is in love with Josefa but marries Marie, when Josefa espouses Albert. No, it's not a melodrama but rather a realistic drama worth your attention. Highly recommended. Collection spine #28.
	Funeral Parade of Roses ( Bara no soretsu ) ( Funeral Procession of Roses ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Great Britain ] Buy used from: $33.99 ***1/2 1969. Written and directed by Toshio Matsumoto. Eddie is a transvestite working in a gay bar. He's also the young hero of a movie about transvestites. Avant-garde cinema that has aged rather well. Recommended. Collection spine #32.
	Shoeshine [1946] [Region 2] Buy used from: $26.95 **** 1946. Directed by Vittorio de Sica. Earned a nomination for the Academy award in the Best Original Screenplay category. Just after WWII, teenagers earn their living by shining the American soldiers's shoes. Two boys are arrested for burglary and sent to a juvenile prison. Highly recommended. Collection spine #33.
	Fantastic Planet - Master's of Cinema Series (UK Import) [Region 2] Buy used from: $68.95 *** 1973. Co-written and directed by René Laloux. Special award in Cannes. On a faraway planet, men are considered as animals by the inhabitants. Recommended if you are fed up with Walt Disney cartoons and mangas. Recommended. Collection spine #34.
	Naruse - Volume One - 3-DVD Set ( Meshi / Yama no oto / Nagareru ) ( Repast / Sound of the Mountain / Flowing ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Great Britain ] Buy used from: $63.99 **** 1951-1956. Directed by Mikio Naruse. With a masterpiece SOUND OF THE MOUNTAIN and two other brilliant films REPAST and FLOWING, this box set will make you discover the intimate world of this underrated Japanese master. Indispensable. Collection spines #35,#36 and #37.