Alive & Twitching

I am proposing to write a few blogs on my favourite films but, if only to prove that I am not simply listing classics or otherwise playing safe, here are some critically-acclaimed movies with which I was really disappointed.

8½ Dir. Federico Fellini (Italy, 1963)
This was ranked 9th in the most recent (2002) Critics’ poll of the Top Ten films conducted by the highly prestigious Sight & Sound. In the Directors’ poll, it was ranked 3rd. It won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language film.  The subject-matter is a film director’s loss of creativity but the storyline is hard to discern. I’ve tried watching it twice and had to give up both times out of a combination of boredom and irritation at Fellini’s self-indulgence.

A Bout de Souffle (Breathless) Dir. Jean-Luc Godard (France, 1960)
This homage to American gangster movies is one of the best-known films of the French New Wave. I saw this for the first time about 45 years after it was first released and this may be the reason I found it so disappointing. The Nouvelle Vague introduced revolutionary techniques and is of considerable importance in the history of the cinema. Unfortunately, it seems to me that if you strip away the historical significance, this is a rather poor film. The story is weak and the characters evoke little sympathy or, indeed, interest.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s Dir. Blake Edwards (USA, 1961)
This is possibly the film that disappointed me most. I have been a devoted Audrey Hepburn fan since my teens but somehow only got round to seeing this film within the last few years. It is so well-known and popular that I thought I was bound to enjoy it. Certainly, Audrey looked gorgeous and the poster of her in the role is iconic. Her character, however, is intensely annoying and failed to elicit any sympathy. For me, the film had neither wit nor charm. I suspect that it has aged badly.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Dir. Ang Lee (Taiwan, 2000)
Winner of over 40 awards, including an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, I think this film is  hugely overrated. Although I am not a lover of Kung Fu movies, I thought I would enjoy this in view of the praise lavished on it and because Ang Lee is one of my favourite directors. I was very disappointed. Whilst it is beautifully filmed, I find flying martial artists hard to take, besides which the film is rather boring.

The Ipcress File Dir. Sidney J. Furie (UK, 1965)
This is different to the other films mentioned in this blog as I enjoyed it enormously when it was first released. It is based on the spy thriller by Len Deighton and it gave Michael Caine one of his best-known roles. Indeed, I recall seeing it again many years later and still rating it highly. I then made the mistake of recommending it to my son and daughter-in-law when it was being shown on television about 18 months ago, while they were staying with us for a few days. I was saddened at how badly it had dated; the dialogue was stilted, some of the acting wooden and the characters stereotypes.

Jules et Jim Dir. Francois Truffaut (France, 1962)
This is one of those films I wished I enjoyed but, regretfully, do not. It is an undoubted classic of the French New Wave and was made by a director whose work I admire. The story concerns a love triangle in which two best friends both fall for the same woman. My problem with the film is, again, the character of the woman, played by Jeanne Moreau. She is intended to come across as unpredictable but, to me, just seems unbalanced. I have seen this film on two occasions about 30 years apart. Time had not increased its appeal.

Last Year in Marienbad Dir. Alain Resnais (France, 1961)
This is regarded as a masterpiece by many critics and it won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1961. It is arguably the ultimate art house movie. It could certainly never have mass appeal. Often described as enigmatic, I find incomprehensible. Apparently, the director said it had no meaning. It therefore seems to me to be pointless trying to find one. This is possibly the most tedious and pretentious film I have ever seen.

Mon Oncle Dir. Jacques Tati (France, 1958)
This won numerous awards, including an Oscar for Best Foreign Film, and was the second film in which Tati played his famous creation, Monsieur Hulot. There is very little dialogue, the humour being entirely visual. The humour is gentle in nature but, unfortunately, I didn’t find it particularly funny. It also suffers from having not much plot.

She’s Gotta Have It Dir. Spike Lee (USA, 1986)
Spike Lee’s debut film, set in an African-American community, is about a girl trying to make up her mind as to which of her three suitors she might want to settle down with. It is a well-known and critically-acclaimed film but I fail to understand why. The acting is generally poor, the story weak   but, far worse, it is a comedy which simply is not funny.

Tokyo Story Dir. Yasujiro Ozu (Japan, 1953)
This was ranked 5th in the latest Sight & Sound Critics’ poll of the Top Ten films. It is a meditative film about the indifference shown to elderly parents by their adult children. It is with some embarrassment that I admit to not enjoying this film. I find the pace far too slow. The film requires a large amount of patience and I was found wanting in this regard on the two occasions I tried to watch it. Possibly I will be third time lucky.