THREE COLORS RED (1994, FRANCE)

My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty-one from Republics of France & Poland
Three Colors Red (1994)

Yesterday I mentioned the first in the Krzysztof Kieslowski color trilogy, but now I’m skipping to the third one (Three Colors Red). Why? I didn’t have a copy of Three Colors White available and it isn’t in the 1001 movie book anyway. This isn’t the first trilogy in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book to leave out one its parts. Bergman’s Winter Light-Through a Glass Darkly-The Silence trilogy leaves out the last piece. Here, I guess it’s OK to die if you haven’t seen part 2. But you must see 1 and 3 before you slip off this mortal coil by all means! All that being said, I liked Three Colors Red (Red=fraternity) a lot, more than I liked Three Colors Blue, though I’m starting to see how they fit together. Guess I’m going to have to find a copy of Three Colors White, after all.

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THREE COLORS BLUE (1993, FRANCE)

My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day twenty, from the Republics of Poland and France
Three Colors Blue (1993)

The first of Krzysztof Kieslowski’s colors of the French flag trilogy Three Colors Blue (Blue=liberty) Kieslowski’s subtle way of trying to get across the heroine’s internal feelings may take more than one viewing.

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THE HARDER THEY COME (1973, JAMAICA)

My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day nineteen, from the Parliamentary democracy of Jamaica
The Harder They Come (1973)

I went through a period where I listened to reggae during the 80’s (Peter Tosh, Bob Marley and even Eddy Grant). But the influence of reggae on the U.S. started with this film and the music of Jimmy Cliff, among others in this film. I confess to liking the soundtrack probably more than the film itself, though I did find the commentary by the director enlightening on how the people from Jamaica that saw this film initially were so excited about seeing their country depicted in a film for the first time.

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THE SHOP ON MAIN STREET (1965, CZECHOSLOVOKIA)

My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day eighteen, from Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
The Shop on Main Street (1965)

Since this is my eighteenth blog post in eighteen days, I’m a little tired and will just recount some of the original critical reception to this film:

“A Haunting Masterpiece”
Eleanor Perry, Life Magazine (How I miss Life magazine in its original form, meaning 1936-1972.)

“A Stunning Picture by any critical standard”
Bosley Crother, New York Times (Maybe the most influential American critic of his era)

“Masterful. One of the Great Films of Our Time”
William Wolf, Cue Magazine (I reckon Cue was a pretty important film magazine in its day.)

Brilliant and Extraordinary”
Judith Crist, New York Herald Review (If Crist gave a film a positive review during the 60’s and 70’s, her praise was usually the first critical review to go on the marquee. I was on the phone with Judith Crist on a talk show during the 70’s but got cut off, so never did find out what she thought of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

“A rare mixture of comedy and tragedy.”
Archer Winsten, N. Y. Post

Guess I could throw in that it one the Best Foreign Film Academy Award in 1965.

Since I agree with Mr. Winsten and Mr. Crother and don’t want to write a full review, I’ll just embellish their blurbs.

“Archer Winsten said it’s a rare mixture of comedy and tragedy and Bosley Crother found it stunning and I’m in agreement.”
Chris, a librarian
www.1001afilmodyssey.blogspot.com

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MONSOON WEDDING (2001, INDIA)

My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day seventeen, from the Republic of India
Monsoon Wedding (2001)

This little film with so many speaking parts and so many characters and so much going on and shot so quickly and so low budgeted is really quite entertaining and makes you want to go to be a part of an Indian wedding, for sure.

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THE SWEET HEREAFTER (1997, CANADA)

My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day sixteen, from the Parliamentary democracy of Canada
The Sweet Hereafter (1997)

Any movie that ties The Pied Piper of Hamelin so neatly into its narrative has got to have something going for it. And any movie that inspires me to break out my book The World’s Greatest Fairy Tales (the best book of all time, according to my nostalgic, sentimental self) and read the Pied Pipe of Hamelin has got to have something going for it.

“Our children! Where are our poor children?” was the cry that was soon heard in all the streets. (The Pied Piper of Hamelin from The World’s Greatest Fairy Tales, The Reader’s Digest Association, 1967)

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GALIPOLI (1981, AUSTRALIA)

My own personal March movie madness. My goal is make 31 posts in 31 days about 31 movies. They all must be non-U. S. films that I haven’t seen before. Why do I make this stipulation? Don’t know exactly, by we all have to have goals, don’t we?

Day fifteen, from the Commonwealth of Australia Galipolli (1981)

Never let playing fast and loose with the facts get in the way of giving us one of the most heart wrenching endings from any movie I’ve ever seen.

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