European film versus American film

[razor]

A film great died today.  Andrzej Wajda was 90.

 

A few weeks ago I found an old "Polish Heritage Centre" that was showing Man of Iron.  Nearly three hours of political speeches and a nominal attempt at conventional narrative.  It didn't need a conventional narrative when your dealing with such contemporary events.  The old bloke next to me fell asleep.

 

I loved it.

 

Nobody does misery like the Poles.

 

Man of Marble is a better film than Man of Iron.

 

And Kanal is better than both.  What an opening shot:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvuCkdrtxso

 

I know it sounds a bit pretentious when I say I prefer European film to American, but really it's just like saying you like Bob Dylan more than One Direction.

[VladimirIlyich]

I think European cinema is not under pressure to churn out production after production like Hollywood. Many different countries make up European cinema and are mostly independent of each other while Hollywood is a day to day business with a production line mentality to making films.

Quality over quantity,I suppose.

[Jairzinho]

I think European cinema is not under pressure to churn out production after production like Hollywood. Many different countries make up European cinema and are mostly independent of each other while Hollywood is a day to day business with a production line mentality to making films.

Quality over quantity,I suppose.

 

The US still makes some good non Hollywood films. Or certainly did.

[Trumo]

European cinema has managed to continue to avoid one of the issues that has blighted American film in the last couple of decades, which is gearing everything towards gaining a stellar opening weekend at the box office. It's still largely about the story and the acting. Coincidentally, I saw a poster for the film Amélie this weekend and this thread makes me think about how such a film would never have got the green light from Hollywood execs because it doesn't fit the conventional rom com narrative or star a 'name' actress.

[VladimirIlyich]

The US still makes some good non Hollywood films. Or certainly did.

Throw enough shit out and some will no doubt be quite decent,law of averages.

The quality in the US now comes from television therefore giving European cinema a bit of a boost,in my opinion.

[Jairzinho]

Throw enough shit out and some will no doubt be quite decent,law of averages.

The quality in the US now comes from television therefore giving European cinema a bit of a boost,in my opinion.

 

I don't disagree (apart from having no interest in the popular US TV shows), I much prefer European (or elsewhere, for that matter) films as well, but there are still some watchable independent American films. 

[VladimirIlyich]

I don't disagree (apart from having no interest in the popular US TV shows), I much prefer European (or elsewhere, for that matter) films as well, but there are still some watchable independent American films.

US TV shows,non network at least,are at their peak and are very,very good at present. I do enjoy Euro tv too,such as The Bridge,Spiral,The Killing(non US version) etc. Maybe we could start a thread as I am currently looking for more stuff to watch.

[setreal]

It's not pretentious at all.

[Mook]

I think European films are generally a lot better than their American counterparts are these days, they are where Hollywood was in the 70s, all about the story, the acting, the Direction, the scripts & the cinematography rather than in your face entertainment. I was completely blown away by Mesrine when I watched it & have been on several other occasions by European films in the last few years. That's not to say that you don't get great films coming out of America, Scorsese still makes very good films & you get the odd corker like Birdman every now & again.

 

Having said all that, I need to be in the mood to watch a film with subtitles so will often go for a vaguely amusing Hollywood comedy over the thought provoking European film, I know it's the wrong choice but I do it a lot, it's just laziness.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

I think people often conflate Hollywood with American cinema as a whole though, rather than seeing it as the offshoot industry it is. The US indie scene has given us some cracking films, everything from Mean Streets to Koyaanisqatsi.

 

One of the issues I find we have in judging American films (and culture, as a whole) is that we're bombarded with everything, from the good to the plethora of absolute shite, and the ones that are pushed the hardest - and thus associated with the medium - tend to be worst, aiming at the lowest common denominator.

 

On the other hand, the European films that make it through - those that are championed, uploaded to sites, released with English subs etc - are usually the very best. On a personal note, I like Japanese films, but the ones I watch are good; were I to see them all, or even be aware of the breadth of shite they're churning out, I'd quickly come to the conclusion that there's actually very little artistry there.

[SasaS]

I think there is no such thing as European cinema and American cinema, there are Hollywood studios and independent American films, there are individual European national cinemas which are very different from one another. And, yes, as BBN said, unlike with Hollywood, most of people don't get to see various commercial dross being produces around Europe aimed mostly to their domestic audiences

[PestiRed]

There is Hungarian cinema and it is shit

[Frankenhooker]

There is Hungarian cinema and it is shit

Personally, I think Bela Tarr is one of the greatest living filmmakers. The bar scene from Werckmeister Harmonies is sublime.

[Lee909]

Asian cinema wins

[Hades]

Japanese cinema lacks psychological depth. Impressive visuals, however.

[Lee909]

I'll take Akira Kurosawa and his Samurai series over anything hollywood has done.

I'd take most of China's action flicks over hollywood.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Japanese cinema lacks psychological depth. Impressive visuals, however.

 

Modern day, or 20th Century? If the latter, then I have to disagree.

[Tony Moanero]

I dislike having to read subtitles, so rarely way European films.

[Section_31]

If you took American cinema out of the world film would be a pretty fucking grim place.

[Jairzinho]

If you took American cinema out of the world film would be a pretty fucking grim place.

 

I think that's probably only the case if you like films with lots of shooty explodey space robots.

[Lee909]

I think that's probably only the case if you like films with lots of shooty explodey space robots.

I know i do

[Jairzinho]

I know i do

 

Aye, many people do. But if you don't, then you're probably fairly happy with the rest of the world's film output.

[Chip Butty]

America used to produce great films on a regular basis, but has all but stopped. Were as Europe probably due to a certain amount of a lack of funds, has realised that the film has to have substance and suspense. America has forgotten this and plumbs for style over substance and prefers the visual side of things, rather than being more thoughtful and thinking about the substance, the suspense and in many instances, the characters.

I think this demise started roughly about the 25th of May 1977, at about half 4. Thats not to say they don't make good films, they just don't occur that often. Europe perhaps has slightly fallen off its major contender to the American film market, with the ever increasing profile of the Asian market, but if you want a suspense filled, character developing emotional buy-in, in films, then Europe is more often than not, the place to find it.

 

Thats probably a myopic view and film buffs will crucify me for it, but thats how it just feels, to me.  

[Jairzinho]

America used to produce great films on a regular basis, but has all but stopped. Were as Europe probably due to a certain amount of a lack of funds, has realised that the film has to have substance and suspense. America has forgotten this and plumbs for style over substance and prefers the visual side of things, rather than being more thoughtful and thinking about the substance, the suspense and in many instances, the characters.

I think this demise started roughly about the 25th of May 1977, at about half 4. Thats not to say they don't make good films, they just don't occur that often. Europe perhaps has slightly fallen off its major contender to the American film market, with the ever increasing profile of the Asian market, but if you want a suspense filled, character developing emotional buy-in, in films, then Europe is more often than not, the place to find it.

 

Thats probably a myopic view and film buffs will crucify me for it, but thats how it just feels, to me.  

 

Agreed. Although I'd say South America and the Middle East also make some great films. Nothing arty farty about them at all, they just don't have a budget of 4 trillion pounds so the films actually have to have a plot and some interesting characters.

[Section_31]

Hollywood goes through phases no doubt, but it's still produced a fathomless back catalogue of incredible cinema. I'd personally rather watch The Godfather or Rocky than a film about an Italian kid who can't find his cabbage.