# "Atmospheric" Films **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 10, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710 "2003-04-10T02:48:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/1 "2003-04-10T02:48:10Z")
You know, films that the plot, storyline, and acting just don’t matter, the film _looks_ so good that the other elements are minor players. Of course, the film _can_ have a good plot, storyline, etc, but those elements aren’t the biggest hook of the film. My choices would have to be: _2001: A Space Odyssey_ _Blade Runner_ _Solaris_ (the George Clooney version) _1984_ _Henry and June_ _Casablanca_ What’s yours? ---
**Author:** ![MusicJunkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@MusicJunkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MusicJunkie)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/2 "2003-04-10T02:57:01Z")
Eyes Wide Shut The one with Robin Williams in a painted world. The Cell Road to Perdition Ran Spirited Away Metropolis (both anime and Fritz Lang’s) Apocalypse Now ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/3 "2003-04-10T21:01:08Z")
MusicJunkie - I agree with the first there on your list (and I can’t think of the name, either - you mean the one in the toy factory with Joan Cusack, right?). Also Spirited Away and Metropolis (Fritz Lang). Picnic at Hanging Rock Walkabout Delores Clairborne LOR Apartment Zero Android Haunting of Hill House ---
**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/4 "2003-04-10T21:40:40Z")
“Heat” was good for atmosphere (besides the great character development). The variants of pale blues really resonated with the tone of the entire movie. Others unmentioned, but ultimately unremembered at the moment… ---
**Author:** ![ChalkPit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@ChalkPit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChalkPit)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/5 "2003-04-10T21:51:06Z")
Se7en Dark and oppressive throughout. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/6 "2003-04-10T22:07:18Z")
**One Hour Photo** has great use of different visual atmospheres to characterize the separate “worlds” of the movie, as well as subtly creepy musical effects. ---
**Author:** ![noddygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/47e85d/32.png) [@noddygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/noddygrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/7 "2003-04-10T22:18:51Z")
Nightmare Before Christmas Dark City (I remember nothing about the plot of this film, just the visuals) I.K.U. (super cool Japanese cyber-erotica flick…can’t explain it much better than that, but watching it feels like being in a video game) City of Lost Children Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Babe: Pig In The City ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/8 "2003-04-10T22:25:06Z")
_Sunrise_ (1926) _Metropolis_ (1927, the height of German deco) _Broken Blossoms_ (1919, lovely recreation of London’s Limehouse) _Camille_ (1921, with art nouveau sets by Natasha Rambova) ---
**Author:** ![MusicJunkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@MusicJunkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MusicJunkie)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/9 "2003-04-10T22:27:11Z")
> [@](#): > > and I can’t think of the name, either - you mean the one in the toy factory with Joan Cusack, right? The one I’m talking about has Robin loosing his son and his wife and then dying and going to heaven in one of his wifes paintings. It’s a melodrama and not very good at that but the visuals are amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/10 "2003-04-10T22:52:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MusicJunkie \* > \*\*The one I’m talking about has Robin loosing his son and his wife and then dying and going to heaven in one of his wifes paintings. It’s a melodrama and not very good at that but the visuals are amazing. \*\* _What Dreams May Come_ ---
**Author:** ![beajerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@beajerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beajerry)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/11 "2003-04-10T23:05:15Z")
The king of atmospheric movies: Blue Velvet. ---
**Author:** ![kylen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@kylen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kylen)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/12 "2003-04-10T23:11:38Z")
Virgin Suicides Spider Alien ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/13 "2003-04-11T02:45:08Z")
Delicatessen (another Caro-Jeunet collaboration) The Fifth Element Most all Coen brothers films, but specifically: Miller’s Crossing Barton Fink ---
**Author:** ![pezboy2u](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@pezboy2u](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezboy2u)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/14 "2003-04-11T04:07:13Z")
The Reflecting Skin gets my vote. The panoramic shots of the landscape, muted sound, and scarcity of dialogue give it a great dreamlike quality. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/15 "2003-04-11T13:22:40Z")
Days of Heaven - so beautifu to look at, nothing else matters - exactly ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/16 "2003-04-11T13:45:31Z")
“Dick Tracy” is a pretty bad film, but the design is so wonderfully comicy (henceforth “comicy” shall be known as a word) that you can just watch the film for the way it looks. “Batman” is similarly beautiful, but that’s just a great film to boost. > [@](#): > > and I can’t think of the name, either - you mean the one in the toy factory with Joan Cusack, right? That’s “Toys”, which is a visually impressive film as well, but possibly worse than Dick Tracy as far as everything else goes. But let it be known that I’m a big fan of Joan Cusack. Personally, though, I think the best-looking film ever made is “A nightmare before Christmas”. Wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/17 "2003-04-11T14:49:47Z")
LOTR:FOTR. Even though it’s the Best. Movie. Ever., the acting and development are nothing compared to the looks of the movie! ---
**Author:** ![karomon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@karomon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/karomon)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/18 "2003-04-11T19:27:45Z")
Amelie Ghost in the Shell ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmospheric-films/167710/19 "2003-04-11T23:20:26Z")
Movies big on looks and short on substance: _Final Fantasy_ _Titanic_ _The Phantom Menace_ _Attack of the Clones_ _Episode 3_ (C’mon, it’s a given.)