# Great Unique Non-English Language Movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [November 7, 2022, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540 "2022-11-07T23:26:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2022, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/62 "2022-11-10T19:49:29Z")
If you like anime you’d probably like these movies. Whispers of the Heart Wolf Children > **[Slice of Life Anime Movie - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/list/ls026987615/)** > > Slice of Life Anime Movie ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/63 "2022-11-10T19:54:00Z")
I forgot to mention all the animations by [Studio Ghibli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_Ghibli). They are gorgeous! I am currently watching them again in netflix: in English, in German, in the original with this or that subtitle… great fun! ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2022, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/64 "2022-11-10T21:37:37Z")
Le Magnifique (1973) in which Jean-Paul Belmondo sends up spy films and his roles as a ladykiller. But the real reason to watch it is his costar (image from the movie). [![](https://www.rts.ch/2022/08/08/15/52/13293947.image?mw=1280) ](https://www.rts.ch/2022/08/08/15/52/13293947.image?mw=1280) ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/65 "2022-11-11T07:16:43Z")
If I look through my list of my 100 favorite films, beside _Chungking Express_, which I’ve already mentioned, I find the following ones which are not originally in English: _Amarcord_ (1974, Italy, dir. Federico Fellini) _Army of Shadows_ (a.k.a. _The Shadow Army_, _Army in the Shadows_) (1969, France/Italy, dir. Jean-Pierre Melville) _Fantastic Planet_ (1973, France, dir. Rene Laloux) _La Jetée_ (1962, France, dir. Chris Marker) _La Strada_ (1954, Italy, dir. Federico Fellini) _M_ (1931, Germany, dir. Fritz Lang) _Seven Beauties_ (1976, Italy, dir. Lina Wertmuller) _Seven Samurai_ (1954, Japan, dir. Akira Kurosawa) _The Tree of Wooden Clogs_ (1978, Italy, dir. Ermanno Olmi) There’s one other film which I should mention which isn’t among my 100 favorites but is certainly unique and not originally in English: _The Tribe_ (2014, Ukraine/Netherlands, dir. Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi) Not only is it not originally in English, but it’s not in any other spoken language. It’s in Ukrainian Sign Language. For the benefit of those of you who don’t know much about sign languages, knowing one of them doesn’t allow to understand another one any more than knowing one spoken language allows you to know another spoken language. Knowing the spoken language of a region doesn’t allow you to know the sign language of that region. Knowing the sign language of a region doesn’t allow you to know the spoken language of that region. There are something like 300 sign languages in the world, and they are mutually incomprehensible. There is no narration in _The Tribe_ and no subtitles. It’s set in a boarding school in Ukraine for deaf students. Despite that, it’s possible to understand what’s going on. This is really unique. ---
**Author:** ![omenran](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omenran/32/3318_2.png) [@omenran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omenran)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/66 "2022-11-11T07:17:07Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > I’ll second _Amelie,_ the Japanese _Shall We Dance,_ and _Babbette’s Feast._ All delightful films. I would disagree about _Babette’s Feast_ personally. I was brought to see it when I was like 10 and one scene/dish from it has horrified and left some deep lasting scars. If I saw it as an older teen or adult more interested in foreign films I think it could have been fine, at worst. Years ago I read a review for a showing of _Non-Stop_ (aka Dangan Runner) by Sabu. It’s like _Run, Lola, Run_ but done differently. It got me into watching other films of his, and I really enjoyed _Postman Blues_ and _Drive_. I also liked the South Korean film _Attack the Gas Station_ directed by Kim Sang-jin. I’m weird and liked _El Topo_ by Alejandro Jodorowsky. I expect I’d also enjoy _The Holy Mountain_ of his also. I used to look for Criterion Collection DVDs in the past, because they often were films that I hadn’t seen or heard of from other countries. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/67 "2022-11-11T15:19:54Z")
I’ve seen every one of Kaurismaki’s movies (even a few with his brother directing), but for me, his best movies were Matti Pellonpaa - shame he died so young. I’ll look for the mini-series, thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/68 "2022-11-11T16:03:53Z")
Another vote for _Army of Shadows_ - quite closely based to real events and experiences of Resistance groups ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/69 "2022-11-11T16:10:10Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Time of the Gypsies Because of the way you described him, it made me want to see the movie. I guess I just like those who are “sore thumbs” in their communities, and to see if their movies are different as a result. I’m at the 22 minute mark (and the stream froze because I tried to rewind), but this seems like Emir doing Fellini via some Yugoslavian Amarcord with a little bit … of this early 70s Italian movie. There’s about a dozen who live in one room, and this father hides his 1 million Lira (or whatever) inside the wall… He’s constantly talking about it. Worried that someone will steal it. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/70 "2022-11-11T16:37:33Z")
It becomes a lot less about quaint characters as it progresses, believe me. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/71 "2022-11-11T17:07:19Z")
> [@omenran](#): > > I would disagree about _Babette’s Feast_ personally. I was brought to see it when I was like 10 and one scene/dish from it has horrified and left some deep lasting scars. If I saw it as an older teen or adult more interested in foreign films I think it could have been fine, at worst. Which scene / dish was it that bothered you in Babbette’s Feast? Was it the turtle wriggling in the kitchen helplessly, or the quails in the pastry? I had a similar reaction to seeing The Elephant Man when I was 10. Didn’t sleep for a week after that. Goddam creep, David Lynch. Was in my 30s before I could finally watch and appreciate it. A few of my favorite foreign films have been mentioned already: Amelie, Das Boot, Fantastic Planet, Ikiru. So I’ll throw in **Life is Beautiful**. I didn’t know anything about it going in except that it had to do with the Holocaust. The scene in the barracks where Roberto Benigni “translates” for the German guard had me absolutely rapt with tension and amusement. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/72 "2022-11-11T17:52:03Z")
I love Tampopo as well. It used to be hard as hell to find though - streaming services don’t typically carry it, and Amazon had just a VHS version. I checked just now and they are carrying it on DVD and Blu-ray, at a fairly reasonable price. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/73 "2022-11-11T18:24:20Z")
Nothing in common but the rhythm of the titles, but all the mentions of Tampopo have reminded me of **Rififi** , the French crime drama from 1955. It’s not quite the first heist movie, but it’s one of the earliest, and it was very influential on later ones. The highlight is the depiction of the heist itself, an almost half-hour scene filmed in near silence, with no dialogue or music, and very few sound effects. The rest of the film is a brilliant character study of different kinds of criminals, and how even what seems to be a successful crime is ultimately the stuff of brutal violence. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/74 "2022-11-11T21:08:02Z")
I did, but I’m not sure if I finished it… I am a big fan of Marcello Mastroianni, but this one didn’t do it for me… Non-stop farting, belching – it disgusts me in real life and in fantasy land, lol. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/75 "2022-11-11T21:09:09Z")
The silence during the heist is what made is so compelling - the heightened anxiety. I love “Pickpocket” by Bresson, one of my favorite directors. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/76 "2022-11-11T21:41:20Z")
I would like to mention a movie that almost nobody outside Norway have seen. “Flåklypa Grand Prix” ([The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix (1975) - Reference View - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073000/reference/)) “Pinchcliffe Grand Prix” in english voice. Its a 1975 animated movie that i still think is amazing, the english voices are quite as good as the norwegian ones, so you can watch that with good concience. Its stop motion animation, of the highest quality as i see it. Ofcourse youll see the wear and tear of time in such a movie, but id give it a try! ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/77 "2022-11-11T21:46:33Z")
Native Sámi movie “Ofelas” (Pathfinder [Pathfinder (1987) - Reference View - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093668/reference/)) Oscar nominated movie. Very exciting and great Apocalypto style movie. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/78 "2022-11-11T22:57:58Z")
In case anyone was curious, the movie I was thinking above earlier is down below > **[Ugly, Dirty and Bad (1976) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074252/)** > > Ugly, Dirty and Bad: Directed by Ettore Scola. With Francesco Anniballi, Nino Manfredi, Maria Bosco, Giselda Castrini. Four generations of a family live in a shantytown in the outskirts of Rome. The household engages in various forms of sexual... ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/79 "2022-11-11T23:04:18Z")
For Studio Ghibli films, _Castle in the Sky_ is my hands-down favorite. Air pirates, a combat zeppelin, a spunky hero, a winsome princess, ancient secrets and lost treasure… great stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/80 "2022-11-12T05:02:03Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Castle in the Sky This was a Japanese-language film, but it’s interesting to note that the novel it’s based on was in English. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540/81 "2022-11-12T18:25:32Z")
I liked your short review enough to check it out among many others (I posted this on a few sites), and just finished it. Thanks! **The Lunchbox** - 7/10 Saikh to me was the most interesting character, but he played 3rd banana. I didn’t feel any romance. Partly because they didn’t meet, and partly because it seemed like he was just a platonic pen-pal. Still a good movie. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/81/The_Lunchbox_poster.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/81/The_Lunchbox_poster.jpg) I’ll try to get to more. Some are hard to find… But this is the kind of movie I like – where you are interested in the characters, good dialogue, acting… No endless car chases, shoot-outs, corny jokes, cliches, conflict/solution, conflict/solution every 30 minutes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-unique-non-english-language-movies/974540.md?page=5)