# Must-see foreign language films **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 3, 2001, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518 "2001-09-03T14:58:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![quarx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/50afbb/32.png) [@quarx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quarx)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/81 "2001-09-08T00:43:40Z")
Hi, first time poster. Just to put my 2 cents in: 1. Prisoner of the Mountains ( Russian ) 2. Burnt by the Sun ( Russian ) 3. Le Hans – Hate ( French ) – Come on, guys. How could you talk about French cinema and leave out “Le Hans” ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/82 "2001-09-08T01:03:23Z")
[The Vanishing](http://www.fearsmag.com/members/reviews/videodvd/vanishing/Vanishing.htm) (original French/Dutch version, not the 1993 American remake). Unbelievably intense, didn’t get to sleep for hours that night. [Monsieur Hire](http://www.culturevulture.net/Movies/MonsieurHire.htm). I cried my eyes out, and I don’t cry that easily at movies (at _Titanic_ I just laughed). ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/83 "2001-09-08T01:04:44Z")
Oh, and welcome to the SDMB, **quarx**! ---
**Author:** ![QuanSu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c37758/32.png) [@QuanSu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuanSu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/84 "2001-09-08T01:53:38Z")
[QUOTE] **3. Le Hans – Hate ( French ) – Come on, guys. How could you talk about French cinema and leave out "Le Hans"** **quarx** Did you mean “La Haine” directed by Mathieu Kassovitz? It’s a cool movie! ---
**Author:** ![Edwardina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Edwardina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edwardina)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/85 "2001-09-08T02:04:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aviddiva \* > **-Antonia’s Line - Dutch, 1996? 1997? Foreign language academy award winner** Someone beat me to **Antonia’s Line**. It was made in 1995, written and directed by Marleen Gorris. Great film! ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/86 "2001-09-08T02:46:41Z")
Satyajit Ray’s _**[Devi](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0053765)**_ (Bengali, 1960) Andrei Tarkovski’s _**[Solaris](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0069293)**_ (Russian, 1972) Devaraj Mohan’s _ **Rosappu Ravikkaikari** _ (Tamil, 1979) Ketan Mehta’s _**[Mirc Masala](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0089599)**_ (“Spices”) (Hindi, 1985) Anh Hung Tran’s _**[Mui du du xanh](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0107617)**_ (“The Scent of Green Papaya”) (Vietnamese, 1993) One of the finest films ever made!!! Alejandro Amenábar’s _**[Abre los ojos](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0125659)**_ (Spanish, 1997) ---
**Author:** ![schplebordnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@schplebordnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schplebordnik)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/87 "2001-09-08T03:56:21Z")
C.T. Dreyer: Passion of Joan of Arc. Amazing, and despite what prior posters have said, its in my local Hollywood video store. However, Dreyer’s best is Ordet. The ending is truly stunning. Vampyr also pretty good. Luis Bunuel: Always liked That Obscure Object of Desire. Exterminating Angel and Discreet Charm of the Burgoise in the same vein, but surrealism is a bit more obtusely amusing. Jean Renoir: Rules of the Game beats out Grand Illusion by a nose. Beat Takeshi: Hanabi. His other stuff is in a similar vein, but more jarringly and inexplicably violent. F.W. Murnau: Nosferatu. Neither the Herzog version or “Shadow of the Vampire” really do it justice. Max Schreck (“Max Shriek,” auf Deutsch) really does inhabit the role, and the makeup (I hope it was makeup) really is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/88 "2001-09-08T06:26:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LC Strawhouse \* > \*\*Also, anything by Luchino Visconti (The Leopard, The Damned, etc.) > > By the way, **Number Six** … since this is a public library he’s taking recommendations for, I’d be hesitant to bring up stuff like **Funny Games** or **In the Realm of the Senses**. Those could lead to obscenity charges or something… \*\* I see your point on _In the Realm of the Senses_, which some may consider to border on soft-core porn, though I would disagree. It is very erotic, but no more so than say _Last Tango in Paris_, and the the artistry with which it is made lifts it above most movies of its kind. But _Funny Games_? I see no problem with it. True, it is a very disturbing movie, but there is actually very little on-screen violence. _Hard Boiled_, also on my list, has literally 1000 times as much violence, all of it on screen. This is actually the kind of movie I would want my local public library to stock. ---
**Author:** ![quarx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/50afbb/32.png) [@quarx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quarx)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/89 "2001-09-08T14:38:20Z")
Original quote from QuanSu * * * quarx Did you mean “La Haine” directed by Mathieu Kassovitz? It’s a cool movie * * * (Haven’t got all the controls down yet) Oops … Er, I mean, no, I meant “Le Hans”, the story of the little German boy stranded in Paris. Yes, I meant “La Haine.” Sorry, it’s been years since I’ve rented it, and my French is awful. Thanks, Quan, good catch. ---
**Author:** ![Danimal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Danimal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danimal)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/90 "2001-09-08T16:27:54Z")
My foreign-language film experience is limited, and all the ones I might have mentioned already have been named. But there’s no reason not to voice some agreement. 1. _Das Boot_ 2. _La Vita e Bella_ 3. _The Return of Martin Guerre_ 4. _To Live_ 5. _le Violon Rouge_ ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/91 "2001-09-08T19:10:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Number Six \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by LC Strawhouse \* > > \*\* > > By the way, **Number Six** … since this is a public library he’s taking recommendations for, I’d be hesitant to bring up stuff like **Funny Games** or **In the Realm of the Senses**. Those could lead to obscenity charges or something… \*\* > > I see your point on _In the Realm of the Senses_, which some may consider to border on soft-core porn, though I would disagree. It is very erotic, but no more so than say _Last Tango in Paris_, and the the artistry with which it is made lifts it above most movies of its kind. > > But _Funny Games_? I see no problem with it. True, it is a very disturbing movie, but there is actually very little on-screen violence. _Hard Boiled_, also on my list, has literally 1000 times as much violence, all of it on screen. This is actually the kind of movie I would want my local public library to stock. \*\* Well, there’s a difference between “hardened” movie fans and the general public. You or I could discuss the movies in question dispassionately, but if somebody doesn’t know what they’re getting into, they could react very badly (“you mean the _taxpayers_ paid for this?”) That’s not a risk I’d take if I was in the OP’s place. I’m just trying to point out that both those movies are right on the edge of the art/exploitation divide. As I said in my previous post, there are tons of gruesome foreign-made exploitation films like _Cannibal Ferox_ or _The Untold Story_ which (I’m sure you’d agree) would be really bizarre for a public library to carry. There’s not that much difference between those and the two we’re talking about. Sure, we could argue that they’re not that bad and they have artistic merit, _but_ they still could be seriously offensive to the general public. PS - Another suggestion for the OP: Chabrol’s **Les Biches** ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/92 "2001-09-08T21:26:17Z")
By all means get **I Am Cuba**. I can’t remember the director. but it is a Soviet-Cuban coproduction from the sixties. It is one of the most amazeing pieces of cinematography that I have ever seen. I doubt video could do it justice, but please, do try to get it. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/93 "2001-09-08T22:12:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LC Strawhouse \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Number Six \* > > \*\* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by LC Strawhouse \* > > > \*\* > > > By the way, **Number Six** … since this is a public library he’s taking recommendations for, I’d be hesitant to bring up stuff like **Funny Games** or **In the Realm of the Senses**. Those could lead to obscenity charges or something… \*\* > > > > I see your point on _In the Realm of the Senses_, which some may consider to border on soft-core porn, though I would disagree. It is very erotic, but no more so than say _Last Tango in Paris_, and the the artistry with which it is made lifts it above most movies of its kind. > > > > But _Funny Games_? I see no problem with it. True, it is a very disturbing movie, but there is actually very little on-screen violence. _Hard Boiled_, also on my list, has literally 1000 times as much violence, all of it on screen. This is actually the kind of movie I would want my local public library to stock. \*\* > > Well, there’s a difference between “hardened” movie fans and the general public. You or I could discuss the movies in question dispassionately, but if somebody doesn’t know what they’re getting into, they could react very badly (“you mean the _taxpayers_ paid for this?”) That’s not a risk I’d take if I was in the OP’s place. > > I’m just trying to point out that both those movies are right on the edge of the art/exploitation divide. As I said in my previous post, there are tons of gruesome foreign-made exploitation films like _Cannibal Ferox_ or _The Untold Story_ which (I’m sure you’d agree) would be really bizarre for a public library to carry. There’s not that much difference between those and the two we’re talking about. Sure, we could argue that they’re not that bad and they have artistic merit, _but_ they still could be seriously offensive to the general public. > > * * * I’ve just returned from my local public library. No movie that I listed would be inappropriate in comparison to those already in stock there. _Cannibal Ferox_ and _The Untold Story_ are red herrings. Those would compare fairly to _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ or _Dawn of the Dead_. It’s hardly fair to compare a movie (Funny Games) that has only one graphic display of violence to cannibalistic splatterfests in which the graphic violence is the point. _Funny Games_ is more disturbing than either of the movies you list (to me, anyway) because of the skill with which it is made. Viewers are shocked and saddened by what goes on because we have come to identify with the victims, and because the killers are believable. Identifying with the on-screen characters is a characteristic of quality filmmaking. A much better comparison would be to _Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer_, which is available at my local library. The library also had _Last Tango in Paris_, and _Emmanuelle_ which are comperable to _In the Realm of the Senses_ in sexual content. ---
**Author:** ![Swede\_Hollow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Swede\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swede_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/94 "2001-09-09T00:09:45Z")
I have to second **Babette’s Feast** from Just Betzer / Isak Dinesen / Gabriel Axel. Excellent movie. ps. I actually LIKED Giorgio Moroder’s modern (1980’s) soundtrack for **Metropolis**. A great movie with a stunning soundtrack (especially the “Blood from a Stone” song during the shift change). Though I think the movie would still be great without it. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/95 "2001-09-09T00:23:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Number Six \* > I’ve just returned from my local public library. No movie that I listed would be inappropriate in comparison to those already in stock there. > > _Cannibal Ferox_ and _The Untold Story_ are red herrings. Those would compare fairly to _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ or _Dawn of the Dead_. It’s hardly fair to compare a movie (Funny Games) that has only one graphic display of violence to cannibalistic splatterfests in which the graphic violence is the point. _Funny Games_ is more disturbing than either of the movies you list (to me, anyway) because of the skill with which it is made. Viewers are shocked and saddened by what goes on because we have come to identify with the victims, and because the killers are believable. Identifying with the on-screen characters is a characteristic of quality filmmaking. A much better comparison would be to _Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer_, which is available at my local library. > > The library also had _Last Tango in Paris_, and _Emmanuelle_ which are comperable to _In the Realm of the Senses_ in sexual content. \*\* Well, whether the movies are good/bad/disturbing according to you or me is irrelevant; the question is what Joe Average would think of them. And they are pretty harsh stuff, without any familiar-looking stars or locations (unlike _Henry_)… and _Realm of Senses_ goes WAY beyond _Emmanuelle_ or _Last Tango_. Unless the OP’s in a college town or something, I might be wary of complaints. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/96 "2001-09-09T04:19:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LC Strawhouse \* > \*\* > > Well, whether the movies are good/bad/disturbing according to you or me is irrelevant; the question is what Joe Average would think of them. And they are pretty harsh stuff, without any familiar-looking stars or locations (unlike _Henry_)… and _Realm of Senses_ goes WAY beyond _Emmanuelle_ or _Last Tango_. Unless the OP’s in a college town or something, I might be wary of complaints. \*\* From the cover of _Funny Games_: “Blood Curdling”, “horrific aftershocks”, “A cinematic tour-de-force of terror.” From the cover of _In the Realm of the Senses_: “Spectacularly erotic” “A Superior film about intense physical love.” “Unique in the cinematic expression of physical love.” Rated NC-17 Whether the stars and locations are familiar is irrelevant. I would fully expect any reasonable person to be horrified by what they see in _Funny Games_. It’s a horror movie, an extraordinarily effective one, at that. It does exaclty what it advertises it will do. Although, as I said before, I think _In the Realm of the Senses_ is borderline, it is straightforward about being about obsessive sex. People who don’t want to see erotic movies aren’t going to borrow it. People who do like erotic movies and borrow this one are likely to be impressed by it’s intensity and artistry. It delivers exactly what it promises. There may be complaints. That is something to take into account. These movies are also very skillfully made, highly intense works of art. In both cases, I believe that the artistry _far_ outweighs the potential offensivenes. Among the most frequently objected to books in public libraries are _Huckleberry Finn_, _Catcher in the Rye_ and _Go Ask Alice_. They are each offensive to a lot of people, but no well-stocked library would be without them. Fear of complaints would be a poor reason for not having these books on the shelves. And, I would submit, no foreign film section would be well-stocked without “Funny Games” and “In the Realm of the Senses”. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/97 "2001-09-09T07:39:58Z")
**LCStrawhouse** : After rereading my last couple of posts, I realize I may have come off a little arrogant. I apologize for the tone of my posts. Certainly, _In the Realm of the Senses_ may be too intense for “Joe Average”, and may elicit some complaints from such viewers. I also think that a public library needs to serve the needs and tastes of the connoisseur as well as the average consumer. But Skijumper did deserve a warning about the intensity of _Realm_. I still see no problem at all with _Funny Games_. It’s a well made horror movie, and the only objections likely to be made are from those who would object to horror movies in general. [hijack] I had been nervously awaiting results of my fiancee’s physical, which will in part determine when she can come to the US and we can be married. After talking to her a few minutes ago (she passed!), I looked back a bit more calmly, and realized I was being an ass. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Skijumper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@Skijumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skijumper)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/98 "2001-09-09T09:19:33Z")
I think I should chime in and say something. First of all, thanks very much, Number Six and LCStrawhouse, for your views. In the Realm of the Senses was one of the titles that was mentioned when we first decided to put together the new section. It was almost banned at a recent local film fest screening, but after some consideration and persuasion from the community, it was made the festival’s closing film. It was in our news for quite a bit, so you can imagine where I am, EVERYONE’S heard about this movie and knows what it’s about. As to whether the library board will agree to stock it - as well as other titles I’ve submitted for approval - I won’t know till the end of the year. Again, I do appreciate your input, guys. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/99 "2001-09-09T15:23:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Number Six \* > \*\ ***LCStrawhouse** : After rereading my last couple of posts, I realize I may have come off a little arrogant. I apologize for the tone of my posts. Certainly, _In the Realm of the Senses_ may be too intense for “Joe Average”, and may elicit some complaints from such viewers. I also think that a public library needs to serve the needs and tastes of the connoisseur as well as the average consumer. But Skijumper did deserve a warning about the intensity of _Realm_. > > I still see no problem at all with _Funny Games_. It’s a well made horror movie, and the only objections likely to be made are from those who would object to horror movies in general. > > [hijack] > I had been nervously awaiting results of my fiancee’s physical, which will in part determine when she can come to the US and we can be married. After talking to her a few minutes ago (she passed!), I looked back a bit more calmly, and realized I was being an ass. > [/hijack] \*\* That’s no problem, I didn’t sense any arrogance at all (and congrats on your fiancee’s result!) I guess I might also be too cynical about how people will react, especially when it’s the government purchasing the stuff. I think it would be great if libraries could stock edgier movies, but I’ve only ever seen the “good stuff” at video rental stores, myself. As for _Funny Games_… well, it has a very lingering point of view that you only find in European shock-horror films, and I think it could be offensive to some audiences. But I’m just saying this as a warning; if he feels it’s OK to stock it, that’s great! PS - Thanks Skijumper! ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518/100 "2001-09-09T17:08:34Z")
\*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LC Strawhouse \* > if he feels it’s OK to stock it, that’s great! > \*\* I think I meant _she_ - sorry, Skijumper… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-foreign-language-films/79518.md?page=6)