# Recommend some visually stunning movies (in whatever way). **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237 "2003-02-15T06:38:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Umbriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9de053/32.png) [@Umbriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umbriel)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/81 "2003-03-04T19:26:45Z")
The movies directed my Miami Vice maven Michael Mann back in the ‘80s were visually very striking. **Manhunter** (the original movie version of Thomas Harris’ _Red Dragon_) and **The Keep** particularly come to mind. The latter is a badly muddled version of a pulpily entertaining F. Paul Wilson horror novel set in Nazi-occupied Romania, but great eye candy throughout. Two brief matte shots in particular must have been just jawdropping in a theater – one as Scott Glenn’s character passes through a border checkpoint, and another sequence where German soldiers exploring a tunnel reach a huge underground chamber, and the camera seems to fly back in a continuous shot hundreds of feet through the cavern. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/82 "2003-03-04T21:19:46Z")
It’s been said before, but for my money nothing says “visually stunning” like Lawerence of Arabia. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/83 "2003-03-04T21:46:19Z")
For sure: **2001: A Space Odyssey** But what about… **The Truman Show?** That stunning scene at the end(!!) **Pleasantville?** Awesome colouring effects. **Amadeus?** Cool cinematics with all those theatre scenes, and you can test your sound system! AND, how could anyone miss **Jurassic Park???**. ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/84 "2004-03-08T15:29:13Z")
Ah, no mention of Snow Falling on Cedars? Breath-taking visuals that overshadowed the story, but I didn’t really care; the movie as a whole seemed like a haunting poem. The specific story fades, but the visual artistry remains evocative and emotionally charged in my mind to this day (more than a year after seeing it). ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/85 "2004-03-08T15:42:33Z")
Have to recommend Kurosawa’s **Dreams**. Visually so amazing, made my jaw drop. ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/86 "2004-03-08T15:51:19Z")
I saw **City of Lost Children** and **Babe 2** , and I think they used some of the same locations. In addition to all the great reccomendations, I will add **Shanghai Triad**. Actually, I can’t remember if the whole movie has good cinematography, but there were some really nice “magic hour” scenes in it. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/87 "2004-03-08T15:53:35Z")
> [@Fnoonf](#): > > For epic sets and general massiveness: > Fritz Lang’s Metropolis > Braveheart > Blade Runner > Dark City > Gattaca > > For dreamy, immersive weirdness: > Amélie > Waking Life > What Dreams May Come > > For some action madness: > Terminator 2: Judgment Day > Blade 1 and 2 > Snatch > Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels > > And for some plain old-fashioned quality cinematography: > The Man Who Wasn’t There > The Silence of the Lambs > The Passion of Joan of Arc > Seven > Cries and Whispers > The Godfather Trilogy > > And just for fun: > Toy Story Parts 1 and 2 > The Emperor’s New Groove > > Oh, and to really stretch your system to the maximum limits of its capability, Clerks. > > If Clerks looks good on your setup, I wanna come over to your house. That’s a great list! I’ll just second it, because there’s little I would add to it. ---
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/88 "2004-03-08T17:49:04Z")
Wow. The lists are endless. And these are great for cinematography: **The Patriot American Beauty The English Patient Forest Gump JFK Dances with Wolves Doctor Zhivago Indiana Jones (all) Fiddler on the Roof Romeo and Juliet Cleopatra Ben Hur** And I second: **Lawrence of Arabia Out of Africa Spartacus Braveheart Amadeus** and almost everything else everyone said… HAVE FUN! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/89 "2004-03-08T18:16:34Z")
I too second (or third or fouth) _Amélié_. It’s one of the most stunning movies I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t push the boundaries like many of the movies mentioned here, but every time I see it, I just can’t believe that _every single frame_ of _Amélié_ is composed perfectly. It’s also a great example of \* good uses\* of CGI. Others have recommended _Brazil_. While I concur in theory, you really want to buy\rent the Criterion version. I believe the “regular” $15.99 version of _Brazil_ has the stupid “Love Conquers All” ending that showed only in American theatres. The Criterion has this version, the version that showed in theatres in every other country, as well as Terry Gilliam’s “definitive” version. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/90 "2004-03-08T18:18:31Z")
Winged Migration ---
**Author:** ![august9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7993a0/32.png) [@august9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/august9)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/91 "2004-03-08T18:31:03Z")
I can’t understand that noone has mentioned \*[Hero](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299977/) \* yet! Granted, the story is rather thin (it’s a sort of fairy-tale or legend), but the visuals are absolutely **stunning** - it’s doing with colour, what black and white film does with light and shadow. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/92 "2004-03-08T19:30:41Z")
“Laura,” directed by Otto Preminger and starring Gene Tierney, Clifton Webb, and Dana Andrews. Made in 1944, but very, very stylish noir and with really beautiful photography. And I don’t think anyone’s mentioned Gone With The Wind yet - but your system would have to be REALLY good to do it justice. It is best seen on a big screen, in a beautiful old theater, with someone you love (and who loves old movies). ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/93 "2004-03-08T19:51:12Z")
I’ll second Baraka, but my first recommendation would be Cremaster 3. I don’t think you can get the whole thing on DVD, but you can get one segment (titled “The Order”). You’ll find it pretty damn confusing, but I wouldn’t worry too much about that. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/94 "2004-03-08T19:52:12Z")
**One Hour Photo**. Heck, throw in **Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within** to see how it’s like. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/95 "2004-03-08T20:08:10Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Winged Migration I’ll second this. I saw it at the local CC on Friday. It’s brilliant. Using ultralights and remote control gliders and helicopters it records birds of all sorts migrating over the course of a year. The scenery is excellent and varied. But the most amazing thing is how _graceful_ and well-designed the birds look in flight. Even the best looking duck or goose looks ungainly walking along the ground but up in the air from three feet away…that’s a well-engineered shape for flying. All the clumsiness melts away and they’re beautiful. Try it if you can find it. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/96 "2004-03-08T20:25:28Z")
Heaven’s Gate. Yeah, yeah…I know it’s widely considered to be the worst movie in the history of film. Well, I disagree. It’s just beautiful. Another one that is quite striking visually is The Reflecting Skin. It’s the first thing I ever saw Viggo Mortensen in, and it’s a real mind-blower. Not for the squeamish. It’s actually quite disturbing. But really, REALLY beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/97 "2004-03-08T20:32:42Z")
Gone With The Wind. Terminator 2. Finding Nemo. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/98 "2004-03-09T02:28:43Z")
[Hero](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299977/) or [The Straight Story](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166896/) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/99 "2004-03-09T02:49:07Z")
Another vote for **Winged Migration** which I have recently seen. Its other charm is the limited dialogue. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237/100 "2004-03-09T04:57:57Z")
Anything with Gregg Toland’s cinematography (Citizen Kane, The LIttle Foxes, etc.) Raise the Red Lantern for its formal composition Hello, Dolly! for it’s incredible period detail and depth-of-focus (always something going on in the background) Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Pinocchio or Beauty and the Beast for its brilliant and beautiful animation. The Ten Commandments for breathtaking color. Lawrence of Arabia (superbit version only) The 6 hour+ Russian version of War and Peace by Bondmarchuk (sic) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-visually-stunning-movies-in-whatever-way/155237.md?page=6)