Movie Canon

[Swatopluk]

There was a discussion in Germany some time ago to establish movie classes in school that would introduce the pupils to a canon of films.
What do you think about that idea, how should such a canon look or how would you organize the topic (e.g. what types of movies, when, in what connections (e.g. with history or language classes), only high culture or also selected trash, full or edited versions etc.)?

[Kiyoodle the Gambrinous]

Back at the university in Germany, there was a class on Arnold Schwarzenegger...

[beagle]

OK, there goes that idea...

Not sure if it's a good idea or not really. In Britain English teaching used to be split into two subjects (maybe still is), English Literature and English Language.  You could see how different views of the same text (e.g. Olivier's and Branaugh's Henry V) could be valuable in English Language (and the German equivalents in Germany), but that's already done here. General Hollywood type films seems more out-of-hours film club territory, given that there's short enough time to teach the non-Arnie plays etc already.

I'm not sure about history. Most history films (apart from being produced by the victors in any situation) tend to be distorted and reduce the history to a background noise to some love affair or other.  Documentaries seem a safer source.

Maybe General Studies is the natural home for it, where the idea is to link together diverse cultural stuff. Not sure though (the subject didn't exist in my day - cue theme from Tom Brown's Schooldays).

I suspect part of the motivation in Germany and France might be to convince youngsters there's a world beyond Hollywood English language films.  I suspect there would be less impulse for that here (where there isn't the same heritage of native "arty" film (apart from "Carry on up the Khyber", obviously), and where we allegedly speak the same language.

[Swatopluk]

The proposed canon(s) were quite heavy on old films and not actually nationally biased. What I thought the proposals were lacking was any kind of systematics. The movie versions of Henry V. would clearly be on my list and definitely in connection. I am not aware of something quite like it in German cinematic history*. Yes, remakes exist but nothing of a similar calibre with so different an approach (btw, I prefer Olivier here).
Concerning connection to history I'd favor contrasting the depiction of certain events by filmmakers in different countries or at different times (the world wars would yield tons of examples).
One problem I see is that a lot of movies that should be on the list have minimum age requirements, so they would have to be either censored or all crammed into the last terms.

A lot of triads come to my mind, e.g.
Nosferatu (Schreck), Dracula (Lugosi), Horror of Dracula (Lee)


*The Murnau and Gründgens versions of Faust may come into that area but the latter is more filmed stage play than actual movie.

[Griffin NoName]

Oh dear Oh dear. This is a tricky subject.

Perhaps the thing would be to establish classes to study the study of establishing what the canon should be.

I have to suggest Reinhart's and Peter Brook's Midsummers Night Dreams. And I thought the Brit arty films were the Ealing Comedies not the Up the Series.

How about a class showing films of canons firing?

[Swatopluk]

Priests of the Royal Navy ?

Kind Hearts and Coronets would of course be on the list

[beagle]

At least if junior grows up to be a serial killer (s)he'll know how to be a stylish one.

"If"  would be another contender.

[Swatopluk]

In order not to leave out "lesser" countries, I'll begin the list with them (btw, Them! could be considered as an entry too).

Valkoinen peura (The White Reindeer), Finland 1952
Bangrajan, Thailand 2000
Det Sjunde Inseglet (The 7th Seal), Sweden 1957
Die Goldene Jurte(The Golden Jurt), Mongolia/East Germany 1961 (for children)
Die Salzmänner von Tibet(The Saltmen of Tibet), Tibet/Germany 1997 (documentary)
Atanarjuat, (Inuit)Canada 2001
Kirikou et la sorcière, France/Africa 1998 (suitable for children)
Andrey Rublyov, USSR 1969

[beagle]

Hmm. Perhaps they should be shown in geography. It was taught in such a boring way when I was at school I did history and Gladstone's endless ministries for excitement instead.

[Swatopluk]

For geography there is Around the World in 80 Days with David Niven as Phileas Fogg (also including about every star known to men at the time).

[Griffin NoName]

.......I did history and Gladstone's endless ministries for excitement instead.

That was an exciting topic for sure. His ministering to his food was uplifting. Chewing every mouthful 32 times. I had to admire him. How I miss school.

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

If you want to look at film history, I think the following are vital to see how we got to where we are:

- Battleship Potemkin
- The Birth of a Nation (also important for the power of film as a political tool)
- Metropolis
- Gold Rush
- King Kong


And for their content, quality and/or impact:

- Citizen Kane
- The Maltese Falcon
- One of Our Aircraft is Missing... or another made-in-WWII WWII film
- the Great Escape
- 2001
- Star Wars
- the Big Lebowski
- Unforgiven (especially if it can be paired with a stock John Wayne-style western)

And just because I really like it:

- Passport to Pimlico

[Swatopluk]

Potemkin and Birth would be on my list too, in a special propaganda section that would also include Triumph des Willens.
If that were possible I would also like to confront the (older) pupils with both the British and the German Jew Suess (demonstrating how bad the German "remake" actually is).

While we are at political movies: The Battle of Algiers is a must also.

No dissent on your proposals from me, Lambi!

A comparision of The Way to the Stars (British, late WW2) and Twelve o'clock High (US, early post-WW2) should be in the advanced course (I think both are good but prefer the former).

The Best Years of Our Lives (at least for the US curriculum)
Goodbye, Mr.Chips (the original)

To complete the trilogy of immortal silent comics: Safety Last (Harold Lloyd)* and The General (Buster Keaton)

*This also opens the door for a Jackie Chan movie that pays homage to the clock scene.

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Now that I think about it, you could do a whole unit on Star Wars if you include the films that Lucas "borrowed" from.  Off the top of my head:

- Flash Gordon serials
- The Hidden Fortress
- Triumph des Willens
- Midway
- The Dam Busters

[Swatopluk]

And then as a contrast: The Great War of the Planets (Japan) and their version of a Wookie

To update the Far East section:
The Road Home and either Hero or House of Flying Daggers (all by Zhang Yimou and with Zhang Ziyi)
A Touch of Zen
Kwaidan (Japan 1964) uncut version
At least 2 Kurosawas including Throne of Blood(aka Cobweb Castle)*
To represent the modern Asian horror I propose Silk and/or Re-Cycle

From Italy in the "low" section: At least one Bava e.g. Tre Volti di Paura (spelling?)
El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth) (Spain/Mexico)

At least one (colour) Powell&Pressburger (Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus, A Matter of Life and Death)


*Could be combined with Macbeth (Polanski)