UKC

(Das Leben Der Anderen) Another thread got me thinking about this film. Possibly one of the greatest films of all time in my opinion. It won a Oscar for the "Best Foreign Language Film" and many other awards, but possibly would have wiped the floor at the Oscars if it had been an English speaking film.

Ulrich Mühr's performance as the "cold", yet tragic Stasi officer Weisler is just breath-taking brilliant, though there is not a single week performance/character throughout - a sign of the superb directing for von Donnersmarck. There are so many intricate nuances, the boy with the ball in the lift, the jokes in the canteen (check to see who tells Weisler the wall has come down), Weisler in Dreyman's flat, the self-murder narrative, the red thumbprint and the ending is so poignant!

Anyone else seen it? Or does anyone else know of other films that would have wiped the floor with the Hollywood trash if wasn't for the temerity of not speaking Amuuuurican!

In reply to Hugh J:

yeah its fab, shame he went on to do The Tourist

In reply to Daithi O Murchu: That'll be the one with the "Hollywood trash" actors?

Awards: People's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor - Jonny D - Say no more!

In reply to Hugh J: The Lives of Others is a superb film, one of the best I've seen.
The two Mesrine films (French) are a cut above your average Hollywood crime thriller. Hollywood still makes some great films, but loads of tripe that seems to drown out good stuff from elsewhere.

In reply to Hugh J:

The 3 colours films, La Haine, Dekalog, Jean de Florette, Manon des Sources, just for starters.

In reply to Hugh J:

I have promoted it on these pages since I first saw it. It's an absolutely outstanding film but, for instance, I can't get my wife to watch it because of the need to read subtitles.
Sebastian Koch is also very good as a "nice" Nazi in Verhoeven's "The Black Book" but I'm afraid he suffered from being in the shadow of the multi-talented Carice van Houten.

I would like to know if the title is referring to ideas expressed by JM Barrie, Paul Coelho or Pericles. I favour the last.

In reply to Hugh J:

An all time favourite, the end really got me.

I'd say Dead Man's Shoes is as good. Don't know why I'm comparing the two, save that they fall into the same bracket of being perfect films for me and that I don't really want to watch either of them again!

In reply to Tom Valentine: Yes, the Pericles reference would be a nice sentiment and may well be the inspiration, but the Paulo Coelho is more fitting:

“We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path.”

Fits so many aspects of the film.

Thanks for the recommendations folks - some I've seen, the rest I will try to.

In reply to Hugh J:
The Devil's Backbone?
I imagine Hollywood would do it with spooky music and the rest of the "Horror" gubbins. In many ways I think it is better than Pan's Labyrinth, though not quite as sumptuous.

In reply to Hugh J: Have you seen "Barbara" yet? It's the German entry for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. I enjoyed it very much. Plenty of Stasi in this one

In reply to Mooncat:

I've just finished watching this trilogy the other night & gotta say I found it excellent.

In reply to Padraig:

Three Colours: Red is one of my all-time favourites, along with The Lives Of Others.

I think part of what made the Lives of Others so poignant for me was that some of my family live in the Czech Republic, complete with bugged apartments and summer houses, investigations by the secret police, and neighbourly paranoia. I had to watch the film in two parts because I found it all rather overwhelming.

I'd recommend Stasiland by Anna Funder as a really interesting insight into Stasi-era East Germany, for anyone who hasn't already read it.

In reply to Hugh J:

The most powerful film I can remember. Beautiful.

Recently I watched a film where everyone in it spoke American, but nonetheless would highly recommend 'Restrepo'. Directed by the British film-maker and photo-journalist Tim Hetherington, tragically killed whilst covering the Libyan revolution last year. It is simply a documentary of a year on a US observation outpost (named Restrepo) deep in the Afghan mountains. I found it very moving.

In reply to Hugh J:

Brilliant film. I've not seen many other German films, but I enjoyed Sonnenallee.

In reply to Hugh J:

Had put off watching it for ages, not sure why really as it was a very good film and reminded me of stories we used to hear when I lived in Germany in the early 70's. One of my favourite films is Andrei Rublev http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Rublev_(film)

In reply to Hugh J: Yes, definitely deserves to be called a great film... I also enjoyed Goodbye Lenin, Baader-Meinhof Complex and Die Wiel (The Wave), and of course Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run).

In reply to ripper: Yes, Run Lola Run - what a great concept. Got to say those Germans are starting to become the perhaps best film-makers in Europe (therefore the world - await howls of derision). I suppose Das Boot has to be added to the list as well.

In reply to Hugh J: PS: Thanks for all the great recommendations, as I've said, I've seen some, but now have some others on my "unmissable" list. Keep 'em coming.

Ta.

In reply to Hugh J: As a caveat to my Hollywood jibe, I have seen some exceptional Hollywood/American films, doubt have many won the big one though. They include, The Machinist, π;, Magnolia, even Fight Club.

In reply to Hugh J:

π; is the symbol Pi (Alt P) on a Mac.

In reply to Hugh J: Betty Blue (no its not a porno, well not quite a porno.)

In reply to Southern Man:

I like Dead Mans shoes a whole lot, many bits are perfect, the answering the door covered in makeup scene is perfectly dead pan funny, the i got you in he palm of my hand is perfect threat hard man stuff, but its not a perfect film.

The imperfect bits which are in the film are the believability in and around the body count and the lack of involvement of the cops in a small town , and at the end where the woman/wife doesn't call the police over a "strangers" contact with her kids.

the ending ain't perfect either, if he had finished the job (killed that last guy) and walked out of the village , leaving the viewer not knowing if he was/when he was arrested and so on, for me would have been better.

In reply to Hugh J:

Sophie Scholl

see it before the Yanks butcher it

Id aslo add The Edukators

personaly i realy liked Biutiful too

Animal Kingdom is a good Oz crime family movie

if you liked Dead Mans shoes then try Clubbed or Wild Bill in fact try both, there good watchable UK films, if your up for another try Tyrannosaur

for other good films id recommend see this thread here

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=524771&v=1#x7068398

The Breath on that other list i linked too is worth buying and watching http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1171701/

Since posting that list i have realy liked

Europa Europa - is fab

and

The consequences of Love

In reply to Hugh J:

Had this lying around on dvd for ages, forgot about it and never got to watching it, that will be remedied later, thanks for the reminder!

In reply to Hugh J:

Das Boot a personal favourite. Possibly the most claustrophobic film ever.