Jon Towlson
Film critic and author
UK
Voted for
| Film | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Roma città aperta | 1945 | Roberto Rossellini |
| L' Âge d'or | 1930 | Luis Buñuel |
| Meshes of the Afternoon | 1943 | Maya Deren, Alexander Hackenschmied |
| Mirror | 1975 | Andrei Tarkovsky |
| L'Atalante | 1934 | Jean Vigo |
| Don't Look Now | 1973 | Nicolas Roeg |
| The Spirit of the Beehive | 1973 | Víctor Erice |
| Sunrise A Song of Two Humans | 1927 | F.W. Murnau |
| The Searchers | 1956 | John Ford |
| The Gospel According to St. Matthew | 1964 | Pier Paolo Pasolini |
Comments
Roma città aperta
Vanguard film of neo-realist movement that influenced filmmakers internationally; deserves recognition as such alongside Bicycle Thieves.
L' Âge d'or
Largely overshadowed by Un Chien Andalu as a surrealist film but equally subversive and sustained.
Meshes of the Afternoon
Archetypal psychodrama that continues to influence filmmakers, a timeless piece.
Mirror
Unique film memoir and dream poem, reflects the world in a raindrop.
L'Atalante
Has a freshness and immediacy that never seems to fade.
Don't Look Now
Comes as close as any to ideal of film as transference of thought.
The Spirit of the Beehive
Masterful evocation of time and place, of childhood perception, and of how cinema shapes our view of the world.
Sunrise A Song of Two Humans
The apogee of silent cinema as an expressive medium.
The Searchers
Perhaps the first, and greatest, revisionist Western.
The Gospel According to St. Matthew
Destroys the commonplace in reimagining the greatest story ever told using amateur actors and a beautiful soul music score.
Further remarks
Very honored to take part in this poll. Thank you for inviting me to participate.