Best foreign film of all-time

The thread title says, “Best Foreign Film of All Time”, but it appears that it’s more of a listing of everybody’s personal favorites. So I figured I’d have a go at it. I'm exluding English speaking titles and Anime.

They are in order:





This is a list of titles I still want to see. Please feel free to make any suggestions that you may have.

Bronenosets Potyomkin (Battleship Potemkin), Utomlyonnye solntsem (Burnt by the Sun), Il Postino (The Postman), M, Le Charme discret de la bourgeoisie (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie), Fitzcarraldo, Tokyo monogatari (Tokyo Story), Sanshô dayû (Sansho the Bailiff), Apur Sansar (The World of Apu/The Apu Trilogy), Persona, Jules et Jim, 8½, Da hong deng long gao gao gua (Raise the Red Lantern), Chong qing sen lin (Chungking Express), El Ángel exterminador (The Exterminating Angel), La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life), The Three Colors Trilogy, Le Mépris (Contempt), À bout de souffle (Breathless), Fanny and Alexander, La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (The Passion of Joan of Arc), Såsom i en spegel (Through a Glass Darkly), L'Avventura (The Adventure), La Règle du jeu (The Rules of the Game), El Espíritu de la colmena (The Spirit of the Beehive), Le Boucher (The Butcher), Les Enfants du paradis (Children of Paradise), and La Belle et la Bete (Beauty and the Beast).

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doesn't it make sense that the a person would think they're favorite is also the best? or am i just crazy?

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You are crazy, yes…but that’s not in dispute.

I don’t know, sometimes…sure. But think of it this way; if someone asked you what the ‘best’ cut of beef is, and your ‘favorite’ type of beef is actually a rump roast or hamburger, would you argue that it’s actually the ‘best’ cut in comparison to new york or rib eye cuts? You can easily use this analogy towards film. The best cinematography in a film is arguably Lawrence of Arabia, even if you find the film boring, that usually doesn’t mean that it isn’t so.

I agree with Holden Pike on the first page of this thread: “...I suppose I'd go with Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (1957).

It's so powerful, so unique, so indelible, so dense, so abstract, so... perfect, it was the first one that immediately leapt to my mind. It is a movie and an experience that is difficult to describe or encapsulate, it must be seen to even begin to understand it.”

He makes a good argument, but it’s certainly not one of my favorites. I agree that it is probably Bergman’s masterwork, and quite possibly the ‘best’ foreign film ever made, but it didn’t have the emotional impact with me as so many of my favorites do. Bergman’s Wild Strawberries, on the other hand, reached deep into my soul, because I could relate so well with the main character, Isak. He realizes late in his life that even though he was a master in his field, and had the respect of all his peers, in the end his life was made meaningless by his realization that he didn’t ever truly love anyone, nor been loved the way he should have wanted it. It’s a moving and poignant story that people who live with heavy regret can relate too. Because of that, it’s my favorite, though I concede that it may not be his ‘best’.

At least, that's the way I see it.


Are you coming on to me? My doG, woman! You have cats!

Seriously tho’, do you have any suggestions other than the ones I listed? I know I must’ve missed some greats and classics. I’m hoping that a couple of big fans of foreign film will reply and point me in the right direction.

I gotta admit; I hate most of the Hollywood fare nowadays. Indy and foreign are almost always 100 times better.

I have some suggestions.
Band of Outsiders, Alphaville, A Women is a Women, Ivan the Terrible Part One, Ivan the Terrible Part Two, Alexander Nevsky, Le Jour se lève, Port of Shadows, La Strada, La Dolce Vita, Amarcord, The Rules of the Game, The Grand Illusion, Shoot the Piano Player, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, Solaris, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Battle of Algiers, Ordet, Day of Wrath, Divorce Italian Style, Tokyo Story, Ikiru, Man Bites Dog.


Don't know if you've seen any of these, but I just wanted to suggest these 25 great films.

yeah but....cinematography is ONE factor. NOBODY would say that a movie is "the best" of its kind due to ONE factor. I think most people would agree that the movie they find the best, is one that they think is the best in ALL factors.

yep... these may have simply not made your 'best' list or your 'still want to see', list, but I think they're all well worth seeing:

Fallen Angels (funny, sweet, weird... story of 2 couples)
Woman In The Dunes (freaky!!)
The Crime of Padre Amoro (interesting ethical question)
Malena (parable about beauty, stars Monica Bellucci)
Raising Victor Vargas (tiny indie about young love, charming)
Tampopo (fun, sweet, funny, charming story about a noodle maker)

i thought Raising Victor Vargas was a good little indie myself.

I just go with whatever movie is most entertaining... After all, isn't that why most of us go to the movies, to be entertained?

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My Top 100 favorite movies.

I haven't seen Wild Strawberries yet. Loved your summary. Another one to put on my 'to see' list.

I've been disappointed with a few foreign movies as well as hollywoods'. I think it's just the shear volume of mediore stuff (coupled with crap) that hollywood has been putting out has been very disappointing. I think they are in a current state of bulk food mentality right now.

Anyway....recommendations. Have you seen either Eat, Drink, Man Woman (1994) by Ang Lee...or The Princess and The Warrior (2000) by Tom Tykwer yet? If not, I'd definitely recommend both.

Truffaut:
Baisers volés (1968) (scenario and dialogue)
... aka Stolen Kisses (USA)
Domicile conjugal (1970) (scenario and dialogue)
... aka Bed & Board (Canada: English title) (USA)
Beinex:
Lune dans le caniveau, La (1983)
... aka The Moon in the Gutter (USA)
Bergman:
Persona (1966)
... aka Persona (USA)
Vargtimmen (1968)
... aka Hour of the Wolf (USA)
Skammen (1968)
... aka Shame (USA)
Chabrol:
Merci pour le chocolat (2000)
... aka Nightcap (International: English title)
Tavernier:
Coup de torchon (1981)
... aka Clean Slate

my all time favorites that are, exceptionally, not American.

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Hey, Ezikiel. Thanks for all the great suggestions. Many of these I’ve heard of before, but I couldn’t remember all of them while I comprised my list of “need to sees”. Thanks to you, they won’t be forgotten.

Tokyo Story and La Dolce Vita were both in my list, but I know that titles are easily lost in a small font like that.

Ikiru, Solaris, and The Battle of Algiers, I have seen already. Just about anything Kurosawa you can feel confident I’ve either seen or have in mind to see soon.

On a more personal note: I’m very impressed with the way you’ve embraced all the different genres and ages of film. I remember when you first joined; I don’t believe you had seen hardly any of the old classics, let alone old foreign classics, but now you’re giving me a list of films that most have no idea exist. Wow…simply, wow.

You win. It must’ve been the kissy thing. I’m getting weak in my old age.

Thank you, I haven’t seen any of these. I can trust that if you like them that I will probably appreciate them as well. Thanks for lookin’ out for me, kid.

That settles it. Actually, I had heard of this one a number of times and even held the DVD in my hand. I have no idea why I didn’t take it home. Thanks!

Hmmm…according to your review thread, you haven’t seen many that you’ve actually enjoyed. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I appreciate your consistent warnings to the rest of us.

I think that you are the type to appreciate Wild Strawberries, as well as Red Beard. They are both very moving stories. Have you seen any Kurosawa films, Annie? I’m not sure if we’ve ever talked about that or not. A lot of his films are probably right up your alley.

I agree completely about your assessment of Hollywood. It’s all about the opening weekend.

I’ve seen both the movies that you’ve listed and enjoyed them both…but not enough to put them ahead of my favorite 25 list. Thank you though, and thank you for replying.

I’m not sure if I had even heard of any of these before…with the exception of Persona, which is my next Bergman film to see. I like your taste, man.

What'd you think of them? All the films are terrific, but Solaris is my favorite of the three.

Well... thanks.

I'm pretty sure I've listed quite a few of these before, but just to remind you of some good ones, check out:

Ging Chaat Goo Si (aka Police Story) (Jakie Chan, 1985)
-This is a top-notch action film

Ringu (aka Ring) (Hideo Nakata, 1998)
-I find this to be quite superior to the American remake, a highly original and genuinly scary movie

Sara (Maciej Slesicki, 1997)
-A very entertaining movie about a bodyguard who is hired to protect the daughter of a Mafia boss; only to fall in love with her.

F*cking Amal (aka Show Me Love) (Lukas Moodysson, 1998)
-A touching film about sexually confused teens

25 Watts (Juan Pablo Rebella & Pablo Stoll, 2001)
-Great little film from Uruguay in the tradition of Clerks

101 Reykjavík (Baltasar Kormákur, 2000)
-Haven't seen this in quite a while, but I remember it as a great little ensemble piece

Man, Taraneh, Panzdah Sal Daram (aka I, Taraneh, Am Fiteen) (Rasul Sadrameli, 2002)
-A very interesting Iranian film, telling the story of a young girl who falls pregnant

Sada (Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1998)
-A brilliant, visually stimulating film about Sada Abe - a woman who cut her lover's penis off

Le Notti Bianche (aka White Nights) (Luchino Visconti, 1957)
-A beautifully made, almost fairy tale like love story

37°2 Le Matin (aka Betty Blue) (Jean-Jacques Beineix, 1986)
-This is, to me, one of the greatest films ever made - a brillant character study filled with passionate performances; Béatrice Dalle is amazing. Make sure you see the Director's Cut though.

Xingfu Shiguang (aka Happy Times) (Yimou Zhang, 2001)
-Nicely made film about a poor man who helps a blind girl

Nang-Nak (Nonzee Nimibutr, 1999)
-A sincere film based upon a Thai legend of a man who comes back from battle to his family, not knowing that they are dead

Der Schuh Des Manitu (aka Manitou's Shoe) (Michael Herbig, 2001)
-This has to be one of the funniest films I have ever seen, a great German western spoof

Well, I hoped that helped somehow

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Drive Well, Sleep Carefully (Justin Mitchell, 2005) ****
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An Inconvenient Truth (David Guggenheim, 2006) ****
The Family Stone (Thomas Bezucha, 2005) ***1/2
Rocky III (Sylvester Stallone, 1982) ***
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thanx a lot for the compliment.
Truffaut of course is a must, and these two are part of a tetralogy.
Chabrol is another must, maybe slightly more than Bertrand Tavernier? in any case, in both, Isabelle Huppert (for me the best, and my fave, French actress) is superb, especially in Merci Pour Le Chocolat, just--- wow!
By Beineix, i prefer this one than the more famous Betty Blue, which is not bad though.
okay, this was for the Frenchies.
and Bergman's Persona and the two other belong together (if i'm not wrong - it's been a while - in this order) as a trilogy. so i'd recommend to see all three if you wanna watch Persona (which is the first of the trilogy in any case) - i saw the two other at a store available as ONE dvd. Persona, i dunno though.
enjoy 'em!

Brian, alright...I'll look for both Wild Strawberries and Red Beard.

Of Kurosawa's films I've only seen Madadayo and Dreams. Both of which I liked, but I can't say I loved. I did love the very last dream in Dreams though...the man who wanders into an old village and talks with the old man...and I liked the dream of the army officer that goes into the tunnel and meets the dead souls. I'll look more into Kurosawa, thanks.

You're welcome Bri...
...and I liked The Princess and the Warrior better than Run Lola Run. Maybe because I got to know the characters more...I dunno.

Have you seen either Solas(1999) or Maria Full of Grace(2004) yet? If you haven't, I would recommend both of these also.



I think I've seen this one on linespalsy's list's before also. I've had my eye open for it and can't seem to find it anywhere and then forgot about it. Thanks for listing it though...my eyes are peeled again.

I saw a few other foriegn movies this week that were excellent


The motorcycle diaries (Diarios de motocicleta )
Life is beautiful (Vita è bella, La)
All about my mother (Todo sobre mi madre )

Amores Perros (not a foreing film in my country )
Amelie
Das Boot
Aguirre the wrath of God
Tesis
Cidade de Deus (City of God)

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LA LENGUA DE LAS MARIPOSAS (butterfly) a excellent sapanish movie