This is actually kind of perfectly timed for me too!
I'm sharing my process of producing and directing a short film over on my substack (my directorial debut!). One of the major elements of the story is that the protagonist fills her apartment with fabric to insulate herself against her grief after losing her partner (you can read the script in my latest post, if you're so inclined!).
I want to explore how the fabric will impact the sound in the space and if I can use that to heighten the sense of isolation and loss in the audience through it. Great challenge, Swabreen!
This piece has my brain BUZZING! I had never heard of The Dreamers, but I’ve put it at the top of my list & I can’t wait to participate in this month’s challenge!
'The Dreamers' features Eva Green from 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. She was perfection in the 'Penny Dreadful' series. Recently, I enjoyed her 'The Three Musketeers - Part II: Milady'.
Part 1 a good remake but Part 2 my choice for being darker. Add the 'Count of Monte Cristo' and 'The Master and the Margarita' for a themed weekend. 2024 was a good year!
Ohh, good timing, as over the last year I've been pushing myself into sound design in my own work and studying and thinking about sound design in moview. 5 movies to listen to coming right up :)
I had no idea there were film challenges here. I’ve been writing my own for a few months now…never on an entire film but an aspect/scene or as you just said, sound of a film. Here’s one of Satyajit Ray’s lesser known works— an essay on the dance of the ghost kings in the film Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne. https://bukus.substack.com/p/satyajit-rays-dance-of-the-ghost?r=9brcu
I usually avoid NYT but engaged your topic. I've seen 98 on their list with the caveat that I walked out of 'Anchor Man'.
'Borat' 'Brides Maids' and 'Toni Erdmann' are overrated. I appreciated 'Parasite' but it's not close to being the best Asian movie.
My input:
1. Incendies (Canada set Lebanon shot Jordan family drama 2010_Dir Villeneuve)
2. Turtles Can Fly (Iran set Iraq war child drama 2004_Dir Bahman Ghobadi)
3. Omar (Palestine occupation drama 2013_Dir Hany Abu-Assad)
4. The Great Beauty (Italy absurdist philosophical drama 2013_Dir Paolo Sorrentino)
5. Mustang (Turkey fem oppression drama 2015_debut Dir Deniz Gamze Ergüven)
6. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days (Romania cold war fem oppression 2007_Dir Cristian Mungiu)
7. The Broken Circle Breakdown (Belgium drama romance 2012_Dir Felix van Groeningen)
8. Winter Sleep (Turkey family drama 2014_Dir Nuri Bilge Ceylan)
9. Monsieur Lazhar (Canada French school drama 2011)
10. Downfall (Germany WW2 war 2004_Dir Oliver Hirschbiegel
For 'The Dreamers' there's 'Paris, 13th District'.
'Amores Perros' is excellent but the director's 'Biutiful' more than excellent. The most underrated movie this century may be his 'Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths'.
Thinking of 'City of God', another South American child gem is 'Machuca (Chile 2004)
Thinking of 'Pan's Labyrinth', there's the grim 'The Painted Bird (Czech 2020).
Thinking of 'Frida', the Zdzislaw Beksinski biopic is 'The Last Family' (Poland 2016).
As for your actions movies, my faves are Dir Yimou Zhang's 'Hero' (2002) and 'House of Flying Daggers' (2004), and Dir Hsiao-Hsien Hou's 'The Assassin' (2015).
'Lady Vengeance' proved we don't have to be Patrick Bateman to be a serial killer.
I love love Hero and House of Flying Daggers! I meant to include a mention of them. Lady Vengeance is another fav from that era! That whole trilogy was solid. I did see The Assassin as well. I remember watching Mustang and really liking it. I enjoyed Paris, District 13 as well!
Will look into your other recommendations, thank you.
The Northman' and 'Sisu' (Finland 2022) were more stylish than the 'Max' reboots.
I'm not against all mindless and heartless action but 'Wick' etc. are imitations of better predecessors. I'm happier with the brainless and gratuitous killing in 'The Villainess (Korea 2017) and 'Hardcore Henry' (Russia 2015). Alternatively, 'I Saw the Devil' (Korea) was shocking and had much more to it. Hong Kong's serial killing 'Limbo' (2021) was also dark.
This is actually kind of perfectly timed for me too!
I'm sharing my process of producing and directing a short film over on my substack (my directorial debut!). One of the major elements of the story is that the protagonist fills her apartment with fabric to insulate herself against her grief after losing her partner (you can read the script in my latest post, if you're so inclined!).
I want to explore how the fabric will impact the sound in the space and if I can use that to heighten the sense of isolation and loss in the audience through it. Great challenge, Swabreen!
Oh wow! I'll check it out.
Lovely, and makes me recommend the recent indie, 'Sew Torn'.
Thanks so much for the recommendation!
My movie ego thanks you :)
Here's the trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRu8hLsgODo
This piece has my brain BUZZING! I had never heard of The Dreamers, but I’ve put it at the top of my list & I can’t wait to participate in this month’s challenge!
'The Dreamers' features Eva Green from 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. She was perfection in the 'Penny Dreadful' series. Recently, I enjoyed her 'The Three Musketeers - Part II: Milady'.
That Musketeers movie is on my watchlist! That’s one of my fav books from childhood.
Part 1 a good remake but Part 2 my choice for being darker. Add the 'Count of Monte Cristo' and 'The Master and the Margarita' for a themed weekend. 2024 was a good year!
What an amazing prompt. Looking forward to contributing!
Ohh, good timing, as over the last year I've been pushing myself into sound design in my own work and studying and thinking about sound design in moview. 5 movies to listen to coming right up :)
Awesome! Looking forward to your picks.
Challenge accepted and find it here https://open.substack.com/pub/atelierformat/p/filmstack-challenge-4-is-here?r=2hk19&utm_medium=ios
🙏🏾
Loved thinking on sound Swabreen! Thanks for the challenge...
https://tomasleach.substack.com/p/moments-in-sound
So glad I found this newsletter...and what a great prompt! I could be here all day talking about sound and film.
Some films that stand out to me are Sound of Metal when captures the sound of "deafness". Ugh! breaks my heart!
And of course the first Jurassic Park film, the sounds of the dinosaur noises, calls and footsteps is a cinematic memory for me.
Thank you! I really enjoyed Sound of Metal.
I don't know how many times I watched The Dreamers when I was a teenager!! Need to get back ON IT
Here's my FilmStack Challenge:
https://amandasweikow.substack.com/p/the-power-of-sound
Thanks for choosing a fun one!
Here's my FILMSTACK CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH reply: https://tedhope.substack.com/p/filmstack-challenge-of-the-month
Thanks for the prompt Swabreen!
I had no idea there were film challenges here. I’ve been writing my own for a few months now…never on an entire film but an aspect/scene or as you just said, sound of a film. Here’s one of Satyajit Ray’s lesser known works— an essay on the dance of the ghost kings in the film Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne. https://bukus.substack.com/p/satyajit-rays-dance-of-the-ghost?r=9brcu
You've good and varied taste!
I usually avoid NYT but engaged your topic. I've seen 98 on their list with the caveat that I walked out of 'Anchor Man'.
'Borat' 'Brides Maids' and 'Toni Erdmann' are overrated. I appreciated 'Parasite' but it's not close to being the best Asian movie.
My input:
1. Incendies (Canada set Lebanon shot Jordan family drama 2010_Dir Villeneuve)
2. Turtles Can Fly (Iran set Iraq war child drama 2004_Dir Bahman Ghobadi)
3. Omar (Palestine occupation drama 2013_Dir Hany Abu-Assad)
4. The Great Beauty (Italy absurdist philosophical drama 2013_Dir Paolo Sorrentino)
5. Mustang (Turkey fem oppression drama 2015_debut Dir Deniz Gamze Ergüven)
6. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days (Romania cold war fem oppression 2007_Dir Cristian Mungiu)
7. The Broken Circle Breakdown (Belgium drama romance 2012_Dir Felix van Groeningen)
8. Winter Sleep (Turkey family drama 2014_Dir Nuri Bilge Ceylan)
9. Monsieur Lazhar (Canada French school drama 2011)
10. Downfall (Germany WW2 war 2004_Dir Oliver Hirschbiegel
For 'The Dreamers' there's 'Paris, 13th District'.
'Amores Perros' is excellent but the director's 'Biutiful' more than excellent. The most underrated movie this century may be his 'Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths'.
Thinking of 'City of God', another South American child gem is 'Machuca (Chile 2004)
Thinking of 'Pan's Labyrinth', there's the grim 'The Painted Bird (Czech 2020).
Thinking of 'Frida', the Zdzislaw Beksinski biopic is 'The Last Family' (Poland 2016).
As for your actions movies, my faves are Dir Yimou Zhang's 'Hero' (2002) and 'House of Flying Daggers' (2004), and Dir Hsiao-Hsien Hou's 'The Assassin' (2015).
'Lady Vengeance' proved we don't have to be Patrick Bateman to be a serial killer.
I love love Hero and House of Flying Daggers! I meant to include a mention of them. Lady Vengeance is another fav from that era! That whole trilogy was solid. I did see The Assassin as well. I remember watching Mustang and really liking it. I enjoyed Paris, District 13 as well!
Will look into your other recommendations, thank you.
You are a lovely addict :)
PS: 'Mad Max' is the most overrated movie by far. It damages my mind that it appears next to movie legends.
Fury Road or the most recent one?
Both suck. I lament the day an electric guitarist was strapped to the front of a truck.
lol! I couldn’t finish the most recent one, I don’t get the love for it
The Northman' and 'Sisu' (Finland 2022) were more stylish than the 'Max' reboots.
I'm not against all mindless and heartless action but 'Wick' etc. are imitations of better predecessors. I'm happier with the brainless and gratuitous killing in 'The Villainess (Korea 2017) and 'Hardcore Henry' (Russia 2015). Alternatively, 'I Saw the Devil' (Korea) was shocking and had much more to it. Hong Kong's serial killing 'Limbo' (2021) was also dark.
Oh yes I Saw The Devil was intense!
Here is my response to your FilmStack Challenge, Swabreen. Thank you for the mental nudge!
https://open.substack.com/pub/polarisdib/p/5-movies-that-teach-you-sound-design