Best Actors, Best Movies ??

[Khandro]

Who are they kidding? of all the great movies I have ever seen, less than half (much less) were produced by Hollywood. Film critic; Barry Norman recently gave his list of "The Hundred Best Movies" in the Radio Times, and not one of them came from anywhere else other than USA or UK. The great films from France, Scandinavia, Spain, Italy, Poland, Japan etc. etc. seem to be relegated to late night screening on tv channels such as Film4. Isn't this a blinkered view of cinema?

[jno]

yes, very.

Note that a French film was just named Best Picture and a Frenchman Best Actor so maybe that will qualify for future Barry Norman lists.

[jackthehat]

The language-barrier is the main stumbling block.
The public at large have been disinclined to watch either badly dubbed films, or ones with sub-titles.

I hope that with the success of foreign TV shows (France/Denmark, presently) with subtitles will convince the viewers to spend a little more time and concentration on foreign cinema, too.

[Postdog]

I don't really agree at all.

[bibblebub]

All such films are available on DVD/Blu-ray and can be bought via the internet, which is how I get to see what would otherwise be unavailable; if others are missing out on the chance to view them then that's their loss, it doesn't bother me. This applies not just to the film output of other countries but also to the great films of the silent era.

[Tizzi24]

No, I don't agree either. I find it really hard to watch films with subtitles.

[Khandro]

jno, yes that's right, and also what brought it to mind; in order to finally get recognition in Hollywood, the French with their fantastic history of film making, have had to go as far as make a silent film!

[snags]

''Isn't this a blinkered view of cinema?''

Yes. Like anything, if you want non mainstream you have to do your own investigating.

This is a great site for alternative/independent/world cinema:

http://twitchfilm.com/

[bibblebub]

As if The Artist being made by the French was not a big enough insult, it was shot in California too.

[jno]

I always prefer to read subtitles (not least because my eyes are better than my ears these days). I can understand if people prefer not to; but for someone like Barry Norman to ignore anything in a foreign language is ridiculous.

[jno]

only two of the last five Best Picture awards have gone to American films; two British and one French make up the rest. But as jth says, it's the language rather than the country that is the obstacle.

[VHG]

It a annoys me that the Oscars are given such prominence, it is as though the Americans are the "judge" of world cinema and only if you have won an Oscar have you made it.

I know there are events like Cannes, Bafta etc but they dont get the world attention like the Oscars do.

[jno]

agreed, VHG, the Oscar hype is stupid these days. There was much less of it even 10 years ago. Now there's invariably a separate article in every newspaper about what everyone was wearing, for heaven's sake.

Cannes is where The Artist was first screened, so I suspect Hollywood moguls will be going there more frequently in future.

[Khandro]

I too have no problem with subtitles and find them much preferable to dubbing. The Germans are the worst; they dub everything - can you imagine Woody Allen with a German accent! I am fortunate in that I live near a university town, where one cinema shows films in the original language.

[ddambros]

I agree. Hollywood seems to recycle ideas whereas european movies seem to be more original and push the envelope.

[richardscowann71]

Johnny Depp is the best actor of all time, he has played various characters and one of my favorite character is Cpt Jack sparrow. You can watch the Pirates of Caribbean series and see for yourself.