By Travis Johnson
COME AND SEE
Elem Klimov, Russia / 1985
A surreal, nightmarish portrait of the Nazi extermination of Russian peasants in World War Two. The most punishing yet beautifully nuanced war film of all time.
LA VIE NOUVELLE
Philippe Grandrieux, France / 2002
Philippe Grandrieux is the most exciting director working in the world today. La Vie Nouvelle is his portrayal of a Europe in a state of psychotic decline – part Francis Bacon and part pure punk filmmaking.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MATTHEW
Pier Paolo Pasolini, Italy / 1964
The director of Salo re-imagines the story of Christ in BW and with a series of non actors and a Billy Holiday soundtrack – compassionate, sublime filmmaking.
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
Tobe Hooper, US / 1974
Tobe Hooper is an underrated genius and the sheer visceral anguish he captured on such a micro budget altered the horror genre entirely. You can taste the head cheese, blood and sweating rust in this film – an American masterpiece.
A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE
John Cassavetes, US / 1974
A painfully moving, hilarious love story about a construction worker and his wife who is just a little bit mad trying to stay together in mid-’70s in Los Angeles. With unbelievable performances from Peter Falk and Gena Rowlands. The director, John Cassavetes is the godfather of American independent cinema.
JISOE
Eddie Martin, Australia / 2005
My favourite Australian documentary – a brilliant, unflinching portrait of a graffiti artist living in the western suburbs of Melbourne who is not only facing fatherhood but also jail time for his work painting trains.
TRASH
Paul Morrissey, US / 1970
Andy Warhol presents this slice of NY bohemia starring the infamous Joe Dallesandro as an impotent heroin addict. The best of the Morrissey Heat/ Flesh/Trash trilogy and featuring the remarkable transvestite Holly Woodlawn as Joe’s girlfriend.
THE ACT OF SEEING WITH ONE’S OWN EYES
Stan Brakhage, US / 1971
A silent 32 minute film comprised of 16mm footage of autopsies being conducted in an American hospital. Brakhage delivers this shocking material with such transcendent dignity and curiosity that it becomes a profound meditation on life and death.
SHOCK CORRIDOR
Samuel Fuller, US / 1963
Sam Fuller is a fucking madman and his films are filled with unwieldy static electricity that is totally addictive. Shock Corridor tells the story of a journalist who goes undercover in an insane asylum – an amazing indictment of America in the middle of the McCarthy era.
FACES
John Cassavetes, US / 1968
Faces is the first Cassavetes film I ever saw and it changed my life. Shot over two years in the late 1960s in Cassavetes’ house and starring his wife, it was an amazing example of the kind of searing intimacy you can achieve if you work outside the box and with people you love.
NOW
Santiago Alvarez, Cuba / 1965
A short documentary film comprised entirely of found footage from the black civil rights protests in the 1960s. Alvarez once said “Give me two photographs and a piece of music and I’ll give you a film.” Angry, emotive filmmaking – this film made me want to make documentaries.
TWO LANE BLACKTOP
Monte Hellman, US / 1971
Monte Hellman’s Americana road movie masterpiece. A Chevrolet, a Pontiac, three men and a young girl ride the existential highway. Starring James Taylor, Dennis Wilson (drummer for The Beach Boys), Warren Oates and Laurie Bird, one of the most beautiful underrated actresses of the 1960s.
SHIVERS
David Cronenberg, Canada / 1975
Cronenberg’s first full length feature film is a claustrophobic portrait of a parasite slug that infects people and turns them into insane nymphomaniacs. Stripped back relentless and nightmarishly set in a single spartan apartment building with amazing production design and one of my favourite apocalyptic slow motion endings ever.
MOUCHETTE
Robert Bresson, France / 1967
Bresson is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and his work possesses a unique energy, compassion and tone that is revelatory. A simple story of a lonely teenage girl in a small french village who just wants to be liked. Mouchette has an amazing dodgem car sequence and the ending will destroy you.
OUT OF THE BLUE
Dennis Hopper, Canada / 1980
Dennis Hopper directs the genius Linda Manz (Days of Heaven, Gummo) in a story about an Elvis loving teenage girl who reunites with her alcoholic father played by Dennis Hopper only to run away and discover the punk scene. Misshapen but truly alive filmmaking.
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s RUIN screens in one-off events in Melbourne (December 3) and Brisbane (December 4). To keep up to date with the film, head to its Facebook page.
