After discussing a bunch of Edgar Wright recommendations in a few different genres, we now move away from genres with this list and instead discuss some recommendations that came out of the Brit’s home country.

British cinema is often compared to that of the US, probably since big British properties like Harry Potter and James Bond are co-produced and tend to have some US values slipping in. Even so, British films have a rich variety of unique characteristics, maybe most obviously noticeable in British humour. More so, the UK has given us plenty of auteurs who are celebrated around the world for their body of work. Think Alfred Hitchcock, David Lean, and Michael Powell. Or makers still working like Ridley Scott, Mike Leigh, and Steve McQueen.

Wright always seems to be proud of his country’s film history and deservingly so. With this list, we want to celebrate some of these British films, some popular and some underrated. Without further ado, here are 10 great British films recommended by Edgar Wright.

1. Sexy Beast (2000)

Of course this has a place on Wright’s 1000 favourite films list, but before that list came to light, this film was already mentioned by Wright on an earlier occasion as one of his favourite British films from the past 25 years. Although that occasion was more than a decade ago, we still want to talk about “Sexy Beast” under the assumption his opinion of the film hasn’t changed. Gal, retired from a life as a gangster, now lives a good life with his wife Deedee in his house in Spain. As one day he’s sunbathing next to his pool, a boulder comes racing down a hill, barely missing him. Soon, this boulder that caused a near-death experience gets replaced for another boulder, this time in the form of Don Logan. Don is an old ‘friend’ wanting Gal back for one more job, but Gal enjoys his retired life and declines the offer. Too bad for Gal, Don doesn’t take no for an answer.

Jonathan Glazer is of course best known for his film “Under the Skin,” but “Sexy Beast,” although totally different, is just as good or arguably even better. Of course we can’t dismiss his film “Birth” either, but this entry is reserved for “Sexy Beast,” and when talking about “Sexy Beast,” of course that killer performance from Ben Kingsley as the despicable Don can’t go unmentioned.

2. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

In a ‘Phantom of the Paradise’ fashion, a madman is on the loose, hiding out mostly in his room playing the organ. In between his musical outbursts, he plots to murder doctors, each in a gruesome way that represents one of the nine Biblical plagues. Detectives on the case are stumped at first, but soon discover that each of the victims assisted Dr. Vesalius on an unsuccessful operation involving the wife of organist Dr. Phibes. But Dr. Phibes couldn’t be the killer, since he was killed in a car crash upon learning of his wife’s death.

What Ben Kingsley is for Sexy Beast, Vincent Price is for Dr. Phibes. His brilliant portrayal of this spite-filled madman is one to admire. Price is a joy to watch, even though he murders doctors in the most sadistic, gruesome ways that could as well be in a “Saw” movie. Aside from Phibes and his killings, there’s plenty more to love, especially the stylized look of it all.

3. Brief Encounter (1945)

We mentioned him in the intro of this article already, but of course we have to dedicate an entry to the most influential Sir David Lean. Lean originally started out as a movie editor, which is a big part of why he became such an influential filmmaker, since even when making the shift to directing, he still kept inventing new editing techniques for his epic films.

“Brief Encounter” is not one of his three-hour-long epics, but still one of his best films. The film is an intimate story of love, once voted to be the best romantic film of all time. The story follows Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) and Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard), who meet at a railway station. Both are married and have children, but that doesn’t stop them from gradually falling in love. Each Thursday they meet and with each Thursday passing they feel closer to each other, but simultaneously realize they don’t have any future.

“Brief Encounter” is a first hand witness of the experience of falling in love. It being named the best romantic film by over a hundred industry professionals (a group including Edgar Wright) should be enough reason to pique your interest if you haven’t watched it already.

4. The Hunger (1983)

Miriam Blaylock (Catherine Deneuve) is a vampire who has already lived for thousands of years. During her time alive, she had many mortal lovers, who she injected with her blood to make them live for centuries. However, after these centuries their lives come to a sudden end as they start aging rapidly. This is also the case for Miriam’s latest love, John (David Bowie). Together they seek help from a scientist, Sarah (Susan Sarandon), who claims to have discovered the secret to eternal youth. As this claim turns out to be false, Miriam ends up seducing Sarah, while John is declining fast.

Tony Scott’s feature debut is a film nothing like his later work. While known for being an action director, in his first attempt at making a movie he already proved he could do much more than just action. The film is a dramatic and horrific look at the curse that is death, or rather the curse that is not being able to die. He does this by crafting an incredibly stylized tale of a love triangle. These three leads brilliantly portray their life-obsessed characters and make a good movie into a great one.

5. The Italian Job (1969)

Here we have a title more people will know as F. Gary Gray’s “Ocean’s Eleven meets Fast and the Furious.” Although that remake is quite fun, we believe the original British film is the superior one.

Sir Michael Caine plays Charlie, fresh out of prison and ready for a big job. He hears from a job involving stealing four million dollars’ worth of gold in Italy; a job that a friend unsuccessfully attempted. With his crew assembled he comes up with a plan to shut down all traffic in Turin, Italy in order to make it a hard task for the authorities to catch them. Using three Minis as getaway vehicles, they have the advantage, since the cars are small enough to get through many obstacles.

Edgar Wright praised the film on multiple occasions; he recommended it as a double bill with “The Hot Rock” (1972) and even named it as a source of inspiration for “Baby Driver.” He notes that just like in “Baby Driver,” the chases in “The Italian Job” are great practical moments, but eventually it’s the characters in the center of all that count. He especially had high praise for the bold cliffhanger ending that “The Italian Job” is known for.

Since the film industry was born, Italy has always been one of the top competitors on the world stage. As early as the Italian futurism movement to the Neorealism movement, Italy has made tons of incredibly delicate films. In the 1960s and the 1970s they showed us they could make not only really refined films, but heavily extravagant works as well. From Peplum films, to Spaghetti Westerns, Giallos to Poliziotteschis, the 60’s and 70’s were the golden age for stylized cinema.

With Spaghetti Westerns we’ll just discuss one of these stylized genres this time around, since each of them deserve their own lists. Excuse us for not including Sergio Leone on this list, but we assume most of you are well familiar with his work, so instead we’ll discuss some lesser known ones. Also apologies for not including something from the legendary Bud Spencer & Terence Hill, but even they felt a little too much on the popular side. With that out of the way, the 10 films that are included in this list are still among the greatest Spaghetti Westerns, or even just Westerns, they’re all due to get some more recognition.

1. Face to Face (1967)

In Face to Face, Gian Maria Volontè, whom we’ll see once more in this list, portrays history professor Brad fletcher, who is moving to the warm west after his retirement. When he arrives, he’s taken hostage by the infamous bandit Solomon Bennet (Tomás Milián). During his short period of captivity, Fletcher befriends Bennet and at a later moment he joins the gang and as his character gradually takes a different shape, he even becomes the leader.

In this list we’re bound to end up talking about Sergio Leone’s films at least once, so let’s get it out of the way with it now. Face to Face is a Zapata western (Spaghetti Western set in Mexico) directed by another talented Sergio; Sergio Sollima, often named together with Leone and Sergio Corbucci as ‘the Sergios,’ the three best Spaghetti Western directors that were. Now bear with me here, the film is co-written by yet another Sergio; Sergio Donati, co-writer of a number of Leone’s films as well as Sollima’s more well-known western The Big Gundown. With this talent, a stacked cast, and the brilliant Ennio Morricone score (like he did with plenty more films in this list), it’s a miracle Face to Face isn’t more well-known.

2. The Grand Duel (1972)

One of the Spaghetti Western’s biggest stars was without a doubt Lee Van Cleef. Especially when it comes to American actors, he’s on top as he’s often named in one breath with both Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson. Van Cleef rose to stardom after playing in… we have to name drop him again… Sergio Leone’s ‘For a Few Dollars More.’ Whilst earlier just being type cast as villain, this marked a change in his career resulting in many starring roles in Spaghetti Westerns. He’s especially memorable in The Big Gundown and Death Rides a Horse, both not included in this list, but his role in the Grand Duel and his role in Day of Anger (also on this list) are ones to remember just as well.

Van Cleef plays an ex-sheriff, Clayton, who is set on a mission to help clear a man’s name. Philipp Wermeer is framed for the murder of a figure known as ‘The Patriarch’ and know he’s the target of bounty hunters sent by The Patriarch’s three sons. With bounty-hunters on their heels, Wermeer and Clayton travel to the town where the brothers are located to confront them and prove Vermeer his innocence.

Besides The Grand Duel being Van Cleef’s time to shine, it’s worth noting the other talent behind the film. Although it was Giancarlo Santi’s directorial debut, he was already a highly regarded filmmaker as he was among other things the second unit director on some of Leone’s films. Most noteworthy though, is Ernest Gastaldi who wrote the stellar script. Gastaldi has got to be one of the greatest screenwriters of his time and place, the extravagant era of Italian cinema.

3. Cut-Throats Nine (1972)

A wagon transporting a group of convicts is being escorted by a cavalry troop through the mountains to prison. When a gang of bandits attacks the caravan. Only a sergeant, his daughter, and seven brutal, murderous prisoners survive. With the bandits still in pursuit and with no wagon or horses, the sergeant must escort the prisoners to prison by himself, while also protecting his daughter. If that isn’t brutal enough, he also is trying to find out which of the prisoners sadistically murdered his wife.

“Possibly the most violent Euro western ever made.” A tagline that sure isn’t far off from the truth. Cut-Throats Nine has moments of brutal violence, so much that’s sometimes considered to be a horror film. It’s a genre-blending film that might not turn the stomach of avid horror-fans, but any regular western fan will come out surprised. Other than being brutal, the film has a contrast of beauty, through the endless shots of beautiful mountain-scenery. The Spanish Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent directed several Spaghetti Westerns, but this one is in its own league.

4. Four of the Apocalypse (1975)

This crazy western follows the swindler Stubby, drunkard Clem, a prostitute known as Bunny, and the mentally disturbed ‘Bud’ as they escape prison and embark on adventure in Utah. Their time as free people isn’t much better as imprisonment, as they are haunted by a psychopathic Mexican bandit named Chaco. As they wander through the badlands they’re just out to survive, but the world has other plans for them.

Lucio Fulci is probably most known for his Giallo films, but as many Italian directors from the era, he started out with Spaghetti Westerns. Before he made any Giallos, he came onto the scene with his western called Massacre Time. After directing two Giallos, including arguably his best ‘Don’t Torture a Duckling,’ he took a break from them and went back to make his most promising western ‘Four of the Apocalypse.’ In true Fulci fashion, it is gritty, nasty, and quite brutal. There’s not much of the wide scope landscape shots that we’re used to from westerns, but instead he follows these four unlikely protagonist in something that almost feels more like a character study than anything else. It’s a very refreshing perspective for the genre and yet another great entry in Fulci’s filmography.

5. Django Kill… If You Live, Shoot! (1967)

Like Cut-Throats Nine, this film is as well described as the most brutally violent spaghetti western. Which one is the true winner is hard to say, but again we understand the sentiment. Besides being described as violent, it also has the honor of being called an Acid Western after that term was coined in a review of the later western El Topo. It’s a western with a journey towards death instead of the usual journey towards liberation. With it comes of course the almost surreal-esque editing and violence that could be described as an acid trip.

Django Kill’s protagonist is not Django, but instead is called ‘the stranger’ since Django Kill has nothing to do with the 1966 film Django. The international title for the movie has Django in it solely to profit from the Franco Nero film. So not Django, but the stranger (played by Tomás Milián who we already saw in two earlier entries of this list) is our unlucky star here, crawling out of death in the first scene. The stranger and his Mexican companions are left for dead by the American part of their gang after a gold heist. Now, the stranger wants the gold back and more, so he’s out for vengeance.

With theaters still closed in many places, that incredible Empire issue highlighting the cinema-going experiences of some of Hollywood’s best is still fresh on our minds. Recently a list of horror films recommended by Edgar Wright was posted in honor of it, but naturally we couldn’t stop there. On Wright’s list of 1,000 favorites alone, there are countless films that are worth talking about, but for this second list, we thought it would be only right to discuss the comedy genre. Since his own filmography is heavily reliant on the genre, and with a list of his 100 favorite comedies out in the world, it’s safe to assume that the genre is among Wright’s favorites. So with this, we’ll have a look at 10 great comedies recommended by Edgar Wright.

1. Waiting for Guffman (1996)

The first entry on this list is one of the most light-hearted comedies coming out of the ‘90s. It follows Corky St. Clair, a former New York theater professional, assisted by Lloyd Miller, a high school music teacher, in their journey of producing the musical “Red, White, and Blaine.” When the news breaks that a highly regarded theater critic, Guffman, will attend the musical, Corky goes all out with his cast of ‘talented’ locals in order to present an unforgettable production.

Christopher Guest directs and stars in this hilarious mockumentary, which is a product of a ton of improvisation by a very talented cast, a trait that many of Guest’s films share. Since there’s so much improv, the film feels very sincere; you can just feel the fun the cast and crew had on set. The story leads up to this insane musical (which is partly scripted, since there are musical numbers in there) that is in a way such a euphoric experience. It’s light, it’s goofy, it’s funny, and it just works. We’re not surprised Wright is a fan of this one; and to expand on this, his recommendation for a double bill includes another Guest mockumentary, “Best in Show.”

2. One Cut of the Dead (2017)

In the vein of “Shaun of the Dead,” there of course is a zom-com entering the list. Shinichiro Ueda’s “One Cut of the Dead” is a ride all the way through. The film follows a film crew shooting a low-budget zombie movie in an abandoned World War II facility, where they are attacked by real zombies. It starts off with a quirky 37-minute-long one-taker that could raise some eyebrows at first impression, but is such a rewarding experience when you’ve finished the film.

“One Cut of the Dead” is a film you should best go in blind for the full experience. It’s such a unique comedy, not afraid of doing its own thing and it’s always a pleasure to see this bravery pay off. Quite literally in this instance, as the film had a budget of $25,000 and made over a thousand times that – a box office record. We couldn’t say it better than Wright himself, who complimented the film for doing something different and called it “super funny and super sweet” on his Twitter. We’d like to add to that, the fact that you should check out Ueda’s COVID-proof short he made with a bunch of the crew somewhat recently.

3. Top Secret! (1984)

Val Kilmer stars as the handsome, somewhat ignorant ‘50s-style rock & roll singer Nick Rivers in the midst of World War II. Nick is sent to East Germany to represent the States in a Nazi-organized cultural festival. Although ordered to keep a low profile, Rivers manages to fall in love with Hillary Flammond, who gets him involved with the French Resistance.

Combining rock & roll with war makes for a spoof movie that’s all over the place and it sometimes feels like “Dr. Strangelove” on psychedelics. Abrahams and the Zuckers top their previous gag-filled film “Airplane” here by having an even tighter gag-density. “Top Secret!” is the less popular movie, but arguably the better crafted one. The suspense element of war films fits perfectly with this type of comedy since every moment of suspense is the build-up to a hilarious punchline. On top of that, you’ve got musical interludes that are actually surprisingly great and complement the pacing of it all. Edgar Wright delights us with another double feature on Twitter, this time pairing up “Top Secret!” with “Team America: World Police” (2004), a hilarious effort from South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

4. The Exterminating Angel (1962)

Edgar Wright once compared Buñuel’s “The Exterminating Angel” with his “The World’s End.” Not in terms of story, but in terms of an early idea of a high concept. Wright and Simon Pegg wanted to take their idea of an all-in-one-night movie to the extreme and make it close to an existential farce. The concept of ‘must get to the 12th pub, whatever the cost’ is a similar one to the idea of “The Exterminating Angel.”

In “The Exterminating Angel,” Edmundo and Lucía are hosting a lavish dinner party after a night out at the opera. Sometime before the party begins, the household servants are all strangely called away from the house one by one, only leaving Julio, the head servant. Twenty bourgeois guests arrive and have dinner with the couple, while only Julio is there to serve them. After dinner they move to the music room where conversations slowly aggravate. When it’s time to leave, the guests come to realize that they can’t; a strange force holds them hostage in this room.

The concept is turned around for “The World’s End,” since that follows ‘must get there’ and this explores ‘must leave here.’ In that way, the concept of Wright’s film might be more in line with Buñuel’s “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie,” which sees a bourgeois group of friends wanting to sit down for dinner, but never actually get to that point. Themes like these are explored thoroughly by Buñuel, who often uses his humor and fantastical imagination to symbolize not only the bourgeoisie, but plenty of social, political, and religious themes. For that and many more reasons, his filmography is one recommended to explore.

5. The Ladykillers (1955)

Widowed Mrs. Wilberforce rents out two rooms in her house to Professor Marcus, who tells her that he and his four odd friends are an amateur string quintet and would like to use the rooms to practice. In fact, the men take advantage of Mrs. Wilberforce’s ignorance and use the rooms to plot a bank robbery.

We certainly couldn’t make a list of Edgar Wright favourites without some British comedies. First up, this Ealing classic. The title might be most familiar for its American remake by the Coen brothers, but that one does not beat the delightful original by Alexander Mackendrick. The film is not only a display of humor, but maybe even more so a display of great performances. Wright especially praised the leading performances of Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers, but it would be wrong to not also mention the best performance of all: widow Mrs. Wilberforce, played by Katie Johnson.

At Taste of Cinema we’ve done a lot of lists that looked at the vast film knowledge of director and film buff Quentin Tarantino; maybe the director with the most film trivia ingrained in his brain. In Edgar Wright he has a worthy challenger though, since more and more we come in contact with the Brit and his recommendations. It was already in 2007, on the Hot Fuzz director’s commentary that we learned he could keep up with Tarantino, as they talked movies for the entirety of the Hot Fuzz runtime. Since then we’ve got a bonkers list of his 1000 favourite films (all of these entries being on it), genre specific lists, and most recently he teamed up with Empire to make one of their best issues yet. Besides the Empire issue he also went onto the Empire podcast together with Tarantino and yet again they talked about movies, this time for a staggering 3 hours until batteries ran out.

This podcast ended up being the inspiration for this list and for more lists about Wright’s recommendations to come. With the trailer for Last Night in Soho lurking around the corner, we thought the most fitting genre to start with is of course horror. It could have been 100 recommendations, it could have been just British horror films, but that’s maybe something for the future. For now, here are 10 horror films recommended by Edgar Wright.

1. Daughters of Darkness (1971)

We start with a vampire tale which Wright claims not enough people have seen and we wholeheartedly agree with that statement.

Daughters of Darkness is a Belgian horror film, which alone was a rare sight before Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani entered the game. Director Harry Kümel jumped on the lesbian vampire trend that spawned many films in the early 70’s, but his Daughters of Darkness is one that stands out. The story follows a couple that has just married, but sometimes feel like they’re strangers from each other. When staying in a hotel they cross paths with a mysterious countess and her secretary. Meanwhile the town they’re staying in is experiencing a strange string of murders.

The original title ‘Les lèvres rouges’, meaning the red lips, might fit better with this film, since it sets such a mysterious, but sensual vibe. Not half as sensual as Jess Franco’s ‘Vampyros Lesbos’, but maybe more in the same mood as Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’. It isn’t a coincidence that Wright recommends a double bill of Daughters of Darkness and Only Lovers Left Alive. Again, we’ll have to agree.

2. Berberian Sound Studio (2012)

This list shouldn’t exist without at least a couple of British horror films. Peter Strickland’s masterclass in sound design might not be the first film that would come to mind, since it’s more an homage to Giallos, but it’s a worthy entry. Besides there are two more British entries on this list to look forward to.

The story follows British sound engineer Gilderoy (Toby Jones) who goes to Italy to the Berberian Studio to work on a film he only then discovers to be a Giallo. Even though it’s not what he had in mind he starts working on the film’s sound engineering. As time passes his co-workers seem to be increasingly rude to him and each other. With it the horror sequences of the film become increasingly brutal and Gilderoy slowly gets detached from reality.

Strickland’s second feature film is a technical masterpiece, but mostly a tribute to the Giallo genre that captures all that’s so great about them. If we’re talking double features; this one could follow up any Dario Argento film and offer a sneak peek inside the minds of their makers.

3. The Fourth Man (1983)

The Fourth Man follows a bisexual Catholic writer Gerard Reve (Jeroen Krabbé) who is suffering due to his alcoholism and his visions of death. On his way to giving a lecture Gerard feels attracted to a handsome man who enters another train. After his lecture he begins an affair with a woman Christine from the audience and soon he finds out she’s in a relationship with the man he spotted at the train station. He asks to meet the man, with the intention to seduce him. Meanwhile his visions of death become more frequent and he starts to suspect Christine is the cause of them.

Like neighboring country Belgium, The Netherlands aren’t known for their horror productions either. You’ve got director Dick Maas who often tackles the genre, for example with Amsterdamned and The Lift. Then there is George Sluizer’s ‘The Vanishing’, also a film that made Wright’s top 1000. But probably most notable is Paul Verhoeven’s only stab at the genre with The Fourth Man. Verhoeven is of course best known for his Hollywood sci-fi productions Robocop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers, but before he ventured into Hollywood, he made plenty of Dutch films that are among the best productions the country has to offer; The Fourth Man arguably being the best of them.

4. Blood and Black Lace (1964)

Naturally there had to be a Giallo film on this list other than just a tribute to the genre. It’s no Argento, but it’s just as good or maybe even better: It’s a Bava. Late 2020 Wright took a moment to talk about this film and inevitably about Mario Bava in general with film critic Walter Chaw.

When Isabella, a model living in a fashion house, gets brutally murdered, Inspector Sylvester is assigned to investigate. During the investigation all the dark secrets of the models slowly come to light, meanwhile more of the models are being killed one by one.

A simple horror story that became famous thanks to its style, even being regarded as the first, or one of the first ever Giallo movies. Bava’s connection with the camera makes this film’s visuals so beautiful that they almost overshadow the plot. For any horror or any film buff this is a must watch, since it’s a joy to spot the visible influences for so many films that followed.

5. The Asphyx (1972)

Hugo, a scientist in Victorian England, is showing off his newest invention, a motion picture camera, at a party where in tragic circumstances he captures the drowning of his wife and son. On the moving picture he discovers not a soul but an Asphyx moving to his son’s body. An Asphyx is a force that comes for an individual in the moment of their dead. With this newfound discovery he decides to try and capture these Asphyx to find the key to immortality.

In the Empire podcast Wright mentioned that The Asphyx is one of the movies he wishes people talk about more, so we’d like to comply. The methods of summoning the Asphyx are quite funny, so it’s not necessarily the scariest horror film, but it still has its fair share of thrills. On top of that, with charming performances from Robert Powell and Robert Stephens you’re already one step ahead!

When writing the previous “10 great underseen Japanese movies” list, it quickly became clear that 10 films are just a fraction of the amount of brilliant underseen Japanese movies that are out there just waiting to be explored. The list talked about movies from 10 different directors in a variety of genres, but still it missed out on so much of what Japanese film culture has to offer, making a second list almost feel mandatory.

This second list hopefully has a lot more to offer, with a bunch of different directors, even including some of the biggest ones like Kurosawa, but also some directors that make a return with another underseen entry. While the previous list acknowledged the Yakuza genre, this time around we’ll dive a bit deeper into it and if you thought we discussed Japanese youth drama’s enough, you should think again, because a few more will be discussed. Without further ado let’s just jump right into 10 more Japanese movies that you’ve probably never seen.

1. An Actor’s Revenge (1963)

The first film on this new list of Japanese greats is one from a director that wasn’t discussed before, even though he well deserves it. Kon Ichikawa is a brilliant director most known for his films ‘The Burmese Harp’ and ‘Fires on the Plain’ as well as the documentary ‘Tokyo Olympiad.’ An Actor’s Revenge is not to be overlooked though. This tale of revenge is not what you’d expect from a revenge movie; it prefers somewhat strange and stylized drama over the more typical action-packed approach in Japanese revenge films.

Yukitaro’s parents committed suicide when he was still a kid and three men were responsible for this act. Now an adult, Yukitaro has become an onnagata, a male actor who plays female roles. He wears women’s clothes and uses the language and manners of a woman on stage as well as off stage. When the three men responsible for his father’s dath pay a visit to one of his shows, Yukitaro instantly recognizes them and decides to plot an intricate revenge.

An Actor’s Revenge is an odd, but beautiful drama, partially because of the visual style. With many scenes reflecting a live stage performance, Ichikawa manages to combine film with a traditional Japanese artform and he does it with an elegancy that can only be applauded.

2. Kids Return (1996)

As promised, we’ll dive a little deeper into the Yakuza genre with this list, Kids Return only being the first of the gangster-filled entries.

In Kids Return, two old friends, Shinji and Masaru, recall their past and talk about where their split paths led them. The two used to be the school bullies, but both found their way in life, Shinji by becoming a professional boxer and Masaru by joining the Yakuza.

Takeshi Kitano is known for his films that often center around dramatized views of Yakuza gangsters. While on one hand his films can be pretty bleak, they always seem to have a sense of idiosyncrasy that gives them a sense of humor and makes for likeable characters, no matter their actions. His works including Hana-bi (Fireworks) and Sonatine gathered him international acclaim, but many of his films have stayed under the radar, Kids Return being one of them. This one has his recognizable thematic, but arguably expands on them. It’s a little more down to earth, a character study above a real Yakuza flick, and this suits Kitano very well.

3. Blind Woman’s Curse (1970)

In Blind Woman’s Curse, the incredible Meiko Kaji plays Akemi, the leader of the Tachibana Yakuza clan. Her gang is known for having dragon tattoos on their backs. After Akemi blinds a swordswoman in a duel, she and her gang become the target of the vengeance of said swordswoman, who appears to have supernatural powers.

With this second Yakuza entry, director Teruo Ishii uses his distinct style to make a Yakuza film that’s a mixed bag of genres, filled with brilliant moments and impressively crafted sequences. The opening scene, a slow-motion filled sword fight between rival gangs is of impressive scale and immediately sets the tone of what’s to come. After this opening, the supernatural horror element starts to play out and the storyline following the Yakuza splits into several subplots. The branching plot makes the film go all over the place, but it’s hard to fault Ishii for it, when each of these subplots is as fun as the next one. The only fault in Blind Woman’s Curse is the short screen time for Meiko Kaji. Kaji, already mentioned in the previous list with Female Prisoner, is a magnetic presence in every film she appears. Her performance alone could be enough reason to give this one a watch.

4. Madadayo (1993)

Akira Kurosawa needs no introduction, his name is probably known by everyone that visits Taste of Cinema, let alone this list. Instead we’ll just dive right into the last work he directed: Madadayo.

The film follows the life of professor Uehida Hyakken-sama (Tatsuo Matsumura), a university professor in 40’s Gotemba, Japan. Uehida is well respected by his students whom all look up to him greatly because of his knowledge as well as his humble, friendly personality. When Uehida tells his students that he is going to give up teaching to pursue writing, he is met with kind and encouraging words from his students who hate to see him go. In the years that follow, every one of Uehida’s birthdays is celebrated with a large group of students, who in ritual each year pose the question ‘not yet?’ just to hear their teacher answer ‘No, not yet!’ With this question, Kurosawa possibly commentates on his own career. The ritual of asking ‘not yet?’ is one of self-affirmation and with it, Kurosawa seems to come to terms with his own mortality. Madadayo being his last movie only adds to the message of this warm and heartfelt story.

5. Adrift in Tokyo (2007)

Fumiya (Joe Odagiri) is a lazy university student, after eight years still not graduated. He is in dept with loan sharks, which is where Fukuhara (Tomokazu Miura) comes in. Fukuhara initially pays Fumiya a visit to collect a loan, but on a second encounter he makes Fumiya a proposition: He will cancel the debt when Fuyima agrees to walk with him across Tokyo to the Kasumigaseki police station, where he intends to turn himself in. Fumiya accepts the proposition and what follows is a journey leading to unusual moments and a possible friendship.

Director Satoshi Miki adapted the screenplay from Yoshiniga Fujita’s novel of the same name. Miki manages to make his adaptation a charming ode to Tokyo, cherishing little real moments that are often dismissed in films. Adrift in Tokyo where not much needs to happen, since being in the presence of these characters for 101 minutes is a blast on its own.

We don’t come across too many historical epics, or epics in general these days. With their huge budgets and complicated production plans, they’re often a pain to make, and with their lengthy runtime they aren’t the biggest audience catchers, so it makes sense we don’t see them too often and when we do, it is most likely part of a big franchise or attached to a famous name.

Their large scale with spectacular sets and impressive ensemble casts are quite the sight to behold. These last years, we did see plenty epics in the form of Superhero films like the Avengers films and we did also get a bunch of top-notch war epics like Dunkirk and 1917. Although these latter examples, the war epics, are historical epics as well, they are talked about more than enough already. Instead we will highlight 10 great historical epics that should be talked about more.

1. Red Cliff (2008) and Red Cliff Part II (2009)

This 288-minute-long epic tells the (heavily fictionalized) true story of the final days of the Chinese Han Dynasty in 208 A.D. In these last days there’s a war declared between the army of the Emperor and the kingdoms of Xu and Wu. The war is led by the Prime Minister who, while serving in the name of the Emperor, leads the army against the joined forces of Xu and Wu. In Part One battles are fought on land and in Part Two, this shifts to the water, where thousands of ships will battle at Red Cliff.

Red Cliff feels like John Woo’s welcome home project after a detour to Hollywood. With it he has a clear vision and goes all out, laying his full trust in the audience. The films are filled with over-the-top characters that could easily lead their own spin-off franchises, since they’re all comparable to real life super heroes. There is crazy moment after crazy moment in Red Cliff that easily could be left out, but when left in it makes for a whole that’s so absurd that you can only admire it.

2. The Colossus of Rhodes (1961)

Sergio Leone’s first solo-directed film is not one of his famous spaghetti westerns, but rather his poorly received attempt at a peplum, or ‘swords and sandals’ film. In it, Greek war hero Darius visits his uncle in ancient Rhodes as the island has just finished building a colossus of Apollo. King Serge celebrates a new era by organizing a lavish party, but rebels, with the help of the evil minister, Thar, seek to overthrow the King and his government. With Darius helping out, the rebellion is put to a halt, but when an earthquake hits Rhodes, it shakes up not only the statue, but the balance of power the island as well.

Maybe it’s because it’s the only non-western film, or maybe because it’s the only one were Ennio Morricone didn’t compose the music, either way it’s a shame that The Colossus of Rhodes somehow seems to be forgotten. It might as well be the weakest of Leone’s filmography, but that won’t say much, since all his westerns can be considered favorites of the genre. Even though it might not be as good as his other work, the immense scale that the sets and costumes portray is admirable.

3. Baahubali 1: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017)

Now you might raise your eyebrows upon reading this entry, since Baahubali doesn’t seem historical at all, but first of all: The two entries above are heavily fictionalized works as well, and secondly: Epic historical films are not only taking place during historical events, but during mythical events as well. So even though there could be doubt, Baahubali definitely deserves its place on this list. And worry not, since this is the least historical entry that you’ll see. With that out of the way we can talk about the 5+ hour tale that’s one of the maddest productions coming out of Bollywood.

The film is all kinds of crazy like Bollywood productions often can be, but this sure isn’t a negative thing, but rather a stylistic choice that works perfectly with this story. From over-the-top action to over-the-top musical interludes, side plots, and CGI, it has it all and it wouldn’t be the same without it.

A quick synopsis without spoilers for a five-hour long movie is bound to miss important plot points, but if you’re curious, here’s an attempt at it anyways: In the first film a baby is saved from drowning in a river and named Shivudu by his rescuers who live in a beautiful valley. With growing older he becomes braver and desperate for adventure. Against the wishes of his now-mother he climbs the mountains that lead him out of the valley and comes across a tribal warrior, Tamanna, with whom he falls in love. He decides to help her on her quest to rescue someone from the tyrannical king Balla. The second film is, similar to Red Cliff, the second half to the story, but starts on a very different note; with a narrated looking back on the kingdom of Balla that was supposed to be ruled by Balla’s cousin, the beloved Baahubali.

4. Ivan the Terrible, Part I (1944) and Ivan the Terrible, Part II: The Boyar’s Plot (1958)

Sergei Eisentein is a Russian director that’s known as the father of montage. With his filmography filled with masterpieces like Battleship Potemkin, Strike, and Alexander Nevsky, he influenced many early filmmakers. Ivan the Terrible was his last project and tells the story of the first Tsar of Russia: Ivan IV.

In part 1, Ivan crowns himself Tsar of Russia and starts reclaiming lost Russian territory as well as playing to the Russian people to keep his popularity high. The first part was commissioned, by Stalin, who was an admirer of Stalin. However, the second part was hold off from release until 1958, since Stalin didn’t agree with the depiction of Stalin therein. A third film was filmed, but destroyed, and never saw the light of day, but even with only two parts, Eisentein’s last project is a work of brilliance.

5. Cabiria (1914)

During the eruption of volcano Etna, a young Roman girl, Cabiria, is kidnapped by pirates and sold as a slave to Carthage. Her buyers want to sacrifice her to god Moloch, but before they get the chance, Cabiria gets saved by a Roman noble Fulvio, and his giant slave Maciste. As the Punic wars continue in the coming years, it’s only the question if Cabiria will ever get home.

Cabiria is a classic in multiple senses, most obviously of course its story and its date of release. Besides this, it’s the classic epic film, since it’s often credited as the first one of its kind. It’s not only on this list, because of this, but also because of the quality achieved with, for the time, groundbreaking technologies. Not only is the film credited as the first epic, but also as the first popular feature that used the tracking shot and movement with the camera. It’s safe to say that Cabiria is an important film for the progression of the artform and therefore you could call it a must-watch for the fan of film-history.

Being such a turbulent year, 2020 would be forgiven for not being a year with many great films, but surprisingly enough plenty of fantastic ones were still released. Sure, loads of films were pushed back to 2021 and it was a lot harder to get a hold of films since we couldn’t always go to the theaters. But when scouring through a plethora of streaming services, many gems were just waiting to be discovered.

This especially goes for world cinema. Since not every nation had the same covid restrictions, some seemed to be a big step ahead of others. For this list we are keeping it at one film per language and country though. No English language, so sadly great non-US films like Siberia, Wolfwakers and Last and First Men are excluded. Also, this list could just as well be filled with ten South Korean films like The Woman Who Ran and Beasts Clawing at Straws, but there’s so much great cinema around the world that not all nations could be mentioned. Without keeping you waiting any longer, here are 10 great non-English language films of 2020.

1. Buladó (Netherlands Antilles)

Buladó is a co-production between Curaçao and the Netherlands. It won the Golden Calf for best Dutch film and was the official submission of the Netherlands for the 93rd Academy Awards; a trait that many entries on this list share.

The eleven-year-old Kenza (Tiara Richards) lives with her father Ouira (Everon Jackson Hooi) and grandfather Weljo (Felix de Rooy) on a junkyard on Curaçao. Ouira, a cop, is a man grounded in reality, opposed to his father who’s fascinated by the spiritual world. Ouira would like to sell the land they’re living on, which causes more and more friction between him and his dad, who just wants to prepare his passing to the world of spirits. Kenza is the star amidst all this, torn between the two most important people of her life, just trying to find her own way.

Director Eché Janga manages to tell a story, beautiful in both its visuals and its message. Standing out are not only the performances from all three of our main characters, but especially of the traditions and spiritual ways of the original inhabitants that live on the beautiful island Curaçao.

2. There is No Evil (Iran)

Mohammad Rasoulof’s There is No Evil is an anthology of four stories that each ask a difficult moral decision of their main character. In each story a man is confronted with making a choice regarding the dead penalty; a choice that will affect not only themselves, but also the people around them.

There is No Evil might not just be one of the best non-English language films of 2020, but one of the best 2020 films in general. Although the four stories aren’t all as strong, they all follow each other up smoothly and all have their own compelling message about death, grief, and loss. The first of the four stories might be the best one; although starting as a slow-burner, with no real sense of direction, it eventually gets to a point that sets the tone for all that’s to come. It’s a hard impact that wouldn’t have worked half as good if the build-up was any different. Watch to this point before dismissing this great film, you’ll know when it’s there, because opposed to the title; there is evil.

3. Vitalina Varela (Portugal)

Vitalina is a Cape Verdean woman who has been parted from her husband since he left to Portugal decades ago. When Vitalina finally makes the trip to Portugal, but on arrival she discovers her husband has passed just days ago. Alone in the town Fontainhas she decides to track back his traces and learns of his past. Meanwhile she encounters other lost souls in Fontainhas, a shanty town.

Vitalina Varela is part of director Pedro Costa’s Fontainhas collection. Five films all set in the town and with recurring characters, style, and themes. This marks the first of the series that was an official submission for Portugal at the Academy Awards.

Costa’s films are known for their natural, documentary-like approach and often depict marginalized people in poor environments. Vitalina Varela is in both instances no different, but excels in the first mentioned. Thanks to the beautifully lit and composed shots, every still could be a painting you’d want to hang on your wall. Since the films are only loosely connected it’s not a problem if you don’t catch up with the earlier films first, in case that would discourage you to watch it. If you’re not discouraged by it, go right ahead and watch the films chronologically; it should be quite the experience.

4. Identifying Features (Mexico)

Not an Academy Award submission this time, because I’m No Longer Here took the cake for Mexico and landed on the shortlist. For good reason, since it’s a great film as well, but Identifying Features is a Mexican film that maybe is just as great, but has gotten way less traction yet. Maybe it’s because opposed to I’m No Longer Here this was not released on Netflix. At Taste of Cinema we love to recommend the underseen so that’s why Identifying Features took this spot that was either way well deserved for Mexico.

The film takes a harrowing look at a topical theme: Immigration. When, Magdalena (Mercedes Hernández) a worried mother doesn’t hear from her son who had crossed the border to the USA weeks ago, she contacts the authorities only to get the news of her sons passing. She doesn’t believe nor accept this and decides to look for her son herself.

With Fernanda Valadez her feature debut she shows her skill in telling a visual story as she needs few words to convey the story. Obviously, a big part of this is thanks to Hernández who brilliantly portrays the despair of a grieving mother. Hopefully their efforts will be recognized by more people and Identifying will reach the audience it deserves.

5. The Eight Hundred (China)

Maybe better called the four hundred fifty-two, as it’s about 452 Chinese soldiers during the battle of Shanghai. The men were told to be with 800 only to keep their hopes up when defending the Sihang Warehouse against the 3rd Imperial Japanese Division, consisting of 20,000 troops. This last retreat into the warehouse happened only after holding back the Japanese for over 3 months. The battle was a lost cause, but with the Warehouse at one side of Suzhou Creek and an international settlement on the other side, the western world could watch on from close distance, possibly spurring their support, as well as providing the Chinese people with a morale boost.

The Eight Hundred was the highest grossing film of 2020 and marked the first time that the highest grossing film of the year wasn’t a Hollywood production. It’s only fitting this history’s first would happen in 2020, since there weren’t many theatrically released blockbusters that could compete for that number one spot. Even so, the spot is well-deserved since Guan Hu directed an intense epic that would have done even better any other year.

The fantasy genre is always there to push the boundaries of our imagination. Fantasy films capture the mystical and the magical like in the Harry Potter series. They tell us the stories of myths and folklore like in many of the works of Guillermo del Toro. They introduce us to creatures that will haunt or nightmares like It, or that we’ll love to buy merch from like My Neighbor Totoro. And mostly; they let us explore entire imaginary worlds like the world of Lord of the Rings or Avatar.

As the last example proves; the genre can change the course of cinema, because obviously some of these new worlds need to be experienced in new ways so that we can fully emerge in them. This is also why animation is such a great medium to tell fantasy stories on, because the possibilities are endless.

The examples above are obviously all well-known already, but lots of great fantasy films don’t have this privilege. Without further ado, presenting 10 of them, in this list of 10 great fantasy films no one talks about.

1. Faust (1994)

Jan Svankmajer’s Faust is a very loose adaptation of the Doctor Faustus legend that mainly takes inspiration of Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus and Goethe’s Faust. The legend of a man selling his soul to the devil is seen in many different interpretations, but Svankmajer’s Faust might as well be the most unique one. This mostly thanks to Svankmajer his distinct personal style; combining live-action, stop-motion, claymation, and puppetry. In Svankmajer’s adaptation the character Faust follows a treasure map that lures him into a lurid puppet theatre. Here he finds himself a performer of the play.

No list about fantasy films is complete with at least one of the works of Svankmajer. Besides making some incredible films like Alice, Little Otik, Food, and Conspirators of Pleasure, he has a great career in fine arts as well. The artist and filmmaker has a legacy that inspired some of the most unique voices working in the film industry today. From Terry Gilliam to the Quay brothers, and from Tim Burton to Edgar Wright. Diving into Svankmajer’s filmography is a nice way to see where some of these established names got their inspiration from.

2. Black Orpheus (1959)

It’s Carnival week in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Guitarist Orfeo and his fiancé Mira are preparing for the grand festival and together with friend Sarafina they put the last touches on their costumes. Life for Orfeo changes when Sarafina’s cousin, Eurydice, comes to Rio to flee her village and the mysterious reincarnation of Death that’s trying to hunt her. Orfeo and Eurydice fall in love at first sight, since it’s meant to be, but Mira quickly becomes suspicious and is filled with jealousy. Not only is Eurydice in danger of being caught by an enraged Mira, but also by Death whom has followed her to Rio.

Black Orpheus is French director Marcel Camus his retelling of the play Orfeu da Conceição by Vinicius de Moraes, which itself is based on the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. The film is set in Morro da Babilônia, a favela in Rio and is most famous for its music by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá which introduced the world to Bossa Nova. Although big names like Bong Joon-ho have cited the film as a big influence, it’s reach as a classic hasn’t quite hit a bigger audience, even though it definitely deserves one.

3. Blancanieves (2012)

On the day Carmen is born, her father Antonio, a famous Spanish Matador, has a work-related accident landing him in the hospital and not long after, her mother dies while giving birth to her. Antonio soon remarries the nurse that treated him, the evil Encarna, and Carmen is mostly left being raised by her grandmother. Later in life Carmen is treated like a slave to Encarna, who’s evil deeds are taking a toll on her. After things go too far and Encarna wants to kill Carmen, she decides to run away, ending up in the woods in the company of a band of bull-fighting dwarfs.

Sounds familiar? That’s because Blancanieves is a retelling of the fairy tale ‘Snowwhite.’ It’s a romanticized Spanish tale set in the 1920s in Seville, Spain. What makes it even more interesting is the style of the film, as it is a black-and-white silent film, meant as a love letter to the silent film era of Europe. It’s quite the shame that this little film was overshadowed by ‘The Artist’ that came out a year earlier, because this is arguably just as good if not better. Hopefully Blancanieves will find its wider audience still as it deserves much more buzz around it than it initially did.

4. Grass Labyrinth (1979)

Shūji Terayama is viewed as one of the most provocative artists that came out of Japan. He has influential creative works in countless of disciplines including literature, radio, tv, theater, and film. In film he’s best known for his surreal features: ‘Throw away your books, rally in the streets’ and ‘Pastoral.’ Besides these two incredible films he made a bunch more features and shorts; Grass Labyrinth being one of the latter, although with 40 minutes in length it’s not that short at all.

Grass Labyrinth follows a young man, Akira, that is determined to find the words to a song that his mother used to sing to him. As he’s now on the verge of adulthood, he’d like to close the chapter that is his childhood by finding the meaning of the song. On his search Akira goes into a time-warp that merges aspects from both his childhood and his adulthood, bringing him to an imaginary world, housing the labyrinth of time. With surrealist imagery and metaphor after metaphor, the film is an experience that pulls you in and doesn’t let you go even after it ends, since you’ll still be pondering over its meaning. It might be Terayama at his best, but with a body of work like his, it has some stiff competition that is all worth it to check out.

5. The Boxer’s Omen (1983)

When Zhen Wei, a Hong Kong boxer, gets injured when his Thai opponent plays dirty, his brother Zhen Xiong will avenge him. Meanwhile he also has to find a way to break the ancient curse that looms over their family name. He does this by traveling to Thailand, where he gets involved in black magic and Buddhism. On his journey he will encounter fantastical adventures involving wizards, monks, and all sorts of monsters, all out there to thwart his plans.

Kue Chih-Hung was one of the most popular directors working for the Shaw Brothers studios and his film ‘The Boxer’s Omen’ might be his best-known work. It might even be one of the best-known works coming from the Shaw Brother studios. But even so, there’s not much buzz around it, is there? Even though people definitely know about the film, it feels like its bonkers plot should be the subject of more film conversations. We probably should all take the time to get the buzz going by introducing the film to our friends and make a movie night out of it, since this film is best experienced together.

The COVID-19 pandemic has lots of us still stuck on the couch, restricted on what we can do with our free time; no clear end in sight. After all this time it’s only healthy to want to get out there, see friends, party, travel… Go on an adventure. But with this not being the smartest thing to do right now, we have to settle for the second-best thing; getting lost in the movies. And what better genre to dive into than adventure? A genre that’s all about leaving home and travelling to fulfill a goal. A genre that’s all about its settings; not being one’s living room.

Of course, in a way, almost every movie is an adventure movie. Most films follow a hero’s journey, which involves decisions and change and isn’t the process of change always a bit of an adventure? For this list, though, we really want to get lost in adventures that seem far from home. We’re thinking more in the direction of adventures like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or Back to the Future, but since everyone else talks about these specific examples, we’ll take a look at 10 adventure movies that are less talked about in the hopes of introducing you to a new adventure to emerge in.

1. Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure (1981)

The first entry of this list takes us to an iconic duo from Italy: Bud Spencer (Carlo Pedersoli) and Terence Hill (Mario Girotti). Starring in over twenty films together, mostly in the 70’s and 80’s, Hill and Spencer became world famous, mostly in Europe, Asia, and South America. One an agile hunk, the other a big, grumpy, but golden-hearted man, and together a team that could overcome any obstacle. The duo has always been popular, but their movies often aren’t talked about in the highest regard, but instead just looked at as a bunch of fun, campy spaghetti westerns and action-comedies. Although true, this undersells the duo, as many of their movies are grade A, even though they’re b-movies.

‘Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure’ marks the duo’s second collaboration with the brilliant director Sergio Corbucci (Django, The Great Silence). The story follows Alan (Hill), on his quest to find a Japanese war treasure which is left behind somewhere on a Pacific island. He has a map to the island which is of interest to some gangsters. Said gangsters chase Alan to get their hands on the map, but Alan hides on a departing boat, belonging to Charlie (Spencer). On the boat Alan manipulates the ship’s compass so without knowing it, Charlie will sail him right to the treasure.

2. A Trip to Mars (1918)

Being inspired by his astronomer-father, navy captain Avanti, along with scientist Dr. Krafft, starts a mission to travel through outer space. While Krafft constructs a space-ship, Avanti gathers a crew for their trip to the unknown. When the space-ship is done they travel to Mars, overcoming many challenges along the away. Their hard work is rewarded as on Mars they come across an intelligent society that has reached a far higher stage of development than the earthlings themselves.

The Danish ‘A Trip to Mars’, or Himmelskibet, might be the first ever space opera film. We’ve had milestones in space sci-fi before, like the similarly named ‘A Trip to the Moon’, but never on this scale. The film is a little dull at points, but the often intriguing distinctive visuals and interesting concept make up for this. At the time of making this film the end of World War 1 was approaching and the hopeful thoughts of what would be changing and what was to come in the future is carefully displayed in an anti-war theme. The cautious exploration of this theme makes it an interesting watch from a historical stand-point as well.

3. Beat the Devil (1953)

With a filmography including classics like ‘The Treasure of the Sierra Madre’, ‘The African Queen’, and ‘The Man Who Would Be King’, John Huston can well be considered a master of the adventure genre. Beat the Devil is one of his lesser acclaimed adventure stories, but still well worth the watch. The story involves an eccentric bunch, stranded with their streamer in Italy, waiting for it to get repaired so they could continue their travels to Africa. Each of the bunch has their own secret agenda, which all end up to be very similar in nature.

Beat the Devil was created as a spoof film of Huston’s earlier work ‘The Maltese Falcon’. This approach makes the film an odd one; exploring many genres, but always with a comedic undertone. The plot consists of lots of talking, but when you have great performances from, Huston’s regulars including Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre, this is not a punishment. Although the characters are unlikeable, it’s a joy to be in their presence.

4. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)

Again, we meet a director that is well acquainted with the adventure genre: Terry Gilliam. It’s literally in the title of ‘The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen’ and it’s quite obviously a thing in ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ and ‘Monty Python’s Holy Grail’ as well. Gilliam is one sixth of Monty Python which on its own suggests this man has talent, but outside of that he’s one of the most imaginative minds in cinema.

Don Quixote is a character that has long been a torn in Gilliam’s side. With production on a Don Quixote project originally starting in the year 1989, it has been an on-and-off battle to lift the project off the ground. It took Gilliam eight attempts to finally successfully make the film and still, after finishing, there were many legal battles to overcome. The project has become infamous for being a cursed film, in a production-hell-limbo, even spawning a documentary about its misery in 2002 ‘Lost in La Mancha’ (Also worth the watch). After all that the film went through it’s such a shame that after release it has been forgotten about quite quickly. Hopefully the film will end up finding its audience, cause in the end, Gilliam managed to come with another well-crafted piece of adventure cinema.

5. Limite (1931)

A man and two women are lost at sea, drifting aimlessly in a small boat while recalling their recent past. The man is in love with a married woman, one of the women has escaped from prison, and the other just comes out an oppressive marriage.

Limite is a Brazilian silent film, experimental in nature. Since its release it has become a cult film and is viewed in high regard among critics, thanks to its unusually structured plot. It’ Mário Peixoto’s only feature film, made when he was just 22 years old. Peixoto took inspiration out of experimental directors like Germaine Dulac and Man Ray, which is visible in the cinematography. A scene at a screening of Chaplin’s ‘The Adventurer’ suggests him being an influence as well. The film moves like poetry and is to be viewed as such, since trying to follow a plot won’t lead to satisfaction. As one of Brazil’s finest, this work of art is a film that will not just show you an adventure, but it will also take you on an adventure to experience in your own head.

Surrealist cinema came to life in the 1920s in the birth-country of many milestones in cinematic history: France. The surrealist movement is characterized by heavy use of symbolism, often in the form of absurd imagery. A surrealist film doesn’t have to be absurd or shocking though, it can just as well be an opposition to the standardized dramatic structure. In this list we will see a fair share of shock and absurdity, but there will be some films that are considered surreal thanks to their structure.

Every country seems to have their own odd-ones-out, throwing the rules of filmmaking out of the window and instead doing whatever they want to do. The USA has David Lynch, France has Jean Cocteau, Chile has Alejandro Jodorowsky, the Netherlands has Alex van Warmerdam, and the UK has Terry Gilliam. And all of these are just the prominent surrealist filmmakers that aren’t represented in this list. Instead we will visit Asia, Europe, and the Americas for some of the lesser known filmmakers or in some cases some lesser known film from a prominent figure in the world of surrealist cinema. Without any further ado, here are 10 surrealist film you’ve probably never seen.

1. Conspirators of Pleasure (1996)

All Jan Svankmajer’s strangest sexual fantasies come together in Conspirators of Pleasure. The story follows six regular folks, each indulging in a not so regular fetish. The individuals all come across each other in one way or another. A TV news reader has a fantasy involving carp, while her husband steals all kinds of materials to rub against himself. A shop clerk builds an elaborate massaging machine, while one of his customers is building a voodoo-like chicken costume resembling his neighbor and, in her turn, the neighbor has a doll that resembles him. That only leaves a letter carrier that gets a kick out of doing some grotesque things with little dough balls.

Jan Svankmajer is an influence to many prominent directors. Terry Gilliam, the Quay Brothers, Tim Burton, and Edgar Wright all expressed themselves more than positively over the stop-motion works of Svankmajer. Conspirators of Pleasure is just one of the many great films from his hands. Most of them are brilliant shorts, but there are plenty Svankmajer features to be explored as well. Alice, Faust, and Little Otik all are well worth your time as well.

2. Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One (1968)

In the introduction to this article we talked about surrealist cinema not being exclusively absurd cinema. The intricately-title Symbiopsychotaxiplasm is a prime example of this; a surrealist film without absurd imagery or shock-value. This is one of these films that is surreal in structure.

In Central Park, New York City, director William Greaves has three film crews to his disposal. The first crew is instructed to document a cast of actors in their audition process. The second crew is instructed to document this first film crew. The third crew is instructed to document whatever fits into the documentary’s overarching theme: Sexuality.

The result of these three different documentations are interesting to say the least. Since Greaves left all of his crew in the dark from his real intentions with the film, it becomes an interesting experiment; a real-life character study. When the film crew starts questioning the competence of Greaves this of course is documented as well and shown in the film, adding so many new layers. It’s one of the most complex pieces of meta-cinema, but so easy to digest. Greaves his goal with Symbiopsychotaxiplasm was to capture life and reality as it is, coming from a dissatisfaction with Hollywood acting. Not only was this goal reached, it turned out to become one of the most brilliant meta-documentaries along the way.

3. Wizards (1977)

Back to absurdity, Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards is a prime example of the bizarre-imagery-filled surrealist cinema. In Wizards the evil mutant wizard Blackwolf wants to the claim the throne of his dead mother by using some lost military technologies. His twin brother, the sage Avatar and his team want to defeat Blackwolf and his forces to stop them from overtaking their world. The story is classic in nature, but the post-apocalyptic setting and absurd stylistic choices and imagery make it a great unique animation film.

Ralph Bakshi is a great visionary director. His adult animation films like Wizards, Fritz the Cat and The Lord of the Rings are all unique works of art, each highly overlooked and underrated. Bakshi is a director that deserves tons more praise for his work, Wizards very much included. With Wizards Bakshi switches between different animation techniques and treats us to beautiful psychedelic and impressionistic imagery, all the while telling a politically charged story. Wizards and all of Bakshi’s work is very much due to obtaining the cult following they deserve.

4. Magick Lantern Cycle (2009)

This entry isn’t a film, but rather a collection of films. The British Film Institute made this compilation of 9 of Kenneth Anger his shorts after UCLA’s Film & Television Archive and The Film Foundation did some restoration on the original material. Rather than using this entry for just one Anger short, this compilation serves as a great stand-in that, if you’re not familiar with him yet, can introduce you to one of the most prominent underground experimental filmmakers of the US. Magick Lantern Cycle consists of Fireworks, Puce Moment, the extended version of Rabbit’s Moon, Eaux d’Artifice, Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, Scorpio Rising, Kustom Kar Kommandos, Invocation of My Demon Brother, and Lucifer Rising.

Kenneth Anger has exclusively directed short films; around 40 since his debut in the 1930s. Many of his films take a surrealist approach and merge the themes homoeroticism and the occult. As one of the first openly gay filmmakers in the US, Anger had a big impact in the discussion of acceptance during the middle of the 20th century. His works should be celebrated for that, but not only that; his surrealist approach in both imagery and use of music, make his films not only culturally important, but also a blast to watch.

5. La Grande Bouffe (1973)

Four bourgeoisie friends consisting of a chef, a pilot, a tv producer and a magistrate, gather for a weekend at the latter his villa in Paris. Here the men await trucks filled with food and wine and they prepare a grand feast. Three prostitutes join the company for the feast that gradually turns macabre when the goal of the feast is made clear; eating themselves to death.

In La Grande Bouffe, or La Grande Abbuffata, director Marco Ferreri satirizes the bourgeoisie and the consumerism economy. At its release it was controversial for this reason, but since then it has gained cult status. Its controversy is still understandable and this film won’t be for anyone, since it’s filled with the grotesque results of vanity including sex with whores, feces and vomit. This is still nothing, though, compared with an entry in this list following shortly! Le Grande Bouffe is timider, focusing more on satirizing the themes. For this reason, it’s recommended as an easy entry in the subgenre of grotesque surrealism.