Match Cut Director Consensus - Michael Powell

[Ezee E]

Hopefully, someone worthy.

http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/SiteElements/images/Faculties/arts-and-humanities/media/Powell-Shadowmaker.jpg

[dreamdead]

The man, together with Pressburger, is fully worthy.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - 7
I Know Where I'm Going - 7
Black Narcissus - 7.5
The Red Shoes - 10
Peeping Tom - 8.5

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

Something Always Happens - 5.5
Crown vs Stevens - 7
Edge of the World - 9
The Spy in Black - 6
The Lion Has Wings - 7
Contraband - 7.5
Thief of Baghdad - 6
49th Parallel - 10
One of Our Aircraft is Missing - 6
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - 6.5
A Canterbury Tale - 10
I Know Where I'm Going - 9.5
A Matter of Life and Death - 10
Black Narcissus - 10
Red Shoes - 8.5
Small Back Room - 7
Gone to Earth - 6
Tales of Hoffman - 5
Sorcerer's Apprentice - 6.5
Oh ..Rosalinda! - 6
Battle of River Plate - 5
Ill Met By Moonlight - 7
Peeping Tom - 8
Age of Conesnt - 7.5

[Winston*]

I'd like to lobby for the disqualification of all directorial collaborations with Emeric Pressburger due to the lack of a singular authorial voice.

[balmakboor]

Maybe this should be Michael Powell w/wo Emeric Pressburger.

Anyway...

The Edge of the World - 7
Thief of Baghdad - 8 (I hesitate to include this)
49th Parallel - 9
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - 10
A Canterbury Tale - 10
I Know Where I'm Going - 10
A Matter of Life and Death - 10
Black Narcissus - 10
Red Shoes - 10
Small Back Room - 9
Tales of Hoffman - 9
Sorcerer's Apprentice - 6
Peeping Tom - 10

[Weeping_Guitar]

49th Parallel - 4
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - 8
A Canterbury Tale - 8
I Know Where I'm Going - 7.5
A Matter of Life and Death - 8.5
Black Narcissus - 7.5
Red Shoes - 8.5
Small Back Room - 7
Peeping Tom - 6

[balmakboor]

49th Parallel - 4

I really can't fathom this. I know Olivier ruins it for some with his overacting, but not six points worth of ruining.

I actually don't think he overacts at all.

His acting during the first part of his episode makes the contrast between his pre-getting shot and post-getting shot character all the more moving.

[Melville]

A Matter of Life and Death - 5.5
Black Narcissus - 7
The Red Shoes - 7.5
Peeping Tom - 7

[Ezee E]

I'm confused as to how he works for The Thief Of Baghdad. Is it a Spartacus situation that Kubrick had?

[Mysterious Dude]

49th Parallel - 7.5
The Thief of Bagdad - 7
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - 8
I Know Where I'm Going! - 7.5
A Matter of Life and Death - 7
Black Narcissus - 8.5
The Red Shoes - 6.5
Peeping Tom - 10

[Boner M]

A Canterbury Tale - 8.5
I Know Where I'm Going - 7.5
Black Narcissus - 6.5
Red Shoes - 9
Peeping Tom - 8

[Raiders]

The Edge of the World (1937) 8.0
49th Parallel (1941) 7.5
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) 7.5
I Know Where I'm Going! (1945) 8.0
A Matter of Life and Death (1946) 6.5
Black Narcissus (1947) 9.0
The Red Shoes (1948) 9.5
Peeping Tom (1960) 9.0
Age of Consent (1969) 6.0

[Spinal]

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - 7
Black Narcissus - 8.5
Peeping Tom - 9.5
Age of Consent - 6

[Sycophant]

Now this is an awful blind spot for me. I am ashamed.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Now this is an awful blind spot for me. I am ashamed.

Yep. Not a single film for me.

[Spinal]

Peeping Tom, guys. You won't regret it.

[Spaceman Spiff]

The Red Shoes - 8.0
Peeping Tom - 7.0

[soitgoes...]

Red Ensign (1934) - 4.0
Something Always Happens (1934) - 7.0
Lazybones (1935) - 4.0
The Phantom Light (1935) - 5.0
Crown v. Stevens (1936) - 5.5
The Edge of the World (1937) - 8.5
The Spy in Black (1939) - 8.0
Contraband (1940) - 7.5
The Thief of Bagdad (1940) - 5.0
49th Parallel (1941) - 8.0
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942) - 7.0
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) - 9.0
The Volunteer (1943) - 6.5
A Canterbury Tale (1944) - 8.0
I Know Where I’m Going! (1945) - 9.0
A Matter of Life and Death (1946) - 7.5
Black Narcissus (1947) - 8.0
The Red Shoes (1948) - 8.5
The Small Back Room (1949) - 8.0
The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) - 8.0
Pursuit of the Graf Spee (1956) - 6.5
Peeping Tom (1960) - 9.0
Age of Consent (1969) - 6.0
The Boy Who Turned Yellow (1972) - 2.0

[Qrazy]

The Edge of the World (1937) - 7
The Thief of Bagdad (1940) - 5
49th Parallel (1941) - 7.5
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) - 7.5
A Canterbury Tale (1944) - 7.5
I Know Where I’m Going! (1945) - 7
A Matter of Life and Death (1946) - 7
Black Narcissus (1947) - 7.5
The Red Shoes (1948) - 9.5
The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) - 6.5
Peeping Tom (1960) - 9

[soitgoes...]

I'm confused as to how he works for The Thief Of Baghdad. Is it a Spartacus situation that Kubrick had?
I just think it was a collaboration. Powell definitely wasn't that highly regarded yet. It should probably be considered a Alexander Korda film first, but Powell definitely directed a number of scenes included on the film. He also received a directing credit (both Korda bros. and Menzies do not).

[Philosophe_rouge]

I am intensely jealous of all and any who have seen more of his films than I have. My favourite filmmaker.

49th Parallel 7.5
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp 10
A Canterbury Tale 9.5
'I Know Where I'm Going' 10
A Matter of Life and Death 9
Black Narcissus 9
The Red Shoes 10
Small Back Room 9
Gone to Earth 8
Tales of Hoffman 7
Peeping Tom 8

[soitgoes...]

I am intensely jealous of all and any who have seen more of his films than I have. My favourite filmmaker.

:P

Any consolation that you've pretty much seen all the good/great ones?

[Qrazy]

I really can't fathom this. I know Olivier ruins it for some with his overacting, but not six points worth of ruining.

I actually don't think he overacts at all.

His acting during the first part of his episode makes the contrast between his pre-getting shot and post-getting shot character all the more moving.

Pretty sure the score is probably more indicative of the propagandistic approach of the narrative.

[Philosophe_rouge]

:P

Any consolation that you've pretty much seen all the good/great ones?
That's some consolation :p

[megladon8]

Glad to see I'm not alone in thinking The Thief of Bagdad was disappointing.

I thought it was quite boring, to be honest.

[thefourthwall]

The Red Shoes - 10
Peeping Tom - 10

I just watched Peeping Tom a couple of nights ago, and I immediately watched it again with Laura Mulvey's commentary and the documentarty A Very British Psycho. I thought it was so powerful (for two nights I struggled to fall asleep because of the feeling I had that someone was watching me), creepy, ahead of its time, and genius. I don't understand how anyone can give it less than a 9.

[monolith94]

Thief of Baghdad - 8
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - 9.5
A Canterbury Tale - 9
I Know Where I'm Going! - 9.5
Black Narcissus - 9.5
The Red Shoes - 9.5

very consistently entertaining & engaging

[DavidSeven]

Black Narcissus - 9.5
The Red Shoes - 7.5

[Qrazy]

Am I alone in thinking that the title for I Know Where I"m Going and the opening montage/monologue is quite stupid?

Alternate title: When Aplomb Goes Awry!

[Ezee E]

The Thief of Baghdad - 6
49th Parallel - 7
Peeping Tom - 8

[B-side]

Nice to see I'm not alone in thinking Black Nacissus was merely solid melodrama. I like it less the more I think of it.

Black Nacissus- 7

The Red Shoes is likely up next for me. I'm not expecting much.

[Qrazy]

Nice to see I'm not alone in thinking Black Nacissus was merely solid melodrama. I like it less the more I think of it.

Black Nacissus- 7

The Red Shoes is likely up next for me. I'm not expecting much.

Peeping Tom might be more up your alley.

[Raiders]

Black Narcissus is one of the most intoxicatingly gorgeous films I have ever seen. Not all cinema is about story alone. To call it simply "solid melodrama" is rather insulting to the evocative images which go well beyond mere window dressing. In fact, considering the relative newness of Technicolor (at least to mainstream, feature-length films), it would probably not be incorrect to say it is among the very first films to really use color. I suppose I could agree much of the narrative, of what there is anyway, is rather rote in comparison to some films, but in terms of spinning a fresh technology into a rapturing work of art, it is almost unrivaled.

[B-side]

Black Narcissus is one of the most intoxicatingly gorgeous films I have ever seen. Not all cinema is about story alone. To call it simply "solid melodrama" is rather insulting to the evocative images which go well beyond mere window dressing. In fact, considering the relative newness of Technicolor (at least to mainstream, feature-length films), it would probably not be incorrect to say it is among the very first films to really use color. I suppose I could agree much of the narrative, of what there is anyway, is rather rote in comparison to some films, but in terms of spinning a fresh technology into a rapturing work of art, it is almost unrivaled.

So you're saying its innovation makes it great?

[B-side]

Peeping Tom might be more up your alley.

Yeah. We'll see. I'm certainly not writing them off. I'd love to read some essays or write-ups people have written on Black Narcissus. I just couldn't say it struck any major chords for me. It felt like a solid melodrama utilizing technicolor rather well.

[Raiders]

So you're saying its innovation makes it great?

No. I did not say that. It wasn't really "innovation" anyway. It was simply an unparalleled, at the time, understanding and use of the color format to produce a result that is informed by the seduction and passion on screen.

I mean, let's use an example. Look at Kalatozov's The Cranes Are Flying. On the surface, and from a narrative level, it is pretty much a straight melodrama. But the time period informs the narrative, as does Powell's film where Britain was, at that time, in a social war over the burgeoning independence of India from under their "great empire." Also, Kalatozov's film uses the style, the lush blacks and whites and bold camerawork, to emphasize the emotional upheaval and ambiguity of its characters, same as Powell (and Pressburger) used the bold colors to starkly contrast the black and white of the nuns and heighten the sensuality in a way (possibly) never done before.

What I'm saying is that the story gives a frame for the artistry of the visuals and the two go hand-in-hand and as a whole, the film is enrapturing through its craft.

[DavidSeven]

It's obviously not about "innovation" alone when the visual craftsmanship still holds up today and could go against anything released in the last 50 years.

[Rowland]

A Matter of Life and Death - 7
Peeping Tom - 9

[Derek]

The Edge of the World - 7.0
An Airman's Letter to His Mother - 5.0
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - 7.5
A Canterbury Tale - 6.0
I Know Where I'm Going! - 6.5
A Matter of Life and Death - 6.0
Black Narcissus - 9.0
The Red Shoes - 6.5
Peeping Tom - 7.5

[Philosophe_rouge]

Absurdly beautiful. Caps for Black Narcissus in spoiler

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/farrar.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/gardening.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/kanchi.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/kerrnun.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/kerr.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/lomgwaydown.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/oldnun.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/vlcsnap2469013mp4.png

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/vlcsnap2474111zu3.png

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/vlcsnap637666xo4.png

[The Mike]

Really want to dig deeper on this one. So far, love his/their work.

49th Parallel - 9.5
A Matter of Life and Death - 10
Peeping Tom - 10
Age of Consent - 6.0

Have a copy of The Red Shoes on hand, looking forward to it.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/kanchi.jpg


mmmmmmmmmmm........Jean Simmons. I think she accounts for a whole 2 points of my 10 point rating of the film.

[B-side]

No. I did not say that. It wasn't really "innovation" anyway. It was simply an unparalleled, at the time, understanding and use of the color format to produce a result that is informed by the seduction and passion on screen.

I mean, let's use an example. Look at Kalatozov's The Cranes Are Flying. On the surface, and from a narrative level, it is pretty much a straight melodrama. But the time period informs the narrative, as does Powell's film where Britain was, at that time, in a social war over the burgeoning independence of India from under their "great empire." Also, Kalatozov's film uses the style, the lush blacks and whites and bold camerawork, to emphasize the emotional upheaval and ambiguity of its characters, same as Powell (and Pressburger) used the bold colors to starkly contrast the black and white of the nuns and heighten the sensuality in a way (possibly) never done before.

What I'm saying is that the story gives a frame for the artistry of the visuals and the two go hand-in-hand and as a whole, the film is enrapturing through its craft.

Interesting take. I appreciate your input.

[Ezee E]

Love, love the shot of the nun looking down the bell tower.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I've only seen one, but that one is Peeping Tom, and it is a 10.

[Sxottlan]

Black Narcissus: 10

Need to see more. Finally saw The Thief of Baghdad a few weeks ago on TCM, but Robert Osbourne made it sound like it was one of the those projects that was passed from director to director. Although I certainly saw some of Powell in there.

[jesse]

The Edge of the World - 6.0
The Life and Time of Colonel Blimp - 9.0
A Canterbury Tale - 7.5 (desperately needs a rewatch, I'd like it better now)
I Know Where I'm Going! - 8.0
A Matter of Life and Death - 10.0
Black Narcissus - 7.0
The Red Shoes - 7.5
The Tales of Hoffman - 7.5 (alas--the first tale was a definite 10 and it all went downhill from there)

[balmakboor]

The Tales of Hoffman - 7.5 (alas--the first tale was a definite 10 and it all went downhill from there)

I'd say the first two tales and the framing segments are 10s but the third segment drags it down a bit.

[Bosco B Thug]

The Life and Times of Colonel Blimp - 8.5
Black Narcissus - 7.5
The Red Shoes - 8
Peeping Tom - 8.5

[baby doll]

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) [10]
Black Narcissus (1947) [6]
The Red Shoes (1948) [9]
Peeping Tom (1960) [8]

I haven't I Know Where I'm Going! in a few years, but I thought it was mediocre and forgettable at the time. Black Narcissus is gorgeous, but as with Renoir's The River, the story is far to silly for me to take it seriously.

[Yxklyx]

The Edge of the World - 8
Contraband - 5
The Thief of Bagdad - 4
49th Parallel - 8
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - 6
A Canterbury Tale - 9
I Know Where I'm Going! - 8
A Matter of Life and Death - 9
Black Narcissus - 7
The Red Shoes - 9
The Small Back Room - 6
The Tales of Hoffmann - 8
The Sorcerer's Apprentice - 6
Peeping Tom - 7

[Ezee E]

49th Parallel started out kinda meh, but got better as it moved along. Loved the monologue bits.

[jesse]

I'd say the first two tales and the framing segments are 10s but the third segment drags it down a bit. For me, each segment got progressively less impressive, and by the last I was struggling to pay attention. But I've seen few things more dazzling in film than Shearer performing that "Dragonfly Dance."

[Boner M]

Adding...

The Small Back Room - 7

[Ezee E]

RESULTS:
1. The Red Shoes - 8.63 (20)
2. Peeping Tom - 8.5 (22)
3. A Canterbury Tale - 8.45 (11)
4. I Know Where I'm Going - 8.21 (14)
5. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - 8.19 (16)
6. Black Narcissus - 8.17 (21)
7. A Matter of Life and Death - 8.11 (14)
8. 49th Parallel - 7.77 (11)
9. Small Back Room - 7.57 (7)
10. Edge of the World - 7.56 (8)
11. Tales of Hoffman - 7.29 (7)
12. Age of Consent - 6.3 (5)
13. Thief of Baghdad - 6.13 (8)

= 8.01

Red Ensign - 4 (1)
Something Always Happens 6.25 (2)
Lazybones - 4 (1)
The Phantom Light - 5(1)
Crown Vs. Stevens - 6.25 (2)
The Spy In Black - 7 (2)
The Lion Has Wings - 7 (2)
Contraband - 6.67 (3)
One of Our Aircraft is Missing - 6.5 (3)
An Airman's Letter to his Mother - 5 (1)
The Volunteer - 6.5 (1)
Gone to Earth - 7 (2)
Sorcerer's Apprentice - 6.17 (3)
Oh…Rosalinda - 6 (1)
Battle of River Plate - 5 (1)
Ill Met By Moonlight - 7 (1)
Pursuit of the Graf Spree - 6.5 (1)
Boy who turned yellow - 2 (1)

Stole an Hour of E's Life: Soitgoes and Kurious Jorge v3.1
Convinced Some of these titles are made up: Ezee E

A good showing.

[balmakboor]

For me, each segment got progressively less impressive, and by the last I was struggling to pay attention. But I've seen few things more dazzling in film than Shearer performing that "Dragonfly Dance."

For me, it gets less cinematically interesting and more musically interesting as it goes. It almost seems that P&P felt the same way about the music and decidedly to progressively trust it more and more. And by the third story they pretty much got out of the way.

[balmakboor]

I think of myself as a big fan and yet I haven't even heard of 11 movies on the honorable mentions list.

[MacGuffin]

I just finished Peeping Tom; I give it a 6.

[soitgoes...]

Hey E, Battle of the River Plate and Pursuit of the Graf Spee are one and the same. Not that it makes too much difference.

[origami_mustache]

another director I need to see more from...

Black Narcissus - 8

[MadMan]

I've only seen Peeping Tom, and it easily gets a 10 from me. Great film, one of the best horror/dramas ever made. And also better than the also awesome Psycho(1960). Both movies deserve to be featured in a kickass double bill.

[baby doll]

I've only seen Peeping Tom, and it easily gets a 10 from me. Great film, one of the best horror/dramas ever made. And also better than the also awesome Psycho(1960). Both movies deserve to be featured in a kickass double bill.Regarding your signature, if you're nauseous afterwards, you're not doing it right.

[Peng]

Like De Palma and Baumbach's/Paltrow's 2016 doc before, another director(s) that I watched all of their filmography (or most of the key ones in this case; Powell made so many "quota quickies" and I only sampled two) so I can get to the documentary (Made in England).

The Phantom Light (1935) - 6
Crown v. Stevens (1936) - 6.5
The Edge of the World (1937) - 7.5
The Spy in Black (1939) - 7.5
The Thief of Bagdad (1940) - 7
Contraband (1940) - 7.5
49th Parallel (1941) - 8
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942) - 6.5
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) - 9.5
A Canterbury Tale (1944) - 8.5
I Know Where I'm Going! (1945) - 7.5
A Matter of Life and Death (1946) - 9
Black Narcissus (1947) - 8
The Red Shoes (1948) - 9.5
The Small Back Room (1949) - 8
Gone to Earth (1950) - 8
The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) - 6
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1955) - 6.5
Oh... Rosalinda!! (1955) - 7.5
The Battle of the River Plate (1956) - 7.5
Ill Met by the Moonlight (1957) - 7.5
Peeping Tom (1960) - 8
Bluebeard's Castle (1963) - 7
They're a Weird Mob (1966) - 6
Age of Consent (1969) - 5.5
The Boy Who Turned Yellow (1972) - 6