To Be and To Have

wag.mado@evpl — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:38:00 GMT

Recently, I revisited some of my favorite movies – ones that stayed with me for weeks after seeing them. Here’s what I had to say following my first viewing of To Be and To Have in 2005. It still holds true today.

If you shy away from subtitles, take this one home anyway. French director Nicholas Philibert brings us this enchanting documentary about a one room school house set in the French countryside. The film gives us an inside look into the lives of children ages 4 through 10 and the interactions with their devoted teacher, Georges Lopez. It was shot during a six month period, starting in mid-winter and ending with the retirement of Lopez in the spring. The connection between Lopez and his students is strong, as he has been the only teacher they have ever known. Watching this film brings up many emotions, as scenes were shot in the classroom, at home, and on a fieldtrip. In the end, one realizes how remarkable this teacher is as he guides his students through all varieties of life lessons.

Watch it and let me know what you think.

The Spirit of the Beehive

wag.mado@evpl — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:07:00 GMT

Thanks to a recommendation by my friend, I watched a stunning film this weekend. Set in a Castilian village somewhere in early 1940's rural Spain, this movie has won international acclaim as a masterpiece - labeled one of the greatest Spanish films of the 1970's. On the surface, it is a coming of age story in which six-year-old Ana, played by Ana Torrent, tries to make sense of the world after seeing a young girl die in the classic 1931 film, Frankenstein. However, the movie is chock-full of symbolism and is also a commentary on life at the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War. The cinematic photography shot by Luis Cuadrado (who was going blind while the film was being made) is stark and breathtaking. Each scene seems to stay in your memory as a snapshot. As with many foreign films, the pace is hauntingly slow and the dialogue is sparse, adding to the intense feeling and emotion of the storyline. Isabel Telleria plays the innocent Ana's older sister Isabel, and has a menacing side to say the least. Together, these beautiful little girls bring this powerful story to life.

The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) was written and directed by Victor Erice and is one of only three movies he made over a 20 year period. The other two films, The South (1982) and The Quince Tree Sun (1992) are also highly regarded.

Treat yourself to The Spirit of the Beehive. It now ranks among my top ten favorite foreign films.

Movies Blog : childhood

To Be and To Have

The Spirit of the Beehive