8 films that conquered director Andrei Konchalovsky, because they look "in the same breath"

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The famous director is a great lover of good cinema. He sincerely believes that good films should not only entertain, but also carry a semantic load, teach something, make you think and reflect. Talented films, according to Andrei Konchalovsky, are not always difficult for the audience to perceive. He was impressed by the paintings that look easy despite the problems they highlight.

"Ashes and Diamonds", 1958, Poland, directed by Andrzej Wajda

The film tells about the events taking place in the last days of World War II, after the surrender of Nazi Germany. Andrei Konchalovsky watched it when he was in his second year at VGIK, but he still remembers the lasting impression that the third part of Andrzej Wajda's military trilogy made on him. The future director experienced the greatest shock when he saw the frame in which the hero of Zbigniew Cybulski walks over a huge portrait of Stalin. It just walks along it, lying on the ground, like on a road.

"Five Easy Pieces", 1970, USA, director Bob Raifelson

According to Andrei Konchalovsky, it was this film that turned Jack Nicholson into a real star. The picture of Bob Rajfelson was shot by the brilliant cameraman Laszlo Kovacs. The story of the life of musician Robert Dupy, who is in search of his place in the sun, looks very easy, despite the complexity of the characters and the harsh reality of the events taking place. No wonder the picture is included in the US National Film Register and is considered one of the best films of the "new Hollywood".

"8 and a Half", 1963, Italy, France, directed by Federico Fellini

One of the strongest impressions was made on Andrei Konchalovsky by the painting, which is called the confession of Federico Fellini. It was this film that awakened in Konchalovsky the desire to make a good movie, such as that of the brilliant Italian director, and perhaps even better. The life story of director Guido Anselmi seems to be a story about the fate of Fellini himself, about his disappointment, the search for new ideas, and a look into the future. Andrei Konchalovsky believes that you need to learn how to make films from great directors from different countries, to grasp their ability to create multifaceted and very vivid images.

"Paper Moon", 1973, USA, directed by Peter Bogdanovich

In the film by Peter Bogdanovich, the touching charm of the "golden age of Hollywood" is fully felt, under which the picture was stylized, which tells about a swindler who is trying with all his might to survive during the Great Depression, and his strange assistant - a very gloomy girl who often while away time in the company cigarettes. The story of these two so controversial characters seems incredible and at the same time reliable, and the play of young Tatum O'Neill, who played Eddie, was not in vain awarded an Oscar, making the actress the youngest winner of the award in the entire history of the presentation. Andrei Konchalovsky considers the picture worthy of attention and recommends it for viewing.

Forgotten, 1950, Mexico, directed by Luis Buñuel

The film about Mexican street children made an indelible impression not only on Konchalovsky, but also on another talented director, Andrei Tarkovsky. It is not for nothing that the drama was included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. At the time of the release of the picture on the screens, the director was very harshly criticized, believing that he had no moral right to display the problems of Mexico on the screen, the main ones of which were poverty and crime. The drama was even pulled from the box office just three days after its release due to the fury of the press, viewers and even the government. But after the film's award for Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival, critics and audiences alike softened noticeably.

Another Year, 2010, USA, directed by Mike Lee

Andrei Konchalovsky considers Michael Lee's tragicomedy to be a witty and very subtle film. There are only four seasons from the life of an elderly family couple with names like famous cartoon characters: Tom and Jerry. They know how to be happy and enjoy life. And also support each other, maintain complete mutual understanding and enjoy communication with people who meet on their life path.

"Pagliacci", 1948, Italy, directed by Mario Costa

At the age of 16, Andrei Konchalovsky reviewed this film-opera many, many times. It is understandable that the greatest impression on the future director was made by the incredible Gina Lollobrigida. Young Konchalovsky dreamed of meeting an actress and even an affair with her. The absolutely amazing music of Ruggiero Leoncavallo and the talent of the famous Italian baritone Tito Gobbi, who, unlike his colleagues, not only performed vocals in the film, but also brilliantly played two roles, did not remain without his attention.

"The Cranes Are Flying", 1957, USSR, director Mikhail Kalatozov

Andrei Konchalovsky, who graduated from a music school in piano, a music school and became a student at the Moscow Conservatory, after watching a picture by Mikhail Kalatozov, dropped out of music and realized: he must make a movie. According to the director, The Cranes Are Flying is a great film that revolutionized cinema. It is not for nothing that the film won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the hearts of audiences all over the world.

The American colleague of Andrei Konchalovsky, Quentin Tarantino, whom everyone knows as a talented actor and brilliant director capable of creating real masterpieces, also often recommends films to his fans for viewing. The director himself is also the owner of the New Beverley cinema in Los Angeles, on the website of which he uploads his reviews of films. Quentin Tarantino carefully looks at the paintings, and then shares his impressions of them with the audience.