Writing on film
Mornings in the dark: here's what we saw while working as a film critic, mostly for Film4. You won't find many blockbusters here. But lots of stuff on limited release world cinema, arthouse arcana, cult curios and vanished titles from faraway places...
Michelangelo Antonioni's Red Desert.
A
Accattone (1961)
Accident (1967)
Across The Universe (2007)
Adolf Hitler My Part In His Downfall (1972)
After Life (1998)
After The Rehearsal (1984)
The Ages of Lulu (1990)
Alice et Martin (1998)
All Night Long (1962)
Altered States (1980)
L'Amore Molesto (1995)
Angels In America (2003)
Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008)
Ascenseur Pour l'Echafaud (1958)
Atomised (2005)
Autumn Sonata (1978)
B
Ballad Of Jack And Rose (2006)
Bandslam (2009)
Beaches Of Agnes (2008)
Beat Girl (1960)
Bedazzled (1967)
Beautiful Losers (2009)
Before I Forget (2007)
Berkeley In the Sixties (1990)
Better Things (2008)
La Belle Captive (1983)
Beyond The Clouds (1995)
Billy Liar (1963)
Bloom (2003)
Boogie (2009)
Born and Bred (2006)
Bugsy Malone (1976)
C
Career Girls (1997)
Cathy Come Home (1966)
Celia (1988)
Céline And Julie Go Boating... (1974)
Cheech And Chong's Nice Dreams (1981)
Cherry Blossoms (2008)
Choke (2008)
Cirque Du Freak (2009)
Coffee And Cigarettes (2003)
La Comunidad (2000)
Control (2007)
A Complete History of My Sexual Failures (2008)
Crossing The Bridge The Sound of Istanbul (2005)
Cruising (1980)
D
Dark Horse (2005)
The Day of the Locust (1975)
Derailroaded (2005)
Delta (2008)
Departures (2009)
A Diary For Timothy (1945)
Died Young Stayed Pretty (2009)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Duel (1971)
E
L'Eclisse (The Eclipse) (1962)
End Of The Century The Story Of The Ramones (2003)
Even Dwarfs Started Small (1971)
Eva (1963)
Everlasting Moments (2008)
Examined Life (2009)
Ex Drummer (2007)
F
400 Blows (1959)
Factotum (2005)
Faintheart (2008)
Fanny And Alexander (1982)
Fantastic Planet (1973)
Far North (2007)
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
Fata Morganat (1971)
Fear Eats The Soul (1974)
Fellini's Roma (1972)
Fellini Satyricon (1969)
Le Feu Follet (1963)
Fish Tank (2009)
Flesh (1968)
Franklyn (2008)
Funeral Parade Of Roses (Bara No Soretsu) (1969)
Funny Games (1997)
Funny Ha Ha (2002)
G
Gates of Heaven (1978)
Gertrud (1964)
Glastonbury (2006)
Goodbye, Dragon Inn (Bu San) (2003)
Goodbye Solo (2009)
Good Morning, Night (2003)
Der Golem (1920)
The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle (1980)
Grey Gardens (1975)
H
La Haine (1995)
Hairdresser's Husband (1990)
Hardware (1990)
Heart of Glass (1976)
Heima (2007)
Heat (1972)
Helen (2009)
Hell's Angels On Wheels (1967)
Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer Director's Cut (1990/2003)
High Art (1998)
Hush (2008)
I
I Am Curious (Yellow) (1967)
I Was A Fireman (1943)
Identification of a Woman (1982)
In Memory Of Myself (In Memoria Di Me) (2005)
In The City of Sylvia (2008)
In The Realms of the Unreal (2004)
In Your Hands (Forbrydelser) (2004)
J
Je Veux Voir (2009)
Johanna (2005)
The Jolly Boys Last Stand (2000)
K
Killing Zoe (1994)
Kill Your Idols (2005)
Kisses (2009)
L
Labyrinth Of Passion (1982)
Land of Plenty (2004)
Last Days (2005)
The Last Metro (1980)
Last Year In Marienbad (1961)
Living In Oblivion (2005)
Lie With Me (2005)
Listen To Britain (1942)
Live! (2008)
The Living End (1992)
Lolita (1962)
London (1994)
London In The Raw (1964)
The London Nobody Knows (1967)
Long Weekend (1978)
Looking For Eric (2009)
Lorna (1964)
Lord Of The Flies (1963)
Lower City (2005)
M
Machuca (2004)
Madame Bovary (1991)
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (2006)
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)
Mirror (1974)
Molly's Way (2005)
Momma's Man (2008)
Mondo Topless (1966)
Monsieur Hire (1989)
Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
Motor Psycho (1965)
Mudhoney (1965)
My Dinner With Andre (1981)
Myra Breckinridge (1970)
N
Nathalie... (2003)
New York Doll (2005)
Nobody Knows (Dare Mo Shiranai) (2004)
O
O'Horten (2009)
Olivier, Olivier (1995)
One From The Heart (1982)
Onibaba (The Hole) (1964)
Orphee (1949)
P
Le Parfum D'Yvone (1994)
The Passenger (Professione: Reporter) (1975)
La Peau Douce (1964)
Paris, Texas (1984)
Permanent Vacation (1982)
The Pervert's Guide To Cinema (2006)
Pierrot Le Fou (1965)
The Pied Piper of Hutzovinia (2006)
The Ploughman's Lunch (1983)
Primitive London (1965)
The Proposition (2005)
Puritan (2005)
R
Radio On (1980)
The Reckless Moment (1949)
The Red Balloon (1956)
The Red Desert (1964)
Reprise (2006)
The Return (2003)
Return Of The Fly (1959)
Ridicule (1996)
Rien Sur Robert (1999)
The Road (2010)
Robinson In Space (1997)
Rock School (2005)
Rock 'N' Roll High School (1978)
Ro.Go.Pa.G. (1963)
Running Stumbled (2006)
S
71 Fragments In A Chronology Of Chance (1994)
Salesman (1969)
Salo Or The 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
The Saragossa Manuscript (1965)
Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus (2005)
Seconds (1960)
Secret Things (Choses Secrètes) (2002)
The September Issue (2009)
Serpico (1973)
The Servant (1963)
Screaming Masterpiece (2005)
The Sheltering Sky (1990)
Shooting Robert King (2009)
The Shout (1978)
Silent Tongue (1993)
Slacker (1991)
Slade In Flame (1975)
Smithereens (1982)
Starsuckers (2009)
The Stones In The Park (1969)
Story Of A Love Affair (Cronaca Di Un Amore) (1950)
Straight to Hell (1987)
Strawberry and Chocolate (1993)
Summer With Monika (1953)
Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)
Sunshine (2007)
Swingers (1996)
T
2046 (2004)
35 Shots Of Rum (2009)
Taking Woodstock (2009)
Theorem (1968)
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Three Miles North Of Molkom (2009)
Tigrero: A Film That Was Never Made (1994)
To Get to Heaven First You Have to Die (2008)
To Have And To Hold (1996)
Trainspotting (1996)
Transylvania (2006)
Trash (1970)
The Tree Of Wooden Clogs (1978)
Trees Lounge (1996)
The Triumph Of Love (2001)
True North (2006)
U
Under The Volcano (1984)
Until The End Of The World (1991)
V
La Vie De Jesus (1997)
Viva (2007)
W
Walkabout (1971)
We Are All Christs (Wszyscy Jestesmy Chrystusam) (2005)
We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen (2005)
We Live In Public (2009)
Welcome (2009)
Where The Buffalo Roam (1980)
Wicker Park (2004)
Wings of Desire (1987)
Wise Blood (1979)
Wonderful Town (2007)
The Wrong Move (1974)
Z
Zombie And The Ghost Train (1991)
Zombie Strippers! (2008)
Accattone (1961)
Accident (1967)
Across The Universe (2007)
Adolf Hitler My Part In His Downfall (1972)
After Life (1998)
After The Rehearsal (1984)
The Ages of Lulu (1990)
Alice et Martin (1998)
All Night Long (1962)
Altered States (1980)
L'Amore Molesto (1995)
Angels In America (2003)
Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008)
Ascenseur Pour l'Echafaud (1958)
Atomised (2005)
Autumn Sonata (1978)
B
Ballad Of Jack And Rose (2006)
Bandslam (2009)
Beaches Of Agnes (2008)
Beat Girl (1960)
Bedazzled (1967)
Beautiful Losers (2009)
Before I Forget (2007)
Berkeley In the Sixties (1990)
Better Things (2008)
La Belle Captive (1983)
Beyond The Clouds (1995)
Billy Liar (1963)
Bloom (2003)
Boogie (2009)
Born and Bred (2006)
Bugsy Malone (1976)
C
Career Girls (1997)
Cathy Come Home (1966)
Celia (1988)
Céline And Julie Go Boating... (1974)
Cheech And Chong's Nice Dreams (1981)
Cherry Blossoms (2008)
Choke (2008)
Cirque Du Freak (2009)
Coffee And Cigarettes (2003)
La Comunidad (2000)
Control (2007)
A Complete History of My Sexual Failures (2008)
Crossing The Bridge The Sound of Istanbul (2005)
Cruising (1980)
D
Dark Horse (2005)
The Day of the Locust (1975)
Derailroaded (2005)
Delta (2008)
Departures (2009)
A Diary For Timothy (1945)
Died Young Stayed Pretty (2009)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Duel (1971)
E
L'Eclisse (The Eclipse) (1962)
End Of The Century The Story Of The Ramones (2003)
Even Dwarfs Started Small (1971)
Eva (1963)
Everlasting Moments (2008)
Examined Life (2009)
Ex Drummer (2007)
F
400 Blows (1959)
Factotum (2005)
Faintheart (2008)
Fanny And Alexander (1982)
Fantastic Planet (1973)
Far North (2007)
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
Fata Morganat (1971)
Fear Eats The Soul (1974)
Fellini's Roma (1972)
Fellini Satyricon (1969)
Le Feu Follet (1963)
Fish Tank (2009)
Flesh (1968)
Franklyn (2008)
Funeral Parade Of Roses (Bara No Soretsu) (1969)
Funny Games (1997)
Funny Ha Ha (2002)
G
Gates of Heaven (1978)
Gertrud (1964)
Glastonbury (2006)
Goodbye, Dragon Inn (Bu San) (2003)
Goodbye Solo (2009)
Good Morning, Night (2003)
Der Golem (1920)
The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle (1980)
Grey Gardens (1975)
H
La Haine (1995)
Hairdresser's Husband (1990)
Hardware (1990)
Heart of Glass (1976)
Heima (2007)
Heat (1972)
Helen (2009)
Hell's Angels On Wheels (1967)
Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer Director's Cut (1990/2003)
High Art (1998)
Hush (2008)
I
I Am Curious (Yellow) (1967)
I Was A Fireman (1943)
Identification of a Woman (1982)
In Memory Of Myself (In Memoria Di Me) (2005)
In The City of Sylvia (2008)
In The Realms of the Unreal (2004)
In Your Hands (Forbrydelser) (2004)
J
Je Veux Voir (2009)
Johanna (2005)
The Jolly Boys Last Stand (2000)
K
Killing Zoe (1994)
Kill Your Idols (2005)
Kisses (2009)
L
Labyrinth Of Passion (1982)
Land of Plenty (2004)
Last Days (2005)
The Last Metro (1980)
Last Year In Marienbad (1961)
Living In Oblivion (2005)
Lie With Me (2005)
Listen To Britain (1942)
Live! (2008)
The Living End (1992)
Lolita (1962)
London (1994)
London In The Raw (1964)
The London Nobody Knows (1967)
Long Weekend (1978)
Looking For Eric (2009)
Lorna (1964)
Lord Of The Flies (1963)
Lower City (2005)
M
Machuca (2004)
Madame Bovary (1991)
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (2006)
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)
Mirror (1974)
Molly's Way (2005)
Momma's Man (2008)
Mondo Topless (1966)
Monsieur Hire (1989)
Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
Motor Psycho (1965)
Mudhoney (1965)
My Dinner With Andre (1981)
Myra Breckinridge (1970)
N
Nathalie... (2003)
New York Doll (2005)
Nobody Knows (Dare Mo Shiranai) (2004)
O
O'Horten (2009)
Olivier, Olivier (1995)
One From The Heart (1982)
Onibaba (The Hole) (1964)
Orphee (1949)
P
Le Parfum D'Yvone (1994)
The Passenger (Professione: Reporter) (1975)
La Peau Douce (1964)
Paris, Texas (1984)
Permanent Vacation (1982)
The Pervert's Guide To Cinema (2006)
Pierrot Le Fou (1965)
The Pied Piper of Hutzovinia (2006)
The Ploughman's Lunch (1983)
Primitive London (1965)
The Proposition (2005)
Puritan (2005)
R
Radio On (1980)
The Reckless Moment (1949)
The Red Balloon (1956)
The Red Desert (1964)
Reprise (2006)
The Return (2003)
Return Of The Fly (1959)
Ridicule (1996)
Rien Sur Robert (1999)
The Road (2010)
Robinson In Space (1997)
Rock School (2005)
Rock 'N' Roll High School (1978)
Ro.Go.Pa.G. (1963)
Running Stumbled (2006)
S
71 Fragments In A Chronology Of Chance (1994)
Salesman (1969)
Salo Or The 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
The Saragossa Manuscript (1965)
Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus (2005)
Seconds (1960)
Secret Things (Choses Secrètes) (2002)
The September Issue (2009)
Serpico (1973)
The Servant (1963)
Screaming Masterpiece (2005)
The Sheltering Sky (1990)
Shooting Robert King (2009)
The Shout (1978)
Silent Tongue (1993)
Slacker (1991)
Slade In Flame (1975)
Smithereens (1982)
Starsuckers (2009)
The Stones In The Park (1969)
Story Of A Love Affair (Cronaca Di Un Amore) (1950)
Straight to Hell (1987)
Strawberry and Chocolate (1993)
Summer With Monika (1953)
Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)
Sunshine (2007)
Swingers (1996)
T
2046 (2004)
35 Shots Of Rum (2009)
Taking Woodstock (2009)
Theorem (1968)
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Three Miles North Of Molkom (2009)
Tigrero: A Film That Was Never Made (1994)
To Get to Heaven First You Have to Die (2008)
To Have And To Hold (1996)
Trainspotting (1996)
Transylvania (2006)
Trash (1970)
The Tree Of Wooden Clogs (1978)
Trees Lounge (1996)
The Triumph Of Love (2001)
True North (2006)
U
Under The Volcano (1984)
Until The End Of The World (1991)
V
La Vie De Jesus (1997)
Viva (2007)
W
Walkabout (1971)
We Are All Christs (Wszyscy Jestesmy Chrystusam) (2005)
We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen (2005)
We Live In Public (2009)
Welcome (2009)
Where The Buffalo Roam (1980)
Wicker Park (2004)
Wings of Desire (1987)
Wise Blood (1979)
Wonderful Town (2007)
The Wrong Move (1974)
Z
Zombie And The Ghost Train (1991)
Zombie Strippers! (2008)