I think this thread is probably more about relatively unknown movies/mini-series that other viewers might not have seen--and are largely in foreign languages. I find that I don't really like reading subtitles on foreign movies. I find it tiring and leaving me with a feeling that the translations are not really telling the full story of the dialogue. I feel like I'm missing too much in subtitled foreign language films.
But I do find that there are several themes that I do like very much and watch over and over again, some of which many of those reading here might have overlooked.
Techno-Thrillers (military, spy, crypto, sci-fi) rank quite high on my preferred list of movies/mini-series I watch over and over again.
More recently, the spy thrillers of John le Carré based on multiple TV miniseries and movies have garnered my viewing time (
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,
Smiley's People,
The Little Drummer Girl,
The Russia House,
The Night Manager,
The Tailor of Panama,
The Constant Gardener,
A Most Wanted Man and
Our Kind of Traitor) all seem to hold my attention over over genres, particularly in terms of watching multiple times. I find that some of le Carre's screenplays are so "intricate" and packed with relevant details that important sections of the plot typically go unnoticed at first or even second viewing. In particular, newer Blu-Ray restorations of the early 1980s British TV series with Alec Guinness I highly recommend (not the originals on DVD) for
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People. I find myself watching these
many times.
I also like certain types of legal dramas and courtroom dramas (e.g.,
12 Angry Men*, Anatomy of a Murder, Inherit the Wind, Judgment at Nuremberg, To Kill A Mockingbird) that expand on societal problems. All of these dramas were filmed in a narrow time period (1957-1962) and still represent perhaps the pinnacle of that genre. (I don't generally care for legal dramas of serial killers and thrill killers--of stories where the guilt of the defendant is assured, etc., as I find these to be too long and melodramatic.)
Finally, I find that the historical dramas of Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters hold a special place in our viewing pleasure, e.g.,
Pride & Prejudice (2005), Sense & Sensibility (1995), Emma (1996 and 2020), Mansfield Park (1999), Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, etc. I also strongly recommend the Blu-Ray versions of these movies (where available).
Chris
*12 Angry Men in particular has served as a study on how personalities make decisions and how they see the world (i.e., the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator [MBTI]--which I've found to be very useful in the past to be able to spot when dealing with individuals). For instance:
Juror | “12 Angry Men” Character | Actor | Probable MBTI Profile | Order of
“Not Guilty” |
1 | Jury foreman, somewhat task preoccupied | Martin Balsam | ISFJ | 9 |
2 | Mild, unpretentious bank clerk | John Fiedler | ISFP | 5 |
3 | Businessman, emotionally distraught father | Lee J. Cobb | ESTJ | 12 |
4 | Rational stockbroker, imperturbable and self-assured | E.G. Marshall | ISTJ | 10-11 |
5 | Young man from violent slum & a Baltimore Orioles fan | Jack Klugman | INFP | 3 |
6 | Painter, tough but principled/respectful | Ed Binns | ISFJ | 6 |
7 | Salesman, sports fan, superficial, indifferent | Jack Warden | ESFP | 7 |
8 | Architect (Davis) – lone dissenter | Henry Fonda | INTP | 1 |
9 | Wise/observant/elderly (McCardle) | Joseph Sweeney | INFP | 2 |
10 | Garage owner, loudmouth racist | Ed Begley Sr. | ESTJ | 10-11 |
11 | Immigrant watchmaker, proud to be an American citizen | George Voskovec | INTJ | 4 |
12 | An indecisive advertising executive | Robert Webber | ENFP | 8 |
