'Before eating, always take a little time to thank the food."-American Indian Proverb

What makes Tampopo (Juzo Itami, 1985) different and interesting is the way the audience is led by the visuals. One minute the audience is following one story then the camera side tracks and the audience is led into another story. Each story is connected by the theme of food. The loose structure and mix of genres makes the film similar to French New Wave cinema. Tampopo combines comedy with a gangster or even Truckie genre while referencing many visuals from previous films only noticeable to the audience with a wide education in film. All in all a light and interesting film to see mainly for the loose editing and different story line.

"Today, if you are not confused, you are just not thinking clearly."-U. Peter

One of the best known non-hollywood cinema directors is Swedish Ingmar Berman. His film
Persona (1966) is if not anything else confusing. As Bergman says his film is "a poem in images". The opening sequence proves this visual poem showing cuts of almost random and disturbing images. The shots of film reels to tell the audience they are about to watch a film. The movie certainly sits between dreams and reality. The seemingly stonger of the two women (nurse Alma) starts to break down through he mute patient (Elisabet). Almas persona is stripped and the two women get mixed up and lost within each other. A very confusing film which could be interpreted many ways. However doesn't have to be understood to be appreciated. It comments on what is reality and different characters we present ourselves with. The camera work in Persona is quite interesting. Bergman uses extreme close-ups, not much camera movement, single shots with the camera and interesting camera frames at times.

"The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live."- Joan Borysenko

Another Francois Truffaut French New Wave classic Jules and Jim (1962) tells a strong story about life, love war, loss, regret and frustration. Once again the first priority of the film is to be visually artistic breaking the tradition of ordinary cinema. The editing techniques are interesting. In the New Wave style using freeze-frames, hand held shots, dissolves and fast pans. The powerful emotive themes expressed in Jules and Jim through different artistic forms make the film interesting to watch. Another good film of Truffaut and the French New Wave.

"The mediator between head and hands must be the heart"

Being the first science fiction epic and the most expensive film of the time, Metropolis (1927- Fritz Lang) is a spectacular film. The expressionist style of the sets (futuristic cityscapes and machines), story and characters (futuristic robot, crazy scientist and huge masses of clone like people) convey a strange atmosphere to the film. Metropolis has influenced many futuristic films such as Bladerunner (Ridley Scott,1982). The story touches on the fight between classes, man and machine, and politics. Being a silent movie Metroplois can be quite slow for impatient audiences of our time however looking past that it is a very artistic film mainly due to it's outstanding expressionist techniques.

“Revolution is the only lawful, equal, effectual war. It was in Russia that this war was declared and begun.”

The Battleship Potemkin (1925- Sergel Eisenstein) is based on a true story of sailors rebellion that causes a massacre. Being a slow and long political movie it may seem irritating for modern viewers. However once again, The Battleship Potemkin is a must see for people interested in the history of cinema. The style of this film is intriguing. The use of Russian montage, for example, juxtaposing contrasting images to create a third meaning and the dynamic cutting to evoke emotional and physical reactions. Eisenstein developed this style of editing giving him control over the audience. This movie is unlike classical Hollywood cinema with the use of not having a main character or hero. Everyone is just a stereotype. For example a sailor, priest, mother etc.

"Horror is beyond the reach of psychology." -Theodor Adorno

The thing that makes The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (Robert Wiere- 1919) a great film is the
expressionistic sets. Even for it's time it still holds as being very fascinating film introducing expressionism to the cinema. Expressionists are not interested in producing the outer reality, rather the ‘inner life’. The film is shot in a studio giving the director more control over the set, lighting and camera work. This new ephasise on the lighting, set and costumes gave the art director a more important role in the film making process.

Although the story is quite traditional, it is filmed in a non-traditional way. Like Melies' "Trip to the Moon" is filmed in an unrealistic way that exaggerates reality. The strange irregular painted sets, unexpected camera angles, expressionistic lighting, dark shadows and high contrasts create a eerie mood and a mad world. This all helps emphasise the story being shown through the eyes of a mad man.

Robert Wiere is thought of as the father of horror films starting the traditional Hollywood horror film genre consisting of a mad doctor, monster he creates and girl they terrorise and influencing other expressionist films such as Dracula (Tod Browning- 1931), Frankenstein (James Whale- 1931), Hitchcock films and film noir. An extremely artistic film and another classic in the history of cinema making it a must see for film historians, even if it is only watched for its non realistic, stylised component.