Negative Space: Criterion
- Carnival of Souls
- There are places in this world where the other world intrudes: old carnivals; deserted highways; busy bus stations… This seminal horror movie contains no blood, no knives, and for the most part, no budget, but it was well-written, beautifully shot, and carefully directed and acted. Inspiration from this movie can be seen in later films from “Night of the Living Dead” to “Beetlejuice”.
- Dazed and Confused
- This movie is an incredible tale of sound and fury signifying high school. Linklater has crafted a beautiful story of a bunch of high schools students in Texas on the last day of school in 1976. There is no plot to get in the way of characterization. The soundtrack consists of seventies songs chosen specifically scene by scene for maximum impact. If you were ever in high school, you should see this movie for nostalgia reasons; if not, you should see it as an education. Slow ride, baby. Watch it in English or French, or with English or Spanish subtitles.
- The Seven Samurai
- Probably the most influential samurai film, starring Toshirô Mifune and directed by Akira Kurosawa. It inspired more than just samurai: “The Magnificent Seven” was “Seven Samurai” remade into one of the most influential westerns.
