Guest Post: The 3 Prettiest Films

Hey, it’s been ages since I posted about movies. Admittedly, Carpet Head and I haven’t been going to the cinemas as often as we used to. We’ve been having too much fun staying in and just watching TV or DVDs. Of course, we did manage to catch the must-see ones. You know which ones I’m talking about. The last three movies we watched together were The Avengers, The Amazing Spiderman and The Dark Knight Rises–all totally EPIC, incredibly AWESOME, and INSANE.

Why yes, I enjoyed them immensely, how’d you guess? I can’t say how much these movies ruled, especially the last two, but I’m not going to go raving about them now. Right now I turn over the floor–er, blog–to Samantha, who is my awesome guest today. Read about her top 3 prettiest (and awesome) films. Take it away, Sam. (Can I call you, Sam?)

The 3 Prettiest Films I’ve Ever Seen

by Samantha Gray

Sometimes a movie’s plot, themes, and other such cerebral malarkey take a backseat to the sheer visual spectacle of the silver screen. While none of the films I’m writing about here will prove to be a slouch in those other departments, I’m recommending them here just because I think they’re so gosh darn beautiful. Here are my suggestions for the next time you’re craving sumptuous eye candy: 

1. Barry Lyndon 

After the mindbending success of 2001, Stanley Kubrick had originally planned to film a life of Napoleon. For various reasons, this project was destined to be added to the list of great films that never were (although there’s now a lovely coffee table book that compiles Kubrick’s massive troves of research material and preliminary art). But he was able to pour some of that research on military history and art history into this 1975 film. Using almost entirely natural lighting (courtesy of a special ultra-fast NASA lens), Kubrick came about as close as one can to painting a masterpiece with a movie camera. 
Runner-up: 2001: A Space Odyssey

2. Sunrise 

F.W. Murnau is still one of the most underrated directors in history, probably because the words “silent” and “German” are enough to scare off many less adventurous movie fans. But his The Last Laugh is a triumph of humanism, his Faust is a special-effects blowout that still amazes eighty years later, and Nosferatu would make Edward Cullen poop blood. Sunrise, a parable about temptation and infidelity, still makes critics’ best-of-all-time lists. It’s a poem, it’s a dream, it’s a droem? I don’t know. Check it out. 
Runner-up: Murnau’s Tabu, his last film is a docudrama shot in Tahiti, and also gorgeous. 

3. Pinocchio

The artistry and creativity coming out of the Walt Disney Studio in the 1930s still have the power to enchant and amaze. My personal view is that the high-water mark was reached with the second feature — Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was an incredible piece of work, but Walt outdid himself with the follow-up, the story of the little wooden boy and the Blue Fairy. The more complicated and bizarre plot suited the proliferation of new studio techniques, and the perfection of other innovations, like rotoscoping, that were still a bit rugged in Snow White. 

Runner-up: Fantasia, or maybe Beauty and the Beast…what’s your favorite? 

Author Bio:
Samantha Gray freelances for various websites and publications, and her writing often focuses on providing information about obtaining a degree on BachelorsDegreeOnline.com. She also enjoys writing poetry and short fiction. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to samanthagray024@gmail.com.