Tag Archives: Carl Theodor Dreyer

Best Court room drama films (10+1list)

Best Court room drama films.

written by Souranath Banerjee

Back in 1928 director Carl Theodor Dreyer made an epic film The Passion of Joan of Arc and although the movie was unique in many other aspects but it was also probably the first ever cinema to showcase the dramatization inside a court room.

And since then, there has been several brilliant contributions made to the ‘courtroom drama’ genre.

The Judge, the jury, the lawyer, the accused and the witnesses. Guilty or Not guilty?

Sometimes the primary focus is on the lawyer’s intellect and determination while other films deal more with the accused or the suspense of the final verdict. 

The list below consists of some of the best Courtroom drama films ever made.

So, Order! Order!

10. 12 Angry Men (1957)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7CBKT0PWFA

12-angry-men-posterWhen you say ‘courtroom drama’, the first film that comes to your mind is this one, and why not?

An epic film directed by Sidney Lumet featuring a murder trail where 12 jury members have to come to a decision unanimously.

Almost shot inside a single room, 12 characters and their unique approach to the case. Henry Fonda‘s best role.

Another brilliant film by the same director on this genre is The Verdict (1982). A must watch.

9. The Paradine Case (1947)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGt4VvcSfjU

pardine-case-posterNot one of his best suspense thrillers, but nevertheless Alfred Hitchcock‘s contribution to the courtroom drama genre.

A lawyer risks his own marriage and reputation as he falls for the beautiful female client accused of murdering her own husband!

Gregory PeckAnn ToddCharles Laughton and Oscar nominated Ethel Barrymore all at their best.

8. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsVN1hv9D5c

witness-prosecution-posterThis time it’s director Billy Wilder who joins the courtroom drama.

Brilliant performances by Tyrone PowerMarlene DietrichCharles Laughton

The film’s suspense is so vital that the audience before entering the hall had to sign, cards that read, ‘I solemnly swear I will not reveal the ending of Witness for the Prosecution.’! 

7. Primal Fear (1996)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnmTi7hSjrA

primal-fear-posterA priest murdered and an alter boy is accused for killing him. But the real truth is not what it seems to be.

Directed by Gregory Hoblit, this one is a superb drama with some pretty unexpected twists.

Richard Gere and Laura Linney give awesome performances but the one to look for in the film is Edward Norton, a star was born.

Another cool film by the same director on this genre is Fracture (2007). A good watch.

6. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfOgZXIQ6fo

Judgment-Nuremberg-posterFour Nazi judges are to be judged for their war crimes, but before the cold-war people are willing to forget the past very easily.

Director Stanley Kramer creates this terrific American courtroom in occupied Germany of 1948 and tells the intense tale of judgement. 

Probably the film of most historical significance in this list.

Another awesome film by the same director on this genre is Inherit the Wind (1960)

5. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAVLvGP25uQ

Anatomy-Murder-posterCan temporary insanity be the reason for committing murder?

My favorite actor James Stewart gives a great performance along with Lee Remick and Ben Gazzara.

Directed by Otto Preminger, there was controversy because the film uses words like ‘bitch’, ‘contraceptive’, ‘panties’, ‘penetration’, ‘rape, ‘slut’ and ‘sperm’ for the first time on screen!

4. Philadelphia (1993)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl4B9AU45P4

philadelphia-posterTom HanksDenzel WashingtonRoberta Maxwell all together in this superb drama.

A lawyer takes the case of a man who press charges on his employee on the ground that he was fired just because he had AIDS.

Directed by Jonathan Demme, this is one remarkable film based on a true incident.

3. …And Justice for All. (1979)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQzYNoLANrg

And-Justice-All-poster‘You’re out of order! The whole trial is out of order! They’re out of order!’

One of Al Pacino‘s classics, a film that is intense and indeed makes you doubt the true meaning of justice.

A lawyer is forced to defend a judge who seems to be guilty.

Directed by Norman Jewison, one of the best court drama ever made. 

2. The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFwE3UgCMIk

Lincoln-Lawyer-posterA wealthy client, a talented defense lawyer with a conscience and then there is a full proof plan to beat the system!

Matthew McConaughey at his best as usual along with Marisa Tomei and Ryan Phillippe.

Directed by Brad Furman this one is one of the best court dramas of recent times.

  1. A Few Good Men (1992)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePo91pMcu94

few-good-men-posterDirected by master director Rob Reiner, this film has one thrilling court drama.

A Navy lawyer determined to defend two Marines who have been accused of murdering a colleague. But things doesn’t look as simple as they are.

Great performances by Tom CruiseJack NicholsonDemi MooreKevin Bacon – you can’t miss this one.

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most unique one. A must watch).

+1. OMG: Oh My God! (2012)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nUwpoTrWFk

OMG-Oh-My-God-PosterAn earthquake destroys an atheist shopkeeper’s shop and so he takes God to the courtroom.

Directed by Umesh Shukla, a film that is so innovative and probably the only film that so aptly deals with commercialization of religion in our current social scenario.

Akshay KumarParesh Rawal and Mithun Chakraborty – couldn’t have been better on the performance basis. 

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.comhttp://www.koimoi.com and www.bollywoodmdb.com.

Best Classic Silent Films – the power of visuals (10+1list)

Best Classic Silent Films – the power of visuals

written by Souranath Banerjee.

Best Classic Silent Films – the power of visuals: In the midst of the endless dialogues, song sequences and background music we shouldn’t forget that Cinema is primarily a visual medium of story telling.  

As Alfred Hitchcock once pointed out:

‘If it’s a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on.’

Alfonso Cuarón in an interview for his film Gravity did mention:

‘I think much of mainstream cinema are films that you can watch with your eyes closed. You enter the cinema, buy your popcorn, sit down, close your eyes, start eating your popcorn the movie begins and the movie ends you didn’t miss one thing because they told you everything. As opposed to you experiencing the film and seeing visual information.’

But believe it or not, in the earlier days of Cinema the directors had no choice but to tell their stories visually (sound wasn’t available due to some unavoidable technological deficiencies).

And yet, what marvelous films they made; the content and the visuals were so empowering that dialogues seemed redundant and pointless.

Well, here is a list of some of the best classic silent films ever made in the history of Cinema.

1. Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916)

FIlm trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzNL5JRTI6I

Intolerance-posterObviously D.W. Griffith is more famous for his film The Birth of a Nation but this particular film is probably his best work.

A blend of four stories, set in four different historical eras – French, Babylonian, Judean and Modern; tied together thematically by the subject of “intolerance”. 

At the time, it was the most expensive film but unfortunately not a commercial success.

Other notable silent films made by the same director: The Birth of a Nation (1915), Way Down East (1920) and Orphans of the Storm (1921).

2. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAtpxqajFak

Directed by cabinet-of-dr-caligari-posterRobert Wiene, probably the first ever horror film (made before “horror” was a designated genre).  

The sets were made out of paper and the shadows were painted on the walls – German expressionism at it’s best.

If you don’t know the meaning of the word ‘somnambulist’ and if you are a fan of serial killer mysteries – this is a must watch for you.

Other notable silent films made by the same director: Crime and Punishment (1923) and The Hands of Orlac (1924).

3. Battleship Potemkin (1925)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS5kzTbNKjs

Potemkin-poster

Voted as the 11th greatest film of all time in 2012 Sight & Sound critic’s poll.

The sailors revolt against injustice which leads to a brutal police massacre (the famous Odessa steps sequence).

The genius of Russian director Sergei M. Eisenstein is best showcased in this particular film – a true masterpiece.

Other notable silent films made by the same director: Strike (1925), October (Ten Days that Shook the World) (1928) and Old and New (1929).

4. The Big Parade (1925)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_-BvxzdOr4

Big-parade-poster

The highest grossing silent film of all time, it made $22 million during its worldwide release!

The first ever ‘war film’ of such epic scale, King Vidor directed this unique film portraying the horrors of war and the effect it caused on young soldiers.

And then there was the love story between an American soldier and a French girl – a perfect blend of war, romance and a bit of comedy too.

Other notable silent films made by the same director: Wild Oranges (1924), Show People (1928) and The Crowd (1928).

5. The General (1926)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99TdN8W6EAA

general-poster

More of an action film with good doses of Buster Keaton’s straight faced comedy.

A man almost single-handedly spoils a train-highjack plan and saves his girlfriend too!

Directed by Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton, the film is a fast paced powerhouse of entertainment, physical comedy at it’s best. 

Other notable silent films made by the Buster Keaton: Sherlock Jr. (1924)The Navigator (1924), Seven Chances (1925) and Go West (1925).

6. Metropolis (1927)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSExdX0tds4

metropolis-poster

The film takes place in 2026 – the first ever SIFi movie and an inspiration to all the futuristic films yet to be made.

Most expensive film of the time, Fritz Lang took a year and a half to shoot and due to it’s commercial failure the production house UFA (Universum Film) went bankrupt.   

A cinematic brilliance, the best of German expressionism.

Other notable silent films made by the same director: Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild’s Revenge (1924), Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler (1922) and Spies (1928).

7. Sunrise (1927)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTID4ZVy6OE

sunrise-poster

‘Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans’ is voted as the 5th greatest film of all time in 2012 Sight & Sound critic’s poll.

An unique love story and a perfect cinematic experience – often regarded as the best silent film ever.

Directed by the famous German director F.W. Murnau the film is indeed the most emotional and captivating films i have ever seen. 

Other notable silent films made by the same director: Nosferatu (1922), The Last Laugh (1924) and Faust (1926).

8. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQj_3AY-E1g

passion-of-joan-of-arc-poster1

Voted as the 9th greatest film of all time in 2012 Sight & Sound critic’s poll.

This film directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer is a bible for portraying emotions and expressions with Close-Up shots.

Maria Falconetti, her performance as Joan od Arc is considered by many critics as the single greatest performance ever put on film.

Other notable silent films made by the same director: Leaves Out of the Book of Satan (1920), Master of the House (1925) and Vampyr (1932).

9. The Wind (1928)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Un8SBnjY4

wind-poster

A young girl comes to stay with her cousin in the west but the weather and the people were too rough for her to handle.

Directed by Victor Sjöström and superb performance by Lillian Gish, this one is undoubtedly the best silent western film ever.

The high-velocity wind was created by the propellers of eight aircraft stationed on location at Mojave Desert (where the film was shot).

Other notable silent films made by the same director: The Outlaw and His Wife (1918), The Phantom Carriage (1921) and He Who Gets Slapped (1924).

10. City Lights (1931)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_W1tOngo-w

city-lights-poster

A tramp who falls in love with a blind flower-girl – The ultimate Romantic Comedy ever.

Favorite film of Orson Welles, Andrei Tarkovsky, Stanley KubrickWoody Allen, and even Charles Chaplin himself considered this film to be his best. 

It was a silent film made during the sound era and still was a huge success.

Other notable silent films made by the same director: The Kid (1921), The Gold Rush (1925), The Circus (1926) and Modern Times (1936).

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most innovative one. A must watch).

+1. Nanook of the North (1922)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN1qwowbXR4

Nanook-of-the-North-poster

Voted as the 7th greatest documentary of all time in 2014 Sight & Sound critic’s poll.

Probably the first proper documentary shot, director Robert J. Flaherty followed Nanook and his family in the freezing Arctics for a year to achieve this feat.  

A silent documentary made with great aesthetics and intimacy – an inspiration to all the travel/cultural documentaries made till date.

Other notable silent films made by the same director: Man of Aran (1934) and Louisiana Story (1948).

And now a few other legendary silent films that are definitely worth mentioning:

Director Louis Bunuel‘s surrealistic short film Un Chien Andalou (1929), Edward Sedgwick‘s epic comedy The Cameraman (1928), Henry King‘s revenge saga Tol’able David (1921), Clarence Brown‘s film about love and friendship Flesh and the Devil (1926), Georg Wilhelm Pabst‘s take on lust and erotism Pandora’s Box (1929) and a perfect love triangle Wings (1927) directed by William A. Wellman.

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