MovieChat Forums > George Washington (2001) Discussion > What other films do you fans like?

What other films do you fans like?

posted 19 years ago by one-fine-day
26 replies | jump to latest

The first film I caught of D.G.G.'s was All The Real Girls which I was impressed by. I bought the criterion edition of George Washington and relly enjoyed it too.

He has a very personal approach - his films are uneventful and poetic, but still absorbing. As he has very much an acquired taste, I wanted to ask...

If you like this film, what other movies do you like? I'm thinking more specifically of similar films, maybe top 5's or something, just out of interest.

Thanks...

[–] PTA-fan 19 years ago

check out my link.

My top 20:
http://www.ymdb.com/julian-donkey-boy/l28735_ukuk.html

[–] one-fine-day 19 years ago

Thanks - haven't seen too many there actually, it's an interesting list.

I noticed you like Werner Herzog. Could you talk me through his movies briefly, describe a little to me. I would be interested in checking him out.

[–] JustokKarma 19 years ago

I see him as an enormous influence on David Gordon Green. Check out 'Stroszek' by Herzog. It got a nice DVD release with lots of interesting info on it and a great commentary by Herzog. It's the first of his that I saw and it's a good starting point in my opinion.

[–] PTA-fan 19 years ago

Stroszek is certainly an influence on DGG. All the Real Girls is the only other film to have shot on the same racetrack in Stroszek. But I recommend Aguirre: The Wrath of God as a starting point. Any film fan will like it, but you need to be a Herzog fan to enjoy his non-Kinski films, for the most part.

My top 20:
http://www.ymdb.com/julian-donkey-boy/l28735_ukuk.html

[–] Chadd-3 18 years ago

Two words: Terrence Malick.

See every film that man touches, because I ASSURE YOU, Green has.

[–] MacAindrais 18 years ago

I was just about to say how the hell has no one mentioned Malick yet.

By far the biggest influence on Green.

[–] cosbyshowfan 18 years ago

Yeah, Malick is CLEARLY a huge influence. His best film in my opinion is Days of Heaven. It's a poetic masterpiece.

[–] moviefreakest 18 years ago

I thought undertow was another really good one he did

[–] deanowest 18 years ago

Nick Roeg is another big influence. check out Walkabout and the Man Who Fell to Earth.

Green seems to mix script with improv or dare I say documentry. for instance in George Washington sometimes he told his actors to talk about thier first kiss and he filmed it. that's documentry in my book. the garbage dump scenes were documentry too. it was there and he shot it. same goes for the snake.

I totally agree with the Herzog comparisons. visually i don't think they look alike but the mixture of the real and the scripted are found in both film makers. my favorite Herzog films....Even Dwarfs Started Small, Fitzcarraldo, Kaspar Hauser, Grizzly man. I've seen about 7 or 8 films by Herzog so far.

Oh and lets not forget the 400 blows. the off screen DGG interview of George is lifted from 400 blows.

[–] oracio_r 18 years ago

"Oh and lets not forget the 400 blows. the off screen DGG interview of George is lifted from 400 blows."

I don't understand. Could you explain yourself, please?

[–] deanowest 18 years ago

you need to rent the 400 blows. towards the end of the film, maybe a third in, there are interviews of antoine (sp?) by an off camera psychologist or therapist. we don't see the psychologist, but we hear him. the camera is stuck on Antoine. the "actor" asking the questions is the director of the film, truffaut (sp?). the actor playing antoine, as the story goes, was directed to answer the questions not as the character but truthfully. DGG does the same scene with george. green asks the questions and george answers them.

also it is written that the actor that played antoine was chosen because he didn't have to act. he was antoine. he behaved like truffaut believed antione the character would behave. DGG did the same thing. he hung out at the y and watched kids. he then approached the ones who behaved like he thought the characters would behave. this is reported in the commentary for george washington.

sounds like you need to see the 400 blows. you'll love it, esp. if you love george washington.

that's all for now

[–] oracio_r 18 years ago

No, no, I've seen it, only I didn't remember that particular scene. I do now, though. Thanks. And yes, The 400 Blows is quite the important (and admittedly great) film it's hyped up to be. Thanks for the reminder. I should get to seeing it again.

[–] thewigginsrox 18 years ago

BADLANDS!!!!

[–] RobDB9 17 years ago

Below are Five Films I highly reccommed if you have not seen them. A must for any cinema lover.

*In no particular order
1. Ratcatcher
2. The Warzone
3. Nil By Mouth
4. The Pusher Trilogy
5. Man Bites Dog

[–] magnaestcinema 17 years ago

Nobody has said Killer of Sheep (probably because you haven't had the chance to get your hands on it). As of this year, you'll be able to check out this masterpiece that had a huge influence on George Washington.

[–] Heinsbergen 17 years ago

i bet people who liked this would also like "gummo" which was really similiar in a lot of ways although the connection seems sort of weird.

Where are you, Mount Everest? Give me some Everest.

[–] smiley_b81 16 years ago

Yes, yes, Chuck Burnett's "Killer of Sheep", a huge influence on "George Washington"

others I'd recommend for his fans are (off-top-of-my-head):

"Sweet Land" by Ali Selim
"Farewell to Matayora" by Elem Klimov (if you can find it)
"Old Joy" by Kelly Reichardt
"McCabe & Mrs. Miller" by Robert Altman
"Thunderbold and Lightfoot" by Michael Cimino
"Tully" by Hillary Birmingham
"Medium Cool" by Haskell Wexler
"Picnic At Hanging Rock" by Peter Weir
"Paris, Texas" by Wim Wenders

Pretty much anything by Herzog, Korine or Lynne Ramsay as mentioned, as well as Flahnery (guy who made "Nanook of the North"), and perhaps, Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" and Andrew Dominick's recent film "The Assassination of Jesse James.." (which was hugely influenced by Malick).

"I didn't know they made bastard's as sexy as you!"

[–] fentress 7 years ago

Smiley, I just stumbled on to this old post of yours. Wow. Three of the movies on your list are favorites of mine too. They are "Sweet Land", "McCabe and Mrs. Miller", and "Paris, Texas". It's rare that I come across anyone else who has even seen that combo of obscure films, let alone consider them favorites.

I have also seen "Picnic at Hanging Rock". Liked it fairly well but I'm not quite ready to consider it a favorite.

I could list other such little-known underappreciated movies if I took my time, but a few that come to mind right now: "Reuben Reuben" from 1983 by Robert Ellis Miller, "Heavy" by James Mangold, and "Wildrose" by John Hanson.

I have heard often of Herzog but have not seen any of his films. I should get a round tuit.

[–] de_lunares 15 years ago

Watching George Washington reminded me a lot of Larry Clark's Kids. Kids is definitely much more gritty but the two films have quite a bit in common.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] kingofmoke 15 years ago

Spirit of the Beehive

Also (although I havn't seen it) 'Ballast' looks like it would appeal to fans of this. I'm still waiting for a UK release or DVD

[–] SofaOnWheels 14 years ago

Gummo and George Washington have nothing in common. George Washington had a plot (albeit a small one), Gummo was just following gross individuals around town while they shoot at cats. I can't understand it when people tell me I looked at Gummo the wrong way, and it's an important social commentary, blah blah blah. It was trash.

Malick definitely has a huge influence on Green, it's evident in at least his first two movies. My favorite movie is Forrest Gump, so I'll just stop right there, haha.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] IMDBosh 12 years ago

Hi, I'm looking for more films like GW. Not films like malick's ones but movies about people hangin' around doing nothing. I don't really know how to explain this but I'll give you exemples of films i'm looking for if it can help.

Gummo by korine
Nowhere by Araky
Dark Days by Marc Singer
The Million Dollar Hotel by wenders

and why not:
The GoodTimesKid by azazel jacobs
Shotgun Stories by mike nichols
Old joy by Kelly Reichardt