My Top 3 as far as overall output & classical output goes:

1. France
2. Japan
3. Russian Federation/USSR

And My Top 3 for contemporary film:

1. Japan
2. France
3. Iran

Israel appears to be going great work. Some of what I saw at the City to City program at TIFF this year spotlighting Tel Aviv was extraordinary and I heard good things from others too. Also, saw The Bubble last week which was very good.

It seems like it goes in waves.

For awhile there, Romania was putting out one great film after the next. Before that, Iran had a moment in the sun for awhile.

I don't really know that there is anyone who is at the top of the field now. I can't pinpoint which country is coming out with foreign films right now that are head and shoulders above the rest.

The United States of course has had historically the greatest film quality.

The most recent (6th/once a decade) survey of critics around the world had 214 films with two or more ten best list mentions.

US - 69
France - 41
Italy - 16
Japan - 14

No other country had more than ten.

Apart from indisputably having the largest number of acclaimed masterpieces, the US also had traditionally the greatest depth of quality. This is where Japan also excels, and to a lesser extent France and Italy.

France and Japan have maintained a good level of quality; the US hasn't. But its reputation as being the producers of more great movies than any other country will likely never be credibly challenged.

I'd say the Brits, the Italians, the French, and the U.S.

I think one can argue against the U.S. now, but during the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and somewhat the 70s they were pumping out good film after good film under the studio system. Maybe not all can be considered great art, but they were definitely good to great to outright masterpieces, and they were all entertaining. And American independent film during the 90s and 2000s have been truly stunning as have some television films and mini-series (which are really just 4-6 hour films for the most part). It's really just the studio films now that are the problem.

Africa has had some good films this decade, but I haven't seen enough and it's hard to pin point just one country.

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American film - as great as it was from the 1930s-1960s - was at its greatest in the 1920s, as was world cinema.

During the 1920s though the Germans equalled the US (and then of course exported much of its talent to the US). The Soviets for a few years until Stalin purged most of the greats were also immensely important in the 1920s.

The UK had some good to great directors (Hitchcok before he left, Michael Powell, Carol Reed occasionally, a few others), but its industry never remotely reached the level of France, Italy, arguably even Sweden in Western Europe, and certainly not Germany either before 1930 or after 1970.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: seanflynn,

AMERICA FIRST! (thumps chest, scratches privates, belches loudly)

America was first, but much of it had to do with all the foreign talent assimilated into the industry, That was the great secret that helped made a talented industry even greater.

quote:

Originally posted by seanflynn:
The United States of course has had historically the greatest film quality.

The most recent (6th/once a decade) survey of critics around the world had 214 films with two or more ten best list mentions.

US - 69
France - 41
Italy - 16
Japan - 14

No other country had more than ten.

Apart from indisputably having the largest number of acclaimed masterpieces, the US also had traditionally the greatest depth of quality. This is where Japan also excels, and to a lesser extent France and Italy.

France and Japan have maintained a good level of quality; the US hasn't. But its reputation as being the producers of more great movies than any other country will likely never be credibly challenged.

Where can I find this list?

http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/

Bicycle Thief was #1 in the first poll (1952); Citizen Kane has been the five decades since,

It is the most comprehensive and generally most respected international poll. This is of critics, but they have also added one of directors.

I have particular adorations for French, Italian, and Mexican Cinema. Just my faves.

quote:

Originally posted by seanflynn:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/

Bicycle Thief was #1 in the first poll (1952); Citizen Kane has been the five decades since,

It is the most comprehensive and generally most respected international poll. This is of critics, but they have also added one of directors.

Interesting that 'The Bicycle Thief' is no longer even on the list.

Although a decent film, The Bicycle Thief had its moment of glory because it was the first non-English language film to break through in the US and UK after the war. Although Open City and other neo-realist films had been seen, Bicycle Thief because of its major commercial success (it was the first foreign language film either of my parents ever saw for example) and terrific reviews made it a logical film to rally around, particularly with the smaller pool of critics used in 1952.

It got mentioned by one critic in 2002.

As critics became more familiar with greater neo-realist Italian directors like Rossellini and Visconti, Bicycle Thief faded. And De Sica himself becoming more often than not a hack director didn't help its reputation either.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: seanflynn,

I tried showing a class The Bicycle Thief, because I wanted to expose them to something other than Porky's, and the Saw movies. Half-way through, there was snoring, and people with their heads on the table asleep. I was beseeched to turn it off.
I tried.

I usually enjoy seeing a country not known for it's film industry, getting attention. Turkey had a film that was made by a man who was jailed, and yet managed to get it out. It was a subversive film, with a woman chained to the floor of her kitchen.

Was the Yol Pook?

quote:

Originally posted by seanflynn:
And De Sica himself becoming more often than not a hack director didn't help its reputation either.

Ladri di biciclette, Umberto D., La ciociara, and Il giardino dei Finzi Contini alone are enough to ensure De Sica's reputation.

No need to call him a "hack."

Yes it was Yol. That was a remarkable achievement by Yilmaz Guney in the face of harsh repression.

Speaking of Turkey, what about Armenia:

Sayat Nova, 1968, directed by Sergei Parajanov

Considered a masterpiece by Fellini, Godard, and Antonioni.

'Nuff said.

Thankfully some people don't blindly follow the assertions of critics when they "decide what is a good film".

The USA made some great films, especially in the 20s & 30s, but on the whole American film hasn't played around with philosophical themes or explored big questions - philosophically and politically - in the way films from many other countries have. What the USA has produced has always been very well-done entertainment, but without a lot of profundity or depth or creative exploration of the art and the medium. USA is very good at certain things as far as film goes, but I don't think those things really count as art pieces that make you think, ponder their philosophical/political implications, etc.

quote:

but without a lot of profundity or depth or creative exploration of the art and the medium

Sorry, but that is complete and utter nonsense.

And if you had a chance to talk to your favorite contemporary directors, I bet most of them would tell you exactly the same thing.

Bet you don't care for the Beatles either.

This reminds me of an English lit class I had where someone was exulting over Joyce, Nabokov and Beckett by putting down Dickens and Tolstoy.

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