Scott Walker has curated a season of ten films, which will be available through the streaming service Curzon On Demand; watch them here.
Says Walker – whose fourteenth album Bish Bosch came out this week, read our in-depth interview with the great man here – of his season: “First of all let me say what a privilege it is to be asked to curate this mini season of films on Curzon On Demand for Curzon Cinemas. An invaluable establishment that has over the years offered and offers still to me and countless other ‘cinephiles’ the very finest of cinematic treasures in the most conducive surroundings.
“Though this choice hardly represents a definitive list of my all time favourite films and is conditionally drawn from the Curzon’s embarrassingly impressive catalogue, it nevertheless contains
some unmissable glories and current works that have impressed.”
He’s also written an introduction to his chosen films – have a read below:
The Travelling Players
“A film like Angelopoulos’ The Travelling Players, is a work I’ve not seen since it’s initial release in the 70s but have fond, if hazy, memories of, so the impulse here is re-acquaintance of which I’m
very much looking forward."
Le Quattro Volte
"A film that truly casts a spell. Extraordinary, as for stretches of time, seemingly nothing much is happening and there is virtually no dialogue. Still you find yourself utterly absorbed from beginning to end, only later to be left wondering quite how this magic was achieved."
The White Ribbon
"A meticulous essay on the making of a Nazi. Haneke is one of the great film-makers of our time and The White Ribbon in my opinion is his finest."
The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum and Utamaro and His Five Women
"Those familiar with the legendary works of Mizoguchi like The Life Of Oharu or Ugetsu Monogatari,will be able to witness one of his greatest and most influential pre-war films, The Story Of The Last Chrysanthemum, as well as the later wonderful tale of a ‘floating world’ artist, Utamaro And His Five Women."
Le Ceremonie
"A work that has two outstanding central performances from Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Bonnaire. A compelling crime drama that Chabrol has joked is ‘the last Marxist film’ where once again the bourgeois get theirs in style."
Match Factory Girl
"Possibly my favourite Aki Kaurismaki film though I am spoiled for choice as I find his work particularly appeals to my sense of humour. He’s Bresson with laughs. Not easy to pull off."
Take Care Of Your Scarf Tatiana.
"A must for caffeine addicts everywhere."
Il Divo
"This is really what great cinema is all about. The director Paolo Sorrentino has taken a subject whose interest could easily find itself confined to Italy and the parameters of Italian politics and yet through amazing film making technique and fascinating use of sound, transforms into an unforgettable dream work that must be seen.
The Turin Horse
"Bela Tarr’s beautiful, spare, cinematic farewell,…… I wouldn’t hold him to it though. Enjoy."
Also available on Curzon On Demand is Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, Stephen Kijak’s documentary on Walker; in the meantime, have a watch of the singer’s own film, for ‘Epizootics’ from the album here:
