FilmBabble: The Sight and Sound Top 100

Today, Charlie and Antonio take their second trip to the world of Senegalese cinema: Djibril Diop Mambéty's TOUKI BOUKI. Listen along as they grapple with this renegade classic raging against French colonialism. They discuss the ethics of filming animal violence, the film's depiction of the lingering effects of colonialism, and the natural beauty of the Senegalese landscape. Hop in! Intro/outro music: "walking down" by Jauwn TOUKI BOUKI (1973), Senegal, written and directed by Djibril Diop Mambéty, cinematography by Pap Samba Sow, featuring Magaye Niang, Mareme Niang, and Aminata Fall

Trash. Agnes Varda. Waste. France. Debris. Aging. Detritus. Death. Junk. All this and more swings in the orbit of THE GLEANERS AND I, the 2000 French documentary by legendary maverick filmmaker Agnes Varda. Filled to the brim with quirky characters, Varda among them, THE GLEANERS AND I takes Charlie and Antonio for an easy, breezy ride. Hop in! Intro/outro music: "Flitcraft" by Mekons THE GLEANERS AND I (2000), France, directed and shot by Agnes Varda

In this week's FilmBabble, the gents tackle the still-reigning sci-fi behemoth, Metropolis. Nearly 100 years later, Fritz Lang's awe-inspiring feat of cinema continues to challenge and excite conversation, even without much of the original footage. Does its reputation and towering legacy prove worthy, or has the last century ushered in enough new marvels for us to consider it eclipsed?Intro/outro music: Main theme from 'Mildred Pierce', composed by Max SteinerMETROPOLIS (1927), Weimar Republic, written by Thea von Harbou, directed by Fritz Lang, cinematography by Karl Freund and Günther Rittau, featuring Alfred Abel, Brigitte Helm, Gustav Fröhlich, and Rudolf Klein-Rogge

The Filmbabble Boys get thrown a curveball on this one: a short film?! Namely, 1962's LA JETÉE, a short film by iconoclastic French filmmaker Chris Marker. The cinematic medium itself is toyed with like a cat playing with a ball of yarn. Travel through time with us, one still image at a time...Intro/outro music: "BURNOUT" by jauwnLA JETÉE (1962), France, written and directed by Chris Marker, cinematography by Jean Chiabout and Chris Marker, featuring Jean Negroni, Hélène Châtelain, Davos Hanich, and Jacques Ledoux 

What do you live for? For art, or for love? Join us as we break down the electrifying technicolor miracle that is The Red Shoes, with special guest Ciara Lally.Intro/outro music: 'Bolero' by Maurice RavelTHE RED SHOES (1948), United Kingdom, written and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, cinematography by Jack Cardiff, featuring Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook, and Marcus Goring.

Stand back. Here comes Charlie and Antonio's first dive into the mystical pool that is Andrei Tarkovsky's work. First up: his towering historical epic ANDREI RUBLEV. Faith, humanity, art, death, history, war. Join the FilmBabble Boys as they tackle this legendary Russian film (and the man who made it!)Intro/outro music:  "jazzy" - jauwnANDREI RUBLEV (1966), USSR, written by Andrei Konchalovsky and Andrei Tarkovsky, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, cinematography by Vadim Yusov, starring Anatoly Solonitsyn, Ivan Lapikov, Nikolai Grinko, Irma Raush, and Nikolai Buryayev. 

FilmBabble is BACK, and in full force! This week, Charlie and Antonio take a very brief trip to a certain European country, alongside the picturesque Ingrid Bergman and sour co-star George Sanders. "What will they find there?" you may be asking yourself. Perhaps we're asking ourselves the same question.Intro/outro music: 'Bossanova' by Liborio ContiJOURNEY TO ITALY (1954), Italy and France, written by Vitaliano Brancati and Roberto Rossellini, directed by Roberto Rossellini, cinematography by Enzo Serafin, featuring Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders.

A woman's mysterious disappearance pulls at the bond between her lover and her friend. Memory... hazy, unreliable memory. Charlie and Antonio take all this in and more in Michelangelo Antonioni's 1960 classic: L'AVVENTURA. Join them as they follow the beautiful Monica Vitti through Antonioni's illustriously misty Italy.  Intro/outro music: "Onie" by The Electric Prunes L'AVVENTURA (1960), Italy, written by Michelangelo Antonioni, Elio Bartolini, and Tonino Guerra, directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, cinematography by Aldo Scavarda, featuring Monica Vitti, Gabriele Ferzetti, and Lea Massari.

Hey, let's go! Take a step out the front door and wave hello to your big, furry neighbor, Totoro. In the lush Japanese countryside, mystery and wonder abound. The kids know where to look. Do you?Intro/outro music: 'Torn Flesh' by Karl Casey (White Bat Audio)MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (1988), Japan, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, cinematography by Hisao Shirai, featuring Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Tim Daly, Lea Salonga, and Pat Carroll (English dub, 2005)

Melodrama is never mellow, and Douglas Sirk makes that very clear. In this week's episode, the FilmBabble gentlemen watch a proper technicolor tearjerker. Surrender to it, you know you want to…Intro/outro music: Handel's Harp Concerto, 3rd Movement performed by Josh Layne (Harpist in the Wild)IMITATION OF LIFE (1959), USA, written by Eleanore Griffin and Allan Scott, directed by Douglas Sirk, cinematography by Russell Metty, featuring Lana Turner, Juanita Moore, Sandra Dee, Susan Kohner, and John Gavin. 

On this week's episode, Charlie and Antonio are knocked out by SANSHO THE BAILIFF, Kenji Mizoguchi's 1954 tragedy about family torn apart in a feudal Japan. With this film, Mizoguchi proves to be a stand-out director for the FilmBabble Boys. Don't let this one pass you by. Mercy, brutality, integrity, HUMANITY. It's all here. SANSHO THE BAILIFF can be streamed for free on the Criterion Channel or rented on Prime Video and Apple TV. Intro/outro music: "Mess Mend" by Horse LordsSANSHO THE BAILIFF (1954), written by Fuji Yahiro and Yoshikata Yoda, directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, cinematography by Kazuo Miyagawa, featuring Kinuyo Tanaka, Kyoko Kagawa, Yoshiaki Hanayagi, and Eitaro Shindo 

We've got a big one here, folks! Today on FilmBabble, Charlie and Antonio watch the universally beloved masterpiece SPIRITED AWAY, one of many masterpieces hailing from the acclaimed Japanese animation studio- Studio Ghibli. A 10 year old girl moves away from home and finds that her parents have been transformed into pigs! Forced into a new world, bizarre yet not too dissimilar from our own, Chihiro goes on the quest to end all quests: the quest of growing up. Pass it on! Intro/outro music: "That Darn Cat" by Bobby Darin SPIRITED AWAY (2001), written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, cinematography by Atsushi Okui, featuring the voices of Rumi Hiiragi and Daveigh Chase, Miyu Irino and Jason Marsden, Mari Natsuki and Suzanne Pleshette, Bunta Sugawara and David Ogden Stiers, and Yoomi Tamai and Susan Egan. 

In case you're wondering... In this bonus episode, Charlie and Antonio reflect on their favorite films of the past year and talk the 2024 Academy Awards.Intro/outro music: 'I Wish You Love' (Live) - Blossom Dearie

Silence may be golden, but is "Modern Times"? This 1936 classic marks the final silent film of Charlie Chaplin's storied filmography, as well as the final appearance of his beloved Tramp character. A predominately pro-worker comedy picture, this film stands out on The List, as one of the oldest and one of the few sans dialogue (sort of). Can one, in the year 2024 C.E., still appreciate and even enjoy this film? See for yourself.Intro/outro music: Sambapagode #109MODERN TIMES (1936), written and directed by Charlie Chaplin, cinematography by Ira H. Morgan and Roland Totheroh, featuring Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, Tiny Sandford, and Chester Conklin.

On this week's episode of FilmBabble, Charlie and Antonio watch Sátántangó. Yes, you read that right. Sátántangó, Béla Tarr's 1994 epic. 7 and a half hours. Black and white. Hungary. Communism. Strap in- the White Whale has appeared over the horizon. Will they survive? Tune in and find out! Article by Greg Wetherall mentioned in the episode: https://lwlies.com/interviews/bela-tarr-satantango-berlin-film-festival/ Intro/outro music: "Please Go Easy With Me" by S.E. Rogie SÁTÁNTANGÓ (1994), written by Béla Tarr and László Krasznahorkai, directed by Béla Tarr, cinematography by Gábor Medvigy, featuring Mihály Víg, Putyi Horváth, László Lugossy, B. Miklós Székely, Éva Almássy Albert, Erika Bók, and Peter Berling 

Alright Mr. DeMille, they're ready to Babble! On today's episode of FilmBabble, Charlie and Antonio take a quick detour onto SUNSET BOULEVARD, the 1950 classic chock-full of romance, intrigue, and.... murder? Take a seat, order a coffee, and listen up! Intro/outro music: "Main Title from 'The Wild Bunch'", composed by Jerry Fielding.  SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950), written by Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder, and D.M. Marshman Jr., directed by Billy Wilder, cinematography by John Seitz, featuring William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, and Cecil B. DeMille

Life, death, the great beyond. All this and more is explored in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's innovative Technicolor dreamworld: A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. Charlie and Antonio are joined by special guest and friend Leila to dive headfirst into this feast of visual splendor and dry British humor. Let's go! Intro/outro music: 'Lick You (Let You Die)' by Pulgas A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH (1946), United Kingdom, written and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, cinematography by Jack Cardiff, featuring David Niven, Kim Hunter, Roger Livesey, Marius Goring, and Raymond Massey.

This week, the escalator was broken, so we took the long way down. The very long way, into to the depths. 'A Brighter Summer Day', by FilmBabble favorite Edward Yang, is a four-hour long epic, not to be compared to nor viewed lightly. Special guest Henry Merker holds our hand as we try to shed some light on all this darkness.Intro/outro music: 'Trouble of the World' performed by Mahalia JacksonA BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY (1991), Taiwan, written by Hung Hung, Lai Ming-tang, Edward Yang, Alex Yang, and Yan Hong-ya, directed by Edward Yang, cinematography by Chang Hui-kung and Li Long-yu, featuring Chang Chen, Lisa Yang, and Chang Kuo-chu.

This week on FilmBabble, Charlie and Antonio Go Babbling. Join them as they babble away on the 1974 French hangout classic: Céline and Julie Go Boating! Kick your feet up, take a chill pill, and enjoy their ride through French New Wave director Jacques Rivette's singular vision. This is a good one, folks. Pass it on! Intro/outro music: "I Just Threw Out The Love of My Dreams", originally by Weezer, cover by REACH CÉLINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (1974), written by Jacques Rivette, Dominique Labourier, Juliet Berto, Eduardo de Gregorio, Bulle Ogier, and Mari-France Pisier, directed by Jacques Rivette, cinematography by Jacques Renard, featuring Dominique Labourier, Juliet Berto, Bulle Ogier, and Mari-France Pisier.  

Here it is. The moment you've all been waiting for. Histoire(s) du Cinéma. Four and a half hours. Eight chapters. The history/histories/story/stories of cinema, for your viewing (listening) pleasure. Did we survive this episode? Tune in to find out! Intro/outro music: 'Nectár' by Tenório Jr. HISTOIRE(S) DU CINÉMA (1988), France and Switzerland, written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard, original cinematography by Pierre Binggeli and Hervé Duhamel, featuring Jean-Luc Godard, Juliette Binoche, and Julie Delpy.

Happy New Year!David Lynch. The Man, The Myth, The Dream.....? This week, Charlie and Antonio submerge into the surreal 1986 classic BLUE VELVET. A severed ear leads an unpredictable college student into the seedy underworld lying beneath middle-class American society. Truly, a mystery film like no other. Strap in, folks! Intro/outro music: "These Chains" by Mid-Air Thief BLUE VELVET (1986), USA, written and directed by David Lynch, cinematography by Frederick Elmes, featuring Kyle MacLachlan, Laura Dern, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Dean Stockwell, Brad Dourif, and Jack Nance

Happy Monday! Today, the Filmbabble Boys are joined by special guest and friend Kamla to dive into the underappreciated coming-of-age gem: SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE. Released in 1973 towards the end of Francisco Franco's rule of Spain, writer/director Victor Erice combines the political and the personal in this allegorical tale. Don't let this one pass you by! Intro/outro music: 'Dreaming' by Poly Styrene THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE (1973), Spain, written by Victor Erice and Angel Fernandez Santos, directed by Victor Erice, cinematography by Luis Cuadrado, featuring Ana Torrent, Teresa Gimpera, and Fernando Fernan Gomez

This week, Charlie and Antonio tackle the first of four films directed by cinema's enfant terrible of the French New Wave: Jean-Luc Godard's PIERROT LE FOU. Featuring French superstars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina, this film follows the familiar story of lovers on the run, though Godard's direction makes this anything but familiar. Join Charlie and Antonio in tackling this challenging film and the controversial man who made it. Pass it on! Intro/outro music: 'Battle of Algiers' composed by Ennio Morricone, covered by John Zorn PIERROT LE FOU (1965), France, written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard, cinematography by Raoul Coutard, featuring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina.

Delve into the beauty of Wong Kar-wai's cinema with the fellas this week via CHUNGKING EXPRESS, an instant classic from early 90s Hong Kong. Prominently featuring music (originally) by The Cranberries and The Mama's & the Papa's, this split narrative confounds traditionally held notions of cinema and sinks its teeth into the human experience. Joined by Wong Kar-wai superfan Ryan, Charlie and Antonio explore the elusive nature of love and the moving picture.Intro/outro music: 'Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ' BWV 639 by Johann Sebastian Bach from Tarkovsky's 'Solaris'.CHUNGKING EXPRESS (1994), Hong Kong, written by Wong Kar-wai, directed by Wong Kar-wai, cinematography by Christopher Doyle and Andrew Lau, featuring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Faye Wong, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Brigitte Lin Chin-Hsia.

Happy Monday, dear listener. How are you? Are you well? We hope you're well. Well, let's cut to the chase, shall we? Episode 12: THE SHINING. A first time watch for Charlie, and a favorite for both Antonio and our extra special guest, Emily. This landmark of horror, and cinema, hardly needs any introduction. If you haven't yet seen this, nestle into your couch, pull up your blanket, and grab the popcorn. It's going to be a night you'll never forget. Intro/outro music: "Lady Pink Panther" by Shigeru Suzuki THE SHINING (1980), USA, written by Stanley Kubrick and Diane Johnson, directed by Stanley Kubrick, cinematography by John Alcott, featuring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd

Join Charlie and Antonio as they experience one of cinema's greatest and most ambitious attempts to answer the human question: Edward Yang's epic family drama YI YI. Love, life, youth, death, age, regret. It's all here. Sink in. Intro/outro music: "Morning Sun" by Takuro Okada YI YI (2000), Taiwan, written and directed by Edward Yang, cinematography by Wei-han Yang, featuring Wu Nien-jen, Elaine Jin, Kelly Lee, Jonathan Chang, and Issey Ogata 

This week, Charlie and Antonio tackle the first film on the list hailing from Japan! Specifically, Kenji Mizoguchi's 1953 ethereal folktale classic UGETSU. Never heard of it? Well, don't fret, because this is a first time watch for the Filmbabble boys. Hop in and get ready to try something new out! Intro/outro music: "Highway Star" by Deep Purple, cover composed by Tim Follin UGETSU (1953), Japan, written by Matsutaro Kawaguchi and Yoshikata Yoda, directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, cinematography by Kazuo Miyagawa, featuring Machiko Kyo, Mitsuko Mito, Kinuyo Tanaka, Masayuki Mori, and Eitaro Ozawa

Oh, you missed us, huh? Well, we are breaking our silence with the first of two bonus episodes--something to tide you over until the Actors' strike comes to a resolution. In this episode, we tackle an off-the-beaten-path international mind-bender, directed by the late, great Abbas Kiarostami and starring the transcendent Juliette Binoche (in the role that won her Best Actress at Cannes). We hope you enjoy. Love, FilmBabble.Intro/outro music: Manteca Theme by Dizzy GillespieCERTIFIED COPY (2010), Belgium, France, Italy, and Iran, written by Abbas Kiarostami and Caroline Eliacheff, directed by Abbas Kiarostami, cinematography by Luca Bigazzi, featuring Juliette Binoche and William Shimell

On this week's episode of Filmbabble, Charlie and Antonio watch Bong Joon-ho's 2019 masterpiece: PARASITE. Yeah, you read that right. PARASITE- arguably the most famous and acclaimed movie of the past 5 years. Do they have what it takes to tackle the Oscar-winning mammoth of cinematic greatness? Find out on Filmbabble! Intro/outro music:  "Do It Baby" by Susan Cadogan PARASITE (2019), South Korea, written by Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won, directed by Bong Joon-ho, cinematography by Hong Kyung-pyo, featuring Song Kang-ho, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Jang Hye-jin, Lee Sun-kyun, and Lee Jeung-eun

Meow. It's The Leopard! Get ready for another ball, it won't be the last. Charlie and Antonio watch Luchino Visconti's 1963 Italian epic; can they handle all this opulence?Intro/outro music: Excerpt from 'The Tree of Life' by Alexandre Desplat.THE LEOPARD (1963), Italy and France, written by Luchino Visconti, Enrico Medioli, Massimo Franciosa, Suso Cecchi d'Amici, Pasquale Festa Campanile, and René Barjavel, directed by Luchino Visconti, cinematography by Giuseppe Rotunno, featuring Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, and Claudia Cardinale.

Put on your best party dress and come on down for a ball of tragic proportions! Charlie, Antonio, and Matteo dive into the 1953 French classic 'The Earrings of Madame De...' by Max Ophüls, and, for the first time on the podcast, almost come to blows. Not literally, of course...Intro/outro music: "House of Woodcock" from 'Phantom Thread' by Johnny Greenwood.THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE... (1953), France and Italy, written by Max Ophüls, Marcel Archard, Annette Wademant, directed by Max Ophüls, cinematography by Christian Matras, featuring Danielle Darrieux, Charles Boyer, and Vittorio De Sica.

Wait... did the title just spoil the movie?! Join Charlie and Antonio as they learn that sometimes the journey IS the destination in Robert Bresson's 1956 seminal prison break movie: A MAN ESCAPED. You're listening to Filmbabble, Episode 6: Charlie and Antonio Enjoy the Movie! Wait... Intro/outro music: "Pajarillo" by Aldemaro Romero y su Onda Nueva A MAN ESCAPED (1956), France, written and directed by Robert Bresson, cinematography by Lèonce-Henri Burel, featuring François Leterrier

Tuck your napkins in, we got a hearty dish of spaghetti served up today (don't forget the western)! For the first time, Charlie and Antonio dive headfirst into Sergio Leone's 1968 masterpiece, Once Upon a Time in the West! Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards, Charles friggin' Bronson?! What could go wrong? Intro/outro music: "Ikiru" theme composed by Fumio Hayasaka ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968), Italy and USA, written by Sergio Leone and Sergio Donati, directed by Sergio Leone, cinematography by Tonino Delli Colli, featuring Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, and Charles Bronson 

Intro and outro music taken from 'A Letter in the Past', composed by Mickie Yoshino and Godiego. TROPICAL MALADY (2004), Thailand, written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, cinematography by Jarin Pengpanitch, Vichit Tanapanitch, and Jean-Louis Vialard, featuring Sakda Kaewbuadee, Banlop Lomnoi, and Sirivech Jareonchon 

Intro and outro music is taken by 'Women of Ireland', composed by Seán Ó Riada.  BLACK GIRL (1966), France and Senegal, written and directed by Ousmane Sembene, cinematography by Christian Lacoste, featuring Mbissine Thérèse Diop, Anne-Marie Jelinek, Robert Fontaine, and Momar Nar Sene.

Intro and outro music is taken from 'Drive My Car', composed by Eiki Ishibashi  THE GENERAL (1926)COUNTRY: USADIRECTOR: Buster Keaton, Clyde BruckmanWRITER: Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman, Al Boasberg, Charles Henry Smith, Paul Gerard SmithDIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Bert Haines, Devereaux HainesCAST: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley, Frederick Vroom,

Intro and Outro music from 'Day for Night', by Georges Delerue GET OUT (2017)COUNTRY: USADIRECTOR/WRITER: Jordan PeeleDIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY:  Toby OliverCAST: Daniel Kaluuya, Alison Williams, Catherine Keener, Lil Rel Howery, Bradley Whitford, Stephen Root, Caleb Landry Jones, LaKeith Stanfield

Welcome to FilmBabble! We, your hosts (Charlie and Antonio), are going on a film odyssey, unpacking what it means for a film to be included on the BFI's Sight and Sound "Greatest Films of All Time" list, as well as exploring what we think about each film and and its inclusion. Join us each week as we move down the list towards "Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles", the newly crowned Greatest Film of All Time.