Below are Gordy’s SELECTS:
I always gravitate towards films that feel ridiculously distinct, artists in full control of their craft making movies exactly how they want with no guardrails and (seemingly) not a care in the world for how an audience might react. Roy Andersson embodies that philosophy better than anyone, while finding the perfect marriage of style and substance in his work that elevates every idea that he explores. I could put any of his 21st-century work on here but this was the first one I saw and it was like falling in love. I immediately knew he was for me.
There is such a raw fascination with Teshigahara’s characters coming from behind the camera that is undeniably contagious. Here he was somehow able to make a propulsive thriller out of some incredibly heady source material without losing any of the depth or moral ambiguity in the process. He also moves the camera better than almost anyone and pulls off some remarkable special effects here. Oh, and I have to shout out the PD in the surgeon’s office – unreal stuff.
I am constantly inspired by how unafraid Bergman is to tackle his themes head-on and by his belief in the power of the human face. He has so, so many masterpieces but Fanny and Alexander for me feels like a Bergman origin story, one of the great filmmakers looking back on his career and returning to all his interests through the eyes of a child.
Another film making big choices. I love movies that treat such a strange concept with this much sincerity. Even though it is fundamentally surreal and analogous, the characters and, in turn, the audience are locked in to the reality of what the characters are dealing with. Tonally and visually, this film is magic.
Anytime I feel creatively stuck, I think about David Lynch. I am a massive fan of all of his movies but for me, the biggest impact he’s had on my life is how he trusted his instincts so fully and his absolute dedication to his ideas. Eraserhead was my first Lynch movie and still probably my favorite.
A low-budget sort-of-documentary about Winnipeg made in a way that only Guy Maddin could. It feels like living inside someone’s brain while they fall asleep. Incredible stuff.
A lot of my favorite music videos feel impossible to pitch. Seriously, I’d love to see this treatment. I love music videos because there are literally no rules. Instinct and tone above everything. I could watch this video forever.
It’s just the perfect music video.
Underrated masterpiece. I think about that first dance sequence every day.
