15 STUNNING
VISUAL MOVIES
15 Stunning Movies you could watch them with the sound muted - their beautiful scenery speaks for itself.
Check our Gata selection:
M A N D Y
Panos Cosmatos (2018)
If Art-house and horror had a love child, they would have named it Mandy. An absolutely insane movie, Mandy tells the story of Red Miller and his artist girlfriend Mandy Bloom, who find themselves on the wrong side of a sadistic cult.
The whole movie, while retaining a horror theme throughout seems to be infused with this trippy, LSD aura. Add into the equation Nicolas Cage’s acting dialed up to eleven and we have a recipe for another masterpiece.
“A psychotic drowns where the mystic swims. You’re drowning. I’m swimming.”
R A M P O N O I R
Suguru Takeuchi, Hisayasu Satō, Atsushi Kaneko, Akio Jissoji (2005)
Edogawa Rampo is a Japanese writer known to be the greatest exponent of the Ero-guru, a narrative genre that combines both eroticism and the grotesque, which scandalized Japan during the 20s and 30s.
Rampo has been a source of inspiration for Japanese cinema,especially those directors who share his vision of horror, suspense and the bizarre.
Given the lack of originality in Japanese horror cinema, a genre immersed in long ghostly manes full of supernatural elements, Noir returns to the origins of terror and suspense by returning to its source, the great Edogawa Rampo.
T H E N E O N D E M O N
Nicolas Winding Refn (2016)
Jesse, an aspiring model who moves to Los Angeles in order to pursue her dreams, finds herself embroiled in a world of jealous competitors who seek to steal her youth and beauty. The Neon Demon is a visually stylish and alluring film brought to the world by Nicolas Winding Refn. Initially presented as an almost fairy-tale like parable, the film slowly descends into a shocking exploitation flick that will appeal to old school horror fans.
“Beauty isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”
S U S P I R I A
Dario Argento (1977)
From one of horror film’s sweethearts, Dario Argento produces this over the top neon drenched treat of a movie. Jessy Harper stars as the American dancer who moves to Germany to attend a prestigious ballet academy, only to discover a sinister secret. Containing arguably some of the greatest deaths in film history, all accompanied by the breakneck synthesised symphony of a soundtrack by Goblin. Suspiria is fundamental.
“Bad luck isn’t brought by broken mirrors, but by broken minds.”
E N T E R T H E V O I D
Gaspar Noé (2009)
Shot entirely from the point of view of its main character, Enter the Void tells the story of Oscar, an american drug dealer living in Tokyo with his sister. After a drug deal goes bad, Oscar finds himself experiencing a state of limbo, reminiscent of Bardo Thodol or more commonly known in the west as The Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Enter the Void is a dreamy, neon-filled, mind-altering rollercoaster of a film. Technically brilliant and a piece of art that literally dares to go to areas that others would shudder at the thought of. Enter the Void is a Film by enfant terrible Gaspar Noé who yet again produces a visually stunning piece of work that treads the fine line between art-house and exploitation cinema.
“Hey, Linda! Come here! Come outside! I wonder what Tokyo looks like from up there.”
T H E R E ‘ S O N L Y O N E S U N
Wong Kar-wai (2007)
Something a little different this time, There’s Only One Sun is a short film made by master auteur Wong Kar-wai; shot for the company Philips. A story of spies, love and betrayal, against a 60s influenced, vividly coloured backdrop.
H E R O
Zhang Yimou (2002)
Hero is director Zhang Yimou’s foray into the cinematic realm of wuxia. Beautiful in its steadfast commitment to a particular visual style, the story of Hero is told from the multiple viewpoints of its various characters, much like the classic Japanese story Rashomon. However what makes it stand out, is that each story is represented by a predominant colour that gloriously fills the screen. Masterfully shot by cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Hero is still a truly stunning film.
S A N T A S A N G R E
Alejandro Jodorowsky (1989)
A return to form from the mastermind that is Alejandro Jodorowsky. Full of colourful characters and some truly astonishing visuals that will stay with you for a long time.
Santa Sangre tells the tale of Fenix, a young man living in a mental hospital after experiencing some traumatic events in his childhood. An upbringing that saw him grow up in a circus, far from normality. Upon his release from hospital, Fenix finds himself sucked back into the chaotic world of his past and his family.
“With your hands and my body, we’ll have an act that will be sensational.”
H E L T E R S K E L T E R
Mika Ninagawa (2012)
Helter Skelter, tells the story of a woman named Ririko, she is everywhere, her face is on the front of every magazine, billboard and every television screen. She seems to have the perfect life. However, Ririko has a dark secret; she is in fact completely rebuilt from cosmetic surgery. When her appearance begins to fail, Ririko begins to descend from her dream turning reality into a nightmare.
“Pretty on the outside...but like a fruit that bugs have eaten from within.”
K O Y A A N I S Q A T S I
Godfrey Reggio (1982)
An experimental art-style documentary from Godfrey Reggio, which translates as Life Out of Balance. Koyaanisqatsi is the first entry in the Qatsi trilogy; a series of films that explore the relationship between humanity, nature and the subsequent rise in technology. A visual poem of sorts that acts as a period of self-reflection, Koyaanisqatsi is experimental and eye-opening in its scope.
D O N ‘ T L O O K N O W
Nicolas Roeg (1973)
A brilliantly written film, adapted from the 1971 short story by Daphne du Maurier. Don’t Look Now is a landmark moment in British cinema, a horror film that delves into the psychological ramifications of grief and loss, love and death, all without falling into the traps of pretension. Like a few different films on this list, Don’t Look Now uses the colour red as a recurring motif, to masterful effect.
“One of your children has posed a curious question: if the world is round, why is a frozen lake flat?”
I N T H E M O O D F O R L O V E
Wong Kar-wai (2000)
Frequently voted as one of the greatest films of all time, In the Mood for Love is a film directed by Wong Kar-wai. Shot over a period of 15 months, largely without the aid of a completed script, In the Mood for Love remains a testament to the fact that unconventional methods can produce some spectacular results.
A story of unfulfilled love and longing set in 1960s Hong Kong, In the Mood for Love remains as visually stunning as it did back in 2000, when it was released.
Credits for cinematography are shared equally between Christopher Doyle and Mark Pee Ling Bing who both manage to capture the entire story with an utterly lavish and painter-like sensibility, showcasing luscious reds and moody greens with a complete and unashamed lack of restraint.
“When your single, you are only responsible to yourself. Once you’re married, doing well on your own is not enough.
”
T O K Y O D R I F T E R
Seijun Suzuki (1966)
Tokyo Drifter tells the tale of a reformed yakuza member, Tetsuya and his attempts to separate himself from a life of crime. Obviously things are never as simple as this and rival gangs seem to be hellbent on dragging him back. Tokyo Drifter has a very specific style, bright and colourful, typical of the decade it was shot in. It is this juxtaposition between its bright style and at times darker story that make it such a special film.
O N L Y G O D F O R G I V E S
Nicolas Winding Refn (2013)
Another hyper-stylized film from Nicolas Winding Refn that is sculpted to near perfection. Ryan Gosling plays a drug dealer living in Bangkok whose relatively calm life is brought into disarray, when his mother calls on him to seek revenge on the person who killed his brother. A brilliant blend of brutality and beauty, Only God Forgives is a film that evokes a strong response from its audience whether they like it or not.
“Just let me tell you, if the tables were turned, your brother, would have found your killer, and brought me his head on a platter!”
2001: A S P A C E O D Y S S E Y
Stanley Kubrick (1968)
Possibly the gateway drug of visually stunning movies. The movie that opens your mind to the possibility of cinema. Employing revolutionary special effects for its time period that amazingly still hold up to this day, 2001: A Space Odyssey attempts to tackle the small task of telling the history of mankind, from the dawn of civilisation up to the point of interstellar travel. An absolute classic in every sense of the word.
“This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.”
