Life Cinematic on BBC 4

SAM MENDES

Sam Mendes joins Edith Bowman to look at his favourite film moments as well as some of his own. There are snatches from American Beauty and Spectre but it was the longer segment from 1917 that turned i to a mini film studies class.

Of the ten of his greatest film moments, there were two that stood out, as Doctor Strangelove (the blackest comedy of all time) and The Godfather Part 2 are also two of my favourite films. As is Close Encounters of the Third Kind that Sam tells us is one of his earliest influences at the cinema. 

EDGAR WRIGHT

Robbie Collin talks to Edgar Wright about what inspired him in making movies. A strange introduction was for THE DANCE NUMBER,  where Edgar chose a long sequence from a Busby Barclay musical. For A SINGLE LONG TAKE, Edgar chose a clip from the John Woo movie Hard Boiled. He then explains how soundtracks are so important to him. He shows extracts from Baby Driver, one of my favourite collections. 

For THE SOUND DESIGN, it was Delicatessen and for THE VOISE OVER it was for the Coen Brothers Raising Arizona. An 11 minute sequence before the credits. Lastly for BUILDING TENSION we watch the bucket of blood for Brian de Palma's Carrie.

SAM TAYLOR-JOHNSON

Edith Bowman talks to Sam Taylor-Johnson about the films that inspired her. For THE SCORE she chooses The Piano composed by Michael Nyman. THE VILLAIN had to be The Talented Mr Ripley. There have been many films based on Patricia Highsmith novels. Deep Water is due in 2022.

For THE SCREENPLAY Sam chooses One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and for THE ON-SCREEN RELATIONSHIP she goes for Brokeback Mountain. 

Other films she mentions are the 1974 film A Woman Under the Influence, Don't Look Now (I must watch this again) and Grand Budapest Hotel. Finally for THE DANCING SCENE an unusual choice in the 1999 French film Beau Travail. Not my sort of movie.

SOFIA COPPOLA

Edith Bowman again, this time with Sofia Coppola. What I like about this series is the fact that we get some really interesting recommendations out of those films that have influenced the director. These are Sofia's:

To Die For. Gus van Sant directed a very young Nicole Kidman and that dance.

Brief Encounter from David Lean.

In The Mood For Love and those excellent visuals.

A Place in the Sun directed by George Stevens (See "The Directors").

Fish Tank from Andrea Arnold.

La Notte - director Michael Angelo Antonio.

Safe written and directed by Todd Haynes and starring Julianne Moore.

Gilda from Charles vidor.

Do The Right |Thing from Spike Lee.

The Servant with Dirk Bogarde from 1963.

We also have some clips from Sofia's own movies including Lost In Translation and On The Rocks.