Time is not infinite, but our desire to give you ideas for film adventure is. This week we give you the editor’s choice. Five editors, five films each. What led them to this profession? What excited them as children? What brings them magic today? You can answer these questions and several more by checking out their movie recommendations.
ALEXANDRA NENKOVA’S CHOICE
1. Desperado (1995) | Dir. Robert Rodriguez
2. Brazil (1985) | Dir. Terry Gilliam
3. Lost Highway (1997) | Dir. David Lynch
4. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) | Dir. Stanley Kubrick
5. Amores Perros (2000) | Dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu
A musician dressed in black carrying a guitar case full of weapons enters a bar and kills everybody. “O YES! They sure know how to have fun in the movies!”– I said to myself when I watched Desperado for the first time at the age of 7. THIS is the movie that got me into the art of storytelling by picture and sound. Seeing only the first scene of this piece is enough to recognize the impact of its’ BRILLIANT CUT!
BOHOS TOPAKBASHIAN’S CHOICE
1. The Sting (1973) | Dir. George Roy Hill
2. Crash (2004) |Dir. Paul Haggis
3. Star Wars (1977 –1983) | Dir. George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Richard Marquand
4. The Social Network (2010) | Dir. David Fincher
5. City of God (2002) |Dir. Fernando Meirelles
My love for the cinema comes from a childhood story. When I was little I liked the Goofy cartoon, so my parents recorded it on a VHS cassette. They put it on a cassette that already had Star Wars. So...as a little kid I didn't know how to rewind and I ended up watching Star Wars every time before my favorite Goofy. This is how an editor was born!
EVTIM TODOROV’S CHOICE
1. Raging Bull (1980)| Dir. Martin Scorsese
2. Memento (2000)| Dir. Christopher Nolan
3. In the Mood for Love (2000) | Dir. Kar-Wai Wong
4. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) | Dir. George Miller
5. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) | Dir. Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Though it may seem like an unusual pick, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an excellent implementation of the comic book feel and aesthetics. It utilizes quite innovative editing and visual effects techniques, to add to its already engaging storyline. The comic book style of presentation makes is for a gorgeous viewing.
MICHAEL DERVENSKI’S CHOICE
1. Babel (2006) |Dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu
2. Zabriskie Point(1970) | Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) | Dir. Michel Gondry
4. Silent Light (2007) | Dir. Carlos Reygadas
5. The Tree of Life (2011) | Dir. Terrence Malick
The editing of the opening scene is like the life we were used to live just a month ago. And the ending montage is our future. In-between is the reality that we’re dealing with at the moment — we’re at this point in the valley of death where only love,compassion and empathy could help us elevate to a better future where the consumerism has been left behind in our past. And the music of Pink Floyd is still the perfect soundtrack for this.
VICKY RADOSLAVOVA'S CHOICE
1. No Country for Old Men (2007) | Dir. Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
2. 21 grams (2003) | Dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu
3. Sicario (2015) | Dir. Denis Villeneuve
4. Chicago (2002) | Dir. Rob Marshall
5. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) | Dir. Paul Greengrass
I remember trying to reedit the fragmented story in 21 grams and put it back in chronological order. It made a huge impact on meas a student. This film showcases editing in its most tense and genuinely thrilling form. It's everything that inspires me as an editor - intriguing, heartbreaking, sad and yet uplifting. Don't miss out on Inarritu's films, because editing is just one of their precious storytelling techniques.
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