10. Michael Roemer

Michael Roemer is an American Filmmaker you can't miss

If you haven’t seen Nothing But A Man (1964) then you really haven’t experienced an incredibly important film dialogue with American racism.

Roemer is not a one trick pony, however, and the rest of his career is decorated with some of the most powerful writing American cinema has to offer.

By the way, Roemer totally tied with Robert Downey, Sr. – yes, Sr., it’s his Dad- for this spot but won out, even though Downey, in some ways has more to offer, because I will always favor against irony. It’s a personal prejudice, deal with it.

Having said that, you have to at least have seen Putney Swope (1969) if you want to roll like a gangsta with the American Film sophisticates.

The List:

Children of Fate: Life and Death in a Sicilian Family (1993)

**The Plot Against Harry (1989)

Haunted (1984) (TV)

Pilgrim, Farewell (1982) (TV)

**Nothing But a Man (1964)

Cortile Cascino (1962)

** Denotes essential viewing from this director

5. Jim Jarmusch

Love him or hate him, one of my favorite filmmakers of all time makes number 5 on this list. If you haven’t seen anything by Jim Jarmusch, you really have to, but I will say it’s important to watch the right ones first. Context is everything, and Jim Jarmusch deserves to be treated as a total artist, each work contributing to his overall artistic project.

His films require patience (but you have that), and they certainly won’t let you just sit back and have “movie time” wash over you, but that’s what good film (art) is all about. It’s about actively engaging with the material so that you finish the film with something you didn’t have when you started. Don’t worry, there are more difficult filmmakers (I assume you’ve seen David Lynch’s films, otherwise he would have taken this spot and Michael Roemer would be knocked off the list entirely).

The List:

The Limits of Control (2009)

Jim Jarmusch's first color film, but not a farewell to black and white!

**Broken Flowers (2005)

Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet (2002) (segment “Int. Trailer Night”)

**Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Year of the Horse (1997)

**Dead Man (1995)

Coffee and Cigarettes III (1993)

**Night on Earth (1991)

Red Hot and Blue (1990) (TV) (segment “It’s All Right With Me”)

**Mystery Train (1989)

Coffee and Cigarettes II (1989)

**Down by Law (1986)

Coffee and Cigarettes (1986)

**Stranger Than Paradise (1984)

Stranger Than Paradise – Short (1982)

Permanent Vacation (1980)

** Denotes essential viewing from this director

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Notes and Things

Taken with instagram

05/19/12

Regardless of his age or experience, a true teacher is simply one who has apprehended the true teaching and attained the authentic teacher’s seal of realization. He does not put texts first or understanding first, but his capacity is outside any framework and his spirit freely penetrates the nodes in bamboo. He is not concerned with self-views and does not stagnate in emotional feelings. Thus, practice and understanding are in mutual accord. This is a true master.

Dogen, from Guidelines for Studying the Way

05/18/12

Taken with instagram

05/18/12

Tag: Michael Roemer

#10 – American Filmmakers Sophisticated People Should Know (but probably never heard of)

10. Michael Roemer

The List:

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#5 – American Filmmakers Sophisticated People Should Know (but probably never heard of)

5. Jim Jarmusch

The List:

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Notes and Things

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