Babylonhas polarized audiences, but there’s no denyingDamien Chazelle’s ability to get people to talk. He has aunique, bold styleinspired by classic Hollywood. Few directors are as enamored with music, or as fascinated by the creative process. He’s delivered consistently intriguing work sinceGuy and Madeline on a Park Bench, and the multi-year deal he signed with Paramount last month means we can expect plenty more from him in the foreseeable future.
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In the meantime, Chazelle’s fan might enjoy some of themovies he’s recommendedover the years. His picks range from documentaries and neo-noir to boundary-pushing silent shorts, but most of them share a through-line, whether that’s energetic editing or an emphasis on music. A few of them were direct influences on his own filmography.
‘Los Angeles Plays Itself’ (2003)
Los Angeles Plays Itselfis a video essay documentary that examines the way the city has been represented in film and television. Speaking over clips from dozens of films, directorThom Andersencontrasts the L.A. of films likeThe Big Sleep,Rebel Without a Cause,andCluelesswith the realities of the city he grew up in.
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During aninterviewin 2016, Chazelle named this documentary as one of the main influences onLa La Land. “Los Angeles is weirdly the most filmed city in the world because the movie industry has been there forever but it’s one of the least physical cities in film,” he said. “It doesn’t have a specific place in film the way that New York or Paris does. Which is why everyone has their own idea of L.A., and many are not the most pleasant.”
‘My Night at Maud’s’ (1969)
My Night at Maud’sis a French film directed byÉric Rohmer, one of the laterFrench New Wavefilmmakers. It tells the story of devout Catholic Jean-Louis (Jean-Louis Trintignant), who struggles to reconcile his feelings for divorcee Maud (Françoise Fabian) with his religious beliefs. Like most of Rohmer’s movies, it’s philosophical and dialogue-driven, with an emphasis on character over plot.
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Rohmer’s filmography contains plenty of gems worth seeing, likeBoyfriends and Girlfriendsand his signature workClaire’s Knee. During a RedditAMA, Chazelle saidMy Night at Maud’s was one of the five movies he considered to have the most satisfying endings. His other picks wereCity Lights,Nights of Cabiria,The Eclipse,andDeath Proof.
‘Short Cuts’ (1993)
ChazelletoldRedditors thatRobert Altman’sShort Cutswas on his Mount Rushmore of L.A. movies. It’s Altman’slove letter to Los Angeles, based on short stories byRaymond Carver. It follows an ensemble cast of characters whose lives intersect in the city, includingJulianne Moore,Jennifer Jason Leigh,Robert Downey Jr., andFrances McDormand.
Altman has a talent for handling large casts, which he demonstrated most famously withNashvilleandGosford Park.Short Cutsdoesn’t rise to the heights of those movies, but the performances are compelling enough to justify a viewing.
‘The Vampire’ (1945)
The Vampireis an experimental short film byJean Painlevé. It shows a vampire bat feeding on a guinea pig, interspersed with other unsettling images, including scenes fromNosferatu- all set to a jazz soundtrack byDuke Ellington. It’s trippy stuff, but the energy, rhythm, and jazz connections make it plain to see why Chazelle liked it.
Painlevé focused on filming animals in the wild, although his movies are surreal rather than purely documentarian. He was particularly interested in sea creatures and pioneered underwater filming techniques, like encasing his camera in a custom waterproof box.
‘Ménilmontant’ (1926)
Ménilmontant, named after a neighborhood in Paris,is asilent short filmdirected byDimitri Kirsanoff, a French-Russian filmmaker. Dark and experimental, it’s composed of a series of vignettes about two sisters, Lena (Nadia Sibirskaïa) and Paula (Yolande Beaulieu), who are left alone after their parents are murdered. They struggle to come to terms with their loss and find their place in the world.
A classic example of the French avant-garde,Ménilmontantis known for its innovative use of editing, including then-novel effects like double exposure. It’s an interesting look at how silent film might have evolved, had talkies not displaced them. Other admirers of the film include British directorMike Leighand criticPauline Kael.
‘My Sex Life…. Or How I Got Into An Argument’ (1996)
My Sex Life… Or How I Got Into An Argumentisa French filmdirected byArnaud Desplechin.It follows a graduate student with the not-particularly-subtle name Paul Dedalus (Mathieu Amalric) across a series of relationships. The film gets inside the heads of his partners and other characters as they search for love and meaning.
The movie is dialogue-driven and stylistically inventive, prompting some critics to describe it as post-French New Wave. It works thanks to Amalric, who manages to make Paul earnest and relatable. It’s also noteworthy for being one ofMarion Cotillard’s very first roles, as an unnamed student.
‘The Eclipse’ (2009)
Michael Farr (Ciarán Hinds) is a teacher struggling to come to terms with his wife’s death. He meets Lena Morelle (Iben Hjejle), a novelist who is also dealing with a loss. Soon, Michael becomes obsessed with Lena’s novels. He even starts to believe that the ghosts in her stories might be real.
The Eclipsewas directed by Irish playwright and filmmakerConor McPherson, who most recently co-wrote the 2020Artemis Fowladaptation. It’s a mediation on loss, held together by nuanced performances and a great setting in a small Irish town. Chazelle and Hinds would go on to collaborate onFirst Mannine years later.
‘The Two Jakes’ (1990)
The Two Jakesis the sequel to the 1974 neo-noir classicChinatown.Jack Nicholsonreprises his role as private detective J.J. Gittes and directs as well. Gittes takes on a case for a client who suspects his wife is having an affair, but Gittes becomes a suspect after her lover is killed. Chazelle praised the film during the RedditAMA.
While not as strong as the original,The Two Jakesis interesting for showing a changed version of Gittes after his years working in naval intelligence. Nicholsonsaidthat he remained intrigued by the character for more than 15 years because “it was a departure from most films. It was a detective with no gun.”
‘Time Out’ (2001)
On the more somber side,Time Outis a French film about Vincent (Aurélien Recoing), a middle-aged man who gets fired and can’t bring himself to break the news to his family. For months, he pretends to go to work but instead drives the streets aimlessly. When he runs out of money, he sets up a Ponzi scheme to maintain his lifestyle.
Recoing is terrific as a man spinning an endless web of lies, to the point that it seems there might be no way out. “Vincent is the sincerest of liars,” directorLaurent Cantethassaid. “An actor of his own life.” However, the strongest performer might beKarin Viardas Vincent’s wife Muriel who attempts to bring him back to reality.
‘Humanity’ (1999)
Humanityis a French drama about a policeman (Emmanuel Schotté) investigating the murder of a young girl in a small community in the north of France. It’s slow-paced, with little dialogue, focusing on the detective’s everyday quiet life, and his internal struggles. He grieves for the girl and seems disconnected from those around him.
The film is notable for its minimalist style, with an emphasis on mood and imagery akin toManchester by the Sea- gray skies, white skin, and cold water. It’s harsh and heavy, a character study more than a mystery. Not all viewers were enthusiastic about the film, but most seemed to agree that Schotté delivered a memorable performance.
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