Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

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Snufkin88
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Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

Post by Snufkin88 »

Have just watched the epic 'winter sleep'. Transfixed in the dialogue, possibly the shortest long (3hrs18mins) film I've ever seen.

So I was curious, are there any films you would recommend that are almost entirely dialogue based.?

rklenseth
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Re: Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

Post by rklenseth »

I enjoyed "The Man from Earth" (2007) which is entirely dialogue driven of a man recounting his interesting (that is as far as I can say without spoiling the premise) life to friends. Apparently there was a sequel made this past year which I'll have to find and watch. Another good one but it is a long movie (4 hours) is "The Iceman Cometh" (1973). That is about a bunch of barflies drinking away their lives while they still dream about a better life.

Stewball
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Re: Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

Post by Stewball »

Snufkin88 wrote:Have just watched the epic 'winter sleep'. Transfixed in the dialogue, possibly the shortest long (3hrs18mins) film I've ever seen.

So I was curious, are there any films you would recommend that are almost entirely dialogue based.?


My favorite types of movies are ones of any genre that emphasize dialogue--IOW, not necessarily just dialogue dramas. First, I'm anti-subtitles as it is and can't imagine watching a dialogue heavy movie with them, which, sad to say eliminates Winter Sleep.

This is a thread I started 6 years ago titled "Movies with Great Dialogue", to which I posted an update in December:
https://www.criticker.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2144&hilit=Movies+with+great+dialogue&start=40

For recent pretty much dialogue only dramas, check these out, especially the last three, each of which I rated 10/10, with The Good Catholic being the best movie of 2017, IMNTBHO--as well as the least viewed. It only has 5 other Criticker ratings, with none above a tier 5. Go figger, except to say that if it doesn't have at least some action, it won't fly, especially in the US. If you don't watch anything else from the thread, watch that. I'd be interested to see the reaction of another dialogue connoisseur.

Birdman
The Dressmaker
Bad Words
Like Sunday, Like Rain
The Only living Boy in New York
The Good Catholic

JakeAesthete
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Re: Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

Post by JakeAesthete »

All Whit Stillman, all Eric Rohmer, all Noah Baumbach, all Hal Hartley (a lot going on with him aside from just dialogue, but it's the best dialogue).

I found Winter Sleep a bit ponderous, belabored, and humorless myself, but that's just me. I have the same problem with Bergman, so make of that what you will.

Stewball
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Re: Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

Post by Stewball »

JakeAesthete wrote:All Whit Stillman, all Eric Rohmer, all Noah Baumbach, all Hal Hartley (a lot going on with him aside from just dialogue, but it's the best dialogue).

I found Winter Sleep a bit ponderous, belabored, and humorless myself, but that's just me. I have the same problem with Bergman, so make of that what you will.


Thanks for the post. Looks like Hal Hartley is my whale that slipped through the cracks. Don't think I've seen any of his stuff, at all. Looks interesting.

paulofilmo
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Re: Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

Post by paulofilmo »

I haven't seen winter sleep. i thought ceylan did more of a tarkovsky thing.

on Hal Hartley - i re-watched some scenes from henry fool for stew's thread, and found it a bit cringey. it might not be fair to take it out of context, though. i stand by my cosmopolis comment - i love the weird rhythms.

Another good recent one was "queen of earth", although the music was a big draw for me. I'm not sure what I want from dialogue films anymore - I guess something like Kenneth Lonergan's you can count on me, but it's not really what you're asking for. I just can't remember shit i watched 10+ years ago ^^ - stew's thread has much of the usual suspects

halilky
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Re: Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

Post by halilky »

Coffee and cigarettes ?

JakeAesthete
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Re: Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

Post by JakeAesthete »

Ceylon's earlier films were definitely Tarkovsky-inflected, but Winter Sleep was more of a Bergmanesque chamber piece sort of thing.

I definitely agree RE: Alex Ross Perry (looking forward to Golden Exits, Listen Up Philip is my fav of his) and Lonergan (esp. Margaret, now that's a hell of a dialogue film!)

Hartley is an... acquired taste, for sure. But if you like DeLillo there are definitely similarities.

Is it passé to mention Mamet at this point? I honestly couldn't care less about Glengarry Glen Ross, but State and Main crackles like a great classic screwball. Speaking of which, if you want great dialogue you can't beat His Girl Friday or Design for Living.

Stewball
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Re: Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

Post by Stewball »

paulofilmo wrote: stew's thread has much of the usual suspects


Yeah but I watch everything...that doesn't have subtitles. And have you seen any of those recent titles I put up. On second thought, our tastes never have matched up well, my fault I'm sure. And at the risk of getting really pedestrian, check out the dialogue driven comedy-dramas on TV, Goliath and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

JakeAesthete; Though Golden Exits had an uptick at the end, dialogue still requires a worthy story in order to be....worthy, that is, not boring.

90sCoffee
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Re: Best dialogue-driven film you've seen?

Post by 90sCoffee »

The Day The Earth Caught Fire and maybe Sweet Smell of Success

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