SCFZ

Polling the films of director Bertrand Tavernier

The rules:

- your list can include no more than half of the Tavernier films you've seen, up to a maximum of 5. So if you've seen seven of his films, for example, you can list only a top 3. It's only if you've seen ten or more of his films than you can list the maximum of five.

- i'll assume ballots are ranked unless you tell me otherwise. unranked ballots are fine.

- deadline for ballots: next Tuesday, in seven days, whatever day that is

- if anyone is watching films for these polls, then i'll extend the deadline up to three days, if someone requests an extension

- next poll: whoever posts the first ballot in this thread is free to nominate the director we poll next, unless you've nominated in this round already (everyone should get a chance). Already nominated this round: umbugbene, greennui, evelyn, bure, m arkadin, mrcarmady, nrh, brian d, mesnalty, kanafani, st gloede, ofrene, silga, greg x, therouxxx, charulata, oscarwerner

umbugbene created an index on letterboxd of all of our previous polls here: letterboxd.com/umbugbene/list/index-of-all-scfz-director-polls/

one rule for nominees: at least 3 scfzers need to have seen 10+ of a nominee's films, or at least 4 scfzers need to have seen at least 8 of the nom's films, so if it isn't clear if that will be the case, we'll confirm that's true before moving forward

if 24 hours pass after a poll opens, and no one eligible to nominate has posted a ballot, then i'll nominate someone, and then we'll start over, and everyone will be able to nominate again

not sure if we need to use the extended rules for tavernier, but since i can't recall ever discussing him on the forum, i'm not sure if he has many views, so we will:

• if you have seen an odd number of tavernier films, you can round up instead of down when deciding how long to make your ballot (so if you've seen 7 of his films, you can post a 4-film ballot rather than the usual 3)

• if you have seen more than 10 tavernier films, your ballot can extend beyond five films (so if you've seen 13, you can list up to 7 films)

The Judge and the Assassin
Sunday in the Country
L627

seen five (i think i've actually seen eight, but can't remember some of them well enough to count them)

seen 5

let joy reign supreme
the princess of montpensier
coup de torchon

Only seen 6:

1. Daddy Nostalgie (1990)
2. Coup de torchon (1981)

The rest are all in the good to very good range.

Seen 1

In the Electric Mist

Haven't seen any Tavernier, but he strikes me as an interesting figure. I doubt I'll get a chance to watch it for this, but I'm curious if anyone has thoughts on My Journey Through French Cinema?

Seen 13.
My votes are :
1. A Sunday in the Country (1984)
2. 'Round Midnight (1986)
3. The Clockmaker of St. Paul (1974)
4. Coup de Torchon (1981)
5. Captain Conan (1996)
-------
6. Death Watch (La mort en direct (1980)
7. My Journey Through French Cinema

wonderful filmmaker!

01. Coup de Torchon (1981)
02. Safe Conduct (2002)

Tavernier seen: 3

Evelyn Library P.I. wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 1:45 pm Haven't seen any Tavernier, but he strikes me as an interesting figure. I doubt I'll get a chance to watch it for this, but I'm curious if anyone has thoughts on My Journey Through French Cinema?

I'm a fan, and I think you'd like it too - as the title suggests, it's a very personal look at the history of French cinema, so Tavernier feels no need to spend much time on the New Wave, for example. There's lots of discussion of more "minor" directors like Greville, Jean Gabin films that aren't valued by auteurists, etc.

A Sunday in the Country
Coup de Torchon
Round Midnight
The Princess of Montpensier
Death Watch
L.627
My Journey Through French Cinema

i loooooooooooooove death watch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! also a director i've always been meaning to see more of but i always get distracted from

seen 4

death watch
the watchmaker of st paul

seen 3, great pick, hopefully i can get back to my 'watching films for the poll' ways this week

the watchmaker of st paul
coup de torchon

never heard of this dudemeister

mesnalty wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 3:55 pm

Evelyn Library P.I. wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 1:45 pm Haven't seen any Tavernier, but he strikes me as an interesting figure. I doubt I'll get a chance to watch it for this, but I'm curious if anyone has thoughts on My Journey Through French Cinema?

I'm a fan, and I think you'd like it too - as the title suggests, it's a very personal look at the history of French cinema, so Tavernier feels no need to spend much time on the New Wave, for example. There's lots of discussion of more "minor" directors like Greville, Jean Gabin films that aren't valued by auteurists, etc.

Wonderful, that sounds like my kind of thing. Yeah, I was hoping it would focus on less-heralded stuff and highlight some hidden gems.

I've never heard of this guy OR any of his cinema

i have 3 but it's been so long since i've seen them i don't think it's fair to participate. i'll put in a vote for dexter gordon

round midnight

seen only death watch, which was good, but i'll abstain. have a copy of my journey through french cinema, but doubt i'll have time to get to it

still trying to finish up a mukherjee for the other poll. been working on watching that one for at least the past week

seen 10

1. let joy reign supreme
2. coup de torchon
3. L.627
4. safe conduct
5. in the electric mist

Seen 8

1. The Watchmaker of St. Paul
2. In the Electric Mist
3. The French Minister
4. Life and Nothing But

coup de torchon

wba wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 1:55 pm wonderful!

wba, you can pick our next director if you want to!

flip wrote: ↑Fri Nov 06, 2020 5:39 pm

wba wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 1:55 pm wonderful!

wba, you can pick our next director if you want to!

wow, ok, what did I suggest last time?
I believe there ´were some 3 or 4 directors that would have worked?

How about Joe D'Amato?
Or Jacques Doillon?
Or Veit Harlan?

Have 10(+) by each.

0 D'Amato
0 Doillon
2 Harlan (Loved them both though. Opfergang/Hanna Amon)

wba wrote: ↑Fri Nov 06, 2020 7:21 pm wow, ok, what did I suggest last time?
I believe there ´were some 3 or 4 directors that would have worked?

I looked it up and it seems like Jess Franco/Bo Widerberg/Chris Marker all worked.

thanks for looking that up, greennui! if they worked before, i'm happy to go with any of them now. if instead, wba, you'd prefer to go with one of harlan, d'amato (who i think we did check once and who didn't have the views), or doillon, we can figure out if any of them work. i can't help with any of those three though, i've seen one d'amato and no doillon or harlan.

I've seen 4 by Doillon, none by the others

I've seen none by ANY of those characters

5 of Jacques Doillon, 4 of Joe Amato, 0 of Veit Harlan