Gaspar Noéis the provocative Argentine-Italian directorbehind fiery films like the art thrillerIrréversible,erotic dramaLoveand, most recently, the character studyVortexstarringgiallofilmmakerDario Argento. His most well-known projects may be the unrelentingly bleakI Stand Aloneand the first-person fantasyEnter the Void. The latter is particularly famous for its gorgeous title sequence, which is often ranked among the greatest of all time.
Like most bold filmmakers, Noé is a student of the medium who watches many, many movies. He has spoken at length about dozens of his favorites, explaining how they inspired him or shaped his approach to storytelling.These are some of Gaspar Noé’s most intriguing recommendations, which should appeal to fans of his intense filmography.
10’Angst' (1983)
Director: Gerald Kargl
This Austrian psychological horror centers on K. (Erwin Leder), a psychopathic criminal who is released from prison and immediately resumes his gruesome killing spree. He eventually breaks into a home and unleashes his violence on the family living there, sharing details about his traumatic childhood and unstable mental state.What setsAngstapart is its unorthodox narrative structure and intense first-person perspective, achieved through the use of subjective camera techniques.
Although quite underseen,Angsthas something of a small cult following, who appreciate Leder’s committed performance and the intricate camerawork. A deeply controversial film,Angstwas banned in several countries. Noé called it “a great lesson in visual imagination but also in psychopathology.” “This film, still poorly known in Anglo-Saxon countries, was my perpetual point of reference while shootingI Stand Alone. It’s the most emotional film about a murderer that I’ve ever seen,“he explains.
Watch on Tubi
9’Jason and the Argonauts' (1963)
Director: Don Chaffey
Jason and the Argonautsis a classic fantasy adventure known for its groundbreaking visual effects by the legendaryRay Harryhausen.It’s a fun riff on Greek mythology, withTodd Armstrongin the role of the hero Jason. He sets out on a perilous quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece, encountering mythical creatures and facing various challenges along the way. These are realized through stop-motion, which looks quaint now but was cutting-edge at the time.
One of the film’s most iconic scenes is the spectacular skeleton battle, a testament to Harryhausen’s talent.“Jason and the Argonautsis the very first movie that I ever remember watching,“Noé said. “And I remember being in front of my TV all alone, watching skeletons fighting with swords. For me, it was magic. I guess the emotion was so strong that the memory of the room and the TV still piques my mind […] I have a lot of respect for those movies, like the oldKing Kong, which create a grand world with the [stop-motion] tricks.”
Rent on Amazon
8’I Am Cuba' (1964)
Director: Mikhail Kalatozov
“I am Cuba, the Cuba of the casinos, but also of the people.” This Soviet-Cuban co-production consists of various vignettes about the Cuban people and their struggles. The first story follows the struggles of a poor sugarcane farmer, the second depicts the decadent nightlife of Havana before the revolution, the third portrays the oppression faced by a student activist, and the final narrative focuses on a rural farmer joining the rebels.
I Am Cubais a work of propaganda that went largely unnoticed on release but was acclaimed decades laterfor its innovative long takes and sweeping camera moves. For instance, the opening scene’s acrobatic tracking shots have since become iconic. They’re definitely impressive, especially since they’re from a time before Steadicam.Noé calledI Am Cuba"a revolutionary and lyrical film where the movements turn the camera into a symphonic instrument, and one of the principal sources of inspiration for my long sequence shots in Irreversible andEnter the Void.”
Watch on Kanopy
7’Scorpio Rising' (1964)
Director: Kenneth Anger
Scorpio Risingisa groundbreaking short filmby experimental pioneerKenneth Anger. It’s a unique amalgamation of pop culture imagery, homoeroticism, and a pulsating soundtrack featuring songs from popular artists of the time. The plot, if one could call it that, revolves around a young man’s (Bruce Byron) fascination with the biker subculture. Scenes with the bikers are intercut with religious iconography and historical pictures, sometimes very provocatively.
The soundtrack is the driving force here. Anger deploys songs by artists likeElvis,Ray Charles, andRicky Nelsonto great effect. As a result,Scorpio Risingis now considered a forerunner of the music video.Its devotees includeNicolas Winding RefnandMartin Scorsese. “A film as unique as it is perfect,“Noé said of it. “Much like withUn Chien Andalou, I can watch it on repeat and never get bored. A great aesthetic experience that can only be compared to Anger’s other masterpiece,Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome.”
Watch on TCM
6’The Mother and the Whore' (1973)
Director: Jean Eustache
This sprawling, existential French film centers on the tumultuous love triangle involving Alexandre (Jean-Pierre Léaud), a disillusioned young man; Marie (Bernadette Lafont), a nurse; and Veronika (Françoise Lebrun), a woman working as a hairdresser. Set against the backdrop of post-1968 Paris, the characters engage in intense philosophical discussions, probing the nature of love, commitment, and societal expectations. Alexandre is self-absorbed and rudderless; if his character is meant to be a portrait of the era’s young intellectuals, it’s not a flattering one.
There’s no real plot. Rather, the film serves up lengthy dialogue scenes, naturalistic performances, and a frank portrayal of human relationships.The Mother and the Whorewas polarizing on release but is now generally regarded as one of the best French movies of the 1970s.“It’s the most existentialist, raw, deep film about the impossible nature of romantic love in the modern Western world,“Noé said. “I had the enormous chance to work with Françoise Lebrun, its lead actress, on my filmVortex.”
5’Day of Wrath' (1943)
Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer
Day of Wrathtakes place in 17th-century Denmark during the time of the witch trials. The lead character is Anne Pedersdotter (Lisbeth Movin), a young woman who marries the elderly pastor, Reverend Absalon Pederssøn (Thorkild Roose), to save her mother, who was accused of witchcraft. Anne feels cold toward Pederssøn but develops feelings for his son, Martin (Preben Lerdorff Rye). However, their romance threatens to cast her life into turmoil.
Dreyeris the godfather of Danish cinema, and this is one of his major works. Atmospheric cinematography and nuanced performances are at a premium here.Thematically,Day of Wrathis a sophisticated exploration of guilt and dogmatism,which some have interpreted as an allegory for the Nazi occupation of Denmark.Noé listed it as an all-time favorite. Notably,Day of Wrathis part of the select collection ofmovies that hold a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Watch on Criterion
4’Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome' (1954)
Inauguration of the Pleasure Domeis another avant-garde film by Kenneth Anger. The title refers to the poem “Kubla Khan” bySamuel Taylor Coleridge.Endlessly surreal, it invites viewers into a hallucinatory and symbolic realm where myth, ritual, and the subconscious converge.The dreamlike plot revolves around a ceremonial gathering attended by various historical and mythological figures, including the occultistAleister Crowley, the Great Beast, and gods like Shiva and Osiris, all portrayed by costumed participants.
“When I didEnter The Void, I was thinking of bothInauguration of the Pleasure Domeand the end of2001: A Space Odyssey,“Noé said. “There are not many movies that I see that make me feel like I am on good drugs.Inauguration Of The Pleasure Domeis so trippy!” Indeed,Inauguration of the Pleasure Domeis like taking a wild, hectic, confusing trip; it might not necessarily be enjoyable, but it is certainly memorable.
Not available to buy or stream in the US.
3’Häxan' (1922)
Director: Benjamin Christensen
Blending documentary and dramatization, this silent horror explores the historical persecution of women accused of witchcraft, examining the superstitions, societal fears, and religious hysteria that fueled these witch hunts.Häxanis structured as a series of vignettes, combining video essay-like sequences with fantastical reenactments of witchcraft trials and demonic rituals. In addition, directorBenjamin Christensenproposes rational explanations for alleged instances of sorcery.There’s a lot of striking and unsettling imagery here, especially for a moviethat’s over a hundred years old.
Noé named the film as one he would’ve liked to have made. “The movie starts with a closeup of Benjamin Christensen describing the lives of so-called witches during the inquisition, most of whom were not even witches, just women who were accused,“Noé said. “It’s like a replayed documentary about the horror of ancient times in Western society – very educative, like a period educational horror movie […]Häxanis a masterpiece. There should be a remake.”
Watch on Max
Director: Keisuke Kinoshita
Set in a remote mountain village during the Edo period,The Ballad of Narayamatells the poignant and tragic story of a community adhering to an ancient custom. According to tradition, when individuals reach the age of seventy, they are expected to climb the sacred mountain Narayama and embrace death to ease the burden on the community’s resources. Orin (Kinuyo Tanaka), a resilient elderly woman, prepares to face this fate as she nears her seventieth year. The story is told in the style of traditional kabuki theater.
“What I liked when I saw that movie is that it was so colorful, so artistic,“Noé said. “The beauty ofThe Ballad Of Narayamais that it makes you think that this is more than just narrative, it’s art. I’m still in shock thatKinoshitais not as well known asKenji MizoguchiorAkira Kurosawa.“The Ballad of Narayamis extreme yet visually wondrous and highly stylized, a truly unique film that will leave a lasting impression on whoever experiences it.
Watch on Mubi
1’Palindromes' (2004)
Director: Todd Solondz
Palindromesis an unconventional comedy byTodd Solondz,the director of oddball gemslikeHappinessandWiener-Dog. The narrative centers on Aviva, a 13-year-old girl on a surreal journey seeking love and identity. Throughout the movie, the character is played by eight different performers of varying ages, ethnicities, and body types, includingJennifer Jason Leigh. As the title suggests,Palindromesuses this concept to explore themes of symmetry, repetition, and the cyclical nature of life.
“Palindromesis a movie I’ve seen ten times that I show to all my friends on DVD,“Noé said. “From all of this list, it’s the one that makes me laugh the most. Todd Solondz is so funny, his humor is so black and so acid that I’m surprised that he made this film in the United States […] The situations are so funny and so cruel at the same time.”
