I recommend The Return of Martin Guerre, as far as French films go

I second this. And Depardieu's Cyrano is nice too.

Hec, my German's not that good. I could translate those words literally, but I suspect you're looking for a compound concept noun, like Schadenfreude. I'll ask around, but you might check Leo: [link]

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Megan, we Netflixed Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources. So they are available on dvd.

Is it in your "Saved" section? Because I was able to add it long ago, but it's been sitting there ever since with an "Unknown" release date. You can find it online as an import--but that usually means expensive and/or wacky subtitles.

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We also Netflixed Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources. It was a while ago, and sometimes things disappear on Netflix, but we definitely got them.

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Raq and David, what was the German question? Because I can speak it.... I'll go back and have a look.

But I also use Leo as my online dictionary.

Edit: found the post. SO and I are currently racking our brains. Is it something like "Lustschmerz"? That's the best we can do for now, I'm afraid. I'll mull overnight though.

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Wow, I have actually seen a lot of those films. And a lot of those were in French class in school. Kept us interested, I guess.

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I really really enjoyed Ridicule, which is about people being witty and cruel at Versailles just before the French Revolution. Which makes it sound not-nice, but it's most of the characters who are not-nice, and the movie itself is very nice. Also, you get to see puns in sign language, and bunnies go scuba-diving. (Really!)

Also second the rec for A Very Long Engagement, which is about World War I, and is a little magical-realist and a little punch-drunk and you get to see Jodie Foster narrate an entire portion of the movie (in very good French). The City of Lost Children is another one with an American speaking French in it, and flirting with too-silly-to-play-along for me. (The American is Ron Perlman, and his French is terrible -- presumably by design.)

I have seen me a fair amount of trashy-melodrama French film. I would put Indochine in that category, along with Queen Margot and The Brotherhood of the Wolf. I hated that last, and wouldn't have paid the price of a rental for either of the other two, but they both involved pretty people swanning about and having lots of sex and murder and angst. So, can't be all bad, right?

Just avoid Camille Claudel. It is bad and boring.

I just watched M, and I have to say I don't feel the love.

I didn't either. I think I'd read so much about it that I saw it and was like, "That's all?"

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I went to Netflix to check. We got both films in 2004, with little to no wait. They were Region 1, in French with subtitles. Evidently they're being reissued, because the versions we watched are no longer available and there's no "add" to your queue option, only the "save" option as you described. Odd.

Still, it does indicate they do plan to offer then eventually. Sorry for the bum steer.

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Just avoid Camille Claudel. It is bad and boring.

You'll notice I didn't put that or Queen Margot on the list, even though I own both of them! I will say however that if you like looking at Isabelle Adjani, she is stunning in both. Queen Margot often appeals to guy students because the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre is so violent. I think it is a bit cheesy, but I do so love Vincent Perez (who is also in Indochine) that I had to have it.

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I saw Queen Margot with The Nice Catholic Boy I once dated. We both thought it was baaad, although Adjani must have been 40 and still looked about 16. Actually I sort of blame Queen Margot for our breakup, though I think it was just the timing (the breakup was inevitable, as I am neither Nice nor Catholic.

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I love City of Lost Children so much. I have no French, though. And I still haven't seen Delicatessen, somehow.

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