Cinecouch.com

On-the-Verge Top 50 Films

  • On-the-Verge is a complementary list to the Top 1000 Short Films, with films between 40 and 60 min.
  • Single TV episodes or TV series with similar average runtime will not be included in this list.
  • Films presented as a series with qualifying runtime will be on this list.

1

TSPDT 1000
Jonathan Rosenbaum 1000
Brief Encounters
Cinecouch's Essential Films
Cinecouch's Favorite

Sherlock Jr.

Buster Keaton

Sherlock Jr.
1924|USA|45 min|BW|Live Action

- When comedies were surreal.

Adventure/Comedy/Fantasy
, by

		Assignment: find the detective.
		
	To find the detective,
		you need to find a detective first.
	But you can't find a detective,
		because the detective needs to be found,
			so that you can ask the detective,
				to find the detective.
	Where is the detective?
		Or rather, where is the detective,
			who can find the detective?

2

TSPDT 1000
Jonathan Rosenbaum 1000
Brief Encounters
Cinecouch's Essential Films
Cinecouch's Favorite

Zero for Conduct
(Zéro de conduite: Jeunes diables au collège)

Jean Vigo

Zero for Conduct
1933|France|41 min|BW|Live Action

- Vigo wandering in the garden of Renoir, bathing in the light of Cocteau, and crafting in the hands of Vertov.

Film-poetry/Social Satire
, by

Playfulness, playfulness, playfulness...
	This is 1933,
		When children were masters of time,
			they smashed on the static mime.
		The shy kid went to kiss the girl,
		The sad kid went to kick and roll,
		The scoundel went to apologize and bow,
	All is well.
	Who'd think,
		that one day, they will too ---
			grow up and go?

3

TSPDT 1000
Brief Encounters
Cinecouch's Essential Films

A Day in the Country
(Partie de campagne)

Jean Renoir

Partie de campagne
1936|France|40 min|BW|Live Action

- Those moments unnoticed were secretly put away for the next morning.

Romance/Drama
, by

Oh! Joy!
	Be with me like a torment,
		Warm my heart under the garment,
			Wash away the present moment.
			
	To sit and sing
		Like a bird with no wing.
	To run and rest
		Like a rabbit craving her nest.
		
		All the while, Who there is, To smile?

4

TSPDT 1000
Brief Encounters
Cinecouch's Favorite

Simon of the Desert
(Simón del desierto)

Luis Buñuel

Simón del desierto
1965|Mexico|45 min|BW|Live Action

- "Atheist thanks to God."

Surrealism/Comedy
, by

Stuck between an unspeakable ecstasy and controllable dreaming,
	Came Simon.
		At the foot of the pillar,
			Came Anthony.
				At the top of the clouds,
					Came Lucifer.
				and where...?
			and when...?
		and what are they doing?
		It is as obvious as a boiled egg,
	The three are taking a break from their week-end.

5

TSPDT 1000
Jonathan Rosenbaum 1000
Brief Encounters
Cinecouch's Essential Films

Wavelength

Michael Snow

Wavelength
1967|Canada/USA|45 min|Col|Live Action

- Go find some time!

Experimental/Structuralism
, by

	One should always state the purpose of their visit,
		upon entering the theatre,
			or else,
				one will be visiting the doctor.	
	It is rather dark out here,
		worse still,
			it is quiet and dark,
		worse still,
			it is quiet and dark and crowded.
	Not everyone here wants the same story,
	Not everyone here wants a story.	

6

TSPDT 1000
Cinecouch's Essential Films
Cinecouch's Favorite

Blood of a Poet
(Le sang d'un poète)

Jean Cocteau

Blood of a Poet
1930|France|58 min|BW|Live Action

- ...is used to write the sanguine book of unknown desires.

Avant-garde/Surrealism/Fantasy
, by

Man arrived at a hotel,
	calling himself the writer with Martell.
	He asked for a cell to dwell,
	but was led to a floor like hell.
He opened the door,
	There is a kid who starts to yell,
	         a woman who has herself to sell,
	     and a bed that stinks like his cousin's smell.
He takes out the pen from his outer shell,
	"Swell!" he says to himself,
		"just another story to tell."

7

Jonathan Rosenbaum 1000
Brief Encounters
Cinecouch's Essential Films
Cinecouch's Favorite

Méditerranée

Jean-Daniel Pollet, Volker Schlöndorff

Méditerranée
1963|France|45 min|Col|Live Action

- Tides of civilization.

Structuralism/Avant-garde
, by

A house by the beach on the island,
	is visited by people.
A house by the beach on the island,
	is visited by birds.
A garden,
	by cats.
			park
	by cats.
			beach
	by people.
	by a lot of people.

8

TSPDT 1000
Jonathan Rosenbaum 1000
Brief Encounters
Cinecouch's Essential Films

Flaming Creatures

Jack Smith

Flaming Creatures
1963|USA|43 min|BW|Live Action

- Sex for a cause.

Avant-garde/Underground
, by

A shadow of crow is looming,
	It is a sign that is telling,
		The crowd of hunger is coming.
					She knew.
		No time to prepare yourself,
	Just jump around until it stalls.
	...
	...
	What is the best way to satisfy a hungry crowd?
		No one knows until now,
			Just do nothing and practice Dao.

9

Cinecouch's Essential Films
Cinecouch's Favorite

Our Century
(Mer dare)

Artavazd Peleshian

Mer dare
1983|Soviet Union|47 min|Col|Live Action

- Progresses that will last.

Avant-garde/Documentary/Film Collage
, by

The motor is running
	Where are we going?
The trees are shaking
	Where are we landing?
The dust is flying
	Where are we staying?
				The water is pouring
					Where are we eating?
				The wind is blowing
					Where are we sleeping?
				The motor is running...Oh...

10

Cinecouch's Favorite

A Man There Was
(Terje Vigen)

Victor Sjöström

Terje Vigen
1917|Sweden|56 min|BW|Live Action

- Man and his world.

Epic Adventure/Biography
, by

- So how could you do that?
- It's futile to live in the past.
- After all that?
- Yes, after all that?
- I must admit...I could've never done that.
- You don't have to do it to begin with.
- It is good to know you.
- So am I.
- Now before I leave, tell me one thing.
- Yes?
- What if...I only used close-ups? (Bresson)