Can you think of a unique film?

[wedgeh]

For my dissertation this year, I intend to explore whether it is possible for a film to be unique. It is said that post-modern films are generally full of recycled elements of previously made films, whether they just use them to embrace these elements or to take the piss out of them. Or of course they can just remake the entire film again.

So, this being said, I am looking for some films to study which could possibly be classed as unique. It doesn't have to be unique in the sense that it is hard to put it into any genre, or unique in that it's just someone sitting on a box in a room doing nothing for 3 days. A quite mainstream film that seems to be individual will suffice. Also if you can think of any animations that seem unique, that would be great too.

Thanks for your help!

[FargalEX]

Try Masaaki Yuasa's "Mind Game" for a unique animated film.

[lordcookie]

That's pretty tough really because no film lives within a vacuum. I assume you are looking for just feature films?

Empire

Time Code

Mind Game - Is a pretty unique animated movie although it is a mish-mash of other source material.

La Jetee - Despite being remade as Twelve Monkeys the original is a unique experience.

Passenger

Vampyr

The Cosmic Eye

Twice Upon a Time - I think this is the only animated film (feature at least) to use the animation technique of lumage.

In all honesty you could tear all of these down as not being unique, it just depends how far you want to stretch it.

[wedgeh]

That's pretty tough really because no film lives within a vacuum. I assume you are looking for just feature films?

In all honesty you could tear all of these down as not being unique, it just depends how far you want to stretch it.

Yeah, I agree with that completely. What I have been thinking about is whether a film is more popular if it recycles a lot from previously made films compared to those which recycle less and seem more unique. Although I'm not entirely sure how I could prove a film's popularity. It could also be coincidence and a case of a really great story to a really bad story, of course.

Anyway, thank you very much for those suggestions! I check them out.

[Popo]

Memento is probably the most unique film I've ever seen.

[Sonic.Mirrorz]

Waking life.

[Marzipan Travolta]

If one more person says quite unique or pretty unique I'm hosing the folder

[K]

Primer.

[metallicfrodo]

Memento is probably the most unique film I've ever seen.

I'd have to concur with Memento too, was the first film that came into my head when I saw the thread.

[Stellar]

District 9 is pretty unique.

[Peter]

That Daft Punk one (not Interstellar).

[bradigor]

Primer.

[Paradigm]

Wizard of Oz still astounds me like no other. I can barely imagine what it must have been like to audiences watching at the time and I think it has been the template for so much. Astonishing technically, iconic score, a wonderful mixture of fantasy, musical and horror, it had a huge cultural impact and was unsullied by virtue of being 'all American' as it were. I think it is probably most significant for the strong female lead.

[jon_cybernet]

You'd have to go a long way to find a film more unique than Funky Forest: The first contact:

Also Frank Zappa's "200 Motels" or The Monkees "Head" are both one offs.

[Mr Cochese]

District 9 is pretty unique.

It's a remake.

[misterSquare]

'My Winnipeg' ?

[Stellar]

It's a remake.

Of what exactly - Alive in Joberg?

In any case, I assume we're talking about plots/story.

[Creamstick]

Pi

Tetsuo

The Cars That Ate Paris

[super_quincy]

Run Lola Run. That's unique.

And no Groundhog Day is not a valid comparison as Bill Murray was in full awareness of the situation

[ZOK]

Is 'Les Parapluies de Cherbourg' unique? I'm sure that there must be other films that are completely sung, but I can't think of any.

It's uniquely beautiful, anyway! I could write an essay on the use of wallpaper in that movie without even looking anything up.

[___]

So it's like Groundhog Day, except the protagonist isn't aware they're repeating time

[Ben]

Richard Linklater's Slacker? I don't think I've seen a film structured like that before or since.

[Professor Puzzles]

I suppose Moulin Rouge! (the Baz Luhrman one) could be thought of as unique, since it took the MTV music video aesthetic and really stretched it to fill an entire feature film. The editing in the movie is absolutely insane, even in the calm, quiet moments.

Also, Daisies. But that might be a bit wierd for you.

[Bobbi Champagne Jr]

Ghostbusters 2?

[Chadruharazzeb]

Fight Club. I mean what else is it like?

[DarhkFox]

donnie darko

[Chadruharazzeb]

Repo Man. I mean what else is it like?

[Comrade]

Sortie des Usines Lumière à Lyon

[dan_tm]

Rope? Has any other film been designed to look as if it was recorded in one take? It wouldn't necessarily have to be the plot that's unique I guess.

[lordcookie]

Rope? Has any other film been designed to look as if it was recorded in one take? It wouldn't necessarily have to be the plot that's unique I guess.

Time Code and Russian Ark to name but two.