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 Posted:   Jul 16, 2021 - 5:52 PM   
 By:   Viscount Bark   (Member)

I'm attempting to get a list going of 21st century contemporary suspense/mystery/psychological/thriller films set in European cities with an emphasis on opulence and "old world" atmosphere. Movies I already have in mind include:

The Best Offer (2013)

The Burnt Orange Heresy (2019)

The Ninth Gate (1999) (not so much the supernatural stuff - although that wouldn't necessarily be a disqualifier - but for the atmosphere of suspenseful goings-on behind the "civilized" veneer.)

The Comfort of Strangers (1990) (I know this is not so recent a film, but it's a good example of psychological "creepiness" amidst the "Old World" splendor of Venice.)

Passion (2012) (This is a remake of a more sedate French thriller, but I prefer the slickness of De Palma's German city setting.)

Basic Instinct 2 (2006) (no great shakes as a movie, but it certainly presents a swank, steely, wealthy view of London - with the requisite suspense underlying the opulence.)

The Ghost Writer (2010) (Yes, I know this is meant to take place in New England, but it was filmed in Europe and looks it.)

I'm sure there are others. I hope I wasn't too vague in the type of atmosphere I'm looking for. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 7:10 AM   
 By:   Tall Guy   (Member)

In Bruges (2008) - bungling hit men await further orders in the picturesque Belgian City.

The Tourist (2010) - set at least partly in Venice as far as I recall; opulence and crapulence in equal measures.

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 9:34 AM   
 By:   John B. Archibald   (Member)

CHARADE (1963)
DON’T LOOK NOW (1973)
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963)
THE ODESSA FILE (1974)
THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM (1966)

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 9:58 AM   
 By:   Tall Guy   (Member)

John, do you think I’d have picked The Tourist if I could have picked Don’t Look Now?! Or even god help me Frantic?

big grin

 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 10:57 AM   
 By:   Viscount Bark   (Member)

In Bruges (2008) - bungling hit men await further orders in the picturesque Belgian City.

The Tourist (2010) - set at least partly in Venice as far as I recall; opulence and crapulence in equal measures.


In Bruges is a good film, but it's a black comedy crime story - I'm looking for brooding suspense and a strong atmosphere of "hoity-toity" culture rather than plots focusing on cops, crooks, prison, and gangsters. The Tourist, although a disappointing movie, is more what I'm thinking of.

 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 10:59 AM   
 By:   Viscount Bark   (Member)

CHARADE (1963)
DON’T LOOK NOW (1973)
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963)
THE ODESSA FILE (1974)
THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM (1966)


All excellent movies - but not from within the last 25 years or so, and only Don't Look Now fits the bill anyway.

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 11:16 AM   
 By:   Tall Guy   (Member)

In Bruges (2008) - bungling hit men await further orders in the picturesque Belgian City.

The Tourist (2010) - set at least partly in Venice as far as I recall; opulence and crapulence in equal measures.


In Bruges is a good film, but it's a black comedy crime story - I'm looking for brooding suspense and a strong atmosphere of "hoity-toity" culture rather than plots focusing on cops, crooks, prison, and gangsters. The Tourist, although a disappointing movie, is more what I'm thinking of.



Would Inferno count? Another poor film but some gorgeous shots of Florence. I don’t remember (nor want to try to) if your other adjectives are satisfied.

 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 11:33 AM   
 By:   Viscount Bark   (Member)

Would Inferno count? Another poor film but some gorgeous shots of Florence. I don’t remember (nor want to try to) if your other adjectives are satisfied.

I considered Argento films; most of the ones I've seen are from earlier times than what I'm looking for (such as the excellent Inferno, which you cited or Bird with the Crystal Plumage which focuses on an art gallery which supplies the "cultural" angle) and the "giallo" aspect (which I'm otherwise fond of) is not quite the subtle, brooding atmosphere I'm looking for. Nevertheless, he can certainly use looming city settings well. I think his only recent film I've seen is the 2009 "Giallo" which is set in Turin and has a lot of I'm looking for, aside from the slasher aspects.

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 12:17 PM   
 By:   Tall Guy   (Member)

Would Inferno count? Another poor film but some gorgeous shots of Florence. I don’t remember (nor want to try to) if your other adjectives are satisfied.

I considered Argento films; most of the ones I've seen are from earlier times than what I'm looking for (such as the excellent Inferno, which you cited or Bird with the Crystal Plumage which focuses on an art gallery which supplies the "cultural" angle) and the "giallo" aspect (which I'm otherwise fond of) is not quite the subtle, brooding atmosphere I'm looking for. Nevertheless, he can certainly use looming city settings well. I think his only recent film I've seen is the 2009 "Giallo" which is set in Turin and has a lot of I'm looking for, aside from the slasher aspects.



I was thinking of Dan Brown’s Inferno ... smile

 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 12:38 PM   
 By:   Viscount Bark   (Member)

I was thinking of Dan Brown’s Inferno ...

Oops. Heh. I never got around to watching this franchise. They look like they have a Ninth Gate-ish feel though, so they might qualify.

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 6:19 PM   
 By:   ZardozSpeaks   (Member)

Would non-opulent French character studies satisfy the brooding facet?

The Flower of Evil (2003 Chabrol)
The Story of Marie and Julien (2003 Rivette)
Intimate Strangers (2004 Leconte)
Lemming (2005 Moll)

 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 6:36 PM   
 By:   Viscount Bark   (Member)

Would non-opulent French character studies satisfy the brooding facet?

The Flower of Evil (2003 Chabrol)
The Story of Marie and Julien (2003 Rivette)
Intimate Strangers (2004 Leconte)
Lemming (2005 Moll)


I'm most familiar with Chabrol, although his films tend to be chamber-like. His La Cérémonie, for example, has a lot to offer in broodiness and suspense, but it has more of a "true crime" feel and a village setting - I'm looking more for underlying decadence hidden in a large, civilized city. But thank you for your suggestions and I will explore these titles.

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 17, 2021 - 6:58 PM   
 By:   ZardozSpeaks   (Member)

Perhaps films set in Amsterdam or Prague might be another angle.

I'm not up-to-date on films from the past dozen years, so my suggestions are limited.
Plenty of 30+-year-old examples come to my mind. I'm even thinking of those ITV shows from the '60s like DANGER MAN or THE SAINT in which any city of any country would be fabricated at Boreham Wood studios. smile

 
 Posted:   Jul 18, 2021 - 5:51 AM   
 By:   Nicolai P. Zwar   (Member)

Not sure what you mean by "opulent" in this context, but some additional thriller movies set in Europe, which feature prominent European locations:

THE BOURNE IDENTITY (2002, Doug Liman)
RONIN (1988, John Frankenheimer)
THE DA VINCI CODE (2006, Ron Howard... all the sequels ANGELS & DEMONS and INFERNO too)
THE OMEN (1976, Richard Donner... more a Horror thriller)

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 18, 2021 - 6:15 AM   
 By:   Tall Guy   (Member)


THE DA VINCI CODE (2006, Ron Howard... all the sequels ANGELS & DEMONS and INFERNO too)



Nic’s got me on ignore! It was that Witches of Eastwick business, wasn’t it?

 
 Posted:   Jul 18, 2021 - 6:22 AM   
 By:   Nicolai P. Zwar   (Member)


THE DA VINCI CODE (2006, Ron Howard... all the sequels ANGELS & DEMONS and INFERNO too)



Nic’s got me on ignore!


Ha, no way! I would never put you on ignore and deprive me of the satisfaction to ignore each and every post of yours manually all by myself. :-)




(Actually, I just mentioned Inferno to include it with the other two movies.)

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 18, 2021 - 8:18 AM   
 By:   Tall Guy   (Member)


THE DA VINCI CODE (2006, Ron Howard... all the sequels ANGELS & DEMONS and INFERNO too)



Nic’s got me on ignore!


Ha, no way! I would never put you on ignore and deprive me of the satisfaction to ignore each and every post of yours manually all by myself. :-)



big grin

The thought that you manually ignore me for your satisfaction rather turns me on ...

 
 Posted:   Jul 18, 2021 - 9:23 AM   
 By:   Viscount Bark   (Member)

Not sure what you mean by "opulent" in this context, but some additional thriller movies set in Europe, which feature prominent European locations:

THE BOURNE IDENTITY (2002, Doug Liman)
RONIN (1988, John Frankenheimer)
THE DA VINCI CODE (2006, Ron Howard... all the sequels ANGELS & DEMONS and INFERNO too)
THE OMEN (1976, Richard Donner... more a Horror thriller)


I'm looking for less action orientation than these films have. In addition, The Omen, which is favorite of mine, is way out of the timeframe - plus it's almost a "slasher" film with gory deaths played for sensation.

I'm starting to think there might not be much more in the specific style I'm looking for. A highly civilized and highly cultured veneer throughout, a subtle, yet palpable thread of suspense. THE BEST OFFER is perhaps the ideal model.

 
 
 Posted:   Jul 18, 2021 - 9:35 AM   
 By:   Rozsaphile   (Member)

TOPAZ and THE DAY OF THE JACKAL both take us inside the elite palaces of the French government.

 
 Posted:   Jul 18, 2021 - 9:41 AM   
 By:   Viscount Bark   (Member)

TOPAZ and THE DAY OF THE JACKAL both take us inside the elite palaces of the French government.

I love these movies, especially Jackal. But both are well before the late 1990s and both are too fast-paced, nor is there a sustained atmosphere of awesome wealth and almost old-world manners and culture, albeit still taking place in the late '90s to early 2020s period.

 
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