Ben Wheatley’s Closet Picks

[@Ardakapalasan]

I absolutely love his calm enthusiasm

[@PentameronSV]

0:11 - *THE HORSE'S MOUTH* _dir. Ronald Neame_ (1958) 0:57 - *GREY GARDENS* _dir. Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Ellen Hovde, and Muffie Meyer_ (1976) 1:18 - *TWO-LANE BLACKTOP* _dir. Monte Hellman_ (1971) 1:31 - *THINGS TO COME* _dir. William Cameron Menzies_ (1936) 1:57 - *FISHING WITH JOHN* _dir. John Lurie_ (1992) 2:16 - *SEVEN SAMURAI* _dir. Akira Kurosawa_ (1954) 2:30 - *ZATOICHI: THE BLIND SWORDSMAN* [Collector's Set] *THE TALE OF ZATOICHI* _dir. Kenji Misumi_ (1962) *THE TALE OF ZATOICHI CONTINUES* _dir. Kazuo Mori_ (1962) *NEW TALE OF ZATOICHI* _dir. Tokuzo Tanaka_ (1963) *ZATOICHI THE FUGITIVE* _dir. Tokuzo Tanaka_ (1963) *ZATOICHI ON THE ROAD* _dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda_ (1963) *ZATOICHI AND THE CHEST OF GOLD* _dir. Kazuo Ikehiro_ (1964) *ZATOICHI'S FLASHING SWORD* _dir. Kazuo Ikehiro_ (1964) *FIGHT, ZATOICHI, FIGHT* _dir. Kenji Misumi_ (1964) *ADVENTURES OF ZATOICHI* _dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda_ (1964) *ZATOICHI'S REVENGE* _dir. Akira Inoue_ (1965) *ZATOICHI AND THE DOOMED MAN* _dir. Kazuo Mori_ (1965) *ZATOICHI AND THE CHESS EXPERT* _dir. Kenji Misumi_ (1965) *ZATOICHI'S VENGEANCE* _dir. Tokuzo Tanaka_ (1966) *ZATOICHI'S CANE SWORD* _dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda_ (1967) *ZATOICHI THE OUTLAW* _dir. Satsuo Yamamoto_ (1967) *ZATOICHI CHALLENGED* _dir. Kenji Misumi_ (1967) *ZATOICHI AND THE FUGITIVES* _dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda_ (1968) *SAMARITAN ZATOICHI* _dir. Kenji Misumi_ (1968) *ZATOICHI MEETS YOJIMBO* _dir. Kihachi Okamoto_ (1970) *ZATOICHI GOES TO THE FIRE FESTIVAL* _dir. Kenji Misumi_ (1970) *ZATOICHI AT LARGE* _dir. Kazuo Mori_ (1972) *ZATOICHI IN DESPERATION* _dir. Shintaro Katsu_ (1972) *ZATOICHI'S CONSPIRACY* _dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda_ (1973) 2:53 - *SECONDS* _dir. John Frankenheimer_ (1966) 3:20 - *SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS* _dir. Alexander Mackendrick_ (1957) 3:55 - *CRUMB* _dir. Terry Zwigoff_ (1995) 4:16 - *RUMBLE FISH* _dir. Francis Ford Coppola_ (1983) 4:39 - *WATERSHIP DOWN* _dir. Martin Rosen_ (1978)

[@_ErickRangel]

Not all heroes wear capes

[@weinersmalls5684]

nice work

[@halsinden]

i'd SO love to see what robert eggers would choose.

[@letsscarejessi4742]

Try this list here :) letterboxd.com/screenedchannel/list/robert-eggers-favorite-movies/

[@rhysroberts515]

Probably the Bergman box set and that’s it lol

[@halsinden]

@@letsscarejessi4742 that's useful! good to see, and i really agree with a lot of those choices.

[@Jordannadroj20]

@@letsscarejessi4742 Not to be *that guy* but what's the source that these are his faves?

[@joemckeown2763]

Fantastic film knowledge. Really varied choices and you can tell from all the stories of childhood, the power that film has had on him.

[@bileductable]

Love that Ben Wheatley does his own thing and makes movies that go against the grain.

[@timothyw98]

Pickle I loved Freefire, like the later half of reservoir dogs but extended, great use of sound editing.

[@lukeyznaga7627]

you won't ever see those kind of movies on Disney Plus or Marvel. movies that go against the grain or deal with deep issues, rather than stereotypical social justice issues and poltiical correctness? Nahhhh! Disney can't have that. Instead, go for the Agenda TV or push and go for the dollars or "...roller coaster rides..."

[@itsallgoodman4108]

Seen all his films. Impeccable and creative. Love them. Michael Smiley in a field in england sent chills down my spine

[@szde]

I come from the future and unfortunately he's just directed The Meg 2

[@lsjshez6940]

That Zatoichi set is beauty. I really should get a multi-region player.

[@nathanwalker6360]

@Inge Fossen And Arrow video and Academy, Indicator powerhouse and Bfi.

[@DavysFlicks]

Zatoichi is out from Criterion UK, too.

[@bennoclassico]

THE HORSE'S MOUTH (Ronald Neame, 1958) GREY GARDENS (Albert & David Maysles et al, 1975) TWO-LANE BLACKTOP (Monte Hellman, 1971) THINGS TO COME (William Cameron Menzies, 1936) FISHING WITH JOHN (John Lurie, 1991) SEVEN SAMURAI (Akira Kurosawa, 1954) ZATOICHI: THE BLIND SWORDSMAN - THE TALE OF ZATOICHI (Kenji Misumi, 1962) - THE TALE OF ZATOICHI CONTINUES (Kazuo Mori, 1962 - NEW TALE OF ZATOICHI (Tokuzo Tanaka, 1963) - ZATOICHI THE FUGITIVE (Tokuzo Tanaka, 1963 - ZATOICHI ON THE ROAD (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1963) - ZATOICHI AND THE CHEST OF GOLD (Kazuo Ikehiro, 1964) - ZATOICHI'S FLASHING SWORD (Kazuo Ikehiro, 1964) - FIGHT, ZATOICHI, FIGHT (Kenji Misumi, 1964) - ADVENTURES OF ZATOICHI (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1964) - ZATOICHI'S REVENGE (Akira Inoue, 1965) - ZATOICHI AND THE DOOMED MAN (Kazuo Mori, 1965) - ZATOICHI AND THE CHESS EXPERT (Kenji Misumi, 1965) - ZATOICHI'S VENGEANCE (Tokuzo Tanaka, 1966) - ZATOICHI'S PILGRIMAGE (Kazuo Ikehiro, 1966) - ZATOICHI'S CANE SWORD (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1967) - ZATOICHI THE OUTLAW (Satsuo Yamamoto, 1967) - ZATOICHI CHALLENGED (Kenji Misumi, 1967) - ZATOICHI AND THE FUGITIVES (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1968) - SAMARITAN ZATOICHI (Kenji Misumi, 1968) - ZATOICHI MEETS YOJIMBO (Kihachi Okamoto, 1970) - ZATOICHI GOES TO THE FIRE FESTIVAL (Kenji Misumi, 1970) - ZATOICHI MEETS THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1971) - ZATOICHI AT LARGE (Kazuo Mori, 1972) - ZATOICHI IN DESPERATION (Shintaro Katsu, 1972) - ZATOICHI'S CONSPIRACY (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1973) SECONDS (John Frankenheimer, 1966) SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (Alexander Mackendrick, 1957) CRUMB (Terry Zwigoff, 1995) RUMBLE FISH (Francis Ford Coppola, 1983) WATERSHIP DOWN (Martin Rosen, 1978)

[@bennoclassico]

Good picks, by the way. I'm a fellow UK collector but locked to Region B, so do already have some of these but not on Criterion: Two-Lane Blacktop, Things to Come, Seven Samurai, Seconds, Sweet Smell of Success, Crumb, Rumble Fish, Watership Down (I still need to pick up Grey Gardens). All great films, and great choices from a filmmaker I respect, even if very few of his films I have actually enjoyed (A Field in England is a real grower though, and I haven't yet seen Free Fire). Would love Criterion to release Zatoichi in the UK eventually, and possibly Crumb if they can get the rights over here. An upgrade to Fishing With John would be incredible, if unlikely - I too have only seen bits on KZbin, and love what I've seen (Lurie having starred in my favourite Jarmusch film, Down By Law).

[@doppiaw27vince42]

velocirapta Hello amico.

[@rossoperezbueno9176]

velocirapta a

[@mmcooper80]

I made a playlist with all the trailers from Ben's recommendations. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJWzYXVvbZp9rLs

[@lukess.s]

*Z A T O I C H I*

[@ChanMorgan]

One of the best guests to be featured in this channel. Great selections of films as well as a nice lengthy explanation on his thoughts about them. Love it. Kill List is one of the most memorable movies I've ever seen.

[@DunlinRoad]

Hopefully Meg 2 will also be part of the Criterion Collection someday

[@SakiraEbunochi]

Hah

[@TwinTales]

Great taste! I like that he picked Sweet Smell of Success!

[@davidlean1060]

I saw Things To Come In the exact same circumstances. I remember being with some flatmate pals. We were just watching the tv and it came on. We all thought it was as Ben says, a normal war or history film...then it went off on amazing tangents in to an alternative reality! It made our evening it was so strangely entertaining!

[@djunarykiel]

This is like heaven. I would give anything to be in the presence of this wondrous cupboard.

[@whyimarko]

the alexander mackendrick book is amazing. love that he loves rumblefish too - the fave of my youth

[@loonylaura85]

What is the name of that book?

[@Videogamestwin]

Kill List was so fucking good. Great job Ben !

[@Rafael-ye5kv]

Kill List is amazing

[@Reymei]

Love his comment on how cool Two Lane Black Top is

[@grelch]

Water ship Down and Deathrace 2000 as the first 2 films you ever rented. That’s absolute class.

[@okilfeathermusic]

Seconds is an incredible film and going into it cold is sheer delight

[@christopherthomason]

Very grand picks Wheatley chose & described, seen few of his picks but need to watch little more of Wheatley's. He has quite interesting taste in film.

[@rashakim1]

love this guys voice

[@eily_b]

I loooove Sightseers and High-Rise. The gradual destruction is eerily fascinating.

[@matthieucote2272]

I simply LOVE 'Two-Lane Blacktop', his quote made me laugh a lot.

[@pjr5913]

excellent underdog picks thank you brollo , we'lll keep on keeping on.

[@artgecko2645]

Of all the Closet Picks videos I've seen, I think I like Ben's the best so far (OK, not counting Isabelle Huppert's). He seems like a regular, smart guy and most of his selections were missed by others in the series. In particular, I'd recommend Two-Lane Blacktop and Seconds to just about any movie lover.

[@skooter6235]

Very informative, now I will look up Ben’s movies

[@joemadden4160]

Great picks from Ben.

[@mingthemerciless834]

Finally someone who fonally decided to pick out the Zatoichi box set.

[@waltbbadd]

These are perfect criterion closet picks- movies I would've never known of before

[@juanaltredo2974]

best closet picks video so far, really likeable and knowledgeable guy. I do have to admit, I dont like his movies, but hes a very intelligent guy with good and educated taste for films

[@daisyq3418]

'Seconds' is a great film. Rock Hudson at his Finest.

[@kikibooboos]

Thanks for mentioning Race With The Devil. I had seen this as a kid on late night telly years ago and thought I had dreamt it. Went to read the synopsis for the movie and went "Ahhhhhhh!"

[@JakeKaufmanFilms]

Yes! Love for Seconds!

[@franjes9999]

Sweet Smell of Success is such a banger of a movie

[@andrewweber2010]

This guy's picks were the best. Not a bad movie among them.

[@margaretbuckley9309]

Seconds is a brilliant movie And rumble fish Great selection at last less talk 👍

[@tiffanyshaffer4062]

"Seconds" will stay with you forever.

[@louiemartin6881]

two lane black top, what a film!

[@chancemartin4737]

I love when directors I like pull movies I like. Somehow validating

[@ardantuzunsoy5602]

First time I've seen someone pick The Horse's Mouth. Not the greatest Criterion out there, but certainly one of best color palettes. It's like watching an oil painting come alive.

[@BlurayDan]

I'll say this until I'm blue in the face but...PLEASE RELEASE THE OUTSIDERS!!! Love these Closet videos. Please...invite me? lol

[@jscott2831]

always blame someone else when you snag the high dollar stuff

[@NeoNyder]

Kill List is such an awesome film, I need to pick up some of his other movies.

[@nickh8009]

Dear, Criterion Collection, Please add Cinema Paradiso to the collection. :) Thank you!

[@patrickhicks9880]

I love his films but I never heard him speak before he has such enthusiasm for film

[@doppiaw27vince42]

Grazie per la condivisione .👍

[@garysmith3173]

Just discovered you. What an amazing channel,thankyou .

[@moeezS]

I will have to check out Seconds, then!

[@neworleansguy10]

Messofanego it’s very good.

[@BLUEsurf63]

It's a brilliant movie, some great hand held camera work at the begining, and Rock Hudson is great in it.

[@margaretbuckley9309]

ROCK HUDSON IS BRILLIANT CHECK THIS MOVIE OUT

[@leespiderpod]

Moviedrome was great, I'd always come in wasted and see what Alex Cox had in store for me

[@shawnweaver7797]

I wish as if I could make a wish and that wish would be is the Ben Wheatley would be my best bloke

[@NickOwens]

'A Field in England' needs a Criterion release.

[@raoulmontefiore4803]

I had exactly the same experience with Things To Come. Might even have been the same broadcast as I must be a similar age to Ben Wheatley and scoured the schedules on British TV for movies when growing up.

[@VicarMullicule]

Yes, I love he doesn't just go: Fellini, Welles, Godard, but actually picks films I haven't seen so I can go and look what they're all about :D

[@timothyw98]

Victor Flensburg It took me a way to get into Godards Breathless a boude a souffe because the fancy pance Frenchness is about eye rolling

[@captainstrangiato961]

Watership Down is criminally underrated.

[@HerbalistGuybrush]

Sex on the other hand is overrated: just another one of all the empty ways of using up a day

[@Mooseman327]

Excellent selection of films.

[@zyrrhos]

It seems the human mind is conditioned to go for the familiar. I wish visitors to the closet would pick more films they've never seen or heard of before like Zatoichi. I've had it for awhile and still haven't watched it. Now inspired to dig in.

[@richnewman]

I wish Criterion would pick up 'Barfly.' I love how they did 'Rumble Fish' and it would make a perfect companion.

[@wheeledjustice7381]

Ben Wheatley has called out the lack of a Horse's Mouth Blu Ray! UPGRADE CONFIRMED! Seriously though, I really like the movies he picked (that I've seen) so I'll have to check out the rest sometime.

[@egomez7850]

Can you please edit these like Amoeba's "What's in my bag" videos? It's so great to hear filmmakers talk about the films that were formative in their lives but it would be nice to see a clip of the film they are discussing in the edit.

[@zombiTrout]

E Gomez Love those vids. It would be cool to see longer closet vids too. I'm sure they edit out quite a bit.

[@moeezS]

Seconding this!

[@moldypizza]

Yes!

[@cl759]

Noooo. That would make videos too long.

[@littleghostfilms3012]

The Sightseers is a true masterpiece of scary comedy. The characters keep surprising you with how off the charts they will go! Great director B.W.!

[@quickfruits6963]

That ZATOICHI set😳 I want one toooooo

[@SamDavies94]

You should release a Wheatley box set!

[@ravingpurist]

"you cannot escape the closet, Ben!" "Then I shall become it! I shall gather up all of the films that have inspired my career and I will bury it in the stomach of this place!"

[@Claytone-Records]

Alfred Goehring, This closet shall become my Field.

[@koubl]

"how many cupboards have you got?" haha

[@cl759]

LOL, I always say the kids doing a thing on the sneaky is a normal thing, I see didn't do him any harm. Seems like a decent chap.

[@benkylo8015]

Genius filmmaker.

[@omargonzalez2641]

I first saw Seconds channel surfing and thought what the hell is this. Great surrealistic film.

[@bilalsiddiqui9341]

can't believe this guy directed THE MEG 2

[@respecttheface7152]

phillip Seymour Hoffman would of been awesome to see r I p

[@SOBEKCrocodileGod]

Kill List deserves a criterion release imo

[@halcyon289]

Seconds.......the stuff of nightmares,

[@eriktrevena3431]

Damn, just casually bagging a copy of Zatoichi is nuts

[@ajurieu]

English Guillermo del Toro has good taste.

[@valentinoarlo]

I love Grey Gardens!

[@waltbbadd]

well done

[@kelownatechkid]

I would unironically buy a Criterion 3D Blu-ray release of Meg 2

[@BuffaloBuffalo-uc6zp]

It's good once in a while to step outside the closet to get some fresh-air. ?

[@michelepastele5347]

Women and men select such different films - i.e., Kim Katrel vs Ben Wheatley's sumurai's etc.

[@BaileeWalsh]

4:40 Anyone know what movie that mint green color spine in the background is?

[@hankrussell2920]

Two Days, One Night

[@FrancoisDressler]

Hope he has a region free player back at home...

[@TheBluRayCritic]

Some decent picks.

[@gillster3744]

We want LadyHawk on Criterion Now

[@ader312]

There is any Ben Wheatley film in the Criterion Collection?

[@zachmanni9156]

YES!

[@jsheekey1]

Watership down 💔

[@sunbeagle9769]

Yack on mate!

[@mrjomammas]

Down terrace was an interesting movie its probably his best at least better than free fire

[@vollsticks]

Dude knows Geof Darrow?! Wow Ben has just gone up massively in my estimation (and he was pretty fucking far up there to begin with. A veritable National Treasure to be sure).

[@holycowbatman10]

vollsticks He's said that he's working on an adaptation of Miller and Darrow's Hard Boiled. I have no idea what that film would be like, but I'd absolutely be there on opening day.

[@loonylaura85]

@@holycowbatman10 Wonder if that's still a thing?

[@holycowbatman10]

@@loonylaura85 I wish, but I suppose that it's pretty unlikely considering all of the projects that he's attached to right now. If Geof Darrow could somehow get the animated Shaolin Cowboy movie finished, I'd accept that as the next best thing.

[@loonylaura85]

@@holycowbatman10 💔

[@vincevirtua]

Holy shit x12, is this a record for picks?

[@basehead617]

Is he from the south of England like Sussex? He has the same exact accent as Robert Smith of the Cure.

[@nicheman3612]

He grew up in Camden which is in central London. He has a subtle cockney element to his accent (it particularly comes out when he says "quintessential" and "exciting") but he sounds quite unique to me even though I'm English. Probably because growing up in a central location, he was around an equal amount of posh and working class people.

[@hellfeeder23]

LOL@ Rumblefish reference

[@Mr06261984]

please do a regin philbin criterion closet raid

[@sick0spherean]

Aha! Kill List is on the Criterion Channel.

[@Petemejia77]

2:52 THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!

[@brandonlongbottom5747]

How does one get an invite to such a closet?

[@bengrieve9823]

Hi Mr Wheatley you’re cool

[@shinrarango]

finally! I director in the closest I both know and like!

[@808-Outboxed]

Free Fire!

[@lamecasuelas2]

supercool

[@moeshickenyay]

Was great in Star Trek really filled out.

[@Wired4Life2]

*I'm watching Free Fire in several hours. This should be interesting. :)*

[@cha0tr0pic]

Great, wasn't it? :D