Arty European Cinema
5. LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD
The film: Disaffected aristocrats wallow in malaise and denial as they struggle to find a feeling. Setagainst an opulent but rigidly austere setting, this film contains both thinly veiled emotional turmoil and geometric shrubbery. Not suitable for younger viewers.
Above: I remember nothing
How to spin it into a game: The hotel and gardens provide the perfect setting for Marienbad: Aria of Tactics, a surreal Escheresque tactical RPG in which you struggle hopelessly against the chains of upper class decorum while stoking the flames of unrequited passion.
Above: Be sure you have enough Martinis in your inventory before starting the final battle
6. LA DOLCE VITA
The film: Fellini’s cautionary tale follows the story of Marcello, a cynical tabloid writer who wastes his days and nights chasing after squalid morsels of gossip about Rome’s rich and famous. As his identity crisis deepens, he finds himself pursuing ever more ludicrous and self-abasing amusements to stave off crushing loneliness and an overwhelming sense of worthlessness.
Above: Marcello and Paparazzo "working"
How to spin it into a game: If a Fellini film can be made into a musical, then why not a videogame? In La Dolce Vita: Paparazzo’s Revenge, you play as the rascally nightlife photographer for whom all modern day star-stalkers are named. Your mission is to get rich quick by taking candid shots of depraved celebrities around Rome. You’ll enjoy fistfights, car chases, wild parties and stealth/action gameplay as you document the wealthy wastrels’ most embarrassing moments.
Above: Earn cash to upgrade your camera and buy film, vehicles and disguises
7. BANDE A PART (BAND OF OUTSIDERS)
The film: Jean-Luc Goddard challenges the status quo in his tale of twopetty criminals who get in over their heads when they both fall for a girl (played by the stunningAnna Karina) in their English class. Bande a Part is perhaps most famous for its unconventional dance scene (the epitome of New Wave cool,) in which the characters stay in step even as the music cuts out and is replaced by a disembodied narrator who describes what each character is thinking. Remember the dance contest in Pulp Fiction? This was the inspiration.
How to spin it into a game: La Nouvelle Vague (French New Wave) was often about breaking rules solely for the pure enjoyment of breaking rules. To celebrate this joyous anarchism, we envision DDR: Outsiders, a rhythm game that challenges you to keep in step while the music is periodically replaced by rambling existential monologues.
Above: I have no mouth, and I must scream
Next page: An Andalusian Nintendog, Seven Samurai and more
