Films like Killer of Sheep.

Killer of Sheep (1978) reads as Sombre, slow-burn, measured drama, grounded in texture. Nihilistic, intimate, measured. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

The State of Things (1982) poster
1. The State of Things1982

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the cold, bleak undertow — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Documenteur (1981) poster
2. Documenteur1981

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the cold, bleak undertow — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Paris, Texas (1984) poster
3. Paris, Texas1984

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the cold, bleak undertow — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Land of Silence and Darkness (1971) (1971) poster
4. Land of Silence and Darkness1971

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

La Luna (Bertolucci) (1979) poster
5. La Luna (Bertolucci)1979

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the cold, bleak undertow — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) poster
6. Two-Lane Blacktop1971

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) poster
7. The Spirit of the Beehive1973

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the unmistakable directorial hand — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Swayamvaram (1972) poster
8. Swayamvaram1972

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the cold, bleak undertow — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Days of Heaven (1978) poster
9. Days of Heaven1978

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the heightened unreality; trades toward a cold, bleak undertow.

Effi Briest (1974) poster
10. Effi Briest1974

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the cold, bleak undertow — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Yellow Earth (1984) poster
11. Yellow Earth1984

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the cold, bleak undertow — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Les Rendez-vous d'Anna (1978) (1978) poster
12. Les Rendez-vous d'Anna1978

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

These are Killer of Sheep’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

Find my film for tonight — 60 sec →