THEME EXPLORATION

obsession with excellence

12 films · 3 directors

Tracing the thread…

FILMS THAT EXPLORE THIS
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
1933 · Fritz Lang
Audition
Audition
1999 · Takashi Miike
Great Expectations
Great Expectations
1946 · David Lean
Dillinger Is Dead
Dillinger Is Dead
1969 · Marco Ferreri
Memento
Memento
2000 · Christopher Nolan
Senso
Senso
1954 · Luchino Visconti
Querelle
Querelle
1982 · Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Black Swan
Black Swan
2010 · Darren Aronofsky
The Killer
The Killer
2023 · David Fincher
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
2009 · Werner Herzog
Chungking Express
Chungking Express
1994 · Wong Kar-wai
The Rough and the Smooth
The Rough and the Smooth
1959 · Robert Siodmak
DIRECTORS WHO EXPLORE THIS
Stanley Kubrick United States

His meticulous approach to filmmaking, obsessive attention to detail, and relentless pursuit of perfection across every frame embodies the theme of obsession with excellence.

 Darren Aronofsky United States

His films like Black Swan and The Wrestler directly explore protagonists consumed by their pursuit of perfection, examining how obsession with excellence can destroy the human psyche.

 Yorgos Lanthimos Greece

His distinctive, meticulously crafted films reveal characters trapped by rigid systems and perfectionism, exploring the psychological toll of demanding flawless execution in twisted social structures.