Film Persona

  Yasujiro Ozu's "A Hen in the Wind" What struck me most about Yasujiro Ozu's 1948 film " A Hen in the Wind " was how much the structure and themes of the film seemed emblematic of a Kenji Mizoguchi film. Themes revolving around women and their precarious predicaments in Japanese social structures. I've read in some places that many even consider this Ozu's darkest film. The film centers on a mother in post-war Japan as she awaits the return of her husband from war. The only problem is that, once he returns, she must confess to him that she was forced to prostitute herself to get money for their sick child. Upon hearing this news, the husband goes into a fit of rage and despair, ultimately throwing his wife down the stairs. The two reconcile afterwards, but it is clear that the shame and pain of their mistakes remain.  I feel as though " A Hen in the Wind " is an apt title for the film, as it revolves primarily around the struggle of women ...

  Keisuke Kinoshita's "The Portrait" I'm finding the films of Keisuke Kinoshita to be rather interesting. I've only seen the 3 he has done from 1946 to 1948, most recently with 1948's " The Portrait ." His works are always solid and it often strikes me how he is not ever mentioned with post-war Japanese cinema along with contemporaries like Akira Kurosawa, Kenji Mizoguchi, and Yasujiro Ozu. Perhaps this is not the case in Japan, but I have scoured the internet here in the U.S. for some Kinoshito content, but have come up short more often than not. As far as my most recent watch, 1948's " The Portrait ," I found it to be interesting and engaging. It centers on the mistress of a man who is attempting to take advantage of a family living in a house he owns. As the realtor moves in to try and get the family to move out so he can sell it, the mistress begins to be won over by the kindness of the family and begins to look at herself and her l...

  Jules Dassin's "Brute Force" Jules Dassin's 1947 film " Brute Force " is about what you would expect from a prison break film. Morally complex prisoners, unjust and corrupt security guards, a strategized plan for escape, and an eventual climactic uprising. That being said, " Brute Force " seems to cement these typical cruxes before they became popularized. To top that off, the climactic uprising at the end of the film is surprisingly violent for a 1940s Hollywood film. I very much enjoyed the picture and enjoyed the victory over tyranny that is achieved by the prisoners. In this case, the victory over tyranny does not come in the form of actually escaping. Rather, it is defeating the sadistic prison guard who does nothing but brutalize and torment the prisoners. It is a solid flick and I commend it.

  Edmund Goulding's "Nightmare Alley" Edmund Goulding's 1947 film " Nightmare Alley " differentiated itself from the typical 'noir' structure by eliminating a lot of plot devices that have kept the genre upright. With this new addition to the 1940s & 1950s Hollywood cornerstone, it instead opts to keep the brutal fatalism instead. The film centers on Stan Carlisle, a seedy traveling carnival's barker who attempts to work his way up the ranks. Our protagonist isn't a righteous fellow, as his main method for advancement is deception. His whole act is deception and trickery, which is exactly what he uses to manipulate everyone around him and climb the ladder of success. However, it ends horribly for Stan whose own tricks and deceptions are used against him in the end.  In a typical noir, the structure of our society is unearthed to showcase a seedy, horrible, and parasitic humanity underneath. The same is true for " Nightmare Alley ....

  Ingmar Bergman's "The Magician" I feel as though " The Magician " is perhaps the least interesting film of Ingmar Bergman's that I have seen in his collection thus far. That being said, Bergman's worst movie is still better than 90% of all cinema. I still found myself very engaged with the film and felt myself intrigued by the story and comfortable in the Bergmanian format.  The story centers on a mute magician and his performing troupe known for their 'supernatural' shows. Arriving in Stockholm, the troupe are pressured to stay the night at a local Consul's abode. There, they are challenged by a cruel and rationally minded medical official who wants to prove the smoke and mirrors behind our magician's performances. I think, for me, what I take away most from the film is Bergman's self reflective lens. I feel as though the titular magician represents Bergman himself. He is mute, but his performances are able to illicit intense emoti...

  Francois Truffaut's "The Soft Skin" After establishing himself firmly within the French New Wave period with his string of hits like 1959's " The 400 Blows ," 1960's " Shoot the Piano Player ," and 1962's " Jules and Jim ," Francois Truffaut made a film that would bring a screeching halt to the New Wave concepts he had so much utilized, along with bringing a screeching halt to his string of successful box office films. 1964's " The Soft Skin " was in no way a New Wave fascination nor a box office success for Truffaut.  The film centers on Pierre, a celebrated literary scholar who strikes up an affair with a flight attendant. Amidst this infidelity, he must keep this newfound affair a secret from his wife. In the end, she discovers the truth to tragic consequences.  The story itself is relatively simple and focuses on more 'bourgeois' problems: celebrity, a bored husband, secret infidelity. However, I found ...