Film Persona

  Max Ophuls' "Le Plaisir" I feel as though there was far more to Max Ophuls 1952 film " Le Plaisir " than meets the eye. However, I was not in the right state of mind to notice. It's never a good idea to watch a film when you have too much going on around you. That being said, I was still fascinated by this film and wanted to mentally dive in more than I did.  The film centers on three separate stories, each circling the dramatic theme of 'pleasure.' The first and third act as a sort of prologue and epilogue to the longer, more expansive second story. The first is a quick account of an elderly man who attends balls while donning the mask of a much younger man. The second is a more extensive story recounting a trip taken by a group of madams from a brothel. They visit a small village in which one of their nieces is attending her First Communion. The prostitutes are moved by the ceremony, but all any man around them ever cares about is getting frisky

  Alfred Hitchcock's "Foreign Correspondent" Although it was the second film Alfred Hitchcock shot in the US (1940's " Rebecca " being the first), 1940's " Foreign Correspondent " feels very much like Hitchcock's British films from the 1930s. It centers on an American journalist who travels to the UK to be a foreign correspondent, only to get wrapped up in a web of conspiracy and espionage. Sounds like " The Man Who Knew Too Much ," " The 39 Steps ," doesn't it? " Foreign Correspondent ," however, is perhaps the final 'teetering on the brink of war' of these films, as war finally breaks out by the film's conclusion.  I've got to say that " Foreign Correspondent ," although checking all of the 'Hitchcock' boxes, like everyday individual getting caught up in a conspiracy much bigger than them, the 'wrong man' trope, and the 'nobody believes you' circumstance,

  Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" Famed Italian poet and director Pier Paolo Pasolini once described Federico Fellini's 1960 masterpiece " La Dolce Vita " as being too important to even be discussed as one would normally discuss a film. I feel this absolutely to be the case. Not only is " La Dolce Vita " a monolith of cinematic history, it also set a precedent for how cinema would be constructed thereafter. Its DNA can be found in the very components of modern cinematic convention. It's themes and story points are as relevant today as they were in 1960, providing it a sense of timelessness. To call " La Dolce Vita " a masterpiece would be an understatement.  The film is not told in the same traditional narrative style as most films. Rather, it is told through various interconnected episodes. It stars Marcello Mastroianni as Marcello Rubini, a tabloid journalist who aspires to write literature. Through the cafe society of Rome, he s

  Yasujiro Ozu's "Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family" After taking a 3 year hiatus from making films, Yasujiro Ozu returned in 1941 with his film " Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family ." The film centers on the Toda family, who, after their patriarch dies, grows selfish over having to take care of their widowed mother. Like most of Ozu's films, " Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family " provides a domestic intimacy with its characters, as Ozu's quiet observance of daily life in a family allows for the viewer to feel a connection to the story through their own personal domestic life, as well. I enjoyed this particular film and felt the pain of distance and isolation often associated with family and the guilt one feels over being that distant. Although it was a film I enjoyed, I've got to say that it has, so far, been my least favorite of Ozu's filmography. That is saying a lot, since Ozu is a master and all of his films are an

  Michelangelo Antonioni's "La Notte" After the controversial success of his 1960 film " L'avventura ," Michelangelo Antonioni continued down the path of atmospheric filmmaking. With his 1961 film " La Notte ," Antonioni replaces traditional storytelling narrative in favor of visual composition, atmosphere, and mood. This type of film caused hostile audiences at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival when Antonioni screened " L'avventura ." But, the creative support around the film helped Antonioni continue on his journey of anti-drama cinema. With " La Notte ," he brought along with him two of the greatest acting talents in the international film scene: Jeanne Moreau and Marcello Mastroianni.  The film takes place over the course of a single 24 hour period in the deteriorating final throws of a couple's relationship. A famed writer and his wife go to a fancy soiree, only for it to end in shambles. Throughout the whole film, we w

  Ingmar Bergman's "Wild Strawberries" Often considered one of Ingmar Bergman's most significant films, 1957's " Wild Strawberries " takes the psychology of an aging physician and places its audience directly into his psyche. Bergman had initial come to the idea of the film when he was in his hometown. Driving by his grandmother's house, he had wondered what it would be like to open its doors and see everything just as it had been in your youth. He wanted his next film to focus on this nostalgic melancholy. After being hospitalized for gastric issues and general stress-related physical symptoms, Bergman wrote the screenplay for " Wild Strawberries " in his hospital bed.  The film focuses on Professor Isak Borg, a 78-year-old grouchy, stubborn egoist who is about to accept an honorary degree from his former college. On the trip to the event, he rides with his solemn daughter-in-law Marianne, whom does not like him very much. Along the way, t