Film Persona

  Bryan Forbes' "Seance on a Wet Afternoon" The 1964 British crime thriller " Seance on a Wet Afternoon " finds a medium who convinces her husband to kidnap a little girl so she can help solve the crime and achieve renown for her abilities. The film's unravelling is something dramatic of note and does an adequate job of keeping the viewer engaged throughout. However, there is an aspect of the film's ending that is missing a bit of verve.  All in all, the film works marvelously for what it is. As far as crime thrillers go, it's got enough thrills and drama to warrant its successes. Despite this, it wasn't something to praise more than any of its contemporaries.

  Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" Perhaps I am being a bit too pompous by saying this, but I believe that Stanley Kubrick created a whole new comedic tone with his 1964 satire " Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb ." The film parodies Cold War fears and nuclear war, making it a very black comedy, but it also contains some of the most mockish and silliest characters I've ever seen in a film. It is also a film that makes me laugh every time I sit down and watch.  The film details the absurd chain of events that would unfold if a United States general decided to send nuclear bombs to Russia unprompted. Obviously, the President and whatever other Commanding Officers would issue a code to bring the planes back. However, the General, a 'General Ripper,' has sealed off the base and any sort of communications with the planes.  Many films have tried to replicate the hyper-specific tone of " Dr. Strangelove ," inc...

  Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" Quentin Tarantino is a filmmaker who likes to shake up expectations of traditional genres and turn them on their head. With his 2019 film " Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood ," he recontextualizes themes and ideas found with Western films, particularly Sergio Leone's " Once Upon a Time in the West ." Although " Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood " is not a Western in any sense, the sensibility and visual aesthetic pays homage to the genre.  The film takes place in 1969 and centers on Rick Dalton, a TV Western star reconciling with the dissipation of his career. His right-hand-man and stunt double, Cliff Booth, aids Rick in his attempts to regain his former glory and find the spark of acting once again. They are neighbors with Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski - the former being the famed Hollywood actor who was brutally murdered by the Manson family - the tragedy of which the entire film is ...

  Glauber Rocha's "Black God, White Devil" By all aesthetic accounts, I should have really loved Glauber Rocha's 1964 Brazilian film " Black God, White Devil ." However, I had trouble with it. The atmosphere, the themes, and the visual composition of the film all lend itself to praise. However, there was too much emptiness within its confines to really engage with me. I kept searching for any semblance of grounded connection, but none could be found. Perhaps that was the point of the film, though. Our characters are searching for answers, searching for truth - all to be disappointed in the complete absence of it. I'm clinging to this idea, which sparks my enjoyment a bit more.

  Vittorio De Sica's "Marriage Italian Style" With his 1964 film " Marriage Italian Style ," Vittorio De Sica not only makes his ultimate Italian style comedy, he makes one of the best in the whole genre. Foundational to the modern conception of the 'rom-com,' " Marriage Italian Style " manages to have both melodrama and subversiveness all at once. The film stars Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren as a wealthy businessman and a penniless prostitute, respectively, sharing a large part of their lives in post-war Italy. First and foremost, the film has incredibly strong commercial appeal. It's not shocking that it was the second highest grossing film in Italy in 1964, only behind " A Fistful of Dollars ." The unexpected twists and turns of the plot, the romantic elements at play, the playful comedy, and the twinges of melodrama keeps the picture entertaining throughout.  Where the film ears its rewards with me is through its subve...

  Pietro Germi's "Seduced and Abandoned" In the era of the Italian-style comedy, Pietro Germi rose above the rest as a master of the genre. After his phenomenal 1961 film " Divorce Italian Style ," he continued to master the form with " Seduced and Abandoned ." A belly-laughing critique of Sicilian social customs, " Seduced and Abandoned " is a whirlwind comedy full of hijinks and satire. The film stars Stefania Sandrelli as Agnese, who has a brief affair with with her sister's fiancé, Peppino. After her traditional parents discover this, her father embarks on a farcical journey to protect his family's reputation by convincing Peppino to marry Agnese. There are, of course, complications. The film is told in typical Italian-style comedy fashion, with absurd complications to the story and bellowing hijinks. To me, " Seduced and Abandoned " demonstrates a comfortability the genre has within itself. It ventures away from the rea...