Film Persona

  Sergei Parajanov & Dodo Abashidze's "Ashik Kerib" The 1988 Soviet film " Ashik Kerib"  was the final completed film by Sergei Parajanov before his death in 1990. It centers on a minstrel set out to gain wealth to win the respect of his betrothed's father. Told in typical Parajonov fashion, the film's abstract imagery and colorfully illustrated painterly images details Azerbaijani culture through clothes, music, dance, and customs. Not only was this Parajanov's final film, it was also dedicated to the memory of his friend, Andrei Tarkovsky, who had passed away two years prior.

  George Cukor's "My Fair Lady" Based on the George Bernard Shaw 1913 stage play " Pygmalion ," the 1964 film " My Fair Lady " features an additional musical component. It centers on poor Cockney flower-selling named Eliza who takes up a phonetics professor, Henry, on a wager that he can turn her into a 'proper lady.' Starring Audrey Hepburn as Eliza and Rex Harrison as Henry, " My Fair Lady" was a critical and commercial success. Only fellow musical " The Sound of Music " bested it at the American box office. Clocking in at almost three hours, this technicolor spectacle emits a certain aura of enchantment. Hepburn is dastardly charming as always, making the central character a hellhound to root for. It's color, its performances, and its charismatic composition make it an enticing option for entertainment.  That being said, hidden underneath all its pomp and circumstance lies a tiny sliver of thematic import. Namely, som...

  Pier Paolo Pasolini's "The Gospel According to St. Matthew" Despite much of the Italian neo-realist movement venturing into the territory of the 'Italian-Style Comedy' in the 1960s, there were many filmmakers who kept the movement alive. Pier Paolo Pasolini was one of them. By using the neo-realist lens to adapt the Gospel of Matthew, Pasolini depicted the journey of Jesus with such a visceral intimacy and palpable realism unlike anything seen before. " The Gospel According to St. Matthew ," in my humble opinion is the greatest depiction of the Christ story ever put to film. This is quite an accomplishment, given the fact that Pasolini was a staunch atheist, homosexual, and Marxist.  Pasolini's lack of alignment with the church obviously caused controversy during its filming. However, Pasolini ensured that the film maintained accuracy with its source text. He even added a disclaimer at the beginning of the film which stating that the Passion of the...

  Gillo Pontecorvo's "The Battle of Algiers" By 1966, the Nouvelle Vague movement had surpassed the Neo-Realist movement in artistic relevance. Of course, the political and social pertinence that Neo-Realism typically carries was a bit more subversive through Nouvelle Vague, not absent. Still, with certain topics, a certain starkness is required. With his 1966 film " The Battle of Algiers ," Gillo Pontecorvo reminded the cinematic landscape how vital the neo-realist continues to be. The film centers on a group of Algerian revolutionaries, the FLN, and their attempts to push out the French occupation between 1954 and 1957. Using guerrilla tactics, the FLN was met with equally guerrilla and illegal methods to combat them. Despite the casualties and the capture/execution of its revolutionary leaders, Algeria succeeded in gaining its independence from France. With the same spirit of Italian Neo-Realism, Pontecorvo filmed on location, along with using black-and-white...

  Elem Klimov's "Adventures of a Dentist" Although it was a rather strange film, Elem Klimov's 1965 film " Adventures of a Dentist " was actually labelled as a "category three" film by the nation's censors, meaning it was only designated to play in 25-78 movie theaters. The reason for the censorship was not due to nudity, violence, or political pointedness. Rather, it was because the film centers on a young dentist who is ostracized because he is so gifted. The notion that society inevitably shuns and blackballs people skilled at their craft was enough of a shocking notion to have the film banned.  The film itself is quaint and a little uneventful. It's ideas and concepts are well worth considering and even strange enough to cause for continued pondering. However, the film feels more like a paper-thin waif cracker than any sort of hardy meal. 

  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.