Film Persona

  Jacques Rivette's "Paris Belongs to Us" I watched Jacques Rivette's 1961 film " Paris Belongs to Us"  on the Criterion Channel. Had I watched it in the theater, it would be a rare instance in which I walked out. In this case, I simply stopped watching with 40 minutes left. It is very unlike me to completely give up on a film, so this particular instance was very strange and fascinating to me. I read all the time about people "walking out of theaters" for films that they do not like. I've always thought that was a foreign concept. I never understood the reasoning for not staying until the end. Was the film that bad? You simply couldn't stand it any longer? Well, for me and " Paris Belongs to Us ," the answer was yes.  The film revolves around a character named Anne, who spends the entire film trying to uncover the mysterious death of Juan, an unintroduced character that everyone around Anne seems to know. She ventures through the...

  Martin Scorsese's "Who's That Knocking at My Door?" It was very strange to sit down and watch Martin Scorsese's debut feature film, 1967's " Who's That Knocking at My Door? " The reason for this strangeness is not because of any fault within the film (although it certainly has many faults). It is because the film is so bare-bones Scorsese. All of his elements are here. It's interesting to see an artist you're so familiar with at his most elemental and amateur. The film centers on J.R., a Catholic Italian-American young man who spends most of his time drinking, partying, and engaging in violence with his do-nothing friends in New York City. He meets a girl he believes to be a virgin. After getting involved into a sexual and romantic relationship, she confides in him that she was raped by her former boyfriend. He angrily rejects her and returns to partying with his friends. After attempting to reconcile with her, she rejects him back. He ...

  Roberto Rossellini's "The Taking of Power by Louis XIV" I genuinely think that Roberto Rossellini's 1966 French TV film " The Taking of Power by Louis XIV " is one of the most clinical depictions of monarchy I've ever seen. By 'clinical,' I mean that Rossellini creates a very dry sentimentality that is neither exuberant of the titular leader and neither condemning. Even the way in which characters speak is very clinical, beyond a few.  The film centers on Louis XIV, King of France, after the death of his most powerful advisor, Cardinal Mazarin. Throughout the film, Louis deals with his mother and court nobles, all assuming that Mazarin's death will give them greater power. However, Louis plans on consolidating power through the monarchy. Because the film is so 'clinical,' as I said, there is little affection or intrigued derived from viewing it. There is a certain biographical quality to the film that certainly allows for some under...

  Tony Richardson's "A Taste of Honey" Before watching Tony Richardson's 1961 film " A Taste of Honey ," my understanding of the British "kitchen sink drama" was limited to films about angry young heterosexual men: 1959's " Look Back in Anger " and 1960's " Saturday Night and Sunday Morning ." However, " A Taste of Honey " completely flipped this format on its head. Not only does this newfound exploration of Britain's lower class troubles feature a young woman as its lead, it unflinchingly observes the entire caste of the lower class's identity. The film centers on a 17-year-old girl named Jo living in Salford with her single mother. Jo develops with a relationship with Jimmy, a young black sailor, while her mother strikes up a romantic involvement with a man named Peter. After Jo and Jimmy sleep together, Jimmy leaves, promising to come back. While awaiting his return, Jo's mother abandons her to l...

  Ermanno Olmi's "Il Posto" Going into Ermanno Olmi's 1961 film " Il Posto ," I wasn't sure what to expect. After having watched the film, I still don't know what to make of it. I was never familiar with Ermanno Olmi or his work. " Il Posto " was Olmi's second feature-length film after switching from documentary to fictional narratives. Utilizing neo-realism that had cemented Italy as a foundation of global cinema for the past two decades, Olmi was able to elevate the aesthetic into the more tonal works that would arise from global cinema in the 1960s. The film centers on a teenager, Domenico, who forgoes his education and travels to the big city to get a low-level job at a major corporation. While applying the job, he interacts with Antonietta, a young girl who similarly has forgone her schooling to earn money to support her mother. Domenico receives a job as a messenger and spends his time trying to find Antonietta again, despite thei...

  Roman Polanski's "Cul-de-sac" I have to admit: the first half of Roman Polanski's 1966 film " Cul-de-sac " left me worried that I was watching something that lacked any aim or purpose. While that still may be true, the second half of the film (although not so dramatically different than the first) left me enjoyingly confounded. Wow, what a bizarre film.  The film centers on an American gangster named Dickey who takes up an impromptu temporary residence at the castle of wealthy Englishman, George, and his French wife, Teresa, after a botched bank robbery. Dickey is gruff and aggressive, bullying the cowardly George. When friends come to visit George, the group must not reveal the true state of their situation. I don't even know where to start with this film. Me describing the loose plot doesn't accurately portray the absurdity of both the situation and the tone that Polanski instills. It makes me recall Polanski's debut, 1962's " Knife ...