Film Persona

  Jean-Luc Godard's "Two or Three Things I Know About Her" As with many other Jean-Luc Godard films, " Two or Three Things I Know About Her " packs lots of ideas into a single, short viewing experience. What's unique about it is the seemingly open metatextual format of the film. Meaning, Godard includes the viewer in on the process and ruminations on the arbitrary choices made in the film. Released in 1967, " Two or Three Things I Know About Her " acts more like an essay film, one that critiques modern consumerism and capitalism. The plot of the film centers on 24 hours in the sophisticated, but empty life of Juliette: a wife, a mother, and a prostitute. After dropping her children off with a man who watches prostitutes' children, she goes shopping for dresses, drink coffee in a cafe, has appointment with clients, and visits a beauty salon. All the while, Godard's metatextuality bleeds through with interspersed shots of construction work in...

  Mikhail Kalatozov's "I Am Cuba" Because the 1959 Cuban Revolution overthrew the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, relations between Cuba and the U.S. were at an all-time low. The Soviet Union took this opportunity to build a rapport with the state. One of the ways they did this was through a collaboration through the arts, so that they may spread Communist propaganda. Mikhail Kalatozov, the revolutionary Soviet filmmaker responsible for 1957's " The Cranes are Flying ," was tasked with going to Cuba and making a film about the Cuban revolution. Kalatozov was given considerable freedom to make his film, even receiving as much assistance as he wanted from both governments. He was inspired by Sergei Eisenstein's unfinished " Que viva Mexico " project, using it as a springboard for this creative venture. The resulting film, 1964's " I Am Cuba ," was met with considerable coldness from both the Cubans and Soviets. The Cu...

  Robert Bresson's "L'Argent" The last film that Robert Bresson ever made was 1983's " L'Argent ." Although he was in his 80s when he made it, it still manages to emanate a thematic vibrancy and a creative prowess unlike anyone else making films at the time. Of course, since we are talking about Bresson, we have to mention his tonal style. " L'Argent " contains the typical Bressonian hallmarks: stoic, unmoved imagery, actors delivering their lines with a flat affect, and a concentration on objective acts rather than emotional reasoning. The plot of the film follows the consequences of two young boys using counterfeit money to purchase a picture frame from a local photo shop. The photo shop unethically uses the money to pay Yvon, who delivers them heating oil. Yvonne is arrested for attempting to use the money, and when he has his day in court, the shop lies about giving him the money. After having to pay off the debt, Yvon is arrested f...

  Vincente Minnelli's "Gigi" The complete emptiness of Vincente Minelli's 1958 musical " Gigi " worked wonders to completely disengage me from any interest I might have had in the film. It centers on a young Parisian girl in early Belle Epoque France caught between courtesan training and falling into a relationship with wealthy young man. There are certain visual lavishes that exemplify the stark colorful beauty of 1950s Hollywood musicals. But, this is the only engaging quality the picture has to offer. I feel like there is any attempt by Minnelli to recreate the magic formula of a Max Ophuls film. Ophuls coincidentally died one week before production began. While I do see the clear inspirations at play, Minnelli fails to capture the thematic firth Ophuls hides beneath the veneer of opulence.  All that being said, " Gigi " is more than an adequate film for casual viewing and remarking about the fantastic color usage by Metrocolor processing. Howev...

  Robert Bresson's "Au Hasard Balthazar" With his 1966 masterpiece, " Au Hasard Balthazar ," Robert Bresson takes his typical cold, inaccessible style of filming actors as 'models' to a whole new level. In this film, the atypical emotional behavior of the characters in the story are that much more unintimate and understandable due to the perspective with which the film is viewed through. The titular 'Balthazar' is a donkey witnessing the senselessness of humanity, thereby making the seemingly cold and alien actions of the human characters around him that much more under a metaphorical microscope. There is a coherent plot structure happening around the donkey. Namely, it revolves in and around Marie, a young teenage girl living in the French countryside with her father, a farmer. Through the film, Balthazar witnesses Marie's father's legal issues unfold, Marie's tumultuous relationship with a violent young man involved in a criminal ga...

  Andrzej Wajda's "Ashes and Diamonds" The 1958 Polish film " Ashes and Diamonds " closes out an unofficial trilogy in the filmography of Andrzej Wajda. The trilogy, consisting also of 1955's " A Generation " and 1957's " Kanal " center on Polish resistence during the Second World War. The final installment of this trilogy, " Ashes and Diamonds " brings the themes of resilience and struggle from the first two films to a harrowing and bleak conclusion.  " Ashes and Diamonds " centers on Maciek, a young man tasked with assassinating a political opponent and secretary of the Polish Workers' Party. This task comes on the first day of the end of the war, May 8, 1945. During his assignment, he falls in love with Krystyna, a barmaid. Maciek then spends the film questioning whether to go through with his political execution or to run away with his new love interest.  I think the film taking place immediately after the ...

  Claude Chabrol's "Le Beau Serge" When one thinks of the famous " Cahiers du Cinema " film critics who went off to direct films of their own, one often thinks of Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut. However, it was Claude Chabrol who was the first of this group to direct his own feature. Chabrol's debut effort, " Le Beau Serge ," while not as freeform and inventive as many of the other films of the Nouvelle Vauge movement, is still considered an entry into this creative aesthetic.  The film centers on Francois, a sickly young man returning to his hometown of Sardent to spend the winter. He reunites with his friend, Serge, after having been apart for years. Francois finds Serge in a bad state: an unhappy alcoholic. His wife, Yvonne, is pregnant with another child after his first attempt was stillborn. Francois' presence in the town starts drama, causing tension between him and Serge. After the two fight, Francois decides to stay in the town d...

  Sergei Parajanov's "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" While some of the dramatic intrigue of Sergei Parajanov's " Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors " is limited, the visual rollercoaster ride the film takes is nothing short of spectacular. Released in 1965, Parajanov's memorable film doesn't limit itself creatively in any way. Rather, its openness with its visual concepts and camerawork elevate the story to something other-worldly.  " Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors " centers on Ivan, a young Ukrainian man living in a small village in the Carpathian Mountains. He falls in love with Marichka, the daughter of the man who killed his father. Despite the families being bitter enemies, Ivan and Marichka are prepared to marry. However, after Marichka dies in a river, Ivan despondently despairs through life, even with the marriage to his new wife Palahna. After she betrays him, he is struck in the head and hallucinates Marichka in the forest before col...

  David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" Before watching David Lean's 1962 historical epic, " Lawrence of Arabia ," I would have told you that Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's 1943 film " The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp " was the most British film I had ever seen and exemplified the British concept far greater than any other film. However, that notion has been completely put to rest by Lean's monumental " Lawrence of Arabia ."  The film centers on T.E. Lawrence, the real British Army Officer who was tasked with assisting Prince Feisal of Syria in his revolt against the Turks during the First World War. While there, Lawrence befriends the Arab people and even proves himself as a noble and valiant man. His sympathize for the Arab people creates a natural leadership role, which he uses to lead a group of Arabs to invade the Turkish-held Damascus. Despite promising the Arabs their freedom, he is secretly working to secure a Brit...

  Bernardo Bertolucci's "The Conformist" After the exhilarating and experimental 60s came to a close, there were a group of films that would exemplify the oncoming visual film art of the next decade. One of those films was Bernardo Bertolucci's 1970 masterpiece " The Conformist ." The film escapes the metatextual, modern, and post-modern works that would come to cement the 60s style. Rather, its embrace of more old-fashioned expressionist environments, moral explorations of early-century fascism, and character examination that would come to define the 'New Hollywood' movement of the 1970s made it a crucial piece of work that would even influence Francis Ford Coppola's " The Godfather ." " The Conformist " takes place in late 1930s Italy during the Mussolini dictatorship. Our protagonist and titular 'conformist,' Marcello, is a member of the fascist secret police as a means to obtain a 'normal' life and blend in...

  Yasujiro Ozu's "Tokyo Twilight" With his 1957 film " Tokyo Twilight ," Yasujiro Ozu made his darkest, bleakest, most existential film in his entire filmography. It was the very last black-and-white film he would ever make and is perhaps the best shot black-and-white film he's ever done. And yes, the dark, existential themes are enhanced through this exquisitely shot black-and-white production. " Tokyo Twilight " is perhaps the most unique piece in all of Ozu's oeuvre.  The plot centers on two adult women, Akiko and Takako, who live with their single father, Shukichi. One sister, Akiko, is a college student with an unwanted pregnancy. The other, Takako, is running away from an unhappy marriage with her toddler. Soon, the two women their mother who abandoned their family from an early age works at a mahjong parlor, drudging up past traumas and old wounds. Wim Wenders, in an interview with The Criterion Channel , stated that he believed Ozu was ...

  Mehboob Khan's "Mother India" Mehbook Khan's 1957 epic " Mother India " broke new ground in Indian cinema at the time of its release. Not only was it one of the most expensive Indian productions ever, it eventually earned the highest revenue for any Indian film. Using allusions to Hindu mythology, " Mother India " tracks the life of a single mother trying to raise her children in economic desolate situations. Her self-sacrifice represented the idyllic mother and caregiver, along with demonstrating high moral values. The film's rousing success earned it significant receptions across the globe, even earning it a nomination for Best International Film at the Academy Awards.   

  David Lean's "The Bridge on the River Kwai" The 1957 British film " The Bridge on the River Kwai " is the first of many 'epic' films that would come to identify the career of David Lean. Shot in technicolor, the film was the highest grossing film globally in 1957 and was met with widespread critical acclaim. Since the time of its release, it has been regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.  The film takes place in Thailand in 1943. A group of British soldiers are captured and taken to a Japanese prison camp where they are tasked with building a bridge. The unit's commanding officer, Colonel Nicholson, puts up a fight against Colonel Saito, who does not honor the Geneva Convention by making the officers endure the same labor as their men. After a grueling stand-off, Colonel Saito agrees to honor Colonel Nicholson's request as long as Nicholson can guarantee the bridge be built in a specific time frame. Through their hard work, Nicholson...

  Konrad Wolf's "Lissy" By the time Konrad Wolf released his 1957 film " Lissy ," there were quite a bit a films about Nazism and the fight against it. However, " Lissy " bares the distinction of being from a uniquely German perspective. The film centers on the titular Lissy, a working-class Berliner, who marries a clerk named Alfred. After being fired by his Jewish boss, the normally apolitical Alfred joins the Nazi party. As Hitler gains power, Lissy is forced into circumstances where she must choose between economic disenfranchisement and aligning with the Nazis and her husband. Although much of it is overly simplistic, " Lissy " still manages to illustrate the temperament happening in Germany during the rise of Naziism. There are plenty of emotional elements in the film to draw the viewer in and plenty of dramatic relationships throughout to keep them engaged. The film is a stark look at how everyday people, even neighbors and husbands, c...