Film Persona

  Masaki Kobayshi's "Kwaidan" Partly based on the 1904 book " Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things, " Masaki Kobayashi's 1964 film " Kwaidan " is an anthology of four stories, all centering around paranormal folklore. Because it was one of the most expensive Japanese productions at the time, the lack of commercial success made it a failure, and even bankrupted the production company, Ninjin Club. However, despite this commercial failure, it is often retrospectively regarded as not only one of the greatest Japanese horror films, but one of the most visually beautiful films ever made. Each chapter of the film offers its own unique brand of supernatural horror. Although, I don't think 'horror' would fit the right word for modern audience (who are used to a far more intense version of the genre). None of the sections are 'scary' per se, besides " The Woman in the Snow " (which is my personal favorite of the selec...

  Sidney Lumet's "The Pawnbroker" Beyond featuring one of the greatest performances of the 1960s, Sidney Lumet's 1964 film " The Pawnbroker " is equally unique for its influence in abolishing the Hays Code. Although the Code wouldn't officially be abolished until 4 years later, " The Pawnbroker's" use of brief nudity caused so much controversy, that conversations began to take place about the special 'exception' it received, along with the continued censorship of film.  Aside from these discussions, the film remains a powerhouse of influence in the contemporary American film landscape.  The film stars Rod Steiger as Sol Nazerman, a professor and Holocaust survivor working at a pawn shop in East Harlem. Now a single loner, he continues to have visions of the wife and children he had prior to the war, as well as horrific visions of what happened to them during it. His trauma defines his behavior, as his gruffness and lack of empathy c...

  Dusan Makavejev's "Man Is Not a Bird" Somewhat of a strange artifact, Dusan Makavejev's 1965 Yugoslavian film " Man Is Not a Bird " mixes the simplistic starkness of neo-realism with some stylistic flair borrowed from Nouvelle Vague. It centers on an engineer who comes into a small town to re-industrialize its mining plants. While there, he falls in love with a much younger woman. Although there is a romantic story at the forefront, the film's real themes spring from the Communist town and its restless machinations.  One of the key insights to understanding the film stems from a side storyline involving a hypnotist who comes to town for the purposes of entertainment. At the film's end, he narrates, "Hypnosis is not ordinary sleep but an induced artificial sleep. For a man asleep can do nothing, but under hypnosis he can carry out the most complex commands, including murder." His voiceover is matched with images of the town's industria...

  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.