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...