THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT (1967,FRANCE)

MOVIES I WATCHED BECAUSE I GOT A SUBSCRIPTION TO NETFLIX AND THEY WERE IN THE 1001 MOVIES YOU MUST SEE BEFORE YOU DIE BOOK MONTH 

(Post 8 of 10)

I really didn't know much about The Young Girls of Rochefort, but its time on Netflix was running out and it was on the 1001 list, so I decided to give it a go. I quickly learned that it was from the director (Jacques Demy) of Umbrellas of Chernbourg, the movie where all the dialogue is sung. Rochefort also has much of the dialogue sung and plenty of characters dancing as well. I suppose you could call it a musical, but the feel is a bit different. I didn't like it as well as Umbrellas, but I admit it did win me over, especially when Gene Kelly comes on the scene and begins dancing and speaking French. The plot involves lost loves, unfulfilled dreams and a rather strange subplot about a serial murderer. Other than the serial murderer, it is a bright, vibrant experience. And it does have Catherine Deneuve. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

The next post will be about a less happy film topic.

L'AGE D'OR (1930, FRANCE) TRISTANA (1970, SPAIN)

MOVIES I WATCHED BECAUSE I GOT A SUBSCRIPTION TO NETFLIX AND THEY WERE IN THE 1001 MOVIES YOU MUST SEE BEFORE YOU DIE BOOK MONTH  

(Post 7 of 10)

L'AGE D'OR

Spanish Director Luis Bunuel was described as a "vagabond filmmaker..a director without a country" by film historian Gerald Mast. 

Before seeing this Bunuel double feature, I had only previously seen his film An Andalusian Dog, so I don't know why I was expecting something a little more straightforward this time around. However, The Age of Gold (L'Age D'or) was what came up. And after 69 minutes of women sucking the toes of statues, men having bloody faces for no reason, random orgies, religious desecration, and a Christ-like figure who...I'm not actually sure what he was doing! Anyway, after all that I realized this was another adventure in surrealism. And it does have some strong imagery (including the clerics who appear to have escaped their predicament in An Andalusian Dog) and I may try to see this one again at some point. But I'm frankly ready for some different Bunuel films.

The scholarly film source Wikipedia describes the controversy surrounding this movie, including a riot at a theater during the film's initial run in France in 1930.

Tristana is from 1970 (forty years after L'AGE D'OR for those of you doing the math at home) and is a story of a young lady (the ubiquitous Catherine Denueve) who has a most unhealthy relationship with her Uncle. The complexity of their relationship is the gist of this sad and disturbing film. And it is told in a straightforward manner. 

Interesting that Bunuel has listings in the 1001 book spanning from the 1920's until the 1970's. He and Alfred Hitchcock are the only directors to have films in the 1001 book from all those decades.

TRISTANA

UP IN SMOKE (1978)

MOVIES I WATCHED BECAUSE I GOT A SUBSCRIPTION TO NETFLIX AND THEY WERE IN THE 1001 MOVIES YOU MUST SEE BEFORE YOU DIE BOOK MONTH

(Post 6 of 10)

For those of you scoring at home, Cheech Marin is the one who always seemed to be on uppers and Tommy Chong is the one who always seemed to be on downers.

I first became aware of Cheech and Chong through their record albums such as Big Bambu during the 70's. Their catholic school recording of Sister Mary Elephant is still one of my favorite routines.

Then they started making movies, man.

And if there was ever a movie that defined late 70's midnight movies, it was probably Cheech and Chong's debut of Up in Smoke. I thought it was pretty funny at the time and was popular enough for the team to make several other movies over the next few years whose titles frankly seem to be lost in a purple haze to me. I do remember these later movies had some funny cameos by the likes of Pee Wee Herman, Timothy Leary and Rip Taylor.

After watching Up in Smoke for the first time in decades, I concede it wasn't without its stoner moments, but it also seemed to get old pretty quickly. However, I must admit that seeing this movie straight seemed pretty much the equivalent of watching a 3D movie without the glasses.

Sorry, it wouldn't be in my 1001 book. But I do urge you to listen to Sister Mary Elephant.

THE COOK, THE THIEF, THE WIFE AND HER LOVER (1989, GREAT BRITAIN)

MOVIES I WATCHED BECAUSE I GOT A SUBSCRIPTION TO NETFLIX AND THEY WERE IN THE 1001 MOVIES YOU MUST SEE BEFORE YOU DIE BOOK MONTH

(Post 5 of 10)

The way Peter Greenway's camera flows from room to room of the restaurant managed by the evil Albert (Michael Gambon) where all of the action of this film takes place is pretty breathtaking. The way we go from parking lot to kitchen to dining room where the interacting characters interact reminded me a lot of Alexander Sukorov's Russian Ark. 

But is what we see in this restaurant at all enticing? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Gambon's Albert is one of the most reprehensible and unlikable characters to ever hit the screen and he really plays him to the hilt. Helen Mirren's Georgina is sexy but sad as his put-upon wife and it's no wonder she finds comfort with her bookkeeper lover. The cook really comes into play later as he makes a delicacy for Albert that he will never forget. We also have memorable supporting characters such as a soprano singing waif and Tim Roth as one of Albert's punkish associates. Rarely has such a beautiful film been so ugly. Or is it an ugly film with great beauty? Probably should be on the 1001 list just for its bravado.