Thursday, February 07, 2008
The 35,000 Foot Critic - Short and Sweet
But first, my apartment the day after the 3-Cake Fiesta:
Crepe-paper flutter-thingies over all the doorways...
Smell the white tulips while you can...
At 35,000 feet, returning from Mexico, I took in some 50s foreign classics on my portable DVD player. We'll do this 'short form' - picture, 4 words, haiku, and trailer or clip... Hope this inspires you all and enhances your Netflix queues...
"Rocco and His Brothers," the 1950 by Luchino Visconti, is a long but rewarding Italian neo-realist masterpiece.Four Words That Encapsule: "Uprooted Italian family struggles"
Haiku (5/7/5):
Five strapping young men;
brothers, bonds, separate paths;
clashing destinies
Visconti was gay, and his camera does gaze lovingly upon the very attractive brothers, especially the gorgeous Alain Delon (who also played a gay 'Talented Ripley' character in 1960's 'Purple Noon).
'Rocco and His Brothers' trailer - a collage of scenes with mute sound and good music... I have other clips that would give away too much...
Akira Kurosawa's 'Ikiru (To Live),' from 1952, is compelling, years ahead of its time (non-linear, talking to the audience), genuinely touching, and surprising.Four Words That Encapsule: "Dying Man Reexamines Life"
Haiku: (5/7/5) :- finally, a Haiku for a Japanese film!
"Bored civil servant;
cancer; thirty wasted years?;
seeks life, legacy"
'Ikiru' trailer - more narrative, but not without its own poetry...
Cartoon du Jour:
this entry's permalink
Comments:
Post a Comment
