While recently rewatching Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’Eclisse (aka The Eclipse, 1962) I received the sad news that George Romero had died. The celebrated Italian art-house auteur and the American director behind the hugely popular Living Dead franchise aren’t typically associated with one another but I suspect that Antonioni’s work may have inspired Romero early in his career. In The Cinema of George … Continue reading THE LIVING AND THE DEAD: L’ECLISSE (1962)
SURVEYING THE RED DESERT (1964)
“There’s something terrible about reality and I don’t know what it is.” – Giuliana (Monica Vitti) Modern malaise and alienation are two themes that Michelangelo Antonioni (L’Avventura [1960], La notte[1961], L’eclisse [1962]) returned to repeatedly throughout the 1960s. In Red Desert (1964), which is currently streaming on FilmStruck and available on DVD and Blu-ray from Criterion, these ideas find expression in Italy’s … Continue reading SURVEYING THE RED DESERT (1964)
Vidal Sassoon 1928-2012
The British hairdresser who helped define the look of the swinging sixties has died. He's probably best remembered for giving Mia Farrow her pixie cut during the making of ROSEMARY'S BABY, which she wore for years but the stylist also created signature looks for '60s super model Peggy Moffitt, designer Mary Quant and actresses like … Continue reading Vidal Sassoon 1928-2012
FAVORITE DVD RELEASES OF 2010
Every year I try to compile a list of my favorite new DVD releases. These lists tend to focus on films from the ’60s and ’70s since they’re my favorite film eras. This year I decided to expand my view a little and disregard limitations so I could share a varied list of all my … Continue reading FAVORITE DVD RELEASES OF 2010
Do You Auteur?
About 5 or 6 months ago I joined The Auteurs. The Auteurs is a Criterion sponsored film site where each member has their own Profile Page and you can watch films, rate films, add films to your "Favorites" and "Watch" lists, and chat with other members in the community forum. I haven't participated in many … Continue reading Do You Auteur?
List Making
Pictured Above: High and Low (1963), Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) Eyes Without a Face (1960) Rocco and His Brothers (1960), Cleo From 5 to 7 (1961) I was invited to participate in putting together a list of Favorite Foreign Language Films at Edward Copeland's blog recently which is now open to online voting and I … Continue reading List Making
Michelangelo Antonioni 1912 – 2007
You ask what you should watch. I ask how I should live. It's the same thing. - Corrado Zeller (Richard Harris) in Antonioni's The Red Desert (1964) Cinephiles have suffered some great losses in recent days with the death of Ingmar Bergman, actor Michel Serrault and now Michelangelo Antonioni. I was really touched by all … Continue reading Michelangelo Antonioni 1912 – 2007
Terence Stamp Turns 68
One of my favorite actors is the handsome, talented and all-around extraordinary Terence Stamp who is celebrating his 68th birthday today. Stamp got interested in acting at the tender age of four after seeing Gary Cooper in Beau Geste (1939), but he didn't decide to seriously pursue acting until he was seventeen years old. On … Continue reading Terence Stamp Turns 68
Lucio Fulci – A Look Back
Lucio Fulci b. June 17, 1927 - d. March 13, 1996 Today is the 11th Anniversary of Italian director Lucio Fulci’s death. To celebrate the life of one of my favorite filmmakers I thought I would share a brief overview of Fulci’s early career in cinema, which is often overshadowed by his later years as … Continue reading Lucio Fulci – A Look Back
Favorite DVD Releases of 2006 – Part III.
This is the final part of my 30 Favorite DVD Releases of 2006 list that I’ve been slowly putting together. You can find Parts I. and II. HERE. Please keep in mind that these are all official NTSC Region 1 DVDs of films originally released between 1960 and 1979 and the numerical order means absolutely … Continue reading Favorite DVD Releases of 2006 – Part III.
