Playtime, 1967

Well, hello readers! Today I have my first guest post, from my lovely friend Hannah. We both share a love for film and our taste in movies overlaps quite a lot. Hannah has written about Tati’s Playtime which, shamefully, I have not seen, yet! But it’s at the top of my list, now…

Playtime (1967) has been described as Jacques Tati’s most ambitious film, shot in 70mm with a 5 track stereophonic sound, Tati created his own city, with the help of over a hundred workmen in the outskirts of France, nearly bankrupting himself in the process. There was much gossip about the expense of the film, but as he pointed out at the time, to hire the likes of Sophia Loren or Elizabeth Taylor it would cost the same to shoot. This has to be my favourite Tati film, being an old fashioned sort I’m always drawn to people that have a unique antiquated way of existing. Playtime is Jacques Tati’s masterpiece, he’s the reason why I got all teary eyed sat in my stuffy university class; he filled me with hope and wonder at the prospect of studying cinema. He is my hero to put it simply.

Playtime centres on a non-descript Paris, but you would never know it because the landscape is so generic, so sterile you’d be hard pushed to identify what country you were in. Only glimpses of the beauty that Paris has to offer are seen through swinging glass doors or reflections of clouds on skyscrapers. Tati also lampoons tourism as one tourist says triumphantly ‘ I feel at home wherever I go’ – indeed she is at home, because all the modern buildings that prevent people from being truly together all look the same. In the tourist office American holidaymaker Barbara gazes at the posters for other cities which all have the same generic buildings.

Tati scatters his gags through each and every single frame; his use of long shots in the film requires the viewer to be attentive to what they are watching. Although the infamous Monsieur Hulot features in the film he is not the main attraction. Monsieur Hulot is the eccentric old fashioned gentlemen whose presence always leads to chaos, without him even realising! In Playtime, Tati created a film in which every character is vital to the plot.

Tati’s fantastic use of sound for comedic effect is prevalent throughout, the film starts out in what looks like a hospital, all stainless steel and clomping clogged nurses, we then hear a muffled tannoy announcement, but low and behold it’s a flight attendant, we are in fact at an airport.

And that’s Tati’s point, Playtime satirizes how dependent and lost we have become with our modern commodities, how it stops us truly communicating with people and enjoying the moment we are in. Tati satirizes modern technology but at the dénouement with the congested roundabout that turns into a merry go round he shows that if people can adapt the new modernity to their lives instead of letting it consume them, everyday can be Playtime.

The Virgin Suicides, 1993

The Virgin Suicides was one of those movies I didn’t ‘get’ when I first watched it. And I think not ‘getting’ a film is a valid viewing – there are various reasons why a film may go over our heads or not speak to us at a certain time and on my first viewing that’s what happened with this film. I guess I was about 16 or so myself when I watched the film with a friend and…I just don’t know entirely why I didn’t like it. Why I didn’t connect with it.

Maybe I’d been expecting a different kind of movie, not having read the book then (which I also didn’t enjoy much on first reading), or maybe it just wasn’t the right time for me. But last year or so I knew I needed to watch it again. And I finally got it. It seems so very strange to me that it took becoming an adult (though I don’t feel very ‘grown up’) to understand a movie about teenage girls. I suppose it’s not very different than watching a beloved film from your childhood only to realise you can no longer understand what it was you enjoyed about it.

“We knew that they knew everything about us, and that we couldn’t fathom them at all.”

Of course, it’s fair to say that we mostly see the Lisbon girls as the boys saw them and there is always that distance between the viewer and the sisters. This could be disrupting for some and is possibly why so many people view the film as ‘incomplete’. (The story of the Lisbon girls is meant to remain a mystery to the viewers as it was to the neighbourhood boys who were fascinated with and enamoured of them.) Todd Kennedy, in his article Off With Hollywood’s Head: Sofia Coppola as Feminine Auteur, describes the sisters as characters “whose identities exist only insofar as they are defined as the objects of masculine desire.” He goes on to say that Coppola subverts this objectification when Kirsten Dunst, in the opening title sequence, winks directly into the camera. I definitely agree, at least in part, with Kennedy’s description yet (even when he talks of subverting that notion) I feel it is a bit reductive.

The scene where Mrs Lisbon forces Lux to get rid of her records, and the pure anguish on Lux’s face as she has to part with her beloved records, is a scene that just stuck with me – and then when the boys play records to the girls over the phone. There’s something very poignant about both scenes. The importance of these possessions as part of Lux’s identity, that she is forced to destroy that part of herself, and then the boys playing songs as a way to speak to the girls. I don’t know. (Though the scenes appear the other way around, don’t they? Ha. Oops.)

A lot has been said about the visuals of Coppola’s films (indeed some will say that there is nothing below the surface of her pretty aesthetic, especially in later work, which Todd Kennedy also addressed in his article) but it’s impossible not to say something about the way this film looks. It’s the perfect visual embodiment of nostalgia – dreamy, warm tones! lens flare! soft focus! complemented by the perfect score by Air and carefully selected soundtrack of period tunes – and also looks quite a lot like snapshots from the 1970s. Nostalgia is clearly a big part of this story, and the undercurrent of both horror and fascination that the boys felt, and clearly still feel as men is an interesting counterpoint.

“Obviously, Doctor, you’ve never been a 13-year-old girl.”

I think this film is the perfect example that sometimes a first impression of a movie may not always last. That sometimes it’s more to do with the wrong time or place than the wrong film for you. I’m not saying people should revisit every film they’ve ever disliked, and I’m certainly not going to do that, myself but this has proved that I can be more open to reexamining my initial views of a film. There was at least a decade between first viewing the film and not liking it, to revisiting it and falling in love with it and when you consider how I may have changed in that time, it doesn’t seem so unlikely that an opinion can change too. Plus I’ve been more and more drawn to things that deal with ‘girlhood’ of late, perhaps because of the sense of uncertainty that they tend to entail and I’ve been feeling a bit tumultuous and unsettled within myself lately. But that’s a bit more personal that I like to get on here (and illustrates how I am so pants at being anything other than emotionally involved when it comes to talking about films).

“What lingered after them was not life, but the most trivial list of mundane facts: a clock ticking on a wall, a room dim at noon, and the outrageousness of a human being thinking only of herself.”

Part of me is kind of embarrassed to admit I didn’t get this film at first. That it wasn’t a formative part of my teen years as it was for so many (what films were significant to me? Maybe The Hairy Bird, Dick, – both of which also star Kirsten Dunst-  Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion, Ghost World…if we are just sticking to films that deal with teenage girls) but I’m glad that I’ve come back to it after all these years. I suppose the reason I didn’t connect with this film at first will remain as much as a mystery to me as the Lisbon girls were to the boys in the story.

“She was the still point of the turning world, man.”

I could probably write a lot more about the film but I’m not sure exactly what else to say, just yet. This is just barely coherent as it is. It is almost an overwhelming task when I sit down to right about a film that has affected me like this one eventually did (and, it’s better late than never, don’t they say?)

“So much has been said about the girls over the years. But we have never found an answer. It didn’t matter in the end how old they had been, or that they were girls… but only that we had loved them… and that they hadn’t heard us calling… still do not hear us calling them from out of those rooms… where they went to be alone for all time… and where we will never find the pieces to put them back together.”

Vale, Annette

My Tuesday post is a day late, again.  And it is a very short post to say I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Annette Funicello, yesterday. Her music and movies have brought a lot of joy to my life…

Frankie and Annette singing I Think, You Think in Beach Blanket Bingo, 1965.

Annette Funicello as Dee Dee in Muscle Beach Party, 1964

Vale, Annette!

(P.S. This Cinematic Life have a fun post on how to be Dee Dee up, too).

Top 5 Thursday | Doris Day

Well, it was Doris’s birthday, yesterday, so what better time than now to post my top 5 Doris Day films? Now these may not be her ‘best’ films but they are my favourites. When I wrote my top 5 Audrey Hepburn films post, I mentioned that Doris was my other favourite actress growing up. I spent a lot of time watching Calamity Jane, On Moonlight Bay, Tea for Two, etc., and listening to a cassette my mum had of some of her songs. In fact, I’m listening to some of her music as I type this…

Picking five movies for a top 5 was so very difficult because there isn’t one Doris Day film that I’ve seen yet and not loved in some way. Some aren’t as great as others but watching Doris act (from silly to serious) is such a joy. But I managed to narrow it down to five even though I could have included so many more!

Calamity Jane directed by David Butler, 1953

A highly (highly) fictionalised musical biopic of ‘wild west’ frontierswoman Calamity Jane, this was one of those films I watched on repeat as a child. I’m fairly certain I used to act this scene out (or at least try) in my lounge room. Of course, any film made at this time with this setting is going to be quite problematic in terms of the representation of Native Americans, which I think is important to note. It’s still a film that is very important to me because of how much I watched it growing up and because it was the film that made me love Doris.

Lullaby of Broadway directed by David Butler, 1951

I remember my mum buying me a triple pack (actually, may have been four) of Doris Day films on VHS and one of them was Lullaby of Broadway. This isn’t one of Doris’s more popular films but it’s earned its place as one of my favourites for a few reasons: S.Z. Sakall whom I always adore, Gene Nelson who is quite underrated in terms of classic Hollywood leading (dancing) men, the beautiful costumes and this scene. It’s nice to see Doris’s dancing shown off (she trained as a dancer) but it’s just a great scene. That entire first minute of just her face surrounded by darkness as the camera slowly zooms in! Gorgeous.

The Pajama Game directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen, 1957

I’ve overlooked my dislike of John Raitt in this role because the costumes, choreography, songs and story of this film outweigh how much I hate that character (at the start, anyway). And, despite the way I feel about his character, can we talk about how much this song needs more appreciation than I think it gets? I mention the choreography because it was done by Bob Fosse – is it cliched to love Fosse? I don’t care. His choreography was great and the Steam Heat scene is so very Fosse (and the number that I believe made a name for Fosse in Broadway, etc.) and, gosh, isn’t Carol Haney brilliant? I wrote about this film on my other blog a few years ago, too. There is some really lovely use of colour and lighting in this movie, as well.

Send Me No Flowers directed by Norman Jewison, 1964

It was difficult to choose between this one and Pillow Talk for one of the films that she did with Rock Hudson but this one just won out. For silly little reasons like when Judy (Doris) and George (Rock) are getting ready and she swats him on the bum. I don’t know – I said it was silly but it’s so comfortably domestic and real, I guess? And hypochondria is definitely a serious thing but Rock Hudson is so adorable as George and Tony Randall is fantastic as always. Plus that scene when Doris gets locked out of the house is a hoot! Rock and Doris were just beautiful together and their friendship really shows in their acting, I think. I could probably take or leave Lover Come Back but this film and Pillow Talk are definitely two of my all-time favourites.

Young Man With a Horn directed by Michael Curtiz, 1950

I think the first time I realised that Doris was not only a great singer and comedic actress but very good at ‘serious’ roles too was when I saw her co-star with Jimmy Stewart in Hitchcock’s remake of his own film, The Man Who Knew Too Much. But it was seeing Young Man With a Horn that sort of cemented that for me. There is one scene where the expression on her face changes so subtly and I just thought ‘yes, yes, yes! I love this! She is amazing’. I’m as impressed by subtlety and acting that’s in the face (if you get my drift) as I am fond of hammy-ness and over-the-top performances. This film is quite brilliant overall – Kirk Douglas and Lauren Bacall are both brilliant as the leads.

Honourable mentions go to films like On Moonlight Bay, which was one of my favourites growing up but I just cannot stand Gordon McRae. He’s always so pompous and self-righteous so as much as I love On Moonlight Bay it didn’t quite make it. Haha, I’m so hard on leading men. Sorry, Gordon! Also The Glass Bottom Boat for being one of the funniest films I’ve seen. Nearly cried with laughter in some parts. Oh, and It’s a Great Feeling has to be an honourable mention for the same reason. Mainly because of this scene. I’d also recommend Love Me or Leave Me as another fine example of her acting – possibly one of her best films (best lists and favourites lists won’t always be the same, will they?) Er, that’s probably too many honourable mentions, right?

Note: I’ve seen 23 out of her 38 feature films, so my top 5 could very well change at some point…

Oz the Great and Powerful, 2013

Last night I went to see Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful, which is why my Tuesday post is now being done on Wednesday. I wanted to wait until I’d seen the film so I could write about a movie straight after seeing it for once! But when I got home I just wanted to watch The Wizard of Oz (1939) and go to bed, so now Wednesday is Tuesday for this week. Ha. Anyway, onto my thoughts (or, more likely, feelings) on the film in question.

I enjoyed myself a lot with this film (as did my mother who I went to see it with) but I’m not sure it wowed me. I felt it played it safe in a lot of ways and I left feeling ‘whelmed’ yet still happy in the way a good film makes me happy on the whole*.

Visually it was nice if quite obviously fake and overwhelming in parts (felt a bit like Wonka’s chocolate factory at times to me) but CGI and what-not aside it was the costumes that captured me the most. Oh, and that pretty pretty fog. But, in all seriousness, the costumes (designed by Gary Jones) were gorgeous. And I’ve just realised that Theodora’s (Mila Kunis) first costume was a bit Carmen Sandiego.

Mila Kunis as Theodora and James Franco as Oz.

Michelle Williams as Glinda.

Something about this photo makes me think of Ridley Scott’s Legend. Anyone else?

Character-wise I adored China Girl (I wonder if this has anything to do with being a doll collector?) – I’ve read her described as creepy but she was just so lovely if bordering on twee. OK, it may have been more that I loved her character design than the character itself. I’d completely forgot about the china village/county in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (book) as it’s been years since I read it but I appreciate its inclusion here. And Rachel Weisz as Evanora was definitely the most solid of the three witches (which, from the few reviews I’ve read, seems to be a popular opinion). You can tell she had a lot of fun with that role. Williams was very good, too, and whilst I don’t think Kunis was as weak as some reviewers do she probably wasn’t on-par. But still managed to make me empathise with her character. And I think she was maybe stronger post-transformation? (Er, that may be a bit spoilery?)

I’m not sure what to say of Franco’s Oz/Wizard – I think his performance sums up how I felt about the whole film: it was good but not wonderful. I liked it a lot but there was just something lacking from the whole thing that would have had me practically jumping with glee otherwise (though there were definitely parts of the film that made me laugh out loud, that made me cry, etc.) Maybe it was because I had been excited about this film for over a year. Who knows? But I’ll be watching the film again and no doubt buying it on DVD, too, if only to drool over it aesthetically.

Other points that tickled me: Michelle Williams as Annie in the Kansas segment, possibly meant to be Dorothy’s mother and Bruce Campbell as a Winkie guard. I somehow missed Ted Raimi’s cameo, though! Bah.

And something you don’t need to know: I think seeing this after watching Meek’s Cutoff the other night may have sparked the need for a Michelle Williams marathon too. She is one of my favourite actresses and I’ve been meaning to see as many of her films as possible. So maybe you will see another actor obsession post soon if it turns into anything like my James Spader marathon!

*Even though I’m not in Europe. Heh.

**I should add that I saw it in 2D because I am poor, etc., so some parts were a little odd to watch as they were quite obviously filmed to take advantage of 3D.

P.S. Apologies to anyone who has possibly come here from Google looking for an actually decent review. You’ll probably never find that on this blog.