This understated rich film, a study in the existential crises of non existence, is based on another great existential text, Dostoyevsky’s crime and punishment. This particular review contains spoilers, because it is assumed most reading up on the film have watched it, but please see the film before reading through if you are not familiar […]
Category Archives: Film Reviews
Spalovac mrtvol (The Cremator) – A film by Juraj Herz
posted by lisathatcher
What a magnificent film experience! This film is touted as a film for horror buffs, and wile I can understand the reference, I would never cement it it that genre. For me, this is more an example of the Czech new wave, and a fine translation of a timeless story from one art form to […]
In a year with 13 moons – Fassbinder and the desperation of love
posted by lisathatcher
“Every seventh year is a moon year. People whose lives are strongly influenced by their emotions suffer more intensely from depression in these years. To a lesser degree this is also true of years with 13 moons. When a moon year also has 13 new moons, inescapable personal tragedies may occur. In the 20th Century […]
Diary of a Chambermaid: Bunuel at his best.
posted by lisathatcher
Honestly, there are times in my life (so many times seeing as ‘all’ I need is great art to propel me into ecstasy) when I am thrilled to be alive, and watching this glorious film was one of those. I am a fan of surrealism, though most of the reasons I like it are better […]
The Lighthouse – Maria Saakyan shows us Armenia as a dream
posted by lisathatcher
At the start of Maria Saakyan’s The Lighthouse (Mayak) our heroine, Lena (Anna Kapaleva) puts on an old records of the soundtrack to Efrem Pruxhanski’s animated adaptation of Alive in Wonderland. Like Alive, Lena has crossed a border into a place she doesn’t recognise. She is not even sure what she is doing there. And […]
Love in the Afternoon: Rohmer and the end of Six moral tales.
posted by lisathatcher
I’ve had reason to pop back and watch some Eric Rohmer lately, a joy and a pleasure I hardly have the words for. The first time I saw this film it sparked a wonderful conversation I remember very well that I will draw on when writing this review. I love this film so much. The […]
The Firemen’s Ball: Controversy in the Prague Spring.
posted by lisathatcher
The Czech New Wave was a period movement in cinema in Czechoslovakia that evolved out of the Devetsil movement of the 1930’s The Devetsil movement was an association of Czech avant guard artists founded mostly in Prague. The artistic output of its members was varied, but typically focused on magic realism, proletkult, and, beginning in 1923, Poetism, an artistic […]
Mouchette: The Muses never talk to each other, but sometimes they dance.
posted by lisathatcher
“For me the order and position of characters and the framing of the shot are the essence of cinema. They’re much more important than simple dramatic action which is only revealed through the form the shot takes. In cinema what matters is the form, and this must be given priority.” Robert Bresson And so Mouchette begins with […]
La Strada: A tale trapped between earth and sky
posted by lisathatcher
It’s difficult to watch La Strada. What do you say about a film that has been talked about endlessly and a director who is worshipped endlessly? It’s hard to rise above the ocean of feeling pulsing through the stream in which one swims. I can’t help being a woman in 2011, aware of the masculine […]
Lisa Thatcher 