Director Léa Mysius on ‘The Five Devils’ Aromatic Mystery
Director Léa Mysius talks with PopMatters about her sophomore feature The Five Devils, a nuanced exploration of the primitive senses.
romance
The Ever-Present Future of Women in Sophie Barthes’ Sci-Fi Comedy ‘The POD Generation’
While societies are technologically advancing, Sophie Barthes’ sci-fi comedy The POD Generation offers a cautionary tale about how, spiritually, culturally, and economically we’re “standing still – or moving backwards.”
Suffering in Silents: Two 1922 Melodramas from Frank Borzage
Frank Borzage, king of silent film melodrama, shows how it’s done with Back Pay‘s tale of redemption and the James Oliver Curwood-inspired The Valley of Silent Men.
How Would Depression-Era Family-Centric Show ‘The Waltons’ Fare in These Times?
In its first season, The Waltons addressed—and took a stand against—sexism, anti-Semitism, religious fanaticism, book burning, xenophobia, and intolerance, and it conveyed the importance of environmental consciousness.
Sexuality in ’60s Cinema: ‘Three Films by Mai Zetterling’
Three Films by Mai Zetterling reveal the themes in the controversial director’s work: women’s lives, their fraught and ambiguous relationships with sex and motherhood, and how women interact with each other.
‘Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands’ Is a Spicy Brazilian Cinema Classic
Bruno Barreto’s romantic charmer Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands is rich with sensuous detail that fills every scene with dizzying amounts of culture, music, and atmosphere.
Director Mark Pellington on His Timeless Coming-of-Age Debut ‘Going All the Way’
Still courtesy of Oscilloscope
In ‘Next Time We Love’ Absence Makes the Marriage Grow Stronger
Margaret Sullavan’s character in Next Time We Love is canonized for pursuing a successful career separately from her husband, wherever the heck he is.
Royalty and the Help Do Switcheroos in Pre-Code Comedy ‘By Candlelight’
James Whale’s pre-code comedy/romance, ‘By Candelight’ is a perfect example of Depression-era escapism into Art Deco consumer porn.
What Was Paramount Smoking When It Released ‘Murder at the Vanities’?
There are wild numbers in the raunchy pre-code 1934 musical Murder at the Vanities but “Sweet Marijuana” really stirred up the uptights. Paramount shrugged.
‘Licorice Pizza’ Pulls a Magic Eyes Trick on Entitled Idiots
Licorice Pizza is a gaudy parade of rich white privileged shits of the type Paul Thomas Anderson tends to focus on. They’re his people.
Carrie Cracknell’s ‘Persuasion’ Isn’t a Netflix Movie, It’s Content
Netflix’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, directed by Carrie Cracknell, isn’t a disaster, it’s a dull reminder of the state of the streaming wars.