Episodit

  • In this episode, I talk about Robert Eggers's 2015 film, "The Witch." It looks at a New England Puritan family in the 1600s that is exiled from their community. They go to live in a remote area, and terrifying things begin to happen. The eldest daughter is blamed for these events and accused of being a witch. I talk about witch hunts, the feminist aspects of the film, my very personal reaction to the ending, and much more. There are spoilers in this episode.

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    All My Sources

    The Witch blu-rayThe Burning Times (1990)Goddess Remembered (1989)Women and Spirituality TrilogyRobert Eggers interview with The A.V. ClubRobert Eggers interview with RogerEbert.comRobert Eggers Interview with BFIRobert Eggers interview with Wired.comRobert Eggers interview with The VergeRobert Eggers interview with The Atlantic
  • In this episode, I talk about the 1945 film "Humoresque." Joan Crawford plays a socialite tormented by her love for a younger man--played by John Garfield--who is a passionate violinist trying to break into the music world. Her money and connections help him find success, but her hard-drinking and intense desire lead to her own self-destruction. I adore this film. I talk about the music in it, how it looks at desire, and much more. As always, there are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    Use the code “CINEMA” to get your first month free at OVID.TVMy favorite films on OVIDKelly Loves TonyA Maid for EachMy episode on Michael Curtiz's Mildred PierceMy episode on Jane Campion's In the CutAutumn LeavesFranz WaxmanIsaac SternRebecca by Daphne du MaurierRebecca by Alfred HitchcockThe Postman Always Rings TwiceLauraDouble IndemnityLeave Her to HeavenOn the WaterfrontA Streetcar Named DesireRebel Without a CauseMy episode on Joachim Trier's Oslo August 31stMy episode on Wim Wenders's Wings of DesireMy episode on Vittorio De Sica's Umberto D."Vissi d'arte" sung by Maria Callas"China" by Tori AmosSusan Sontag's "Reborn"

    All My Sources

    Humoresque DVDYou Must Remember This episode on John GarfieldYou Must Remember This series on Joan Crawford
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  • In this episode, I talk about Michael Curtiz's 1945 film "Mildred Pierce." Joan Crawford won an Oscar for her performance as the title character, a mother who, in the wake of the end of her marriage, starts her own restaurant business and tries to give a better life to her two daughters--Veda and Kay. But her eldest daughter Veda has an insatiable and destructive desire for material possessions and Mildred will stop at nothing to give Veda all that she wants. This is a magnificent film about motherhood and class mobility. I talk about Joan Crawford's life, why she fascinates me as an actress, and I also delve into "Mommie Dearest." As always, there are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    Use the code “CINEMA” to get your first month free at OVID.TVMy favorite films on OVIDPainted Landscapes of the TimesFresh KillMy episode on Michael Haneke's AmourHumoresqueJoan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star (2002)Mommie DearestMy episode on Ingmar Bergman's Autumn SonataJohnny GuitarMildred Pierce by James M. CainMy episode on Michael Curtiz's CasablancaLuLaRich documentaryMy episode on Ken Loach's I, Daniel Blake

    All My Sources

    Criterion Collection edition of Mildred PierceKarina Longworth's six-part series about Joan Crawford on You Must Remember This
  • In this episode, I talk about Mike Newell's 1991 film, "Enchanted April." It's about four women in 1920s Britain who rent a castle in the Italian countryside. Their vacation in Italy will forever transform their lives. The much-needed break from ordinary life leads to spiritual rejuvenation, a deep connection to nature, and a powerful bond with each other. There are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    My episode on Audrey Wells's Under the Tuscan SunMy episode on David Lean's SummertimeAll Things Must Pass by George HarrisonAura meditation appThe Enchanted April by Elizabeth von ArnimFour Weddings and a FuneralMy episode on James Ivory's Maurice"Funeral Blues" by W.H. AudenThe HoursBridget Jones's DiaryLove ActuallyPride and PrejudiceMy episode on Girl with a Pearl EarringKatherine Mansfield"Bliss" by Katherine Mansfield"Miss Brill" by Katherine Mansfield"The Garden Party" by Katherine Mansfield"A Dill Pickle" by Katherine Mansfield"The Stranger" by Katherine Mansfield"Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, and the Benefits of Jealous Friends" (The Paris Review)The Great BeautyMy episode on L'avventuraMy episode on Umberto D.My episode on Journey to ItalyMy episode on Joanna Hogg's UnrelatedThe White Lotus
  • In this episode, I talk about Audrey Wells's 2003 film, "Under the Tuscan Sun." I've loved this film since I was a teenager. It stars Diane Lane as a woman who goes through a devastating divorce and goes to Italy and renovates a house. In the process of this home renovation, she reconnects with life and experiences emotional renewal. For me, this film is really about a woman who survives heartbreak and creates a new life for herself. This episode contains spoilers.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    Belinda Carlisle - Heaven is a Place on EarthBlack Mirror: San JuniperoMy episode on Brokeback MountainThe Great BeautyMy episode on James Ivory's MauriceMy episode on David Lean's SummertimeMy episode on Joanna Hogg's UnrelatedMy episode on Michelangelo Antonioni's L'avventuraUnfaithfulSideways

    All My Sources:

    Under the Tuscan Sun DVDDiane Lane Answers Every Question We Have About Under the Tuscan Sun (Vulture.com)
  • In this episode, I talk about Michael Haneke's controversial and thought-provoking 1997 film, "Funny Games." It's a thriller that breaks all the rules and raises questions about the representation of violence in mass media. A family is terrorized in their vacation home by two young men who take enjoyment in brutality and degradation. Haneke uses surprising and unexpected techniques to confront the audience of his film and to make us think deeper and more critically about the violence and suffering we see in movies and television. This episode contains spoilers.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    My episode on Michael Haneke's The Piano TeacherMy episode on Bong Joon-ho's Memories of MurderMy episode on Three Colors: BlueMy episode on Big NightMy episode on Elem Klimov's Come and SeeMy episode on Michael Haneke's AmourLoeb and LeopoldMulholland DriveMy episode on The Lives of OthersThe Cheshire MurdersThe Murder of Joan, Michelle, and Christe Rogers

    All My Sources

    Criterion Collection edition of Funny GamesMichael Haneke: InterviewsFunny Games: Don't You Want to See How it Ends? (Criterion.com)
  • In this episode, I talk about Michael Haneke's 2012 film, "Amour." It's about Georges and Anne, an elderly Parisian couple who have their lives turned upside down after Anne suffers a stroke. This is a deeply devastating film that resonated with me. For over a year now, my mom has been struggling with her health and I've become a caregiver for her. I talk about the difficult experience of caring for someone and watching them suffer. I hope that, by sharing my experience, I can help others or just make them feel less alone. This episode contains major spoilers.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    My episode on Fish TankMy episode on Oslo August 31stMy episode on Two Days, One NightMy episode on Wendy and LucyFunny GamesCacheMy episode on The Piano TeacherMy episode on Come and SeeShameHungerCries and WhispersHiroshima Mon Amour

    All My Sources

    Amour blu-rayMichael Haneke: Interviews "INTERIORS: An Analysis of Space in the Oscar-Nominated Film Amour" (Arch Daily)Indiewire Interview with Michael HanekeHollywood Reporter review of Amour
  • In this episode, I'm talking about Jane Campion's 2009 film, "Bright Star." It's about the brief but beautiful love story between the poet John Keats and a young woman named Fanny Brawne. John Keats is considered one of the greatest poets who ever lived but he died young, before he and Fanny could create a life together. Their romance was marked by distance and the ever-present shadow of death but his passionate letters to her--which are featured throughout the film--reveal how deeply he was in love with Fanny and how much she meant to him. I talk about the relationship between Keats and Fanny, how the film shows the precarious life of a writer and explores the importance of poetry in our lives, and much more.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    My episode on Jane Campion's The PianoMy episode on Jane Campion's In the CutBright Star bookLove Letters: Vita and VirginiaViolet to Vita : The Letters of Violet Trefusis to Vita Sackville-West, 1910-1921Open Me Carefully: Emily Dickinson's Intimate Letters to Susan Huntington Gilbert DickinsonKate Zambreno interview with The Millions

    All My Sources

    Bright Star DVDJohn Keats biography (Poetry Foundation)
  • In this episode, I talk about Jane Campion's 2003 film, "In the Cut." Meg Ryan plays, Frannie, an English teacher who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation after parts of a woman's body are found in her garden. She may have even seen the murder victim shortly before the crime. After the lead detective on the case interviews her, the two of them become involved in a dark, torturous relationship. "In the Cut" is a deeply erotic and feminist film that centers female sexuality and female pleasure. It also explores the dark side of desire and the complicated relationships between men and women. There are spoilers in this episode. I also talk explicitly and openly about sex.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    My episode on Jane Campion's The PianoMy episode on Lynne Ramsay's Morvern CallarMy episode on The Double Life of VeroniqueTo the Lighthouse by Virginia WoolfMy episode on Michael Haneke's The Piano TeacherIn the Cut book by Susanna MooreOut of the PastMy episode on Singin' in the Rain"The Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power" by Audre LordeThe SilenceBlack SwanMy episode on Francois Ozon's Under the SandMy episode on Blue is the Warmest ColorBlue Valentine

    My Sources:

    Charlie Rose interview with Jane Campion, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Meg RyanBBC interview with Jane Campion
  • In this episode, I talk about Wim Wenders's 1988 film, "Wings of Desire." It's about an angel who falls in love with a trapeze artist and is willing to give up eternity and become human in order to be with her. I think this is such a powerful and poetic film about love, connection, and what it means to be human. It's a life-affirming film that always reminds me of the beauty of being alive. There are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    My episode on John Cassavetes's A Woman Under the InfluenceMy episode on John Cassavetes's Opening NightMy episode on Terrence Malick's Tree of Life"Too Much" by Carl Rae JepsenMy episode on George Sluizer's The Vanishing"Bad Magic" by Weyes Blood"Movies" by Weyes BloodSkeleton Tree by Nick CaveOne More Time With FeelingNick Cave's newsletter, The Red Hand FilesAnita LaneLetters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke"This Must be the Place (Naive Melody)" by Talking Heads

    All My Sources:

    Criterion Collection edition of Wings of DesireMichael Atkinson - "Wings of Desire: Watch the Skies" (Criterion.com)BOMB Magazine interview with Wim WendersWim Wenders on Wings of Desire (Criterion.com)
  • In this episode, I talk about Joachim Trier's 2011 film "Oslo August 31st." It follows Anders, a young man just out of rehab for heroin addiction, as he walks around the city of Oslo, meeting old friends and trying to decide if life is worth living. I think this is a powerful and unforgettable film that reminds us of the beauty of being alive. It's one of my favorite films from the 2010s, and I urge you to watch it if you haven't seen it yet. There are major spoilers in this episode. I also talk about suicide and mental illness.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    If I Were a Carpenter (tribute album)The CranberriesSonic Youth - "Superstar"The Cranberries - "They Long to Be (Close to You)"The Cranberries - "Dying in the Sun"Ruth L. SchwartzThe Fire Within (1963)Jeanne MoreauAnna KarinaMonica Vitti2011 Norway Attacks22 July (2018)Message in a Bottle (1999)Desire - "Under Your Spell"David HockneyIn the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk HotelNeutral Milk Hotel - "Three Peaches"My episode on Three Colors: BlueTaste of Cherry (1997)

    All My Sources

    Joachim Trier interview with Filmmaker MagazineEveryday Magic: Joachim Trier on Reimagining Louis Malle (Criterion.com)Joachim Trier interview with A Bittersweet LifeJoachim Trier interview with Film Comment magazine
  • In this episode, I'm talking about Julie Dash's 1991 film Daughters of the Dust. This is a dreamlike film that focuses on the Peazant family who live on the sea islands off the coast of the Carolinas. They gather together for one last time on the eve of their departure from the island. It's a stunning cinematic achievement that looks at the bonds of family, the ghosts of history, and the rich lives of African American women. Dash has the distinction of being the first black woman to direct a feature film that was distributed in movie theaters. I talk all about this gorgeous film, including the grueling process of getting it made and I use an interview between Dash and feminist scholar, bell hooks, as a roadmap through the different themes and subjects that the film explores. There are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full show notes:

    Beyonce's LemonadeBlack Lives MatterMy episode on MoonlightMy episode on Losing GroundCane RiverHale County This Morning, This EveningJust Another Girl on the I.R.TEve's BayouAgnes Varda box setThree Colors Blue box setMy episode on VagabondMy episode on Cleo from 5 to 7My episode on The Gleaners and IGullah Gullah IslandJames Van Der Zee"Why Are There So Few Black Directors in the Criterion Collection" (The New York Times)Milestone FilmsKinoMerchant IvoryJoaquin SorollaDee ReesAlison Saar

    My Sources:

    Daughters of the Dust blu-rayDaughters of the Dust: The Making of an African American Woman's Film by Julie Dash, bell hooks, Toni Cade Bambara"Julie Dash to Direct Angela Davis biopic" (Women and Hollywood)
  • In this episode, I talk about George Sluizer's 1988 film "The Vanishing." It's about Rex and Saskia, a Dutch couple who go on vacation in France and have their lives turned upside down when Saskia is abducted. To give away more would be to spoil this masterpiece of suspense. There are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full show notes:

    My episode on Lynne Littman's TestamentTed BundyI"ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO Series)Golden State KillerHome FiresThe Bletchley CircleThe Crimson FieldDisappeared (tv show)My episode on Charles Laughton's The Night of the HunterMy episode on Bong Joon-Ho's Memories of MurderBTK My episode on Francois Ozon's Under the SandThe Stranger Beside Me by Anne RuleOrpheus and EurydiceRomeo and Juliet

    My sources:

    Criterion Collection edition of The VanishingGeorge Sluizer interview
  • In this episode, I talk about Lynne Littman's 1983 film, "Testament." It's about how a mother and her children in a California town survive the aftermath of a nuclear bombing. We don't know who dropped the bombs, what has happened in the rest of the country, and we're not provided any political details. The film is solely about this family and how they confront the gradual and horrifying deterioration of their bodies due to radiation poisoning and the breakdown of society. Without a doubt, this is the most terrifying film I have ever seen. I talk about grief and loss, what makes the film so emotionally powerful, and the difference between watching it before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full show notes:

    The Day After (1983)Threads (1984)Carol Amen's "The Last Testament"Hiroshima Maiden (1988)My episode on Alain Resnais's Hiroshima Mon AmourAll issues of Women and Film MagazineA Marriage (1991)A Question of Love (1978)My episode on John Cassavetes's Opening NightMinnie Bruce PrattPale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Anne Porter"Dirge Without Music" by Edna St. Vincent Millay

    My Sources

    Lynne Littman InterviewAbout Lynne Littman"Our Testament" by Kyle Raymond Fitzpatrick Roger Ebert's review of the film"Watching Testament at the End of the World" by K. Austin CollinsTestament at 20 (2003)
  • In this episode, I talk about Olivier Assayas's 2014 film "Clouds of Sils Maria." It's a complex film starring Juliette Binoche as Maria Enders, an actress who shot to stardom in her youth when she acted in a play about an older woman who is seduced by a younger woman. 20 years ago, she played the younger woman but now, in a revival of the play, she is set to play the older woman. This role brings up her fears about aging. Kristen Stewart stars alongside Binoche as an assistant to Maria Enders. To me, the heart of the film is the complicated relationship between these two women and the different ways they see life and the world. I also think this is a fascinating film about the process that an actress goes through to get into character. I talk about all that and much more. There are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    Use the code "CINEMA" to get your first month free at OVID.TVMy favorite films on OVIDHer Head in Films on InstagramMy episode on Ingmar Bergman's Summer InterludeMy episode on John Cassavetes's Opening NightRendezvous (1985)Girl Pictures by Justine KurlandMy episode on Michelangelo Antonioni's L'avventura

    Sources:

    Criterion Collection edition of Clouds of Sils MariaJuliette Binoche Explains the Difference Between a Celebrity and a Star (Vanity Fair)Olivier Assayas Talks Clouds of Sils Maria (IndieWire)Kristen Stewart Interview (The Independent)Interview: Kristen Stewart Adored Making Clouds of Sils Maria with Juliette Binoche (Metro)
  • In this episode, I talk about John Cassavetes's 1977 film, "Opening Night." It's about an actress named Myrtle Gordon (played by the magnificent Gena Rowlands) who witnesses the death of one of her fans and begins to spiral into a breakdown as she struggles to do a play that forces her to confront her feelings about aging. I talk all about why I love this film and Gena's performance but I also talk about some complicated and overwhelming feelings I've had since turning 30 last year and how women can feel anxiety about getting older in a world that worships youth. There are spoilers in this episode.

    Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon.

    Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    Use the code "CINEMA" to get your first month free at OVID.TVMy favorite films on OVIDMy episode on John Cassavetes's A Woman Under the InfluenceMy Mubi list about films about actingLa Vie En RoseSylvia Plath's Collected Poems"Mirror" by Sylvia PlathMy episode on The Night of the Hunter

    All My Sources

    John Cassavetes: Interviews (edited by Gabriella Oldham)Criterion Collection edition of OPENING NIGHT
  • In this episode, I talk about Charles Laughton's 1955 film "The Night of the Hunter." It's about two young children--John and Pearl--who are pursued by a dangerous man on the hunt for the money their father stole and gave to them. This is a classic film and a masterpiece and one of the most terrifying films I've ever seen. I provide some information about the making of the film and explore how it looks at evil, male violence, religion, and much more. There are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    Use the code "CINEMA" for your first month free at Ovid.tvMy favorite films on OvidBirth of a MovementMy episode on Terrence Malick's The Tree of LifeMy episode on Terrence Malick's Days of HeavenJack CardiffCameraman: The Life and Work of Jack CardiffPandora and the Flying DutchmanBlack NarcissusMy episode on Barbara Loden's WandaMy episode on Kathleen Collins's Losing GroundMy episode on Theo Angelopoulos's Landscape in the MistMy episode on The Enchanted CottageThe Collected Poems of Sylvia Plath"Pursuit" by Sylvia PlathGreen Eyes by Marguerite Duras

    My Sources:

    Criterion Collection DVDTerrence Rafferty - "The Night of the Hunter: Holy Terror" (Criterion)
  • In this episode, I talk about Theo Angelopoulos's 1988 film, "Landscape in the Mist." This film follows a brother and sister--Alexandros and Voula--who leave their home in Greece and go on a journey to find their father in Germany. They've never met him and they long to have a connection with him. Over the course of their journey, they will see both the best and the worst that humanity has to offer. I talk about Angelopoulos and his cinema and provide an in-depth analysis of the film, exploring subjects like loss of innocence and loneliness. For listeners in the United States, this film is probably hard to find. It's not readily available right now but I hope one day that it is. There are spoilers in this episode. In the film, there is also a rape scene and a scene of an animal dying. I know those subjects might be upsetting for some people. Even if you have not seen this film, I urge you to at least listen to my section on Angelopoulos and how I discovered this film.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes:

    Use the code "CINEMA" for your first month free at Ovid.tvMy favorite films on OvidLast Words from Montmartre by Qiu MiaojinChungking Express (1994) by Wong Kar-WaiVive L'amour (1994) by Tsai Ming-LiangMy episode about Wong Kar-Wai's In the Mood for LoveMy list of films mentioned in Last Words from MontmartreDiscovering the Women Author's Behind Hitchcock's Movies (Crimereads)Shirley (2020) by Josephine DeckerShirley JacksonMy episode on Robert Wise's The Haunting (1963)We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley JacksonThe Haunting of Hill House by Shirley JacksonMy episode on Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life (2011)

    All My Sources:

    Theo Angelopoulos: Interviews (edited by Dan Fainaru)The Films of Theo Angelopoulos: A Cinema of Contemplation by Andrew Horton
  • In this episode, I talk about Jean-Pierre Melville's 1949 film "Le silence de la mer." It's set in France in 1941 at the time of the Second World War. The Germans are occupying France, and a German soldier stays with a niece and her uncle who use their silence as a form of resistance against him. Every night, he comes to them and talks about his life, his interests, his love of France, and many other subjects, but they refuse to acknowledge him or speak to him. Over the course of the film, their feelings for him start to get more complicated. He is an occupier in their country and in their house but the intimacy of their meetings also humanizes him. This is not Melville's most famous film but it's one that I think is profoundly important because of the way it asks us to expand our ideas about what constitutes resistance and how we interact with those who we're supposed to see as monstrous or as the enemy. I talk about Melville's life, the making of the film, and much more. There are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Full Show Notes

    Army of ShadowsLeon Morin, PriestMy episode on Days of HeavenMy episode on The Tree of LifeA Hidden LifeFranz JägerstätterSophie SchollThe White RoseSophie Scholl: The Final DaysHans Fallada's Every Man Dies AloneLes Enfants TerriblesJesus FrancoSteve McQueen's Hunger5 Broken CamerasRachel CorrieLet Me Stand Alone by Rachel CorrieNovember 13: Attack on ParisThe Auschwitz AlbumHiroshima Mon Amour

    All My Sources

    Criterion Collection DVDGeoffrey O'Brien - "Le silence de la mer: The Stranger in the House"
  • In this episode, I talk about Jean Vigo's wondrous and magical 1934 film, "L'atalante". On the surface, it's the simple story of Jean and Juliette, newlyweds who begin their life together on the boat where Jean lives and works. When things get boring and monotonous, Juliette begins dreaming of Paris and, when the boat stops near it, she wanders off to explore the city by herself, leaving Jean behind. This separation of the two lovers will test their new and fragile marriage. Jean Vigo is an iconic director who died at the age of 29 and left behind few films but his output continues to influence filmmakers today. L'atalante is his only feature film and it's not to be missed. In this episode, I talk about Vigo, the making of the film, and how the film explores romance, marriage, and much more. There are spoilers in this episode.

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    Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan

    Show Notes

    My La Jetee episodeMy Casablanca episodeMy Singin' in the Rain episodeAudience by Barbara HammerThe Belly of an Architect by Peter GreenawaySoundtrack for The Belly of an ArchitectMy episode on The Passion of Joan of ArcMy episode on Days of HeavenMy essay on the underwater worlds of Jean Vigo

    All My Sources

    Criterion Collection edition of L'atalanteLuc Sante - "L'atalante: Canal Music"Michael Almereyda - "Jean Vigo"Faber Book of French Cinema by Charles Drazin