The Naked Kiss (1964)
The saga continues. The next post will have a recap of my favorites between 35-70. I have received several recommendations, and I hope to start mixing them into my list very soon!
Today's Films:
62. The Naked Kiss
63. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul
64. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
65. Battle for the Planet of the Apes
66. Autumn Sonata
The Naked Kiss (1964)
Samuel Fuller walks the line between B-movie shlock and character drama better than any other filmmaker out there. He can take a pulpy, ridiculous premise and make something interesting and moving from the piece. This film is no exception. After a killer and mysterious opening, we are thrown into a small town that seems like a stereotypically normal place. The darkness and depravity that is crawling beneath the surface makes the facade seem twisted and gross by the end. Fuller's ouvre consistently returns to the dregs of society and shows them as human beings. In his world the outsiders and the sinners are usually more honorable than those at the top.
Standout Moment: The first scene in this film is so good that it basically forces you to keep watching.
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)
Fassbender is one of the major directors that I have yet to really get into (Herzog is another, but I plan on rectifying that this year, as well.). He was an amazing artist and had a work ethic that seems impossible by any non-coke-fueled standard. I really enjoyed this film. It's amazing how so much made in this time period is still relevant today. The fear and loneliness that are explored here were brave to discuss in the 70's, and continue to ring true. Why can't these two just love each other? The answer to this is fear, and it is something that the film understands quite well. This movie gets to the heart of why racism exists without it trying to hit you over the head with the concept.
Standout Moment: The children's reaction to their mother's wedding announcement is heartbreaking.
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
This is one of my favorites of the Planet of the Apes series. The riot sequence is very tense and the buildup is well paced. The film does a great job of creating a world that is ripe for upheaval. The society that the Caesar and his revolutionaries rise up against is on the brink of collapse, and it seems like things will fall apart one way or another. This film builds upon the nihilism that is evident in the rest of the series and concludes the feeling of hopeless inevitability that helps the series stand out from other franchises.
Standout Moment: The opening credits and music give the audience a deep feeling of dread. It feels like the eve of something terrible.
Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
This was the first time I had seen Battle. For the most part, it was a much weaker film than most of the others. It felt unsure with what it was trying to say through most of its story. There are some interesting elements of Shakespearian tragedy littered throughout the film, but they are largely lost through its meandering nature. This is also the first of the series that has an ending that demonstrates a bit of hope for the future of the planet.
Standout Moment: Accusation of murder and the consequences of such an action. I don't want to be specific because it's the major turning point of the film.
Autumn Sonata (1978)
As with all of Bergman's films, this is a performance lover's dream. If you enjoy watching great actors with meaty roles, this is a film for you. The show-stopping dialogue scene between Ingrid Bergman and Liv Ullmann is absolutely incredible. The story itself holds a deep feeling of hopelessness, even more so than many of his other films. I cried for most of the running time. This is a movie about people who have lost the only thing that would ever make them happy, or have never had the ability to find it in the first place. There is no question as to why many consider it to be one of his best.
Standout Moment: Ingrid Bergman's reaction to her daughter's piano performance should be watched and studied by all young actors. It is the epitome of the phrase "acting is reacting." She says more in a look than most say in an entire monologue.
