Late Autumn by Yasujiro Ozu - 1960

The plot of this movie is almost like a Mozart Opera - so much romantic scheming.

Akiko, who is now middle aged, was once a beautiful young woman pursued by four suitors who were all best friends. Miwa won her hand. After about 20 years, however, Miwa died leaving Akiko a widow with a daughter Ayako.

At the 7th year memorial service for Miwa his three friends decide to find a good man for his daughter to marry. Each friend is a high-ranking businessman who supervises many high quality young men and each of the three friends chooses a possible suitor for Ayako. She likes Mr. Goto.

There's one problem: Ayako does not want to get married because she fears she will have to leave her mother all alone. So, the three men decide they have to find a husband for Akiko too! Since one of the three friends is a widower, they believe he will work out fine.

What happens? Please watch the film.

It's a typical Ozu film - a 'domestic' drama involving real types of people with no violence, no pettiness, and a lot of self-restraint, serenity and humanity.

In his films Ozu seemed interested in the sense of duty felt between family members in Japan - how strong this sense could be, when it might weaken, how it might guide or limit behavior and lives. He also seems to enjoy investigating the compassion of strangers as it can be compared and contrasted with familial duty.

Pagliacci - ópera de Ruggero Leoncavallo - Film by Franco Zeffirelli - 1982

Zeffirelli's 1982 film version of the Leoncavallo opera.

"Laugh, Pagliaccio, at your shattered love..."

A troupe of clowns regularly presents a comic version of a man being betrayed
by his wife - to a happy ending as the betrayed man is able to laugh the betrayal
off. Yet, when this happens within the troupe there is a tragic ending.

Please watch the film here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYgVjDZCkT4

Pandemonium/Demons - Toshio Matsumoto - 1971

Ostensibly this is a Michael Kohlhaas type of story - an honorable person is defrauded and then becomes cruel and inhuman in his pursuit of justice.

Yet, there are many deeper levels to this film - for example, the film seems quite self-reflexive and seems to offer many insights and comments on the theater and the theater experience. The 'hero' is, after all, duped into giving away money he desperately needs after watching a highly theatrical performance.

One question the film seems to ask, in relation to the theater, is: what part of our lives is NOT performance toward some self-enriching goal? Is all personal action a deceptive performance?

This film was banned in England, I am assuming for the brutality and cruelty.

You can watch this amazing film here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeTxQHWlQOc

Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict - 2015 - Lisa Immordino Vreeland

The documentary uses Peggy Guggenheim's autobiography "Confessions of an Art Addict" as a basis but supplements the book with stories Guggenheim deliberately left out of the book and with numerous interviews with people who knew her or who had put a lot of time into reading about her.

Ludwig II - 2012 - Directors: Marie Noelle, Peter Sehr

A compassionate look at the life of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who lived for art and attempted to rule Bavaria according to pacifist principles in the Age of Bismark's Blood and Iron. He was a strong patron of Wagner and an all-around tragic figure.

Looking for Mr. Goodbar - 1977 - Richard Brooks

"...when your night life interferes with your day life."

There's one scene where a club guy introduces cocaine to the protagonist of the film. She says, "What will this do?" He says: "It will make America great again."

OK, I lied, but I couldn't resist. He actually says, "It will make America beautiful."

Catch a glimpse of New York City disco culture and follow the double life of a teacher who frequents various seedy bars and indulges in various 'vices'. This is based on a true story. A remarkably good film. This film was huge in the late 70s.

Aleksandr Nevsky - Sergei Eisenstein - 1938

On April 5, 1242, Prince Aleksandr Nevsky set up a defensive position at Raven's Rock near a frozen lake and an epic battle between the army of Teutonic Knights and Russians was fought. Had Nevsky and his army lost, Russian history would have been radically different and a Russian state would have had far less territory. Indeed, the very survival of Russia was probably at stake in the battle.

Eisenstein used this battle to create a propaganda film encouraging his contemporary Russian viewers to recall this great victory, created through massive individual sacrifice, in preparation for what he felt was an inevitable German invasion soon to come.

To see the film, please click on this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nRev9FvsBU&spfreload=5