After discussing Liliana Cavani's backstory, which included documentaries on the 3rd Reich and women in WW2, we unpick the unusual mix of storylines in 'The Night Porter', an English languarge film that, despite a critical mauling in the US and UK on release, has endured and perhaps increased in stature. After discussing the extraordinary lead performances, the marketing use made of critical accusations of depravity, and much else, Russ talks us through some of the more recent critical thinking on the film.

Participants:

Russ Kilbourn, Professor of Literature and Film, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario (Canada) http://rjakilbourn.com/

Ken Barrett, visual artist, writer, podcaster and former neuropsychiatrist (UK) http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

The film: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071910/

Theme music: Tarantella composed by Stephen Brown.

Portrait print by KB.

A Brainland Collective production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast we talk about Visconti's first feature film, based on the James M. Cain the novel 'The postman always rings twice', though set in the Ferrar region of Italy. Hated and banned by the fascists, the film survives because the director kept a copy, but it had to wait until 1977 for its US release as film rights hadn't been obtained to use the novel. We talk through the acting, great cinematography and visual story telling, Visconti's politics, background and use of operatic music in his films (including this) and the positive critical response to the film. In short, it looks good, is well acted, tells an interesting story and isn't over-long - what's not to like?

Participants:

Russ Kilbourn, Professor of Literature and Film, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario (Canada) http://rjakilbourn.com/

Ken Barrett, visual artist, writer, podcaster and former neuropsychiatrist (UK) http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

The film: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035160/

Theme music: Tarantella composed by Stephen Brown.

Portrait print by KB.

A Brainland Collective production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast we discuss Giani Amelio's neglected 1994 film on Albanian migration to Italy, 'Lamerica', multi award winning at the time and still resonant. The conversation moves from the opening, a fascist propaganda film about Italy colonising Albania in the 1930s, to a discussion of the mass migration that followed the collapse of the repressive communist regime at the end of the 1980s. We talk about the two lead performances, one by an extraordinary first time actor aged 80. We discuss the historical background and various scenes, particularly a rusting freighter loaded with thousands of migrants (Albanian extras) and a closing sequence worthy of projecting as a contemporary artwork. A great but hard to find film even more relevant today than when it was made.

Participants:

Russ Kilbourn, Professor of Literature and Film, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario (Canada) http://rjakilbourn.com/

Ken Barrett, visual artist, writer, podcaster and former neuropsychiatrist (UK) http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

The film:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110299/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_lamerica

Theme music: Tarantella composed by Stephen Brown.

Portrait print by KB illustration.

A Brainland Collective production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.