Where the unsettling illness metaphor at the center of Todd Haynes’ 1995 film SAFE tendrils out in a manner that defies easy resolution, Carlo Mirabella-Davis’ newly released debut SWALLOW tracks a similarly metaphorical affliction toward a more finite ending point. But within those two very different arcs, the two films explore complementary ideas about isolation, gender roles and archetypes, and societal expectations about sickness and recovery, all of which we get into following an in-depth discussion of SWALLOW’s successes and failures as both film and metaphor. Plus, Your Next Picture Show, where we share recent filmgoing experiences in hopes of putting something new on your cinematic radar.

Please share your comments, thoughts, and questions about SAFE, SWALLOW, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. 

Show Notes

Works Cited:

• “Op-ed: Ban the backstory!” by Noel Murray (thedissolve.com)

• “Safe: Nowhere to Hide,” by Dennis Lim (criterion.com) 

Your Next Picture Show:

• Genevieve: Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s FREE SOLO

• Scott: Crystal Moselle’s SKATE KITCHEN

• Keith: John Sayles’ EIGHT MEN OUT

• Tasha: Bernard Rose’s CANDYMAN

Outro music: The Wailin’ Jennys, “Swallow”

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