Cinema60

The following films are discussed:

• Raven's End (1963)
Kvarteret Korpen
Directed by Bo Widerberg
Starring Thommy Berggren, Keve Hjelm, Emy Storm

• When the Cat Comes (1963)
Az prijde kocour
Directed by Vojtech Jasný
Starring Jan Werich, Emília Vásáryová, Vlastimil Brodský

• The Executioner (1963)
El verdugo
Directed by Luis García Berlanga
Starring Nino Manfredi, Emma Penella, José Isbert

• The Big City (1963)
Mahanagar
Directed by Satyajit Ray
Starring Leonardo Villar, Glória Menezes, Dionísio Azevedo

• It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
Directed by Stanley Kramer
Starring Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Ethel Merman

• Contempt (1963)
Le mépris
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard
Starring Brigitte Bardot, Jack Palance, Michel Piccoli

Let’s talk about dissatisfaction, frustration, futility and temptation. Let’s talk about Faust. Faust is a story about a man who sells his soul to the devil. Depending on the version, his reasons vary from a whim, to a bet, to a last resort scenario. What makes the story of Faust unique and intriguing is the fact that we have our hero engaging directly with evil and yet there's wiggle room on if he is ever truly, flatly condemned. The story of Faust is that of a philosophical riddle grappling with understanding the nature of evil.

Sly devil she is, Jenna tricks Bart into talking about 1960s Faust movies. Why? Well, why not! There are a strange amount of them during the decade, which may or may not have something to do with the change a-brewing throughout the world. Bart and Jenna investigate what exactly the connection is between the legend of Faust and the 1960s.

The following films are discussed:

• Faust (1960)
Directed by Peter Gorski & Gustaf Gründgens
Starring Will Quadflieg, Gustaf Gründgens, Ella Büchi

• The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
Directed by Roger Corman
Starring Jonathan Haze, Dick Miller, Jack Nicholson

• The World’s Greatest Sinner (1962)
Directed by Timothy Carey
Starring Timothy Carey, Gil Barreto, Betty Rowland

• Seconds (1966)
Directed by John Frankenheimer
Starring Rock Hudson, John Randolph, Salome Jens

• Bedazzled (1967)
Directed by Stanley Donen
Starring Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Eleanor Bron

• Doctor Faustus (1967)
Directed by Richard Burton, Nevill Coghill
Starring Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Andreas Teuber

• The Strange Case of Doctor Faust (1969)
El extraño caso del doctor Fausto
Directed by Gonzalo Suárez
Starring Gonzalo Suárez, Alberto Puig, Olga Vidali

In the 1960s, while European cinema was riding out multiple waves, Brazil was inventing Cinema Novo. Emerging out of Brazil’s populist movement of the 1950s and influenced by Italian neorealism and French New Wave, Cinema Novo was a political film movement that served to both warn against and highlight problems plaguing the rural Brazilian everyman. But the dream of social betterment through intellectualist filmmaking sadly stalled when, midway through the 1960s, Brazil experienced a military coup. Echoing the political climate, Cinema Novo quickly turned cynical and violent in its chosen topics, sharply criticizing what they had once hoped would bring about true social equality. By the end of the 1960s all bets were off, as the movement took a turn for the surreal and Tropicalist–rejecting all forms of nationalism and embracing avant-garde mysticism.

Bart and Jenna, simple Americans they are, were initially a bit confounded and mystified by Cinema Novo’s indulgence in political allegory, magical realism and dry satirical humor. But in the end they were, of course, won over by all of those very same things–not to mention its deeply empathetic sense of humanity. In this episode, they lay all of the groundwork for you to have an easier time comprehending these fascinating films than they did.

The following films are discussed:

• The Given Word (1962)
O Pagador de Promessas
Directed by Anselmo Duarte
Starring Leonardo Villar, Glória Menezes, Dionísio Azevedo

• Barren Lives (1963)
Vidas Secas
Directed by Nelson Pereira dos Santos
Starring Átila Iório, Maria Ribeiro, Orlando Macedo

• Black God, White Devil (1964)
Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol
Directed by Glauber Rocha
Starring Geraldo Del Rey, Yoná Magalhães, Othon Bastos

• The Guns (1964)
Os Fuzis
Directed by Ruy Guerra
Starring Átila Iório, Nelson Xavier, Maria Gladys

• Entranced Earth (1967)
Terra em Transe
Directed by Glauber Rocha
Starring Jardel Filho, Paulo Autran, José Lewgoy

• The Red Light Bandit (1968)
O Bandido da Luz Vermelha
Directed by Rogério Sganzerla
Starring Paulo Villaça, Helena Ignez, Pagano Sobrinho

• Macunaíma (1969)
Directed by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
Starring Grande Otelo, Paulo José, Jardel Filho

Guest Aviva Briefel joins Bart & Jenna in an episode that focuses on Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby. Aviva tells them why this is her favorite film ever and discusses its many themes–including body horror, misogyny, Satanism and bigotry.

Cinema60 gets out of its comfort zone and kicks into high gear with some Shaw Brothers action. While the studio was originally founded back in the 1920s, they became the Shaw Brothers studio that we know and love beginning in the 1960s. From Huangmei operas to wuxia action films, in the 1960s Hong Kong was quickly and violently moving away from traditional mainland influence and coming into its own. It’s no surprise that its cinema reflected these changes to great fanfare.

While neither Bart nor Jenna started out as huge fans of the genre, they found themselves pleasantly surprised by these early Shaw Brothers offerings. Listen as they discuss a range of films from the iconic classics to the bizarre–all of which surprisingly feel like blueprints for a multitude of modern big budget action flicks.

The following films are discussed:

• The Enchanting Shadow (1960)
倩女幽魂 (Ching nu yu hun)
Directed by Li Han-hsiang
Starring Betty Loh Ti, Zhao Lei, Yang Chih-ching

• The Mermaid (1965)
魚美人 (Yu mei ren)
Directed by Kao Li
Starring Ivy Ling Po, Li Ching, Yang Chih-ching

• Come Drink With Me (1966)
大醉俠 (Da zui xia)
Directed by King Hu
Starring Cheng Pei-pei, Yueh Hua, Yang Chih-ching

• The One-Armed Swordsman (1967)
獨臂刀 (Du bei dao)
Directed by Chang Cheh
Starring Jimmy Wang, Angela Pan, Yang Chih-ching

• The Fastest Sword (1968)
天下第一劍 (Tian xia di yi jian)
Directed by Pan Lei
Starring Lu Ping, Chu Ching, Kao Ming

• Temptress of a Thousand Faces (1969)
千面魔女 (Qian mian mo nu)
Directed by Jeong Chang-hwa
Starring Tina Chin-Fei, Pat Ting Hung, Yang Chih-ching

Bart and Jenna try their best to not fall back on being overly reverential about films they love but when it comes to Michelangelo Antonioni, it’s hard to be anything but. As a director, Antonioni was made in the 1960s, starting with his rule-breaking masterpiece L’Avventura and ending with his critically panned Zabriskie Point.

In this episode, Bart and Jenna really get into the nitty-gritty of these complex, heartbreaking and sometimes mystifying films. They also try to dispel some widely repeated narratives about how to watch and read Antonioni’s cinematic language. Basically, they desperately want you to love these movies as much as they do. So andiamo, give it a listen.

The following films are discussed:

• L’Avventura (1960)
The Adventure
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
Starring Monica Vitti, Gabriele Ferzetti, Lea Massari

• La Notte (1961)
The Night
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
Starring Jeanne Moreau, Marcello Mastroianni, Monica Vitti

• L’Eclisse (1962)
Eclipse
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
Starring Monica Vitti, Alain Delon

• Red Desert (1964)
Il deserto rosso
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
Starring Monica Vitti, Richard Harris, Carlo Chionetti

• Blow-Up (1966)
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
Starring David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Miles

• Zabriskie Point (1969*)
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
Starring Mark Frechette, Daria Halprin, Rod Taylor

Bart & Jenna play Kiss Marry Kill with the year 1962.
The following films are discussed:

• David & Lisa (1962)
Directed by Frank Perry
Starring Keir Dullea, Janet Margolin, Howard Da Silva

• The Inheritance (1962)
からみ合い (Karami-ai)
Directed by Masaki Kobayashi
Starring Keiko Kishi, Tatsuya Nakadai, Sô Yamamura

• Ivan’s Childhood (1962)
Иваново детство (Ivanovo detstvo)
Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
Starring Nikolay Burlyaev, Valentin Zubkov, Valentina Malyavina

• The Trial (1962)
Le procès
Directed by Orson Welles
Starring Anthony Perkins, Jeanne Moreau, Orson Welles

• Hatari! (1962)
Directed by Howard Hawks
Starring John Wayne, Elsa Martinelli, Red Buttons

• The Chapman Report (1962)
Directed by George Cukor
Starring Shelley Winters, Jane Fonda, Claire Bloom

While 007 may have been the original catalyst, what truly turned the 1960s into an era of Bond was the vast amount of rip-offs and spoofs that tired to cash in on the craze. Welcome to a new segment on Cinema60 where, every seven episodes, we will guide you through the magical world of Bootleg Bond!

We start with Derek Flint and Matt Helm, two big contenders who in 1966, right when Bond Mania was heating up, dipped their toes in the spy-craze waters. Derek Flint was the hyper-intelligent, infallibly brilliant secret agent. Matt Helm was the womanizing drunk who stumbled into solutions as often as any random woman’s loving arms. Flint and Helm both represented blatant marketing strategies that were eager to peer into the psyches of the movie-going public; according to Hollywood, you were either watching for the gadgets or for the girls.

Join Bart and Jenna as they discuss every Helm and Flint movie in one go and manage to make it out with their eyes not perma-rolled to the backs of their heads. Warning: expect a whole lot of problematic junk in these silly stinkers.

The following films are discussed:

• Our Man Flint (1966)
Directed by Daniel Mann
Starring James Coburn, Lee J. Cobb, Gila Golan

• The Silencers (1966)
Directed by Phil Karlson
Starring Dean Martin, Stella Stevens, Daliah Lavi

• Murderers’ Row (1966)
Directed by Henry Levin
Starring Dean Martin, Ann-Margret, Karl Malden

• In Like Flint (1967)
Directed by Gordon Douglas
Starring James Coburn, Jean Hale, Andrew Duggan

• The Ambushers (1967)
Directed by Henry Levin
Starring Dean Martin, Janice Rule, Senta Berger

• The Wrecking Crew (1968)
Directed by Phil Karlson
Starring Dean Martin, Nancy Kwan, Sharon Tate

It’s a sunny day and you and your girlfriend Mimsy decide to take a drive to the park. You’re humming along the highway, not a care in the world, when suddenly the sun turns black. Screeching to a halt, you almost collide with the car in front of you. But wait–it’s not a car… it’s a gigantic mushroom made of glitter! You turn to Mimsy for answers, but Mimsy isn’t there–in her place, just a smiling skeleton that slowly dissolves in front of your eyes. Now you’re weeping on the grass, and you realize you’ve been in the park this whole time. The name of that park? Golden Gate Park. The year? 1967. The vehicle? Lysergic acid diethylamide.

1967 seems to have been the year the public was ready to talk about the effects of LSD. Of course, depending on who you were talking to, the decription of its effects might vary wildly. While the cops were slinging “facts” about how LSD can alter your chromosomes, the hippies were preaching about its marvelous consciousness expanding benefits. Where does the truth lie?

In this episode, Jenna and Bart peruse a wide range of LSD-centric films from 1967 in order to get to the truth of the infamous drug. The following films are discussed, in order from square to hip:

• LSD, Trip or Trap [short] (1967)
Directed by Sid Davis

• Riot on Sunset Strip (1967)
Directed by Arthur Dreifuss
Starring Aldo Ray, Mimsy Farmer, Laurie Mock

• The Love-Ins (1967)
Directed by Arthur Dreifuss
Starring Richard Todd, James MacArthur, Susan Oliver

• Human Be-In - 1/14/1967 - Polo Fields, Golden Gate Park [documentary footage] (1967)

• The Weird World of LSD (1967)
Directed by Robert Ground
Starring Terry Tessem, Yolanda Morino, Ann Lindsay

• Exploding Plastic Inevitable [short] (1967)
Directed by Ronald Nameth
Starring The Velvet Underground and Nico

• Be-In [short] (1967)
Directed by Jerry Abrams
Starring Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Timothy Leary

• The Trip (1967)
Directed by Roger Corman
Starring Peter Fonda, Susan Strasberg, Bruce Dern

• Psychedelic Sex Kicks (1967)
Starring Glen McKay, Janie Boyde, Julie Boone

The 1960s were ruled by a specific brand of hyper-masculinity, the likes of which had only heightened since the conservative 1950s. Not only did men hold all of the power both legally and socially, but goddamnit they did it because they "deserved it." It was in this climate, with its rigidly defined societal gender standards, that the fight for civil rights was brought to a boiling point in the 1960s. As the decade progressed, black men were increasingly openly and aggressively demanding their due–not only as human beings, but as Men.

Yet, black voices and narratives in cinema were still fairly scarce. While there were several interesting offerings from the fringes, anything that was allowed to be released by the mainstream had to have been pre-approved for white consumption. In this episode, two honkies named Bart and Jenna discuss representations of black masculinity in a range of films, from the rightfully celebrated to the criminally under-seen.

The following films are discussed:

• A Raisin in the Sun (1961)
Directed by Daniel Petrie
Starring Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil, Ruby Dee

• Gone Are The Days! (1963)
Purlie Victorious
Directed by Nicholas Webster
Starring Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Godfrey Cambridge

• The Cool World (1963)
Directed by Shirley Clarke
Starring Rony Clanton, Clarence Williams III, Gloria Foster

• Nothing But a Man (1964)
Directed by Michael Roemer
Starring Ivan Dixon, Abbey Lincoln, Gloria Foster

• A Man Called Adam (1966)
Directed by Leo Penn
Starring Sammy Davis Jr., Louis Armstrong, Cicely Tyson

• Uptight (1968)
Directed by Jules Dassin
Starring Julian Mayfield, Raymond St. Jacques, Ruby Dee

• The Learning Tree (1969)
Directed by Gordon Parks
Starring Kyle Johnson, Alex Clarke, Estelle Evans