Tag: Repression
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LE CHARME DISCRET DE LA BOURGEOISIE aka THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE
“The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie” is a 1972 surreal satirical comedy directed by Luis Buñuel in which a group of affluent friends repeatedly attempt—and continually fail—to sit down and enjoy a proper dinner together. Through a series of absurd interruptions, dreams within dreams, and bizarre coincidences, Luis Buñuel constructs a sharp critique of upper-middle-class…
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MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” is a 1983 war drama directed by Nagisa Ōshima and adapted from Laurens van der Post’s novel “The Seed and the Sower.” The film is recognized for its exploration of cultural conflict, honor, desire, and humanity within the harsh realities of a World War II prisoner-of-war camp. The haunting score was…
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WOMEN IN LOVE
“Women in Love” is a 1969 British romantic drama directed by Ken Russell. It is adapted from D.H. Lawrence’s 1920 novel of the same name. The film delves into the complexities of love, sexuality, and human connection in post-World War I England. Glenda Jackson won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in…
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MARTHA
“Martha” is a 1974 made-for-television film written and directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. It stars Margit Carstensen as Martha Heyer, Karlheinz Böhm as Helmut Salomon, Gisela Fackeldey as Martha’s mother, and Adrian Hoven as Martha’s father. Rainer Werner Fassbinder was a prominent figure in the New German Cinema, known for his films such as “The…
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LE JOURNAL D’UNE FEMME DE CHAMBRE aka DIARY OF A CHAMBERMAID
“Le journal d’une femme de chambre” aka “Diary of a Chambermaid” is a 1964 satirical and unsettling drama directed by Luis Buñuel. The film critiques French provincial society, exploring themes of repression, xenophobia, sexual obsession, and class hypocrisy. The story follows Célestine (Jeanne Moreau), a brilliant yet disillusioned Parisian woman who takes a job as…
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SISTER MIDNIGHT
“Sister Midnight” (2024) is a darkly comic, surreal horror-drama written and directed by Karan Kandhari in his feature debut. The film stars Radhika Apte, alongside Ashok Pathak, Chhaya Kadam, and Smita Tambe. Set in the dense, chaotic sprawl of Mumbai, the film blends deadpan humor, social satire, and grotesque fantasy to explore alienation, repression, and…
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EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX (BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK)
“Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask)” is a 1972 American comedy anthology film written, directed, and starring Woody Allen. The film is a loose adaptation — more like a parody — of Dr. David Reuben’s best-selling sex manual of the same name, transforming clinical questions into a series…
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FORBIDDEN PLANET
“Forbidden Planet” is a 1956 science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox and written by Cyril Hume, based on a story by Irving Block and Allen Adler. This film helped give rise to the genre, transitioning from a thematically comic-book cartoony series to a more serious and philosophical realm. The story is loosely inspired…
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IF…. (NSFW)
“if….” is a 1968 British satirical drama directed by Lindsay Anderson and is regarded as one of the defining films of 1960s British cinema. Blending realism with surrealism, the film is a scathing critique of institutional authority, class privilege, and societal repression, set against the rigid backdrop of an English public (private) boys’ school. It…
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A PÁTY JEZDEC JE STRACH aka AND THE FIFTH HORSEMAN IS FEAR
“a pátý jezdec je Strach,” aka “And the Fifth Horseman Is Fear,” directed by Zbyněk Brynych, is a 1965 Czechoslovak psychological drama set during the Nazi occupation of Prague. It is a chilling, surreal, and Kafkaesque meditation on totalitarianism, internalized terror, and the dehumanization of individuals under a regime of fear. Rather than depicting overt…
