Category Archives: Ageing

Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (2017)

Just a note to add the above to Ageing Actor category. Also the second film this season for breast cancer to be in the picture. (The other film being Aquarius).  

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AQUARIUS (2016) partial analysis

In The Greater London Pensioner Association newsletter (October 2017) Judith Olley writes about the Representation of Older People on Film. It is refreshing to read about films from an older person’s viewpoint and I picked up two films that I … Continue reading

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PAULINE AND PAULETTE (2001)

Third film at the Ealing Oldies Network.  The 18 people present were enthusiastic. They appreciated the film   and the exchange of views at the end was very lively and informed. It was evident that a few had some experience in … Continue reading

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AQUARIUS (2016)

  A film that has probably one of the most fascinating, strong and magnetic female characters in cinema in recent years. Lucía Ros Serra Espinof At the age of 82 I have lived 53 years in our house. The tearoom, … Continue reading

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MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW (1937)

It is a pleasure to present a classic film to a group of friends who take the responsibility of all arrangements for the viewing and documentation.. Of the 15 old people present none knew Make Way for Tomorrow but two … Continue reading

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The Hundred Foot Journey (2014)

The Hundred Foot Journey (2014) Michelin Star and Indian spices get together. or Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles. Voltaire I always look at the DVDs on the supermarket shelves to see what is selling. … Continue reading

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MOTHER AND SON Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

Gentleman’s Agreement (1947) I was very surprised when I read Bradshaw’s article a few months ago. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/feb/15/best-picture-oscar-winners-gentlemans-agreement-1947 This  film about anti-semitism is not considered as one of Kazan’s best work and Bradshaw’s choice has been criticised. This is not about … Continue reading

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SINCE OTAR LEFT (2003)

  I decided at the end of the U3A year to retire from facilitating the Old Women in Films Group. I found that my energy diminished in sympathy with the attendance. In the meantime Ealing Oldies Network (EON see June’s … Continue reading

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MARVIN’S ROOM (1996): Love and Care

It is the end of the U3A summer term for the U3A Old Women in Film Group. I had put aside, to consider later, Marvin’s Room (1996) Screenplay by Scott McPherson (1959-1992), based on his own play. With : Diane Keaton … Continue reading

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Make Mine Mink (1960) at the Ealing Oldies Network meeting.

I was asked by the Ealing Oldies Network to show them a film and lead the following discussion. EON is a friendship group of old people who meet locally every Monday. It is self organised, people share their knowledge and … Continue reading

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WOMEN AND WAR FILMS.

Delighted by Lone Scherfig’s Their Finest (2016), and intrigued by Sue Harper’s 1996 description of Great Day (1940) as a masterpiece, I attended the BFI for the screening of GD and two ‘shorts ‘ in the British Women and WWII … Continue reading

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TOKYO STORY – film group responses

The film group ‘gut’ responses to Tokyo Story. The general discussion brought out many more subjects and comments. The overall impression was that the film was very relevant to our times. Sadness on the part of the father- just realising … Continue reading

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ON FILM STILLS, CLIPS AND REVIEWS

I recently obtained access to an academic library. Having a little time on my hands I decided to explore the subject of the representation of older women in films. The first article I came across is from Feminisms: Diversity, Difference … Continue reading

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Grief and Guilt -The Straight Story and Manchester by the Sea

Again a brief post that does not deal with the representation of old women in feature films but since I wrote about The Straight Story (1999) 5 years ago  I will consider Manchester by the Sea (2016). I find I have … Continue reading

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HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971) 46 years later

  I first showed the film (on VHS?) to a group of my friends around 1999 on the recommendation of one of the women. She mentioned that she saw it with her sons and they found it hilarious. My reaction … Continue reading

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Caramel (2007)

The film group film this month was Caramel. I had presented it in 2011 at the Lexi cinema to a general audience at the U3A matinée. They loved the film. On release in 2007 the critics and reviewers were in … Continue reading

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HOW WE ‘CONSUME’ CINEMA

A member of our film group sent me a link to an article by Tom Lamont. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/dec/03/film-streaming-future-of-movie-going The 21st. century has seen a revolution in how we consume cinema, from streaming a movie the day it is released to forking … Continue reading

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The Barbarian Invasions (2003)

Not a film about an ageing woman but about a man dying of cancer. How come all the praise, the awards, the commercial success and the admiring critiques and reviews, I tend to agree with Peter Bradshaw (The Guardian 20/02/2004) and … Continue reading

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Ali: Fear Eats the Soul. An older woman’s view.

When I first saw Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, years ago I did not record my thoughts or the film group’s. I just remember that I had a strong feeling that Fassbinder explored ageing and ageism as well as racism … Continue reading

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ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL.

The film I chose for the old women in film group this month was Fassbinder’s Ali: Fear Eats The Soul (1974) . I saw it a long time ago with a group in the context of old women in film but at … Continue reading

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A Korean film at the London Film Festival

This is just a signpost for the Korean film The Bachus Lady (2016) directed by E J-yong and featuring Youn Yuh-jung (aged 69) . I managed to catch it at the ICA the first day of the London Film Festival. I … Continue reading

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AGEISM IN HOLLYWOOD.

I was appalled to read in the Guardian 28/09/16 Short Cuts, under the title Is this a cure for ageist casting disasters?. “a landmark law, effective from next year, in California only, that permits actors to request the removal of … Continue reading

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PAULINE AND PAULETTE (2001) film group responses

The Brent U3A film group looking at the representation of old women met again for the first session of the academic year. I was sad to note that there were no members of the original group alive anymore. But I … Continue reading

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THE RARE AND RIDICULE. Ageism in Hollywood popular films.

  The online Guardian of 14 Sept,  headlined “Older characters underrepresentated and ridiculed in Hollywood”. Under a close-up  of Helen Mirren’s face and neck unretouched showing her lines and wrinkles the article proceeds to report: …research conducted by the Media, … Continue reading

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FEMINISM, AGEING, AND FILMS

It is bizarre at the age of 81 to have a feeling of deja vu about the experience of seeing a film. And this is the only way I can explain my profound distaste of Chronic. I have tried to … Continue reading

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Chronic: palliative care or a man’s portrait?

Holidays. Time to reflect on some questions I asked myself after a few viewings.  In my post about Wrinkles I wrote: “But one cannot help being intrigued by the predominantly male atmosphere of the film when it is common knowledge that … Continue reading

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A WOMAN’S TALE : an overview

I have written about Paul Cox’s Innocence (2000) three years ago  but I have wanted to consider  this great director’s   A Woman’s Tale ( 1991) for a very long time. In June this year Paul Cox died at the age … Continue reading

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MISS ROBIN HOOD (1952)

Report by Rita of the film group meeting on June 3rd. There were 8 of us at the session. General discussion Overall, the women in the group felt the film was not very enjoyable and engaging. We could see that … Continue reading

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TATIE DANIELLE (1990)

This is the third group of older women who viewed and discussed the film apart from the 101 U3A members (see previous post in 2005 and resources for the BFI Guide to Older Women in Film). I was surprised again … Continue reading

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