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Category Archives: Ageing
ALIVE AND KICKING (1959)
For our April session I decided to deviate from my usual choice of ‘classic film’ to show again Alive and Kicking that I have blogged about previously. There were not many women who could attend and none had seen it before. … Continue reading
The Whales of August 3 .
My 4th viewing with a group. Only one of the 7 women present had seen the film before and her comment was very interesting. The first time was at the BFI/U3A study day event 10 years ago. I found it … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged Ageing, Bette Davis, blindness, death, film reception, friendship, grief, Lillian Gish, Lindsay Anderson, memories, representation old woman, sisters, white hair
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WRINKLES (2012)
I quote here a few lines of my 2013 post that dealt with the wonderful Intergenerational Film Festival Lumiere Blanche organised by the geriatrician Dr. Jean Jacques Depassio. The Festival is no more, but the DVD Wrinkles has been released in the USA and … Continue reading
The Real Marigold Hotel. BBC2
Not a feature film but a celebrity BBC show. I hate reality ‘shows’ and their all-knowing voice over, but I should have signposted this one earlier. These three episodes, with the references to the appalling silly feature films of similar name, are well worth watching. … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Ageism
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Ballad of Narayama (1958)
I had written about this film exactly three years ago and seeing it again proved to be as fascinating. I had shown it to the film group of the time but did not record responses. The membership of the film group … Continue reading
Camera Obscura (2008) or what happens next?
Camera Obscura (2008) is an Argentinian film directed by Maria Victoria Menis. It is not about an old woman but I thought that this unknown film is well worth watching and studying for its multimedia form, its outdoor lyrical shots, … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, FILM RECEPTION, motherhood
Tagged ambiguous endings, beauty, daughter, documentary, family, family photos, film reception, intergeneration, jewish film, jews and Argentinian gauchos, mirror scene, mother, mother/daughter, motherhood, multi media film, open endings, photos, surrealism, the gaze, ugliness, war
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LA VIEILLE FEMME INDIGNE (1965)
Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are. Bertolt Brecht. When I decided to look at the representation of the old woman in films for my MA in 1997 I thought I would … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Film Analysis
Tagged age and society, Ageing, Ageism, Allio, Bertolt Brecht, change, death, family, friendship, grandmother, grief, housewife, intergeneration, mother and son, motherhood, old woman, realism, representation old woman, sons and mothers, widow, wrinkles
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The Ladykillers (1955) revisited
We were only 6 members aged between 58 and 81 to see The Ladykillers. A good discussion followed the viewing. Subjects : stereotyping, the ambiguity of Mrs.Wilberforce’s character, her clothes, the word irritating was often voiced, the difficulty of agreeing on slapstick humour. Generally I … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Ageism, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged Ageing, Ageism, british comedies, ealing comedy, film reception, group of old women, old woman clothes, slapstick
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PORA UMIERAĆ (2007)
My young friend brought me back from Poland a dvd of Pora umierać (time to die 2007 english subtitles.). I checked online and notice that there are still some copies available but I imagine not for long. Get one before it disappears … Continue reading
Went The Day Well ? (1942)
For the film group this month I chose Went The Day Well? I had seen the film, probably at the NFT, a long time ago. At the time I had just started to research the subject. The film impressed me because … Continue reading
Mia Madre (2015)
I saw Nanni Moretti’s film in a tiny cinema and thought it deserved much better exposure. The film is subtle, gentle and deep. It is impossible not to think that it is the product of the director’s personal experience. The … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing
Tagged Ageing, amour, death, fiction, film director, grandmother, real life
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FILM GROUP (Make way for tomorrow)
Believe me, age is not just a number. At 81 I felt that I did not enjoy anymore the stress of organising a film group that was running out of steam and decided to retire. To my delight a younger … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, FILM RECEPTION
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London Film Festival 2015
I saw two films featuring an old woman at the Festival this year: Grandma (2015 ) ticked all the boxes : Lily Tomlin, lesbian relationship, angry grandmother, women’s liberation, the 70s, odd characters, good granddaughter/grandmother relationship , difficult one with daughter, teenager … Continue reading
Make Way for Tomorrow. Blatant Ageism in film guide.
Make Way For Tomorrow (MWFT) was added to the America’s National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 2010. America’s Film Legacy (2011) by Daniel Eagan …is a reference guide to the most significant films ever made in the United States. … Continue reading
45 YEARS : no agreement (2015)
So many people asked me what I thought of 45 years that I decided to put down some notes about reviews and discussions with friends, before I actually analyse the films in all its complexities. The following is not a … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing
Tagged flashbacks, long term relationship, memories, the past, wedding anniversary
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IRIS – THE FACE BEHIND THE MASK
I have no special penchant for documentaries, but I was persuaded by the critics to see Iris (2015) at the NFT (National Film Theatre). It was shown at the Studio screen, where, if short of stature, your viewing is obscured by … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, documentary
Tagged advanced style, Ageing, Apfel, consumerism, costume jewellery, couture, documentary, fabulous fashionistas, fashion, frailty, looks, Maysles, media, pain and old age, possesions, representation old woman
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LONDON FEMINIST FILM FESTIVAL
At long last a film about old women, directed by a woman, is the Classic Choice at a film festival: LFFF If you live in London do not miss the rarely screened “The Company of Strangers” at the Rio (Dalston) … Continue reading
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Film critics language
Not that I think that many film critics read my blog but a useful tool for writers about film and age. Language advice to journalists
FEDORA (1978) and CELEBRITY.
I was in my early 40s, when I first saw Fedora (1978). I was not worried about ageing or conscious of ageism, as work, family and activism kept me very busy yet I was left with two very strong impressions. I could, … Continue reading
THE WINTER GUEST (film reception)
Ever since I compared film critics’ and a group of older women’s views of Le Chat* I have been interested in the way people react to films. Why are some elements of the film not perceived, or registered and what is … Continue reading
THE WINTER GUEST: PHYLLIDA LAW AND EMMA THOMPSON. On women friendships
In my previous post I noted that it might be rewarding to examine Mother Elspeth (Phyllida Law) and Daughter Frances’ (Emma Thompson) story in The Winter Guest. The task of tracing their narrative in this crazily edited puzzle was very … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Film Analysis
Tagged Ageing, anger, caring, daughter, death, editing, Emma Thompson, film reception, friendship, grief, jump cuts, mother, mother/daughter, Phyllida Law, script and cinematography, women friendships
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THE WINTER GUEST (1997) – FUNERALS.
At the age of 80 I find I am attending funerals quite often and at the last one it occurred to me how like a performance the rituals are.(see http://www.ageingageismdiary.wordpress.com). Funerals in films are very common. In thrillers, the detectives … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Film Analysis
Tagged Ageing, burial, cinematography, close ups, complex narrative structure, consciousness of mortality], cremation, death, friendship, frozen sea, funeral as performance, funerals, grief, jump cuts, mother, mourning, pan, perception in films, winter location
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KEEPING MUM (2005) or “it is the least a mother can do”
Like Tatie Danielle, Keeping Mum is difficult to categorise. The reviewers call it a black comedy and their assessments range from Ebert and Rope “It’s probably one of the funniest films to come out of England in years” to Philip French “laboured … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Film Analysis, motherhood
Tagged Ageing, british comedies, caring, daughter, family, grandmother, housekeeper, intergeneration, mother, mother and grownup family, mother/daughter, murder, nanny, oldwoman/teenager, sermon, song of songs, teenager, unhappy family, vicar
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The Second Marigold Hotel
“Just because I’m looking at you when you talk, don’t think I’m listening — or even interested.” Maggie Smith to Judy Dench I had a free couple of hours and decided reluctantly to see The Second Exotic Marigold Hotel as a … Continue reading
TATIE DANIELLE (1990) The little old woman
” I am a lonely old woman in the hands of a lunatic.” Tatie Danielle It is difficult to write about Tatie Danielle. A film hard to categorise. It is not black comedy nor satire as it is sometimes described being … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Ageism, Film Analysis
Tagged Ageing, Ageism, anger, beauty salon, bourgeois, care home, carer, dogooders, film reception, flowers, hair, loneliness, nasty old woman, old people incontinence, petit bourgeois, Tatie Danielle
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THE OTHERNESS OF THE OLD WOMAN Take 3
Old woman as ‘other’ and films In my blog of Nov. 2009 I wrote: When I first started to show films featuring women of 60 years and over to my contemporaries, I was 63. Some of the women in the … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Conferences and comments
Tagged Ageing, carer, film reception, grandmother, grief, other, representation old woman, teenager
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BABOUSSIA (2003) self sacrificing great grandmother
I have used italics for film quotes and bold italics for director’s quotes mainly from http://www.kinoglaz.fr/u_fiche_film.php?num=60 in French or the extras from the DVD. I have used the spelling of Baboussia used on the DVD cover but there are different … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Film Analysis
Tagged Ageing, carer, caring, daughter, director's comment, family, family and war, grandmother, great-granddaughter, grief, intergeneration, mother, mother/daughter, passive old woman, representation old woman, rural/urban, Russia, self sacrificing old woman
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SINCE OTAR LEFT… (2003) or Women’s Lives.
“Pour moi qui suis issue d’un univers familial plutôt matriarcal, je pouvais y mettre beaucoup de ma propre vie, parler des rapports mère-filles qui m’ont structuré ou destructuré…” What made me choose this film for our October film group session? … Continue reading
Old Age and Feature Films 
The Short Hot Flush Film Festival
I deviate again from the focus of Feature Films to post the report of Jane, member of Brent U3A Older Woman in Film Group. The Short Hot Flush Film Festival – Brighton – October 3rd Two women came up … Continue reading →