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Category Archives: FILM RECEPTION
23 WALKS (2020)
How I miss my older-women-in film groups. Both the Brent U3A one and the Ealing Oldies Network group. Both groups were very well attended (no fewer than 8 in bad weather and up to 40 people per session) by older … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, ageing couple, alzheimer, audience responses, care homes, carers, critics, dementia, family, FILM RECEPTION, grief
1 Comment
OLD AGE AND CARE : Amour, Chronic, A Woman’s Tale
Autoethnography Isolated from family and friends under tier 4, unable to research with any enthusiasm I have decided to end the writing of 2020.But first I must come back to my blog of December 19th, where I touched on an … Continue reading
Death of Wife: Tokyo Story.
“Critics have frequently observed that Ozu Yasujiro’s Tokyo monogatari (Tokyo Story, 1953) was inspired by Leo McCarey’s Make Way for Tomorrow (1937). David Bordwell sees Ozu as “recasting” the American film – borrowing from it, adapting it – and briefly … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, ageing couple, classic, classic film, critics, death, family, Film Analysis, FILM RECEPTION, grief, intergenerational relationships, old couple separation
Tagged Ozu
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EPILOGUE (HAYUTA VE BERL) 2012
March 1st. 2020 I was looking for a film to present to our Secular Jewish group and I suddenly thought of EPILOGUE dir: Amir Manor shown at the BFI festival in 2012 that had impressed me. Amour and Quartet also … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, ageing couple, Ageism, critics, FILM RECEPTION, israel, marital disagreement
Tagged father son, israel, marital conflict, marital relationship, old couple, old people poverty, racism, suicide
1 Comment
QUARTET (2012)
It was a pleasure to meet again with EON members (Ealing Over 60 Network) to watch a film together. I chose Quartet (2012) for this session. There were 21 people. As usual male presence was of 3 only. Personally I … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, alzheimer, audience responses, care homes, critics, FILM RECEPTION, love
Tagged Alzheimer's, Billi Connoly, friendship, Michael Gambon, music, musicians, Pauline Collins, stage fright, Tom Courtenay
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POETRY (2010)
POETRY (2010) How did I miss this great film featuring a 66 years old grandmother? Directed by Lee Chang-dong, it won the 2010 Cannes Best Screenplay Award and many more. I discovered it recently while searching for films that have … Continue reading
ETERNITY AND A DAY (1998)
There is a huge difference between my reactions to Eternity and a Day in my early 60s and now at 84. In 1998 Central Station was also released . At the time I focused my attentionon the representation of old … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, audience responses, classic, classic film, death, family, Film Analysis, FILM RECEPTION, grief, love, outsiders
Tagged Angelopoulos, bus, childhood, couple, death, dementia, exile, family home, flashbacks, introspections, last days, love, memories, mother, poems, poet, refugee children, refugees, sea and drowning, selling of children, the sea, time frame in films
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Finding Your Feet (2018)
Two films about old people attracted my attention this week: Finding Your Feet (2018) and Eternity And A Day (1998). I had seen the latter 19-20 years ago but I only remembered the two characters : an old man and a … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, family, FILM RECEPTION, love, sisters, women's friendships
Tagged (Imelda Staunton, actors, affair, Ageing, ageing sisters, Ageism, british comedies, Celia Imrie, David Hayman, death, family, film reception, Joanna Lumley, lifestyle, marriage break up, old people dancing, reviews, Timothy Spall
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EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN (1994) at EON
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) at EON I mentioned in this blog that I would not concentrate any more on the representation of old women in films but widen my interest and abandon the time-consuming film analysis approach. After … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, audience responses, death, family, FILM RECEPTION, food, intergenerational relationships, melodrama
Tagged Ageing, Ang Lee, carer, cooking, eating rituals, family, father daughters relationships, film reception, food, grandmother, grotesque old woman in film, humour, intergeneration, lifestyle, master chef, memories, widower
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THE WIFE (2017)
I saw The Wife on the big screen with my partner and a friend (male) the three of us over 80 years old. It was remarkable that the three of us had to say something immediately at the end, even … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, ageing couple, audience responses, critics, family, Film Analysis, FILM RECEPTION, melodrama
Tagged comedy, death, family, film interpretation, Glenn Close, housewife, humour, husband/wife relationship, kermode, melodrama, music, nobel prize, Peter Bradshaw, reviews, strong woman, Stuart Hall, writers
3 Comments
THE CLOCK (Christian Marclay) Tate Modern.
I have always argued that using film clips to support an argument is not acceptable to me as I think that a clip outside the context of the whole film may have different, even contradictory meanings. What can 24 hours … Continue reading
Posted in audience responses, film clips, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged 24 hours films, Christian Marclay, clips, fiction, the clock, the TAte, time
1 Comment
HOTEL SALVATION (2016) at EON
18 members present 15 stayed for the discussion The discussion was extremely interesting, nearly unanimous in praising the film. Only two people were very critical. One objected to the way the old man manipulated his son, the other was very … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, audience responses, death, family, FILM RECEPTION, food, grief
Tagged arranged marriage, Buddhism, cremation, end of life, family, father/son relationship, film reviews, food, Granddaugher/grandfather relationship, history, humour, India, life, lifestyle, male point of view, resurection, reviews, varanasi, women
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HOTEL SALVATION (2016)
This is not about the representation of an old woman in films but my personal – as an old woman – take on Hotel Salvation. I fail to see why this film has been so praised by influential reviewers. … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Ageism, care, death, fable, family, FILM RECEPTION, grief
Tagged after life, arranged marriage, Ballad of Narayama, cremation, death, family, father/son relationships, Hindu beliefs, humour, scooter, The Gange, varanasi
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Mrs. Caldicot’s Cabbage War (2002)
Before I write about the EON (Ealing Over 60 network) film session Mrs. Caldicot’s Cabbage War I would like to quote again the most outrageously sexist/ageist example in journalism that I have encountered in my extensive reading about films. … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Ageism, audience responses, care homes, critics, family, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged abuse of old people, Ageism, Atul Gawande, care home, family, food, humour, interviews, media, retirement home, reviews, sexism
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SUMMER REFLECTIONS on films featuring old women.
Too hot to think clearly. Too hot to sit for a long time looking at the screen. Too hot to remember the times spent talking about ageing and films. The laughs and heated discussions. My friends long departed. Is … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, Ageism, audience responses, critics, death, Film Analysis, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged Ageism, All About Eve, media, Old women in films, Pather Panchali, reviews, Volver
4 Comments
VOLVER (2006) Ealing Oldies Network
Full house again at the EON : 14 women, 4 men for Volver A very dense and complex discussion difficult to convey due to the variety of themes summarised here. Two women had seen the film before. Two immediate … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, audience responses, death, family, FILM RECEPTION, grief, motherhood, murder, three generations of women, women's friendships
Tagged abuse, almodavar, cemetery, family, food, humour, incest, lifestyle, music, violence, women, women resilience
2 Comments
Pather Panchali in Ealing
18 enthusiastic people attended the fifth film session of the Ealing Oldies Network (EON): Pather Panchali (1955). The post viewing session was very lively and everybody participated and shared feelings and thoughts. (Notes not available). What was remarkable for me … Continue reading
Posted in Ageing, ageing couple, audience responses, classic film, family, FILM RECEPTION, grief, motherhood
Tagged Apu trilogy, family, image, music, women
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The films of Gloria Grahame
Good at Being Bad: The films of Gloria Grahame. It is the title of a series of films featuring Gloria Grahame showing at the National Film Theatre. Nothing to do with Old Women and Film but I needed to signal … Continue reading
Posted in classic film, film noir, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged film noir, Gloria Graham, love story, male violence, Nicholas Ray, suspicion
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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
Posted in Ageing, audience responses, family, Film Analysis, FILM RECEPTION, motherhood, three generations of women
Tagged actors, Ageing, anger, beach, birthday, breast cancer, building, cancer, changing times, chemotherapy, corruption, daughter, family, friendship, group of old women, history, intergenerational relationship, laughing yoga, Long hair, maid, mastectomy, media, mother and son, mother/daughter, nephew, nepotism, orgy, photos, physical exercise, redevolpment, representation old woman, still doing it, termites invasion, tower blocks, vinyl records
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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
Posted in Ageing, audience responses, care, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged actors, amateur dramatics, care, care home, carer, caring, communication, family, flowers, learning difficulties, mother/daughter, nature, photos, representation old woman, retirement, reviews, shop keeper, sisters, small village, women
3 Comments
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
Posted in Ageing, audience responses, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged communication, corruption, family, feminism, film reviews, flowers, grandmother, harassment, housing, humour, interviews, lifestyle, memories, music, old woman, photos, reviews
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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
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
Posted in Ageing, FILM RECEPTION
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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
Posted in Ageing, chick flick, Film Analysis, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged Ageing, arabic, beauty salon, Beirut, Christian, communication, dementia, family, friendship, hair, humour, lebanon, lesbian, lifestyle, looks, lover, Moslem, periods, sisterhood, virginity, waxing, wedding, women
1 Comment
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
Posted in Ageing, Ageism, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged Ageism, body, communication, family, food, foreign workers, isolation, loneliness, other, racism, women cleaner, young man/older woman couple
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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
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
Posted in Ageing, care, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged actors, Ageing, care and love, care home, communication, disablement, empathy, family, flowers, guilt, image, inheritance, music, operetta, sisters, women
1 Comment
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
Posted in Ageing, Ageism, critics, Film Analysis, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged 100 top grossing films 2015, Ageing, Ageism, best exotic marigold hotel, ethnic and sexual orientation of senior characters, film reception, gender, Hollywood, media, old people representation, popular films, senior characters
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CHRONIC (2015) : ambiguities and control.
I must come back to Chronic. A friend mentioned to me another film directed by Franco: After Lucia. I viewed it immediately and the experience urged me to revisit Chronic and analyse it. I found that the two films … Continue reading
Posted in Film Analysis, FILM RECEPTION
Tagged ambiguities, assisted death, assisted suicide], carer, caring, daughter, death, disability, film genre, film reception, grief, incontinence, long takes, palliative care, point of view, sexual harassment, story and plot, subjective point of view, vomiting
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Old Age and Feature Films 