Tag Archives: intergeneration

EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN (1994) film genres…

  My Father was the centre of the family, and everybody tried to please him. My Mother loves me and everything goes well. I have no conflict whith her, so that’s not dramatic. Ang Lee  Why was I not offended by … Continue reading

Posted in Ageing, Ang Lee, classic film, fable, food, grief, love, melodrama, three generations of women, women's friendships | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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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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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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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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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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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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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MUM AND ME – SUE BOURNE TV DOCUMENTARY

When I started my blog on the representation of old women I needed to limit my field of research. I decided to exclude animation, because I am not very versed in the genre, and documentaries because the area might be … Continue reading

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MAMADRAMA (2001) The Jewish Mother Stereotype

http://www.jewishfilm.org/Catalogue/films/mamadrama.html This will be a very personal view of the documentary Mamadrama: The Jewish Mother in Cinema.(2001). When I arrived from the Middle East and settled in London I was puzzled by the expression “She is such a Jewish Mother”. … Continue reading

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THE STRAIGHT STORY 2

Ageist language I could not resist flagging. From the NFT viewing notes of Charulata (1964 – dir. Satyajit Ray) I quote   : … I saw old women doddering out of the cinema with tears in their eyes …. the ancient women emerging … Continue reading

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UNHOOK THE STARS (1996)

I am glad I rediscovered this film after seeing Opening Night and am once again surprised that such a relevant film has never been mentioned in any list of older women in film that I have come across. Nick Cassavetes in his interviews declares … Continue reading

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Love of the cinema and generations.

As you can see in the comments on the Film Guide section, Paola has reminded me  of two Cassavetes films that deal with women and age. She wrote her MA dissertation on : Gena Rowlands et le renouveau de la … Continue reading

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MOOLAADE (2004)

I am overwhelmed by the amount of film work I would like to do and am struggling to keep up. I will  mention briefly here Ousmane Sembène’s Moolaadé to signpost it for myself for later consideration.  It is a film that cannot be … Continue reading

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LES TEMPS QUI CHANGENT – Changing Times

I have a soft spot for Téchiné’s Les Temps Qui Changent (2004). It has had very little exposure in the UK and is unavailable on DVD Region 2.  A family drama without histrionics, it places Cécile played by Catherine Deneuve … Continue reading

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The Old Woman and some British Comedies.

Whisky Galore (1949) was shown on the TV at the approach to Xmas. A very male comedy where Georges’ mother, a controlling bigot with no redeeming features, treats her adult son like a naughty child.   The part is played by Jean … Continue reading

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Innocence (2000)

Innocence is a beautiful and complex film. Long before The Mother (2003) was hailed as a breakthrough in the cinematic representation of sexual desire in an older woman, and Cloud 9 (2006) widely given as an example of images of an old couple … Continue reading

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Bechdel Test and Symbolic Annihilation

Girls on Film in Partnership with Little White Lies day of panel discussions focusing on the representation of women in film.  I attended two of the panel discussions of the Under Wire Festival: the Bechdel Test and Act Your Age. … Continue reading

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Philomena (2013)

Brief thoughts and no spoilers. Go and See Philomena while it is still on the big screen. Make a note of it if you are not in the UK.  At long last Judy Dench, in a role that uses her … Continue reading

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