Author: thehorsesheadblog

#32) Psycho (1960)

OR “Oedipal Arrangements”

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Written by Joseph Stefano. Based on the novel by Robert Bloch.

Class of 1992

This is a revised and expanded version of my original “Psycho” post, which you can read here.

Also, I can’t discuss “Psycho” without mentioning the film’s major plot twists, so spoilers ahead!

The Plot: Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) can’t afford to marry her long-distance boyfriend Sam (John Gavin), so she impulsively steals $40,000 cash from her job and drives from Phoenix to Fairvale to be with Sam. After a tense drive, Marion checks into the Bates Motel, run by the earnest Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his distant yet domineering mother (Voiced by Virginia Gregg/Paul Jasmin/Jeanette Nolan). After dinner with Norman, Marion is murdered by Mother in the shower before she has the chance to return the money. Once Marion goes missing, her sister Lila (Vera Miles) becomes determined to find her. This leads everyone back to the Bates, where the mother of all surprises awaits.

Why It Matters: The NFR calls the film “suspensefull [sic]” and praises Bernard Herrmann’s “spine-tinglingly [sp?] unforgettable” score. They also, however, detail how Perkins and Leigh’s future work was overshadowed by “Psycho”. In addition, an essay by film critic Charles Taylor digs a little too deeply into the film’s symbolism.

But Does It Really?: No surprises: “Psycho” is on my list of truly untouchable great films. I have seen “Psycho” several times over the years, and I was well aware of the film’s twists prior to my first viewing, but I’ll be damned if this movie still can’t scare the crap out of me every time. “Psycho” certainly isn’t the taboo-busting pulp thriller it was in 1960, and it’s dated and sexist as all hell by today’s standards, but Hitchcock’s polished, confident directing, plus a cast and crew at the top of their game, ensures the film’s longevity. A game changer for the thriller genre as well as for all of moviedom, “Psycho” has endured, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Everybody Gets One: Film and stage actor Anthony Perkins was always Hitchcock’s first choice to play Norman Bates, his “boy-next-door” good looks being a departure from the character’s shorter, cruder description in the book. Although he was seemingly typecast for the rest of his career, Perkins often spoke fondly of his time making “Psycho”. That being said, upon his passing, his urn was inscribed, “Don’t Fence Me In”.

Wow, That’s Dated: I’ll assume the original title of this movie was “Issues with Women: The Motion Picture”. Jeez Louise is this thing sexist (It should be noted that both director and screenwriter were coping with their own mother issues during production). On a less depressing note, the $40,000 Marion steals would be roughly $346,000 today.

Seriously, Oscars?: “Psycho” opened to mixed critical reviews, but strong word of mouth made the film a worldwide box office sensation. At the 1961 Oscars, “Psycho” managed four nominations, but zero wins. Janet Leigh lost Best Supporting Actress to Shirley Jones in “Elmer Gantry”, and Hitch lost his fifth (and final) Best Director nod to that year’s big winner: Billy Wilder for “The Apartment”. For those of you keeping track, “Psycho” received no nominations for Picture, Actor, Adapted Screenplay, or Original Score.

Other notes

• Although serial killer Ed Gein was the primary inspiration for Norman Bates, “Psycho” author Robert Bloch was unaware of the specifics of Gein’s crimes until he had almost completed the manuscript, and was amazed at how close he was. Call it the most perverse parallel thinking that ever happened.
• Expecting another big-budget thriller a la “Vertigo” or “To Catch a Thief”, Paramount rejected the “Psycho” screenplay, calling it “too repulsive for films”. Undeterred, Hitchcock financed the film himself, shooting on the Universal lot with his TV crew from “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” to keep “Psycho” under-budget. Paramount still distributed the picture, but ultimately sold their cut of the film back to Hitchcock.
• Those credits, man. Only Saul Bass can take a series of lines and make them suspenseful. Special mention to Bernard Herrmann, whose score so impressed Hitchcock, he doubled Herrmann’s salary.

• While reviewing the establishing shots of Phoenix filmed by the second unit, Hitchcock noticed that Christmas decorations were visible on the streets. Rather than reshoot, Hitch added text stating the film begins on “Friday December the Eleventh”, making “Psycho” the least Christmas-y Christmas movie this side of “Die Hard”.
• We get TWO Hitchcock cameos in this movie! Hitch makes his usual appearance at the beginning (but why the cowboy hat?), followed immediately by his daughter Patricia in the brief role of Marion’s co-worker Caroline.

• Wow, Tom Cassidy is the tip of this movie’s sexist iceberg. Who knew Sam Wainwright was such a creep? Hee-haw!
• Before we get to the actual scares, Hitch keeps the suspense going with good old-fashioned paranoia; the nosy cop, the pushy car-dealer, the voices in Marion’s head. The Bates Motel sign signals a (ultimately false) sense of security.
• Perkins is wonderfully sympathetic as Norman, but he’s also giving you plenty of red flags. The taxidermy? “A boy’s best friend is his mother”? Marion, you in danger girl.

• This film’s other watershed moment: it was the first mainstream movie to feature a flushing toilet. The production code allowed it because Marion flushes away evidence, thereby making the action integral to the plot.
• This whole post could be me dissecting the shower sequence (God knows everyone else has). In a film that has taken its time edging towards suspense, the shower murder is a full-on cathartic barrage of cuts and close-ups and Bernard Herrmann’s stringed staccatos. What a shocking experience this unfettered violence/sexuality must have been to 1960 audiences. The shower scene may be the definitive demonstration on the power that film has on our collective psyche. Kudos to everyone involved…except you, Saul Bass. You know what you did!

• This legendary moment is immediately followed by a step-by-step tutorial on how to clean up a murder scene and dispose of the body. I feel very prepared if I ever find myself in this situation.
• Vera Miles doesn’t get much to do in this movie, but I appreciate Lila taking command of this situation. I sense this is as strong-willed a female lead as Hitchcock would allow in one of his movies.
• As much as I love Martin Balsam, no one ever needs to be that close to his face.
• The one thing I never understood regarding the Norman/Mother dichotomy: When Arbogast goes to the house to interrogate Mother, how did Norman get from the motel to the second floor of the house without Arbogast seeing him AND while also managing a quick-change into his mother costume? Color me impressed.

• Once we reach the climax, we get an extended scene of a psychiatrist explaining Norman’s condition to Lila & Sam, and it really doesn’t mesh with the rest of the movie. It doesn’t help that Simon Oakland, the actor playing Dr. Richman, is a bit too slick for this film. It’s a weird performance in an unnecessary scene at the end of an otherwise superb film.

• Although several actors shared the voice-over duties as Mother Bates, radio actor Virginia Gregg is the sole voice of Norma during the final “She wouldn’t harm a fly” monologue. It’s perfection.

• This will sound weird, but with this viewing I recognized what a bizarre little movie this is. “Psycho” is so steeped in our culture that it’s easy to forget that the movie kills off its quote-unquote lead 45 minutes in, and then reveals that our new sympathetic lead is the murderer. The unorthodox plotting has become less conspicuous the more the film is referenced and studied, but if you really try to forget everything you know about “Psycho”, you’ll realize just how unconventional this film was in 1960 and still is today.

There’s so much more to talk about, so read about the legacy of “Psycho” here.

#8) The Graduate (1967)

OR “Ben of Iniquity”

Directed by Mike Nichols

Written by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry. Based on the novel by Charles Webb.

Class of 1996

This is a revised and expanded version of my original “Graduate” post, which you can read here.

The Plot: Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) returns home to suburban Los Angeles after graduating from an eastern college. At a party thrown by his parents, Ben attracts the attention of Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), the wife of his father’s business partner. Unsure of his future and doing nothing with his present, Ben awkwardly accepts Mrs. Robinson’s offer of a sexual tryst. The affair continues throughout the summer, but complications arise when Mrs. Robinson’s daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross) returns home and starts dating Ben. Strap in for one of filmdom’s most bizarrely iconic love triangles.

Why It Matters: The NFR praises Nichols, Hoffman, Bancroft and Henry for “concoct[ing] a funny and satirical look at a certain slice of Americana”, though admits that the film “doesn’t capture the ‘60s as well as the edgier ‘Easy Rider’”. Ouch. An essay by film critic Jami Bernard is a celebration of the film’s visual style, and a disapproval of the pan-and-scanned TV version (which dates this essay quite a bit).

But Does It Really?: While “The Graduate” might not capture the zeitgeist of the late ‘60s, its examination of young adulthood’s uncertainties is timeless. The successful adaptation from page to screen is supported by Nichols’ inventive directing, as well as pitch perfect performances from Hoffman and Bancroft. “The Graduate” isn’t as groundbreaking or taboo at it once was, but its universality, A+ craftsmanship, and ongoing legacy has ensured its place in film history.

Everybody Gets One: After an unsuccessful string of B-pictures for Fox in the early ‘50s, Anne Bancroft returned to her native New York to study at the Actors Studio (among other places). Bancroft had a string of successful stage performances on Broadway, including Annie Sullivan in “The Miracle Worker”, a role she reprised for the Oscar-winning film version. She won the role of Mrs. Robinson after every actress of a certain age from Patricia Neal to Ava Gardner turned it down.

Wow, That’s Dated: Many have commented on the film’s failure to capture 1967 America, but there are flashes of the youth counterculture when Nichols’ guerilla filmmaking takes to the streets of Berkeley. Also dated: bossa nova mood music, and couples needing to take a blood test before getting married.

Seriously, Oscars?: A critical and commercial success, “The Graduate” entered a very crowded Oscar race with seven nominations, including Best Picture. Despite losing to fellow NFR entries “Bonnie and Clyde”, “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “In the Heat of the Night”, the film did manage one win: Best Director for Mike Nichols. To date, “The Graduate” is the most recent film to only win an Oscar for its director.

Other notes

• “The Graduate” was originally going to be Mike Nichols’ film directing debut, but production was delayed so that Nichols could helm the sought-after film version of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
• Veteran screenwriter Calder Willingham and TV comedy writer Buck Henry penned separate drafts of “The Graduate”, with Henry’s script being the final version. When word got out that Henry would receive sole credit, Willingham successfully lobbied to have his name on the credits as well, pointing out that both drafts crib large selections of the book’s dialogue verbatim.
• Shoutout to cinematographer Robert Surtees. “The Graduate” is the rare film that successfully translates the verbal storytelling of the novel into the visual storytelling of the movies. Surtees’ compositions illustrate the isolation felt not only by Benjamin, but by practically every other character as well.
• Feeny! Fe-he-he-heeny!
• Walter Brooke had been acting in the movies for 25 years when he was cast as Mr. Maguire, but he finally achieved film immortality with just one word…

• Bancroft is relishing the opportunity to play against type as an assertive, yet equally vulnerable seductress. Bancroft/Robinson knows what she is doing at all times.

• Apparently there’s a “Bewitched” convention at the Taft Hotel; complete with Esmeralda and Aunt Clara!
• Dustin Hoffman was an unconventional choice for Ben (Warren Beatty and Robert Redford tested for it), but his depiction of the character’s awkwardness and uncertainty is flawless. Now if only Hoffman didn’t become an alleged chronic sexual predator after this…
• Today’s revelatory backstory brought to you by Ford Motors: You’re ahead in a Ford!
• The last time I covered this film I gave Elaine flack for being “underwritten”. Obviously, I wasn’t paying attention. Elaine might not be a perfect match for Benjamin, but she is definitely a kindred spirit who identifies with his confusion and suppression from the older generation. This is aided by the lovely subtleties Katharine Ross brings to the part. Her Elaine is definitely her mother’s daughter.
• Is it only raining on Benjamin’s car? I didn’t realize he was driving an Alfa Romeo Eeyore.

• As a Bay Area resident, it’s my obligation to point out that when Ben drives over the Bay Bridge to Berkeley, he’s going the wrong way. He should be driving on the less cinematic lower level.
• Norman Fell as a skeptical landlord? Quick, someone give him a sexually repressed wife!
• One of Ben’s fellow tenants is a young unknown Richard Dreyfuss. His character is studying oceanography at Berkeley, and will one day convince Mr. Robinson to close the beaches!
• Simon & Garfunkel’s music was originally a placeholder before “The Graduate” was scored, but Nichols liked it and convinced the duo to write/perform more songs for the soundtrack. After Nichols rejected Simon’s first two compositions, Simon pitched a half-finished song about Eleanor Roosevelt. “Mrs. Roosevelt” became “Mrs. Robinson”, Simon’s ad-libbed “dee-dee-dees” stayed in, and behold, a classic.

• The final lingering shot of Ben and Elaine letting their new reality sink in on the bus is a fine example of New Hollywood-style storytelling. The only thing that mars the ending is the obvious dubbing in the Mrs. Robinson-Elaine exchange, “It’s too late.” “Not for me.” Other than that, great movie.

Legacy

• Everyone benefited from the success of “The Graduate”. Hoffman and Ross became movie stars, Nichols spent the next 40 years as a film director, and Anne Bancroft continued being an in-demand character actor for the rest of her life, albeit with a new following of sexually awakened younger fans.

• Author Charles Webb hesitated to pen any sequels to “The Graduate”, knowing they could be adapted into a film without his involvement. Webb finally relented following some financial hardships, and 2007’s “Home School” was roundly panned by critics and readers alike.
• As for film sequels, the closest we ever got was this pitch from Buck Henry in the opening shot of “The Player”.

• A stage adaptation of the novel played New York and London in the early 2000s, meaning a significant number of theatergoers have been in the same room as a naked Kathleen Turner.

• The cultural references to “The Graduate” continue to this day, but as always, classic-era “Simpsons” leads the way. Here’s someone named Sam Etic doing a spot-on Dustin Hoffman.

Listen to This: Simon & Garfunkel’s 1966 album (and 2012 NRR entry) “Sounds of Silence” features two songs from the “Graduate” soundtrack; “April Come She Will” and, of course, “The Sound of Silence”. The completed “Mrs. Robinson” would appear on their album “Bookends”, released three months after “The Graduate”.

Hey there, Readers!

First off, a shameless plug: I was a guest on a podcast! The good people at “Bring Your Own Movie” invited me on to dissect a non-NFR movie near and dear to my heart: “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery”. You can listen to our increasingly drunken conversation here! A big thank you to Tonya, Sam, Ryan and Laura for a great film discussion and free Guinness!

If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you’re probably wondering, “Where are the new posts? You used to crank out three of these a week! How dare you deprive me of free online content!” First of all, that’s a bit harsh. Secondly, to answer your question: after I reached the official halfway point of the NFR list, I did some self-reflection and came to one conclusion: I’m very tired. I decided to take the summer off, but rest assured “The Horse’s Head” will resume in the fall, as I am still determined to finish what I have started. In the meantime, there’s plenty of older posts in the backlog to keep you entertained.

And as always, feel free to reach out if you have any comments/requests/well-wishes.

Happy Viewing,

Tony

#375) Rebecca (1940)

OR “de Winter of Our Discontent”

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Written by Robert E. Sherwood and Joan Harrison. Adaptation by Philip MacDonald and Michael Hogan. Based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier.

Class of 2018

NOTE: Anyone who has seen the film “Rebecca” (or read the novel) is aware that the central character is unnamed. Rather than call her “She” or “Mrs. de Winter” throughout this post, I’m opting instead for…Mulva?

The Plot: Young Mulva (Joan Fontaine) meets aristocrat Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) while traveling in Monte Carlo. Maxim and Mulva have a whirlwind romance, marry, and return to Maxim’s estate Manderley in Cornwall. Manderley housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson) is not particularly kind to Mulva, constantly comparing her to Rebecca, Maxim’s first wife who died in a boating accident. The more answers Mulva discovers about Rebecca, the more questions she has for Maxim. And if your movie is about a beautiful, psychologically manipulated woman, Alfred Hitchcock and David O. Selznick are the domineering men for the job.

Why It Matters: The NFR calls the film “stylish, suspenseful and a classic”, and declares Hitchcock the “perfect cinematic interpreter” for the novel.

But Does It Really?: On the Hitchcock scale, “Rebecca” may not crack the top five, but B+ Hitchcock is still more suspenseful than most director’s A+. The whole movie is a step up from your standard studio film, with top-notch performances and production values, plus the haunting aura that pervades the entire film. Its only major flaws are the Code-mandated changes from page to screen that bog down the third act. We’ve got plenty of Hitchcock on this list, but there’s still room for “Rebecca”.

Seriously, Oscars?: Facing such stiff competition as “The Philadelphia Story”, “Pinocchio”, and “The Grapes of Wrath”,  “Rebecca” only took home two Oscars, but the powerhouse that was David O. Selznick made sure one of those wins was Best Picture (the other was for George Barnes’ cinematography). “Rebecca” is the most recent Best Picture winner to not receive any awards for directing, writing, or acting. After losing to Ginger Rogers for “Kitty Foyle”, Joan Fontaine would take home Best Actress the next year for another Hitchcock film: “Suspicion”. “Rebecca” was Hitchcock’s first of five unsuccessful Best Director nominations.

Other notes

• David O. Selznick lured Alfred Hitchcock to America based on the success of Hitch’s “The 39 Steps” and “The Lady Vanishes” in his native England. The two clashed immediately: Hitchcock detested Selznick’s constant interference and barred him from the set, while Selznick was irritated by Hitch cutting his films in-camera, giving Selznick minimum control over the editing process. Less pleased was author Daphne du Maurier, who was disappointed with Hitchcock’s previous adaptation of her novel “Jamaica Inn” and considered revoking the film rights to “Rebecca”.
• Unsatisfied with the mansions scouted on location, Selznick opted to create Manderley using a large, detailed model. It’s noticeable in the shots where a (toy) car approaches the manor, but it does allow Hitch et al to shoot an impressive opening shot.

• I completely understand the creative decision to keep Mulva unnamed, but it seems like everyone goes out of their way not to say her name.
• I was not expecting the first part of this movie to be so romantic. It helps that Olivier and Fontaine are undeniably charming.
• Speaking of, I’m not as familiar with Joan Fontaine’s work as I am with her sister’s: Olivia de Havilland. Fontaine does a lovely job conveying Mulva’s natural grace, yet severe discomfort. Coincidentally, de Havilland was also considered for Mulva.
• Everyone’s great, but the MVP is Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers. It’s the flashiest part, and Anderson nails it with her crisp line deliveries and economy of movement. Anderson/Danvers’ standing as one of the great performances/screen villains is justified.

• Here’s a shocker for you: Hitchcock’s really good at suspense. I spent most of this movie taken in by its gothic vibe, to the point where certain scenes involving Rebecca gave me chills.
• Gladys Cooper is so young in this she’s playing the main character’s patronizing socialite sister.
• “You ought to have married a boy, someone of your own age”. Wait, I thought they were the same age. I don’t care how good an actor Olivier is, he’s not 20 years older than Joan Fontaine.
• I’m used to George Sanders’ later work, so it’s refreshing seeing him play a youthful cad. Jack’s the only character who seems to actually be having any fun.
• And then we get to the costume party subplot and the creepiness really ramps up. Judith Anderson is playing up the more obsessive/possessive side of Mrs. Danvers, and you can definitely read the lesbian subtext in the Danvers-Rebecca relationship.

• This movie would pass the Bechdel test if it met the criteria of both characters having names. You screwed the pooch, du Maurier.
• [Spoilers] In the original novel, Maxim did in fact kill Rebecca. The Hays Code decreed that if the film version kept this plot point, Maxim would have to be punished for his crime. The film changes it so that Rebecca dies accidentally, but a panic-stricken Maxim covers up any evidence that suggests he murdered her. It’s a clever workaround, but it does rob the story of its power.

• Once we get to the inquiry, the film shifts gears a bit. Everyone’s very good, and the suspense is still there; it just never hits the same heights as the second act. There’s also a large portion of the third act where Mulva is sidelined, or disappears completely.
• Hitchcock’s cameo is near the end, and is very easy to miss. He walks behind Jack with his back to the camera.
• Mulva’s absence also prevents the finale from being as powerful as it could have been. There’s still some unforgettable imagery, but it feels tacked on.

Legacy

• “Rebecca” was Alfred Hitchcock’s first American film, and is one of eight of his movies to make the NFR (so far).
• The novel of “Rebecca” has never gone out of print since its first publication 80 years ago. There have been a few approved sequel novels, but you don’t see any classic movies being made about them.
• Subsequent adaptations of the novel include an Orson Welles radio drama, two British film adaptations, and several stage versions, including the ill-fated Broadway musical.

• Now I guess Netflix is doing a remake? But hey, what isn’t Netflix green-lighting these days?
• Daphne du Maurier wrote another story that would be adapted into a Hitchcock movie: “The Birds”.

• “Rebecca” has proven itself as comic fodder for two sketch comedy series: “The Carol Burnett Show” [Footage Not Available], and “That Mitchell and Webb Look”.

375 films isn’t a noteworthy milestone at first glance, but at the current NFR standing of 750 films, this is the halfway point. Well, actually it’s A halfway point. The NFR will keep adding movies every December, so I better keep going.

Happy Viewing,

Tony

#374) Lives of Performers (1972)

OR “I Won’t Dance”

Directed & Written by Yvonne Rainer

Class of 2017

No trailer, but here’s a clip. Please note the music is not part of the original film.

The Plot: “Lives of Performers” blurs the line between fiction and reality in a deconstruction of Yvonne Rainer’s dance routine “Walk, She Said”. Rehearsals are presented through footage out of sync with its audio, still photos, and candid conversations between Rainer and her performers. The final result is experimental dance conveying a love triangle from multiple viewpoints, simultaneously engaging and disengaging the viewer.

Why It Matters: The NFR gives a rundown of Yvonne Rainer’s place in the world of dance and calls the film “a stark and revealing examination of romantic alliances”…which is the same description used by the film’s distributor Zeitgeist Films.

But Does It Really?: I confess that I went into “Lives of Performers” with zero knowledge of the film or Yvonne Rainer, and was quite perplexed by the whole experience. Having now done my homework, the film makes a lot more sense. “Lives of Performers” isn’t my cup of tea, but I can appreciate what Yvonne Rainer is trying to do in her feminist dissection of the melodrama (at least I think that’s what she’s doing here). A pass for “Lives of Performers” and its NFR induction, though I highly recommend doing your research before viewing.

Everybody Gets One: Born in San Francisco, Yvonne Rainer was introduced to a variety of arts at a young age, including ballet, opera, foreign cinema, poetry, and jazz. After moving to New York, Rainer studied modern dance with such well-known instructors as Martha Graham, though most of them doubted her future as a dancer. Undeterred, Rainer pivoted to choreography, founding the Judson Dance Company and choreographing many experimental, political pieces. By the late ‘60s she had been dabbling in short films, and “Lives of Performers” was Yvonne’s first full-length movie.

Wow, That’s Dated: Besides the ‘70s hairstyles, your only giveaway is the use of the Rolling Stones B-side “No Expectations” during the film’s final moments.

Seriously, Oscars?: Unsurprisingly for an experimental film with almost zero information available on the internet, “Lives of Performers” was not nominated for an Oscar in any category. Also unsurprisingly, outside a few critics awards and film festivals, Yvonne Rainer has received little hardware for her movies.

Other notes

• In order to better understand Yvonne Rainer, I recommend taking a look at her 1965 “No Manifesto”. This essay includes many of her dance guidelines including: No to spectacle, No to style, No to involvement of performer or spectator, and No to moving or being moved. Rainer’s style of dance doesn’t necessarily want to engage the audience, which I feel is key to comprehending “Lives of Performers”.
• Also important: Rainer enjoyed collaborating with both dancers and non-dancers in her piece. A majority of the performers in this film were not trained dancers.
• One of the sound consultants is named Gene de Fever. You probably know his brother: Starve de Fever. Thank you!
• From the get-go this movie is confusing. First off, this print is uncut, meaning the screen goes to black in-between reel changes, complete with film leader. Then we open with a large amount of silence, followed by out-of-synch audio. The barrier between movie and audience is clearly established and consistently enforced.
• One section of the movie is told with still photos, and thanks to Hollis Frampton, I’m now concerned those photos will be burned during their discussion.
• I did enjoy one of the performers’ comments on standing ovations during curtain calls: “Oh Christ, do we have to do this too?” The thought crosses my mind every time.
• Rainer’s love of minimalism is on full display here. Her work makes Jim Jarmusch’s films look like David Lean’s epics.
• “He wants a homosexual relationship, only with a woman instead of a man.” …wait, what?
• My favorite part of the film was watching the actors experiment with how a character enters a room. A montage shows Valda entering a scene with several different subtexts and emotions. The film successfully conveys the various colors an actor can bring to a performance.
• Fernando looks a lot like Adam Driver.
• Whose cat is that? Yvonne’s? And how come they don’t provide commentary on their performance?
• Anyone not actively participating in this movie spends a night in the box.
• The final performance – “Lulu” – is a series of tableaus based on the 1929 silent film “Pandora’s Box”. The “Pandora” influence is not mentioned in the movie; yet another piece of information you need to know going into “Lives of Performers”.
• Interestingly, the finale is when the performer’s lack of experience comes through. Most of them have visible difficulty holding perfectly still for the tableaus. It looks like the end credits to a “Police Squad!” episode.
• What I wouldn’t give to watch Yvonne Rainer and her non-professionals tackle a more conventional play like “The Odd Couple”.

Legacy

• Yvonne Rainer hasn’t made a film since 1996, but is still going strong in the dance community. Her most recent piece, 2015’s “The Concept of Dust, or How do you look when there’s nothing left to move?”, has performed around the world in the ensuing years. Rainer is the recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant and two Guggenheim Fellowships.