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Daughters of Darkness (1971)
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I (everybody) missed Halloween this year due to the pandemic, and our long national nightmare is not yet over–at least for two more months–so what other better cinematic escapism than this arthouse-grindhouse mash-up about sexy (nude!) rich (Euro-trash-y) vampires! The result is artistic, arch and camp, and more than a little strange, as if the young R.W. Fassbinder made vampire movies about rich, predatory types. The budget is rather low but the cinematography is great as is the use of on-location shooting. Delphine Seyrig delivers another weird, knockout performance in a weirdly beautiful, nightmarish movie, recently restored and re-released in stunning 4K. If you liked Suspiria (either version) or any arty Giallo, you might also like this movie. It would make a great double feature with The Hunger (1983), which clearly was influenced by this film.
Grade: AThe Haunting (1963)
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The Innocents (1961)
These two ghost stories are among my favorite movies and make a great double feature because they share many stylistic similarities, including exquisite B&W cinematography, fabulous gothic mansion sets, creative sound design, superb acting and direction, and, of course, excellent screenplays adapted from great works by Shirley Jackson and Henry James, respectively. (Truman Capote worked on the adaptation of James’ story.)
Grade for both films: A+Baraka (1992)
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This evocative, poetic documentary directed by the revolutionary filmmaker Ron Fricke contrasts and compares ancient and modern civilizations and also the natural world versus human society, resulting in a profoundly dreamlike as well as nightmarish depiction of life on earth. The cinematography, editing, sound, soundtrack and score are phenomenal and mind-blowing. A masterpiece.
Grade: A+Vertigo (1958)
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My annual ritual in celebration of the new year is to rewatch one of the world’s best movies, and by many accounts, Vertigo is just such one of those movies, perhaps the best movie ever made. Hitchcock’s masterpiece always makes me nostalgic for old San Francisco — anyone who ever lived there in the past knows what I am talking about. Vertigo is such a breathtakingly gorgeous movie, and the new 4K release makes those delirious colors in Robert Burks’ dazzling Technicolor cinematography really pop — for example, the wallpaper at Ernie’s Restaurant, the flowers at Podesta Baldocchi, the sumptuous fabrics of Edith Head’s brilliant costumes, and the neon-sign-colored interior of Judy’s Tenderloin hotel room. There’s also the unforgettable title sequence by Saul Bass, and the trippy “special sequence” by John Ferren. Also, the music by Bernard Herrmann is sublime, perhaps the most beautiful movie score ever. I did notice, however, on this umpteenth viewing what a real jerk the lead character Scottie is — his acrophobia and sexual obsession result in three (!) deaths altogether. Sadly, we don’t have Hitchcock, or old San Francisco anymore, but we’ll always have Vertigo.
Grade: A+++
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