SEEING FACES IN MOVIES

Felicia is joined by John Pennington to discuss how Jean Renoir controlled chaos on the heels of an impending world war in his film The Rules of the Game (1939).

We chat about how the blocking and framing is incredibly important in this film, and how collaborating with his actors led to memorable interpretations of his script.

This is the series opener and I’m very excited to share this episode with you as it’s one of my all time favourite films and I think a perfectly encapsulation of his work.

Send us your thoughts on the episode by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: [email protected]

Find John here:
Letterboxd: @jtothep83
IG: @jtothp83

Listen to our previous episodes here:
The Brood (David Cronenberg 1979)

Sources:
Renoir, J., & Cardullo, B. (2005). Jean Renoir: Interviews. University Press of Mississippi.

Renoir, J., & Denny, N. (2004). My life and my films. Da Capo Press.

https://www.criterion.com/current/top-10-lists/201-roger-corman-s-top-10

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/308-the-rules-of-the-game-everyone-has-their-reasons

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/4613-staging-in-jean-renoir-s-the-rules-of-the-game

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2069-the-rules-of-the-game-tributes

https://unaffiliatedcritic.com/2021/01/the-rules-of-the-game-1939/

https://cinemafromthespectrum.com/2016/12/03/the-rules-of-the-game-review/

https://thecinephiliac.com/2015/03/04/rules-of-the-game-1939-and-its-inferiority-as-a-classic/

https://www.asharperfocus.com/rulesof.html

https://offscreen.com/view/honor_humanism

https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/renoir/#36

It’s bonus episode time.

In today’s Special Features episode Felicia is joined by Whitney Wasson to discuss Barbara Loden’s fearless masterpiece Wanda (1970).

We chat about why this film continues to stay relevant, and the silent influence it has had on many filmmakers over the years.

Send us your thoughts on the film and let us know by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: [email protected]

Follow Whitney here:
Website: https://soberrabbit.com/
IG: @soberrabbit

Outro Song:
Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill

Sources:
https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/6251-wanda-a-miracle

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/6237-defogging-wanda

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/6264-getting-to-know-barbara-loden?srsltid=AfmBOoooP6YYEMuasoPspBZcy481DCm2uI6X3EtBKGpxohAYYCR1ZVp-

Felicia is joined by Seth Vargas to discuss Arthur C. Miller’s brooding camera as it follows Jimmy Ringo in The Gunfighter (1950).

We chat about how the photography complements the stories ticking clock, and why the black and white imagery elevates this cerebral western.

This is the final episode in the Arthur C. Miller series and I’m so glad I finally highlighted another cinematographer on the show. I hope you’re inspired to watch more of his work and learn more about his craft.

Send us your thoughts on the episode by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: [email protected]

Find Seth here:
Movie Friends Podcast (website)
Twitter: @moviefriendspod
IG: @moviefriendspodcast
YouTube: @moviefriendspodcast

Listen to our previous episodes here:
Le Bonheur (Agnès Varda 1965)
Woman in the Dunes (Hiroshi Teshigahara 1964)
Late Spring (Yasujirō Ozu 1949)
True Stories (David Byrne 1986)

Sources:
Balshofer, Balshofer, F. J., & Miller, A. C. (n.d.). One reel a Week. University of California Press.

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/7149-the-gunfighter-you-can-t-go-home-again

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/7151-10-things-i-learned-the-gunfighter

https://jeffarnoldswest.com/2023/10/the-gunfighter-fox-1950-2/

https://alexonfilm.com/2023/04/29/the-gunfighter-1950/

https://theasc.com/articles/natural-lighting-for-interior-sets

Outro Song:
The Gunfighter by Alfred Newman

Felicia is joined by Darragh McGrath to discuss the harsh reality that Arthur C. Miller paints in The Prowler (1951).

We chat about his disinterest in soft focus lighting and why he preferred to soft images as close to real life, along with how well he adapted to the directors vision.

Send us your thoughts on the episode by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: [email protected]

Find Darragh here:
Letterboxd: @DarraghMcG
IG: @Dreamworlds_films

Listen to our previous episodes here:
Ace in the Hole (Billy Wilder 1951)
Straight Time (Ulu Grosbard 1978)
Minnie and Moskowitz (John Cassavetes 1971)
The Tarnished Angels (Douglas Sirk 1957)

Sources:
https://filmtalk.org/2014/12/05/evelyn-keyes-the-atmosphere-on-the-set-of-gone-with-the-wind-was-almost-partylike/

https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/the-prowler-bd/

https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/losey/

https://filmtalk.org/2014/12/05/evelyn-keyes-the-atmosphere-on-the-set-of-gone-with-the-wind-was-almost-partylike/

https://dfordoom-movieramblings.blogspot.com/2011/11/prowler-1951.html

https://www.tcm.com/articles/noir/338717/the-prowler-1951

Balshofer, Balshofer, F. J., & Miller, A. C. (n.d.). One reel a Week. University of California Press.

Outro Song:
Music from The Prowler by Lyn Murray

Felicia is joined by Bryan Loomis to discuss Arthur C. Miller’s imprint on one of cinema’s greatest achievements in cinematography, How Green Was My Valley (1941).

We chat about how he understood John Ford’s clear vision for this film and why the black and white imagery adds to the comfort reflected in this family’s story.

Send us your thoughts on the episode by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: [email protected]

Find Bryan here:
Website: PODCAST | What a Picture (whatapicturepod.com)
What a Picture Podcast: https://anchor.fm/what-a-picture

Listen to our previous episodes here:
All the President’s Men (D.O.P. Gordon Willis 1976)
I Was Born, But… (Yasujirō Ozu 1932)
Miracle in Milan (Vittorio De Sica 1951)

Sources:
Balshofer, Balshofer, F. J., & Miller, A. C. (n.d.). One reel a Week. University of California Press.

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/archive/interview/peter-bogdanovich-4/

https://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2011/05/10/john-fords-how-green-was-my-valley/

https://goldenglobes.com/articles/restored-hfpa-how-green-was-my-valley-1941/

https://moviecrashcourse.com/2019/03/12/how-green-was-my-valley-1941/

https://www.bbc.com/videos/c4nnj5llx66o

https://starsandletters.blogspot.com/2024/04/casting-how-green-was-my-valley.html

Outro Song:
Huw Walks Among the Daffodils by Alfred Newman