When one thinks of Sir David Lean, we don’t normally associate him with breezy, lovable romantic comedies, despite the fact that he directed arguably the greatest screen romance ever committed to film in the form of Brief Encounter. Most of his career was defined by epic historical dramas and literary adaptations that were as lavish…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
Multiple Maniacs (1970)
When Tod Browning set out to make Freaks in 1932, he inadvertently started a grassroots movement that would rapidly grow amongst the underground filmmakers that dominated throughout most of the previous century since that revolutionary film started – finally, one didn’t need to fit into the confines of the studio system to be considered an…
The World to Come (2021)
Somewhere deep in The World to Come, there is a great film, the problem is that it never manages to get to that point. Mona Fastvold, in her directorial debut, made a film that is visually astonishing, but narratively paltry, every emotion feeling empty and the structure seeming like an afterthought. Not a necessarily bad…
Kotch (1971)
Individually, they were two of the greatest actors in the history of English-language cinema, but together they made pure magic. Over the course of their careers, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau established a legacy that continues to be the gold standard for film acting, with their numerous collaborations over the years yielding absolutely magnificent results….
Boudu Saved from Drowning (1932)
If anyone was going to make a film that deftly combined social satire with broadly slapstick comedy, it would be Jean Renoir. The esteemed French director was a cinematic pioneer that made some of the greatest films of their era, in a career that stretched across multiple decades. The 1930s were undeniably his most distinct…
The Virgin Suicides (1999)
As the adage goes, if at first you don’t succeed as an actor, try and become a world-renowned independent filmmaker. Sofia Coppola has had a fascinating ascent, going from the victim of derision for her undeniably poor work in The Godfather Part III, to changing gears entirely and taking up a secondary career as a…
Swan Song (2021)
Reality and fiction blur together in Swan Song, the most recent film from queer cinema pioneer Todd Stephens, who tells the allegedly true story of Pat Pitsenbarger, a retired hairdresser and former amateur drag queen who is brought out of retirement for one final client: his former best friend who has recently died, and insists…
The Ladykillers (1955)
When it comes to classic comedy, there are a few names that evoke a particular level of esteem and respect, either through their dominance in the industry, or the pedigree that has come to be associated with them. Ealing Studios had a reputation for producing some of the finest comedies to ever come out of…
Citizen Kane (1941)
It was a cold, rainy evening while I was working my way through the various television channels, when I suddenly came across a film by the title Citizen Kane. What a revelation to have discovered this obscure gem of a film, clearly produced for the B-movie market, and embedded deeply in the heart of late-night…
Permanent Vacation (1980)
Looking at the genesis of any director’s career is always a fascinating endeavour, particularly when dealing with those that you admire – seeing their roots presented in the form of their early work helps us critically judge their evolution as artists, and show their journey to becoming compelling storytellers. Jim Jarmusch is one of the…
The Postmodern Pelican 