Memory is a powerful tool when telling a story. Joanna Hogg knew this, even though she has admitted that she didn’t trust her own memories, hence why her autobiographical feature film, The Souvenir, was gestating for over thirty years, and only came into palpable existence this year. What specific impetus lead her to portray her…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
Missing Link (2019)
The late nineteenth century was a time of great scientific interest, with explorers and theorists from all around the world, specifically Europe, staking their claim to greatness by being the first person to make some enormous discovery that would doubtlessly see them enter the hallowed halls of history. One of the most significant theories of…
A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
“Mabel’s not crazy. She’s just…unusual” These words come on behalf of Nick Longhetti (Peter Falk) after one of his co-workers provokes him on a very sensitive subject. Mabel, of course, refers to Nick’s wife (Gena Rowlands), a housewife who does her very best to provide for her hard-working husband and three children, despite the fact…
Lenny (1974)
Lenny Bruce was an influential individual. Without him, there would not have been the likes of George Carlin, Richard Pryor or Bill Hicks, which in turn would mean comedy would have been very different, and probably far less important a force than it is now. Don’t let the preoccupation with jokes mislead you – comedy,…
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
In 1974, Tobe Hooper made his directorial debut with the feel-good family comedy of the year, the film that embodied the mantra of “live, laugh, love” and brought a sense of warmth and comfort to audiences everywhere, who doubtlessly went straight to their local travel agency and booked their one-way tickets to the American South,…
Dark Habits (1983)
A nightclub singer named Yolanda witnesses her troubled boyfriend overdose on heroin that she has given to him, and knowing that she is going to be the prime suspect in his death, from both the nosy police officers set to investigate the case, and the violent underworld figures that he had shady dealings with, she…
World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People’s Thoughts (2017)
Don Hertzfeldt is someone who has shifted the perception of animation throughout his career, and even though he is still relatively young by the standards of the industry, he has become extremely influential, and someone whose achievements are more indelible than most artists his age. Some of the most gorgeous animated films I have ever…
Fallen Angels (1995)
Hong Kong is a city of a million and one stories. We encounter two of them. A mysterious killer (Leon Lai) stalks the city at night, engaging in his job as an effective hitman, eliminating various people who unfortunately fallen on the wrong side of the influential underground figures that run the city, and dictate…
The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
Like many people, I was always aware of Quentin Crisp – he was, in his own words “one of the great stately homos of England”, and whether be his position as one of British culture’s most beloved writers and raconteurs, or his brief forays into acting from time to time (I’ll always remember his performance…
Benilde or the Virgin Mother (1975)
Benilde (Maria Amélia Matta) is an innocent young Portuguese woman who discovers something that sends everyone she knows into shock – somehow, she managed to become pregnant. Her explanation doesn’t make this news any less difficult to comprehend, as she believes that the baby was the product of divine intervention, with the young woman, who…
The Postmodern Pelican 