ISTR that Brokeback Mountain featured at least three couples that were, in one way or another, dysfunctional at the very least, though perhaps not quite rising to the level of toxic, in and of themselves.
While I haven’t seen Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Prizzi’s Honor (1985), which had a similar theme, was great, IMHO.
Anjelica Houston was great in that movie.
Question is, was the dysfunction between Nicholson and Houston or Nicholson and Turner?
Yeah, I read about Sibel. She was really good, and I’ve noticed that the only movies made in my lifetime I like are foreign, despite watching at least 5x as many in English… If you liked the story, I would suggest to you Aki Kaurismaki’s last movie (I can’t remember the title, 2017 I think), although I think his best movies were the ones with Matti Pellonpaa.
I think Stacy Keach’s performance in “Fat City” is one of the best I ever saw… But the best performance I’ve ever seen is in the dysfunctional toxic domestic drama “A Woman Under The Influence” (which is on YouTube, along with other Cassavetes’ movies)… Gena Rowlands was just SO great. I’ve seen that movie 5 times, and always discover something in the background that I didn’t notice before, which is common among Cassavetes and Altman’s movies - they’re always better on the 2nd viewing.
Seems unnecessary to bring that up. When it came out that she’d done porn, it caused her family to disown her, and a lot of sniggering juvenile stuff about her ever since. Kekilli herself characterized what she went through after the revelation as Medienvergewaltigung (“media rape”). Also, she apparently had to block all access to her social media accounts from Turkey, because of, as I understand it, vile sexual harassment from accounts in that country (Kekilli was born in Germany of Turkish immigrant parents).
So why bring it up? Just let that story die.
Sorry if that seems like white-knighting, but it bugs me. Maybe because I know a woman very well who is forever haunted because of things she did in the past, with a photographic record, that maybe now she wishes she hadn’t done.
‘Dinner At Eight’ - most of the couples are a little bit - conflicted, if not exactly toxic. But Wallace Beery’s obnoxious grifter businessman and his wife Jean Harlow, a shrill trophy wife, have enough toxicity for all! She is sharp, crude, ambitious, and wants to move up in New York society - he wants to go work with politicians in Washington and she will have no part of it (she would feel buried alive). She is so young! but determined. Lets him have a piece of her mind with all her might!
I was going to post The Thin Man, given how much Nick and Nora Charles drink.
But then, they seem quite happy together. Obviously it works for them. So no, not a toxic couple.
We have very different cinematic tastes. It took me three sittings to get through Head-On and afterwards, I regretted every one of them. I would rank it among the worst films I’ve ever seen, but tbh, it probably wouldn’t crack the top 50, maybe not even the top 100; definitely the top 200, though.
I’ve seen a few Kaurismaki films – I almost liked Calamari Union (1985) – but haven’t cared for the others. His films are an acquired taste.
Imo, John Cassavetes’ greatest contribution to cinema was exploding at the end of The Fury (1978). As for his own films, I liked Gloria (1980), but virtually all of its entertainment value derives from the performance of Gena Rowlands (and the kid is kinda obnoxious at times). Apart from that, I saw Shadows (in college, not by choice) and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie and have no desire or intent to check out any of the others. To my eyes, they generally look long, self-indulgently improvised and masturbatory. I do not find that entertaining in any sense of the word.
If you enjoy watching movies where characters needlessly degrade themselves and others (including the viewer), I can think of no better film for you than…
I was clarifying your assertion that Head-On was “…one of her first (maybe her first) major roles.” No judgements were made or implied by my post, nor should be inferred.
Just about every movie ever done by Pedro Almoldovar.
Heathers.
Marriage Story
This has to win the prize! If there is anything more toxic than “toxic”, it was those two. The Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s were friendly neighbors compared to those two!
I did not sit through all of Brokeback Mountain in a go, but having seen many pieces of it, I got the impression that it was an unhealthy bouillabaisse of fucked up relationships.
Ah! Good point!
They brought it up because there’s one bias in the media – financial.
They knew a traditional Turkish family would disown a porn star.
Maybe? Maybe not? I definitely did not like “The Fury”, despite Kirk Douglas being in it, who I like. My favorite directors are De Sica, Visconti, Bresson, Bergman, Loach, Leigh, Cassavetes, Huston, Capra.I didn’t think “Head-On” was great, but when I’m able to finish a movie, its not bad. I scored it a 7/10. If it was created in the 70s, I might have rated it tougher, because of my expectations.
I didn’t like “Killing of a Chinese Bookie” at all… Same with “Gloria”, which was alright, but like you said, it’s good because of Gena, not that annoying kid.
Did you see “Shadows in Paradise” or “Ariel” - those are the ones I like by him… The only “Dog Days” I have seen was the good documentary about this homeless community underneath the subway. I saw it on YouTube, and hope its still there. “Salesman” was just on, and was on YouTube, too. I like the social documentaries like Seven-Up, Le Joli Mai, Chronicles of a Summer, but I doubt I’ll like the movie you listed. If I don’t like any characters in a movie, chances are I won’t like it…
Out of curiosity, what are your favorite movies and/or directors?
I’m not nearly as knowledgeable about film as you (not being sarcastic, it’s true). But I love Luchino Visconti’s films. I discovered them in high school. I had the good luck to live in NYC in those pre-VCR, pre-streaming days when there were “art house” movie theaters all over the place (and they were usually cheaper than the big first-run places!).
So, back to the topic, in Visconiti’s The Damned, there are several toxic couples.
While we’re on the subject of Sibel Kekilli, I know that Game of Thrones isn’t a movie. But her character’s (Shae’s) relationship with Tyrion Lannister (played by Peter Dinklage) is seriously dysfunctional, even toxic. Power imbalances, resentment, control issues, everything. And it ends really, really badly.
Favorite Directors? -
Posts #6 and 12
I think I tried to watch Ariel and did not last very long. Haven’t seen the other one. I do recall watching one where Pellonpaa and some other people were in jail, but don’t recall the title. It’s possible it was a Mika Kaurismaki film, not an Aki one.
I generally loathe the films of De Sica, Visconti and Cassavetes. Not a fan of Bergman, Bresson or Capra. Haven’t seen any films by Loach. I did see Naked and found it well-written, if unpleasant. Huston certainly made some interesting and iconic films, but also a number of bad and/or overrated ones.
All of which proves…we have very different tastes.