Sep 4, 2020
A strange back-to-school episode for a strange back-to-school year: we look at Amy Heckerling's LOSER (2000) and Whit Stillman's DAMSELS IN DISTRESS (2011), two comedies with very different, but equally dark, visions of class and university life in America, neither of which fared well with audiences or critics at the time. Dave defends the former as a blending of Capra and Wilder romantic comedy modes, while Elise makes the case for the latter as “a perfect movie”—maybe even “the only perfect movie.” All the trigger warnings for lots of discussion of roofies, anal, Ronald Firbank, and Whit Stillman's terrible political views, and irreverence about suicide.
Time Codes:
0h 01m 00s: Loser (2000) [dir: Amy Heckerling]
0h 40m 53s: Damsels in Distress (2011) [dir. Whit Stillman]
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* Check out our Complete Upcoming Episode Schedule
* Catch up with Dave’s fledgling Précis du cinema efforts on the Anagramsci Blog or on Letterboxd
* Find Elise’s latest film piece on Depression era film romance
*And Read lots of Elise’s Writing at Bright Wall/Dark Room, Cléo, and Bright Lights.*
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Theme Music:
“What’s Yr Take on Cassavetes?” – Le Tigre