Introduction: 

The ‘60s was a vibrant decade for film, spawning movements like the French New Wave and producing classics like Bonnie and Clyde (1967) that changed the art form. Marking a departure from the stilted camerawork and clear storylines of the Studio Era, it provided a space for up-and-coming filmmakers to experiment with film as a medium. While surrealist films had existed for decades, the ‘60s saw a surge of them across cultures. For the first publication of The Herald’s film column, I’ll be talking about my favorites.

The Must-Sees:

1) Closely Watched Trains (1966)

This film is perfect for those who have considered trying out surrealist films but aren’t sure what to watch first. With a clear narrative that transitions into the occasional experimental scene, Closely Watched Trains follows Milôs, a young train dispatcher’s apprentice in the throes of burgeoning adulthood, while the Second World War rages on behind him. The characters are all unique, delightfully different people that bring the rural setting to life, participating in interactions that are honest, exasperated, and filled with a slight air of mischief.

2) Daisies (1966)

Daises follows the journey of two young women in urban Czechoslovakia, both named Marie, who embark on a series of self-destructive endeavours. Acting on every impulse, regardless of the consequences, the women trick their way into free dinner and accidentally light their apartment on fire. The playful, fast editing mirrors the anarchy present in the women’s everyday lives, and the bright color film (which switches between different colors throughout) captures the vivaciousness of one’s last days of girlhood.

3) The Color of Pomegranates (1969)

If you’re not familiar with surrealist film, this one will take some patience, but the breathtaking visuals will more than make up for the difficult to follow non-linear structure. Depicting the life of Medieval Armenian poet Sayat Nova, The Color of Pomegranates takes the audience through the rural village where he spent his childhood and the monastery where he started his life as a poet. The story relies heavily on visuals, which flash past the audience’s eyes, occasionally interspersed with quotations from his poetry.

4) DOUBLE FEATURE: The Alphabet (1969) and Six Figures Getting Sick (1967)

In the 1960s, director David Lynch (known best for Mulholland Drive) made a small number of short films during his time at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, in his pursuit of creating a “moving painting.” The first, Six Figures Getting Sick (1967) depicts six unique 3 dimensional figures in a loop. The loop shows the word “sick” in the corner of the screen, sometimes appearing to change to “look”, as though inviting the audience to peer further in. The second, The Alphabet (1969), follows the nightmare fever dream of an ill woman, as she repeats different letters of the alphabet. Using stop-motion, animation, and live action, the short film takes the audience through the woman’s recitation of each living representation of the letters, establishing the uncanniness that has come to define Lynch’s career. All in all, it should take less than 10 minutes to watch both shorts.

5) BONUS: La Piscine (1969)

While not a surrealist film, La Piscine (1969) is a ‘60s film that encapsulates the raw energy of summer, and which I think is perfect to watch as we all wring out the last days of warm weather. It captures the blistering heat, the days spent by the pool, and that feeling you get when you wake up and know instantly that today is a day best spent inside. Following the conflict between lovers Jean-Paul and Marianne (played by Alain Delon and Romy Schnieder) on the outskirts of St. Tropez, La Piscine is full of intrigue, emotional intensity, and figures lounging gracefully on the beach.

Conclusion:

Well, that’s it for me. All of the mentioned films can be found on the Criterion Channel. For any film requests regarding October’s horror round-up, or simply any suggestions in general about films you’d like to see covered, please email me at [email protected].