Category Archives: art house cinema

Have I Got A Girl For You: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Dec. 2021 Edition, Vol. 35mm

Have I  Got A Girl For You: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Dec. 2021 Edition, Vol. 35mm    ‘Tis the season for gift giving and avaricious wishful thinking and while the members of the militant pseudo-feminist movement (“Declare your independence, then … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, black cinema, books, History, horror, Movies, Mystery, Romance, women | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: Classic Film Image Photo Quiz, Nov. 2021 Edition, Vol. 3000

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Nov. 2021 Edition, Vol. 3000 At a time when it seems that every authoritarian agency, whether governmental or private (with the line between the two often obscure or nonexistent), of … Continue reading

Posted in animation, art house cinema, biography, books, Boston, crime, Drive-In Movies, Movies, Mystery, women, writing | 4 Comments

Horse Sense: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, May 2021 Edition, Vol. 6 Hands

HORSE SENSE: CLASSIC FILM IMAGES PHOTO QUIZ, MAY 2021 EDITION, VOL. 6 HANDS      If the current pandemic teaches us anything (a supposition which for reasons only a scientific investigation the size of the Manhattan Project might begin to unravel … Continue reading

Posted in Africa, art house cinema, biography, books, Drive-In Movies, Movies, photography, Romance, westerns, women, writing | 3 Comments

Isn’t Running a Sign You’re Up to No-Good?: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Apr. 2021 Edition, Vol. 26.2

Isn’t Running a Sign You’re Up to No-Good?: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Apr. 2021 Edition, Vol. 26.2      With this year’s upcoming cancelled running of the Boston Marathon, there is little reason for the annual Patriot’s Day holiday … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, biography, books, Boston, British films, crime, Drive-In Movies, grindhouse, Movies, Mystery, politics, women, writing | 5 Comments

‘Tis the Season of Excess: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Dec. 2020 Edition, Vol. 3,000,000,000

‘Tis the Season of Excess: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Dec. 2020 Edition, Vol. 3,000,000,000 If anything might be guaranteed to emanate on a continuous basis from the deeply humanist and selfless communal mindset that is at the core of … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, biography, books, History, Italian cinema, Movies, photography, Romance, Santa Claus, silent movies, westerns, women, writing | 3 Comments

It Came From the File Cabinet: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Late Aug./Early Sept. 2020 Edition, Vol. 47

It Came From the File Cabinet: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Late Aug./Early Sept. 2020 Edition, Vol. 47      It is with great sorrow that we at Chandler Swain Reviews regret to inform you that our traditional method of … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, biography, Blaxploitation, books, British films, comedy, Drive-In Movies, History, horror, Movies, women, writing | 3 Comments

Mirror, Mirror: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, July 2020 Edition, Vol. XI-IX

Mirror, Mirror:  Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, July 2020 Edition, Vol. XI-IX     History seems fated to repeat itself. The Age of the Selfie is the direct antecedent of the Golden Age of Mirror Gazing and both depend on … Continue reading

Posted in Alfred Hitchcock, art house cinema, books, Boston, comedy, crime, horror, Movies, women, writing | 3 Comments

Still Lives: “Kärlekens Krigare” (2009)

     “Kärlekens Krigare”  (2009)     Simon Staho’s “Kärlekens Krigare” ( “Warriors of Love”) is an interesting  use of the limited regressive tools of filmmaking resulting by ignoring just over a century’s worth of accumulated advances in style and … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, movie reviews, Movies, photography, Reviews, Romance, Swedish cinema, women, writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Going to the Chapel: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Nov. 2019 Edition, Vol. XXXI

Going to the Chapel:  Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Nov. 2019 Edition, Vol. XXXI     This month’s offering comes with the dual purpose of pointing out the intellectual deficiencies of our readers (glad to do it) and to seek … Continue reading

Posted in Alfred Hitchcock, animation, art house cinema, books, British films, History, humor, Movies, politics, religion, writing | 4 Comments

“That’s Where the Money Is”: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Oct. 2019 Edition, Vol. 2%

“That’s Where the Money Is”:  Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, Oct. 2019 Edition, Vol. 2% Consistent with our desire to occasionally present what might be leniently considered a public service in order to maintain a favorable tax status and to … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, books, Boston, British films, Canada, crime, film noir, Movies, Mystery, photography, westerns, writing | Tagged | 5 Comments

Dear Cinema Santa: 2018 Edition

         Dear Cinema Santa:  2018 Edition     Once again dear friends (and you folks in Vermont) it is that time to weigh in on the past year’s accumulation of greedy impulses and dissatisfaction with the world … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, blogging, Boston, Christmas, holidays, humor, Mai Zetterling., Movies, theater, vermont, women, writing | 5 Comments

Ups and Downs: “The Man Who Skied Down Everest” (1975)

     “The Man Who Skied Down Everest”  (1975)     When George Mallory famously responded to the question as to why he wanted to climb Mount Everest with the seemingly flippant remark- “Because it’s there” -his brief answer would … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, biography, Documentaries, History, movie reviews, Movies, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Sleeping Around: “Submission” (1969)

                  “Submission”  (1969)     Audiences seeking erotic satisfaction solely for its own sake could do worse than Allen Savage’s obscure but bizarre softcore effort “Submission”; and this is only considering that … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, erotica, grindhouse, movie reviews, Movies, sex, women, writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Feather Dusting: “Le Journal d’une femme de chambre” (1964)

        “Le Journal d’une femme de chambre”  (1964)     Considering the rich mining afforded by Octave Mirbeau’s 1900 novel “Le Journal d’une femme de chamber”, a work encompassing pointedly satiric critical observations on class, sexuality and … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, books, French cinema, Jeanne Moreau, Luis Bunuel, movie remakes, Movies, women, writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

“Fear and Desire” (1953)

        “Fear and Desire”  (1953)     Stanley Kubrick’s feature debut (after three short subjects) as photographer, editor, producer and director, “Fear and Desire”, is an extremely low budget war drama with art house pretensions. It is … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, Boston, movie reviews, Movies, Reviews, Stanley Kurbick, war movies, women, writing | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Internal Obsession: “Love” (2015)

              Internal Obsession:  “Love”  (2015)     “Love” is Gaspar Noé’s least controversial and most emotionally accessible film to date; an astonishing statement when one considers that the film is liberally packed with scenes … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, French cinema, movie reviews, Movies, pornography, Romance, sex, women, writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Scorched: “Suntan” (2016)

        Scorched:  “Suntan”  (2016)  A caveat: the following review may hint at details distressing to viewers who wish to experience a completely fresh viewing of the film.     Argyris Papadimitropoulos’ “Suntan” follows the disastrous trajectory of … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, movie reviews, Movies, Romance, sex, women, writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Descent of Dissent: “Punishment Park” (1971)

               “Punishment Park”  (1971)     Acts of provocation are certainly the prerogative of the artist- it is one of the essential nutrients fueling that elusive but ever evolving abstractive absolute known as Art  … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, Documentaries, movie reviews, Movies, politics, Reviews, writing | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Shades of Gray: “Juste avant la nuit” (1971)

        “Juste avant la nuit”   (1971)      If Claude Chabrol is casually regarded as the Gallic Hitchcock, the too easily accepted comparison betrays a basic misunderstanding of not only the French filmmaker but of the … Continue reading

Posted in Alfred Hitchcock, art house cinema, Claude Chabrol, crime, erotica, Film, Film Reviews, French movies, movie reviews, Movies, Mystery, Reviews, writing | 4 Comments

Blue Lives Matter: Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, November 2015 Edition, Vol 10-4

BLUE LIVES MATTER:  CLASSIC FILM IMAGES PHOTO QUIZ, NOV. 2015 EDITION, VOL. 10-4      Consider for a moment the sad state of societal disorder in which divisive intolerance has become a favored substitution for erudite enlightenment and a ludicrous … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, books, crime, Culture, Film, Movies, photography, politics, racism, Reviews, Steve McQueen, vermont, writing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Zzzzzzz: CLASSIC FILM PHOTO QUIZ, JUNE 2015 EDITION, VOL. 987654321

Zzzzzzz:  Classic Film Photo Quiz, June 2015 Edition, Vol. 987654321      Another month has come and gone and that can only mean one thing (well, actually it could mean several things, but time is short, though not as short … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, comedy, erotica, fantasy, Film, horror, humor, Movies, photography, Puzzles, Romance, science fiction, women | Leave a comment

Lest Old Acquaintances Be Forgot: Jan. 2015 Classic Film Images Quiz, Vol. 39

With the passing of another year, it’s time to stop and reflect on those whose ghostly reflections will forever remain fixed in the cinema firmament even as they have left our mortal acquaintance. The following twelve images feature but a … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, blogs, Movies, Puzzles, Reviews, science fiction, war movies, women | 1 Comment

MONTHLY PHOTO QUIZ VOL. 8

“THE OUTLOOK IS DOUBTFUL”- MAGIC 8 BALL EDITION: JUNE 2014  CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ, VOL. 8 Welcome to another edition of the monthly Classic Film Images quiz. Today we are doing a bit of Spring cleaning by shaking out the … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, Entertainment, espionage, Film, horror, Movies, Puzzles, Sean Connery, silent movies, war movies, women | 2 Comments

CLASSIC FILM IMAGES PHOTO QUIZ: VOL. 690

SINEMA CINEMA, FOREPLAY EDITION: MARCH 2014 CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ, VOL. 690 Despite the resultant smoking craters, scattered casualties and ruined lives left in permanent disarray by way of recent unfortunate events- no we’re not referring to the unrest in … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, blogging, blogs, books, cinema, erotica, Film, Film Reviews, grindhouse, History, humor, movie reviews, Movies, Reviews, Romance, sex, women, Woody Allen, writing | 1 Comment

Classic Film Images Photo Quiz: Vol. 2014

YOU’VE NEVER LOOKED BETTER, NOW THAT YOUR FACE IS PARALYZED WITH BOTOX:  JANUARY 2014 CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ, VOL. 2014      Here we are again with America’s favorite waste of time, the monthly Classic Film Images Quiz, brought to you … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, blogging, cinema, Culture, Drive-In Movies, Film, Film Reviews, humor, Jean-Louis Trintignant, John Wayne, movie reviews, Movies, Puzzles, Reviews, women | 1 Comment

All Dressed Up and No Place To Go: “The Girl on a Motorcycle” (1968)

      Something remarkable happens when famed cinematographers turn their attention to directing; its as if their exquisitely subtle sense of judgment in manipulating light has left them completely in the dark in terms of distinguishing between the illuminating and … Continue reading

Posted in 1960's cinema, 1960's movies, art house cinema, Film, Film Reviews, movie reviews, Movies, Reviews, women | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

MONTHLY PHOTO QUIZ VOL. 441

HISTORY IS OLD NEWS: SEPTEMBER CLASSIC FILM IMAGES Ah, the good old days. Plagues, extinction level meteors, worldwide armed conflicts, the career of Elizabeth Taylor. OK, so maybe the past was hideous, filled with horrific events that will disturb Mankind … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, cinema, Culture, Entertainment, Film, History, Italian cinema, Movies, Romance, science, war movies, women | 4 Comments

Disconnected: “The Girlfriend Experience” (2009)

    Steven Soderbergh’s quickie experimental feature “The Girlfriend Experience” is not so experimental as formless, featuring his usual linear dislocation which by now is becoming an annoying personal affectation without organic point to his narratives. A fractured portrait of … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, cinema, Film, Film Reviews, movie reviews, Movies, Reviews, sex, women | Tagged , | 2 Comments

MONTHLY PHOTO QUIZ VOL. 433

Despite the best efforts of the Millennials (a.k.a., the Generation Y, as in “Y do they exist?” collective) to dismiss the very existence of anyone over the age of 30 (which puts the elder of their clique against the firing … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, cinema, Culture, drive-in cinema, Drive-In Movies, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, French movies, horror, Italian cinema, movie reviews, Movies | Leave a comment

MONTHLY PHOTO QUIZ VOL. 432

A FACE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS:  JULY CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ During this month of mindless summer entertainment, it would be a good time to reflect on those glamorous images of yesteryear, those faces that filled the silver screen … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, cinema, Culture, Film, Italian cinema, Movies, Puzzles | Leave a comment

Sleepwalking: “Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari” (1920)

     Universally regarded as a landmark in German Expressionistic cinema and one of the first important horror films, Robert Weine’s 1920 “Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari” is many things: a breakthrough in films penetrating the unconscious mind, one of the … Continue reading

Posted in 1920's cinema, art house cinema, cinema, Film, Film Reviews, German cinema, horror films, movie reviews, Movies, Reviews, silent films, silent movies | Tagged , | 2 Comments

ORWELL LITE: “ALPHAVILLE, UNE ETRANGE AVENTURE DE LEMMY CAUTION” (1965)

     One of the interesting characteristics of many of the young men associated with La Nouvelle Vague was their affinity toward what in higher literary circles would be regarded as trashy pulp fiction. Francois Truffaut, for example, was drawn to … Continue reading

Posted in 1960's movies, art house cinema, cinema, Culture, Film, Film Reviews, French cinema, movie reviews, Movies, Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Shadow of Her Smile: “La doppia ora” (2009)

   A guest at a hotel leaps from the balcony to her death. A woman attends a speed dating ritual. A pair of budding lovers is accosted during an art heist. A woman begins seeing the phantom images of a … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, cinema, Film Reviews, Films, Italian cinema, Movies, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bottom of the Class: “Mes chères études” (2010)

       Emmanuelle Bercot’s “Mes chères études” (the title translates into “My Expensive Studies” as opposed to the English title “Student Services” which is reminiscent of far too many sniggery teen sex comedies) is a filmization of the pseudonymously penned book … Continue reading

Posted in art house cinema, Film Reviews, French cinema | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment