In this episode, I talk about Lynne Littman's 1983 film, "Testament." It's about how a mother and her children in a California town survive the aftermath of a nuclear bombing. We don't know who dropped the bombs, what has happened in the rest of the country, and we're not provided any political details. The film is solely about this family and how they confront the gradual and horrifying deterioration of their bodies due to radiation poisoning and the breakdown of society. Without a doubt, this is the most terrifying film I have ever seen. I talk about grief and loss, what makes the film so emotionally powerful, and the difference between watching it before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are spoilers in this episode.
Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon.
Subscribe to the Her Head in Films Newsletter.
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram.
Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan
Full show notes:
My Sources
Robert Eggers's 'The Witch' (2015)
Jean Negulesco's 'Humoresque' (1946)
Michael Curtiz's 'Mildred Pierce' (1945)
Mike Newell's 'Enchanted April' (1991)
Audrey Wells's 'Under the Tuscan Sun' (2003)
Michael Haneke's 'Funny Games' (1997)
Michael Haneke's 'Amour' (2012)
Jane Campion's 'Bright Star' (2009)
Jane Campion's 'In the Cut' (2003)
Wim Wenders's 'Wings of Desire' (1988)
Joachim Trier's 'Oslo August 31st' (2011)
Julie Dash's 'Daughters of the Dust' (1991)
George Sluizer's 'The Vanishing' (aka Spoorloos) (1988)
Olivier Assayas's 'Clouds of Sils Maria' (2014)
John Cassavetes's 'Opening Night' (1977)
Charles Laughton's 'The Night of the Hunter' (1955)
Theo Angelopoulos's 'Landscape in the Mist' (1988)
Jean-Pierre Melville's 'Le silence de la mer' (1949)
Jean Vigo's 'L'atalante' (1934)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Cinema: A to B
I Finally Watched...
Star Wars Escape Pod
Pod Meets World
Pop Culture Happy Hour