Ozu’s “A Hen in the Wind”
This weekend at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque I recommend 1948’s A Hen in the Wind (Sat. 5:15 pm; Sun. 6:30 pm) based on its director Yasujiro Ozu, who made such great Japanese classics as Late Spring and Tokyo Story. It sounds like a sad one–a woman prostituting herself to care for her child–but is probably subtle, sensitive, and wrenching.                         Â
Paul Thomas Anderson’s dad
I didn’t see The Master when it came out. Maybe you did, or at least you heard all the encomia for Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, as well as for the direction by Paul Thomas Anderson, who also wrote the script. Anderson has special relevance to us Clevelanders, especially Cleveland baby-boomers, who remember his dad Ernie’s Ghoulardi character and show. In the mid-sixties, Ghoulardi wore goofy makeup and performed outrageous schtick between segments of horror movies on local TV. He’s a legend.
Anyway, The Master received ho-hum reviews when my husband saw it. He’s showing it to give it a second chance. I’d love to know what you thought, if you saw it, and whether you want to see it again. If so, the Cinematheque gives you another chance Saturday at 7:00 pm and Sunday at 3:30 pm. Critics and viewers who were not my husband gave this film rave reviews.