1. I subscribe to the Criterion Channel and among the many collections of movies available right now is a group of true crime films. A few days ago, I watched trailers on IMDb of three of these moves: The Valachi Papers, The Honeymoon Killers, and 10 Rillington Place. The last two, in particular, struck me as really disturbing. They were made around 1970-71, a time in movie making in the USA that intrigues me. The Motion Pictu re Production Code policing movies' content was no longer in place. Certain movie makers, liberated from this code, explored formerly banned content -- the spoken language in movies became more raw, the visual language less restricted, and many movies in the 1970s set out not to entertain audiences but to confront darker, less comforting elements of human life.
Independent film makers emerged, making movies on low budgets without studio support or restrictions and many of these movies were daring and disturbing.
The Honeymoon Killers is such a movie. Shot in flatly lit black/gray and white, it tells the story of two real life people, Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck who, by participating in a lonely hearts club, fleeced lonely women out of their money and, in some cases, killed them.
The movie is a study of deceit, depravity, loneliness, sociopathy, desperation, greed, jealousy, and cruelty.
Shirley Stoler brilliantly plays the role of Martha Beck, a lonely, desperate, authoritarian, deeply insecure, nurse. The con man Raymond Fernandez, a narcissistic manipulator, two bit hustler, and low life "lady's man" is played perfectly by Tony Lo Bianco.
I admired much about the art of this movie's production. I rarely watch horror movies. It was unlike me to watch this one. But knowing it was not shot in color, knowing when it was made, and being curious about its cinematic qualities as an independent movie, I watched it.
The movie's immediacy, its raw depravity, its colorless and often claustrophobic atmosphere made it difficult to endure. I doubt, though, that I will ever forget Shirley Stoler's chilling portrayal of the bitter, miserable, at times, pathetic, and deluded Martha Beck nor will I soon forget Tony Lo Bianco's portrayal of the unctuous, smooth talking flim flam man, Raymond Fernandez.
2. I needed to listen to some comforting music after watching this movie. Debbie told me that Bill Staines had passed away today and I played a video of him singing "Roseville Fair". I then turned to Guy Clark and "Dublin Blues". Debbie requested Chris Smither's performing "Happier Blue". I ended this mini concert with JJ Cale performing "Magnolia" and "Call Me the Breeze". It felt good to have the disturbing images and scenes from The Honeymoon Killers replaced in my mind with these superb songs.
3. I've had some discomfort return to my left foot. I've been resting it, but decided today to take a ten minute (or so) walk and see how it held up. It did fine and I'm thinking that more daily short walks is a good idea. I'll continue to test my foot's tolerance of walking and, I hope, regain some of the wind I've lost by not walking much at all for a while.
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