WHO ARE YOU, POLLY MAGOO?

WHO ARE YOU, POLLY MAGOO? (1966)

via Hulu Plus

2/3 Eclipse Series 9: The Delirious Fictions of William Klein

Eclipse is a special edition of Criterion Collection Films that are in the form of box sets of one director's work or sometime a cinematic theme. Most of the Eclipse collections are now on Hulu Plus and it's another way to sample a substantial palette of a certain director's style and to feel like a completist by watching a complete set of available films.

Quite a while ago, I decided to get started trying out the Eclipse set with Mr. Freedom (1969), directed by William Klein, who was a famous 50s and 60s fashion photographer who mostly made documentaries and was an American expatriate in France. Mr. Freedom was fairly narratively incoherent, but contained a lot of unique editing and bizarre imagery to sustain a viewing. It was also referred to as the most anti-American movie ever made by one critic, but it was so crazy it was hard to pick up the social commentary.

The earlier film in the collection (and I have one more film to complete this Eclipse set after this) provides pretty much the same kind of visual punch, although having it take place in the world of Paris fashion makes it a little more grounded. The ending is weird and definitely in inconclusive in the style of many art house films... but it definitely isn't boring and provides a very exciting visual snapshot of the sixties and revolutionary-style filmmaking.