Julie Christie #8

"You have a very superior pelvis."

Imagine that line as one of cinema's great heartbreaking moments, because it is. I had doubts going into Richard Lester's Petulia, expecting a stereotypical 60s, counterculture romp. The first few minutes did nothing to ease my anxieties, but after the initial (and strange) meet cute, with leads Julie Christie and George C. Scott, the movie veers off into several wild directions. It's no 60s romp.

Scott and Christie make for a very strange, then believable, then fantastic couple after they both leave their spouses to start spending time together. They're both looking for a bit of freedom (Scott from his marriage and responsibilities, and Christie from a dark recent past shown in some flashbacks) and San Francisco, a budding countercultural melting pot, seems for them the right place to do it. With that much story set up, Lester feels free to throw in all kinds of side-stories and sub-plots to keep us from the end, and they work magnificently to create a whole.

And again, thank you, Mr. Nicolas Roeg, for existing. Anything you film is among the most aestheically pleasing ever produced on film.

As for Christie, she really takes a backseat to Scott's heart and soul character of the film, but she's great as the fish-out-of-water looking for anything to set her free (whether it be a man, or a tuba). This film fits nicely into my whole "we don't get to know Christie's characters very well" shpeel from a couple days ago. Petulia, I must note, was released in 1968, right in between Far From the Madding Crowd and The Go-Between.


Petulia: 9.3/10
Julie Christie in Petulia: 8.5/10

There are only two more films left in the Christie marathon: Demonseed (Yay!) and Shampoo (not too excited,really).

Julie Christie #4

There are many reasons to be excited about watching 1967's Far From the Madding Crowd: director John Schlesinger, of Billy Liar and Darling fame; legendary actor Peter Finch; fantastic actor Terrence Stamp; cinematography by one of the all-time greats Nicolas Roeg; and, of course, Julie Christie.

Thankfully, this three hour film, based on a Thomas Hardy novel about English farm life in the 19th century, is not a waste of time like some other films in this marathon. In fact, it's really good.

For three hours the film really doesn't have too much in the way of plot. A headstrong, young woman (Christie) inherits a large sheep farm, and also the attention of three different bachelors: the poor sheep farmer who's just lost everything (Alan Bates); the crotchety rich farmer who's never loved (Finch); and the violent, romantic bad-boy sergeant (Stamp). Romances and complications unfold very slowly over the course of the film. It confidently abandons a character for large stretches to really let another relationship flourish.

Every performance is fantastic, and Schlesinger handles a new genre very well. The scene where Stamps sergeant displays his sword skills for an amazed Christie was brilliantly erotic. But the real amazing aspects here are Nicolas Roeg's phenomenal camera work and Richard Rodney Bennett's haunting score. It's the camera and music that really draw out and emphasize the emotions of all the characters on screen.

As for Christie, she's great. Apparently, people didn't like this bit of casting, as she was then a huge movie star, but I thought she handled the headstrong/vulnerable tightrope walk with ease to burn.


Far From the Madding Crowd: 7.8/10
Julie Christie in Far From the Madding Crowd: 7.4/10


next up: the film that made Julie a star, Billy Liar