Review of Pale Flower (1964) by Tom B — 19 Jul 2011
Elegant artsy film about a dissolute gangster (zzz I know) who is bored with life who meets a crazed but cute gambler chick who is so cynical she needs harder thrills. She progresses from bigger stakes to heroin to enjoying watching the bored gangster kill someone, then while he is in jail she needs even bigger thrills so the psycho boy kills her.
The bored guy is poised between anguish and existential posing. Yes it's all about posing. Some really stupid popular directors get off on this poseur cinema but what is really being told is the story of those who extinguish their own life, believing their ego is a god.
Being bad holds a glamor for those rotting on their own vine, like your friend who wont give up smoking cuz he's such a badass, but when cancer hits he won't be so hardass anymore. All debts come due and there is no escape from the pain machine when we actively worship it instead of grow free of it.
Negativity feeds on souls. Does this movie understand this or just bask in coolness? Sort of in between. Some ppl can relate to falling for unstable ppl for a time. You always pay for it later.
This review of Pale Flower (1964) was written by Tom B on 19 Jul 2011.
Pale Flower has generally received very positive reviews.
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