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For this Special Thursday Cinema Night, first up is Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), a drama-comedy based on Fannie Flagg’s best-selling 1987 novel. It is about a Southern housewife (Kathy Bates) who hears stories from an old woman (Jessica Tandy) in the nursing home, regarding the old lady’s spirited sister-in-law in 1920s Alabama, who got up to all sorts of adventures, often at least somewhat comical, in her years of owning a restaurant. These stories of a strong, independent woman from the past inspire the protagonist to be more assertive in the present. This is the only well-regarded work to date of director Jon Avnet, who is otherwise known for the infamous Al Pacino flop 88 Minutes (2007). This is really popular on Letterboxd, and was a favorite of moms everywhere in the 90s.

After that is Black Orpheus (1959), a retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice’s doomed romance in the favelas of 1950s Brazil, during Carnivale time. Eurydice comes to Rio, she and Orpheus fall in love with each other, and then she disappears, forcing Orpheus to descend into the underworld, here reconceived as a dreamscape of exotic dances and musical numbers. The film received rave reviews at the time, winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1959, as well as the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. It is still generally well-regarded, and one of the most famous Brazilian films ever. It is by far the best-known and best-regarded film of director Marcel Camus; he is a one-hit wonder.

We’ll start at 8PM EST on Blorptube, right here:

https://blorp.bot.nu/o/visual_cuisine

Be there, comrades!

Letterboxd:

Doesthedogdie.com links:

CWs for Fried Green Tomatoes:

  • Domestic violence.
  • Stalking violence.
  • Drug addiction.
  • Alcohol abuse.
  • Bugs.
  • Bullying.
  • Someone’s mouth is covered.
  • Someone is physically restrained.
  • Torture.
  • Whipping.
  • Slapping of woman.
  • Amputation.
  • Cannibalism.
  • Unconsciousness.
  • Someone falls down stairs.
  • Kidnapping of infant.
  • Death of child.
  • Death of parent.
  • Cancer.
  • Natural bodies of water.
  • Someone is eaten alive.
  • Spitting.
  • Needles.
  • Hospital scene.
  • Mental illness.
  • PTSD.
  • Crying baby.
  • Screaming.
  • Profanity.
  • Racial slurs.
  • Babies.
  • Hate speech.
  • “Man in dress” jokes.
  • Death of LGBT person.
  • Discussion of religion.
  • Terminal illness.
  • Chronic illness.
  • Homelessness.
  • Car crash.
  • Honking horns.
  • Screeching tires.
  • Blood and gore.

CWs for Black Orpheus:

  • Electric shocks.
  • Implied sex.
  • Objectification of female characters.
  • Profanity.
  • Misogyny.
  • Stalking.
  • Death by falling.
  • Sad ending.

Links to movies: