I don’t agree with their claim that Barbara Loden‘s Wanda “incontestably ranks among the cinema’s greatest masterpieces” — for one thing: I don’t know if a work of art could truly, “incontestably” be anything, least of all in any qualitative sense — but Cristina Álvarez López and Adrian Martin‘s video essay on the matter is as illuminating as any I’ve seen of late. The actress’ only directorial effort has been “growing in stature” since premiering more than 45 years ago, and especially in recent years — a time when its bare-bones DVD and increasingly frequent rep showings prove capable of practically shocking viewers out of their seats, its spare crime narrative and introverted character study seemingly dropped from out of nowhere.
The duo now offer their informed and informative take on Loden’s “sullen, implosive energy,” explored in this assemblage of clips and context-heavy voiceover from Martin. My generally chilly feelings towards the film — a work I tend to admire in its many bits and pieces but never exactly as a unified whole — are challenged by a barrage of proposed ideas, which is what any and all good criticism ought to do in just such a case. But that’s only my experience of it as one who’s actually seen the picture. If you haven’t, I not only hope this engages with whatever ideas about Wanda are eventually formed; I also hope those who haven’t seen it are simply encouraged to do so.
See the video essay below (via Fandor), as well as Loden’s appearance on The Mike Douglas Show alongside John Lennon and Yoko Ono: