There was something so damned likeable about Claude Chabrol (June 24,1930 – September 12, 2010). He had a remarkable enthusiasm for films and the process of filmmaking which translated into an enthusiasm for life in general.  That enthusiasm was also the source of his extraordinary productivity – he directed and often co-wrote roughly one feature ... read more »

In 1976, Claude Chabrol made a special appearance at the Los Angeles Film Exposition (FILMEX). A friend tipped me off that he was staying at the Century Plaza Hotel, and that if I hung out in the lobby I was likely to run into him there. The tip paid off. I met Chabrol in the ... read more »

Why Ten Days’ Wonder? I certainly wouldn’t call it one of Chabrol’s masterpieces. That’s a description I’d reserve for Les Bonnes Femmes, Le Boucher, Á Double Tour, La Rupture, The Cry of the Owl, Story of Women, La Cérémonie, or any one of a half dozen others. No, the reason I chose Ten Days’ Wonder ... read more »

Alice (Sylvia Kristel) has an argument with her husband. She drives off into the pouring rain. There is an accident. When she wakes up, the sun is shining, but something is not quite right. She comes upon a stone wall that seems to have no beginning and no end. She meets various characters who are ... read more »

RECOMMENDED READING: In the September/October 2006 issue of Film Comment, writer/director Paul Schrader’s article on, “The Film Canon – What Constitutes a Cinematic Masterpiece.” This lengthy, absorbing essay has something for everyone. For the film theorist – a discussion of why there is or should be a film canon, and what criteria should be employed ... read more »