Wanda

A fairly low budget effort but not without some interesting scenes, made even more interesting by decent performances from its two principals actors. Towards the end it seemed to wander a bit unsteadily, but then it ends in a haunting and memorably sad, final scene. Overall I would say its worth a watch, even though it falls short of being truly great.

Saw 3/13/17, TCM on demand. Robert Bresson/Chantal Akerman/Frederick Wiseman come to the Pennsylvania coal country. "Wanda" prophetically showcases a world inhabited by a class of people Charles Murray would write about forty years later, as neglected and marginalized then as now. Maybe it's not a film for everybody, but I found myself involved in Wanda's story, a tale of drabness set in a world in a state of persistent, low-energy panic. Loden placed supreme confidence in camera, microphone, story, and her people. And the movie worked for me. The film TCM showed had been lovingly restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive in 2010.

Sheez, what a depressing film. I think a lot of people can identify with it. A woman has no direction and no hope. She just sinks lower and lower without anyone to help her.

The film is slow and has quite a few unneccesary scenes, just like Wanda's life.

It is amazing a woman got this project made and was allowed to direct. I'm glad it exists as tribute to her. She passed away far too young. I hope her life wasn't as bleak as this story.

Not sure if I heard about this from the UCLA Film School (it has a sort of "Killer of Sheep" at the start) or was it in connection to Chopin's "The Awakening" which maybe Loden was going to try to film.

Anyways, the film does launch with a scene that feels like Kiarostami transplanted to coal country in Pennsylvania. The coal oppressively comes right up the characters' doorsteps. The film does have 70's gritty verite vibe, and is definitely distinct from say "Bonnie and Clyde" or "Natural Born Killers" despite sharing a sort of "meet brute" crime spree.

The character of Wanda is sort of a tumbleweed, rootless and and renounced by everyone including herself. Weirdly, Mr. Dennis is a very very misguided way sort of builds confidence in her, but it may be a con man's confidence.

So while I'm kinda fond'a Wanda it is a despond'a - well-suited for my Sunday evening blues watch. Despite a relatively simple story, it is somehow a compelling watch. And not just for the old cars and hairdos.

There is an unshakeable sense that there might be more to Wanda then meets the eye.

And maybe that's where Barbara Loder steps in. The end credits, I did not know the multiple nature of Loder in this. And listening to the supplemental DVD items, she puts Dick Cavett in his place gently but firmly. Now diving into the "I am Wanda" documentary, and reading about Elia Kazan and other family facts.

However vulnerable Wanda may have seen, I am impressed by the strength and resolve of Barbara Loden. Sure wish she had lasted longer, but would welcome hearing about her off off broadway plays in her latter years. I will look for her two other short films.

I expect elements of grace under pressure and neglect.

I do think Ms Loden was in multiple ways Wanda, although on the surface the role was lifted from an old newspaper crime report of a woman who was arrested as a criminal accomplice and given 20 years in prison and thanked the judge. Wow.

Maybe there is a divide of Wander / Wonder - the portrayed character her certainly is a wanderer while the creator of this remains quite a wonder. RIP 9/5/1980.

Please do seek out the documentary if you at all are drawn to the main film.

Mousy, uneducated, impoverished Wanda falls for a sleazy small-time crook, and they hit the road together. This movie has everything going against it--it's very low-key, cheaply made (dig that shaking camera), and paced only a little more swiftly than your average Andy Warhol film. But even though it plays like a cut-rate "Badlands," it succeeds powerfully in evoking sympathy for its pathetic title character. Its slow pace gives it a meditative quality for the patient viewer. Depressing but memorable; it should be more widely seen.