S2E3 Women's History Month w/ Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962) & The Hitch-Hiker (53)

Philena Franklin returns for our National Women's History Month episode. Yes, Old Movies for Young Stoners has been a real sausage fest with nothing but films directed by MEN, so, like much of corporate America, we decided to rectify that for at least one episode with our salute to the work of women directors. First, we go to France for CLEO FROM 5 TO 7 (1962), a masterpiece from Agnès Varda, the mother--or grandmother--of the French New Wave. The film is told nearly in real time as an up-and-coming pop singer named Cléo spends two hours waiting for the results of a cancer test. It's not nearly as depressing as it sounds as the film is full of wonderful shots of the streets of Paris in the early 60s plus gorgeous fashions and a street performer who eats living frogs. Then we go to Hollywood for movie-star-turned-director Ida Lupino's tense noir, THE HITCH-HIKER (1953) where a couple of guys out on a fishing trip pick up a dude thumbing a ride who turns out to be a serial killer. Told in a very no-nonsense old Hollywood style, this movie wasn't nearly stony enough for Cory and Philena. Cory was still fascinated by its dom/sub subtext, but Philena was still willing to throw poor Ida Lupino under a bus, and in our Women's History Month episode no less! This ep also features a tribute to Raquel Welch, a little bit of Oscars and Cocaine Bear talk + some scathing criticism of the town of Santa Clarita, home of Magic Mountain. Co-hosts: Philena Franklin, Bob Calhoun & Cory Sklar. Greg Franklin is on assignment. Contact: oldmoviesforyoungstoners AT gmail DOT com