Episode 7 - 60s: One-Location Movies Exploration

One-location Movie's Podcast

In the last episode, we talked about the One-Location Movies back in the 50s. Now, let's dive into the 60s movies. We go from a prison in France to a club in Mexico. Check out the list of movies in the description.

In "The Hole," a 1960 movie, it's all about breaking out of prison and dealing with betrayal. Since there's no music, every noise you hear is just what you'd hear in a real prison.

Another movie from the same year, "To Each Own Life," is set in Mexico City and shows a bunch of sex workers getting together in a club to ring in the New Year. Along the way, we see their struggles and letdowns.

Things get pretty confusing in this era. Take "Last Year at Marienbad" from France or Swedish films like "The Silence" and "Persona”. But the mysterious "The Exterminating Angel" from Mexico stands out. In this one, a rich group of people find themselves stuck in a fancy dinner party for no good reason, making us think about society, people, and relationships in some pretty strange situations.

The British cinema made waves with "Lord of the Flies," all about power, right and wrong, and what happens when we play with our wild side. And the Japanese achieved great success with "Woman in the Dunes," a captivating story set in a sandpit, reflecting on the struggles we all face.

But not every movie from this time was a winner. "Violated Angels" by Kōji Wakamatsu didn’t quite hit the mark like others did. I found it lacking in substance, so I chose not to include it in my curated list of '60s one-location movies.

Over in America, filmmakers are pushing the envelope with movies like "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" These films dig into dysfunctional families and their psychological troubles. Then, there's "They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?" which explores how desperation can lead people to be exploited in extreme situations. And let's not forget about "The Party," which brings the laughs within the one-location movie universe.

In the 50s and 60s, indie films started getting big in the US. Andy Warhol, famous for his art, gave experimental filmmaking a shot. His films were more about being creative than having big budgets. And when he started showing different sexual preferences on screen, it was a big deal, showing how society was changing.

In the mix of all 60s movies, those set in just one place let directors go wild with their creativity, breaking the rules and showing us what it means to be human, even in small spaces.