Ep 60 - The Apartment

The Generation Splice

Here’s one from the vault! A late Mother’s Day episode all about one of Raquel’s favorites, THE APARTMENT. Raphael realizes that they actually hadn’t ever seen this film all the way through before. This was chosen by Raquel specifically to see if Raphael thought it held up – and they both agree that it still feels shockingly modern. Considering how the subject matter of THE APARTMENT seems frank today, it must have been shockingly risque back in 1960. Everything from the lighting, to the makeup, it all makes this film feel almost like a movie out of time. The topic of consent in sex and the social power dynamics that we talk about still day to day are explored here in a way that seems surprisingly prescient. Or is it that nothing has changed? Raquel wonders if this film shows the beginning of women taking control over their sexuality, or if it’s a condemnation of a sexist past. Or it could very well be both. Is this Billy Wilder’s best movie?? Both Raquel and Raphael seem to think so!

The Generation Splice is film podcast where retired psychologist Dr. Raquel Martinez, a Baby Boomer through & through, & her son Raphael Jose Martinez, a cranky millennial punk rocker/film writer, discuss various films through the lens of their generation & personal experiences. Every week one host picks a movie to dissect & see if they can splice together the generation gap via their love of film.

Feel free to write to us! Give us some film suggestions at [e-mail] or @gensplicepod on Twitter.

Raphael is on Twitter and Letterboxd at @citycelluloid. You can find his film writing at cinefile.info and film-cred.com