tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post515945352741800415..comments2024-03-28T01:36:10.408-04:00Comments on Dancin' Dan On Film: Bind Spot #3: Diary of a ChambermaidDanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-24398084044651818112015-03-25T17:55:29.765-04:002015-03-25T17:55:29.765-04:00Ah, I didn't think of that, although in 1964 t...Ah, I didn't think of that, although in 1964 that would have been during the height of the French New Wave, which started because of French critics watching American crime films from the 40's and 50's and wanting to make similar films while also putting their own spin on them. Maybe that had something to do with it?John Hitchcockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13373653979400552490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-44002919501119254552015-03-25T16:44:44.005-04:002015-03-25T16:44:44.005-04:00I realize that this all might have been quite scan...I realize that this all might have been quite scandalous to the eyes of people living in 1964, but would the Production Code really affected this film, which was made and primarily released in France?Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11480863610135936930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507748677937404511.post-87859356292085768592015-03-25T16:26:11.237-04:002015-03-25T16:26:11.237-04:00Interesting, I've never heard of this one and ...Interesting, I've never heard of this one and the only project of Luis Buñuel's I've actually seen is Un Chien Andalou (a very bizarre film in itself). From what you've said, it doesn't sound like anything particularly great, although I feel I should address your concerns about the lack of sex in this film.<br /><br />Diary of a Chambermaid came out in 1964, right around the end of the Production Code. It was first relaxed in the 1940's to allow for propaganda films about America's involvement in World War II, but over the following years and into the 1950's filmmakers were able to explore more controversial themes. However, just because the Production Code was relaxed doesn't mean it wasn't enforced on some level. There was still only so much people could get away with. It was starting in the 1950's and into the 60's that there was a series of legal cases which eventually brought an end to the Studio Era. <br /><br />By the 1960's there was a lot more people could get away with, but it was still hard to show sex in any explicit form. A lot of films touching on sexual themes had to use extreme caution at the time. Something similar to what you described happened with Stanley Kubrick's Lolita, a film about a pedophilia in which all of the actual sex happens off-screen and is mostly only alluded to. Of course, later on you get the movie Deep Throat which changes everything, but that wouldn't come out for a few years when Diary of a Chambermaid was released.John Hitchcockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13373653979400552490noreply@blogger.com