This past week I decided to check out some of the movies from our “Never Been Watched” DVD display: Persona [IMC DVD 791.4361 P467 2014], Koyaanisqatsi [IMC DVD 303.483 K88 2002], and Picnic at Hanging Rock [IMC DVD 363.2336 P597 1998] (all of which are on our list!).

Persona is a film directed by the infamous Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. This was the first of his films that I have gotten to watch, and I was not disappointed. It is an interesting movie, because everything is very straightforward, yet you feel as if there is something more beneath the surface. In addition, there is a psychological element that permeates throughout the film, which adds to the viewer’s uncertainty. For me, it was a difficult film to watch, but worthwhile in the end.

My second film, Koyaanisqatsi, was another difficult film to watch, but for a different reason. While in Persona, you struggle with some deeper meaning of the film, in Koyaanisqatsi, you struggle with the images you are presented with. And indeed, that is all that makes up this movie—there is no narration whatsoever, but instead the viewer comes to understand the ever-changing world through a montage of images.

Finally, Picnic at Hanging Rock, is a film about a group of girls who disappear after the school takes a trip to Hanging Rock. This film has a mystical and pastoral feel to it, which so sharply contrasts with the panic and evil surrounding the disappearance. There are parts which, again, I felt as though I didn’t fully understand, but that added to the mystery of the film.

This was an interesting week for movies, where I pushed my boundaries in watching some unique films. Feel free to check out the rest of our selection for movies that have never been checked out (you’ll be surprised by some!). Keep following on your own journey at https://letterboxd.com/peterstanley/list/1001-movies-you-must-see-before-you-die/ .