Portland Movie Club

The Camera Eye discussion: Paris, Texas (1984)
Join Movie Club member Jake Brown for the next film in his series highlighting great cinematography in motion pictures: 1984's tale of reconnection and perceptions of identity, Paris, Texas. Directed by acclaimed German filmmaker Wim Wenders and written by famed playwright/actor/director Sam Shepard, the film stars Harry Dean Stanton and Nastassja Kinski, incorporating the cinematography talents of Wenders collaborator Robby Müller, who captured every moment on Traditional 35mm film in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio.

About Paris, Texas
From TMDB: "A man wanders out of the desert not knowing who he is. His brother finds him, and helps to pull his memory back of the life he led before he walked out on his family and disappeared four years earlier."

Viewing Options for Paris, Texas
Streaming options include HBO Max, Tubi, Hulu, Plex, and Kanopy, with additional for-purchase/rental options through Apple TV and Movie Madness (Criterion Blu-ray).

“The Camera Eye” Portland Movie Club Meet-Up Series
Whether 35mm film, 70mm, 16, Super 8, or digital, we want to celebrate the greatest shots in cinema history. This isn’t just about cameras and lenses, though. It’s framing, lighting, blocking, acting, makeup, costumes, location, set design, and so much more. Of course, cinematography is just a jumping-off point. What about editing, sound design, characters, and most important of all, the story? Let’s discuss!

Here's how the Portland Movie Club Meet-Ups work

Political Films Meet-Up: HyperNormalisation (2016)

Let’s talk about movies! Join movie club member Clay Vaughn for the next film in our Political Films series with Adam Curtis' documentary HyperNormalisation (2016). In Curtis' signature style, the film touches upon many subjects in an attempt to determine how we came to live in a "post-truth world."

Here’s how The Portland Movie Club meet-ups work:

• Just like a book club, we watch the movie on our own time before we meet.
• We'll meet at Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne at 4pm on the scheduled date.
• We'll typically have a sign at our table(s) but at least we'll try to be obvious and identifiable.
• Grab some food and drinks to support our generous hosts and spend some time socializing and discussing this movie with us.

A Few Notes about the film:
This film is 2.75 hours and touches on many topics, if you're like me you'll want to pause and skim Wikipedia at points throughout. So if you're the same way leave yourself plenty of time to watch. The film consists primarily of archival news footage, some of which is graphic.

Film Noir Meet-Up: Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

Let’s talk about movies! Join movie club member Jenna M. for Kiss Me Deadly, starring Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart, Juano Hernandez, and Wesley Addy. It also features Maxine Cooper and Cloris Leachman appearing in their feature film debuts. The film follows a private detective in Los Angeles who becomes embroiled in a complex mystery after picking up a female hitchhiker.

Here’s how The Portland Movie Club meet-ups work:
Just like a book club, we watch the movie on our own time before we meet. We'll meet at Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne at 4pm on the scheduled date. We'll typically have a sign at our table(s) and try to be obvious and identifiable.
Grab some food and drinks to support our generous hosts and spend some time socializing and discussing this movie with us.

A Few Notes about the film:
Kiss Me Deadly was directed by Robert Aldrich and released in 1955. The screenplay by A. I. Bezzerides was based on the novel by Mickey Spillane featuring hard-boiled detective Mike Hammer. Filmed in stark black & white, the movie pushed film noir into darker, more violent territory, blending classic detective fiction with Cold War paranoia and apocalyptic themes. Its jagged editing, nightmarish atmosphere, and famous glowing suitcase mystery made it one of the most unconventional noirs of the 1950s. Though controversial upon release for its brutality and cynicism, the film has since become recognized as one of the most influential and daring entries in the genre.

Movie Spotlight:

Sergio Martino’s The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh follows Julie Wardh, the elegant but emotionally fragile wife of a diplomat, as she returns to Vienna—a city unsettled by a string of razor‑slashing murders. Julie is already burdened by the lingering psychological scars of a past relationship with a dangerously obsessive former lover, and being back in Vienna brings that trauma uncomfortably close.

Trying to navigate her strained marriage and the unsettling sense that she’s being watched, Julie becomes entangled with new acquaintances who offer both comfort and complication. As the murders continue and threatening messages begin to reach her, she’s drawn into a tightening web of suspicion, desire, and fear. The film builds tension around whether Julie is being targeted, manipulated, or haunted by the shadows of her past—all while danger closes in around her.

Tips: