Todd Haynes's 'Far From Heaven' (2002)
Her Head in FilmsMay 21, 202401:38:01

Todd Haynes's 'Far From Heaven' (2002)

In this episode, I explore Todd Haynes's 2002 film, "Far From Heaven." It's an homage to 1950s melodramas and stars Julianne Moore as Cathy Whitaker, a Connecticut housewife who develops a deep connection to her African American gardener (Dennis Haysbert) while her marriage starts to crumble when her husband (Dennis Quaid) starts struggling with his repressed homosexuality. I talk about melodrama, woman's films, Douglas Sirk, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, how the film looks at race, sexuality, and gender, and much more! Spoilers are in this episode.



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Full Show Notes:




• My episode on Birth (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.fm/98c8afe7)


• Douglas Sirk films: All That Heaven Allows (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047811/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_11) , Written on the Wind (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049966/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_9) ,

Magnificent Obsession (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047203/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_15) , Imitation of Life (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052918/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_4)


• Frida by Julie Taymor (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120679/?ref_=nv_sr_2?ref_=nv_sr_2)


• The Hours by Stephen Daldry (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0274558/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1)


• Melodrama (https://www.filmsite.org/melodramafilms.html)


• Woman's film (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman%27s_film)


• Rainer Werner Fassbinder (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainer_Werner_Fassbinder)


• Ali: Fear Eats the Soul by Fassbinder (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071141/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1)


• My Safe episode (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.fm/2fa103e1)


• "Shallow" by Lady Gaga (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo_efYhYU2A)


• "Hey Jupiter" by Tori Amos (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_W-vJ3hXhA)


• My episode on Brief Encounter (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.fm/dcb4b37a)


• Carol by Todd Haynes (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2402927/?ref_=nv_sr_3?ref_=nv_sr_3)




All My Sources




• Todd Haynes: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers Series), edited by Julia Leyda (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G5LYVCK/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1)


• Todd Haynes: From Fassbinder to Sirk and Back (A 2003 interview with the Criterion Collection) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZTrOQL23XY)


• Todd Haynes interview with BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/02/13/todd_haynes_far_from_heaven_interview.shtml)


• Julianne Moore interview with Film Monthly (http://www.filmmonthly.com/Profiles/Articles/JMoore/JMoore.html)


• Douglas Sirk interview with Film Comment (https://www.filmcomment.com/article/sirkumstantial-evidence/)


• Richard Brody - "Douglas Sirk's Glorious Cinema of Outsiders" (The New Yorker) (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/douglas-sirks-glorious-cinema-of-outsiders)