The Current
A magazine of film culture past and present, with new articles, interviews, and videos published every day
Recent Articles
The Versatile Artistry of Japan’s Most Revered Cinematographer
Acclaimed DP John Bailey delves into the extraordinary career of one of the towering figures of golden-age Japanese cinema.
How to Implicate an Audience
Michael Haneke explains the strategy and inspiration behind his fourth-wall-breaking tricks in the brutal thriller Funny Games.
Joanna Hogg Revisits Her Past Selves
With her first three films now playing on the Criterion Channel, the acclaimed British director digs back into the past to trace the roots of her cinephilia and artistry.
Funny Games: Don’t You Want to See How It Ends?
With this controversial treatise on violence and media, Michael Haneke created a spectacle that is both intensely watchable and hard to stomach.
Breaking the Ice: The Beginning of Desire in The Piano Teacher
One of the quietest, most unassuming moments in Michael Haneke’s disturbing drama serves as a microcosm of his themes of control and sexuality.
Terry Gilliam’s Closet Picks
While in town for the release of his new movie The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, the legendary filmmaker stopped by to pick up some Criterion favorites.
William Wyler’s Subtly Cinematic Take on the Chamber Drama
Despite its cloistered setting, The Heiress is filled with moments of visual ingenuity and exquisite camera work that take viewers inside its heroine’s psychology.
How Sam Smith Finds Inspiration in the History of Poster Art
The longtime Criterion collaborator behind our covers for Japón, House, and Modern Times combines his love for film and design in his vividly colorful artwork.
The Hot-Blooded Love Cry at the Cold Heart of Badlands
Mickey & Sylvia’s 1956 hit “Love Is Strange” injects a hint of lustful energy into a screen romance that is otherwise unsettlingly detached.
The Heiress: A Cruel Inheritance
With the help of intense performances by Olivia de Havilland and Montgomery Clift, William Wyler turns the genteel spaces of a Manhattan town house into an emotional battleground.
A Cinematic Hub at the Heart of Music City
For the latest episode of Art-House America, now streaming on the Criterion Channel, we paid a visit to Nashville to meet the fine people behind the Belcourt Theatre.
What Makes Jackie Chan One of a Kind
One of today’s top action-comedy directors, Edgar Wright, breaks down the elements of the Hong Kong superstar’s charisma and how it has transcended cultural boundaries.
Video
Spotlight
Studio Visits
In this series of video profiles, we drop in on some of the talented illustrators and designers who create the cover art for our editions.
