Trylove Episode 286: REMEMBER MY NAME (1978) with Kelly Krantz

Geraldine Chaplin (Charlie’s daughter), Anthony Perkins, and Berry Berenson (Perkins’s wife) star in a taut, almost-revenge tale directed by frequent Robert Altman collaborator Alan Rudolph — REMEMBER MY NAME is a classic example of a cult classic. We couldn’t be happier to welcome Kelly Krantz (@kransekage_) back to chat about one of her favorite performer’s best performances!

Stacked with contemporary actors (Chaplin, Perkins), now-famous names (Alfre Woodard, Dennis Franz, Jeff Goldblum), and a soundtrack by resurgent blues artist Alberta Hunter, REMEMBER MY NAME would have all the pieces of a ‘70s stunner — but for the distinct twist it puts on its plot.

Emily (Chaplin) stalks Neil (Perkins) and Barbara (Berenson) obsessively following her release from prison. Whether Emily’s looking for revenge, closure, or just terror isn’t clear at the start, but her meek demeanor hides a steely, sturdy resolve to confront Neil — an interaction she rehearses word-for-word as she makes her way closer to Neil’s heart. But the confrontation isn’t the explosive, sordid, climactic endeavor you might imagine. In its casualness, it’s way, way more upsetting.

References:

Watch REMEMBER MY NAME on the Internet Archive
“I Didn’t Cry When You Disappeared”: Remember My Name (1978)” by Steven Rybin for Perisphere, the Trylon blog

Find Kelly…

On Twitter at @kransekage_
On Letterboxd at @luckyhoss
On Trylove episodes about WINGS OF DESIRE (1987), ARREBATO (1979), and PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (1974), REVOLVER (1973), and THE DOOM GENERATION (1995), THE NIGHT PORTER (1974)

Contribute to Perisphere, the Trylon blog: https://www.perisphere.org/perisphere-blog-post-guidelines/
 #OtherProgramming #35mm

Follow us on Twitter at @trylovepodcast and email us at [email protected] to get in touch! Buy tickets and support the Trylon at trylon.org.

Theme: "Raindrops" by Huma-Huma/"No Smoking" PSA by John Waters. Outro music: "Remember My Name" by Alberta Hunter from the REMEMBER MY NAME soundtrack.

Timestamps

0:45 - Episode 286: REMEMBER MY NAME (1978)

2:43 - The Patented Aaron Grossman Summary (under exclusive license from AG Enterprises, Ltd.)

4:05 - What the movie seems like it’ll be vs. what it actually is

11:10 - Geraldine Chaplin as Emily

19:32 - Costuming and styling

21:58 - Anthony Perkins, Berry Berenson, and real-world subtext

33:26 - Alberta Hunter’s soundtrack and a world internalizing discontent

41:46 - This movie’s relationship to blackness

49:07 - The jail cell scene and the anti-climax

1:08:28 - The Junk Drawer

1:14:57 - To All the Loves We’ve Tried Before: 1978