{"id":97798,"date":"2024-06-14T22:54:03","date_gmt":"2024-06-15T05:54:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=97798"},"modified":"2024-06-15T10:07:22","modified_gmt":"2024-06-15T17:07:22","slug":"coming-apart-1969","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=97798","title":{"rendered":"Coming Apart (1969)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I like to photograph things as they happen; I&#8217;m interested in reality.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Poster-168x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"168\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-97799\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Poster-168x300.png 168w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Poster-72x128.png 72w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Poster-151x270.png 151w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Poster.png 428w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 168px) 100vw, 168px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA self-absorbed, soon-to-be-divorced psychotherapist (Rip Torn) on the verge of a mental breakdown places a video camera in his office and secretly records his interactions (primarily sexual) with a variety of neurotic women.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mental Breakdown<\/li>\n<li>Peeping Toms<\/li>\n<li>Psychotherapy<\/li>\n<li>Rip Torn Films<\/li>\n<li>Womanizers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nMade in a similar vein as Jim McBride&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1753\"><em>David Holzman&#8217;s Diary<\/em> (1968)<\/a>, this faux documentary by writer-director Milton Moses Ginsberg was filmed in one room at <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kips_Bay_Towers\">Kips Bay Towers in New York City<\/a>, and seems explicitly designed to exploit both a narcissist&#8217;s interest in chronicling their every move &#8212; welcome to the 21st century! &#8212; and the depravity of non-consenting voyeurism. It&#8217;s a laborious affair to sit through, for all sorts of reasons &#8212; primarily Torn&#8217;s character (Joe) being such an ass, but also because so much of what we see and hear is either boring and\/or demeaning &#8212; and only rarely mildly amusing. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Torn-Bed.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Torn-Bed-1024x673.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"421\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-97803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Torn-Bed-1024x673.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Torn-Bed-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Torn-Bed-128x84.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Torn-Bed-768x505.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Torn-Bed-411x270.png 411w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Torn-Bed.png 1096w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Writing about this film for the <em>SF Gate<\/em> in 1999, Edward Guthmann noted: <\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Time capsules can be embarrassing things. What once seemed hip and cutting-edge can reveal, after 30 years, a naivete and smug narcissism that wasn&#8217;t apparent at the time. That&#8217;s certainly the case with &#8220;Coming Apart,&#8221; an underground film that broke new ground with nudity and raw language and attempted to say something about the fallout of the sexual revolution. Starring Rip Torn and Sally Kirkland, &#8220;Coming Apart&#8221; opened in 1969 &#8212; the same year as <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=60491\">&#8220;Easy Rider,&#8221;<\/a> &#8220;Medium Cool&#8221; and <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=27442\">&#8220;Midnight Cowboy&#8221;<\/a> &#8212; but disappeared after the critics ground it up into pieces.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Rightfully so; check out <a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/newspapers?id=zOwjAAAAIBAJ&#038;sjid=K4wDAAAAIBAJ&#038;pg=4840%2C3519092\">Andrew Harris&#8217;s review in <em>The Village Voice<\/em><\/a> for a particularly lambasting take. For the record, notable supporting actors in this film include Viveca Lindfors as Joe&#8217;s former lover (trying to remind him about the &#8220;former&#8221; part): <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Lindfors2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Lindfors2-1024x674.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"421\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-97804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Lindfors2-1024x674.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Lindfors2-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Lindfors2-128x84.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Lindfors2-768x505.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Lindfors2-410x270.png 410w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Lindfors2.png 1097w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230;. and Sally Kirkland as an unhinged and exhibitionist former patient. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Therapy.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Therapy-1024x669.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"418\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-97805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Therapy-1024x669.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Therapy-300x196.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Therapy-128x84.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Therapy-768x502.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Therapy-413x270.png 413w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Therapy.png 1096w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Ginsberg&#8217;s only other film was <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=70755\"><em>The Werewolf of Washington<\/em> (1973)<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Occasionally creative cinematic moves<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Camera.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Camera-1024x670.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"419\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-97806\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Camera-1024x670.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Camera-300x196.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Camera-128x84.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Camera-768x502.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Camera-413x270.png 413w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Coming-Apart-Camera.png 1095w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNope; skip this one unless you&#8217;re curious. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0064180\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfgate.com\/news\/article\/apart-a-different-manner-of-sex-fiend-3076562.php\">SF Gate Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfgate.com\/movies\/article\/Coming-Apart-Hasn-t-Held-Up-Well-Underground-2921054.php\">SF Gate Revival Review (Edward Guthmann)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.avclub.com\/coming-apart-1798194890\">AV Club Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/newspapers?id=zOwjAAAAIBAJ&#038;sjid=K4wDAAAAIBAJ&#038;pg=4840%2C3519092\">Village Voice Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I like to photograph things as they happen; I&#8217;m interested in reality.&#8221; Synopsis: A self-absorbed, soon-to-be-divorced psychotherapist (Rip Torn) on the verge of a mental breakdown places a video camera in his office and secretly records his interactions (primarily sexual) with a variety of neurotic women. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Mental Breakdown Peeping Toms Psychotherapy Rip Torn Films Womanizers Review: Made in a similar vein as Jim McBride&#8217;s David Holzman&#8217;s Diary (1968), this faux documentary by writer-director Milton Moses&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=97798\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-97798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=97798"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97850,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97798\/revisions\/97850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=97798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=97798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=97798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}