Heat Wave: THE SWIMMER (1968) – Presented by Brendan Ross

The films are hot, but the Revue’s AC will be cranked for the films in this summer’s Heat Wave lineup.

Heat Wave at the Revue Cinema, a lineup of the greatest summer movies ever made, continues on July 23rd with the summer cult classic, THE SWIMMER with an introduction by Neon Dreams curator, BRENDAN ROSS!

The film that Burt Lancaster once described as “Death of a Salesman in swimming trunks,” Frank and Eleanor Perry’s The Swimmer is at once a psychological drama, an absurdist comedy, and a nightmarish horror. It’s Mad Men meets The Twilight Zone meets Frankie & Annette, all set under the blazing sun of a hot summer day in suburban Connecticut.

Ned Merrill (Burt Lancaster) emerges at an acquaintance’s pool and observes a series of backyard swimming pools that could form a “river” back to his house, inspiring him to “swim his way home.” Since the film has no interest in pointing out the logical flaws in this plan, he proceeds to swim from one backyard to another, dropping in on people’s homes and lives and, through his many encounters and conversations, reveals the many sinister cracks in his own foundation.

The Swimmer infamously baffled audiences upon its release, as viewers didn’t know what to make of the film’s surreal tone and existential themes — elements that were not commonplace in Hollywood at the time. Despite confusing critics and moviegoers en masse, Burt Lancaster proclaimed it to be his best film and the finest performance of his career. Over time, The Swimmer has continued to find a cult audience, thanks in part to the fact that its bizarre themes feel even more relevant now than they did in 1968. (BRENDAN ROSS)