The David O. Russell / Lily Tomlin videos that leaked recently have become the indie world's equivalent of the Paris Hilton sex tape - incendiary and illicitly thrilling. The blogosphere's exposure of the clips prompted Tomlin to laugh off her conflict with Russell, and George Clooney - who famously clashed with Russell on Three Kings and is the rumored co-leaker of the clips, along with sound mixer Edward Tise - denies the charge and has offered $1m to anyone who can link him to the release of the clips.
Russell himself has been notably silent, yet this week there are reports that he is having problems with Vince Vaughn during pre-production on The H-Man Cometh, and there have been widespread snickers at the announcement yesterday that Russell's subsequent project will be Sammy's Hill, a political satire adapted from the book by Al Gore's daughter, Kristin. Quite how much 'Lilygate' has harmed him will only become clear after the dust has settled.
Interestingly enough, most people seem less interested in the tapes in the context of the decline (or otherwise) of Russell's career, and have viewed them more as a cultural phenomenon to be enjoyed and subverted. Below I am embedding for your enjoyment a 'remix' from Youtuber Deadasoren...
...and Paul Rudd and Michael Showalter delightfully re-enacting the conflict for their - and our - enjoyment.
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/31/2007 09:02:00 PM
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AH-CHOO!
If you were in Times Square last weekend and thought of sitting down in one of those red sofas that signify a Kleenex ad, you might have found yourself in a Greenpeace campaign.
Perhaps you've seen the Kleenex commercials where an actor playing a therapist sits with a red couch in a busy public space, ready for people to share their thoughts and feelings - and maybe have a good cry. Well, the Kleenex "Let It Out" campaign was in Times Square over the weekend, where cameras were rolling for passers-by to add their experiences to the reel. Until Greenpeace came in.
Greenpeace activists infiltrated the filming by posing as people who wanted to share stories about loss, but capped it off by saying they were most upset that Kimberly-Clark, which manufactures Kleenex, doesn't use recycled fiber in Kleenex and instead uses "virgin" fiber . Videographer Kelly Loudenberg filmed the protesters on the scene - check out the last part, where Greenpeace activists unfurl a sign behind someone getting emotional on the couch. Apparently filming shut down right after.
Here's the Greenpeace site, Kleercut, that explains its problems with Kimberly-Clark. And here's the Kleenex Let It Out campaign site.
Here's the video of the action:
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/31/2007 01:23:00 AM
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Friday, March 30, 2007
YET MORE GRINDHOUSE
It's just one week until Grindhouse is upon us, but in the meantime here are some little tidbits to keep you going. Over at IESB there are behind the scenes clips of all five directors at work, you can see what happened at the Entertainment Weekly's covershoot for Grindhousehere and, if you feel the desire to kill five minutes at work, Time Out will help you pitch a grindhouse movie to Robert Rodriguez.
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/30/2007 12:24:00 PM
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# posted by Peter Bowen @ 3/30/2007 08:06:00 AM
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ROCK AND ROVE
There on YouTube, a blurry clip of Karl Rove getting down at the Radio-Television Correspondents' Association Dinner. It’s one of those the cultural moments so rich in contradictions and creepiness, that one hardly knows what to say. That the man responsible for emptying social programs decides to steal one more thing – the cultural history of rap? That there is nothing more queasy than Rove leaning back and giving himself a homeboy hug? Or more importantly, that the clip’s appearance on YouTube and hundreds of other sites may not be a moment of digital democratic critique, but rather the final stage in another well-tuned media campaign spun by Rove –– I mean, MC Rove –– himself.
# posted by Peter Bowen @ 3/30/2007 07:33:00 AM
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KILLER OF SHEEP LIVES
Today in New York at the IFC Center Charles Burnett's Killer of Sheep receives its U.S. theatrical premiere... 30 years after its completion in 1977. Made as the writer/director's UCLA thesis film, Killer of Sheep went on to win awards at the Berlin Film Festival and Sundance, and it was declared a "national treasure" by the Library of Congress. The story of a slaughterhouse worker, an insomniac, struggling to raise his family in '70s Watts, the film blended the work of non-actors and poetic visuals with a deeply humane sensibility that contrasted sharply with the blaxploitation films that appeared in theaters at the time.
Because Burnett made the feature as, essentially, a student film, he didn't clear his music rights, and those clearances have prevented the film from a proper release. Now, Milestone, with help from Steven Soderbergh, is releasing the film at the IFC Center in New York, with, presumably, further bookings to come. We're working on the Spring issue of Filmmaker now, and it includes writer/director James Ponsoldt's interview with Burnett. But since the film is opening today, I thought I'd run an excerpt:
Filmmaker: How do you think the film relates to the world in 2007 versus the world in 1977?
Burnett: I think you can see the seeds of some of the future in the film. The Watts riots were in ’65, and we filmed in the early 70’s, and you can see that little was done to help the community. In a way, you look back and it’s even worse now, in many ways. Then, to some degree, you could get a job doing manual labor, of course there’s always been a job crisis, but now everything is so technical. Then you could at least pick up a trade from your family who were carpenters, or plumbers, and now you have to go to school for it. In the film there’s an anti-southern thing—like the son calling his mother “My dear,” which is like a country code-word, and she tells him not to say that—and there’s a rejection of certain values, and you sort of need those foundations. To Sleep With Anger was partly about the loss of that, and some of My Brother’s Wedding is about your responsibility as a person, and how qualified you are to be responsible for another human being.
Filmmaker: Do you think you were trying to explore how rural, or Southern values, exist within a more metropolitan environment like Los Angeles?
Burnett: More so in To Sleep With Anger and My Brother’s Wedding. Growing up it was a constant clash, of rejecting southern values, and the south, and if you were from the south, people called you “country.” So it was a negative more than a positive. But if somehow you let those values seep in, through osmosis or whatever, you look at your life and realize it’s relevant. And you find people that don’t have those values, and it’s like they’re missing something. I feel sorry for people who didn’t come up with any value system. In the neighborhood where I grew up, the neighbors were like extended family. That’s all missing now—most of it. It’s so urban now, but Los Angeles used to be full of vast, open spaces. It was rural—like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn! You could see for miles. City Hall was the biggest building. You could see the mountains every day. You could have chickens, rabbits, ducks—anything—in your back yard. It was a great place to be at that time. It felt country. There was a sense of community. Now, it’s really dirty. If you go to Africa, in some parts it’s like it’s brand new—you can see for miles, it’s not polluted. You go through Namibia and there are elephants on the road. There’s a sense of newness. It’s not totally exploited.
Filmmaker: I read that you wanted to make a film during your UCLA days about the black revolution, and you told this to some older men, and they laughed at you, said that they loved America. I find your films both incredibly human and political. Do you feel like your films are an attempt by you to reconcile anger, political anger, with telling gentle stories about human behavior?
Burnett: I didn’t want to make a revolutionary film about taking over the city or the world, necessarily. What happened was that I was thinking about how to make a film that reflected the reality of the situation, and I used to always get my hair cut in Watts at a particular barbershop. There was always some conversation or argument with these older guys inside. I went in there one time, and it was Paul Robeson’s birthday or something, and I went there excited, and their attitude was against Paul Robeson, because they felt he’d turned against his country. And I thought they were mad! They were talking about this guy who was a spokesperson for injustice all over the world. So we got into a big debate, and they were saying things like, “I’ll give you a plane ticket to Russia if you promise not to come back,” but then I realized that they’d lived through the war, they were from the south, they’d been through segregation, experienced the worst of that, yet they still had a profound patriotism and love of America. It was hard for me to reconcile. So they weren’t a part of the Watts rebellion, but they were responsible people who were into supporting America—very democratic, believed in the system. It made me look closely at people who were, say, economically at the lower end, but they still believed politically that they had opportunities, and never thought of themselves as poor because they were working and making a living. It was an eye opener, in many ways.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/30/2007 12:12:00 AM
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Thursday, March 29, 2007
PHILIP HAAS: THE NEW MICHAEL BAY?
Over at SF360, there's an interview with director Philip Haas in which he talks about his new movie, The Situation, which deals with the ongoing conflict in Iraq. Haas explains why, as a former documentarian, he believes fiction films have a greater impact than documentaries:
A fiction film could go deeper than a documentary because somehow reportage, whether it's in a newspaper a magazine or a documentary, particularly with this involvement which we are keeping at a distance, the audience become anesthetized to it. I thought if we had a story with flesh-and-blood characters in a narrative arc, people would become emotionally involved. ...I wanted something now, where the weight of history would be on our shoulders now, not years later. …[Soon] the studios, of course, will be doing films about the battle of Fallujah with Harrison Ford or the incident on the bridge with Tom Cruise playing the major - well, not Tom Cruise because it would have to be more sympathetic. Anyway, it struck me that doing something in the [present] could be powerful and meaningful. And I'm sort of interested in a balance between politics and art.
Haas later sheepishly admits that he
loved doing the action sequences. My mission now is to become the Michael Bay of the art world. I could go in the direction of action films. I could do the Axis of Evil trilogy.
The Situation is currently on release - go here to find out where it is playing near you.
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/29/2007 03:33:00 PM
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HAWK IS DYING MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
Ted Hope, who produced Julian Goldberger's The Hawk is Dying with Jeff Levy-Hinte and Mary Jane Skalski, sent the below email out to his personal list regarding the film's opening this Friday at the Cinema Village in New York. In it, he makes a bold and honest offer that he decided to open up to readers of this blog. I'm glad he did. In addition to his no-risk offer to see a provocative film that finds a new visual language to apply towards cinematic narrative, Hope makes a great argument. I especially was struck by his equation of today's specialty film scene with the stuffy French "cinema of quality," the films that the French New Wave of Godard, Truffaut and Rivette rebelled against.
Hope's email:
Here in NYC it's New Directors/New Films time again. I love this series. And it's an interesting coincidence that this Friday, March 30th, THE HAWK IS DYING is opening at Cinema Village. Many years back at ND/NF I saw an incredible film called TRANS. It was made for a penny with non-actors and a very strong sense of place and individual style. I figured it had an audience of me and a few others, but I approached the director and told him how impressed I was, and how if he ever wanted to do something slightly more conventional, with an actual scripted narrative, I would love to help him out. The director of TRANS is Julian Goldberger, and THE HAWK IS DYING is his film that came out of that initial conversation.
We premiered THE HAWK IS DYING at Sundance in 2006. It was the only Sundance film to go to Cannes where a revised cut (the one you will see in the theaters) screened to great response in Directors Fortnight. The film captures a tour de force performance by Paul Giamatti, raw and incredibly human. Julian's expressionistic style is so well suited to Harry Crews' tale (his first novel to make it to the screen) -- both are reinvented in the process. Ten years ago this would be a film celebrated by the entire industry, but now that INDIE means something synonymous with the "cinema of quality" that the French New Wave rebelled against so long ago, it gets marginalized precisely because of the wonderful risks it takes -- the same very risks that made me and the great team that worked on it want to collaborate with Julian in the first place.
The film truly deserves to be seen on the big screen. We are woefully close to a time when such films will only be available for download, but this, like many others, truly deserves to be seen with light passing through glorious celluloid. I know you know how crucial the early days of a film release are, so PLEASE if you don't have plans for the end of the month, do all you can to get to Cinema Village (or wherever it is playing near you).
I do love the phrase (perhaps slightly ironically) "vote with your dollars", but I do think a ticket here is a vote against a steady diet of NORBITs and HOG WILDs. I truly struggle every day on how we can make sure there is a business that can work that embraces challenging films, films that dare to aim towards art, that involve risk as part of their design. And of course, the key part is all of us buying tickets.
AND HERE'S MY FAITH in the film and such a dream of such a cinema: If you go this weekend and aren't truly glad you went, I will personally refund your money. Just send me your ticket stub at This is that in New York. I promise.
Most sincerely,
Ted
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/29/2007 12:52:00 AM
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Wednesday, March 28, 2007
RECURRING TRAUMA
In Philadelphia this weekend Lance Weiler is staging an innovative event based around his movie Head Trauma. Weiler describes it as a "collision of movies, music and gaming -- a new cinematic experience." After its premiere this Saturday, the event will travel to London, New York and other cities.
More on the event:
WHAT: Street parking and two parking garages in walking distance
HOW MUCH: $14 for all seats - seating is on a first come first serve basis
And for a little bit more on the concept behind the event, here's more from the press release:
The event consists of three core elements. 1. A screening of HEAD TRAUMA with a live soundtrack performance by Bardo Pond, Espers, Fern Knight, Marshal Allen (Sun Ra), Steve Garvey (Buzzcocks) and others.
The music is mixed live with the dialog and sound effects tracks from the film to create a new alternate soundtrack. 2. Various props and sets from the film are setup on stage and certain characters from the film will emerge from the audience. 3. During the course of the film a phone number appears on screen. When viewers call the number they begin a game that will last through the film and follow them home.
They receive a number of cryptic clues as they are asked to solve a series of riddles. The interaction involves phone calls and text messages from the characters of HEAD TRAUMA that will lead viewers to hidden clues spread across the Internet.
"We're trying to change the cinematic experience. We want to take the concept of narrative storytelling and move it across multiple devices and screens, so it is engaging the audience in new and different ways. People have been calling it a cinema ARG and the response to the initial screenings has been amazing. Not to mention I'm always looking for new ways to scare the audience." Says HEAD TRAUMA creator Lance Weiler.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/28/2007 01:38:00 PM
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ONION RINGS
For years, "The Onion" has presented hilarious new takes on the week's news, usually putting its punch line in its headline. This week featured an article entitled "Anna Nicole Smith Finally Reaches Target Weight." As usual, the head line is succinct,witty and undeniably cruel. Now The Onion joins the growing industry of televised fake news with their internet-based "Onion News Network." In their publicity plug, The Onion explains how they have "set the standard for globe-encompassing 24-hour television news since it was founded in December, 1892. The network boasts channels in 171 languages and can be viewed in 4.2 billion households in 811 countries."
On the surface, the movie offers liberal ideological sentiments: it condemns covert overseas operations controlled by oil interests; it’s angry at the higher-ups who escaped blame for Abu Ghraib; it exhibits a clear distaste for the person and values of Dick Cheney. But it places these sentiments within a matrix of gun culture and lonely-man-of-honor myths. Swagger is the latest incarnation of Rambo, the anti-government crazy. The filmmakers may be trying to appeal both to liberals and to the Pat Buchanan conservatives who hate big government and multinational corporations and want American warriors to stay home. The clash of political currents suggests the degree of confusion roiling Hollywood at the moment. How do moviemakers find military heroes in the midst of an unpopular overseas war?
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/27/2007 02:08:00 PM
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Monday, March 26, 2007
BEFORE THE FALL
Over at Alternet, Joshua Holland interviews James Scurlock, director of Maxed Out, a documentary on debt and the debt industry in America. Completed in 2006 when it made the festival rounds and now available on Netflix, the pic is unfortunately all too timely given the current collapse of the sub-prime lending market.
Here's Scurlock from the interview:
When I started the project a lot of people didn't even know what bankruptcy reform was, but most do now. A few weeks ago, nobody knew what "subprime" meant and now because of this whole mortgage fiasco I think everyone knows what that means. So here we are, two years after the start of the project and everything discussed in the film and the book has gotten worse. As we talked to people for the film, it became pretty obvious that things were just totally out of control and there was this sense that at some point the chickens are coming home to roost and that's largely what's been happening. I'm not gloating about that -- it's really tragic.
But my sense -- and I've talked to a lot of people since the project's been done -- is that the really big system hits are yet to come. There are a lot of bad mortgages out there; there are a lot of these "liar loan" mortgages out there; there are a lot of credit cards and people used to paying off their bills by refinancing their houses every year.
And, later, he discusses how the credit industry has changed in America:
It's because it's gone from a business based on a conservative business model where you were loaning to people who could safely pay you back and you weren't making a ton of money -- just a bit on the spread -- so you had to look at all your risks very, very carefully in order to make money. That model is now history, and the new one is that you charge a huge amount of fees, and a very high rate of interest. So the trick is actually getting people who will pay the most interest and the highest fees.
Credit card fees went from $1.7 billion dollars per year in 1996 to almost $18 billion last year -- an increase of more than a 1000%, and that's where the money is. Now you take someone who pays their bills on time, who has savings and pays their credit cards down each month, well they're not going to pay those fees. They don't have to. And you want someone who really needs the credit, who will be willing to pay a very high price for it.
One thing you've got to understand is that we have a negative savings rate in this country. Two out of three people can't pay their credit cards off each month. At the same time, last year we cashed $800 billion dollars out of home equity. Trillions of dollars in the last few years have been cashed out of people's homes and much of that went to paying off credit card bills. And the cycle continues. So it's a bit like Enron -- you've got some wishful thinkers, and then there are these bankers making enormous fees and at the end nobody's stepping in to stop the party.
For more on the film, here's the official site and here's an enthusiastic and informative fan site.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/26/2007 10:30:00 PM
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WOULD THE REAL STANLEY KUBRICK PLEASE STAND UP?
On Friday I interviewed Brian Cook, the director of Color Me Kubrick, the new movie about Stanley Kubrick's impersonator, Alan Conway. Cook's film is based on a true story, and there is an interesting little documentary about Conway which I've embedded below (the Italian subtitles were not my idea...)
And while we're on the subject of notStanley Kubrick, I thought I might as well throw in this collection of bloopers as a bonus offering.
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/26/2007 06:31:00 PM
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SCARY TIMES
In a LA Times.com interview, horror master Wes Craven talks with Deborah Netburn on the politics of horror. The political slant of his new remake of The Hills Have Eyes 2 is almost too obvious for comment. The all-American family of his 1977 original The Hills Have Eyes and its 2006 remake –- and the bikers in his slap-dash 1985 The Hills Have Eyes 2 – have been replaced by National Guard trainees, who ultimately will be deployed in Iraq. (Of course, the family in the original may be too close for Craven, since he wrote this remake with his son Jonathan.)
Latimes.com: You have an amazing legacy of figuring out exactly what people are scared of at a given moment in time. What do you think is scary today? WC: The current administration. That's the standard answer now. Unfortunately I'm not even joking. But the basic themes of what is scary have always been the same. A murderous rage that builds up in a family, a neighborhood or a nation, those are things I think are scary.
# posted by Peter Bowen @ 3/26/2007 07:50:00 AM
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VERHOEVEN FROM ACROSS THE COUCH
Hot off the servers, here's Jamie Stuart's not-to-be-missed newest creation which again blurs genres (here between the short film, the TV entertainment magazine show and the celebrity interview) to, this time, particularly mind-warping effect.
Director Paul Verhoeven has fried a lot of brains in his cinematic lifetime, and his new film, Black Book, is being considered as one of his best. To interview him, Stuart put away his knit cap and one-ups the master of free-floating perversity by handing the reigns to a chirpy and obscenely animated E!-style news chick. Check it out by clicking here.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/26/2007 12:25:00 AM
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Ostensibly, I produce movies for a living. The most recent movie I had a hand in producing won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Pretty heady stuff, to be sure. The reality, though, is slightly less fulfilling. We shot that film two years ago and, since then, I’ve produced nothing. Zilch. Not a frame of film, a byte of sound, a kernel of popcorn.
How, you may ask, does one survive in the film business without actually making any movies? Or, more relevantly, what the hell have I been doing for the past two years? Good question. Here’s the answer, which is really a guide for those of you looking either to become a producer or waste your time completely. The two are often indistinguishable.
What follows is a blow-by-blow account of the development of his latest project, a thriller set on the Mexican border with an acclaimed African-American actor set in the lead. "Mr. X" takes us through the endless development process, the vexing search for a director, and the crushing apathy of an industry only looking for a sure thing.
With a good project with seemingly saleable elements, "Mr. X" finds himself in a precarious position:
People in the industry were beginning to wonder – what was I working on? Calls were going unreturned. I developed the unmistakable stench of desperation. My wife started leaving the mortgage payment notices (and her shopping receipts) on my bedside table.
A producer friend once told me: “You’re either making a movie or you’re not. Everything else is just talk.” (He hasn’t worked in five years, but that’s another story.)
I clearly wasn’t making a movie. What I was doing was bleeding money. I had rung up a profoundly large credit card bill (wooing the various talents), ludicrously high legal fees (negotiating everyone’s deals) and astounding costs for therapy and medication (very poor health care system in America). This was in addition to actually buying the script, paying for rewrites and flying people back and forth for meetings.
The article is written as an anonymous account, but the author leaves strewn enough clues for insiders to make some fairly educated guesses. (So many clues, in fact, that he must want his colleagues to know what he's going through -- maybe in hopes of getting them to give the project a second look.) Nikki Finke pegs him as Blueprint's Rick Schwartz, who was involved with The Departed, was a former Miramax employee, and has been shopping a script called Southbound with director Terry George attached.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/26/2007 12:11:00 AM
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Sunday, March 25, 2007
DON'T JUDGE THE MOVIE BY ITS POSTER
After earning the ire of both the MPAA and alarmed motorists with its unapproved billboard campaign for the upcoming Elisha Cuthbert torture pic Captivity, After Dark Releasing is preparing to court further controversy with its campaign for Wristcutters, a very good film that deals, in part, with suicide.
Fifteen suicide prevention groups are dead set against After Dark Films' proposed campaign for the comedy Wristcutters: A Love Story, which is set to bill itself with signs showing people killing themselves.
After Dark Films co-owner Courtney Solomon said late Friday that while the film's promotion may feature images of people jumping off a bridge, electrocuting and hanging themselves, they would be displayed as traffic-style stop or yield signs with a barring-style circle and line over the illustrations, along with hearts to reference the film's romantic story line. He said the campaign may change before its mid-July rollout because of the outcry.
Solomon intends to offer screenings or DVDs of the film to concerned organizations in the next few weeks, then discuss the campaign with them and ask for their input. "The movie takes place in purgatory, and its message is that love is better than suicide," he said, adding that the film may even help prevent suicide. "Our job is to get people into the theater in a way that's accessible to them. There are many different ways to skin a cat. God forbid someone was considering committing suicide. This film may change their opinion."
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/25/2007 09:09:00 PM
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Take away the car-chase finale and the Tarantino flick is almost all sublime, groovy-chick dialogue. This is Tarantino amblin' country, all right -- a place where very cool people (i.e., '70s "street" archetypes) talk and talk and say it just right while sipping a Corona or smoking a Red Apple cigarette or eating a Big Kahuna burger. And yet Death Proof is not, to put it mildly, concerned with notions of unity. It's a scattershot thing that's basically two short films in one. Two separate moods or tones and two separate female ensembles linked by Kurt Russell's "Stuntman Mike" character.
It starts out as a cruising-chicks-in-a-muscle-car movie, then it turns into a hanging-around-an-Austin-juke-joint, Eugene ONeil/The Iceman Cometh piece with Stuntman Mike putting the zen moves on a Hispanic hottie (Vanessa Ferlito) as her friends (Sydney Tamiia Poitier and I forget who else -- the press notes should have photos to go with the cast bios) offer snappy commentary. Then it suddenly shifts into a supernatural-psycho-killer-after-hot-girls movie ending in a major wipe-out/head-on collision sequence (with individual death-and-dismember- ment shots thrown in), and then finally a hot-chicks-get-even film ending with that balls-out country car-chase.
It's a foxy, half-crazy, smirky B-movie wallow with nary a thought or a theme of any kind, but it's a complete fuck-all pleasure to just rock and ride along with, and the car-chase finale (the star of which is New Zealand stuntwoman Zoe Bell, who stunt-dubbed for Uma Thurman in Kill Bill) is the absolute shit.
First off, the movie lets you know you’re going to get your poop kicked out of you, formed into a set of brass knuckles, and now here comes a poop-punch....
First 300 and now this? I think the summer of 2007 just went, “Hey, let me take you to a free taquito buffet” and you eat all these taquitos and then the summer goes, “Here comes a foot to your stomach”, but you go, “It’s full of taquitos” but it’s too late – there’s a boot in your stomach only the boot is really a motorcycle and you puke up a bikini girl who blows you and then kills your boss with a hammer.
That’s what Grindhouse is. It’s a taquito buffet that you puke up after getting hit with a motorcycle, and it turns into a bikini chick that blows you and kills your boss with a hammer.
Rodriguez and Tarantino probably don’t read this site, but someone should tell them they can use that last paragraph as a quick blurb.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/25/2007 06:37:00 PM
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OUTLANDISH EMPIRE
To save yourself the expense of a trip to gay Paris to see David Lynch's bizarre and haunting exhibition at the Fondation Cartier, The Air is on Fire, you can instead take a virtual tour here. Go to the English language version of the site, select The Air is on Fire from the 'What's On' menu, then go to 'Views of the Exhibition' and 'The Works.' (And for those of you who want to see it in person, the show runs until May 27.)
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/25/2007 04:45:00 PM
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GRINDHOUSE UPDATE
For all of you out there excitedly awaiting the release of Grindhouse on April 6, you can whet your appetite now by checking out eleven (count 'em) clips here.
The movie clocks in at a sizable 184 minutes, and the news is that Death Proof and Planet Terror will be released separately in Europe, where both films will alledgedly run some 10 or 15 minutes longer.
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/25/2007 02:14:00 PM
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SUNSHINE IN THE FALL
Danny Boyle's Sunshine, a sci-fi epic starring Cillian Murphy and scripted by novelist and screenwriter Alex Garland (The Beach) doesn't open here until the fall, but it premieres in the U.K. on April 7 and the early press has me really excited.
Shot not in Hollywood but in the 3 Mills studios in London's East End, Sunshine boasts extraordinary computer graphic imagery so luminescent you feel you could get sunburn just watching the film. As a sensory experience, it's overwhelming. But perhaps more importantly, Sunshine also harks back to a time when sci-fi turned its attention not toward the hallowed teen market but toward the heavens. Although screenwriter Alex Garland has said the inspiration for the film came from 'an article projecting the future of mankind from a physics-based, atheist perspective', this ambitious British fantasy increasingly blurs the boundaries between science and religion. In this respect, it falls within a grand tradition of adult-orientated science-fiction which is haunted by the question of divinity, whether as a presence or an absence.
But there is a sense of awe about space in Sunshine that I haven't noticed in a sci-fi film for a while. A moment near the beginning has members of the crew alerting each other to a fleeting planetary spectacle suddenly visible from their craft: Mercury is drifting past on its orbit around the sun - a sublime, rare vision that remains stuck in my mind long after the confusing action sequences have faded. This, after all, is the filmmaker who turned a junkie's desperate plunge into the grimiest toilet in Scotland into an underwater fantasia. Despite its cumbersome dramatics, Boyle's new film proves he's still got the touch. Sunshine has the uplift of one of those light-boxes prescribed to SAD sufferers - few films about impending apocalypse have felt so optimistic, nor so attuned to the beauty about to be eclipsed.
From these reports it seems like Sunshine may be the first worthy successor to the philosophical science fictions of 2001 and Solaris (Tarkovsky's version) to come along in a while. To watch several clips from the film, click here.
The new international trailer is embedded below:
In related news, the early buzz on 28 Weeks Later, the Boyle/Garland exec-produced sequel to their 28 Days Later is good, reports Dread Central. A tiny "sneak peek" of that trailer can be seen here.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/25/2007 12:27:00 PM
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Friday, March 23, 2007
HOMETOWN BAGHDAD
Today someone alerted me to the existence of Hometown Baghdad, an ongoing documentary series about a group of twentysomethings and their far-from-ordinary everyday lives in the Iraqi capital. The project is an innovative collaboration between a group of Iraqi filmmakers and New York's Chat the Planet, a 'global dialogue company'. At a time when it's all too easy to be desensitized by the endless stream of statistics of Baghdad's daily death toll, Hometown Baghdad emotionally re-engages viewers and reminds them that Iraqis are essentially people just like us.
I'm embedding the first episode below, and the other four can be found on Salon.com's Video Dog site.
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/23/2007 03:58:00 PM
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Along with various business types discussing new media platforms like Joost, the speakers included a director, Jason Kohn, who discussed his Sundance hit, Manda Bala:
He wants to shoot movies on film, and have them seen in theaters. With his documentary, which focuses on corruption and kidnapping in Brazil, “I was reacting against the future of film. The future of film at the time was video, and I thought the future sucked. So I decided to change the future.” He said he was depressed after listening to all the day’s talk about digital distribution, and watching movies alone on tiny handheld screens. “This was made to be projected in a theater in front of hundreds of fucking people,” he said. “We’re entertainers. We’re not fucking drug dealers, just fulfilling demand.”
Kohn is a real firebrand. He worked on the movie over five years. After the first edit, he and his investors realized he didn’t have a compelling ending. The movie didn’t make it into the Toronto International Film Festival. So he went back to Brazil, and eventually met the dangerous character who provides a solid ending for the movie. Kohn doesn’t have distribution for Manda Bala yet, but it sounds like talks are still pretty active.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/23/2007 09:51:00 AM
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Thursday, March 22, 2007
THE SILVERBERG SHELVES
Hey, check out this article in Bookforum I just came across profiling an old friend, Ira Silverberg. I first met Ira years ago when I was the Programming Director of The Kitchen. At various times a literary publicist, head of Grove Press and agent (now at Donadio and Olson), Ira would pitch -- and I would program -- readings by people like Mary Gaitskill, Kathy Acker and Joel Rose. After a few of these I suggested he cut out the middleman (me) and become the curator of a new Kitchen literary series, a program he directed for several years. Elizabeth Schambelan's piece nicely captures Ira's great taste, ironic humor, and his ability to propel the work of writers like Acker, Dennis Cooper, and William Burroughs out into the world.
An excerpt:
In a career spanning more than twenty years, Silverberg has maintained a deep commitment to avant-garde and experimental fiction and poetry, as the books in the SoHo apartment where he has lived since 1990 attest. His collection is carefully edited, he says: "There's no room—about a year ago I sent eleven cases of books to Housing Works, because they had taken over the space." (He later tried to buy some of his favorites back.) Even so, his wall of minimalist white shelves presents a remarkably concise précis of a particular cultural genealogy, one that encompasses literature from Sade to Genet to the Beats to the downtown New York literati of later decades. Additional branches extend into visual art (Andy Warhol and the Factory milieu, Jack Smith, Nan Goldin), pop culture (with an emphasis on the darker effusions of Vietnam-era Los Angeles, as represented by Manson in His Own Words and a first edition of Joan Didion's White Album), and unreconstructed kitsch. In the last category, in addition to Susann's complete oeuvre, Silverberg possesses a copy of singer-songwriter Dory Previn's 1971 book of confessional poems On My Way to Where. Explaining how this curio survived the Housing Works purge, he stares at the cover, which shows an impassive Previn working an Ossie Clark look, and muses, "Just the whole idea of her writing about her husband [composer André Previn] being stolen by Mia Farrow, and being photographed in that coyote coat with the aviator sunglasses and what I would call a Jew-fro, though I don't think she's a member of the tribe—I mean, how can you give that away?"
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/22/2007 10:23:00 PM
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KEEPING IT SIMPLE
Finally... this blog has an RSS feed. That little symbol next to our logo above... use it to click through to an RSS page. Or search for Filmmaker magazine on your RSS reader. Or simply cut and paste this code -- http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/blog/sitefeed/atom.xml -- and receive this blog on your RSS delivery system of choice.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/22/2007 09:20:00 PM
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POLITICAL ORIGINALITY
The success of Phil de Vellis's 1984 video has been such a thorn in the side of Clinton supporters that they have responded with this. Where do they get their ideas from??!!
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/22/2007 08:55:00 AM
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Wednesday, March 21, 2007
WHAT'S IN A SCREEN NAME?
There's an interesting thread going on over at Jeffrey Welles's Hollywood Elsewhere. Welles has been talking up Mike Binder's upcoming Adam Sandler-9/11 pic Reign on Me, and a recent posting linking to Anthony Lane's positive review has turned into a war between the talkbackers (one, Scooterzzz, in particular), and director Binder, who is replying on the site. Binder has challenged Scooterzzz to post his real name and to email Binder his address so Binder can refund him his admission; Scooterzzz says it was a press screening and that it's impossible to compensate him for the lost two hours of his life. (For the record, Scooterzzz says he doesn't hate the film so much; he just compares it to a Lifetime TV movie.) Along the way, there are discussions about the ethics of anonymous bashing, the British blonde who played Binder's wife on his tv show, The Mind of the Married Man, and the appropriateness of a director answering his critics on internet message boards.
I made the "Vote Different" ad because I wanted to express my feelings about the Democratic primary, and because I wanted to show that an individual citizen can affect the process. There are thousands of other people who could have made this ad, and I guarantee that more ads like it--by people of all political persuasions--will follow.
This shows that the future of American politics rests in the hands of ordinary citizens. The campaigns had no idea who made it--not the Obama campaign, not the Clinton campaign, nor any other campaign. I made the ad on a Sunday afternoon in my apartment using my personal equipment (a Mac and some software), uploaded it to YouTube, and sent links around to blogs.
The specific point of the ad was that Obama represents a new kind of politics, and that Senator Clinton's "conversation" is disingenuous. And the underlying point was that the old political machine no longer holds all the power.
De Vellis worked at Blue State Digital, an internet company that provides technology services to campaigns (including Obama's), but has since resigned so as not to "harm them" by association to this clip.
Far from being a stunt or internet prank, I think this clip is the first of what will be many in which imaginative voters will use media tools to reshape the images of their favorite candidates as well as those, as we have seen here, of their opponents.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/21/2007 08:17:00 PM
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REMEMBER THE ALAMO
This year I attended SXSW for the first time (embarassingly), and, as a juror for the Narrative Competition, spent a lot of time at the famed Alamo Downtown Cinema and Drafthouse. I watched a lot of their really fun trailer reels, ate a bunch of their burgers and chicken sandwiches, and wound up really getting off on the place's hip calendar-house/movie fan palace vibe.
I guess I should be glad I made it down there this year because, as this article in Ain't It Cool News reveals, Austin's Alamo Downtown is soon to be no more due to the typical culprit -- an exired lease and rising rent. The Alamo will be moving to the nearby Ritz theater which will receive a makeover, including "plush VIP seating," but it certainly seems like some kind of end of an era.
If you live in Austin, the Alamo has planned a number of special screenings for the last three month's of its existence, so check them out.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/21/2007 11:05:00 AM
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Tuesday, March 20, 2007
I AM A FREE MAN!
This weekend the IFP and Filmmaker will be hosting four screenings of Michael Tucker's The Prisoner or: How I Planned to Kill Tony Blair. We'll be doing Q and A's with director Tucker (whose previous film was the Iraq doc Gunnar Palace) after the 5:15 and 7:20 shows, Friday and Saturday, at the Cinema Village in New York.
The doc was a bit hit down at SXSW and I'm eager to talk with Tucker about its production.
Here's how the filmmakers describe the film:
In an absurd comedy of errors, a freedom-loving Iraqi journalist is mistaken as Tony Blair's would-be assassin and sent to Abu Ghraib Prison where he discovers the true meaning of liberation. The film from the directors of "Gunner Palace" continues where that film left off with one detainee picked up in a raid by the US military and tells his incredible personal story -- and unique relationship with one American soldier -- putting a human face on the civilian impact of this conflict.
And here's the trailer:
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/20/2007 11:33:00 PM
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FESTIVALS ARE DEAD! (LONG LIVE FESTIVALS!)
I've long argued that filmmakers shouldn't view theatrical distribution as the be-all and end-all of their filmmaker efforts. Other forms of distribution, DIY or otherwise, are often more financially remunerative and somethings even emotionally rewarding, depending on the films.
But I've never made the argument that filmmakers should sidestep the film festival circuit. One filmmaker who is at least posing that argument now is Sujewa Ekanayake, who decided not to submit his Date Number One to festivals while he launched his one series of DIY screenings. In this blog post, he explains his rationale and then makes a counterintuitive proposal: he's starting a film festival.
Look for it in the D.C. area this fall, but, until then, check out the piece linked here.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/20/2007 10:57:00 PM
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THE ANGRY FILMMAKER HITS THE ROAD
The force of nature that is Kelley Baker - better known as The Angry Filmmaker - is currently on tour bringing his screenings and workshops to universities and theaters around the country over the next two months or so.
His current schedule, according to his website, is:
March 22nd - - University of Tennessee at Knoxville March 27th - - University of North Carolina at Pembroke March 29th & 30th - - Appalachian State University, Boone, NC Open Apperature Film Festival April 4th & 5th - - Emerson College, Boston April 7th - - Kicking Bird 7 PM @ the Pioneer Theater, 155 East Third Street, NYC T* April 16th - - Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH April 18th - - Columbia College, Chicago, IL T* April 19th - - DePaul University, Chicago, IL May 8th - - Fall Out Boy Concert (in Portland, OR I am taking my daughter...) May 10th - - Coaster Theater, Cannon Beach, OR May 18th & 19th - - 911 Media Arts Center, Seattle, WA (screening and workshop) May 24th & 25th - - Oregon State University
Some dates are tentative and others are still to be added, so keep checking back on his website to see if he’s going to be in your area. His IRS Tour (2005), Kicking & Screaming Tour (2004) and Pissed Off in America Tour (2003) have given him something of a legendary reputation, so catch him if you can.
To give you a taster of what you can expect, I’ve embedded Kelley’s latest short film, Stolen Toyota, below:
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/20/2007 01:46:00 PM
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ACROSS THE PUDDLE
There seems to be some sort of war going on. "New York Magazine" this week whipped up the conflict with their "London (The Other New York" piece that pits New York against England's capital in terms of finance, food, and culture. Now the Brit film mag "Sight & Sound" put on their cover "American Indie: The State They're In." Unfortunately you'll have to go to the news stand to find what that "state" is, since "Sight & Sound" have not put the article on line. But Greenzine gives a taste with the teaser: "Is today's American indie cinema anything more than a refuge for slumming stars in tales of dysfunction and depression, funded by the very system it supposedly opposes?" An excellent question.
# posted by Peter Bowen @ 3/20/2007 11:15:00 AM
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One of the points raised is simply that the technology being used to deliver movies online is new and therefore relatively unrefined, which means that it is easier (if not cheaper) to watch a film in ways that we are used to. A.O. Scott, however, convincingly makes the case that, although the internet looks unlikely to take the place of established forms of distribution (ie, theatrical, DVD), "it seems likely that a hot new filmmaker will be soon discovered on a download site and given a shot at old-fashioned Hollywood success, a chance to make movies for the big screen."
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/19/2007 09:17:00 PM
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Sunday, March 18, 2007
DVD OR DOWNLOAD?
There's a spirited conversation going over at Twitch about whether or not small companies now releasing cult films on DVD should shift to a "download-to-burn" distribution model. The conversation centers around genre and catalog titles, but it's applicable to our current independent cinema too.
The brick and mortar stores are out to make money and any good business man will tell you that it doesn’t make sense to stock the store with titles which the average viewer knows nothing about. Of course he will rather go for the latest title. I think us cult film fans over estimate how popular we think our favorite films are and are ever so confused when a cult film doesn’t get the attention as the latest Hollywood blockbuster. The smaller companies have a growing difficulty of getting their product noticed on the streets but fare better in the online world. Is that their new frontier?
Would it make sense for them to either stop selling their titles in stores and focus exclusively on the internet? It makes sense in a way because cult movie fans thrive on the net. It’s where we get all our information and we come together in a place like this to discuss our love for cinema. Also does it make sense to offer some titles only as download-to-own releases?
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/18/2007 01:53:00 PM
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JUROR NOTES (SMILING ON FROWNLAND)
I sat on the Narrative Feature jury at SXSW last week. As you know, we gave the Grand Jury Prize to Itty Bitty Titty Committee, Jamie Babbit's riot grrl riff on Lizzie Borden's early '80s feminist indie classic, Born in Flames. In addition to its spirited run through the history of late 20th century feminist political action, from Angela Davis through the Guerilla Girls, the film contains a set of relationships -- the Latina lesbian protagonist, played by Melonie Diaz, and her accepting family; Melanie Mayron's power lesbian and her psychologically enabling lover/rent girl (played by Nicole Vicius) -- that add complexity and casual nuance to the movie's pop storytelling.
But many of the press reports failed to mention the two Special Jury Prizes we gave out, so I want to say a few of words about these films.
We awarded a Special Jury Prize to Ry Russo-Young'sOrphans for "its personally crafted visual aesthetic." The film, which placed the story of two sisters attempting to reconcile after the death of their parents amidst a textured collage of pastel backgrounds and flowing party dresses, has its share of Bergman references but it also shares something with the experimental melodramas of Peggy Ahwesh and Ronnie Abate.
We also gave a Special Jury Prize to Ron Bronstein's Frownland (pictured, above) for its "uncompromising singularity of vision." I was particularly happy about this award, because Bronstein's first feature is the kind of outsider cinema that deliberately pushes an audience's patience and thus is easy to dismiss by those unwilling to approach the film on the terms it lays out for itself.
In a festival in which many films dealt, ostensibly, with "problems of communication," Bronstein's film explored this theme to its fullest and most painful degrees. Frownland follows for a few days the psychologically impaired Keith Sontag, a self-described "troll from under the bridge," as he quarrels with the arrogant musician roommate, tries to console a suicidal female friend, and hopelessly attempts to make money by door-to-door coupon selling. Bronstein's camera fixates itself in long takes on Sontag (played by Dore Mann, an ex-Pathmark deli clerk who currently mans the night shift at a suicide hotline) as the character lurches way below the social safety net in particularly hellish ring of outer-borough New York. In long scenes Sontag stammers and grimaces his way through awkwardly circular dialogues that never once achieve any moments of catharis, closure or just basic conversational clarity. There's a stunning sequence at the end in which Sontag stumbles into a deafeningly noisy hipster party, and a bold digression in which we follow roommate for fifteen minutes or so as he bizarrely tries to scam his way through an LSAT test. (It was at this point in the film that I realized I had no idea where it was going and how long it would take to get there.)
Frownland reminded me a bit of Lodge Kerrigan's recent Keane,, but where Kerrigan's handheld camera and jump-cut style (and his protagonist's narratively-attuned psychological issues) created storytelling drive, empathy and audience involvement, Bronstein resets our inner movie clock. Disoriented, we are forced to wonder about his -- and our -- attitude towards his characters. Should we feel sorry for Sontag or, like pulling off a piece of chewing gum stuck to our shoe, try to get him out of our lives as soon as possible?
Bronstein's day (or, often night) job is projecting films at places like MOMA and the American Museum of the Moving Image, and, in person, he evinces the passion of a true cineaste. At the SXSW Closing Night party he enthused to me about screening Jacques Rivette's 12-plus hour Out 1 earlier this month, and in his press notes Bronstein (pictured above right) hails great influences: Mike Leigh's Nuts in May and Bleak Moments along with films by Monte Hellman, Alan Clarke, Cassavetes and Mad Magazine.
Like I said, Frownland's sludgy miserabilism can be a tough watch, but now that the festival is over, it's the film that has resonated with me the most. Some of my affection towards Frownland is no doubt due to the underground tradition it salutes. Bronstein told me at SXSW that he wanted to make a film with "no narrative center" and at the awards ceremony in his brief remarks, he acknowledged the difficulties of his approach, noting that some viewers had told him that they wanted to "mark both a '1' and a '5" on their Audience Award ballot. (At my screening, the first post-screening comment Bronstein got from an audience member was, "Your film reminded me to keep taking my meds."
Ultimately, though, Frownland may be one of the few pieces of anti-commercial cinema that is best described by its creator. Here is Bronstein, excerpted, from his director's statement:
[Frownland is] a jagged little pill of a movie, in turns scary and strayed, honest and threatening, funny, frustrating and frazzled. A crummy window into a world where not just its creators but everyone feels rootless and displaced.
More succinctly, Frownland is my own small contribution to the sinking barge of the 16mm indie model; both an overripe tomato lobbed with spazmo inaccuracy at the spotless surface of the silver screen and a mad valentine to the craggy tradition of unadulterated cheao-o-independent expression. Its inelegance is its spirit. I hope you dig it.
Here's the intro. Click on the link for further commentary and all the mock-ups that lead to the final design, seen here.
When I was designing the cover for Night and the City, I wanted to find a slightly different idiom to represent “noir,” to get away from the pulpy, dime-novel look that’s normally associated with that era and style. (Something I think illustrator Geoff Grandfield achieved brilliantly with his recent cover for Green for Danger, by the way.) I love that pulpy style on Raymond Chandler novels, but to me, most old film noir posters in that style pale in comparison to how artfully the films themselves are shot.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/15/2007 10:02:00 PM
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FOREIGN INDEPENDENCE
I was interested to note the ten directors chosen by Forbes magazine as their ‘Tastemakers’.
The list is as follows:
Pedro Almodóvar Sofia Coppola Alfonso Cuarón Guillermo del Toro Clint Eastwood Alejandro González Iñárritu Spike Lee Richard Linklater Michael Moore Martin Scorsese
With the exception of Scorsese and Eastwood (the two most recent recipients of the Best Director Academy Award), there is a case that can be made that all the directors chosen are, in one way or another, ‘independent’ filmmakers. However, all of these ‘indie’ directors – apart from Almodóvar – are essentially working within the Hollywood system, and it is a sign of how integrated independent filmmaking has become with Hollywood that a magazine such as Forbes chooses such directors for its elite top ten.
The author of the Forbes piece, Elisabeth Eaves, intriguingly also puts forward the argument that, due to all the “money, talent and cultural influences converging on Hollywood from all over the world” we are seeing “the collapse of the old notion of a ‘foreign film.’ ” Eaves later clarifies her statement by explaining that there has been a recent “globalization of one of America's most emblematic exports” - meaning that it is not foreign films that have changed, but rather Hollywood films.
With the recent success of films like Pan’s Labyrinth, Babel and Letters From Iwo Jima, it is clear that American filmgoers are no longer daunted by the prospect of seeing a film with subtitles.
Moreover, American directors are showing a willingness to make films in foreign languages. A case in point is The Pool, documentarian Chris Smith’s debut fiction feature which won the Special Jury Prize at Sundance in January. Although based on a short story by his friend and collaborator Randy Russell which was set in Iowa, Smith transposed the tale to Goa in India and shot the film in Hindi. Equally, the first film by L.A.-based writer-director Jason Cuadrado, Tales From the Dead, is a horror film in four parts which Cuadrado filmed with a cast of Japanese actors speaking their native tongue.
One of questions that arises from all of this is, with the growing number of foreign-language films being made by American or U.S.-based filmmakers, will there still be room in the marketplace for ‘genuine’ foreign films?
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/15/2007 05:19:00 PM
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007
LETHEM'S FREE LOVE (MORE RIGHTS FOR FILMMAKERS!)
To complete my series of posts about author Jonathan Lethem and his recent work thinking about -- and practicing -- a sort of "open source" approach to creative rights management, here's news of his new novel, You Don't Love Me Yet, and how he's handling the film rights.
On May 15th I’ll give away a free option on the film rights to my novel You Don’t Love Me Yet to a selected filmmaker. In return for the free option, I’ll ask two things:
I’d like the filmmaker to pay (something) for the purchase of the rights if they actually make a film: two percent of the budget, paid when the completed film gets a distribution deal. (I’ll wait until distribution to get paid so a filmmaker without many funds can work without having to spend their own money paying me).
The filmmaker and I will make an agreement to release all ancillary rights to the film (and its source material, the novel), five years after the film’s debut. In other words, after a waiting period during which those rights would still be restricted, anyone who cared to could make any number of other kinds of artwork based on the novel’s story and characters, or the film’s: a play, a television series, a comic book, a theme park ride, an opera – or even a sequel film or novel featuring the same characters. For that matter, they can remake the film with another script and new actors. In my agreement with the filmmaker, those ancillary rights will be launched into the public domain.
If you've been reading this blog, you'll remember that Lethem recently released the film rights to a swatch of his short stories for free on a non-exclusive basis to makers of short films and plays. In that announcement, and in his great Harper's essay, linked to in my post below, he discusses what has inspired his offer. Again, here's Lethem from his site:
Lately I’ve become fitful about some of the typical ways art is commodified. Despite making my living (mostly) by licensing my own copyrights, I found myself questioning some of the particular ways such rights are transacted, and even some of the premises underlying what’s called intellectual property. I read a lot of Lawrence Lessig and Siva Vaidhyanathan, who convinced me that technological progress – and globalization – made this a particularly contemporary issue. I also read Lewis Hyde’s The Gift, which persuaded me, paradoxically, that these issues are eternal ones, deeply embedded in the impulse to make any kind of art in the first place. I came away with the sense that artists ought to engage these questions directly, rather than leaving it entirely for corporations (on one side) and public advocates (on the other) to hash out. I also realized that sometimes giving things away – things that are usually seen to have an important and intrinsic ‘value’, like a film option – already felt like a meaningful part of what I do. I wanted to do more of it.
Lethem's proposal has already generated buzz. Bloomberg News has a story with more details, including news that Lethem, his wife Amy Barrett, and Maria Full of Grace director Josh Marston are scripting Lethem's last novel, The Fortress of Solitude, for Marston to direct.
"In terms of mainstream filmmaking, this is completely unprecedented, and if it actually happens it would be a groundbreaking model," Creative Commons Creative Director Eric Steuer said in a phone interview about Lethem's proposal. "For a writer of his clout and prominence, it's really cool that he's the one to take the charge on something like this."
Variety, in a piece by Stephen Zeitchik, has more in a piece that tries to put a pecuniary spin on Lethem's offer:
For You Don't Love Me Yet, his L.A.-based, music-themed novel that sees release this week, Lethem will give away the film option to a "select filmmaker." By eliminating the option fee, he hopes he also has removed a deterrent faced by some producers.
But in what amounts to a variation on a backend deal, he wants to be paid 2% of the budget once the pic's made -- and that's no small sum, if the budget starts to climb.
Arrangement gives Lethem control over who would make the film; he says he hasn't decided on anyone in advance or made a secret deal with a producer.
For those not familiar with book rights deals, it's pretty typical to negotiate in addition to an upfront option fee, which gives the holder the exclusive right to develop a script and raise production financing for a specified period of time, a "purchase price" that is usually paid when the film goes into production. This purchase price is most often a percentage of the budget (anywhere from one to three or four per cent). So, Lethem's deal points on this issue aren't, as Variety seems to imply, that out of the ordinary.
(Often there will also be a "ceiling" on the purchase price, but for a novelist of Lethem's stature that would be at least $400,000 or $500,000, which equates to $16 or $20 million film budget -- quite a large one for the kind of character-based film this novel would most likely generate. And, significantly, most book deals come with a "floor" -- a minimum amount the book can be bought for. Lethem's doesn't. So, I really don't think he is scheming for some kind of hidden upside here.)
While all of the news reporting has focused on the offer of a free option and the release of the ancillary rights after five years, I think the media has missed some of the other crucial elements of Lethem's offer.
1) Lethem has made the proposal himself and is negotiating the rights himself. Rather than require filmmakers to contact his agent and go through a lengthy negotiation, Lethem has streamlined the whole process and is, through his assistant, presumably deciding all of this personally.
2) Lethem has pre-announced a May 15 date by which he'll give away the rights (although he is reserving the right to extend the deadline for various reasons he details on his site). Instead of trying to engineer a bidding war type situation in which an agent goes back and forth between various producers, Lethem, by removing the financial aspect and by setting a firm date, is putting the focus on the creativity and persuasiveness of the filmmaker.
3) Finally, and most importantly -- he is giving away the rights to a filmmaker. In Hollywood, most film rights are bought by producers who acquire a property and then bring in a succession of writers and directors who pitch their "takes." A writer is hired who (sometimes working underneath an attached director) generates a draft and a polish. That writer is let go; another writer does a draft, sometimes starting from scratch. The attached director often moves on to another project, and the cycle continues ad infinitum. Lethem's giving the rights away to a filmmaker who is genuinely enthused about the work, who has good ideas of how to realize it, and who is free to make it for $50 million with a studio or $50,000 with his friends -- that is his truly radical idea.
As for the ancillary rights release, I'm with Lethem on this. Years ago my partner Robin O'Hara and I produced a film directed by Jesse Peretz based on Ian McEwan's First Love, Last Rites. McEwan and his agent were extremely reasonable about the terms but insisted on non-exclusivity after seven years. We figured, who else is going to make a movie about two young lovers and the rat that lives inside their apartment walls? We agreed to the terms, and several (more than seven) years later two young film students from Sweden contacted me because they wanted to make a 40-minute version of the same story. Although they didn't have to, McEwan and his agent had them contact me as a courtesy. I was happy to wish them the best with the proviso that they send me a copy of the film when it's done. I got it not too long ago, it's very differrent, and I think it's cool that two versions of the same McEwan story exist in the world.
If you are a filmmaker interested in the film rights to You Don't Love Me Yet, email jonathanassistantlucy@gwi.net.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/14/2007 11:35:00 AM
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OH, CANADA!
Canadian Front 2007 begins tonight with the New York premiere of Sarah Polley's Away From Her at MoMA. The next four days include eight films made in Canada by a diverse group of filmmakers including four women making their feature debuts (Polley being one of them). Film description and screening times are below.
Remembering Arthur. 2006. Canada. Directed by Martin Lavut. Arthur Lipsett was a leading Canadian experimental filmmaker whose 1961 short Very Nice, Very Nice remains a seminal work of the avant-garde. A troubled man, Lipsett committed suicide in 1986. Martin Lavut, who knew Lipsett and many of his contemporaries, presents a full-bodied, passionate biography of one of cinema's neglected masters. George Lucas wrote, "No one understood the power of image and sound better than Lipsett." 90 min. Wednesday, March 14, 4:30; Saturday, March 17, 6:30. T2
Away from Her. 2006. Canada. Written and directed by Sarah Polley, based on a story by Alice Munro. With Julie Christie, Gordon Pinset, Olympia Dukakis, Michael Murphy. A married couple, together for many years, separate at the woman's insistence. She knows she is beginning to lose her memory and seeks care in assisted living, yet her bereft husband is reluctant to accept the separation. Actress Sarah Polley's moving directorial debut examines the dynamics of change and the surprise of adaptation. Courtesy Lionsgate. 110 min. Wednesday, March 14, 6:15 (followed by a question-and-answer session). T1; Saturday, March 17, 4:15. T2
Maurice Richard (The Rocket). 2005. Canada. Directed by Charles Biname. Screenplay by Ken Scott. With Roy Dupuis, Julie LeBreton, Stephen McHattie. Scott, the screenwriter of Seducing Doctor Lewis (2003, featured in MoMA's New Directors/ New Films series), returns with a biography of one of Canada's greatest sports heroes: Maurice Richard, the hockey player who brought the Stanley Cup to the Montreal Canadiens eight times during the 1940s and 1950s. The film is distinguished by exciting footage of the game, its recreation of the tension between the French and the English in Quebec, and Roy Dupuis's electric performance as the laconic "Rocket." In French, English subtitles. 124 min. Wednesday, March 14, 8:45. T1; Sunday, March 18, 1:30. T2
Stone Time Touch. 2006. Canada. Directed by Gariné Torossian, with the artistic and conceptual collaboration of Arsinee Khanjian. Torossian, an experimental filmmaker whose work was featured at MoMA during a one-woman Cineprobe program in 1995, created a personal and somewhat autobiographical work for her first feature. In search of her identity, she visits Armenia, the land of her forebears, and makes a vivid and impressionistic diary of beauty, wonderment, and sadness. In English, Armenian; English subtitles. 70 min. Thursday, March 15, 6:30; Monday, March 19, 8:30. T2
Immigrant. 2006. Canada/Bosnia. Written, directed, and photographed by Bojan Bodruzic. With Emily R. Laue, Bojan Markovic, Jovan Milojevic. Two Balkan immigrants in Vancouver adapt to a life in exile. One is a young filmmaker who returns with his Canadian girlfriend to Dubrovnik and Sarajevo, where cultural differences strain their relationship. The other is a widower who cannot rid himself of his memories of Bosnia. Bodruzic divides his two parallel narratives into nine quietly compelling chapters. In English, Bosnian; English subtitles. 101 min. Thursday, March 15, 8:30; Monday, March 19, 6:00. T2
Radiant City. 2006. Canada. Directed by Gary Burns, Jim Brown. Gary Burns, best known in New York for Kitchen Party (1997, featured in MoMA's New Directors/New Films series), and journalist and broadcaster Jim Brown collaborated on this witty quasi-documentary about suburban sprawl and the social lives it diminishes. Peppered with interviews by passionate urban critics like James Howard Kunstler, Joseph Heath, and Mark Kingwell, Radiant City follows—sort of—the Moss family as the patriarch stars in a community musical. 86 min. Friday, March 16, 6:00; Saturday, March 17, 2:00. T2
Dans les villes (In the Cities). 2006. Canada. Written and directed by Catherine Martin. With Hélène Florent, Robert Lepage, Hélène Loiselle. Photographer and filmmaker Martin's second feature is an emotionally modulated study of the intersecting lives of four lonely, isolated people in Montreal. Among them is a blind man—played affectingly by the celebrated director Robert Lepage—whose life is suddenly enriched by an accidental encounter. In French, English subtitles. 87 min. Friday, March 16, 8:30; Sunday, March 18, 6:30. T2
Rechercher Victor Pellerin (Looking for Victor Pellerin). 2006. Canada. Written and directed by Sophie Deraspe. According to Deraspe, Victor Pellerin was a highly successful and eccentric Montreal artist in the mid-1980s. In 1990 he recalled his work, purportedly to be photographed for a catalogue, and burnt all his paintings before disappearing. In her first feature, Deraspe rediscovers Pellerin through a series of interviews with colleagues, critics, and lovers, and she journeys to Colombia to find the missing artist. In French, English subtitles. 110 min. Saturday, March 17, 8:30; Sunday, March 18, 4:00. T2
# posted by Jason Guerrasio @ 3/14/2007 11:26:00 AM
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# posted by Durier Ryan @ 3/14/2007 01:01:00 AM
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Tuesday, March 13, 2007
TRIBECA ANNOUNCES ENCOUNTERS, RESTORED/REDISCOVERED AND MIDNIGHT STRANDS
After yesterday's announcement of the films selected for its World Narrative, World Documentary and Spotlight sections, the Tribeca Film Festival has now unveiled the movies in its Encounters, Restored/Rediscovered and Midnight strands. Films which catch the eye in the Encounters section are The Air I Breathe, an intriguing, multi-strand story inspired by a Chinese proverb which has an all-star cast, and The Cake Eaters, Good Time Max and Chávez, the directorial debuts by actors Mary Stuart Masterton, James Franco and Diego Luna respectively. Two of the many intriguing films in the Restored/Rediscovered strand (co-curated by Martin Scorsese and the festival's executive director Peter Scarlet) are Night of the Hunchback, a lost Iranian classic, and The Pelican, directed by Gérard Blain, an actor-turned-director who was apparently the 'French James Dean.' Of the films chosen in the Midnight category, we at Filmmaker are anxiously waiting to see Black Sheep, a New Zealand horror-comedy which promises to be an ovine Shaun of the Dead, with a dollop of (early) Peter Jackson thrown in for good measure. You can enjoy the Black Sheep trailer here. The Tribeca Film Festival starts on April 25 and runs until May 6. See below for a full list of the films.
Encounters The Air I Breathe, directed by Jieho Lee, written by Jieho Lee and Bob DeRosa. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. A businessman (Forest Whitaker) bets his life on a horse race, a gangster (Brendan Fraser) sees the future, a pop star (Sarah Michelle Gellar) falls prey to a crime boss (Andy Garcia), and a doctor (Kevin Bacon) must save the love of his life. Based on a Chinese proverb, these four overlapping stories dramatize the four emotional cornerstones of life: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love.
The Animated World of John Canemaker (U.S.A.) Continuing Tribeca's celebration of New York-based independent animators, this program features the work of John Canemaker, a pre-eminent animation teacher, filmmaker, author and historian, who won an Oscar for his animated short The Moon and the Son in 2006. A selection of short films spanning Canemaker's career will be shown.
Anita O’Day - The Life of a Jazz Singer, directed by Ian McCrudden & Robbie Cavolina (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. An intimate and deeply moving tribute to jazz diva extraordinaire Anita O'Day, completed just weeks before her death in November 2006. Packed with terrific clips and anecdotes from friends and fellow musicians, this enjoyable documentary zips along at the speed of her renowned up-tempo interpretation of "Sweet Georgia Brown.” work in progress.
Black, White + Gray: A Portrait of Sam Wagstaff and Robert Maplethorpe, directed by James Crump. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. In the '70s and '80s, the relationship between legendary curator Sam Wagstaff, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and musician/poet Patti Smith was at the epicenter of New York's revolutionary art scene. This engrossing documentary features interviews with Smith and a bevy of art world luminaries including Joan Juliet Buck, Dominick Dunne, Richard Tuttle, Eugenia Parry and Ralph Gibson.
The Bubble, directed by Eytan Fox, written by Gal Uchovsky, Eytan Fox. (Israel) – U.S. Premiere. Three roommates treat their hip Tel Aviv neighborhood like their own chic paradise, relatively sheltered from Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. But when Israeli boy meets a Palestinian boy at a border checkpoint, this artificial bubble bursts. Director Fox follows up Walk on Water and Yossi & Jagger with this story that shows that even love can't bridge irreconcilable differences.
The Cake Eaters, directed by Mary Stuart Masterson, written by Jayce Bartok. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. A prodigal son's return conjures up old ghosts for three generations of two different families in a small, quiet town. Masterson's debut feature unfolds the intimate secrets and tensions that compel these families to move forward. The dynamic ensemble cast features Kristin Stewart, Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern, Jayce Bartok, Elizabeth Ashley and Miriam Shor.
Charlie Bartlett, directed by Jon Poll, written by Gustin Nash. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Failing to fit in at a high school run by a disenchanted principal (Robert Downey, Jr.), awkward Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin) is running out of options for making friends-until he names himself the school "psychiatrist." When he starts doling out advice, and the occasional pill, to classmates, his popularity soars in this witty take on teenage insecurity. With Hope Davis. A Sidney Kimmel/MGM Release
Descent, directed by Talia Lugacy, written by Brian Priest, Talia Lugacy. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. A tale of innocence shattered, dreams destroyed and vengeance fulfilled, Descent begins with an idealistic vision of college sweethearts and wild house parties, but quickly falls apart. A rape sends Maya (Rosario Dawson) into a spiral of drugs, rage and despair—until she is reunited with her attacker and offered a chance to settle the score. A City Lights Pictures Release.
The Final Season, directed by David M. Evans, written by Art D'Alessandro. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Baseball is everything in Norway, Iowa, but when government authorities decide the small town's population no longer warrants its own high school, a longstanding baseball tradition is in peril. Sean Astin stars as the new and untested coach who must provide Norway with one exciting final season in this heartwarming story based on true events.
Golden Door (Nuovomondo), directed and written by Emanuel Crialese. (Italy, Germany, France) – NY Premiere. The turn-of-the-century voyage of a poor family from rural Sicily through the "golden door" of Ellis Island and into America is beautifully portrayed in this visually striking, emotionally resonant narrative. Charlotte Gainsbourg portrays the young bride in this new film by N.Y.U. graduate Crialese that was Italy's Oscar submission this year. A Miramax Films release.
Good Time Max, directed by James Franco, written by James Franco and Merriwether Williams. (U.S.A) – World Premiere. Actor James Franco (Spider-Man) cowrites, stars in and directs this stunning drama about two intellectually gifted brothers who take drastically different courses in life. One evolves into a successful doctor while the other leads a roller coaster, drug-fueled existence. But even after growing up and growing apart, they remain inextricably connected to each other.
The Hammer, directed by Charles Herman Wurmfeld, written by Kevin Hench. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. In an underdog comedy that never pulls a punch, an aging boxer now working as a construction worker (Adam Carolla) is convinced by a wily coach to step back into the ring after a 20-year hiatus. Though the former rising champion is well past his prime, he embarks on a rollicking quest for what he missed the first time around: a spot on the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team.
I Have Never Forgotten You, directed and written by Richard Trank, (U.S.A.) – North American Premiere. How did a man who trained as an architect track down some of the world's most notorious war criminals? Discover the history and legacy of legendary Nazi hunter and humanitarian Simon Wiesenthal in this stirring documentary. Narrated by Academy Award®-winning actress Nicole Kidman, it features previously unseen archival footage and interviews with friends, family, and world leaders.
In the Beginning Was the Image: Conversations with Peter Whitehead, directed by Paul Cronin. (U.K.) – U.S. Premiere. Peter Whitehead's work as a key independent British filmmaker of the 1960's has been the subject of recent worldwide retrospectives. This documentary on the artist, by a returning TFF filmmaker, is important not only as a portrait, but also as a meditation on the construction of identity. Copresented by Anthology Film Archives.
Chávez, directed by Diego Luna. (Mexico) – World Premiere. Actor Diego Luna (Y Tu Mamá También) steps behind the camera for this heartfelt documentary about the life and career of his countryman, Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez, considered one of the sport's - and Mexico's all-time greats. Luna follows Chávez through the final bouts of his career, even as he proudly passes the torch of boxing to his son.
Lovesickness (Maldeamores), directed by Carlitos Ruiz Ruiz, written by Jorge Gonzales, Carlitos Ruiz Ruiz. (Puerto Rico) – World Premiere. Tales of maddening infatuation—a surprising love triangle, an unfaithful marriage and a hostage situation—weave together artfully in the backyards of Puerto Rico. Passion defeats reason again and again in this melancholy comedy about the selfish search for love and connection. In Spanish.
Music Inn, directed by Ben Barenholtz. (U.S.A.) – North American Premiere. A cinema veteran makes his debut as a filmmaker, aided by a veritable who¹s who of distinguished musicians, to tell the legendary story of how enthusiasts and hip scholars were drawn to Lenox, Massachusetts each summer starting in 1951. There their dedication to jazz and folk supported the founding of the world¹s first permanent school of jazz.
Nobel Son, directed by Randall Miller, written by Randall Miller and Jody Savin. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. In this taut thriller spiked with droll humor, Ph.D. candidate Barkley (Bryan Greenberg) is kidnapped the night before his father Eli (Alan Rickman) will receive the Nobel Prize. When Eli refuses to pay a ransom equal to the $2 million prize, secrets, betrayal and revenge collide. With Bill Pullman, Danny DeVito, Mary Steenburgen, Ted Danson, Ernie Hudson and Eliza Dushku.
The Orchestra of Piazza Vittorio (L’Orchestre de Piazza Vittorio), directed by Agostino Ferrente, written by Agostino Ferrente in collaboration with Massimo Gaudioso, Mariangela Barbanete, Francesco Piccolo. (Italy) – North American Premiere. This is the unlikely story of how two energetic Romans created an orchestra comprised entirely of immigrants from all over the world living in one area of the Eternal City. When a group of 30 different musicians playing 15 unrelated instruments finally takes the stage, they provide a rousing call to arms for fans of world music, and all those who believe in the mini-miracles of neighborhood cultural initiatives.
Shotgun Stores, directed and written by Jeff Nichols. (U.S.A) – North American Premiere. A family feud in rural Arkansas erupts in this biblical tale of blood ties and vengeance, sparked when two sets of half-brothers collide at the funeral of their father. This slow-burning thriller recalls the character-driven storytelling of the 1970's, with a lyrical feel for the intimate rhythms and heat-baked landscapes of the forgotten South.
Suburban Girl, directed and written by Marc Klein. (U.S.A) – World Premiere. Determined to rise through Manhattan's cutthroat literary ranks on her own, an ambitious young book editor (Sarah Michelle Gellar) hesitates to become involved with a high-powered publishing playboy (Alec Baldwin) many years her senior. Personal and professional lines slowly blur in this witty adaptation of Michelle Bank's bestselling book, The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing.
The True Legend of Tony Vilar (La vera leggenda Di Tony Vilar), directed by Giuseppe Gagliardi, written by Giuseppe Gagliardi, Peppe Voltarelli. (Italy) – International Premiere. Using a tongue-in-cheek mockumentary style, this half-true, half-imagined tale is based on the story of real-life singer Tony Vilar. Born in Italy, he later moved to Argentina and became one of the most popular crooners in 1960's Latin America, then mysteriously disappeared, leaving a faint trail apparently leading to New York City. In Italian.
Vitus, directed by Fredi Murer, written by Peter Luisi, Fredi M. Murer, Lukas B. Suter. (Switzerland.) – NY Premiere. A child prodigy yearns for a "normal" life with his parents and eccentric grandfather in this charming family drama, starring the great German actor Bruno Ganz (Wings of Desire; Downfall). While his parents plan a future of piano competitions, Vitus would rather learn to fly. He just needs to find an adult who'll let him. A Sony Pictures Classics Release.
Restored/Rediscovered Attica, directed by Cinda Firestone. (U.S.A., 1974) – World Premiere Revival. In 1971, inmates at Attica State Prison seized control of D-yard and took 35 hostages after peaceful efforts for reforms failed. Attica investigates the rebellion and its bloody suppression, revealing institutionalized injustices, sanctioned dishonesty, and abuses of power. Attica provided courtesy of The New York Public Library, Donnell Media Center and New York Women In Film & Television.
Autumn Days (Días de otońo), directed by Roberto Gavaldón, written by Julio Alejandro, Emilio Carballido. (Mexico, 1962.) – North American Premiere Revival. Pina Pellicer, best known here for her role opposite Brando in One-Eyed Jacks, gives an unforgettably touching performance in this subtle melodrama as a naïve girl who finds work in the big city, then fashions an alternate reality in the wake of a disastrous love affair. Gabriel Figueroa¹s stunning b&w photography invigorates this new restoration from Mexico¹s Film Archive.
The Forty-first (Sorok pervyi), directed by Grigori Chukrai, written by Grigori Koltunov, (Russia, 1956.) – World Premiere Revival. One of the first major films of the post-Stalinist thaw and a 1957 Cannes award-winner, The Forty First’s remarkable power stems largely from the stunning camerawork of Sergei Urusevsky (The Cranes Are Flying, I Am Cuba), who creates a timeless landscape of sand, water and sky for an unexpected love story between a female Red Army sniper and a White Army officer.
The Letter Never Sent (Neotpravlennoe), directed by Mikhail Kalatozov, written by Valeriy Osipov, Viktor Rozov, Grigoriy Koltunov. (Russia, 1959) – World Premiere Revival. The third collaboration between the phenomenal director/cinematographer duo of Kalatozov and Sergey Urusevskiy (The Cranes Are Flying, I Am Cuba), this film traces four geologists' search for a diamond mine as they face natural disasters in the merciless Siberian wilderness, rendered in all its overwhelming power by an extraordinary, unhinged camera.
Night of the Hunchback (Shabe ghuzi) directed by Farokh Ghaffary, written by Jalal Moghaddam. (Iran, 1965.) – World Premiere Revival. This dark comedy, a key masterwork of Iranian cinema, has long remained unseen in the West. Adapted from a story in 1001 Nights and set in a popular theatre troupe, the story follows the death of an actor in a farcical accident and the brilliantly elaborate gags and misunderstandings that abound in subsequent attempts to dispose of his body.
The Pelican (Le pélican), directed by Gérard Blain, written by Marie-Helene Bauret, Gérard Blain. (France, 1973) – North American Premiere Revival. Dubbed "the French James Dean," for his roles in films by Claude Chabrol (Le beau Serge, Les cousins) and Howard Hawks (Hatari), Gérard Blain’s work as director never surfaced in the U.S. This is his masterpiece, a moving account of parental love and obsession, filmed in a rigorous style that recalls Bresson or Dreyer-sans religion.
To Die A Little (Morir Un Poco),directed by Álvaro J. Covacevich. (Chile, 1966.) – North American Premiere. Memories About Sayat Nova, directed by Levon Grigorian. (Armenia, 2006.) – North American Premiere. Two Remarkable Rediscoveries: To Die A Little, an unknown jewel of Latin American filmmaking, lost for nearly 40 years until it was unearthed last year, features images recalling Cassavetes and Rouch. Memories About Sayat Nova reveals astonishingly beautiful, newly discovered scenes from Sergei Paradjanov’s masterwork Sayat Nova, which was censored by the Soviet government.
Midnight Black Sheep, directed and written by Jonathan King. (New Zealand) – New York Premiere. An entrepreneurial farm owner wants to revolutionize the industry with genetically engineered sheep. But when environmental activists try to stop him, they accidentally unleash his baaaad experiment into the world. And this sheep likes blood. In a country where sheep outnumber humans, the last thing you should ever do is piss them off. An IFC First Take Release.
Dirty Sanchez, directed by Jim Hickey. (U.K.) – North American Premiere. Think Jackass on crack and you've got the boys of Dirty Sanchez-Great Britain's troupe of raunchy madmen on a world tour of depravity. With wicked nasty stunts such as liposuction drinking games, beer enema shotguns, things that shouldn't be done with male genitalia, and more, Dirty Sanchez should be viewed with a cast-iron stomach and a twisted sense of humor. Mature audiences only.
Heckler, directed by Michael Addis. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Comedian Jamie Kennedy confronts hecklers and heckled alike in this wry, spirited documentary. With appearances from limelight veterans like Rob Zombie, Mike Ditka, George Lucas and Bill Maher, Heckler illuminates the often contentious relationship between those in the spotlight and the critics in the crowd.
In the Land of Merry Misfits, directed and written by Keven Undergaro. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. A wrong turn lands a young college graduate in a colorful realm of seriously twisted fairytales and wacky ne'er-do-wells on noble quests. To escape and win back his girlfriend, this unlikely hero must help a whimsical group of madcap misfits thwart the accepted social order and capture "The Grail of Popularity."
The Matrimony, directed by Teng Huatao, written by Zhang Jialu, Yang Qianling. (China) – North American Premiere. In 1920's Shanghai, wealthy Junchu loses his fiancée in a freak accident and is coerced by his mother into marrying Sansan, a near stranger. Soon afterward, Sansan's body is inhabited by the devious ghost of Junchu's dead lover, sending her on a downward spiral of madness and murder in this captivating gothic horror. In Mandarin.
Mulberry Street, directed by Jim Mickle, written by Nick Damici, Jim Mickle. (U.S.A.) – New York Premiere. One sweltering summer day in Manhattan, the streets explode into chaos as a rat-borne virus breaks out. With every bite, city dwellers turn into bloodthirsty, rodent-like creatures that violently attack other residents. Seven recently evicted tenants fight through the night for survival as the city quickly spirals out of control.
The Poughkeepsie Tapes, directed and written by John Erick Dowdle. (U.S.A) - World Premiere. When hundreds of videotapes showing torture, murder and dismemberment are found in an abandoned house, they reveal a serial killer's decade-long reign of terror and become the most disturbing collection of evidence homicide detectives have ever seen. Brutal and engrossing, actual footage from these tapes mixed with interviews with FBI profiles and victims’ families begin to expose the many layers to this mystery.
Rise: Blood Hunter, directed and written by Sebastian Gutierrez. (U.S.A) - World Premiere. Reporter Sadie Blake (Lucy Liu) awakens in a morgue and realizes she is no longer human. Trying to resist the thirst for blood, she vows to hunt down the sect responsible for her situation, and kill the vampire that changed her. Chalk fill of action, this slayer flick is sure to thrill. With Michael Chiklis. A Destination Films/Samuel Goldwyn Release.
Scott Walker – 30th Century Man, directed by Stephen Kijak. (U.S.A./U.K.) – New York Premiere. Scott Walker is one of rock music's most enigmatic figures. This astonishing look at the reclusive artist features exclusive footage of Walker recording his latest critically acclaimed album, The Drift, as well as interviews with the man himself, famous fans and collaborators such as David Bowie, Radiohead, Brian Eno and Jarvis Cocker.
Unearthed, directed and written by Matthew Leutwyler. (U.S.A.) –World Premiere When an archeologist obsessed with the mysterious disappearance of an ancient Native American people uncovers a subterranean lair in the New Mexico desert, a blood-thirsty creature is unleashed on a small town. In the wake of the carnage, the people's only hope is a quick-thinking rogue sheriff and the ritual medicine of the lost tribe.
The Workshop, directed and written by Jamie Morgan. (U.K.) – World Premiere. A spiritual search for answers leads the filmmaker to a California workshop run by a guru who promotes sexual adventure-and the existence of aliens. In this amusing and emotional film, Jamie and his friends shed their clothes and inhibitions for a wild ride of sex, fear, love, anger, betrayal and joy. Mature audiences only.
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/13/2007 03:00:00 PM
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LETHEM, AGAIN
A reader pointed out that I forgot to include the link to the great Jonathan Lethem essay I raved about below. Sorry about that -- here it is: The Ecstasy of Influence.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/13/2007 01:39:00 PM
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GRINDHOUSE AT SXSW
In what was one of SXSW's most eagerly anticipated panels, Grindhouse 101, Robert Rodriguez and Aint It Cool News'Harry Knowles delivered an array treats to a packed auditorium. After a candid conversation about the origins of the genre, they went on to screen a few trailers from old Grindhouse films, the finalists of SXSW's Grindhouse trailer competition, a tauntingly brief and extremely gory clip from Rodriguez's upcoming Planet Terror (his half of Grindhouse), and a fake trailer by Eli Roth created to run at the opening of the new film.
Ain't It Cool News has a recap of the panel up as well, including a pretty spot-on review of the Planet Terror clip:
"Rodriguez used Paul Verhoeven squibs, man. These bullet hits are so goddamn gory and bloody. Not since ROBOCOP have we seen squibs like this. The sequence took place at night as the survivors caravan down a road, people on motorcycles shooting as they ride and a couple big trucks filled with dozens of people. The majority of blood was in the hits... These big fucking trucks would smack into zombies and they'd just obliterate into red liquid."
Rodriguez and Knowles talked in detail about the technical aspects of what set the original films apart visually (the aging tendencies of the different film stocks, the green lines and shades of red and yellow that would appear) and audibly (the audio pops and drops that occurred as the films lost individual frames over time). Rodriguez termed all of these imperfections "fantastic accidents," and said that for him, "it was magic to see that: that film is organic and never stays the same."
Sometimes, entire missing or damaged reels would result in the plot progressing unnaturally fast. Rodriguez used this idea as well. As Josh Tyler notes:
[Planet Terror] has been written as if an entire reel is missing. One moment everyone hates each other, the next there’s a jump and everyone has become friends, losers are suddenly awesome heroes, and the attacking zombies are about to be very dead. As Robert says, the section of a movie where everyone gears up to start kicking ass is boring. So he’s giving you the setup and then going straight to the payoff, skipping all the boring junk in between.
The two offered a sense not just of the aesthetics of the genre, but also the culture that surrounded it, and the creative decisions made ultimately to attract audiences. As Harry Knowles said, the films themselves were simply based on "crazy ideas, lurid ideas to draw people into theaters" - sometimes even just a good poster. Rodriguez admitted that the posters he created for Grindhouse were put together even before shooting had begun, and that once he could visualize the image of a woman with a gun in place of her leg, he knew he had a story he wanted to tell.
# posted by Durier Ryan @ 3/13/2007 03:37:00 AM
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Monday, March 12, 2007
TRIBECA ANNOUNCES COMPETITION AND SPOTLIGHT SELECTIONS
The Tribeca Film Festival announced its World Narrative and World Documentary Feature Film Competitions as well as its selections in the Spotlight category today. The fest's sixth edition will take place April 25-May 6. See below for the complete list of films.
World Narrative Competition Born and Bred (Nacido y Criado), directed by Pablo Trapero, written by Pablo Trapero and Mario Rulloni. (Argentina) – U.S. Premiere. When his life is shattered by a terrifying accident, a successful interior designer winds up in the desolate extremes of Patagonia, trying to find himself among other lost, disaffected men. Pablo Trapero's haunting film demonstrates why he is at the cutting edge of Argentina's most exciting cinema.
Gardener of Eden, directed by Kevin Connolly, written by Adam Tex Davis. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. In this dark comedy, Adam Harris' (Lukas Haas) aimless life consists of working at a deli, living with his parents, hanging with his friends and…well, that's about it. Stuck in a rut, he loses it all, but soon finds new purpose when he accidentally captures a serial rapist. With Giovanni Ribisi and Ericka Christensen. Produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.
Half Moon, directed and written by Bahman Ghobadi, (Iran, Iraq, Austria, France) – U.S. Premiere. Graying but determined, Mamo is a famed Kurdish musician who obtains permission to cross the Iranian border to give his first concert in Iraqi Kurdistan. But the journey poses endless challenges, especially when he tries to bring a female singer from Iran, where performances by women have been silenced since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In Kurdish and Farsi. Winner of the Golden Shell, 2006 San Sebastian Film Festival. A Strand Release.
Lady Chatterley, directed by Pascale Ferran, written by Pascale Ferran and Roger Bohbot. (France, Belgium) – North American Premiere. Winner of 5 major prizes, including Best Film and Best Actress, at the 2007 César Awards, France’s equivalent of the Oscars this frankly sensual yet never vulgar film is based on the second of three versions of D.H. Lawrence’s tale about an earthy passion that is both innocent and subversive. A Kino International Release.
The Last Man (Atlal/Le dernier homme), directed and written by Ghassan Salhab. (Lebanon, France) – North American Premiere. In Beirut, a city where so much blood has been spilled in seemingly interminable political conflicts, the sudden appearance of what appear to be victims of a serial killer isn't especially alarming. A 40-year-old doctor (Michel Chahine, astonishing) develops links to the victims, and begins to exhibit strange and disturbing symptoms of his own.
Lost In Beijing (Ping Guo), directed by Li Yu, written by Li Yu and Li Fang. (China) - North American Premiere. This tragicomic look at modern-day life in China's capital may not be especially daring for Western viewers in terms of its sexual content, despite the battle its producers fought with censors at home, but its depiction of a ménage-a-quatre involving a young woman, her boss, her husband and her boss’s wife is decidedly unlike anything else we’ve seen from the People’s Republic.
Making Of, directed and written by Nouri Bouzid. (Tunisia) – International Premiere. Bahta, 25, heads up a group of break dancers, but the outbreak Bahta¹s a young break dancer in Tunisia but after the eruption of hostilities in Iraq in 2003, he falls in with a group of fundamentalists, whose brainwashing is intended to make him a suicide bomber. In the framing story, the actor playing Bahta doesn¹t know how the film will end, and he and the director have conflicts of their own. Winner, Gold Tanit, Carthage Film Festival.
My Father My Lord (Hofshat Kaits), directed and written by David Volach. (Israel) – International Premiere. This powerful and heartbreaking film takes a look at the price that may be exacted by a rigid observation of religious tenets. Its central character, a respected rabbi in an ultra-Orthodox community -- who is also a father and husband -- is forced to come to terms with the demands of his faith and the welfare of his own family.
Napoleon and Me (Io e Napoleone), directed by Paolo Virzi, written by Furio Scarpelli, Giacomo Scarpelli, Francesco Bruni, Paolo Virzi. (Italy, France) – North American Premiere. Napoleon's exile on the Italian island of Elba is seen through the eyes of a young teacher who reviles the former emperor (played by Daniel Auteuil), but must serve as his librarian in this light-hearted costume drama that's as fast-paced as an operetta and spiked with Tuscan humor. Featuring Monica Bellucci as the intriguing Baroness.
Playing the Victim (Izobrazhaya zhertvu), directed by Kirill Serebrennikov, written by The Presnyakov Brothers. (Russia) – North American Premiere. One of Moscow's top theatre directors has adapted his own successful play into a cinematic marvel in which a young slacker is employed by the police to literally "play the victim" in videos reconstructing crimes. His dangerously escalating disgust with the world is portrayed in a visual style so inventive that it's only when he receives nocturnal visits from his father's ghost that the echoes of Hamlet are evoked. Winner, Grand Prize, Rome Film Festival
Still Life (Sanxia Haoren), directed by Jia Zhang-Ke. (Hong Kong, China) – U.S. Premiere. This poignant human drama is set against a surreal, metaphorically loaded backdrop -- a Yangtze town that will soon be submerged by the Three Gorges Dam. Like the director's other films (Platform, Unknown Pleasures, The World), it's an empathetic portrait of those left behind by a modernizing society, and a unique hybrid of documentary and fiction.
Times and Winds (Bes vakit), directed and written by Reha Erdem. (Turkey) – U.S. Premiere. This unforgettable, beautifully observed film is a lyrical and haunting portrait of life in a remote Turkish mountain village, where three pre-teens struggle with dreams and desires that are utterly specific and personal, and yet somehow universal. An extraordinary score by Arvo Pärt adds to the electrifying experience.
Towards Darkness (Hacia la Oscuridad), directed and written by Antonio Negret. (Panama, Colombia, U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Colombia's rampant kidnappings are the brutal reality at the heart of this nail-biting thriller. A young photographer is abducted, held for ransom, and forced to contemplate imminent death while his family makes desperate covert deals to secure his release. Featuring America Ferrara. In English and Spanish.
Two Embraces (Dos Abrazos), directed by Enrique Begne, (Mexico) – International Premiere. Four people forced to fend for themselves in life -- a burdened twelve-year-old boy, the cashier he has a crush on, an angry taxi driver and the estranged daughter of one of his passengers -- come together in two embraces. An auspicious film debut and poignant tale of lonely people who find a glimmer of hope in each other in today's Mexico City.
Two in One (Dva v odnom), directed by Kira Muratova, written by Evgenii Golubenko and Renata Litvinova. (Ukraine) International Premiere. This celebrated director’s “exquisite cruelty” appears front and center when the death of a stage actor turns a theatrical drama into a real one. Two in One’s two parts, “Stagehands” and “Woman of a Lifetime” celebrate the psychological richness that lurks just beneath the surface of banal reality—if murderous stagehands, lascivious fathers, and vengeful daughters can be described as banal.
Vivere, directed and written by Angelina Maccarone. (Germany) – World Premiere. On Christmas Eve, Francesca sets out from her small town for the big city, Rotterdam, to find her little sister, who has run off to follow her musician boyfriend. On the way, she picks up Gerlinde, a heartbroken older woman at the end of her rope. This exquisitely photographed tale employs a fragmented timeline to illustrate the story of three lost souls on the run.
West 32nd, directed by Michael Kang, written by Michael Kang and Edmund Lee. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. After hustling his way onto a homicide case, an ambitious young lawyer (John Cho) infiltrates the gritty Korean underworld of New York, searching for clues. When he meets his match in the syndicate, they'll both do anything to get to the top. It's a raw and thrilling race. In English and Korean.
The Year My Parents Went On Vacation (O Ano em que meus pais saíram de férias), directed by Cao Hamburger, written by Cláudio Galperin, Cao Hamburger, Bráulio Mantovani, Anna Muylaert. (Brazil) - North American Premiere. It's the summer of 1970, and twelve-year-old Mauro's biggest concern is whether Brazil wins the World Cup-until his politicized parents are forced to flee the country, and he is thrust into the alien world of Sao Paolo's Jewish community. This sensitive drama shows an innocent caught up in a ferociously repressive dictatorship he knows nothing about.
World Documentary Competition 9 Star Hotel (Malon 9 Kochavim), directed by Ido Haar. (Israel) – U.S. Premiere. Slipping through the pre-dawn darkness over highways, through traffic and across the border, Palestinian construction workers go to work clandestinely in Israel everyday. Harr’s raw, handheld photography follows workers who build their own border shanty community to enter Israel more easily, with no choice but to risk their lives simply to earn a living. A Koch Lorber Release.
Between Heaven and Earth (Tussen Hemel En Aarde), directed by Frank van den Engel, Masja Novikova. (Netherlands) – North American Premiere. In the heart of the Eurasian continent, the ancient center of the world where the Silk Road connected China to Europe, the circus is a deeply rooted cultural phenomenon. This film focuses on two circus artists, whose lifelong friendship under the dictatorship in Uzbekistan is affected by the different political choices they make. In Russian and Uzbek.
Beyond Belief, directed by Beth Murphy. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Inspired by compassion for others whose loss they recognize as mirroring their own, two courageous women whose husbands died in the Twin Towers on 9/11 turn their grief into a catalyst for action. They travel to Kabul to help other widows, soon recognizing that the plight of the Afghan women leaves them feeling almost blessed. In English and Dari.
Bomb It, directed and written by John Reiss. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Bomb It tells the story of contemporary graffiti, tracing its roots in ancient rock paintings through Picasso to its place in hip-hop culture in 1970's New York City. This kinetic documentary looks at graffiti on five continents, using guerilla footage of graffiti-writers in action. You'll never look at public space the same way again. In English, German, French, Japanese.
Forging a Nation (Hacer Patria), directed by David Blaustein, written by Irene Ickoickz. (Argentina) – North American Premiere. Accompanied by his mother, cousins, aunts and uncles, the director retraces the steps of his Jewish ancestors, who fled Europe in the 1920s hoping to find in Argentina the land of their dreams. This poignant film journey uses the documentary as a singular tool to explore the multifaceted ways in which the Argentine nation was built.
I Am an American Soldier: One Year in Iraq with the 101st Airborne, directed by John Laurence. (U.K.) – World Premiere. This unflinching examination of the war in Iraq follows soldiers from the elite 101st Airborne Division for 14 months, from stateside preparations to their deployment in Iraq and back home again. Throughout, soldiers speak candidly about their experience in the military and demonstrate the powerful bond established as they struggle to stay alive.
Miss Universe 1929, directed and written by Péter Forgács. (Austria) – North American Premiere. Amateur filmmaker Marci Tenczer was smitten with his cousin, Liesl Goldarbeiter and chronicled her rise from a modest childhood in Vienna to the Texas competition where she was crowned the first Miss Universe. Then Hitler upended everyone's universe. Péter Forgács (Best Documentary El Perro Negro, 2005 Tribeca Film Festival) continues his fascinating exploration of Europe's private history through home movies.
Planet B-Boy, directed by Benson Lee. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. A powerful documentary that's as much about community as it is about dance, Planet B-Boy shows how breakdancing unites B-Boys across political, religious and racial boundaries. Director Benson Lee layers the drama of the world championship competition with the backstories of dancers from the U.S., Korea, Japan and France, and discovers why they are each so committed to their art. In English, French, Japanese and Korean.
Santiago, directed and written by João Moreira Salles. (Brazil) – North American Premiere. In 1992, João Moreira Salles started making a film about Santiago, the butler who had been working for his parents since his childhood. 13 years later, Salles looked back at the unused material on the now deceased flamboyant servant. Through Santiago's detailed memories and erudite contemplations and the director's voice-over, the film reflects deftly on identity, memory and the nature of documentaries. In black and white.
A Slim Peace, directed by Yael Luttwak. (U.K.) – World Premiere. When 14 women—Israelis, Palestinians, Bedouin Arabs, and American settlers—in the West Bank are brought together with the shared goal of losing weight, they find out they have far more in common than they ever would have imagined. A Slim Peace takes a revealing look at the universal struggle for acceptance, understanding and personal transformation in a land of intractable conflict.
A Story of People in War & Peace, directed by Vardan Hovhannisyan. (Armenia) – U.S. Premiere. A deeply personal meditation on the horrors of war and its effects is shown through the eyes of Armenian journalist Vardan Hovhannisyan. Weaving together footage he shot during his country's 1994 conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan over the Nagorno Karabakh region, Hovhannisyan creates a devastating portrait of lasting damage inflicted by the battlefield. In English and Russian.
The Sugar Curtain (El Telón de Azúcar), directed by Camila Guzmán Urzúa. (France, Cuba, Spain) – U.S. Premiere. Guzmán Urzúa makes her feature documentary debut with The Sugar Curtain, an intimate portrayal of the singular experience shared by people of her generation -- those living Cuba's utopian dream during the golden era of the revolution. It is also a lament for the end of that dream, which began to fizzle after the fall of the Berlin Wall. In Spanish
Taxi to the Dark Side, directed by Alex Gibney. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. This documentary murder mystery examines the death of an Afghan taxi driver at Bagram Air Base from injuries inflicted by U.S. soldiers. An unflinching look at the Bush administration's policy on torture, the filmmaker behind Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room takes us from a village in Afghanistan to Guantanamo and straight to the White House.
The Tree (El Árbol), directed and written by Gustavo Fontán. (Argentina) – International Premiere. Returning to his childhood home, filmmaker Gustavo Fontán documents his parents' deliberations over a tree planted the day he was born. Simple questions that pass between them—Is the tree dead? Should we cut it down?—become meditations on history, memory, knowledge and the sensory symphony of daily life.
A Walk into the Sea: Danny Williams and The Warhol Factory, directed by Esther B. Robinson. (U.S.A.) – U.S. Premiere. Esther Robinson's engrossing portrait of her uncle Danny Williams-Warhol's onetime lover, collaborator and filmmaker in his own right-offers an engaging exploration of the Factory era, an homage to Williams's talent, a journey of family discovery and a compelling inquiry into Williams' mysterious disappearance at age 27.
We Are Together (Thina Simunye), directed by Paul Taylor. (U.K.) – North American Premiere. Though they've endured painful setbacks, including the loss of loved ones to AIDS, nothing can quell the angelic singing voices of the children in South Africa's Agape Orphanage. Told with compassion and grace, Paul Taylor's uplifting documentary celebrates the children's indomitable spirits and musical aspirations. Includes a special performance by Alicia Keyes and Paul Simon. In Zulu and English.
Spotlight 2 Days In Paris (Deux jours á Paris), directed and written by Julie Delpy. (France) – North American Premiere. Actress Julie Delpy (Before Sunrise) writes, directs, edits, produces, stars in and even composes music for her crowd-pleasing directorial debut. With a snappy comic edge, the story revolves around Marion bringing her American boyfriend Jack (Adam Goldberg) on a visit to Paris. Between clashes of culture, language and flirtatious ex-boyfriends, their relationship is tested in this charming, smart gem. A Samuel Goldwyn Films Release.
Chops, a documentary film directed by Bruce Broder. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Each year, Jazz at Lincoln Center and its artistic director Wynton Marsalis host the prestigious Essentially Ellington Festival, a competition of high school jazz bands from across the country. This toe-tapping and empowering documentary focuses on one Florida band filled with young musicians who hit all the right notes.
The Grand, directed by Zak Penn, written by Zak Penn and Matt Bierman. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Woody Harrelson goes all-in to save his dead father’s hotel-casino from a real estate developer in this hilarious mockumentary. His master plan: to win the world’s most famous high stakes tournament, the Grand Championship of Poker. Anteing up the laughs are Werner Herzog, Cheryl Hines, David Cross, Ray Romano and Dennis Farina.
Invisibles, directed by Mariano Barroso, Isabel Coixet, Javier Corcuera, Fernando León de Aranoa, Wim Wenders. (Spain) – U.S. Premiere. Giving voice to those silenced by international indifference, Academy Award® nominated actor Javier Bardem teams with Doctors Without Borders to produce this powerful collection of short films. Five acclaimed directors shed light on heroic, yet unsung humanitarian efforts to combat international crises, which have thus far remained invisible. In Spanish, English, Lwo, Kiluba and Swahili.
The Killing of John Lennon, directed and written by Andrew Piddington. (U.K.) – North American Premiere. A riveting, disturbing glimpse into the mind of John Lennon's killer, Mark David Chapman, during the days leading up to his deadly confrontation with the rock star outside the Dakota. Lines lifted verbatim from Chapman's own journal give actor Jonas Bell's unforgettable performance an eerie, chilling precision.
My Best Friend (Mon meilleur ami), directed by Patrice Leconte, written by Patrice Leconte and Jérôme Tonnerre. (France) – U.S. Premiere. After business associates chide him for his indifference to other people, high-powered art dealer François (Daniel Auteuil) is challenged to produce an actual friend in only ten days, or lose a valued vase. His search sets off a witty, yet thoughtful look at the meaning of friendship from prolific French director Patrice Leconte. An IFC Films Release.
The Optimists (Optimisti) directed by Goran Paskaljevic, written by Vladimir Paskaljevic and Goran Paskaljevic. (Serbia) – North American Premiere. One of Central Europe’s leading filmmakers follows his unforgettable A Midwinter Night’s Dream (TFF 2005) with this new film whose five episodes conjure up a world where people have trouble distinguishing truth from illusions. Each segment reflects the motto of Voltaire’s Candide: “Optimism is insisting everything is good, when everything is bad.”
Pete Seeger: The Power of Song, a documentary directed by Jim Brown. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen are two of many who attest to Seeger's importance in this compelling documentary that is more than a simple biography. Using new interviews, archival footage and home movies, Brown presents a social history through the life of one of this country's most compelling forces for change and, arguably, the most significant folk artist of our time.
The Power of The Game, a documentary directed by Michael Apted. (U.S.A) – World Premiere. Six stories intertwine in this dramatic and moving examination of the social impact of soccer across the world. Juxtaposing thrilling footage from games leading to and throughout the 2006 World Cup, Apted highlights stories of triumph over adversity from around the globe and skillfully conveys the remarkable transformative power of this sport. In English, German, Farsi, French and Spanish.
Purple Violets, directed and written by Ed Burns. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Aspiring novelist Patti Petalson's (Selma Blair) chance encounter with her ex Brian (Patrick Wilson) turns her life upside down in this charming romance. Burns shows a new maturity both behind and in front of the lens as he also pairs with Debra Messing to round-out the foursome of college friends reuniting after years of estrangement.
Razzle Dazzle, directed by Ken Jacobs. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. A frequently returning TFF filmmaker presents the world premiere of his new experimental narrative opus. Razzle Dazzle confirms Jacobs' mastery of digital filmmaking in which he treats the image as a painterly canvas, exploring the depths of cubism and abstract expressionism from source material comprising turn-of-the-century stereopticon slides and an early Edison film.
The Road to St. Diego (El Camino de San Diego), directed and written by Carlos Sorin. (Argentina) – North American Premiere. A young Argentine backwoodsman learns that soccer star Diego Maradona is ailing in a Buenos Aires hospital, and resolves to bring him a tree root he's uncovered--which he's certain looks just like his idol. Tracing a pilgrimage filled with humor, Sorin spins a delightfully offbeat tale about the roles that fate, religion and idolatry can play in life.
Steep, a documentary directed by Mark Obenhaus. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Whether it's jumping out of a helicopter hovering above the powdery slopes of Alaska's mountain ranges, or trying to outrun an avalanche in the French Alps, Steep traces the legacy of extreme skiing from its early pioneers to the death-defying daredevils of today.
Take the Bridge, directed by Sergio M. Castilla. (Chile, U.S.A.) – World Premiere. Four young strangers meet after their failed suicide attempts land each of them in the hospital on the same day. United by circumstance, they may yet discover a reason to live. This fresh, original take on city life pays tribute to the vitality and energy of the Dominican community in Washington Heights. In English and Spanish.
This Is England, directed and written by Shane Meadows. (U.K.) – U.S. Premiere. It’s the summer of 1983 in northern England. Punks, Mods and Skinheads are on the rise, but employment is not. Eleven-year-old Shaun has lost his father but seems to find a surrogate family in a band of friendly skinheads. When they’re joined by the older, overtly racist Con, who’s just out of prison, the tale takes a much darker turn. An IFC First Take Release.
Tuya’s Marriage (Tu Ya De Hun Shi), directed by Wang Quan'an, written by Lu Wei and Wang Quan'an. (China) – North American Premiere. A strong-willed shepherdess on the Mongolian steppe, Tuya must face some harsh truths about the future. In need of an able provider, she reluctantly divorces her ailing husband and considers proposals from a string of quirky suitors. This warm, witty tale, featuring stunning cinematography, won the top prize at the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival.
You Kill Me, directed by John Dahl, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. (U.S.A.) – World Premiere. In this smart, darkly funny drama by John Dahl (The Last Seduction) about addiction and recovery, Ben Kingsley delivers a bravura performance as Frank, an alcoholic contract killer forced to go through a twelve-step program and become a funeral home assistant. Also starring Téa Leoni and Luke Wilson. An IFC Films Release.
# posted by Jason Guerrasio @ 3/12/2007 02:12:00 PM
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STARING AT THE COMPUTER SCREEN
I’m on the Narrative Feature jury at South by Southwest, so I can’t really write about the movies I’m seeing down here. (Or, at least, I can’t until after Tuesday night when we give the awards.) But I'll try to post on some of the panels and other events I'm attending.
Yesterday I checked out Cinematech’s Scott Kirsner and his New Media and Film panel. If you read this blog you’ll know I’m a fan of Kirsner’s reporting on the business and technology of new media.
In addition to Kirsner, the panel consisted of David Gale, exec. V.P. at MTV New Media; Rick DeVos, CEO of Spout; Seth Nagel, V.P, Content and Acquisitions, iKlipz; and Scilla Andreen, Co-Founder of Indieflix.
While a lot of topics were discussed, people kept circling back to one topic: how do we generate revenue by distributing our movies over the internet? Kirsner argued that that’s the wrong way to formulate the question. It should be, he said, “What can you build that can be supported in this new environment?” He added, “It’s not going to be a $1 million dollar feature film.”
Andreen advised filmmakers to explore all forms of digital distribution until the distribution medium shakes itself out. “Different people have different viewing habits,” she said. “Bittorrent, Joost, etc. -- until we see which one is going to hit, I think it’s wise to put your film up in as many places you can." (I wondered what Joost is and by writing the hyperlink above I just learned that it's the new name for The Venice Project, which I've written about before.) There was also talk about unconventional platforms for film content, such as the online Second Life game world.
When conceptualizing content for new media, Gale said, "You have to think not only about your audience but also their behavior. The younger audience is the first adopter but they are the most likely to steal your content." Gale went on to say that he didn't think "the traditional long-form film is going to be where it's at" in the emerging web video arena. He said that "the people who can make money are the consolidators," the companies that create sites that sift through posted material and categorize it for both consumers and advertisers.
There was also much talk of who is going to dominate he digital distribution world. Said Kirsner, "In the old world of distribution, you could get Fox to pick [a film] up and put it in 3,000 theaters. We haven’t yet seen who is gong to control the giant distribution machine in this new world. It might be iTunes, or Netflix could be the player to beat."
Citing the example of the Dimitri, the San Francisco comedian who is the subject of a series of short films financed by Microsoft to only vaguely promote the new Vista operating system, Gale concluded with some advice to filmmakers. "Stop thinking movies," he said. "if you want to do movies, that’s great. But if you can start as creators to think of new ways to create content, to use your skills as storytellers, then I think you can get the economics to work."
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/12/2007 01:12:00 AM
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THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW
I've run into my old friend, colleague and Filmmaker co-founder Karol Martesko-Fenster at my favorite Tribeca coffee spot several times recently, and each time he's been holding meetings at a large table filled with stacks of spreadsheets. Today, Indiewire confirms what he's been up to: the launch of Tomorrow Unlimited.
Writes Indiewire:
Touting a plan to create "a network of global multi-platform properties," Robert DeNiro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff's Tribeca Enterprises (parent of the Tribeca Film Festival and Tribeca Cinemas) has announced the formation of Tomorrow Unlimited LLC with former principals of RES Media Group. The new division is headed by CE0 Karol Martesko and COO John Turk, along with former RES team Jesse Ashlock, Jeremy Boxer, Khris Kline, and Sam Margolius. Specific plans have yet to be officially announced, but the new company will be a programming and curatorial entity with an online web journal, a multi-city event and a touring festival. The outfit will explore film, music, design, art, gaming, technology, architecture, fashion, and other areas.
And here's Karol's statement:
Tomorrow Unlimited will give voice to the grassroots of emerging creative culture worldwide. The extraordinary efforts of young talents working with new tools and techniques, new communication technologies, new concepts in multimedia creation, and perhaps most importantly, a renewed sense of hope for the promise of creative culture, offers an open door to our collective future."
I'll look forward to learning more about Karol's new venture and sharing it with you in the weeks to come.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/12/2007 12:58:00 AM
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STAIR MASTER
Joe Swanberg's latest picture, Hannah Takes the Stairs, premiered here at SXSW tonight (it's not in Competition, so I missed it -- I'm on the jury and was watching another film at the time) -- and Ray Pride has a mammoth interview up with the director. Here Swanberg talks about how he developed the film and got it produced following a meeting with producer Anish Savjanti here at the festival last year.
[Anish] is from Austin. He saw LOL [at SxSW] and he came to the LOL party that night, said, “I like it, let’s talk.” I think three weeks later we were in business. We started shooting a few months after that. It was like a short pitch to him over the telephone and he agreed to do it. And then when I presented him—[Swanberg laughs] Really, I said to him what I said to everybody, which is like, “If you want to help me and you have some money and you want to enable me to make this film on HD and work with the people that I want to work with, then I love you and I think you’re great. But I’m not going to write a script and I’m not going to change the way I make movies.” Because I can do it by myself if I want to. So he said, “What’s your idea?” so I told him my idea. What I gave him was a drawing on a piece of paper that sort of looked like a martini glass that outlined the characters and the way the story would progress and potentially split into two different [stories]. That’s what he approved, based on the drawing.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/12/2007 12:45:00 AM
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Sunday, March 11, 2007
SXSW BRIEF
The two words I was hearing on everyone's lips here in Austin - at least on Friday and Saturday - were spring and break, and it was difficult to respond to this with anything but full and enthusiastic agreement. Given the sunny 80-degree weather, and Austin's slacker charm welcoming the mass of excited filmmakers and industry attendees, the vacation connotation was obvious.
Despite the casual vibe here, navigating SXSW is not for the laid-back. With a strong lineup of concurrent premieres, panels and films in competition (and with theaters filling up quickly) attendees have their hands full. The pre-screening and sidewalk chatter is overwhelmingly positive, and there's simply more to see than time permits.
As expected, the world premiere of Manufacturing Dissent last night drew both long lines and a heated Q&A. Filmmakers Debbie Melnyk & Rick Caine took the wide range of questions and criticisms in stride, but it remains to be seen how the conversation about the film's merits will develop, especially amidst the pandora's box of ethical questions about non-fiction filmmaking it opens.
Michael Tucker & Petra Epperlein's The Prisoner, Or: How I Planned to Kill Tony Blair received a strong response following its at-capacity screening this morning, and many people (myself included) are looking forward to SXSW favorite Joe Swanberg'sHannah Takes The Stairs, which has its premiere at the Paramount this evening.
But the laid-back energy that kicked off the fest has certainly picked up. With this morning's arrival of clouds and then rain (not to mention our collective loss of an hour's worth of sleep), SXSW07 settled into a more rigorous and frenzied pace, as it moves into night #3.
# posted by Durier Ryan @ 3/11/2007 02:04:00 PM
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Friday, March 09, 2007
GIFTS GIVEN AND RECEIVED
Jonathan Lethem (Motherless Brooklyn, The Fortress of Solitude) has a new novel out (You Don’t Love Me Yet, reviewed here in the Village Voice), a brilliant essay in Harper’s entitled The Ecstasy of Influence, and, on his website,, a provocatively intentioned yet wonderfully generous gift for young filmmakers.
Before we get that incredible offer, I want to talk about the essay. I won’t spoil the astonishing reveal contained within its afterward -- and I must insist you read it until the end -- but even without clueing you in to the entirety of Lethem’s conception, I can say that the piece is a must-read for anyone interested in issues of creativity, copyright law and the history of intellectual property in today’s age of sampling, digital reproduction, allusion and quotation.
Referencing Nabokov, Dylan, Don Siegel, William Burroughs, Disney (big time), Rankin/Bass, South Park, T.S. Elliot, Walker Percy, Celera Genomics, Jack Valenti, The Velveteen Rabbit, Alcoholics Anonymous, the Iranian film director Dariush Mehrjui and many, many others, Lethem begins a discussion of how cultural history -- remembered, only dimly recalled, and sometimes just forgotten -- shapes the work of all artists.
A key passage:
Most artists are brought to their vocation when their own nascent gifts are awakened by the work of a master. That is to say, most artists are converted to art by art itself. Finding one's voice isn't just an emptying and purifying oneself of the words of others but an adopting and embracing of filiations, communities, and discourses. Inspiration could be called inhaling the memory of an act never experienced. Invention, it must be humbly admitted, does not consist in creating out of void but out of chaos. Any artist knows these truths, no matter how deeply he or she submerges that knowing.
Lethem then moves into a wonderful discussion of art (and yes, that includes movies) as a product that exists simultaneously within two separate economies, an economy of commerce and a parallel “gift economy,” which can be defined in part as the surplus value that is the difference between the ticket price and the work’s impact on one’s life (and, for the artist, one’s future work).
Another excerpt:
But if it is true that in the essential commerce of art a gift is carried by the work from the artist to his audience, if I am right to say that where there is no gift there is no art, then it may be possible to destroy a work of art by converting it into a pure commodity. I don't maintain that art can't be bought and sold, but that the gift portion of the work places a constraint upon our merchandising. This is the reason why even a really beautiful, ingenious, powerful ad (of which there are a lot) can never be any kind of real art: an ad has no status as gift; i.e., it's never really for the person it's directed at.
Aside from being a broadside against today’s copyright monopolists, whose laws (and lawsuits) deny the fundamental methods by which art is created, Lethem’s essay is an elaborate preamble for his own heads-first dive into the gift economy. He writes:
As a novelist, I'm a cork on the ocean of story, a leaf on a windy day. Pretty soon I'll be blown away. For the moment I'm grateful to be making a living, and so must ask that for a limited time (in the Thomas Jefferson sense) you please respect my small, treasured usemonopolies. Don't pirate my editions; do plunder my visions. The name of the game is Give All. You, reader, are welcome to my stories. They were never mine in the first place, but I gave them to you. If you have the inclination to pick them up, take them with my blessing.
What’s he talking about? Go to Lethem’s website, where he details his “Promiscuous Materials Project.” Filmmakers, playwrights, composers and songwriters are free to make movies, plays and songs from a selection of Lethem’s published short stories for license fees of $1. These rights are non-exclusive, meaning you might be one of 100 filmmakers making a film based on the same story, and are restricted to films 30 minutes or less.
Lethem says the idea came to him when he received film inquiries for his last novel, The Fortress of Solitude:
One of the instigating factors for this project was my being approached simultaneously by a film director and a theater director for the adaptation rights to The Fortress of Solitude. I wanted to say yes to both. Ordinarily, this is seen as impossible: when a writer sells or options a book to a filmmaker or film studio, the theatrical rights are bundled in the package (along, with things like television rights, sequel motion picture rights, and theme park rights). I decided to ignore precedent and find a way to allow both projects to move forward simultaneously. As of now, both are. (It may be that either the filmmaker or the theatrical director will find themselves hamstrung by some unimaginative investor's requirement that all rights be controlled. I hope not. We'll see.)
The offer is also, as mentioned, an outgrowth of the Harper’s essay cited above:
I like art that comes from other art, and I like seeing my stories adapted into other forms. My writing has always been strongly sourced in other voices, and I'm a fan of adaptations, apropriations, collage, and sampling. I recently explored some of these ideas in an essay for Harper's Magazine. As I researched that essay I came more and more to believe that artists should ideally find ways to make material free and available for reuse. This project is a (first) attempt to make my own art practice reflect that belief.
My thinking along these lines has been strongly influenced by Open Source theory and the Free Culture movement, and by Lewis Hyde's book, The Gift.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/09/2007 08:34:00 PM
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HOBO HEROES
It’s no secret that making an indie film involves dedication to one’s project in the face of numerous challenges, and yet some filmmakers have to deal with more serious problems than others.
A year or so ago, Jeff Stone was living in Costa Mesa, California, making short films with his friend Vern Moen, and the two were planning on finding an apartment they could share which they could afford on their meagre budgets. This plan hit a snag, however, when circumstances conspired to make Stone homeless, and he ended up camping at a nearby RV park. This experience inspired him to suggest that he and Moen get an RV: not only would it be cheap, mobile accomodation but they realised that they could turn Stone's initial bad fortune to their advantage.
Since the start of 2006, Stone and Moen have been living in ‘Dick’, the 1973 Winnebago motorhome they bought together and moving around the greater Los Angeles area as they try and break into Hollywood in their own, distinctly unconventional way. They have been chronicling their hobo lifestyle on film, as well as on the blog on their website, The Winnebago Experience.
The pair's frugal ways have also allowed them to self-finance numerous projects, and they have posted the fruits of their labors - everything from music promos they’ve shot for über-cool bands such as Cold War Kids to videos of their seemingly numerous attempts to crash industry awards bashes – on the site for people to enjoy. An ongoing project is a documentary on the modern hobo’s life, portions of which are already online.
Check out The Winnebago Experience, and be inspired.
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/09/2007 03:16:00 PM
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GUIDE TO SXSW
For those on their way to SXSW, indieWIRE has compiled an excellent Insiders Guide to the in-things to do while you're in Austin. My mouth's watering just thinking of the great BBQ.
# posted by Jason Guerrasio @ 3/09/2007 11:55:00 AM
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Wednesday, March 07, 2007
GRINDHOUSE IN THE PARK
The Grindhouse wave continues this weekend in Austin. In addition to SXSW’sGrindhouse 101 panel with Robert Rodriguez, the festival announced earlier this week an outdoor double-feature screening, taking place Saturday evening in nearby RepublicSquarePark.
Rodriguez will be on hand to introduce the back-to-back screenings of Sergio Martino’s Torso and Lucio Fulci’s Zombie. It’s open to the public, and free with a SXSW badge.
# posted by Durier Ryan @ 3/07/2007 03:43:00 PM
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Tuesday, March 06, 2007
RUBIK'S PART DEUX
I'm a bit late in posting this, but here's Michel Gondry's latest puzzle posting in which solves a Rubik's cube with his nose.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/06/2007 11:53:00 PM
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THE FUTURE OF DISTRIBUTION?
This past weekend I was in San Jose for Cinequest, which is known for being on the forefront of technology, and came across what may become the newest answer for indie filmmakers who can't find traditional means of distribution. The site is called Jaman and along with being a social network it's also an online distribution site. Currently with over 1,000 shorts and features in its library from all over the world, you can rent ($1.99) or buy ($4.99) the films and with their peer-to-peer network can deliver movies that are — their site boasts — better than DVD quality (I've seen it, it's quite good). And the best thing about it, the filmmakers get something out of it: 30% of the gross revenue from rentals and sales go to the filmmakers. Along with Cinequest the site has partnered up with the Miami International Film Festival and the San Fancisco International Film Festival which will put a few films on the site from its 50th anniversary program.
Click here to learn more about getting your film on the site.
# posted by Jason Guerrasio @ 3/06/2007 02:35:00 PM
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POLITICAL MASH UP, PART TWO
Scott's post yesterday about the Hilary Clinton mash-up inspired me to quickly write about the sterling work done by rx, the undisputed master of the political mash-up. His brilliant, and very funny, little creations are usually constructed by cutting and pasting words and phrases so that he gets leading political figures to 'sing' classic songs like My Name Is, My Generation and Imagine. In their own very distinctive way, that is.
I've posted the YouTube video for Imagine below, and look out for more good stuff from rx as we build up to 2008.
# posted by Nick Dawson @ 3/06/2007 02:04:00 PM
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RECOMMENDED READING, PART TWO
I want to bump producer Ted Hope's response to the "Recommended Reading" post, below, to the main blog because he expanded upon the concept of the list by naming three non-film books (and one other non-obvious selection) that challenge us to think about cinema and image-making in new ways.
Here's what Ted wrote:
When I think of the books that meant the most to me during my initial forays into film production, four you don't yet have listed there really stand out. All the books listed are about the doing, not the thought process beforehand, which to me, still remains the most critical. Ultimately, filmmaking is about how one sees the world, isn't it? Or rather, how what we see of the world, interpret, is then in turn seen and interpreted by others. The books that I think we need are about that, at least in my opinion.
First and foremost was John Waters' Shock Value. At age 16 or 17, I needed it's "everything is permitted" and "art dwells in unlikely places" celebratory cries to help recognize that although I hated everything mainstream media was creating, there might really be a place and an audience for something a little bit different. Now with the indie scene so fully co-opted and no real alternative screen gaining ground, it seems quite relevant again.
The other three all posses a remarkable power to regularly change the way I see the world, to provide that feeling of "recognition" -- to know again:
Barthes captured the immediate experience of what looking at film really was in such a way that it helped me accept that this is what I wanted to do with both my life and my labor, why I loved watching, and why I loved participating in the process.
Berger pointed to the responsibility inherent and often ignored in the process, what often was really being said, and how much harder I had think about the choices I made -- a discipline that I still need to remind myself of and totally enjoy.
Finally, Bataille showed the power of words, imagery, and story as it rallies up against society, culture, and history, all the meanwhile embodied and embolden by a great sense of fun and mischief. Although almost 90 years old, it still feels fresher than most things I get to read today.
The last three books all clock in at less than 150 pages each and two of them come complete with pictures. Read of the course of a day, along with the already cited and equally short and dense Notes On Cinematography, and aided by several cups of espresso and a soundtrack of The Clash, Bowie, Sex Pistols, Elvis Costello, and Neil Young, any filmmaker can not help but see the need to consistently change, regularly produce, and sometimes just not give a fuck what other people think.
And I still think that's better than what anyone can find in any film school, sad to say.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/06/2007 12:17:00 AM
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Monday, March 05, 2007
POLITICAL MASH UP
Possibly the first of what will be countless political 2008 campaign mash-ups has appeared on YouTube. And even with its subject transposed, Ridley Scott's famous "1984" Apple Super Bowl ad -- here, retooled by a Barack Obama supporter -- packs a punch.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/05/2007 09:13:00 PM
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Zodiac is an important postmodern work. It's an authentically “new” and even experimental thing attempting, to quote from Susan Sontag's essay "Against Interpretation," to put content in its place. It's very very much a film constructed on a 21st century conception of information as a non-substantive, purely relational digital phenomenon, and the fact that it was shot on video and exists immaterially as digital information is thus not a merely decorative issue but crucial to its meaning.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/04/2007 11:05:00 AM
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Saturday, March 03, 2007
RECOMMENDED READING
Jumping off Bridges director Kat Candler is teaching a film class this semester, and to compile the syllabus she asked her filmmaker friends to put together a "recommended reading" list comprised of books that have helped them in their professional lives. She agreed to let me publish this list, so here it is below, grouped by filmmaking discipline, with the names of the filmmakers who recommended each book in parentheses after the title.
Screenwriting
The Ice Storm: The Shooting Script (Newmarket Shooting Script Series Book) by James Schamus (Kat Candler)
Sex, Lies and Videotape (Faber Reel Classics) by Steven Soderberg (Jacob Vaughn)
Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke and M.D. Herter Norton (Stacy Schoolfield)
Making a Good Script Great by Linda Seger (Jay Duplass)
Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman (John Bryant)
A Crackup at the Race Riots by Harmony Korine (Todd Rohal)
Production
Cassavetes on Cassavetes by John Cassavetes and Ray Carney (Mike Tully, Margaret Brown, Jay Duplass, Jacob Vaughn)
Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player by Robert Rodriguez (Stacy Schoolfield)
Thinking in Pictures: The Making of the Movie Matewan by John Sayles (Kat Candler, Alex Smith)
Sculpting in Time: Tarkovsky The Great Russian Filmaker Discusses His Art by Andrey Tarkovsky and Kitty Hunter-Blair (Kyle Henry, Jacob Vaughn)
Getting Away With It: Or: The Further Adventures of the Luckiest Bastard You Ever Saw by Steven Soderbergh and Richard Lester (Jay Duplass)
Spike Lee's Gotta Have It: Inside Guerrilla Filmmaking by Spike Lee and Nelson George (Joe Swanberg)
Independent Feature Film Production: A Complete Guide from Concept Through Distribution by Gregory Goodell (Todd Rohal)
Directing
Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film & Television by Judith Weston (PJ Raval)
A Director Prepares by Anne Bogart (PJ Raval)
Moviemakers' Master Class: Private Lessons from the World's Foremost Directors by Laurent Tirard (Mark Osborn)
The Conversations by Walter Murch and Michael Ondaatje (Alex Smith)
Cinematography
Notes on the Cinematographer (Green Integer) by Robert Bresson (Lodge Kerrigan)
The Camera (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 1) by Ansel Adams and Robert Baker (Lodge Kerrigan)
The Negative (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 2) by Ansel Adams and Robert Baker (Lodge Kerrigan)
The Print (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 3) by Ansel Adams and Robert Baker (Lodge Kerrigan)
Acting
Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen and Haskel Frankel (Stacy Schoolfield)
True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor by David Mamet (Rhett Wilkins)
Producing
A Killer Life: How an Independent Film Producer Survives Deals and Disasters in Hollywood and Beyond by Christine Vachon, Austin Bunn, and John Pierson (Stacy Schoolfield) Shooting to Kill by Christine Vachon and David Edelstein (Kat Candler)
Editing
In the Blink of an Eye Revised 2nd Edition by Walter Murch” (Jacob Vaughn)
On Film Editing by Edward Dmytryk (Kat Candler)
Theory
Kino-Eye: The Writings of Dziga Vertov by Annette and Kevin O'Brien Michelson (Kyle Henry)
Film As Film: Understanding and Judging Movies by V. F. Perkins (Steve Collins)
Film As a Subversive Art by Amos Vogel and Scott MacDonald (Lodge Kerrigan)
For Keeps: 30 Years at the Movies by Pauline Kael (Mark Osborn)
The Resistance Ten Years of Pop Culture that Shock the World by Armond White (Mark Osborn) The Great Movies by Roger Ebert (Mark Osborn)
I didn't get it together to submit my list in time, but here are some additional titles that I'd offer up to aspiring filmmakers.
For its insights into studio politics and the conflicts between corporate agendas and a filmmaker's vision, Steven Bach's Final Cut can't be beat. It's a look at the final days of United Artists told through the "making of" story of Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate. Bach, who was head of production at U.A. at the time, is painfully honest about his own failings and, more importantly, he clearly lays out the sequence of decisions that lead to the movie's skyrocketing budget and ultimate box-office failure. At each point, it seems as if the decision made is an understandable one, yet disaster still ensued.
Richard Stanley's Dust Devil Diary (or, I Wake Up, Screaming), which can be read at this link, is a chilling, surreal, and instructive journey inside the psyche of a director struggling to realize a dream project. Coming off of his sci-fi hit Hardware, Richard Stanley travels to Namibia to tell a true-life story of a demonic African killer. Just about everything that can go wrong does, and Stanley's account of his dream's dismantling is both heartbreaking and horrifying. He interweaves the personal with the poltical, the nuts and bolts of production with the real-life spookiness of some of his locations and cohorts. There's a great moment near the end when Stanley, who has storyboarded his conclusion to pay homage to the final shoot-out in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, realizes too late Leone's secret to filming that sequence.
Tarkovsky's Sculpting in Time would have been on my list too along with another book by the great Russian director: Time within Time: The Diaries. (It's currently out of print, but excerpts can be read here. There's not a ton of filmmaking advice in these diaries, most of which were penned between, not during, Tarkovsky's work on his movies. Instead, it's a fascinating glimpse into his emotions and psyche as he struggles to navigate the politics of official Russian film production. For those who decry the inequities of their own development forays it's helpful to read the words of one of the greatest directors of all time and realize that he shares the same fears and anxieties.
Many books on independent production contain a "rah-rah" mentality, but there's a particular kind of melancholia that can also set in on a film shoot. Relationships begin on the best of notes but are soon re-shaped and sometimes destroyed by circumstances. One book that captures this perfectly is Wim Wenders' My Time with Antonioni: A Diary of an Extraordinary Experience. Wenders helps the great Italian filmmaker, who is aphasic after suffering a stroke and is unable to speak, realize his final full-length feature, Beyond the Clouds. In addition to directing some of the film's wrap-around sequences, Wenders also signs on to be a "back-up" director in case Antonioni's health falters. The book, a diary of his "time with Antonioni," finds Wenders offering many interesting insights into Antonioni's vision, style of production, and methods of communication. It also honestly captures Wenders' mixed emotions as he finds himself marginalized during production by a willful Antonioni who, once the production funds have hit the bank, doesn't seem to need Wenders' help very much. Wenders writes, observes, and, despite some hurt feelings, concludes, "I do not regret I accompanied Michelangelo through this time."
What are the most helpful books in your filmmaking library? Please post.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/03/2007 07:43:00 PM
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Thursday, March 01, 2007
FIRST STEPS
The film, That, may just be a 39-minute "snowboarding epic," but independent filmmakers should take note of it because, according to Variety, it's the first piece of independently distributed media on the Apple iTunes Movie Store.
The pic was produced by Forum Snowboards, and here's the trade mag described its journey to iTunes:
Forum first asked its DVD distrib to gets "That" onto iTunes. When it didn't succeed, the company started talking to Apple directly.
Though iTunes does sell some short films in its movies section for $1.99, they all come from established names such as Shorts Intl. and Sundance. Apple apparently wasn't ready to put direct-to-DVD action sports pics among the small number of shorts and Hollywood features in its movies section.
After nearly 10 months of negotiations to get onto the service, however, Forum was willing to try the lower price point in order to get on iTunes. With the exception of some miniseries and telepics, all the content in iTunes' TV section costs $1.99.
"People are not buying DVDs the way they used to, and it's becoming increasingly easy to get (illegal) versions of our content online, so we're thrilled to be able to pioneer an agreement like this with iTunes," said Mike Nusenow, general manager of the Program, Forum's parent company.
It'll be interesting to see how this develops and whether Apple will protect the higher price point for studio-generated content, leaving indies to sell at bargain-bin rates (which could still generate revenue for many indies, actually), or whether this is the beginning of a thaw in the ice barrier that currently exists between iTunes and independent films.
# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 3/01/2007 11:24:00 AM
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