THE DEVIL DEALS

By Scott Macaulay

Paranormalist Jim Callahan has created a psychologically subtle piece of interactive noir/horror in the form of a short film. He’s a contestant trying out for the Spielberg-produced On the Lot show. Check it out and see if Callahan’s magic works on you…… Read the rest

JOHN DAHL, “YOU KILL ME”

By Nick Dawson

BEN KINGSLEY AND TÉA LEONI IN JOHN DAHL’S YOU KILL ME. COURTESY IFC FILMS.

John Dahl has unquestionable cinematic flair and a genuine talent for telling unconventional stories, yet he never set out to be a film director. Growing up in Montana in the 60s and 70s, his great passions were art and music: he studied fine art in college, then dropped out to become a commercial artist and play in rock ‘n’ roll bands. Still uncertain of his place in the world, he ended up at film school where he focused on directing. After graduation, he worked as an assistant director and storyboard artist in Hollywood, then began directing music promos and wrote his first film, P.I. Private Investigations (1987). He co-wrote the first two features he directed, Kill Me Again (1989) and Red Rock West (1992), both stylish neo-noirs, and gained even greater acclaim for his next film, The Last Seduction (1994). His form dipped with Unforgettable (1996), but he bounced back with two very entertaining studio pictures, Rounders (1998) and Joy Ride (2001). Both Joy Ride and his most recent film, World War II epic The Great Raid (2005), were difficult, drawn-out productions which made him decide to return to the indie fold.

In the resulting film, You Kill Me, Dahl continues his love affair with the modern noir. Frank Falenczyk (Ben Kingsley, playing delightfully against type) is an alcoholic hitman working for the Polish mafia in Buffalo; his drinking gets in the way of his work so much that his boss, mob don Roman (Philip Baker Hall), banishes him to San Francisco to dry out. Frank starts going to AA, and is given a job in a funeral home where he meets Laurel (Téa Leoni), a ballsy woman who seems to accept him despite his flaws. You Kill Me has great performances from its leads and boasts a fine supporting cast (which includes Luke Wilson, Bill Pullman and Denis Farina), but is most enjoyable because of its deliciously dark, dry sense of humor and the vigor with which Dahl brings to life Christopher Markus … Read the rest

ANTIDOTE WINS JT LEROY CASE

By Scott Macaulay

A jury in Manhattan this afternoon ruled for plaintiff Antidote Films International in its lawsuit charging Laura Albert, the writer behind fictitious literary star JT Leroy, with fraud. Antidote was awarded the $110,000 it paid for film options to the Leroy novel Sarah and $6,500 in punitive damages.

In a blog posting below I noted the reference to coverage in the New York Times discussing the fact that the trial has had the effect of entering the story behind the creation of the Leroy material into the public record, making it fair game for filmmakers, documentarians, writers, etc. It’s this angle that Albert addressed in this Associated Press piece running in Newsday.

Although Albert stared straight ahead when the verdict was read, and said she expected the decision, she was quick to condemn it.

“This goes beyond me,” Albert said. “Say an artist wants to use a pseudonym for political reasons, for performance art. This is a new, dangerous brave new world we are in.” She said that Antidote had succeeded in exposing more of her life story during trial, and will try to make more money off of it.

“They made my life public domain. It’s about commerce,” she said. “They’re going to try to hijack my copyrights, which is like stealing my child.”

Whether or not the exhibits and testimony of the trial lead to the creation of new works, Antidote v. Albert has succeeded in extending the 21st century’s most fascinating literary hoax into a whole new discursive realm. While some have argued that the case is about the right of an author to create a pseudonym for him or herself (and Antidote has proposed that it’s just about the non-ability of a fictitious person to enter into legal agreements), the verdict is a step towards defining the responsibilities of the alter-ego. In an age in which many if not most people employ fictitious identities in everything from puffed-up dating profiles to Second Life avatars, Antidote v. Albert seeks to identify the responsibilities of identity — even a fictitious one.… Read the rest

FEINSTEIN INTERVIEWS MICHAEL MOORE

By Scott Macaulay

Over on the main page, Howard Feinstein’s interview with Michael Moore.… Read the rest

OUTING JT LEROY

By Scott Macaulay

The Antidote Films vs. JT Leroy trial has gone to jury in New York today, and Alan Feuer’s most recent piece in the New York Times touches on what may be the most notable byproduct of the trial.

There’s been discussion in the trial of director Steven Shainberg’s idea to do a “Sarah Plus” version of the Leroy story, blending elements of novel Sarah with the real-life story of its creation by writer Laura Albert. Of course, that would require some kind of purchasable or in the public domain material documenting Albert’s life to pull off.

Writers Feuer:

It is within reason to assume that the commercial value of “Sarah” will rise on the force of the publicity the book has received at trial. There is, however, another situation that might inflate its value even more.

Steven Shainberg, the proposed director of the film, testified that when he learned who had truly written “Sarah” an inspiration came to him to make a “meta-film,” a triple-layered movie that would blend the novel with the lives of its real and purported authors in a project he took to calling “Sarah Plus.”

Of its three required elements — the book, the JT Leroy saga and the inner life of Laura Albert — the latter two have essentially been thrust into the public sphere by testimony at the trial.

… Read the rest

TRAILER FOR NEW NOAH BAUMBACH MOVIE

By Admin

Over at Variety, Anne Thompson has posted a link to the trailer for Margot at the Wedding, Noah Baumbach‘s follow-up to The Squid and the Whale.

Nicole Kidman and (Baumbach’s wife) Jennifer Jason Leigh play sisters Margot and Pauline, at odds over the latter’s decision to marry Malcolm (Jack Black). The trailer promises another funny, bittersweet tale of familial conflict and, according to Thompson, Baumbach fans will only have to wait until fall to see the movie.… Read the rest

FORSTER DIRECTS 007

By Scott Macaulay

Variety is reporting that Monster’s Ball director Marc Forster will direct the next James Bond movie. I loved Casino Royale and think Forster’s choice is definitely keeping my interest up for the next one.… Read the rest

ANIMAL RESCUE

By Scott Macaulay

Over at the Wholphin blog, Mike Plante has started a great, occasional series entitled “Lost Pets.” It’s his rescue-by-blog of worthy films from the last ten years that have drifted out of the public and industry consciousness. In his most recent entry he discusses Jennifer Shainin and Randy Walker’s Apart from That:

As I think about those accolades for past films, I think about APART FROM THAT from just last year. I think about it as great American cinema, made by enthusiastic filmmakers and actors and crew. I think about how it looks and sounds great, not about how much it cost or what camera they must have used. I think about how great the quirky characters are, not about the actors who portray them. Because they aren’t famous. And since they aren’t famous, and since the filmmakers aren’t known, and since the film doesn’t fit into a marketable genre, I think about how you probably haven’t seen one of the great American films from last year.

For more on the film, including several clips, click on the link above.… Read the rest

DANIEL ROBERT EPSTEIN, R.I.P.

By Scott Macaulay

I didn’t know Daniel Robert Epstein personally, but I read and admired the smart, cinephilic and always entertaining interviews he’d do with film directors over at the Suicide Girls site and would often link to them here. Now, Epstein is reportedly dead at 31. There are few details, but click on the link for some remembrances from Missy Suicide and, at current count, over 300 other posters.

And here is another appreciation from Edward Douglas at Coming Soon.

Here’s an excerpt from one of Epstein’s favorite interviews — Alejandro Jodorowsky:

Epstein: El Topo became a seminal movie after its release in the United States. What were your expectations when you finished the film?

Jodorowsky: I never in my life have expectations. I only live. I was very surprised one day, when I was invited to New York for a Bangladesh concert. Ok, I came and a limousine was waiting for me. It was the first time in my life I was in a limousine and I was with a very beautiful Hindu secretary. I came to the first row for the Bangladesh concert and then they took me to a restaurant with all the musicians there. I was astonished. It was almost like a dream. I never expected nothing.

DRE: A big part of the experience of seeing your movies was being on psychedelics and other drugs, were you ever into drugs?

AJ: No, no, for me it wasn’t my reality. At that time, in New York if you don’t take drugs or smoke marijuana or cocaine, you were an idiot person. The first time I smoked a marijuana cigarette I was 40 years old in order to sell the picture. I did it because nobody would take me seriously if I had never smoked. When I went to a party here in New York I had to go to a window with a little hole to breathe because all the smoke from the marijuana was killing me.

DRE: What was your mindset when you were making the films?

AJ: I have a monstrous imagination. I am like a

… Read the rest

DROP BY TO SEE THE HONEYDRIPPERS

By Admin

A couple of months ago, we premiered exclusive footage from John Sayles‘ forthcoming Honeydripper. If you live in New York and you want to get another advance taste from what promises to be a great movie, you should stop by the World Financial Center Plaza tomorrow at 7pm. Sayles himself is introducing a one-off performance by the Honeydripper Allstar Band, who will be playing blues and rock ‘n’ roll from the film. Honeydripper will be released next year by Emerging Pictures.… Read the rest