- FilmRadar Field Trip “Silents Under the Stars” w/Louise Brooks & Historic Tour
August 6, 2008 - Trailer for THE BROTHERS BLOOM
August 5, 2008 - Replacements for “At the Movies”
July 22, 2008 - An interview with Scott Prendergast, writer, director and star of KABLUEY
July 9, 2008
Written by 
THE JAZZ SINGER
If you love Hollywood history, this DVD is a must have item for your home library! THE JAZZ SINGER kicked off the sound revolution with a bang. It wasn’t exactly the first “all talking picture” , but it was the first silent with talking sequences that WORKED and ignited the public’s interest. I’ve seen some other (and even earlier) silents with “talking” sequences, but they always feel very awkward. It is almost like the minute the sound and dialogue started, someone threw on the brakes and the film just came to a screeching halt. THE JAZZ SINGER feels like it is hitting it’s peak when the sound comes in and Al Jolson is the main reason this film works so well. There is something very electrifying about him. This DVD set features a new digital transfer for the film with restored picture elements and a referbished soundtrack. It looks and sounds fantastic! There are also several Al Jolson shorts. Disc 2 of this collection features a wonderful feature length documentary called The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk. It provides fascinating insight into the sound revolution and the impact it made on the film industry and on the movie-going public. Disc 3 contains a whopping 3 1/2 hours of rare, historic Vitaphone shorts!! Many of these shorts feature Vaudeville performers and in many cases it is the only surviving record of their work. If you’ve ever seen the Vitaphone programs at UCLA, then you know how wonderful and entertaining these Vitaphone shorts can be. I’m really hoping that more and more of the Vitaphones will get a DVD release in the future. The box set also includes a set of black and white postcards and three booklets about the film. The packaging is very nice and really well done.
Warner Bros. home video has done a first class job with all of the materials and they are hands down the BEST studio when it comes to releasing classic titles!
A terrible summer for true film lovers
What a terrible time. I think people are feeling it from all over the world.
Here is an excerpt from Bergman’s oft-quoted essay “The Snakeskin”:
“There is an old story of how the cathedral of Chartres was struck by
lightning and burned to the ground. Then thousands of people came from all
points of the compass, like a giant procession of ants, and together they
began to rebuild the cathedral on its old site. They worked until the
building was completed — master builders, artists, labourers, clowns,
noblemen, priests, burghers. But they all remained anonymous, and no one
knows to this day who built the cathedral of Chartres.
The artist remained unknown and his work was to the glory of God. ‘Eternal
values,’ ‘immortality’ and ‘masterpiece’ were terms not applicable in his
case. The ability to create was a gift.
Thus if I am asked what I would like the general purpose of my films to be,
I would reply that I want to be one of the artists in the cathedral on the
great plain. I want to make a dragon’s head, an angel, a devil — or perhaps
a saint — out of stone.
Regardless of whether I believe or not, whether I am a Christian or not, I
would play my part in the collective building of the cathedral.”
I honestly can’t think of anything more to say or add to this.......
Girl 27
Having been led to believe it was a movie call, Douglas showed up at the Hal Roach Ranch for what in reality was a free fall party for MGM film salesmen. Douglas was one of 120 girls (most underage) who were lured there. They were dressed in revealing cowgirl outfits and more or less offered up as “party favors” to the conventioneers. David Ross, a conventioneer from Chicago, forced liquor down Patricia Douglas’s throat and proceeded to beat and rape her. Douglas tried to complain and seek help, but to no avail. No one would listen or believe her. She took the bold step (particularly considering attitudes of the time) and took the case to court. She was humiliated and smeared terribly by the studio who tried to portray her as a tramp, alcoholic and party girl. The story become front page news and even took precedence in the headlines over the sudden death of Jean Harlow and the marriage of King Edward to divorcee Wallace Simpson.
Then MGM proceeded with highly effective damage control by buying off Patricia’s mother and her attorney. Their efforts practically erased this entire event from the pages of history. Patricia Douglas vanished from sight. When questioned about it in later years, MGM’s Eddie Mannix said, “We had her killed.”
David Stenn first learned of the case while he was researching his book on Jean Harlow. He spent 10 years researching Patricia Douglas and her case and trying to uncover the truth. He presents rare archival footage, film clips and interviews that are compelling and at times even shocking when placed in the proper context. He gives the audience solid historical perspective on how secrets, lies and hypocrisy impacted Hollywood from the top stars on down.
The title of the film derives its name from the roster of girls who were at the party. Patricia Douglas was “Girl 27” on the list.
About half way through the film, we finally meet Patricia Douglas. She has a commanding voice and an arresting presence. She is surprisingly sharp and articulate. In spite of what Eddie Mannix claimed, she is alive and living as a recluse in an apartment in Las Vegas. The film tells two interwoven stories of both Patricia’s terrible ordeal and of David Stenn’s search for the truth about the events surrounding it. Even though she is reluctant, Patricia Douglas finally opens up and tales her story. In doing so, she seems set free and vindicated. Through it all, Patricia and David form a close bond that seems almost like an unconventional love story.
Girl 27 is a haunting, compelling and powerful documentary that will stay with you long after the final credits.
SWEETLAND on DVD
SWEETLAND is one of those hidden gems. This film was made independently by first time director Ali Selim for a mere $1 million dollars, which is chump change by Hollywood standards. SWEETLAND was a hit on the festival circuit and won the Independent Spirit Award for “Best First Feature.” The DVD features extras including a “making of” featurette along with director and star commentaries.
It is now available on DVD and really deserves to be discovered!
Synopsis:
SWEETLAND
Inge (Elizabeth Reaser) is a feisty German mail-order bride who has come to Minnesota to marry Olaf (Tim Guinee), a young Norwegian immigrant farmer of few words. But in a post-WWI, anti-German climate, the local minister (John Heard) openly forbids the marriage. Inge and Olaf fall in love despite the town’s disapproval. But when the town banker (Ned Beatty) attempts to foreclose on the farm of his friend Frandsen (Alan Cumming), Olaf takes a stand...and the community unites around the young couple, finally accepting Inge as one of their own.
Watch the trailer and visit and official website!
See what the critics are saying:
“Demonstrating a mastery of the medium, writer-director Selim has crafted a tale of pure Americana that speaks both to the immigrant experience and the nature of love. Reaser breathes fire into (her) character.”
-Kirk Honeycutt, The Hollywood Reporter
“A visually indelible movie that’s a grand dream of the American past. Sweet Land is a movie of extraordinary tenderness.”
-Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
“A gorgeously realized romance.”
-Rob Nelson, Village Voice
“Sweet Land celebrates a gutsy, old-fashioned sort of love, which Mr. Selim lovingly presents in scene after scene of glorious 35-millimeter images.”
-Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times
“**** (Highest Rating)! A beautifully shot, sweetly crafted, finely acted film. Elizabeth Reaser is breathtakingly spot-on. Tim Guinee is wonderfully understated.”
-Clint O’Connor, Cleveland Plain Dealer
“A small, nearly perfect gem of a movie...don’t miss it.”
-Chris Hewitt, St. Paul Pioneer-Press
“Sweet Land is brave and touchingly executed cinematic storytelling that explores the lives of these immigrants with extraordinary insight.”
-Prairie Miller, WBAI Arts Magazine
A MIGHTY HEART
First off, I’m SO GLAD that got Michael Winterbottom to direct this film. That was a really inspired and excellent choice. I have always been intrigued by his work. His films are wildly diverse and always pulsing with a unique kind of energy. In the hands of a lesser talent, this type of material could have very easily become a TV “Movie of the Week.” What I loved about his work here is how frantic, sparse and chaotic he made the film seem. The film has a gritty and raw look to it that matches the turmoil and raw emotions. I was also very glad to see Angelina Jolie cast in the lead role. Now before you roll your eyes, remember that she is actually a VERY good actress. Just to refresh my memory, I recently took another look at GIA, the HBO film she made in 1998. She is electrifying in that film! She has great intensity and skill as an actress. It is a shame that her personal life seems to wildly eclipse her work. At any rate, she doesn’t overplay her hand here and gives a thoughtful and carefully constrained performance. What I also liked about the film is that Mariane Pearl is not played as a saint, instead she is real and human. She gets angry and storms out of the room. She has outbursts. She feels so completely real. Watching the film also makes you appreciate the courage the real life Mariane Pearl showed under the most unimaginably painful circumstances.
If you follow the news to any degree, you already know the film’s outcome but that doesn’t make this story any less compelling. The scene where Mariane Pearl finds out once and for all what has happened to her husband is gut wrenching. Her bravery and ability to continue her life without anger or hatred is inspiring.
I know this film is a tough sell, particularly during this crowded summer movie season, but I would encourage you to see it anyway. It is a film that is well worth supporting.
Watch the trailer and check out the film’s website.
The Summer Movie Onslaught
PARIS JE ‘TAIME Now Playing
Over 20 celebrated filmmakers from around the world come together to show Paris in a way never before imagined. Through a kaleidoscope of stories about joy, separation, unexpected strange encounters and of course—love—their films capture both the reality of contemporary Paris as well as the enchantment one feels as a visitor. Official Website
SHOW BUSINESS: THE ROAD TO BROADWAY Opening June 1st
From casting to staging, from previews to opening nights, from the Tony nominations to the suspense-filled awards, Berinstein provides a never-before-seen look at Broadway’s mysterious and wondrous creative process. Official Website
LA VIE EN ROSE Opening June 8th
A transfixing Marion Cotillard plays France’s most famous torch singer, Edith Piaf, in a bio-pic directed by Olivier Dahan ( La Vie Promise ) The solid supporting cast includes Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory, Emmanuelle Seigner and Gerard Depardieu. Official Website
THE LAST CONFEDERATE Opening June 8th
On the headstones of Robert Adams and Eveline McCord Adams are written these epitaphs: Robert’s reads “After life’s fitful fever, he sleeps well.” Eveline’s reads “To know her was to love her.” Based on a true story, THE LAST CONFEDERATE is a tumultuous journey through the psyche of a Southern captain in the waning days of the American Civil War. Official Website
CRAZY LOVE June 8th
An unsettling true story about an obsessive relationship between a married man and a beautiful, single 20-year-old woman, which began in 1957 and continues today. The key event? Sixteen years after Linda Riss had acid thrown in her face by a hitman hired by Burt Pagach, the couple married. And they’re still together. Official Website
EAGLE VS. SHARK June 12th
A wry comedy that chronicles the quirky romance of two awkward misfits, Lily (Loren Horsley), a shy fast-food restaurant cashier, and her crush, Jarrod (Jemaine Clement, HBO’s One Night Stand: the Fight of the Conchords), an electronic store clerk. On the day Lily gets fired from her job at Meaty Boy, she musters up the courage to attend Jarrod’s annual “come as your favorite animal” costume party. The dressy affair sparks the beginnings of a romance as well as a small journey for the pair to Jarrod’s quiet hometown. Official Website
AMU June 15th
Received with critical acclaim during its Canadian and Indian theatrical runs, Shonali Bose’s controversial feature film debut is a contemporary and politically volatile tale of a young Indian-American woman’s search for the truth about her past. Official Website
BROKEN ENGLISH June 22nd
Single and 30-something, Nora Wilder (Parker Posey) is starting to panic. But then she meets an enchanting Frenchman (Melvil Poupaud) who promises to introduce her to a new world of culture and romance. Zoe R. Cassavetes directs; with Drea de Matteo, Griffin Dunne, Gena Rowlands and Justin Theroux. Official Website
A MIGHTY HEART June 22nd
Angelina Jolie plays Mariane Pearl, the wife of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and executed while investigating terrorism in Pakistan. The prolific Michael Winterbottom directs. Official Website
THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN July 6th
Meet Farmer John, a man who will turn every idea you ever had about what it means to be an American farmer, or an American dreamer, on its head. Farmer John might sit on a tractor but he’s also an outrageous artist, a maverick environmentalist, a homespun rebel, a pink-boa-wearing eccentric, a playful provocateur - and the incredible human being whose inspirational story of revolutionizing his family farm and redeeming his own life has won accolades and awards at film festivals around the world in THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN. Official Website
Please don’t let these (and other) worthy films fall through the cracks this summer. Check the listings at the Laemmle and Landmark Theatres in the Los Angeles area. Don’t miss these challenging, interesting and entertaining films!
WAITRESS
One can’t help but use pie related puns here so yes, this film is tarty, sweet and tasty. It balances hard reality with a fairy tale veneer that creates a perfect balance. This film has a sweetness and tenderness to it that you almost never find in movies anymore. It is a lovely, enjoyable and feel good film. I highly recommend it! It is painful though in some ways just knowing that Adrienne Shelly was murdered this past November. She was such a bright talent and will be greatly missed. The Adrienne Shelly Foundation has been established and is partnering with the industry’s finest academic and filmmaking institutions to assist women in this journey with film school scholarships, production grants, finishing funds, and other invaluable resources. Click HERE to find out more.
By the way, if you missed it the “Field Trip” was great! After seeing the film, I handed out some WAITRESS promotional items courtesy of Fox Searchlight which included some chocolate pie mix and a recipie book with some pie recipies from the film! We went to the Apple Pan, which is the closest thing in Los Angeles to the diner in the film....and yes we ate pie.
Some thoughts on the relevance of film critics
I think another part of movie going consists of what you are looking to get out of the experience. For example, I have a friend whose tastes are 180 degrees opposite of mine. She loves big fluffy mainstream comedies and action films. Her recent movie going nights have included NORBIT and GHOST RIDER. I am far more likely to be found at the Nuart or the Laemmle theatres taking in a documentary or foreign film. I would never say my friend has bad taste. It is simply DIFFERENT taste. She is also not going into a movie with the same objectives that I am. She just wants to relax, unwind and be entertained for a few hours. She wants to forget about her boss, her bills and all of the other nagging problems in the outside world. She just wants to escape for 2 hours. People have had a similiar mindset about film going since it began. In the 1930s people flocked to the movies simply to escape the overwhelming day to day life during the Great Depression. The same thing happened during WWII. Many people just want a fun diversion and an escape, nothing more and nothing less.
There has been much ballyhoo in the press over 300 and WILD HOGS lately. Both films received horrible reviews, yet both have been super successful at the box office. Does the appreciation of a mass audience necessarily verify or confirm filmmaking excellence? Well no, but it does mean something. It means these films are getting a reaction from the public. They are striking a nerve or perhaps filling a void in audience tastes. My parents loved WILD HOGS and they rarely ever go to the movies simply because they feel movies aren’t made to appeal to people their age anymore. With the Baby Boomer generation now entering their 60s, there is a whole audience that is out there and largely untapped. Movies are seldom made that appeal to them. With the rise of blogging, film critics and their opinions are becoming less valued than ever before. My Mom even goes online and reads reviews and what people are saying. I don’t think it is just the MySpace crowd doing this anymore.
Then again, movies like 300 or WILD HOGS also have huge marketing budgets and a powerful studio behind them. That can always help propel a film regardless of how good it is. It seems that perhaps the smaller films are the ones who stand to gain or loose the most by critical opinion. A film like LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE might not have had the popular success it enjoyed without the critics getting behind it. Then again the critics loved ZODIAC and it is floundering at the box office. Who’s to say?
All in all, there is no real formula to guarantee a film’s success. Sometimes horrible films do well and brilliant films often sink like a stone. I think the movie business is just a big lottery and game of chance. Read Patrick Goldstein’s column in the LA Times today for more insight.
THE GODLESS GIRL (1929)
Fortunately the program notes prepared us well for what we were going to see. THE GODLESS GIRL was one of the strangest films (silent OR sound) I have ever seen. The plot concerns a group of college kids who are super militant about their religious (or anti-religious) beliefs. There is the Christian faction (led by George Duryea) and the Atheist faction (led by Lina Basquette) who openly lust after each other in spite of their ideological differences. The Atheist group starts peppering the school lockers with signs that say “Kill the Bible.” The Christian group decides that violence (or at least throwing rotten eggs and vegetables) is the only way to deal with them. An Atheist meeting goes terribly awry when the Christian group shows up and a huge riot ensues. In the midst of it, one of the Atheist girls falls down the middle of a 6th floor stairwell and dies. Her death is every bit as melodramatic as you could imagine. She has a last minute change of heart seconds before she dies. Both the Atheist girl and the Christian boy are both held responsible for her accidental death and sentenced to a juvenile hall. This is perhaps the most sadistic, cruel, grim and torturous place you could imagine. The Christian boy even has his head partially shaved upon admittance.
The kids are beaten, mistreated and tormented at every turn by the sadistic staff. The boys and girls are kept in separate sides of the facility. They occasionally see each other through the chain link fence. In one particularly over the top scene, the Atheist girl is grabbing onto the chain link fence and gazing at the Christian boy on the other side. They touch hands and attempt to kiss through the fence. At that moment, the security guard throws a switch that sends electricity through the fence. The girl is clearly injured as she wobbles back her hands emitting smoke. She stares down at the palms of her hands which now appear to have a cross burned into them from the chain link fence. De Mille was many things, but SUBTLE was not among them.
It just keeps getting better after that. Determined to escape the juvenile center, the boy steals a horse and cart and rescues the girl. They are chased by police and hunting dogs until they are captured and of course brutally punished. As punishment, they are each locked in solitary confinement and handcuffed to the wall of their cells. When a cat knocks over a lantern, the entire juvenile hall goes up in flames. The Christian boy manages to escape but tries desperately to save the Atheist girl. As the flames are fast approaching the walls of her cell, she has a major religious conversion. This fire is unlike anything I’ve ever seen on film. It is so outrageous and massive and over the top. I kept thinking, surely they would all die of smoke inhalation long before the dramatic rescue!
At any rate, the Christian boy rescues the now Christian girl from the blazing inferno. Right before the make their final steps out of the fire, the girl spots one of the sadistic guards. He has been electrocuted and is now being crushed by a burning rafter beam. The boy says he deserves to die, but the girl disagrees. They both go in and rescue him. He is covered in soot and seconds before he dies he says he will make sure they are both pardoned from the juvenile center.
The last 5 minutes of the film feature what must be the most awkward and dreadful sound recording in film history. The minute the boy opens his mouth I was thinking, “YIKES!” Apparently the sound revolution struck when this film was almost in the can. Re-shooting the entire thing wasn’t really feasible so they stuck on this “talkie” ending. It was clumsy, ill conceived and somehow perfect!
The program notes said, “played with the electrifying lust we’ve come to demand of DeMille” and that phrase really hits the nail on the head. This film is full of lust, desperation, religion, action, melodrama, romance and sadism that could fill 10 movies! It was so wild and outrageous and blatant in tone. Yet I have to hand it to DeMille, he KNOWS how to tell a story on film. This film moved along and was never boring, stale or slow. It has a frenetic energy and style that reminded me of why DeMille helped to put Hollywood on the map in the first place.
Oscar Wrap Up
I actually liked Ellen as the host. I thought she was funny and entertaining. I was not crazy about the Pilobolus dance group. I thought it all seemed sort of prententious. Just my opinion though. I didn’t like the Michael Mann “America” clip package. It seemed really unnecessary and served to only take up even MORE time in a show that was already running very long. I liked that they had Abigail Breslin and Jaden Smith introduce the short film Oscars. They were very cute. I didn’t like the Celine Dion song, but then again I’m not really a fan of hers. I would sort of lump her in the same catagory (or Vegas act as it were) with the Pilobolus dancers. The problem is that the Oscar show seems to ALWAYS be struggling every year to find a new, fresh and interesting approach. Remember a few years ago when they gave out awards in the aisles? That was the same year they also had some nominees line up on stage like spelling bee contestants. All of those choices were simply awful. Then they’ve tried to throw in interpretive dancing, which has not fared any better. Remember last year when they had those dancers twirling out of the burning car for CRASH? That was jaw droppingly awful. I guess I have to give them some credit for at least trying new things. I heard that Sacha Baron Cohen was asked to present, but he would only agree to do so as “Borat”. When they said no, he declined. HELL, I would have loved that! I’d even like to see him host the show. That would really set the Academy on it’s ear!
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, the biggest problem with the Oscars is that there are few surprises and it all feels incredibly anti-climatic! Given the amount of shows that lead up to it--the SAG Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and endless Critic’s Awards...the Oscars just feel like more of the same. I wish all other award shows could be banished and that Oscar was the only one. The stakes would be higher and for me that would be far more interesting. This is just my 2 cents.
As for the winners, I was thrilled that THE DANISH POET won best animated short film. It was most favorite one. It seemed to have the most personal touch and the greatest amount of heart. I was glad AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH won as well. That is a very important film that everyone (Republicans and Democrats) need to see. I was glad that Alan Arkin won for Supporting Actor. The other acting winners were great too, but very predictable. They were all well deserved though. I do have to admit that as much as I love Forest Whitaker, I was very sad to see Peter O’Toole loose. He is without question one of the greatest actors in film history. If he had never done another film ever after LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, his place in film history would have been secure. That performance was legendary. Many of his performances have been! He looked so thin and frail on many of the talk shows leading up to the awards. It made me feel sad that he was having to go through all of that in his condition. I was also glad THE LIVES OF OTHERS won the Foreign Film Oscar, but this was such an amazingly difficult year for that catagory! It is so hard to believe that VOLVER wasn’t even nominated for that award. There were many fantastic foreign films this past year.
All in all, I enjoy watching the Oscars. I love the tradition, history and pagentry of it....even if it does run almost 4 hours long.
Field Trip-2006 Academy Award Nominated ANIMATED SHORT FILMS!
WHAT:
The 2006 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATED ANIMATED SHORTS
See all five of the nominees for this year’s Academy Award in the category of Best Animated Short! Second- guess the Academy voters! This year’s selection includes three shorts from the United States: Gary Rydstrom’s Lifted, Roger Allers & Don Hahn’s The Little Matchgirl and Chris Renaud & Michael Thurmeier’s No Time for Nuts; plus Torill Kove’s The Danish Poet from Norway and Canada; and Geza M. Toth’s Maestro from Hungary. This program will also contain additional animated highlights from 2006!
WHEN: Wednesday, February 21st at 7:30pm
WHERE:
Nuart Theatre
11272 Santa Monica Boulevard
(Just west of the 405 Freeway)
West Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 281-8223
Tickets are $9.50
After the film we will have dinner and discussion at Cafe 50s down the street.
RSVP to me if you’d like to attend. I’ll be in the lobby before the show starts so you can find me.
Tell your friends and keep spreading the word about FilmRadar!
Karie Bible
FilmRadar.com
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email: karie [at] filmradar {dot} com
OSCAR-The Anti Climax
I was talking with my friend Mike on the phone yesterday about it and he said, “I’m not sure if Helen Mirren will win now, everyone has “Mirren fatigue.” I responded, “That’s not HER fault.” The problem with the Oscars is that there are SO MANY awards leading up to it that Oscar night itself feels very anti-climatic. It feels like opening all of the presents on Christmas morning when you know exactly what is in each box. There is no element of surprise. There are a truckload of critics awards, the Golden Globes, Broadcast Critics, SAG awards and so on. This year (as with many years) the same exact people have won every award. I don’t hold that against them at all. I’m sure their work is deserving, but it just makes for a dull Oscar night. Why are these other shows really necessary? It just all seems to be way too much overkill in my humble opinion. What if there were NO awards before the big night? There would be a much greater air of suspence. There would be no playbook or set of assumptions to work from. The results would be fresh and wouldn’t just feel like a repeat of every award show leading up to it. The stakes would be much higher....or at least it would feel that way to me. As evidenced by today’s NY Times article, I may not be the only one out there who feels this way.
