list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Grey Gardens on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Grey_Gardens/14288/default.aspx Title: Grey Gardens
Year: 1975
Director: Albert Maysles, Muffie Meyer, Ellen Hovde, David Maysles
Plot: Albert and David Maysles, pioneers in the cinéma vérité movement of documentary filmmaking, chose for their subjects of this film a mother and daughter with celebrity connections. Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter, Edie (or, as they are called by the brothers, Big Edie and Little Edie), are aunt and cousin to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. In the early '70s, their 28-room mansion in Long Island's tony community of East Hampton was found to be a health hazard, and the two women, in their seventies and fifties, were threatened with eviction. Jacqueline Onassis paid for the house to be put in good order, and two years later, the Maysles paid the ladies a series of follow-up visits. This is not fly-on-the-wall filmmaking; the brothers are sometimes shown on-camera, and both women talk directly to them. Big Edie reminisces about her husband (from whom she has long been separated) and her youthful singing career; Little Edie ruminates over memories of her thwarted romances and confides that she has to get out of Grey Gardens (the name of their estate), although she has been living there since 1952; and the two women pick at each other for transgressions past and present. The women share their home with at least five cats and several raccoons, for whom Little Edie leaves out food in the attic. They are not recluses; they host a modest 79th birthday party for Big Edie, they employ a gardener, and they are often visited by Jerry, a young handyman/lost soul whom Little Edie calls "the Marble Faun," after the Nathaniel Hawthorne story. "It's very difficult to keep the line between the past and the present," Little Edie says near the beginning of the film, and it becomes clear that both women are much more comfortable reliving their respective youths (in some ways, Little Edie has never left hers) than facing their rather bleak old and middle age. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 24
Number of Lists: 21
Number of blog posts: 6
Number of discussion threads: 2
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:27:10 GMTGrey Gardens1975Albert Maysles, Muffie Meyer, Ellen Hovde, David MayslesAlbert and <a href="/players/P___101871/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>David Maysles</a>, pioneers in the <i>cinéma vérité</i> movement of documentary filmmaking, chose for their subjects of this film a mother and daughter with celebrity connections. Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter, Edie (or, as they are called by the brothers, Big Edie and Little Edie), are aunt and cousin to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. In the early '70s, their 28-room mansion in Long Island's tony community of East Hampton was found to be a health hazard, and the two women, in their seventies and fifties, were threatened with eviction. Jacqueline Onassis paid for the house to be put in good order, and two years later, the Maysles paid the ladies a series of follow-up visits. This is not fly-on-the-wall filmmaking; the brothers are sometimes shown on-camera, and both women talk directly to them. Big Edie reminisces about her husband (from whom she has long been separated) and her youthful singing career; Little Edie ruminates over memories of her thwarted romances and confides that she has to get out of Grey Gardens (the name of their estate), although she has been living there since 1952; and the two women pick at each other for transgressions past and present. The women share their home with at least five cats and several raccoons, for whom Little Edie leaves out food in the attic. They are not recluses; they host a modest 79th birthday party for Big Edie, they employ a gardener, and they are often visited by Jerry, a young handyman/lost soul whom Little Edie calls "the Marble Faun," after the Nathaniel Hawthorne story. "It's very difficult to keep the line between the past and the present," Little Edie says near the beginning of the film, and it becomes clear that both women are much more comfortable reliving their respective youths (in some ways, Little Edie has never left hers) than facing their rather bleak old and middle age. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide24Tag Target (>10)21624http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t89135v021y.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Grey_Gardens/14288/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/30/40091.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/30/2009 1:00:46 PM
Body: It was shut out of the Oscar race for Best Documentary Feature, but Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, now playing in New York City, could easily inspire a Hollywood film about the life of its heroic subject. And that dramatic version could potentially garner multiple Academy Award nominations. It wouldn’t be the first time a figure documented in a nonfiction film was later portrayed in an Oscar-nominated movie. In fact, one of this year’s Best Picture contenders, Milk, is almost like a remake of the 1984 Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk. Actual dramatic remakes of documentaries include Werner Herzogs’ Rescue Dawn, which revisits the subject of his earlier nonfiction film Little Dieter Needs to Fly, Michael Caton-Jones’ Memphis Belle, which fictionalizes the story of William Wyler’s doc The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, and Martin Bell’s American Heart, which is loosely based on one of the subjects of his Oscar-nominated doc Streetwise. Also, the upcoming HBO dramatic film Grey Gardens was inspired by the Maysles brothers’ doc of the same name, and Hollywood has toyed with or announced remakes of the films The King of Kong, Murderball, Bra Boys and Sherman’s March. To carry on the tradition, we’ve selected nine nonfiction films in addition to Blessed is the Match that would make great dramatic features. Beyond the Call (2006) This little-seen documentary has played at a number of film festivals (I reviewed it at Tribeca) and seems to have been quite popular at each, yet it isn’t likely that it’ll ever come to a theater near you. It may never even be available for your Netflix queue. But you’ve just got to see the work of the three old men who call themselves Knightsbridge, even if it has to be in a fictionalized form. So pray that someone in Hollywood grabs onto their story, which is filled with dangerous humanitarian aid missions and lots of humor. According to the doc’s official synopsis, the film is “an Indiana Jones meets Mother Theresa adventure,” and that’s just the kind of tagline that would suit a summer blockbuster based on this true story. Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh (2008) One of the few Holocaust-related docs to not garner an Academy Award nomination, Roberta Grossman’s film is about Hannah Senesh, a Jewish poet who became part of a dangerous rescue mission to save Hungarian Jews and was eventually caught, tortured and executed by the Nazis. A dramatic film, which would be far more Hollywoodized than the doc’s re-enactment scenes, might be like a cross between Oscar-nominated films Defiance and Sophie Scholl – The Final Days. Brother’s Keeper (1992) Fratricide has made for great stories, from The Bible onward, but mainstream audiences may not run out to see a movie based on Brother’s Keeper, even if it does hold onto the Biblically influenced title. However, while homosexual incest and illiterate old country folk are difficult subjects to sell to moviegoers, murder mysteries will always fascinate people, and anyway the story of the Ward brothers could be more like a male Grey Gardens meets Capote than a dark, depressing drama that would only appeal to Sundance crowds. Changing Our Minds: The Story of Dr. Evelyn Hooker (1992) Now that the life of Harvey Milk has been turned into an Oscar-nominated dramatic feature, Hollywood should take on a biopic about Dr. Evelyn Hooker, whose life and work are depicted in this Oscar-nominated documentary from Richard Schmiechen (who also won an Oscar for producing The Times of Harvey Milk). Hooker’s research in the 1950s led to the discovery that homosexuality is not a disease. And subsequent study and activism resulted in the eventual removal, in 1974, of homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental disorders. A remake of Changing Our Minds would be like a cross between Milk and Kinsey. (note: the video above is not from Changing Our Minds, but is the best available alternative I have to present a clip of Hooker). Crazy Love (2007) In the typical Hollywood romance, female audiences see the same old reinforced fantasy about finding a man: while most guys lie, cheat, etc., there are Prince Charmings out there. Well, a dramatized version of Crazy Love might be the perfect romantic comedy for men to drag their girlfriends to. No, not to show them that they’d better not leave or they’ll get acid in the face. Rather, to say, “Look, no matter what I do, at least I’m not the kinda guy who blinds and disfigures the love of his life.” (Or, in other words, a lie to your face is not as bad as lye in your face.) Besides the appeal to boys who will be boys, however, a romantic comedy in which the couple meet, fall in love, are separated when the guy goes to prison for having the girl crippled, are reunited many years later, and eventually marry, is just crazy enough to hit a chord with moviegoers tired of the usual Renee Zellweger/Reese Witherspoon/Drew Barrymore crap. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) In her review of this documentary, Karina writes that it “sets up a foundation which it knows it’s going to pull out from under us, and that makes it every bit as emotionally manipulative as a studio film.” Perfect, the film already offers Hollywood a structure for the dramatic version. Other than that, though, the remake would potentially focus on Shirley Turner, who murdered her boyfriend and then gave birth to his child, rather than on the character of Kurt Kuenne, who documents the story in the original. Then again, it could stick with Kuenne, and, though not be as personal as the nonfiction film, might be along the lines of an investigative drama, such as Zodiac. Either way, due to his name appearing in Karina’s review, M. Night Shyamalan has to direct it. Deliver Us from Evil (2006) With Doubt a big success as far as Oscar nominations go (if not as far as box office is concerned), it might be an okay time for Hollywood to make a film that’s more directly focused on the subject of pedophilic priests. It could hardly make less money than Doubt, and if a great actor were to portray Father O’Grady, it could be as popular with the Academy, which already nominated the original film for Best Documentary Feature. Golden Venture (2006) Another little-seen documentary that played Tribeca a few years ago (I reviewed the film then), Golden Venture depicts a failed attempt at an illegal alien smuggling operation and its aftermath. In its first ten minutes, the film offers enough action involving a sea voyage from China to New York City, during which there was mutiny, gang violence and ultimately a Coast Guard rescue, that a dramatic version might not even have time to get to the aftermath part. But as much as turning the doc into an action movie could work, the more interesting stuff relating to immigration and population control should be integrated, too. Like the original film, the dramatized version could separately follow the paths of four characters, each of whom has a different outcome. Tim Robbins, who narrated the doc, could direct it. Street Fight (2005) Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s name has been tossed about on news channels over the past few months due to his similarities with newly elected President Barack Obama. So, considering entertainment magazines predict the new administration will have an effect on pop culture, why not honor that idea by making a dramatic film about Booker’s battle with incumbent Sharpe James for City Hall. It would be a little like Milk, only without the gay rights angle or the tragic ending. And to make it more crowd-pleasing than Marshall Curry’s doc, the new movie wouldn’t end with Booker’s loss in 2002 but would see him all the way to the Mayor’s office in 2006. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004) Hollywood has never tired of boxing movies and it always loves a good civil rights struggle, so it’s amazing that no studio has tackled an official biopic about Jack Johnson, the first African-American Heavyweight Champion of the World. Sure, there’s The Great White Hope, which is somewhat based on Johnson’s life. And sure, if people want the truth they can check out this doc from Ken Burns (or, if it’s ever released on video, the earlier Oscar-nominated film Jack Johnson). But again, Hollywood never tires of boxing movies, and it always loves a good civil rights struggle, so perhaps it’s just a matter of time before we see this story dramatized for real. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:00:46 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/30/2009 1:00:46 PMIt was shut out of the Oscar race for Best Documentary Feature, but Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, now playing in New York City, could easily inspire a Hollywood film about the life of its heroic subject. And that dramatic version could potentially garner multiple Academy Award nominations. It wouldn’t be the first time a figure documented in a nonfiction film was later portrayed in an Oscar-nominated movie. In fact, one of this year’s Best Picture contenders, Milk, is almost like a remake of the 1984 Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk. Actual dramatic remakes of documentaries include Werner Herzogs’ Rescue Dawn, which revisits the subject of his earlier nonfiction film Little Dieter Needs to Fly, Michael Caton-Jones’ Memphis Belle, which fictionalizes the story of William Wyler’s doc The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, and Martin Bell’s American Heart, which is loosely based on one of the subjects of his Oscar-nominated doc Streetwise. Also, the upcoming HBO dramatic film Grey Gardens was inspired by the Maysles brothers’ doc of the same name, and Hollywood has toyed with or announced remakes of the films The King of Kong, Murderball, Bra Boys and Sherman’s March. To carry on the tradition, we’ve selected nine nonfiction films in addition to Blessed is the Match that would make great dramatic features. Beyond the Call (2006) This little-seen documentary has played at a number of film festivals (I reviewed it at Tribeca) and seems to have been quite popular at each, yet it isn’t likely that it’ll ever come to a theater near you. It may never even be available for your Netflix queue. But you’ve just got to see the work of the three old men who call themselves Knightsbridge, even if it has to be in a fictionalized form. So pray that someone in Hollywood grabs onto their story, which is filled with dangerous humanitarian aid missions and lots of humor. According to the doc’s official synopsis, the film is “an Indiana Jones meets Mother Theresa adventure,” and that’s just the kind of tagline that would suit a summer blockbuster based on this true story. Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh (2008) One of the few Holocaust-related docs to not garner an Academy Award nomination, Roberta Grossman’s film is about Hannah Senesh, a Jewish poet who became part of a dangerous rescue mission to save Hungarian Jews and was eventually caught, tortured and executed by the Nazis. A dramatic film, which would be far more Hollywoodized than the doc’s re-enactment scenes, might be like a cross between Oscar-nominated films Defiance and Sophie Scholl – The Final Days. Brother’s Keeper (1992) Fratricide has made for great stories, from The Bible onward, but mainstream audiences may not run out to see a movie based on Brother’s Keeper, even if it does hold onto the Biblically influenced title. However, while homosexual incest and illiterate old country folk are difficult subjects to sell to moviegoers, murder mysteries will always fascinate people, and anyway the story of the Ward brothers could be more like a male Grey Gardens meets Capote than a dark, depressing drama that would only appeal to Sundance crowds. Changing Our Minds: The Story of Dr. Evelyn Hooker (1992) Now that the life of Harvey Milk has been turned into an Oscar-nominated dramatic feature, Hollywood should take on a biopic about Dr. Evelyn Hooker, whose life and work are depicted in this Oscar-nominated documentary from Richard Schmiechen (who also won an Oscar for producing The Times of Harvey Milk). Hooker’s research in the 1950s led to the discovery that homosexuality is not a disease. And subsequent study and activism resulted in the eventual removal, in 1974, of homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental disorders. A remake of Changing Our Minds would be like a cross between Milk and Kinsey. (note: the video above is not from Changing Our Minds, but is the best available alternative I have to present a clip of Hooker). Crazy Love (2007) In the typical Hollywood romance, female audiences see the same old reinforced fantasy about finding a man: while most guys lie, cheat, etc., there are Prince Charmings out there. Well, a dramatized version of Crazy Love might be the perfect romantic comedy for men to drag their girlfriends to. No, not to show them that they’d better not leave or they’ll get acid in the face. Rather, to say, “Look, no matter what I do, at least I’m not the kinda guy who blinds and disfigures the love of his life.” (Or, in other words, a lie to your face is not as bad as lye in your face.) Besides the appeal to boys who will be boys, however, a romantic comedy in which the couple meet, fall in love, are separated when the guy goes to prison for having the girl crippled, are reunited many years later, and eventually marry, is just crazy enough to hit a chord with moviegoers tired of the usual Renee Zellweger/Reese Witherspoon/Drew Barrymore crap. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) In her review of this documentary, Karina writes that it “sets up a foundation which it knows it’s going to pull out from under us, and that makes it every bit as emotionally manipulative as a studio film.” Perfect, the film already offers Hollywood a structure for the dramatic version. Other than that, though, the remake would potentially focus on Shirley Turner, who murdered her boyfriend and then gave birth to his child, rather than on the character of Kurt Kuenne, who documents the story in the original. Then again, it could stick with Kuenne, and, though not be as personal as the nonfiction film, might be along the lines of an investigative drama, such as Zodiac. Either way, due to his name appearing in Karina’s review, M. Night Shyamalan has to direct it. Deliver Us from Evil (2006) With Doubt a big success as far as Oscar nominations go (if not as far as box office is concerned), it might be an okay time for Hollywood to make a film that’s more directly focused on the subject of pedophilic priests. It could hardly make less money than Doubt, and if a great actor were to portray Father O’Grady, it could be as popular with the Academy, which already nominated the original film for Best Documentary Feature. Golden Venture (2006) Another little-seen documentary that played Tribeca a few years ago (I reviewed the film then), Golden Venture depicts a failed attempt at an illegal alien smuggling operation and its aftermath. In its first ten minutes, the film offers enough action involving a sea voyage from China to New York City, during which there was mutiny, gang violence and ultimately a Coast Guard rescue, that a dramatic version might not even have time to get to the aftermath part. But as much as turning the doc into an action movie could work, the more interesting stuff relating to immigration and population control should be integrated, too. Like the original film, the dramatized version could separately follow the paths of four characters, each of whom has a different outcome. Tim Robbins, who narrated the doc, could direct it. Street Fight (2005) Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s name has been tossed about on news channels over the past few months due to his similarities with newly elected President Barack Obama. So, considering entertainment magazines predict the new administration will have an effect on pop culture, why not honor that idea by making a dramatic film about Booker’s battle with incumbent Sharpe James for City Hall. It would be a little like Milk, only without the gay rights angle or the tragic ending. And to make it more crowd-pleasing than Marshall Curry’s doc, the new movie wouldn’t end with Booker’s loss in 2002 but would see him all the way to the Mayor’s office in 2006. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004) Hollywood has never tired of boxing movies and it always loves a good civil rights struggle, so it’s amazing that no studio has tackled an official biopic about Jack Johnson, the first African-American Heavyweight Champion of the World. Sure, there’s The Great White Hope, which is somewhat based on Johnson’s life. And sure, if people want the truth they can check out this doc from Ken Burns (or, if it’s ever released on video, the earlier Oscar-nominated film Jack Johnson). But again, Hollywood never tires of boxing movies, and it always loves a good civil rights struggle, so perhaps it’s just a matter of time before we see this story dramatized for real. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_weirdest_movies/190/39189/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 1/7/2009 9:54:03 AM
Body: [quote user="tmoney"] Weird movies huh? I must be so desenitized to weird films because all the time i recommend movies to people that i think are fantastic and they say "um it was weird." So some genuinely strange films: 1. Julien Donkey Boy - A Dogme 95 film by Harmony Korine (sp?). Really strange. 2. Grey Gardens - A great cinema verite documentary about a mother and daughter who live alone as recluses in a crumbling mansion in the hamptons. I almost couldn't believe what i was seeing was real. Very eerie and bizzarre lives. Not a strange movie i guess just a bizzare story? 3. Un Chien Andalou - already mentioned 4. Meet The Feebles - Peter Jackson's R Rated muppets movie. A bunny with aids, a coke snorting walrus boss, a whore siamese kitten, a rat porn director (staring pornographic insects, etc), and hippopotamus nudity. Weird. 5. Palindromes - What? Todd Solandz making a wierd movie? Its phenomenal though. [/quote] Hey tmoney! Long time no see. Good to hear from you. If you think Julian Donkey-Boy is strange I'm wondering if you've seen Korine's Gummo. I think that one is even a bit stranger.
]]>Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:54:03 GMTRisseladaTop 51/7/2009 9:54:03 AM[quote user="tmoney"] Weird movies huh? I must be so desenitized to weird films because all the time i recommend movies to people that i think are fantastic and they say "um it was weird." So some genuinely strange films: 1. Julien Donkey Boy - A Dogme 95 film by Harmony Korine (sp?). Really strange. 2. Grey Gardens - A great cinema verite documentary about a mother and daughter who live alone as recluses in a crumbling mansion in the hamptons. I almost couldn't believe what i was seeing was real. Very eerie and bizzarre lives. Not a strange movie i guess just a bizzare story? 3. Un Chien Andalou - already mentioned 4. Meet The Feebles - Peter Jackson's R Rated muppets movie. A bunny with aids, a coke snorting walrus boss, a whore siamese kitten, a rat porn director (staring pornographic insects, etc), and hippopotamus nudity. Weird. 5. Palindromes - What? Todd Solandz making a wierd movie? Its phenomenal though. [/quote] Hey tmoney! Long time no see. Good to hear from you. If you think Julian Donkey-Boy is strange I'm wondering if you've seen Korine's Gummo. I think that one is even a bit stranger. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_weirdest_movies/190/39136/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: tmoney
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 1/5/2009 10:55:39 PM
Body: Weird movies huh? I must be so desenitized to weird films because all the time i recommend movies to people that i think are fantastic and they say "um it was weird." So some genuinely strange films: 1. Julien Donkey Boy - A Dogme 95 film by Harmony Korine (sp?). Really strange. 2. Grey Gardens - A great cinema verite documentary about a mother and daughter who live alone as recluses in a crumbling mansion in the hamptons. I almost couldn't believe what i was seeing was real. Very eerie and bizzarre lives. Not a strange movie i guess just a bizzare story? 3. Un Chien Andalou - already mentioned 4. Meet The Feebles - Peter Jackson's R Rated muppets movie. A bunny with aids, a coke snorting walrus boss, a whore siamese kitten, a rat porn director (staring pornographic insects, etc), and hippopotamus nudity. Weird. 5. Palindromes - What? Todd Solandz making a wierd movie? Its phenomenal though.
]]>Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:55:39 GMTtmoneyTop 51/5/2009 10:55:39 PMWeird movies huh? I must be so desenitized to weird films because all the time i recommend movies to people that i think are fantastic and they say "um it was weird." So some genuinely strange films: 1. Julien Donkey Boy - A Dogme 95 film by Harmony Korine (sp?). Really strange. 2. Grey Gardens - A great cinema verite documentary about a mother and daughter who live alone as recluses in a crumbling mansion in the hamptons. I almost couldn't believe what i was seeing was real. Very eerie and bizzarre lives. Not a strange movie i guess just a bizzare story? 3. Un Chien Andalou - already mentioned 4. Meet The Feebles - Peter Jackson's R Rated muppets movie. A bunny with aids, a coke snorting walrus boss, a whore siamese kitten, a rat porn director (staring pornographic insects, etc), and hippopotamus nudity. Weird. 5. Palindromes - What? Todd Solandz making a wierd movie? Its phenomenal though. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/26/37687.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/26/2008 4:00:48 PM
Body: If you were a nature documentarian and you were filming a lion’s hunt, would you intervene and save a gazelle from being eaten? Probably not, but if you were making a documentary about poor children in the Red Light district of Calcutta, you’d probably want to help the kids out, maybe even film yourself doing good deeds in order to show just how much of a saint you are. Obviously there’s a big difference in the ethical obligation to human beings versus animals, but there has also always been a debate with documentary regarding just how much interaction and intervention is okay. Should a filmmaker remain completely detached from his or her subject? Should the line be drawn at life or death situations, or is it fine to become involved with the filmed people? If direct-cinema kings Albert and David Maysles can interact so much with the Beales of Grey Gardens, even potentially becoming romantically involved, then nobody should question a documentarian’s desire to be an angel with a handicam. Right? Let’s pretend that the penguin in today’s clip is not just a crafty bird with the good fortune of having a whale watching vessel with which to elude his predators. Let us instead think of him as a representation of the documentary subject. Already, just by being there for the penguin to jump aboard, the boat is an example of the “observer effect” (and related to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle)  In such circumstances it is impossible to adequately document the reality of this subject’s choices, since the documenter has become inadvertently involved and added an otherwise unavailable possibility. Now, because of the unintended intervention, the documenters have two choices: they can save this penguin’s life by keeping him in the boat, though this upsets the truth and nature of the film; they can throw the penguin back into the water, though this would still be a directly active participation, and besides it then could actually implicate the documenter/observer in the murder of this subject — even if the peguin’s death was already guaranteed prior to this environmental disturbance. So, what should happen to the penguin? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:00:48 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/26/2008 4:00:48 PMIf you were a nature documentarian and you were filming a lion’s hunt, would you intervene and save a gazelle from being eaten? Probably not, but if you were making a documentary about poor children in the Red Light district of Calcutta, you’d probably want to help the kids out, maybe even film yourself doing good deeds in order to show just how much of a saint you are. Obviously there’s a big difference in the ethical obligation to human beings versus animals, but there has also always been a debate with documentary regarding just how much interaction and intervention is okay. Should a filmmaker remain completely detached from his or her subject? Should the line be drawn at life or death situations, or is it fine to become involved with the filmed people? If direct-cinema kings Albert and David Maysles can interact so much with the Beales of Grey Gardens, even potentially becoming romantically involved, then nobody should question a documentarian’s desire to be an angel with a handicam. Right? Let’s pretend that the penguin in today’s clip is not just a crafty bird with the good fortune of having a whale watching vessel with which to elude his predators. Let us instead think of him as a representation of the documentary subject. Already, just by being there for the penguin to jump aboard, the boat is an example of the “observer effect” (and related to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle)  In such circumstances it is impossible to adequately document the reality of this subject’s choices, since the documenter has become inadvertently involved and added an otherwise unavailable possibility. Now, because of the unintended intervention, the documenters have two choices: they can save this penguin’s life by keeping him in the boat, though this upsets the truth and nature of the film; they can throw the penguin back into the water, though this would still be a directly active participation, and besides it then could actually implicate the documenter/observer in the murder of this subject — even if the peguin’s death was already guaranteed prior to this environmental disturbance. So, what should happen to the penguin? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/11/37228.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/11/2008 6:01:24 PM
Body: The holidays are coming, and that either means spending time with your dysfunctional family or escaping them for the movies … where you’re likely to be met by other, fictional dysfunctional families. Already this season, Rachel Getting Married introduced us to the f’ed up faux masala of the Buchman clan, and later this month we get to follow Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon as they’re pulled into their separate quadrants of kin in Four Christmases. Also, for those who think dysfunction is an American tradition, this weekend sees the release of the French film A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël), which unites the two major premises of dysfunctional family movies by being set during the holidays and involving an ill family member. With two more weeks left until Thanksgiving, after which we might not want to think about another family, real or cinematic, for the rest of our lives, it’s a perfect time to celebrate those dysfunctional tribes we love the best. Literally thousands of movies feature such families, though, so we’re sure to have left out some of your favorites. Definitely chime in below, and/or join the discussion currently going on over in our Top 5 group. The Corleones in The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III Any film about a family business is sure to qualify, but none exhibit more dysfunction than those in which the business is the mafia. Some other good examples include the Tempios of The Funeral and the Russian clan in Eastern Promises. But there’s no doubt that the Corleones take the cake. Maybe it’s Fredo’s fault, because inspiring fratricide is certainly evidence of a failing family. No, the Corleones are dysfunctional from the time Fredo and his siblings are little children, when Vito enters his family into a life of crime, from which none of its members will be able to escape. The “Johnsons” in Pink Flamingos If you only define dysfunctional as non-functioning, you leave out a great number of truly dysfunctional families, the kind that apparently gets along quite fine on their own but which doesn’t function within society. Think the Hewitts in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films and the motley crew made up of Sycamores, Vanderhofs, Carmichaels and others in You Can’t Take it With You. Technically the “Johnsons” are an internally functioning group, and they even have an official place in society as “the filtiest people alive,” but with a shit-eating matriarch, an egg-obsessed granny and a son who likes to have sex employing live chickens, it doesn’t really get much more abnormal, and therefore dysfunctional, than this family. The Lisbons in The Virgin Suicides Both abnormal and non-functioning, it also doesn’t get much more dysfunctional than a family in which the kids commit collective suicide (well, one of them started the trend early). The Tenenbaums in The Royal Tenenbaums They’re clearly born out of Salinger’s Glass family, and their situation is so common that A Christmas Tale almost seems like a French remake of the Wes Anderson’s movie. But the Tenenbaums have come to be one of the most beloved dysfunctional families in cinema, so it’d be a crime to leave them off this list. They’re so popular that many fans probably wouldn’t mind having such an asshole for a father as long as they got to be a member of the family, similar to the dreams of outsider Eli Cash (Owen Wilson). Also, there are probably some guys out there who dream of having Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) as a non-blood-related sister — as long as she’s really into making out with adopted-family siblings. The Aibellis in Spanking the Monkey Non-blood-related “incest” is one thing, but the Tenenbaums have nothing on the dysfunction of the Aibellis, with their motherloving son, Ray (Jeremy Davies), and the disturbingly consentual — though alcohol-induced — sex that occurs one awkward summer. The only incestuous family that might actually be more dysfunctional is the Cross clan of Chinatown. The Proffitts in Overboard The movie’s tone allows it to seem like such an innocently fun premise, but imagine a family in real life that would kidnap and exploit an amnesiac woman the way Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell) and his four sons do. And imagine the woman who escapes this situation only to return in a Stockholm syndrome-as-happy-ending decision. Not only is it immoral, illegal and unlikely, it’s highly dysfunctional. The Crumbs in Crumb Dysfunctional families are obviously not limited to fiction, so it’s necessary to cite at least one documentary. Again, it’s difficult to narrow down. There are the scandal-stricken Friedmans of Capturing the Friedmans, the daffy duo in Grey Gardens (and The Beales of Grey Gardens) and the fraternal foursome of Brother’s Keeper. But it’s comic artist R. Crumb’s family that comes off as the most interestingly screwed up. Equally expected and revealing for a man of Crumb’s odd nature, reclusive brother Charles, bowel-cleansing Maxon and uncomfortable mother Beatrice are almost too strange to believe real. The Browns in Buffalo ‘66 Dysfunctional family movies often peak with their respective dinner scenes, in which uncomfortable announcements are made or food is thrown or climactic fights occur. None are funnier, however, than the reunion meal between Billy Brown (Vincent Gallo) and his unloving parents (Angelica Huston and Ben Gazzara). Mom ignores her son in order to watch football while Dad mostly hits on Billy’s pretend wife (Christina Ricci). The Dilwegs in The Pharmacist W.C. Fields has given us a few of the funniest dysfunctional families in film, and many fans would quickly reference the Sousés from The Bank Dick as his greatest tribe. But its this family from Fields’ earlier short The Pharmacist that should come to mind first, if only thanks to the daughter who shakes a martini with a pogo stick and eats the family pet after being denied supper. Radha’s family in Mother India The entire genre of melodrama offers up worthy selections for this list, but Bollywood arguably makes the most dysfunctional family melodramas of all, perhaps because a lot of them are meant as allegories for the dysfunctions of the Indian subcontinent. Mother India is possibly the most significant example from Indian cinema, even more than monumental films like Pather Panchali that aren’t of the Bollywood tradition. The film has all the necessary components: the metaphorically castrated and eventually abandoning patriarch; the desperate yet enduring matriarch; the sons who follow paths on separate side of the law. There’s even a familial sacrifice that’s comparable to the one in The Godfather Part II. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:01:24 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/11/2008 6:01:24 PMThe holidays are coming, and that either means spending time with your dysfunctional family or escaping them for the movies … where you’re likely to be met by other, fictional dysfunctional families. Already this season, Rachel Getting Married introduced us to the f’ed up faux masala of the Buchman clan, and later this month we get to follow Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon as they’re pulled into their separate quadrants of kin in Four Christmases. Also, for those who think dysfunction is an American tradition, this weekend sees the release of the French film A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël), which unites the two major premises of dysfunctional family movies by being set during the holidays and involving an ill family member. With two more weeks left until Thanksgiving, after which we might not want to think about another family, real or cinematic, for the rest of our lives, it’s a perfect time to celebrate those dysfunctional tribes we love the best. Literally thousands of movies feature such families, though, so we’re sure to have left out some of your favorites. Definitely chime in below, and/or join the discussion currently going on over in our Top 5 group. The Corleones in The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III Any film about a family business is sure to qualify, but none exhibit more dysfunction than those in which the business is the mafia. Some other good examples include the Tempios of The Funeral and the Russian clan in Eastern Promises. But there’s no doubt that the Corleones take the cake. Maybe it’s Fredo’s fault, because inspiring fratricide is certainly evidence of a failing family. No, the Corleones are dysfunctional from the time Fredo and his siblings are little children, when Vito enters his family into a life of crime, from which none of its members will be able to escape. The “Johnsons” in Pink Flamingos If you only define dysfunctional as non-functioning, you leave out a great number of truly dysfunctional families, the kind that apparently gets along quite fine on their own but which doesn’t function within society. Think the Hewitts in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films and the motley crew made up of Sycamores, Vanderhofs, Carmichaels and others in You Can’t Take it With You. Technically the “Johnsons” are an internally functioning group, and they even have an official place in society as “the filtiest people alive,” but with a shit-eating matriarch, an egg-obsessed granny and a son who likes to have sex employing live chickens, it doesn’t really get much more abnormal, and therefore dysfunctional, than this family. The Lisbons in The Virgin Suicides Both abnormal and non-functioning, it also doesn’t get much more dysfunctional than a family in which the kids commit collective suicide (well, one of them started the trend early). The Tenenbaums in The Royal Tenenbaums They’re clearly born out of Salinger’s Glass family, and their situation is so common that A Christmas Tale almost seems like a French remake of the Wes Anderson’s movie. But the Tenenbaums have come to be one of the most beloved dysfunctional families in cinema, so it’d be a crime to leave them off this list. They’re so popular that many fans probably wouldn’t mind having such an asshole for a father as long as they got to be a member of the family, similar to the dreams of outsider Eli Cash (Owen Wilson). Also, there are probably some guys out there who dream of having Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) as a non-blood-related sister — as long as she’s really into making out with adopted-family siblings. The Aibellis in Spanking the Monkey Non-blood-related “incest” is one thing, but the Tenenbaums have nothing on the dysfunction of the Aibellis, with their motherloving son, Ray (Jeremy Davies), and the disturbingly consentual — though alcohol-induced — sex that occurs one awkward summer. The only incestuous family that might actually be more dysfunctional is the Cross clan of Chinatown. The Proffitts in Overboard The movie’s tone allows it to seem like such an innocently fun premise, but imagine a family in real life that would kidnap and exploit an amnesiac woman the way Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell) and his four sons do. And imagine the woman who escapes this situation only to return in a Stockholm syndrome-as-happy-ending decision. Not only is it immoral, illegal and unlikely, it’s highly dysfunctional. The Crumbs in Crumb Dysfunctional families are obviously not limited to fiction, so it’s necessary to cite at least one documentary. Again, it’s difficult to narrow down. There are the scandal-stricken Friedmans of Capturing the Friedmans, the daffy duo in Grey Gardens (and The Beales of Grey Gardens) and the fraternal foursome of Brother’s Keeper. But it’s comic artist R. Crumb’s family that comes off as the most interestingly screwed up. Equally expected and revealing for a man of Crumb’s odd nature, reclusive brother Charles, bowel-cleansing Maxon and uncomfortable mother Beatrice are almost too strange to believe real. The Browns in Buffalo ‘66 Dysfunctional family movies often peak with their respective dinner scenes, in which uncomfortable announcements are made or food is thrown or climactic fights occur. None are funnier, however, than the reunion meal between Billy Brown (Vincent Gallo) and his unloving parents (Angelica Huston and Ben Gazzara). Mom ignores her son in order to watch football while Dad mostly hits on Billy’s pretend wife (Christina Ricci). The Dilwegs in The Pharmacist W.C. Fields has given us a few of the funniest dysfunctional families in film, and many fans would quickly reference the Sousés from The Bank Dick as his greatest tribe. But its this family from Fields’ earlier short The Pharmacist that should come to mind first, if only thanks to the daughter who shakes a martini with a pogo stick and eats the family pet after being denied supper. Radha’s family in Mother India The entire genre of melodrama offers up worthy selections for this list, but Bollywood arguably makes the most dysfunctional family melodramas of all, perhaps because a lot of them are meant as allegories for the dysfunctions of the Indian subcontinent. Mother India is possibly the most significant example from Indian cinema, even more than monumental films like Pather Panchali that aren’t of the Bollywood tradition. The film has all the necessary components: the metaphorically castrated and eventually abandoning patriarch; the desperate yet enduring matriarch; the sons who follow paths on separate side of the law. There’s even a familial sacrifice that’s comparable to the one in The Godfather Part II. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/9/16/35197.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 9/16/2008 2:01:08 PM
Body: I’m probably the least financial-minded person there is, and I’ve never owned a stock, bond or whatever else people invest in. But I am an expert on being broke, being poor, being frugal and, most importantly, putting things into perspective. What I mean is, whenever I feel like things just can’t get any worse for me money-wise, I think of the people who are or were actually worse off than I am. And by people, I mostly mean characters from the movies. So, as you may be worrying about your finances after Black Monday, consider dropping by the video store on your way home from the office (or job interview) today. Invest a few bucks into your own sanity and happiness by renting one of the following movies. Don’t worry, I’ve tried to make the selections rather common and accessible. If you’re like any of the financial guys and girls I know, you’re not likely the sort to go for obscure or difficult cinema. And if you are of the sort, then you probably don’t need this list anyway. The Grapes of Wrath (1940) Let’s begin with one of the basics, a movie that will make you glad you at least aren’t living through the Great Depression. There are tons of films from and about the era, but this is perhaps the definitive example, adapted from John Steinbeck’s definitive story of the Okie migration. At times I’ve felt like I can identify with the financial hardships of the Joads, particularly when I’ve been after a job that tons of other people are after, too. But there’s really no comparison, and you’re likely to agree. After seeing the family’s struggle, you’ll be glad you don’t have it so bad. But you’ll also hopefully be lifted up by the conclusive speeches of both Tom and Ma Joad, who inspire us all to keep on keeping on, no matter what the setback. American Madness (1932) Going back a little earlier, here’s another film dealing with the Great Depression (though not as directly), and one that’s more relative to the current situation of bank failures. Its plot deals with a bank that is robbed and then rumored to be out of money, leading to a withdrawal panic. Released one year prior to the creation of the FDIC, it may be a comforting reminder of how much more secure your deposits are today. (Even if it is a potential problem that the FDIC doesn’t exactly have as much money as it insures against.) Nine Queens (2000) A lot of films dealing with cons can be watched to ease the suffering of financial woes. But then you have to realize that while you may be better off than the victim who has lost all his savings or seen his casino vault emptied, you’ll still want to hate the con artist who gets away with the fortune. With Nine Queens, there is indeed one of those guys you’ll be upset with in the end, but the film has an extra level to it than most movies about a long con, because it’s set amidst Argentina’s economic collapse at the turn of this century. Like the desperate bank run scenes from American Madness, a similar scene involving a crisis at a Buenos Aires bank should leave you a little more optimistic about the current situation in the U.S. Surely we could never experience as critical an economic failure as they did in Argentina, right? One more thing: don’t dare rent the inferior American remake, Criminal, which just doesn’t have the same relevance. I Served the King of England (2006) You won’t find this in the video store just yet, but hopefully it’s playing in a theater near you (currently it’s on 37 screens). I’ve so far contrasted your possibly upsetting financial situation with that of sufferers of the Great Depression and of the Argentine economic crisis. Now, here’s the worse-off situation of the Czechs under Nazi occupation and then communism. Filled with irony and wit, this film should, unlike some of the rest, put a smile on your face while also making you thankful that you didn’t have the misfortune of becoming a millionaire right on the brink of your nation’s change to communism. If there’s anything worse than losing your fortune, it’s losing your fortune and being sent to prison for having such a fortune. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) On the other side of the coin, you may want to watch this documentary about the Enron scandal if you are more angry about your economic situation and would rather see a villain sent to prison for corruptly amassing a great fortune. Of course, while the protagonist of I Served the King of England is a lot more lovable, his riches aren’t exactly free from sin, either. And if you’re completely averse to watching either a doc or a foreign film, you could just watch Wall Street again and take out your frustration on Gordon Gekko. Bicycle Thieves (1948) Hopefully you’re not against foreign films, though, because anyone experiencing a financial crunch should take a look at this Italian neorealist classic. Any time I’ve felt helpless due to unemployment or lack of money, I remember that at least I have a certain level of education and skill to fall back on, unlike poor Antonio, who can’t get work after his bicycle is stolen. Films with similar stories inspired by DeSica’s masterpiece, including Cyclo and Man Push Cart (but probably not Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure), may also be worth a look. Grey Gardens (1975) Also, hopefully you aren’t completely against watching a documentary, especially one that’s a little more lighthearted than Enron. Of course, watching two nutty former socialites living in squalor and allowing a once-beautiful mansion to fall apart could possibly make you just as irate. Just be glad that your own riches to rags story doesn’t involve tons of feral cats and a seemingly oblivious daughter who will one day be a poster girl for drag queens. Trading Places (1983) Despite whatever happens with the current economic disaster, America will always be a place where one can get rich as quickly as one can lose it all, and no movie focuses on that truth as well as this comedy, about a bet to see how easily a bum can be made a millionaire, and a millionaire can be made a bum. Plus, it’s always nice to watch the greedy Duke brothers get their just deserts in the end. Just don’t watch Coming to America afterward, so as to pretend they never come back. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) A lot of people are too cynical to enjoy this movie, but when you’re down in the dumps, especially financially, it’s a good pick-me-up, both for the uplifting story and the general American dream idea that one can truly rise from such poverty to such success as the real Chris Gardner did. Of course, given the current events, getting excited about a man struggling for a career in the financial world may not be so easy. I wonder if there are any good movies about working hard and making it big that don’t involve finance, sports or the entertainment industry. The Gold Rush (1925) In the Depression-set movie Sullivan’s Travels, it’s realized that audiences struggling with financial difficulties and other real-life woes would rather watch comedies than serious films focused on social problems. In that film, it’s a Disney cartoon called Playful Pluto that gives evidence of this, but it’s widely known that Preston Sturgis intended to use a Chaplin picture instead. So, as the final movie selection for the economically depressed, here’s one of the more fitting Chaplin features. While any film involving the Little Tramp could possibly serve to relatively lift you up, there’s just nothing better than watching Chaplin eat his boot and then being thankful for what you’ll be eating for dinner tonight. Now, I must address the possible outcry over the idea of making oneself feel better through the suffering of others. Yes, it’s terrible what people have had and still have to go through, both in America and around the world. Poverty is no joke, and it’s not exactly something that exists merely to balance out the brattiness of those not living in and with such poor conditions. So, I encourage you to, after watching whatever movie lifts your spirits up, find it in your heart to also be inspired to help someone less fortunate than yourself. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:01:08 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com9/16/2008 2:01:08 PM I’m probably the least financial-minded person there is, and I’ve never owned a stock, bond or whatever else people invest in. But I am an expert on being broke, being poor, being frugal and, most importantly, putting things into perspective. What I mean is, whenever I feel like things just can’t get any worse for me money-wise, I think of the people who are or were actually worse off than I am. And by people, I mostly mean characters from the movies. So, as you may be worrying about your finances after Black Monday, consider dropping by the video store on your way home from the office (or job interview) today. Invest a few bucks into your own sanity and happiness by renting one of the following movies. Don’t worry, I’ve tried to make the selections rather common and accessible. If you’re like any of the financial guys and girls I know, you’re not likely the sort to go for obscure or difficult cinema. And if you are of the sort, then you probably don’t need this list anyway. The Grapes of Wrath (1940) Let’s begin with one of the basics, a movie that will make you glad you at least aren’t living through the Great Depression. There are tons of films from and about the era, but this is perhaps the definitive example, adapted from John Steinbeck’s definitive story of the Okie migration. At times I’ve felt like I can identify with the financial hardships of the Joads, particularly when I’ve been after a job that tons of other people are after, too. But there’s really no comparison, and you’re likely to agree. After seeing the family’s struggle, you’ll be glad you don’t have it so bad. But you’ll also hopefully be lifted up by the conclusive speeches of both Tom and Ma Joad, who inspire us all to keep on keeping on, no matter what the setback. American Madness (1932) Going back a little earlier, here’s another film dealing with the Great Depression (though not as directly), and one that’s more relative to the current situation of bank failures. Its plot deals with a bank that is robbed and then rumored to be out of money, leading to a withdrawal panic. Released one year prior to the creation of the FDIC, it may be a comforting reminder of how much more secure your deposits are today. (Even if it is a potential problem that the FDIC doesn’t exactly have as much money as it insures against.) Nine Queens (2000) A lot of films dealing with cons can be watched to ease the suffering of financial woes. But then you have to realize that while you may be better off than the victim who has lost all his savings or seen his casino vault emptied, you’ll still want to hate the con artist who gets away with the fortune. With Nine Queens, there is indeed one of those guys you’ll be upset with in the end, but the film has an extra level to it than most movies about a long con, because it’s set amidst Argentina’s economic collapse at the turn of this century. Like the desperate bank run scenes from American Madness, a similar scene involving a crisis at a Buenos Aires bank should leave you a little more optimistic about the current situation in the U.S. Surely we could never experience as critical an economic failure as they did in Argentina, right? One more thing: don’t dare rent the inferior American remake, Criminal, which just doesn’t have the same relevance. I Served the King of England (2006) You won’t find this in the video store just yet, but hopefully it’s playing in a theater near you (currently it’s on 37 screens). I’ve so far contrasted your possibly upsetting financial situation with that of sufferers of the Great Depression and of the Argentine economic crisis. Now, here’s the worse-off situation of the Czechs under Nazi occupation and then communism. Filled with irony and wit, this film should, unlike some of the rest, put a smile on your face while also making you thankful that you didn’t have the misfortune of becoming a millionaire right on the brink of your nation’s change to communism. If there’s anything worse than losing your fortune, it’s losing your fortune and being sent to prison for having such a fortune. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) On the other side of the coin, you may want to watch this documentary about the Enron scandal if you are more angry about your economic situation and would rather see a villain sent to prison for corruptly amassing a great fortune. Of course, while the protagonist of I Served the King of England is a lot more lovable, his riches aren’t exactly free from sin, either. And if you’re completely averse to watching either a doc or a foreign film, you could just watch Wall Street again and take out your frustration on Gordon Gekko. Bicycle Thieves (1948) Hopefully you’re not against foreign films, though, because anyone experiencing a financial crunch should take a look at this Italian neorealist classic. Any time I’ve felt helpless due to unemployment or lack of money, I remember that at least I have a certain level of education and skill to fall back on, unlike poor Antonio, who can’t get work after his bicycle is stolen. Films with similar stories inspired by DeSica’s masterpiece, including Cyclo and Man Push Cart (but probably not Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure), may also be worth a look. Grey Gardens (1975) Also, hopefully you aren’t completely against watching a documentary, especially one that’s a little more lighthearted than Enron. Of course, watching two nutty former socialites living in squalor and allowing a once-beautiful mansion to fall apart could possibly make you just as irate. Just be glad that your own riches to rags story doesn’t involve tons of feral cats and a seemingly oblivious daughter who will one day be a poster girl for drag queens. Trading Places (1983) Despite whatever happens with the current economic disaster, America will always be a place where one can get rich as quickly as one can lose it all, and no movie focuses on that truth as well as this comedy, about a bet to see how easily a bum can be made a millionaire, and a millionaire can be made a bum. Plus, it’s always nice to watch the greedy Duke brothers get their just deserts in the end. Just don’t watch Coming to America afterward, so as to pretend they never come back. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) A lot of people are too cynical to enjoy this movie, but when you’re down in the dumps, especially financially, it’s a good pick-me-up, both for the uplifting story and the general American dream idea that one can truly rise from such poverty to such success as the real Chris Gardner did. Of course, given the current events, getting excited about a man struggling for a career in the financial world may not be so easy. I wonder if there are any good movies about working hard and making it big that don’t involve finance, sports or the entertainment industry. The Gold Rush (1925) In the Depression-set movie Sullivan’s Travels, it’s realized that audiences struggling with financial difficulties and other real-life woes would rather watch comedies than serious films focused on social problems. In that film, it’s a Disney cartoon called Playful Pluto that gives evidence of this, but it’s widely known that Preston Sturgis intended to use a Chaplin picture instead. So, as the final movie selection for the economically depressed, here’s one of the more fitting Chaplin features. While any film involving the Little Tramp could possibly serve to relatively lift you up, there’s just nothing better than watching Chaplin eat his boot and then being thankful for what you’ll be eating for dinner tonight. Now, I must address the possible outcry over the idea of making oneself feel better through the suffering of others. Yes, it’s terrible what people have had and still have to go through, both in America and around the world. Poverty is no joke, and it’s not exactly something that exists merely to balance out the brattiness of those not living in and with such poor conditions. So, I encourage you to, after watching whatever movie lifts your spirits up, find it in your heart to also be inspired to help someone less fortunate than yourself. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/thefilmpanelnotetaker/archive/2007/6/19/11434.aspx Post By: thefilmpanelnotetaker
Post To: thefilmpanelnotetaker Blog
Post Date: 6/19/2007 10:11:18 AM
Body: Following up on my notes from June 10th's Maysles Film Program at BAM with Albert Maysles (Grey Gardens), I would like to include the below notes from a Silverdocs Q and A with Antonio Ferrera, co-director of The Gates, as a companion piece. I was so moved by the presentation at BAM last week that I just had to see "The Gates" at Silverdocs. I missed it when it premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. But before I present my notes, here's my review:The Gates is an incredibly engaging, dramatic work of documentary filmmaking with footage spanning more than 25 years of artists Christo's and Jeanne-Claude's struggle and ultimate victory to display their work of art entitled "The Gates" in New York City's Central Park from filmmakers Antonio Ferrera and Albert Maysles. A most dramatic and clever edit occurs at the beginning of the film when we see Christo and Jeanne-Claude as they were in 2005 and all of a sudden, they're back in 1979 as they prepare to talk with the then Parks Department Commissioner Gordon Davis, who turns their exhibition down. The duo take their presentation to various communities throughout New York City from Harlem to NYU, each time getting dissent from skeptical residents where a major argument was that they were going to destroy a piece of natural art by putting their own art over it. Christo's and Jeanne-Claude's response was that Central Park is man-made. Finally, in 2005, mayor Michael Bloomberg approved their exhibition, and in February of that year, "The Gates" went up for two weeks. I happened to see "The Gates" in person, and I personally didn't know what to make of them at the time. Whether or not one agrees that they were a beautiful work of art, one can't help but to admire how they brought an entire city together. Perhaps that is what the art really is, and that is exactly what is captured in the documentary The Gates. The last half-hour of the film shows the two weeks in 2005 when people came to Central Park. The filmmakers capture their natural reactions, excitement and confusion so beautifully. Photo courtesy of Silverdocs.The Gates - Q and A with co-director Antonio FerreraSILVERDOCS AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival 2007June 16, 2007Q: Can you talk about the editing decisions? How much footage was there?A: 400 hours of the actual event [the two weeks in 2005], about 200 hours from the preceding year, and 30 to 40 hours from 1979. We had access to a lot of great sensibilities. Captured the journey for the audience. Spent two years editing the film from 2005-2007, myself and Matthew Prinzing. I lived in the park for 16-17 hours a day. The story is all about the light.Q: Did you find the original people who were against "The Gates" in 1979?A: We hung out with Gordon Davis, who originally turned it down, but turned out to be one of its greatest advocates.Q: Did Christo and Jeanne-Claude make any money from "The Gates"?A: The drawings go toward the final work of art.Q: Did Christo and Jeanne-Claude adjust the opening of "The Gates" because of the snow? A: What ever happened, happened. It was incredible. It was just mother nature and our discipline to capture it.Q: Will Christo and Jeanne-Claude do any art exhibitions in the Washington, D.C., area?A: As soon as you tell them an idea, they don't do it.Q: What are your thoughts on David and Albert starting the shooting and you finishing it?A: It's a long story. It was a whole archaeological job.Q: What was your decision not to showcase Christo and Jeanne-Claude once "The Gates" were fertile.A: At a certain point, the expression has to take the foreground. I was scared I wouldn't be able to pull it off. We don't interview subjects. An example is the scene with the Trinidadian kids sitting on a rock in Central Park just talking about "The Gates." You can't interview shit like that. You just listen. I remember 9/11 when everyone looked up in horror. At "The Gates," everyone looked up in delight.Q: What was the decision behind not showing in the film the taking down of "The Gates" in Central Park ?A: We wanted to capture that feeling when you left the park. Originally posted on:The Film Panel Notetaker - Miss a panel discussion? Don't worry! We took notes for you.
]]>Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:11:18 GMTthefilmpanelnotetakerthefilmpanelnotetaker Blog6/19/2007 10:11:18 AMFollowing up on my notes from June 10th's Maysles Film Program at BAM with Albert Maysles (Grey Gardens), I would like to include the below notes from a Silverdocs Q and A with Antonio Ferrera, co-director of The Gates, as a companion piece. I was so moved by the presentation at BAM last week that I just had to see "The Gates" at Silverdocs. I missed it when it premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. But before I present my notes, here's my review:The Gates is an incredibly engaging, dramatic work of documentary filmmaking with footage spanning more than 25 years of artists Christo's and Jeanne-Claude's struggle and ultimate victory to display their work of art entitled "The Gates" in New York City's Central Park from filmmakers Antonio Ferrera and Albert Maysles. A most dramatic and clever edit occurs at the beginning of the film when we see Christo and Jeanne-Claude as they were in 2005 and all of a sudden, they're back in 1979 as they prepare to talk with the then Parks Department Commissioner Gordon Davis, who turns their exhibition down. The duo take their presentation to various communities throughout New York City from Harlem to NYU, each time getting dissent from skeptical residents where a major argument was that they were going to destroy a piece of natural art by putting their own art over it. Christo's and Jeanne-Claude's response was that Central Park is man-made. Finally, in 2005, mayor Michael Bloomberg approved their exhibition, and in February of that year, "The Gates" went up for two weeks. I happened to see "The Gates" in person, and I personally didn't know what to make of them at the time. Whether or not one agrees that they were a beautiful work of art, one can't help but to admire how they brought an entire city together. Perhaps that is what the art really is, and that is exactly what is captured in the documentary The Gates. The last half-hour of the film shows the two weeks in 2005 when people came to Central Park. The filmmakers capture their natural reactions, excitement and confusion so beautifully. Photo courtesy of Silverdocs.The Gates - Q and A with co-director Antonio FerreraSILVERDOCS AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival 2007June 16, 2007Q: Can you talk about the editing decisions? How much footage was there?A: 400 hours of the actual event [the two weeks in 2005], about 200 hours from the preceding year, and 30 to 40 hours from 1979. We had access to a lot of great sensibilities. Captured the journey for the audience. Spent two years editing the film from 2005-2007, myself and Matthew Prinzing. I lived in the park for 16-17 hours a day. The story is all about the light.Q: Did you find the original people who were against "The Gates" in 1979?A: We hung out with Gordon Davis, who originally turned it down, but turned out to be one of its greatest advocates.Q: Did Christo and Jeanne-Claude make any money from "The Gates"?A: The drawings go toward the final work of art.Q: Did Christo and Jeanne-Claude adjust the opening of "The Gates" because of the snow? A: What ever happened, happened. It was incredible. It was just mother nature and our discipline to capture it.Q: Will Christo and Jeanne-Claude do any art exhibitions in the Washington, D.C., area?A: As soon as you tell them an idea, they don't do it.Q: What are your thoughts on David and Albert starting the shooting and you finishing it?A: It's a long story. It was a whole archaeological job.Q: What was your decision not to showcase Christo and Jeanne-Claude once "The Gates" were fertile.A: At a certain point, the expression has to take the foreground. I was scared I wouldn't be able to pull it off. We don't interview subjects. An example is the scene with the Trinidadian kids sitting on a rock in Central Park just talking about "The Gates." You can't interview shit like that. You just listen. I remember 9/11 when everyone looked up in horror. At "The Gates," everyone looked up in delight.Q: What was the decision behind not showing in the film the taking down of "The Gates" in Central Park ?A: We wanted to capture that feeling when you left the park. Originally posted on:The Film Panel Notetaker - Miss a panel discussion? Don't worry! We took notes for you. http://www.spout.com/blogs/thefilmpanelnotetaker/archive/2007/6/11/10838.aspx Post By: thefilmpanelnotetaker
Post To: thefilmpanelnotetaker Blog
Post Date: 6/11/2007 11:02:16 PM
Body: I went to the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) on Sunday for the Maysles Film Program, a special showcase curated just for Sundance Institute at BAM. Documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles presented clips from his and his late brother David’s archive spanning from the 1950s to a sneak peak of Albert’s latest project In Transit.Excerpts screened included: Russia, Moscow (1955-57), Yanki No! (1961), Untitled (1959), Showman [Outtakes] (1963), Carl Sandburg (1963), Anastasia (1962), What’s Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A. (1964), With Love From Truman (1966)/Meet Marlon Brando [Outtakes] (1965), Off to War [Vietnam] (1965), Salvador Dali’s Fantastic Dream (1966), MGM Showreel (1966), Mother (1966), Gimme Shelter [Outtakes] (1969), McGovern (1972), Muhammad Ali in Zaire (1974), Grey Gardens [Outtakes] (1976), Maysles For Hire (1980’s and 90’s) and In Transit (work-in-progress).Watching these excerpts play one after the other was like being a fly on the wall in a time machine of popular culture and politics in the 20th Century, but it’s not the history that you learn in school or see on the news. It’s unparalleled access to the little behind-the-scenes, candid moments from the lives of everyday people to celebrities. And how’s this for DVD commentary, without actually needing a DVD player: During the segment from Yanki No!, Albert spoke out, “I’ve taken most of the narration out because it was so full of propaganda.” If you were not lucky enough to view the program live and in person with Albert yesterday, it would be great if an actual DVD of the program was released, or perhaps an airing on PBS.Before and after the presentation, Albert said a few words. Below are my notes from his talk. Albert Maysles. Photo courtesy of BAM.Maysles Film ProgramSundance Institute at BAMJune 10, 2007Before the Program:Albert began before the program saying that this is the most exciting time of our lives for documentaries. Suddenly, documentaries are emerging as more popular. It’s inevitable that it would happen. There’s a place for both fiction and non-fiction. There is a potential for cameras to pick up real life with out commercial people from Hollywood. It’s surprising that TV networks’ policies simply don’t take the work of independent filmmakers. Albert’s films are different because of the access. Most of his and his brother’s feature films are available through the Criterion Collection.Albert pointed out that in 1955, he departed a career in psychology and got a visa to go to Russia to film the people there. It was important to know who these other people were that we might have engaged in warfare with. You get to see bits and pieces of impressions of the people.Other clips Albert was about to show include a film about Anastasia from the Bolshoi Ballet. Excerpts from films of Truman Capote and Salvador Dali. A taste of his autobiography with a glimpse of his mother being sworn in as the president of Jewish women’s organization. A glimpse of George McGovern, the candidate for President of the U.S. in 1972. Albert said he might be the perfect guy to go with the perfect candidate to reveal his real character. Albert said, “Damn it! Why isn’t mass media working this way?” And finally, a glimpse of “In Transit,” where Albert traveled on several different trains in several different countries recording stories of the people traveling on them.After the Program:Albert told the audience that now they’ve had a glimpse into the past and the future. The image that touched him most was of his mother.He then spoke of a friend who made a film about the war experience and showed it to The History Channel, but they didn’t accept it because it was too personal. Albert said we have to break through this nonsense. It’s about time we witness life like it is. There’s a whole world around us and lots to film.Albert mentioned that when he shows his films to the subjects in them, they’ve had surprising reactions. He once he mad a film of a poor family in the South. It was a very loving and true story. He showed it to the grandmother of the family in the film who said, “well, that’s the truth,” but then asked, “can you make it longer?” And when Capote watched his own film, he came out crying.In documentary filmmaking, Albert said there’s a wonderful word called “random.” That’s what goes on. He and his brother were a two-camera crew. You have to be interested to do a heart-to-heart story and ask yourself, can you really tell the truth? “I believe it,” he said. You might not be able to capture it all, but when you see something on the screen, it becomes your experience. That’s why he wanted to make his new film “In Transit.” One of the stories of a woman who travels to Philadelphia to see her mother in nearly 20 years.“As you might have guessed, I’m excited about what I do,” Albert said. Albert’s family now lives in Harlem, where the Maysles Institute teaches kids 8 to twelve years old how to use cameras. Some of the children’s parents are in jail and send their films to their parents. This has taught them self respect.There was only time for one question from the audience. The question asked: What made you make the transition from psychology to documentary filmmaking? Albert’s answer: Psychology is a kind of science that you everything until you find a truth. Before he started filming in Russia, he was given two pieces of advice that he didn’t follow: 1) Use a tripod and 2) follow a point of view. “Thank goodness I didn’t follow them,” he said. Originally posted on:The Film Panel Notetaker - Miss a panel discussion? Don't worry! We took notes for you.
]]>Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:02:16 GMTthefilmpanelnotetakerthefilmpanelnotetaker Blog6/11/2007 11:02:16 PMI went to the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) on Sunday for the Maysles Film Program, a special showcase curated just for Sundance Institute at BAM. Documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles presented clips from his and his late brother David’s archive spanning from the 1950s to a sneak peak of Albert’s latest project In Transit.Excerpts screened included: Russia, Moscow (1955-57), Yanki No! (1961), Untitled (1959), Showman [Outtakes] (1963), Carl Sandburg (1963), Anastasia (1962), What’s Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A. (1964), With Love From Truman (1966)/Meet Marlon Brando [Outtakes] (1965), Off to War [Vietnam] (1965), Salvador Dali’s Fantastic Dream (1966), MGM Showreel (1966), Mother (1966), Gimme Shelter [Outtakes] (1969), McGovern (1972), Muhammad Ali in Zaire (1974), Grey Gardens [Outtakes] (1976), Maysles For Hire (1980’s and 90’s) and In Transit (work-in-progress).Watching these excerpts play one after the other was like being a fly on the wall in a time machine of popular culture and politics in the 20th Century, but it’s not the history that you learn in school or see on the news. It’s unparalleled access to the little behind-the-scenes, candid moments from the lives of everyday people to celebrities. And how’s this for DVD commentary, without actually needing a DVD player: During the segment from Yanki No!, Albert spoke out, “I’ve taken most of the narration out because it was so full of propaganda.” If you were not lucky enough to view the program live and in person with Albert yesterday, it would be great if an actual DVD of the program was released, or perhaps an airing on PBS.Before and after the presentation, Albert said a few words. Below are my notes from his talk. Albert Maysles. Photo courtesy of BAM.Maysles Film ProgramSundance Institute at BAMJune 10, 2007Before the Program:Albert began before the program saying that this is the most exciting time of our lives for documentaries. Suddenly, documentaries are emerging as more popular. It’s inevitable that it would happen. There’s a place for both fiction and non-fiction. There is a potential for cameras to pick up real life with out commercial people from Hollywood. It’s surprising that TV networks’ policies simply don’t take the work of independent filmmakers. Albert’s films are different because of the access. Most of his and his brother’s feature films are available through the Criterion Collection.Albert pointed out that in 1955, he departed a career in psychology and got a visa to go to Russia to film the people there. It was important to know who these other people were that we might have engaged in warfare with. You get to see bits and pieces of impressions of the people.Other clips Albert was about to show include a film about Anastasia from the Bolshoi Ballet. Excerpts from films of Truman Capote and Salvador Dali. A taste of his autobiography with a glimpse of his mother being sworn in as the president of Jewish women’s organization. A glimpse of George McGovern, the candidate for President of the U.S. in 1972. Albert said he might be the perfect guy to go with the perfect candidate to reveal his real character. Albert said, “Damn it! Why isn’t mass media working this way?” And finally, a glimpse of “In Transit,” where Albert traveled on several different trains in several different countries recording stories of the people traveling on them.After the Program:Albert told the audience that now they’ve had a glimpse into the past and the future. The image that touched him most was of his mother.He then spoke of a friend who made a film about the war experience and showed it to The History Channel, but they didn’t accept it because it was too personal. Albert said we have to break through this nonsense. It’s about time we witness life like it is. There’s a whole world around us and lots to film.Albert mentioned that when he shows his films to the subjects in them, they’ve had surprising reactions. He once he mad a film of a poor family in the South. It was a very loving and true story. He showed it to the grandmother of the family in the film who said, “well, that’s the truth,” but then asked, “can you make it longer?” And when Capote watched his own film, he came out crying.In documentary filmmaking, Albert said there’s a wonderful word called “random.” That’s what goes on. He and his brother were a two-camera crew. You have to be interested to do a heart-to-heart story and ask yourself, can you really tell the truth? “I believe it,” he said. You might not be able to capture it all, but when you see something on the screen, it becomes your experience. That’s why he wanted to make his new film “In Transit.” One of the stories of a woman who travels to Philadelphia to see her mother in nearly 20 years.“As you might have guessed, I’m excited about what I do,” Albert said. Albert’s family now lives in Harlem, where the Maysles Institute teaches kids 8 to twelve years old how to use cameras. Some of the children’s parents are in jail and send their films to their parents. This has taught them self respect.There was only time for one question from the audience. The question asked: What made you make the transition from psychology to documentary filmmaking? Albert’s answer: Psychology is a kind of science that you everything until you find a truth. Before he started filming in Russia, he was given two pieces of advice that he didn’t follow: 1) Use a tripod and 2) follow a point of view. “Thank goodness I didn’t follow them,” he said. Originally posted on:The Film Panel Notetaker - Miss a panel discussion? Don't worry! We took notes for you. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspxClassic
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