Ismael Nazario spent more than two years at Rikers. Credit: Mark Benjamin[/caption]
In his latest documentary, Rikers, Marc Levin delves into one of the country’s most famous correctional facilities to put you face to face with those who faced time in one of the world most violent and notorious prisons. The documentary features personal stories of former prisoners from the late 70’s to present day, who vividly describe their experiences of the torture of solidarity confinement, what it’s like living in a cage with criminals and being at the mercy of the hands of the correctional officers, as well as the kind of life you face if you’re fortunate enough to leave.The documentary features about 12 testimonials of former prisoners from Rikers Island and how the prison managed to bring out violence in them that they never knew they were capable of. We interviewed Marc on his journey to get the word out on those who couldn’t get out.
In a brief summary, could you tell us what the documentary is about?
Rikers is about the experience of being incarcerated at Rikers Island, NYC’s largest jail that holds about 7,500 people on any given day. We gave former detainees who have been incarcerated there – some for months, some for years – the opportunity to describe what they experienced, direct to camera.
[gallery type="rectangular" ids="18343,18344,18345,18346,18347,18348"]
What was your motivation for making a documentary about Rikers?
The film was an idea that Bill Moyers had, and he approached us with it. We’ve worked with Bill over decades, and he knew that we had a deep background making films about jails – where people are held awaiting trial – as well as prisons, where people are sent to serve their sentence. Like many of us, Bill had been reading the excellent investigative journalism about the abuses and corruption at Rikers Island, and it started him thinking that we really hadn’t heard directly from the people who have endured it. How long did this film take? Did you run into any roadblocks while making it? The film took about a year to make.
What was the most challenging part of getting the film made?
The biggest challenge was finding the right people to feature. We interviewed over 100 people and then narrowed it down to about a dozen who are in the documentary. The other major challenge was editing it into a composite narrative. We used very little B-roll or archival. As Bill Moyers said to us,“There is no production value greater than the human face.”
What do you want the audience to take away from RIKERS?
We have criminalized so many people that the word CRIMINAL has come to mean something subhuman and undeserving of any empathy or compassion. The people that you meet in Rikers are thoughtful, articulate, humble, spiritual human beings. They have families, and they have hope. Some were found guilty of the charges against them. Others endured Rikers and then they were cleared of the charges. None were spared the culture of violence that exists there. We need to think about that and what we want justice in New York, and in America, to look like. In a sentence or two tell our readers why they should see the film. We’ve had a very powerful reaction from audiences already, and I think it will move people. There seems to be a growing understanding that our criminal justice system needs real reform. This film is not just about “them,” it’s about us, who we are. You don’t have to travel to Guantanamo or Abu Ghraib to see torture. You can just go a few miles from the heart of Manhattan. Remember what Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote over a hundred years ago, “The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.
What did you learn while making Rikers and can you give tips to any prospective Documentary filmmakers?
Many of these characters had other compelling stories about their early lives, their time in prison, and their struggles reentering society. It was very difficult to leave them on the editing room floor. But we wanted to focus exclusively on their experiences on Rikers Island. It sounds rather straightforward to edit together the stories of a dozen people so they tell a collective story, while also each offering their own unique perspective. But finding the right rhythm, pace, and structure is a lot trickier than it appears. The editing room is where it all comes together
What’s next step for both you and the doc?
After premiering at the DOC NYC film festival on Saturday, November 12th , Rikers will be broadcast on THIRTEEN/WNET in New York on November 15th at 10pm and again on the 20th at 10pm. We are in discussion for national television distribution, but in the meantime, it will be streaming at RIKERSfilm.org starting with the broadcast premiere. Already many organizations are hosting screenings of the film, and we hope it will continue to be used for education and a catalyst for change.
Rikers had its world premiere at the DOC NYC 2016.
For more information click here.-
Marc Levin Talks About His New Documentary RIKERS World Premiering at DOC NYC
[caption id="attachment_18346" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Ismael Nazario spent more than two years at Rikers. Credit: Mark Benjamin[/caption]
In his latest documentary, Rikers, Marc Levin delves into one of the country’s most famous correctional facilities to put you face to face with those who faced time in one of the world most violent and notorious prisons. The documentary features personal stories of former prisoners from the late 70’s to present day, who vividly describe their experiences of the torture of solidarity confinement, what it’s like living in a cage with criminals and being at the mercy of the hands of the correctional officers, as well as the kind of life you face if you’re fortunate enough to leave.The documentary features about 12 testimonials of former prisoners from Rikers Island and how the prison managed to bring out violence in them that they never knew they were capable of. We interviewed Marc on his journey to get the word out on those who couldn’t get out.
In a brief summary, could you tell us what the documentary is about?
Rikers is about the experience of being incarcerated at Rikers Island, NYC’s largest jail that holds about 7,500 people on any given day. We gave former detainees who have been incarcerated there – some for months, some for years – the opportunity to describe what they experienced, direct to camera.
[gallery type="rectangular" ids="18343,18344,18345,18346,18347,18348"]
What was your motivation for making a documentary about Rikers?
The film was an idea that Bill Moyers had, and he approached us with it. We’ve worked with Bill over decades, and he knew that we had a deep background making films about jails – where people are held awaiting trial – as well as prisons, where people are sent to serve their sentence. Like many of us, Bill had been reading the excellent investigative journalism about the abuses and corruption at Rikers Island, and it started him thinking that we really hadn’t heard directly from the people who have endured it. How long did this film take? Did you run into any roadblocks while making it? The film took about a year to make.
What was the most challenging part of getting the film made?
The biggest challenge was finding the right people to feature. We interviewed over 100 people and then narrowed it down to about a dozen who are in the documentary. The other major challenge was editing it into a composite narrative. We used very little B-roll or archival. As Bill Moyers said to us,“There is no production value greater than the human face.”
What do you want the audience to take away from RIKERS?
We have criminalized so many people that the word CRIMINAL has come to mean something subhuman and undeserving of any empathy or compassion. The people that you meet in Rikers are thoughtful, articulate, humble, spiritual human beings. They have families, and they have hope. Some were found guilty of the charges against them. Others endured Rikers and then they were cleared of the charges. None were spared the culture of violence that exists there. We need to think about that and what we want justice in New York, and in America, to look like. In a sentence or two tell our readers why they should see the film. We’ve had a very powerful reaction from audiences already, and I think it will move people. There seems to be a growing understanding that our criminal justice system needs real reform. This film is not just about “them,” it’s about us, who we are. You don’t have to travel to Guantanamo or Abu Ghraib to see torture. You can just go a few miles from the heart of Manhattan. Remember what Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote over a hundred years ago, “The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.
What did you learn while making Rikers and can you give tips to any prospective Documentary filmmakers?
Many of these characters had other compelling stories about their early lives, their time in prison, and their struggles reentering society. It was very difficult to leave them on the editing room floor. But we wanted to focus exclusively on their experiences on Rikers Island. It sounds rather straightforward to edit together the stories of a dozen people so they tell a collective story, while also each offering their own unique perspective. But finding the right rhythm, pace, and structure is a lot trickier than it appears. The editing room is where it all comes together
What’s next step for both you and the doc?
After premiering at the DOC NYC film festival on Saturday, November 12th , Rikers will be broadcast on THIRTEEN/WNET in New York on November 15th at 10pm and again on the 20th at 10pm. We are in discussion for national television distribution, but in the meantime, it will be streaming at RIKERSfilm.org starting with the broadcast premiere. Already many organizations are hosting screenings of the film, and we hope it will continue to be used for education and a catalyst for change.
Rikers had its world premiere at the DOC NYC 2016.
For more information click here.
-
Director Michael Galinsky Talks About ALL THE RAGE ( SAVED BY DR. SARNO)
[caption id="attachment_18275" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
All the Rage ( Saved by Dr. Sarno)[/caption]
In a world where instant gratification and quick fixes are king, alternative approaches to healing are commonly dismissed. Director Michael Galinsky explores the world of psychosomatic pain in All the Rage ( Saved by Dr. Sarno) by documenting both the teachings of Dr. Sarno as well as the Galinsky’s own experiences of applying Dr. Sarno’s theories to his immobilizing back pain. The documentary boasts big names whose lives have been changed by Dr. Sarno, like Howard Stern and Larry David, and is a refreshing angle on a medical innovation. Rather than relying on the more clinical approach of talking heads and client confessions, watching the director himself go on this journey gives a point of view that isn’t often shown in medical documentaries and is a key factor in successfully persuading the audience on something that could be a very hard sell. All the Rage ( Saved by Dr. Sarno) is world premiering at the DOC NYC 2016.
We interviewed Director Michael Galinsky to give us more insight on All the Rage.
Can you briefly tell the readers what All the Rage is about?
All The Rage began as a film about Dr. John Sarno and his mind body approach to back pain. We came to the story because of a personal connection to it. Michael’s father read Dr. Sarno’s book “Healing Back Pain” in the 80’s and healed from years of chronic whiplash pain. Later Michael’s brother went to see Dr. Sarno when he had such bad hand problems that he could not type or drive. Michael read the book at that point and banished his own recurrent back pain for a decade. When it came roaring back and he was slammed to the floor in incredible pain, he went to see Dr Sarno as well, and thus began a 12 year odyssey to make this film. Over the course of filming it became an increasingly personal story.
What was your main motivation for making the documentary?
We at Rumur knew that Dr. Sarno had a powerful story that needed to be told. We have made four other feature docs about characters who are fighting for what they believe in against great odds. We originally tried making this film as a verite documentary, but quickly found it difficult. In fact, it ended up getting put on hold for many years because we couldn’t raise any funding and we weren’t convinced that we knew how to make it. When Michael’s back problems flared up again in 2011, we were more determined than ever to finish the film. The good news was that the culture had shifted dramatically in the time that the project was on hold. People were much more open to the idea that many health problems had a psychosomatic connection. That made it much more exciting to work on it. That process has only ramped up over the last 5 years.
Being that psychosomatic pain is so often dismissed, were you at all reluctant to make a film about it?
We weren’t reluctant to make, but we did find it hard to fund, and hard to conceptualize. The idea that pain has a psychosomatic basis was widely dismissed as unscientific a dozen years ago. Both doctors and patients found it hard to wrap their minds around the idea that back pain might have an emotional cause. Because of that reality, we needed to be very deliberate about how we told the story. Now the idea is much more accepted and there is a flood of research supporting this idea.
How long did it take to shoot? Did you run into any challenges while making it?
In our first 3 years of trying to get the film off the ground, we shot only 6 hours of tape. By contrast we shot nearly 300 hours on another doc that we were working on at the same time. The first challenge was funding. We applied for dozens of grants, many of them multiple times, but the ideas at the heart of the film didn’t connect. While Dr. Sarno’s ideas are controversial with the mainstream, he does have a large and dedicated following thanks to the success of his best-selling books on back pain. Hundreds of people have said his books changed their lives. That way, we were able to raise funding via kickstarter once we restarted the film. At that point, the only way we could think of a film was in terms of direct cinema. We had no interest in doing talking head interviews. At the same time, there wasn’t much action we could follow. Dr. Sarno would not introduce us to patients and we couldn’t find anyone to follow, so we were kind of stuck. Eventually, we made it more personal as we went along, using Michael’s story as a way to give the audience a character to relate to. We were thenable to make use of the footage we had shot and we ended up interviewing a number of people because it was a complex story that needed many voices.
Can you tell our readers why they should see All the Rage and what you want the audience to take away from the film?
All The Rage won’t provide people with an easy answer to their problems, but it will give them a way to view their lives, and their emotions, in a more open way that should put them on a pathway towards healing. We were very conscious of making a film that honors Dr. Sarno’s legacy without making a film that was just for people who are already fans of his work. We also didn’t want to make a film that was essentially his book in a shortened form, but instead a film that would inspire people to do their own work in coming to understand the ideas. Almost everyone we have shown the film to so far has asked, “Can I show this to my brother/father/friend”. Most people have also said, “This will help so many people!” Last week we saw that a well know comedian cancelled a show due to back pain. We sent him a link that night and in the morning we got a message that said, “Fabulous Film!, Finish it! I’ll promote it!” That same day we heard from another comedian who had just read the book and echoed the sentiments above. The goal was to make a film that drove home the idea that our minds and bodies are intimately connected. I think we accomplished that.
What would you say to nonbelievers in psychosomatic pain? How can a friend or family member convince a nonbeliever with chronic pain to get this kind of help?
As Dr. Sarno points out, you can’t convince anyone of anything. For this reason, we tried to make a film that wouldn’t feel like we were trying to convince them. However we did want to show, to illustrate that connection. By the end of the film it can’t be ignored.
Can you give tips to any prospective Documentary filmmakers?What did you learn while making All the Rage?
Making films takes time. There’s always a way around no. This morning on the way to NY we ran into a friend who works at the airport. We met her when she inquired about our camera bag last year. Turned out that she was interested in film. A couple of weeks later she started to shoot a documentary about a transgender co-worker who was becoming a major advocate for transgender rights. We started to help her shoot and conceptualize the film. There’s been a learning curve there for sure, but she showed us something she shot earlier this week just before the election. It’s going to be a several year shoot and she is coming to understand what needs to get shot and what she can let go. It was awesome to see how much she’s learned- which leads to you learn by doing!
What’s next step for both you and the doc?
We hope that the film changes the conversation about health care. We have a half dozen films in the fire- but we know we are going to spend the next year getting this film out.
All the Rage World Premiered at DOC NYC 2016 and will screen again on Tuesday, November 15, 2016, 9:45 PM at the IFC Center.
For tickets and more information click here.
-
Director Madeleine Gavin Discusses Her New Film CITY OF JOY Premiering at DOC NYC
[caption id="attachment_18245" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
City of Joy[/caption]
In what might be one of the most important and uplifting documentaries premiering at DOC NYC, City of Joy follows a community for women survivors of violence in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The documentary displays how these women triumph over abuse and join forces to revolutionize their community. The doc is equally stirring as it is inspirational, and encourages a catalyst for change at every turn. As a fantastic reassurance of what women can do when the work together, this is one documentary not to be missed. We sat down with the director Madeleine Gavin, to tell us more about this film.
Can you tell us what City of joy is all about?
City of Joy takes place in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an area often referred to as “the worst place in the world to be a woman.” The film follows the first class of women who enter a leadership center in Bukavu, in Eastern DRC for a 9-month leadership training. It also focuses on the founders of this center, three activists who imagined this revolutionary place where women who have suffered horrific rape and abuse can learn to lead others and work toward changing their country, in spite of all they have endured.
What was your motivation for making a documentary about women survivors of violence in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo? When did you first become aware of these women?
What motivated me to want to make this film began a few years before this leadership center, City of Joy (from which the film gets its title) opened. At the time, I was creating web pieces that tracked some of the work Eve Ensler (author of The Vagina Monologues) and V-Day (the movement she founded) were doing to end violence against women and girls around the world.
I remember the first piece I did about the Democratic Republic of Congo. I had known about the genocide in Rwanda but, at the time had only a vague knowledge of the DRC and the violence occurring there since the mid 1990’s. As I began to learn more about was going on, the torture, the devastation to women’s families, to their communities, their children, their bodies, I was shaken to the core. Having a young daughter myself, it was impossible to imagine how these women could envision a life with meaning after being through what they had or witnessing their children go through such atrocities. And yet there was a resilience and insistence on hope in these women that was palpable. To say that it was awe-inspiring is really an understatement but it was this awe I felt in the face of the incomprehensible strength of these women that initially motivated me to want to make this film.
Once City of Joy opened and we began shooting and following the first class of women there, my commitment to this project became even stronger. I knew of Co-Founder Eve Ensler’s work and her dedication to ending violence against women but getting to know Co-Founder Christine Schuler-Deschryver and seeing the work of Co-Founder Dr. Denis Mukwege, left an indelible mark on me. Risking their own personal safety, the founders of City of Joy – as well as many others who teach and work there – have a fierce devotion to the women of Congo and to the country they dearly love. I felt I needed to tell the story of this devotion, this dedication to hope in a world where so much hopelessness surrounded them.
How long did it take to film and what did you find to be most challenging part of making it?
We shot on and off for a little over four years. There were many challenges in the making of this film. There were times when, because of the logistics of shooting in Congo and issues related to access and security, I had to reimagine what I had wanted to shoot, mid-shoot. This was often difficult because material I dearly wanted might become impossible to shoot. But one of the most challenging things overall I would say was trying to find the balance between the devastation of what these women had suffered and the incredible force of hope and joy that they embodied. I didn’t want audiences to go numb in the watching of this film and to shut down and stop listening. So I grappled a lot with the shifting tones. In the shooting, there was of course wrenching, heart-breaking emotion. But there was also a huge amount of humor, irreverence and joy. It was really important to me that audiences experienced the powerful and often incomprehensible array of emotions I myself experienced in Congo.
In a sentence or two, tell our readers why they should see the City of Joy.
I think audiences should see City of Joy because there is so much they can learn from the individuals in it and because our worlds are connected and we need to take action to care about others the way these women care about each other. I myself feel like I learned a lot about the meaning of the word “joy” from the women of Congo, a very important word that the graduates of City of Joy are taking along with their courage and strength, into their work in villages all over Congo.
It is an incredibly important topic, particularly now. I think people will get a lot out of your message. What specifically do you want the audience to take away from City of Joy?
I hope that audiences will be moved by the individuals in this film, by their strength, their courage and their dedication to each other and to changing their country. I also hope people will be outraged by what the women have suffered and that they will begin to understand how connected our world is, that we can’t separate corporate greed from violence in villages that we could never even find on a map. I really hope people will leave the theatre with the belief that change is possible and that we all have a huge role in that. If these women at City of Joy can move beyond experiences that would paralyze many, then I really hope audiences will actively join their fight.
Can you give tips to any prospective Documentary film makers? What did you learn while making the film?
I learned so much from the people in the film, first and foremost. But in terms of filmmaking itself, I definitely learned to be even more flexible with narrative, sometimes intentionally and sometimes out of necessity. I really wanted this film to have its own particular style of story-telling, to be an experience for an audience rather than information. I grappled a lot with this and, whether I was fully successful or not, I learned an enormous amount about pushing boundaries of narrative. Regarding tips for others, I would only say that trying to be true to the specificity of what you want to explore in a film is so important. Being open to criticism and new ideas is equally important. Doing something that goes against the central core of your film, however, is often worth fighting against. Of course trying to figure out the sweet spot of where that line falls can be difficult but is also key.
What’s next step for both you and the doc?
City of Joy is the first film I have directed. Before this I have worked primarily as an editor in both documentary and narrative. I love both forms and tend to go back and forth between them. Right now I am working with Rebecca Cammisa (WHICH WAY HOME) on her new film for HBO about radioactive waste that was illegally dumped in downtown St. Louis. I am also developing a new project that I hope to direct.
City of Joy premieres tonight at 7:00 PM at SVA Theatre
For more information and to buy tickets click here.
-
Director Ryan Jones Talks Aboout SCOTT’S PIZZA TOURS, a Documentary You’ll Want To Devour
[caption id="attachment_18236" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
Scott’s Pizza Tours[/caption]
After what some might call a post-apocalyptic week, Scott’s Pizza Tours might just be the documentary to remind you that you can have fun again. The documentary follows the life of Scott Wiener, pizza enthusiast and New York’s slice-spirit guide, letting you in on the secrets of New York’s unparalleled pies. We interviewed director Ryan Jones to tell us more about the film and why this is the doc you’ll be craving. Scott’s Pizza Tours makes its world premiere at 2016 DOC NYC.
This isn’t what one might call a tradition subject for a documentary, when did you first become aware of Scott Wiener and what was your motivation to choose him as your subject?
I had known Scott for a few years through my wife, but I hadn’t had the chance to go on his pizza tour. I knew the depth of his knowledge, and his personality, so I had mentioned to my co-director, Shawn Willis, the idea of doing a doc about Scott, but it was kind of on the back-burner. Then I went on a tour and I was blown away. I called Shawn from the tour and said, “We need to do this movie immediately.” He is a true showman on the tour, and I knew that would translate on-screen. Plus, he’s talking about the most popular food in the world! We felt that it was a great combination of food doc and personal profile of this quirky pizza lover who has taken his passion and turned it into a successful business.
What do you hope the audience takes away from seeing Scott’s Pizza Tours?
We hope that the audience comes away with a better idea of the history and science of this food that everyone loves so much, but more importantly, we hope that Scott’s story inspires people to see what can be created from their own passions.
In a brief summary, can you tell our readers why they should see this documentary?
This is a movie about pizza, and Scott Weiner, a really lovely human being, who wants to tell you all about it. There are no skeletons in the closet, no dark secret life; it’s just a funny, uplifting story, and it’s the perfect escape from the post-election depression we’re all feeling.
That is an excellent sales point! So what’s next for you and the doc?
We’ve just re-cut the movie into a short, so we’re re-submitting to some other festivals that passed on the movie before. Next, we’re hoping to do a documentary about the rise and fall of Gawker.
Can you give tips to any prospective Documentary filmmakers?
The great thing about making a documentary is that you don’t have to have all the best gear, a huge production team, or a bunch of industry connections. All you need is a good story well told. Production quality can be forgiven, and the film will find its way to the public, so long as you tell an engaging story. So my advice is to just go for it. Don’t wait for the stars to align; just start shooting by any means necessary.
Did you run into any roadblocks trying to get Scott’s Pizza Tours made?
Our only roadblock was trying to hold a camera with one hand and eat a slice of pizza with the other.
Scott’s Pizza Tours makes its world premiere on Friday, November 11 at 5:30pm at IFC Center and screens again on November 14th at 12:45. You can get more information and buy tickets here.
-
EXCLUSIVE: Spotlighting THE LURE With Exclusive Clip and Interview with Tomas Leach
[caption id="attachment_18212" align="aligncenter" width="691"]
The Lure[/caption]
Though stories of treasure hunts are often reserved for the fiction genre, director Tomas Leach is captivating audiences by documenting the hunt for eccentric millionaire Forrest Fenn’s buried treasure in The Lure. Fenn was an art dealer who in 2010 decided to bury his fortune in the Rocky Mountains, leaving only a cryptic poem as a treasure map. The Lure follows dedicated treasure seekers on their expedition to find the fortune as well as documenting the history of the hunt and interviewing Forrest himself about his motivations and the effects the hunt has had on his life. In addition to the sense of adventure so rarely found in real life, the doc’s scenery throughout the tranquil and transcendent Rocky’s make the audience feel that the true reward can be found in your surroundings. The Lure will be making it’s world premiere at DOC NYC. VIMOOZ was fortunate enough to get an exclusive first clip as well as interview Tomas Leach himself.
When did you first become aware of Forrest Fenn and the treasure hunt?
I read a small article about Forrest and his treasure and it sparked something inside me that got me excited to find out more. There’s something mysterious and magical about a hidden treasure that sets the mind racing.
Once I started to research more and spent time with the searchers, I realized the story had a depth and cinematic beauty to it that I really wanted to make a film about.
[caption id="attachment_18216" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
Tomas Leach Shooting THE LURE[/caption]
Now that you’ve done the documentary. Do you know where the treasure is?
As soon as I flew out there, I knew that even starting to think of where the treasure is would lead to me lost in the Rockies, with a massive beard and a gleam in my eye.
How long did it take to shoot and what was the hardest part about making it?
We made several trips to film over 2 years and then took another year to edit and finish the film. Every film has challenges and this was no different. From a practical viewpoint, the Rockies are vast and untamed. And in terms of the story, I wanted to weave together multiple narratives and make it a richer film than just a wacky treasure chase.
Can you tell our readers why they should see The Lure and what you want the audience to take away from the film?
I think the film taps into something universal and magical about people searching. Whether it’s for gold, happiness, great stories or whatever it may be, we are all on the search for something to make us feel more complete. The Lure is an entertaining and I hope touching tale about that and more, all set in a visually powerful and mysterious part of the world.
The feeling of magic definitely looms throughout the film! Can you give tips to any prospective Documentary film makers? What did you learn while making In No Great Hurry?
The most important thing for me is always to fall completely into the story. Don’t make something you don’t want to live and breathe for years. Get people around you that you trust and get feedback even on the early idea. And don’t forget that film is a visual medium. If you can’t communicate through images, it’s failing.
What’s next step for both you and the doc?
I have a few feature doc ideas that I developing at the moment, but I’ve also written a narrative feature that I’d like to make next year. As for The Lure, I’m excited to get it in front of audiences at the world premiere this weekend and stay tuned for next steps!
The Lure will World Premiere at DOC NYC on Sunday, November 13, 2016, at 7:45 PM at Cinepolis Chelsea and screens again on Tuesday November 15, 2016, 3:00 PM at the IFC Center. Click here for tickets and additional information!
-
INTERVIEW: Joel Potrykus – The New King of Underground Cinema
[caption id="attachment_18175" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
Joel Potrykus[/caption]
Whether his characters are doing stand-up comedy, eating spaghetti in fancy hotels, or devoting their lives to conjuring the Devil himself, Grand Rapids native and filmmaker Joel Potrykus has no trouble making sure it gets really, really weird. Through three features, including last year’s critically acclaimed Buzzard, Potrykus has given audiences a peek at a certain kind of American that is rarely encountered on the average day. Like one of Austin’s wanderers in Slacker who’s read one too many Bret Easton Ellis novel, Potrykus captures a certain shocking, toxic masculinity that’s as subversively hilarious as it is alarmingly relevant. I had a chance to talk to Joel about his latest film, The Alchemist Cookbook, about a forest-dweller named Sean who really wants to get possessed by Satan.
Josef: Your previous films, Buzzard and Ape, have flirted with elements of horror, but your most recent work, The Alchemist Cookbook, is the closest thing you’ve ever made to a genre film. At what point did you realize you were capable of tackling something that may have required a lot more precision in execution than some of your previous work? On the other hand, do you think your previous work has always had a pacing and tone that feels unrehearsed but is, in fact, extremely precise?
Joel: Buzzard was very precise. Every tiny exchange between characters and prop was thought over for months and months. Sometimes, the more you prep, the more it looks improvised. With Cookbook I certainly wasn’t setting out to make a horror movie. It was black magic and a demon, but I still would never call it horror. I’m just trying to make movies that I would want to see. I’d want to see Cookbook even if I hadn’t directed it.
I’m definitely not here to impose a political agenda on you or your films, but with more noticeable diversity campaigns online (#OscarsSoWhite for instance), did you make a conscious decision to cast people of color in the two lead roles, or was that something that came to you naturally during writing and pre-production?
It was a choice from the start. I didn’t want to get pegged as the guy making movies about angry white guys in the suburbs. So I intentionally brought this one out into the woods with black guys. There were so many great movies I loved growing up that focused on black characters and rarely did they get the chance to mess around with the Devil and chemistry, even. I never want to tell a story that is predictable or cliched in any way at all. Ty Hickson, who plays Sean, said he’s never been offered a role like this. He was just as excited as I was to shake things up.
Another really striking aspect of this film is its subtle comments on the nature of mental illness and how sometimes it can feel like you’re being possessed by some kind of invading force. The way it’s portrayed in the film seems like it came from a very personal place. Exploring mental illness through horror has surfaced to the mainstream in a big but ultimately disappointing way this year, with films like Lights Out seeming more exploitative than empathetic. How did you maintain that balance between entertainment, empathy, and realism in your portrayal of Sean’s mental state as it fluctuates throughout the film?
My goodness, was Lights Out a disappointment. Love the short, but it’s a simple concept stretched way too far. To be honest, the movie is about a mental illness that overcame my grandfather when I was a kid. That type of paranoia is a lot scarier to the person suffering than it is to us. Most people could never imagine the waking nightmare of schizophrenia. I’ll never make a film about just one thing, or a film that lives in one mood or tone. Our everyday lives are full of drama, humor, and even horror. This type of mental illness is a straight up horror most of the time. It was important to try to get inside Sean’s head. The camera never strays from his perspective for a reason. I want the audience to question everything.
[caption id="attachment_16518" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
The Alchemist Cookbook[/caption]
Moving away from the thematics of the film and more into technical aspects, what was it like shooting on an Alexa? If I’m not mistaken Buzzard was shot on a Mark III so this is a huge step up in terms of the range of images you’re able to capture. I noticed a lot more night scenes in this film that were confidently lit using dim candles, campfires, and other sources of natural or visible lighting.
For the first week I hated the Alexa. It was heavy, bulky, and slowed my process down. But DP Adam J. Minnick is about the only guy I’d trust to see the scene the same as I do. So I was totally confident. The only artificial light used were blasting into the trailer in order to maintain consistent daylight effect throughout the long shooting day. Otherwise, all exteriors are natural light, which is important to Adam and me. I never want my movies to look like a movie. At night, in the woods, it’s dark. Really dark. I wanted no fake blasting full moon. I wanted the audience to strain to see things. We actually darkened night scenes to make them even blacker.
I can imagine that you and the actor who played Sean, Ty Hickman, got very close over the course of this production. Tell me a bit about the casting process, and what it was like to spend all that time focusing mostly on one actor. Specifically, did it ever cross your mind to cast someone who was right for the role as well as being someone you wouldn’t mind spending a month alone in the woods with?
Personality is important to me. Ty first got my attention after a scene in Gimme the Loot when he leaves a basement and hits a punching bag on the way out. One of the first things I asked him about is whether or not that was scripted. It wasn’t. He said, “who wouldn’t punch that?” Exactly. That’s the kind of actor I want to work with. Someone with instincts. On Cookbook I’d let the scene play out as scripted, then just let the camera linger and see what Ty would do. It threw him off for the first day or two, but once he understood that I was messing with him a little, he got into it. Those are my favorite moments – the unscripted ones, where I’m surprised. Even better if the actor can surprise himself. I hate sticking to the page and feeling like it’s a construction site. I want mistakes and surprises.
Touching again on the intimacy of it all, how big was your crew on a day-to-day basis, and what was the lodging situation like while on-set? I remember you going dark on Facebook pretty much the entire time you were shooting, and I was scared you guys had run into a Blair Witch Project scenario.
I wish we’d run into a real life witch or demon. Total bummer that those woods weren’t actually haunted. This was our biggest crew – around 20, I’d say. Not my usual style. Most of us crashed in a huge 10 room house that acted as our production headquarters, and a few stayed with friendly residents in Allegan, Michigan, where we filmed. I’m stoked to someday go back to the old set and look for the “pay up” tree and some props we hid around the woods.
What was your relationship like with horror films growing up and into your adulthood? One of my favorite things about Sean is that he so desperately wants to be possessed by the Devil, while most characters in scary movies do everything they can to avoid such a fate. Was there any part of you that wrote that character with the meta elements in mind?
Yeah, it’s rare to see a character actively pursuing evil. The original Evil Dead inspired me to make films at an early age. I’ve always been obsessed with horror and it’ll always be present in my work one way or another. An American Werewolf in London may be my favorite movie ever. Its tonal shifts are perfect. Just last night I watched Halloween III and the shitty new Ouija movie.
[caption id="attachment_18176" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
The Alchemist Cookbook[/caption]
During our last interview I remember you talking briefly about the spaghetti scene in Buzzard, which has since become something of a legend amongst indie film buffs. But it seems like you just love to film people eating. Is there something that you feel is captured when the audience watches a character eat that can’t be conveyed any other way, or am I reading far too much into what’s ultimately just a nifty coincidence?
Eating is one of the most private things we do. It’s something we need to do and something we love to do. I’m fascinated by watching people eating when they think no one is watching. I’m a sloppy eater, with no manners. I never really consciously thought that I need an eating scene in my movies, they just appear on the page. But some of my favorite scenes are when a character eats – I want to join Zack and Jack at the table during that Italian feast in Down by Law.
I read somewhere that you’re currently not going to divulge whether or not the possum in the film is real. That’s fine! My only question is, whether or not it was real, that scene could not have been easy to shoot. Was it a scene that you had already planned out in your head or was it something you knew you’d have to figure out down the line?
Well, magic happened and we got the shot in the first take. The evil spirits of cinema were on my side that night. I watched in fascination as the camera rolled.
I’d like to know a little bit about your life as a teacher, and how your own experiences inform your lessons, or if any students have come to you as fans of your work and if that can actually help establish a connection with them without necessarily having to “prove yourself.”
I try not to talk about myself or own work much, but generally students know who I am and sometimes ask direct questions about my movies. I think it lends some credibility to watch me talk about it in class. I like to cut through the textbooks and get to the reality of the industry, especially the indie world which is in constant motion. It’s great to expose film students to work that I consider important, like Aguirre, 8 1/2, Gummo, or even Wendy and Lucy. I also think it’s just as important to learn from others’ mistakes, so occasionally we dive into Birdemic or bad commercials.
[caption id="attachment_18177" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
The Alchemist Cookbook[/caption]
You’re obviously responsible for launching Joshua Burge’s career, and he went from Buzzard to The Revenant in just a year’s time. Have you guys stayed in regular contact since making the film? I know if there’s anyone who’s going to keep his head from getting too big it’s going to be you.
Well, I wouldn’t say I’m responsible for launching his career. And if I am, then he’s responsible for launching my career. It’s a total blast to see him get the recognition he deserves. The dude’s just got it. Hoping we work together on the next one. He still lives only a few minutes away from me, so I see him whenever he’s not in a far off land acting with the big shots. He’s still just Josh to me.
Lastly, I feel almost obligated to ask what you’re working on next since that’s the question that ends most interviews, but I’d really like to know what your day-to-day is like when you aren’t actively working on a movie. A lot of aspiring directors forget to account for the downtime in between projects, and I’m curious how you keep your mind active when you aren’t talking to producers or actors or reading over budgets and rewriting drafts.
I’m always working on at least one feature script. I’ve got three finished right now, but focusing on one to shoot next summer. Just looking for the money, as usual. Normally, I start my day looking at emails and Facebook in bed, oatmeal breakfast, then get to writing for a few hours, lunch, grade papers, read a chapter or two from whatever stuffy film theory book I’m into at the moment on my bus ride to the university, teach for a couple hours, watch some Howard Stern clips on YouTube, write for a little longer, dinner, watch an episode of Shark Tank, write, end the night with a movie in my office. I get set in my routines.
**The Alchemist Cookbook is available for purchase on any website where movies are sold, including a pay-what-you-want option on BitTorrent**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IFqOBquZjU
-
Political Documentaries For The Undecided Voter
The election is upon us, and with two front- running candidates – Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump – who have often been described as the two most unlikeable presidential candidates in over 30 years, it’s understandable that this election has majority of voters unsure or uneasy about who they plan to vote for.
Before you make a decision of monumental proportions, knowing just who you’re voting for is imperative and may help steady your lever-pulling arm to know that you’re making the right decision for yourself and America. Here are some free and informative documentaries on the pros and cons of both the Democratic and Republican nominees.
Make America Hate Again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rGxqP0X4Qc
Draws irrefutable comparisons of Trump to Hitler and KKK leader David Duke, diagnoses trump with the classic symptoms of narcissism and the effects it can have putting a narcissist in a position of power. The doc also shows the violence of Trump supporters.
Clinton Cash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LYRUOd_QoM
Discusses in depth the financial suspicions Clinton has. While the doc is clearly condemning Clintons past actions, it is more factual than mudslinging. The tone of this documentary is more informative than damning to Clinton’s campaign and is probably a good watch even for those committed to voting Clinton.
What Hilary Clinton Really Represents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV_PLCC6jeI
Unlike Clinton Cash, the tone of this doc is strongly biased against Clinton from the get-go, starting with host Abby Martin’s voice that’s dripping with distain as well as all the subjects being interviewed. Yet it is still interesting to see the arguments they make, particularly how most of the people endorsing Hilary are working for the clinton campaign.
Fire Breather
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3B4lgV1IxQ
A slightly more agressive tone against Trump than the other documentaries, yet still remains professional. This doc goes over the long history of Trump rather than focusing solely on the campaign. Informational, and fact checking timeline of Trump as well as well known and credible sources like Tom Brokow.
How Powerful is Trump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8B284suwIo
A well rounded biography documentary that focuses evenly on Trump’s life before the campaign, his success as a business man, as well and his rise to be the Republican candidate and how he gained so much popularity with his supporters. The doc is almost purely factual with the slightest lean to the left.
CNN The Essential Hilary Clinton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qEVy3QlQHE
Out of all the documentaries this is the strongest biographically informing the viewer on Hilary’s childhood, motivation for becoming a lawyer, long political career as well as her strength during her husbands scandalous presidency. The documentary interviews Clinton herself as well as Chelsea Clinton, and does a good job in attempting to improve her like ability and relatability.
-
Adrienne Shelly’s Husband Speaks Out Against Trump’s Attempted Anti-Immigration Exploitation
[caption id="attachment_17761" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
Adrienne Shelly[/caption]
Andy Ostroy, the husband of director Adrienne Shelly, whose life was tragically cut short in 2006, spoke out against the right-wing attempts to use his wife’s brutal murder to aid their anti-immigration campaign in an opinion piece for The New York Times
It was a decade ago (almost to the date), when Adrienne Shelly, an indie director and actress best known for her film Waitress was found dead in her West Village Office. Shelly was killed by an undocumented construction worker named Diego Pillco, who ended her life by staging a fake suicide after fearing she would have him deported. Though the tragedy would be a prime example to justify Trump’s anti-immigration position, Andy Ostroy artfully spurned the offer. In the article, Ostroy admits “Given the anger and grief I still feel, I could easily be seduced by Donald J. Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric that is the cornerstone of his presidential run.”
Yet Ostroy is committed to his pragmatic perspective, writing “Adrienne was not murdered by an illegal immigrant, per se. She fell victim to a depraved killer who simply happened to be an undocumented immigrant. It is an obvious distinction, almost too obvious, but it’s an important one to consider as the country goes further down the dangerous path of demonizing those not born here.”
In addition to being approached by Trump’s campaign, Ostroy has also been asked to speak out by Bill O’Reilly and Megyn Kelly in order to give legitimacy to their anti-immigrant argument. However, refusing to let Shelly’s murder be used as “a political prop”, Ostroy writes “It’s politically expedient for xenophobic agitators like Mr. Trump to scapegoat the millions of foreigners who have come to the United States in search of a better life. But his malevolence toward immigrants runs counter to the principles on which our great nation was founded. It’s disheartening to see so many people being swept out to sea in a riptide of ignorance and hate.”
Ostroy also mocked the Republican’s the futile attempt to have him speak out by saying “Who better than a Democrat to attack an entire segment of our population, right?”
While Ostroy agrees, “We have an immigration problem that is in desperate need of reform.”, he is against the foreseeable damage that Trump has proposed “His “solution” includes a deportation force that would separate people from their families and “send them back to wherever they came from.”
The right-wing attempt of using Shelly as a poster girl for their arguments backfired, driving Andy Ostroy to use his position to serve as a model example of how to keep a moral standing despite having been through circumstances that could easily deviate our dispositions.
-
Film Review: Lorcan Finnegan’s WITHOUT NAME
The woods are scary. This isn’t a concept that’s too difficult to grasp. Nature scares people. The uncontrollable elements scare people. Bears scare people. Witches scare people. All these things are in the woods and, unless I’m with at least three other people who run slower than me, I won’t be. However, if your inclination is to tell me that I’m more afraid of myself than I am the forest, not only would you be correct, you’d be the perfect audience for Lorcan Finnegan’s debut feature, Without Name.
When Eric (Alan McKenna) is contracted to survey a land known as gun ainm (literal translation being, you guessed it, “without name”), he finds himself spending more time investigating the area’s history than the land itself. Leaving behind a wife (Olga Wehrly) and teenaged son (Brandon Maher) but accompanied by his colleague and occasional mistress, Olivia (Niamh Algar), Eric becomes obsessed with the land’s previous owner, William Devoy (Brendan Conroy), who left behind a field guide to the surrounding forests, its plants, and potentially supernatural properties before succumbing to its powers, where he was found catatonic and nearly dead with no concrete explanation.
Undisturbed but morbidly curious, Eric’s grasp on reality grows thin as the mysteries surrounding Devoy’s current mental state and explorations in the forest pose more questions than they answer. Meanwhile, Eric and Olivia become close with a traveling local, Gus (James Browne), who tries to open their minds to the possibilities of nature as sentient beings that communicate with each other in a complicated ecosystem beyond human comprehension.
Bursting with an energy rarely seen outside of a debut feature, Without Name is a challenging, unnerving, and ultimately rewarding film about the relationship between man and the surroundings which he cannot control through distinctly human concepts like infrastructure and property lines. Finnegan, with cinematographer Piers McGrall, uses the camera to breathe a life into these woods that’s rarely seen in the movies. The film’s most visceral moments have a tendency to erase the barrier between viewer and screen, leaving you as disoriented as the characters you’re watching.
While we’re on the topic of character, it took watching this movie to realize how long it’s been since I’ve seen a horror movie with three-dimensional human beings to root for. I can’t emphasize enough how refreshing it was to hear people talking on-screen without desperately wanting one of them to be murdered mid-sentence. By avoiding the “creepy local” trope entirely and allowing the horror to come from within Eric and as a result of his surroundings, Finnegan is able to foster these distinct relationships amongst the characters that imbue his film with a sense of purpose with which the worst horror films don’t even bother.
However, that same energy and attention to detail that characterize the best debut features are occasionally offset by a narrative structure commonly associated with first films on the negative end of that spectrum. For all of its risks, Without Name‘s screenplay sometimes slips into more telegraphed territory, which actively works against the mystery that makes this film a lot of what it is. All the more disappointing because the film’s highs are high. It’s a confident debut that sometimes doesn’t trust itself to go the distance and shed any semblance of the reference points and visual cues that most first-time directors rely on to find an audience.
Similarly, Without Name has a tendency to bare its micro-budget teeth that no amount of editing can hide, including a third act that, while visually stunning and genuinely breathtaking to behold, utilizes overly simplistic (read: cheap) setups to get its point across, including an altercation between two nude men in a forest that’s probably a lot goofier than it was intended to be.
These are all minor gripes, though. The bottom line of Without Name is that it’s daring, it’s unnerving, it’s gorgeously shot, impeccably scored, masterfully edited, and only occasionally clunky. I predict nothing but good things for director Lorcan Finnegan and his writing partner, Garret Shanley, who are well on their way to being the next Adam Wingard/Simon Barrett one-two punch of a writer who understands the genre with a bold vision, and a director who’s able to manifest that vision into something that’s not only watchable, but potentially transcendent. In its closing shot, Finnegan confirms that he already knows the one thing most horror directors tend to avoid: killing your characters isn’t the best or only way to scare your audience, as there are many, many fates worse than death.
Grade: B+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd4K6qICqC8
-
Five Indie Horror Films, Halloween Releases You May Have Missed or Never Heard Of
[caption id="attachment_17694" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
Gehenna[/caption]
At this point, it’s almost treason to not watch a horror movie on Halloween. Most people go straight for the classics, dusting off that Friday the 13th DVD while pre-gaming for that unmissable party happening later in the night. But for those us, like myself, who’d rather spend Halloween far away from the killer clowns and tedious prosthetics that take a week to wash off, here are five independent horror releases that may have flown under your radar.
1. Recovery
Release Date: October 28th
Runtime: 82 Minutes
Darrell Wheat’s debut feature (one of two he has coming this year) concerns a group of beautiful young teenagers who use the Find My iPhone app to locate their friend, whose been kidnapped by a masked psychopath outside of a Los Angeles nightclub. In a continued trend of using new technology to breathe life into old plots, Recovery‘s trailer – from its “Based on Actual Events” title card to the trailer itself, which is comprised almost entirely of corny dialogue and jump scares – confirms suspicions that viewers probably won’t be getting themselves into anything they haven’t seen before. With that said, it does look like it has the potential to be pretty fun, and friends looking to throw back a couple drinks and laugh at stupid teenagers should look no further.
Recovery will be screened in a limited engagement on October 27th before a VOD release on October 28th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wV-JP0XvUY
2. The Windmill
Release Date: October 28th
Runtime: 85 Minutes
A young Australian woman, Jennifer (Charlotte Beaumont), is running from the past, doing her best to stay incognito with a group of tourists who are scheduled to visit Holland’s most famous windmills. However, when they start getting picked off one by one, secrets come to light, pasts are revealed, and blood is shed. The trailer for this one seems to be running with a “you can never escape the past” thesis that’s always a great starting point for clever writing and gruesome kills. Whether or not the film actually follows through with either remains to be seen, but the trailer shows some promise, offering quick glimpses into what could be a bloody fun mind-boggler.
The Windmill hits VOD on October 25th, with a limited release starting October 28th. The morbidly curious can check out director Nick Jongerius’ original concept teaser here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIHpfivxayY
3. The Unspoken
Release Date: October 28th
Runtime: 90 Minutes
Creepy kids, creepy houses, unspoken secrets, murders, trauma, and violence. You’ve seen this before and you’re definitely going to see it again, but The Unspoken, director Sheldon Wilson’s latest, insists on existing anyway. The only real reason to check this one out is as a comparison piece with star Jodelle Ferland’s other notable horror performance as Patience in Drew Goddard’s The Cabin in the Woods. A more dedicated person than me might even want to make a game out of seeing all the cliches present in Wilson’s film that Goddard’s had ruthlessly mocked.
The Unspoken is currently available for rent on Amazon, and hits theaters on October 28th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgxHjZsbaeo
4. Gehenna
Release Date: October 30th
Runtime: 105 Minutes
The directorial debut of creature effects sculptor Hiroshi Katagiri seems to be a study in contrast. While watching the trailer, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “Why does this movie look so good but feel so wrong?” I got my answer as soon as I scanned Katagiri’s IMDb page. With sculpting and effects work dating back to the mid-90s, and credits on some pretty major productions (Spielberg’s War of the Worlds and del Toro’s Pacific Rim are just two of many), Katagiri is a tried and true professional. His directorial skills are still up for debate, however, and – if nothing else – Gehenna will surely have some genuinely unnerving practical effects to drool over.
Gehenna will start making the rounds at festivals on October 30th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc4Q2qbhCbY
5. Hostage to the Devil
Release Date: October 31st
Runtime: 90 Minutes
If any of you want to know what I’ll be watching on Halloween, look no further than Hostage to the Devil, a documentary about the life of Father Malachi Martin, one of the world’s most renowned exorcists. Through interviews, dramatic recreations, and archival footage, director Martin Stalker paints a thoroughly unnerving and complete portrait of a controversial man working in an even more controversial profession. Judging by the trailer, the film doesn’t seem to be imposing one truth or another, and with its gorgeously staged recreations, there are echoes of 2012’s The Imposter, which was one of my favorite documentaries of that year. Only watch this trailer if you’re prepared to cancel your Halloween plans and see the movie instead.
Hostage to the Devil‘s release schedule has been a little bit wonky, with releases in the UK/Ireland but no confirmed dates for the US. From what I gathered, an October 31st US release seems likely, but it might be time to break out that Hola Unblocker for those of us who are too impatient.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i17wAIXbgs0
-
Five Documentaries You Might Want to See This Weekend
[caption id="attachment_17784" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
Oasis: Supersonic[/caption]
Halloween might not be your thing. That’s cool. Razor-laden apples. Knife-wielding clowns. Butterfingers. There’s a lot to be scared of out there, and if Hostage to the Devil doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, here are five new documentaries that might offer some respite from the spookiest week of the year.
1. Oasis: Supersonic
If you could find it in your heart to forgive Oasis for birthing a generation of cheesy white dudes who play “Wonderwall” on their acoustic guitar at every party, this documentary – comprised of previously unreleased archival footage and interviews with the Gallagher Bros themselves – might end up being pretty enjoyable. Two decades later, Oasis represents an idea of what the music industry was at the peak of their fame. Even if you can’t stand their music (I can’t claim to be one of those people as I’m listening to “Champagne Supernova” while writing this list), there’s something to be said for how quickly Oasis was on course to define a generation, and this film aims to understand the cultural landscape that allowed such a rapid ascent to superstardom.
Unfortunately, Oasis: Supersonic will only be featured in theaters for one night on October 26th, but a VOD release is sure to follow pretty soon after.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wZJqUrJyDs
2. Gimme Danger
And while the millennials go see Oasis: Supersonic, their parents can go see Gimme Danger, the second of the weekend’s two music documentaries. Directed by Jim Jarmusch, this ode to The Stooges and its endlessly fascinating frontman, Iggy Pop, is clearly a labor of love from its director, who featured “Down on the Street” in his 2003 film Coffee and Cigarettes.
Gimme Danger opens in New York on October 28th and expands nationwide on November 4th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fgiW_S2Hgk
3. Before the Flood
In addition to being one of the most successful and handsome actors in the history of mankind, Leonardo DiCaprio is also an environmentalist – as if he couldn’t get any dreamier! Featuring conversations with Barack Obama, Elon Musk, and Pope Francis, DiCaprio’s quest for environmental awareness culminates in a speech to the UN. It’s kind of like The Revenant with less knife-fighting.
Before the Flood opened in theaters on October 21st and will have an October 30th, worldwide premiere on National Geographic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UGsRcxaSAI
4. By Sidney Lumet
Some people argue that a director’s last handful of films is often his or her worst. The evidence in favor of that theory is actually pretty damning. We’ve all borne witness to Woody Allen’s heartbreaking decline in recent years. John Cassavetes’ last, Big Trouble, was also his worst. The list goes on and on. However, looking back at the films of Sidney Lumet – which include 12 Angry Men, Serpico, Network, Dog Day Afternoon, and Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead – what you have is a director who let himself change with the world around him, try new things, succeed, fail, and then try again. Even his lesser work (read: much of the late 80s through the 90s) is constructed with the care of someone who really loves what he does. By Sidney Lumet, a never-before-seen 2008 interview, in which the director takes viewers through his expansive career of over 50 years, hits theaters for the first time this week.
By Sidney Lumet hits theaters on October 28th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnS1NrKRri8
5. Finding Babel
In 1940, a Russian-Ukrainian writer named Isaac Babel was executed. 75 years later, his grandson set out to learn more about grandpa Babel’s life, the world he lived in, and the circumstances that led to his execution. Featuring Liev Schreiber as the voice of Isaac Babel – as well as animated sequences set to stories of the writer’s life – Finding Babel aims to resurrect one of the great Russian novelists of the 20th century, whose life and legacy were cut short by a totalitarian government that did what it could to silence its people, its artists, and its creators.
Finding Babel hits NY/LA theaters on October 28th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9VQ-UZi-lU
Honorable Mentions:
- Portrait of a Garden: In a historical vegetable garden on a Dutch estate, the 85 year-old pruning master and the gardener tend to the espaliers. As they prune, the men chat about food, the weather, the world and they share their knowledge of horticulture. Fifteen years they have spent working on the pear arbour. Will it finally close over this year? (Source)
- A Billion Lives: A true story of the vaping revolution and tragic corruption leading to a billion deaths around the world. (Source) [side note: this looks incredibly stupid and I can’t wait to watch it.]
- You’ve Been Trumped, Too: A timely film exploring the confrontation between a feisty 92-year-old Scottish widow and her family and a billionaire trying to become the most powerful man in the world. (Source)
- An Eye for an Eye: A true story of hate, revenge, understanding, remorse and redemption as lived by Mark Stroman on the Texas Death Row. (Source)
-
Don McHoull Creatively Uses GIFs to Preserve the Silent Era
The discovery and preservation of silent films, especially those that are considered “lost” or destroyed, is a lifelong pursuit for some of the world’s most dedicated movie buffs. Like all historical and anthropological studies, the foundations of film help us understand where we’ve been, and where we’re going. Don McHoull, creator of SilentMovieGIFs, is putting his own twist on this idea, using silent films as the foundation for a series of some pretty wonderful images while utilizing one of the newest imaging technologies to hit the internet. I had a chance to ask Don a couple of questions about his GIFs, including his Halloween-themed images that showcase some of Old Hollywood’s most beloved characters.
http://i.imgur.com/qg2bmRs.gifv
Josef: The most obvious question here is, what inspired you to create these GIFs in the first place? It’s such an odd juxtaposition between classic film and a very modern form of imaging, but one that works extremely well.
Don: I was a fan of silent film, and GIFs just seemed like a natural medium for taking some of the amazing visual ideas in silent movies and sharing them. I’d seen some silent movie GIFs that were really well received on places like Reddit, even though some of them were clearly made from poor quality source material. I had Photoshop and some Chaplin and Keaton Blu-rays, and I figured I’d try to make some cleaner looking GIFs. I think a lot of people have the idea that the image quality of silent films wasn’t that great, but with movies that have been well-preserved and carefully restored the picture quality can actually be really good.
http://i.imgur.com/TKhfDW0.gifv
J: Do you attribute any significance to that juxtaposition? In other words, was it a conscious decision to pair the oldest form of cinema available with the newest form of imaging?
D: The GIF is a popular medium that’s strictly visual, so it just seems like a perfect fit for silent movies. My preferred way to watch a silent film would be a in theatre, ideally with live music, but GIFs can take a gag or another visual from a silent movie and make it really easy to share online. I’ve had quite a few GIFs now that have racked up over a million views, and a lot of other ones in the hundreds of thousands. Ideally, someone might see, for example, a few Buster Keaton GIFs, and be interested enough to actually seek out and watch some of his movies, but even if they just watch some GIFs, a least they would have some appreciation for Keaton’s work.
I hope that the GIF can be a sort of gateway drug for silent films, similar to how TV introduced people to silent films. I made a Charley Chase GIF last week for his birthday that’s up to 238,000 views, even though Chase doesn’t really have anything like the name recognition of Chaplin or Keaton (most people seem to be much more familiar with the adult film star of the same name.) I thought it was pretty cool that 92 years later there was still a good sized audience of people who could appreciate the brilliance of Chase’s (and his brother’s) performance.
http://i.imgur.com/qMVWgU8.gifv
J: A recent album you posted, one that features GIFs from classic silent horror films, really emphasizes the care and precision that went into the prosthetic and costume design of the era. Do you think recent horror films have lost that attention to detail, and have you noticed any contemporary films that are clearly inspired by the designs of the silent era?
D: The Babadook had a real kind of Expressionist vibe to it. And it seems like most modern depictions of vampires owe a lot to Nosferatu. Obviously makeup and special effects have made huge leaps over the last 90 or so years, and it would be fascinating to see what someone like Lon Chaney or Jack Pierce could do with the stuff that’s out there today.
http://i.imgur.com/n6uSO1A.gifv
J: What’s your process for selecting which shots and films you end up turning into GIFs, and can you give us a sneak peek as to what your followers might expect from you in the coming weeks?
After I watch a movie, I like to go through it and pick out scenes that I think could work well as GIFs. I try to cover a wide range of silent films, from different time periods and genres, but my mainstay will probably always be Keaton/Chaplin/Lloyd GIFs.
For the rest of October, I’ll be focusing on the horror genre. I’m interested in the connections between different eras. Today I was looking connections between Nosferatu and Dracula, but there’s also a lot of links you could draw between movies like Frankenstein and King Kong and the silent era. Tonight I’m watching Haxan, so there should be some GIFs from that.
After October, maybe I’ll focus on a different genre, like science fiction, or the invention of the gangster movie. I’ve also been working my way back through Chaplin’s short films, and I’ve noticed that his later feature films return to a lot of ideas and visuals from his early work, I think that would be an interesting thing to explore.
These GIFs and many more can be seen on Reddit (/r/silentmoviegifs) or on his Twitter page (@SilentMovieGIFs)
http://i.imgur.com/Tj8dhsE.gifv
http://i.imgur.com/sU4aRaj.gifv
http://i.imgur.com/sroL9XO.gifv
http://i.imgur.com/qilDHlE.gifv