Gillo Pontecorvo in his 1966 film “The Battle of Algiers”,
created such a newsreel feel to the movie that American releases carried a disclaimer. Cinematographer Marcello Gatti created a in the moment atmosphere by using a hand held camera, and natural light. Gatti was a pioneer in the use of hand held cameras.
Considered the first documentary “Nanook of the North" is the work of Robert Flaherty.
The story centers on an Inuit family and their daily struggles. Filmed in 1920 (released in 1922) on location in Inljuak, Canada, a remote part of Northern Quebec, with one really a big and cumbersome camera, that didn’t like extreme weather! Guess what- he was shooting in really extreme weather!
Some have criticize Flaherty for staging scenes, recruiting fellow Inuits to play some of the Nanook’s family, which all is true. How do we know this? We know cause Flaherty tells us! He is honest about his staging, in fact compare to the docu/reality stuff on TV and in films today, he was downright saintly. But even with the staging he was still filming with simplistic equipment, in really harsh conditions, and whether or not you go tell you main character to go hunt that Walrus, its still a huge freakin Walrus your hunting!
Nanook, the leader of the family and the main character in the story is a wonderful life affirming human being, and you care what happens to him, but I’m not sure that the making of the film isn’t as important as the film itself, it is truly an Amazing film experience.
If you ever get a chance go see “Nanook of the north” on a big screen. GO! Watch a clip from Nanook of the North
How can a 35 year old be that smart, astute, and visionary?
Filmmaker Ramin Bahrani
What makes it worst he made his first feature film, one of the best films of 2005, “Man Push Cart", when he was 30!
Thirty! I have a daughter who is about to turn 30!
I’m pushing 50 and haven’t come close to doing anything like this Winston-Salem native has done!
I hate him!!!
But maybe he was just a one hit wonder- a lucky little brat! then in 2007 he releases "Chop Shop", which premiered during the Director’s Fortnight, at Cannes, and he was nominated for Best Director for the Independent award! What an SOB!
2005's Man Push Cart
Then a year later he releases his 3rd film, "Goodbye Solo", which premieres a the Venice Film Festival!, and if that aint good enough, it wins best film!, never did like those Italians.
After being released in American, critics Roger Ebert & A.O. Scott called it a masterpiece!
Bah Humbug!
2008's Goodbye Solo
Three amazing films in 4 years, under the age of 35! What a show off!
Trying to make the rest of us look bad!!
In 2009, he released a short film titled "Plastic Bag", which is narrated by Legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog! This born right in the middle of disco kid got to work with freakin Werner Herzog!!
“Keep watching the skies!” Those are the last world in the 1951 Howark Hawks/ Christian Nyby directed horror/SiFi hybrid, The Thing. Set in the Arctic, a group of civilian scientist discover a UFO and call in the Government via the Air Force.
Tagging along with the military is a member of the 4th estate a newspaper reporter. When all 3 groups find an alien in the arctic ice the stage is set for the action to begin. Hawks and Nyby do a great job of keeping the film as much about the characters as the suspense, with the Hawkian style of dialogue, and a taunt pace. Plus an amazingly strong female character played by Margaret Sheridan.
Released in 1951 this was one of the first of the Hollywood films to use Horror & Science Fiction genre to get a political message across, in this case a center- right political message.
Also released in 1951, "The Day the Earth Stood Still", another very political movie dressed up as a SiFi flick, and a very good one too!
I’m not going into detail about the conflict between civilian & military, or the struggle with censuring the press. And We’re not going to discuss how the “Mad” scientist looks very Russian, including his Serbia winter hat.
If your interested in these undertones in The Thing or any other films during the 50’s
Check out- Seeing is Believing by Peter Biskind, a wonderful book.
If you want to see a great horror/SiFi/action thriller with a "His Girl Friday" overlapping dialogue style then check out The Thing from another world!
I believe that nothing can compare to watching a film on the big screen with an audience of complete strangers. But when you live in a small town and your big screen viewing options are limited, sometimes you have no choice but to watch a movie for the 1st time on a small screen.
That’s how I saw my pick for # 99; Tampopo
Director Juzo Itami’s 1985 comedy is a delightfully funny film about cooking, shopping, and eating. And it is all over the place, but in a good way.
Juzo, in only his 2nd film, is like a free form Jazz player who veers off into 100 amazing different directions, only to bring it back in the end. And it works.
The cast includes Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto and Ken Watanabe.
It is available thru Netflix or Amazon so rent it or buy it, but make sure to have ample food prepared while you’re watching!
I love movies. I have since I went to the Drive – In with my parents to see Support your local Sheriff.
Since then I have watched god only knows how many, but a safe guess is 3,000, that may be more about the fact that I’m old than I watch a lot of films!
For this segment of my Self- Indulgent Blog, I’m going to list my 101 favorite films, I think I understand films but I’m not a critic, or an academic. So here is my list, of course if I did this list next year it might be totally different that’s why it’sself- indulgent!
# 100The friends of Eddie Coyle
1973’s The friends of Eddie Coyle, is one of several excellent early 70’s gritty, grainyAmerican Crime Dramas, with an Academy Award performance by the great Robert Mitchum- who wasn’t even nominated . Another solid performance in the film is by Peter Boyle, one of American’s great character actors as Dilion, but the whole cast is spot on, most looking like they walked out of a local pub than a casting call. Shot on location around Boston and adapted from former Massachusetts State’s attorney George V. Higgins novel of the same name. Pete Yates directs with a low key almost French style that creates a natural flow not a abc’s Hollywood formula.
I have since I went to the Drive– in with my parents to see Support your local Sheriff.
Since then I have watched, god only knows, but a safe guess is 1,000 movies, that may be more about me pushing 50 than watching a lot of films!
For this segment of my Self- Indulgent Blog, I’m going to list my 101 favorite films. I think I understand films, and I think I know why I like something, but I’m not a critic, or an academic just a movie fan, So here is my list; Of course if I did this list next year it might be totally different that’s why its self- indulgent.
# 101
1992’s independently produced One False Move stars Bill Paxton, Cyndi Williams and Billy Bob Thornton. Thornton along with Tom Epperson wrote the screenplay and veteran TV actor Carl Franklin directs this intense character driven crime drama. One reason this is one of my favorites, is the majority of the film is set in Arkansas, with an interacial set of main characters. but it doesn’t have the ethnic clichés that most movies set in the south use. And you can thank Arkansas native Billy Bob Thornton and an underrated African- American Director Carl Franklin for that and you can really thank Franklin for the pace, the tone, and the multi layered themes that make this a great film.
It’s important to note that this is one violent film, not SAW graphic, but intense blink in an eye violence
