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Sunday July 29, 2007
09:40 AM

Leconte's INTIMATE STRANGERS. A great character study! JY

7/26/07-Calder Program in London, July 31, 2007-

RITESSACREDTRANSFOR MATIONSACREDRITE STRANSFORMATIONR ITES

THE OCATILLOARTSGROUP, IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE CALDER
BOOKSHOP THEATRE AT
51 THE CUT
LONDON SE1 TUBE WATERLOO
(£6, £4 concs)

PRESENTS AT 7PM TUESDAY 31ST JULY 2007
RITESSACREDTRANSFOR MATION (WITH SOME FILMS BY
LBArtists)

AN INTERNATIONAL SELECTION OF SHORT FILMS, SET IN
BALI, ICELAND, MARYLAND, FRANCE, HOLLAND, AND FILMED
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE OPERA ‘THE KINGDOM’ – THE STORY OF
THE HAITIAN REVOLUTION.

 

PROGRAMME

1. LES MUSICIENS (CHRIS BURKE, EDITOR: AGNES HAY)
     ‘Les Gigottos’ are life-size mechanical toys
 or
dolls which play in a band, under director and creator
Bruno Dehondt.  The verse is from Rimbaud’s poem
 ‘A la
musique’; the occasion was the anniversary of the
 link
between an English village in Kent (Shepherdswell) and
a French northern village (Godewaersvelde).

2. TWINNING 23 (YANA KRAEVA)
    The notion of Twinning came from Maithun
(Twinning) – the Tantric sexual ritual in which the
participants view each other as Shiva and Shakti
respectively.  The film follows the travels of the
characters Pig, Sheep, Yana and TJ, as they explore
and attempt to merge with each other, their selves and
their surroundings. 
Twinning 23 won the Grand Prix Award at the New York
Animation Festival in 2006, and has been screened at
various festivals in the United States and Russia.

3. JOURNEY: IMPRESSIONS OF A ROYAL CREMATION (NANCY
PETRY)
Thousands attended the cremation of Prince Tjokorda
Nigurah Sudartha, a spectacular and dramatic event
captured here by Nancy Petry in Bali.  Composer Eric
Tschaeppeler’s score uses gamelan, the sounds of
monkeys and insects, guitars and gongs, synthesised
sounds and strings to evoke tropical air, the five
elements, and a sense of floating above the mountains
to reach the heavens.

Nancy Petry is a visual artist working in a variety of
media who has exhibited widely in Europe and the
Americas.  Her travels are a key source of
inspiration, and Nancy divides her time between
Montreal and London.  JOURNEY has been screened at
numerous festivals internationally. 

4. MARYLAND 1 (CHRIS LYNN)
Messages in code which are sent to us in barely
registered events, sacred codes from vast ceremonies
preceding human presence.

Chris Lynn explores and evokes the poetry of
landscapes in his films, which have been screened in
Europe and North America.  This is one of his most
recent and most poetic films, set in Maryland, near
Washington DC, where Chris is from and where he lives.

5.  THE KINGDOM (ROBERT ROBERTSON, directed by RUFUS
COLLINS)
I have never liked traditional Western opera, with its
celebrity voices often overloaded with
melody-destroying vibrato, its choruses vibrating in
all directions, ruining harmonies.  Today’s operas
still drag behind them the two dead donkeys of 19th
century techniques: music which slows the action down
to a moribund pace, and large orchestral textures
through which singers scream to be heard.  I wanted to
compose a dynamic opera, not one frozen in the past,
an opera which is cinematic in pace, and one which
makes use of current technology when it is needed. 

I also wanted to compose an opera with a complete
unity of music, theatre and dance.  In spite of his
efforts to unite these art-forms in his music-dramas,
Richard Wagner had never really succeeded with dance.

To achieve this unity, including dance, I turned to
traditional African and Caribbean theatrical
traditions.  For the vocal writing my inspirations
were Mussorgsky’s operas (where solo voices emerge
from choral groups), and the choral tradition from
South Africa, admired throughout the continent and
beyond.

I found my subject in Alejo Carpentier’s short novel
The Kingdom of This World, his account of the Haitian
Revolution.   The history which is shown in his novel
and in The Kingdom begins in the 1750s and concludes
in the 1820s, a period during which French colonial
rule was overthrown and the first independent Black
republic in the Western hemisphere was born.

I spent a year researching Haitian music and culture,
and writing the libretto.  I went to Haiti to see the
historical sights featured in the opera, and was
invited to a religious ceremony during which the
famous Cérémonie du Bois Caïman is commemorated and
re-created: this also appears in the opera.  I also
studied with a master drummer in order to understand
the workings of the various complex polyrhythms in
Haitian dance, named after the ancient West African
kingdoms from where they had originated.  These dances
form the religious and dynamic backbone of the opera.

The Kingdom was produced at the Engelenbak theatre in
Amsterdam, after four months of workshops and
rehearsals, directed by Rufus Collins, formerly with
The Living Theatre - Andy Warhol featured Rufus in his
Couch, Kiss, and Screen Test  films. 

A special company had to be assembled, as no existing
group had the necessary cultural mix needed for the
opera.  Before the first performance rumours about the
rehearsals had been circulating in Amsterdam, and in
the words of a journalist ‘after one hour all
performances for the whole week were sold out.’  The
opera was taken on a tour of Holland, and according to
another journalist, ‘caused a veritable storm attack
at the box office.’  DNA, the music, dance and
 theatre
company, was set up from this production of The
Kingdom. 

These are edited highlights from the three-camera film
of the Amsterdam production.

Monday July 23, 2007
03:19 PM

Wazza folks. I saw the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix recently and it is really good. In my opinion I think it is the best Harry Potter movie and I dare to say even better than the book. Even though they changed a lot for the movie it was a pretty faithful adaption, with only one big change they left out(Don't worry I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet). I believe it is a must see movie. Cheers from El Fearless Conservative!

7/16/07-Also this-YouTube - CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT - Conclusion

7/16/07-Another masterpiece where music, text and image blend together peerlessly-YouTube - Otoshiana / The Pitfall (1962). More on this soon.CL

7/15/07-Thanks JY for the amazing comments-I regard your analysis and opinion to be exemplary. I am very humbled. CL

Saturday July 14, 2007
06:34 PM

Clearly my descriptive(s) will not do the film justice, but Chris Lynn's LYRICS REMEMBERED is simply ravishing! The images grab your attention and relax the mind as the journey begins into the timeless recesses of human memory. I am deeply moved by this piece. More to come...JY

7/7/07-Recent films/videos-all worth checking out: Colossal Youth. Private fears in Public Spaces

Army of Shadows and a lot of pieces on the web. Working on my VHS entry as well. CL

7/5/07-An excellent piece here from one of the great writers of the Avant Garde 

7/2/07--YouTube - Paris Hilton by Jonas Mekas. 

7/2/07-

Michael Moore's SICKO is a penetrating look into the decrepit American health care system.  In response to Stephen Hunter's criticism of the film,I offer a few thoughts of my own. The comparison between Al Gore's film and Moore's is basically flawed.  Gore is examining the global warming crisis, a phenomenon grounded in scientific fact and figures and is therefore best explained through such. The issue Moore confronts, though medical science at its core, is a pecuniary one.  Moore is exposing and detailing a well-established corruption that, while crippling American society and bankrupting the common person, is making the corporate heads of such insurance companies and HMOs all the richer.  What "facts" characterizing such avarice could be labeled as "boring"?  I fail to see your rationale.  The anecdotes Moore presents ARE the facts and figures that represent the great disconnect between the corporate-run health care system and the people it is supposed to serve.  He (Moore) doesn't merely present the human interest stories to garner mawkish empathy, but incorporates them as pointed, clear-cut examples of the utter failings of the "greatest health care system in the world."  Mr. Hunter, do you not know that these people represent a MULTITUDINOUS cross-section of American society that goes unnoticed by such corporations on a daily basis? These stories are not mere anecdotal evidences; they are explicit examples of a pervasive, pernicious, veracity for which our leaders from BOTH parties (a fact Moore points out) are equally culpable.  Of course, Moore isn't trying to convey that other societies outside the U.S. have implemented a flawless socialist model (Canada, Britain and France), but when you compare their system to ours, it doesn't take rocket science, or a chart, to understand that something is gravely wrong here is the U.S.  He ends his narrative with two salient points:  Nothing will change unless people's attitudes shift from "me-centered" to "we-centered," and the lobbying power of the health care system (insurance, HMOs, pharmaceuticals) must be attenuated,
if not all-together arrested. Moore should be applauded for his fearless efforts to bring this issue to light. 
 
I know we all did in the theatre yesterday afternoon.  JY 

Thursday June 28, 2007
02:25 PM

After hearing so much hype about it I finally saw "Metropolis".  Even
 though it was made in 1926 and the effects are nothing to scream about
 it was very entertaning.  Most importantly its messages and themes still
 hold true today.  Cheers from El Fearless
 Conservative.===========================
"There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the
 State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power,
 from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him
 accordingly." Henry David Thoreau

6/27/07- This weekend-an event not to be missed for film enthusiasts.

6/23/07-Another excellent piece from Robert Robertson here.  This is taken from his upcoming book on Eisenstein. Enjoy. CL

Monday June 18, 2007
08:32 PM

Watched The Good Shepherd which was quite interesting, and I must say
that Matt Damon, who I am not very fond of, was tolerable. Perhaps it
was becasue his role was more understated here as compared to some of
his other characterizations. Certainly sheds light on the history of
the C.I.A. and its many, many manipulations of governments and societies.
We know of the longstanding results...

Sunday June 17, 2007
08:26 PM

This is a must see, especially in light of the upcoming elections.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2101547,00.html

6/11/07-A huge loss-his films are amazing and incredibly complex-Ousmane Sembène, 84, Dies; Led Cinema’s Advance in Africa - New York Times. CL

6/10/07-Recent viewings

Old joy

Sympathy for the devil-Godard

Films of Bruce Baillie

The Sopranos (last season)

Antigone (for school) Greek version.

Julius Caesar (Brando version) also for school- Brilliant acting

Jour de Fete.

All worth seeing. CL

6/8/07-Friday June 08, 2007
09:32 AM

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/movie_review/histoires-du-cinma.htm

6/8/07

Off to watch Tati's "Jour de fete" on the brand new pal compatible DVD player bought for a fistful of dollars last week. Will then move on to ordering loads of films on fnac.fr or amazon.co.uk.

6/8/07-

more Ballard and sci-fi YouTube - J.G. Ballard - The Drowned World (Martians and Us BBC)

6/7/07-I have always been a huge fan of the South Bank show- years ago I taped the show on Bravo (when Bravo was a cultural channel)religously,and I am hoping to explore this on VHS moments this summer. Anyway here is an entire episode posted here on the painter Francis Bacon. Love the opening music! CL

6/4/07-http://www.frieze.com/feature_single.asp?f=1258

6/3/07-To read about the London program go here-
http://www.marblevenus.net/Chris%20Lynn%20Film%20Video/ChrisLynnhomepage.htm

5/31/07 -Hi everyone!
A short extract from my book on Eisenstein and the
audiovisual has been published in English and in
Italian. Just google: Robertson caracult. Both
versions, Italian and English are there, without
jargon, in everyday language. However, please be
careful on opening this material: it does not comply
with received wisdom on Eisenstein. Reading it may
cause explosions of ideas in the brain; this is a very
unpleasant experience for some.
I would advise those of a nervous disposition to
avoid this article at all costs. Instead do what I
do: have a hobnob with a cup of tea, watch Home in the
Sun, and dream of what could have been.
Otherwise enjoy it!
Robert.
 

5/27/07-CL's Maryland Songs 1 is a mesmerizing interplay between sound and image.  With each film, Lynn continues to sharpen his phenomenal ability to meld natural sound loops with breathtaking images that are lifted from the natural world as well. Each new piece represents both an elevation of his deft artistry and a deepening of his profound sensibility for the world that inspires him.  I will surely comment further on this brilliant work of art!  JY

5/24/07-Hello everyone!
Here's a report on the Ocatillo screening and poetry
reading by Spike Hawkins, which nearly didn't take
place at the Foundry last Friday, as part of Jill
Rock's solo show Tree Say.

Ocatillo Arts Group screening on 18th May, part of
Jill Rock’s solo show at The Foundry

The evening got off to a bad start as there was a
blackout in the area of the Foundry. This also meant
that no tube trains were stopping at Old Street. I
had to carry the screen on to a bus at Angel,
unwittingly dragging poor passengers on to and off the
bus with me, before I could get to the venue.

Inside the Foundry bar it was dark, like all the
restaurants and shops nearby. There were hundreds of
candles amidst the Friday night crowd. Jill Rock
suggested that we have candles downstairs at the
venue, and I offered to mime all the films for the
audience, who were beginning to arrive, and were
wondering if anything would happen. I knew that poet
Spike Hawkins would arrive at some point, and provide
an entertaining reading in candlelight.

Suddenly the lights came on and Richard Martin, the
film projectionist (thank you Richard), and I set
everything up downstairs, surrounded by Jill Rock’s
evocative bark and wood sculptures. Nearly all the
films featured a wide diversity of landscapes, urban
and rural, from the large-scale spaces of Chris Lynn’s
meditative work on London, an amusing walk through
Bloomsbury with words from philosopher de Certeau
(from Chris Burke and Agnes Háy), an exploration of
identity and self in Montréal (from Nancy Petry and
Hannelore Storm) and a vertiginous evocation of
Montréal, by Glauco Bermudez, a copy of which was
requested by a member of the audience.

In rural contrast there was Maureen Kendal’s lyrical
film (with specially composed music by Paul Clay) of a
sculptural installation set in the wonderfully green
spaces of Wimpole Hall Gardens. Nick Collins’ highly
effective exploration in film of a Greek orthodox
church in ruin, Trissakia 2, was preceded by the
astonishing images shot from a microscope by Glauco
Bermudez.

Two film animations were screened, one in which
film-maker Agnes Háy used Hungarian cross-stitch
patterns to bring to life a farmyard scene, and a very
witty setting of Spike Hawkins’ famous series of Pig
Poems, animated by Matt Semel and read perfectly by
Sam Crow. The shape of Spike Hawkins appeared in the
darkness, and without delay he was placed in front of
the audience, who responded with warmth and amusement
to his poems and anecdotes, providing a convivial end
to the event.

The Ocatillo Arts Group would like to thank Jill Rock
for her kind invitation to the Foundry as part of her
solo show there, and also for keeping the faith amidst
the blackout.

All the best,
Robert Robertson
(aka Robert le Ricolais Robertson

5/20/07-Caught Sarah Polley's AWAY FROM HER while up in Toronto this past weekend, which is especially nice for the simple fact that the film is Canadian.  Polly's direction is mature and deeply sensitive; she allows her actors to carry the narrative through their poignant, painful interactions with one another and those around them, all without over embellishment or jaded portrayal.  The images of Fiona (Christie) skiing alone remind me of the book I make mention of in the Literature Forum, for there is a discernable relationship between her and her beloved "land" that is disintegrating with her memory.  The principals (Christie and Gordon Pinsent) are nothing short of amazing!  This is a beautiful, though deeply saddening film that examines human closeness on many different levels.  Brilliant too are the images of the younger Fiona and the student with whom her husband had a brief affair during his professorial tenure.  The faces are alluring and soft, proclaiming an innocence that would be washed away in the inexorable passing of time.  JY

5/19/07-There is  plenty of interesting Welles clips that surface on the web, but this documentary is exemplary-.http://www.ubu.com/film/welles.html. The readings of Melville and Shakespeare alone  make it worth your time.

5/14/07-Haunting-YouTube - TANIN NO KAO

5/13/07-Naruse

5/13/07-Wonderful Art.

5/09/07-more treasures-A Cornell film  here

5/8/07-Woman on the beach was excellent-Hong Sang Soo continues to create interesting, thoughtful narratives. Here is a link-sorry no subtitles . Also found this early Welles piece. Enjoy.

5/6/07-going to see this today-Haebyonui yoin (2006) Should be good.

4/29/07-I saw this today and it is utterly brilliant. More on this haunting work soon

Wednesday April 25, 2007
07:45 PM

coming soon-

ON FRIDAY 18 MAY at 7PM AT THE FOUNDRY, AT THE CORNER OF OLD STREET AND GREAT EASTERN STREET, LONDON

ENTRANCE FREE Artist, Jill Rock, within her solo show Tree Say, May 10th –May 20th, presents the Ocatillo Arts Group and the poet Spike Hawkins in BRAINPRISM:

 an international screening of short films with poetry and text filmmakers: Glauco Bermudez, Chris Burke, Nick Collins, Agnes Háy, Maureen Kendall, Chris Lynn, Nancy Petry/Hannelore Storm, Robert Le Ricolais Robertson, Matt Semel/Samuel Crow film projection : Richard Martin

‘The poetry of Spike Hawkins works at the point where everything is suddenly changed: impulse, image, grammar, thought - through the prism in the brain.’ The BRAINPRISM programme features two film settings of poems by Spike Hawkins. In ‘dialogue’ films the audience watch actors in a setting. In the films in BRAINPRISM there is no mediation through actors. The setting moves into the foreground and envelops itself round the audience, who as they watch and listen, become actors in the film. We, the audience are in the films. The subjective prism of the filmmaker’s brain is directly communicated to the audience’s prismatic brain. The refracted reality of the filmmaker is further refracted by the audience. Use your BRAINPRISM! Thank you Malevich and Eisenstein!

BRAINPRISMBRAINPRIS MBRAINPRISMBRAIN PRISMBRAINPRISMB RAIN BRAINPRISMBRAINPRIS MBRAINPRISMBRAIN PRISMBRAIN BRAINPRISMBRAINPRIS MBRAINPRISMBRAIN BRAINPRISMBRAINPRIS MBRAIN BRAINPRISMBRAIN BRAIN

Tuesday April 24, 2007
06:33 PM

http://www.ejumpcut.org/currentissue/wongKarWai/index.html

Friday April 20, 2007
11:14 AM

Enjoyed revisiting LONDON 4 & 5, WINTER MOVEMENT 1, FLOW, Nick Collins's film and seeing the premier of Robert Robertson's film of Spike Hawkins poetry last night at Artomatic. Great pieces screened at a great venue! JY

Wednesday April 18, 2007
06:28 PM

Hong sang soo is one of my favorite directors working today. This is an intro by one of the best -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-BttGmnVyw I am hoping to do a podcast on this film soon. CL

Tuesday April 17, 2007
04:20 PM

The Virginia Tech tragedy makes Gus Van Sant's film Elephant seem a lot more relevant. For those of you who have not seen it, here is a clip from it. http://youtube.com/watch?v=YD2o1S4IMgA&mode=related&search= El Fearless Conservative.

Sunday April 15, 2007
09:09 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/movies/15mcgr.html

Wednesday April 11, 2007
10:17 PM

BEST OF DC SHORTS 2006 @ ART-O-MATIC Friday, April 13, 8:00pm 2121 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Va. Metro stop: Crystal City Free admission. Donations accepted We will screen the 2-hour "Best of DC Shorts 2006" films at the opening night of Art-o-Matic -- Washington, D.C., area's eclectic, engaging -- and occasionally even eye-popping -- arts extravaganza. If you have never been to an AOM, then you must attend. Artomatic is the region's one-of-a-kind multimedia art featuring more than 600 regional artists and performers. The free five-week event, to be held April 13-May 20, will feature nearly 90,000 square feet of paintings, sculptures, photography and other creative work. Check out AOM's website for a calendar of bands, films and special events: http://www.artomatic.org

4/9/07-Shimmering, fragile beauty- CL

Monday April 09, 2007
08:58 PM

AND THIS-http://www.wellesnet.com/

Monday April 09, 2007
06:20 PM

check this out-http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/08/movies/08kehr.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Friday April 06, 2007
09:26 AM

nice notes here-http://www.frieze.com/column_single.asp?c=381

Sunday April 01, 2007
10:11 PM

A really stunning, beautiful work-At Land, by Maya Deren-Deren's second experimental film, At Land (1944), reinforces her interest in the juxtaposition of anachronistic spaces and introduces a critique of social rituals. This film begins by reversing the natural rhythm with images of waves breaking and descending back into the sea. Starring again, Deren is seen climbing up a dead tree trunk on the beach, magically emerging onto a table where a formal dinner party is in progress. This 'civilized' world ignores Deren as she crawls along their dinner table. By depicting herself as invisible to the diners, Deren highlights the myopia of the guests. The dinner sequence in At Land ends with an enchanted chess game. A pawn falls from the table and descends back into the dead wood on the beach, it falls over rocks, into the water and is washed away over the waterfalls. Chasing the pawn, Deren is restored to her original landscape. - Wendy Haslem (http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/02/deren.html

Sunday April 01, 2007
11:40 AM

heritage film fest.

3/31/07-Check out The Lost in Transportation page here-See the film-very funny.

Wednesday March 28, 2007
02:00 AM

EDWARD, MY SON (1949). More to follow soon in the forthcoming VHS commentary. JY

Tuesday March 27, 2007
02:47 PM

Tati's "Playtime" is incredible! Saw it last night at the AFI. C.

Monday March 26, 2007
09:15 PM

recent rentals-flags of our fathers, the science of sleep, Half Nelson. Good stuff

Monday March 26, 2007
07:44 PM

looks intriguing-http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/movie_review/into-great-silence.htm

Monday March 26, 2007
02:11 PM

I saw 300,it was very good. As soon as it was over I was alread looking forward to the sequel. Also I saw Breach, very disturbing and harrowing. Cheers from El Fearless Conservative!

Sunday March 25, 2007
10:55 AM

see his films-http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/02/mizoguchi.html

Wednesday March 21, 2007
06:33 PM

a possible vhs entry JY? Daney on Lynch here-http://www.cinema-scope.com/cs30/feat_daney_lynch.html

Monday March 19, 2007
11:08 AM

CL, looking forward to digging out the VHS titles! JY

Sunday March 18, 2007
04:18 PM

worth reading-contemplating the future of marketing and viewing films/videos-http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/movies/18scot.html

Thursday March 15, 2007
05:12 PM

the beauty-http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/07/42/belle-noiseuse.html

Saturday March 10, 2007
10:56 PM

Todd Field's LITTLE CHILDREN is a great ensemble piece, and through it, he proves himself (yet again) a sensitive, though unabashed director who is not afraid to offer heartache and pain in its purest, unmitigated form to his audience. Field's critique of middle-class suburbia's prejudiced fears cuts to the heart of the close-minded mentality that currently plagues our society. And in the end, "childlike" acts are what redeems the fallen. Field is searching for innocence lost. JY

Thursday March 08, 2007
12:09 PM

I really enjoyed the "Science of sleep". Nice animation. C.

Wednesday March 07, 2007
06:25 PM

the science of sleep.

Monday March 05, 2007
09:07 PM

more Rivette here-http://www.jacques-rivette.com/

Saturday March 03, 2007
11:03 PM

A story about story-telling, Jacques Rivette's self-referential classic centers on the fanciful world of two women literally lost in the stories they tell each other. Celine (Juliet Berto) and Julie (Dominique Labourier) go from sharing a story about a haunted house to being part of a story about a haunted house — or is it a real haunted house that has been called up by the story? The film blurs the line between the telling of the story and the story itself, as Celine and Julie, like Alice in Wonderland, become part of a surreal, drug-induced parallel universe; also like Alice, they ultimately become the heroines of the story that first imprisoned them. Rivette celebrates the magic of stories, and more broadly of imagination, adventure, and friendship, as essential elements of life; the themes are familiar from his other movies, but the tone is more playful. This enigmatic and fanciful film is not for all tastes, but, for its many devotees, it is one of the most distinctive and imaginative movies ever made.

Friday March 02, 2007
08:19 AM

back in the day-http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,2024469,00.html

Wednesday February 28, 2007
09:46 PM

more good stuff-http://youtube.com/watch?v=LyZKXc5PRg4&mode=related&search=

Monday February 26, 2007
09:46 PM

looks good-http://www.bam.org/film/series.aspx?id=121

Saturday February 24, 2007
11:43 AM

on Lynch-http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,2020030,00.html

Tuesday February 20, 2007
10:16 PM

coming soon VHS moments-last night Celine and Julie go Boating in all its GLORY!

Tuesday February 20, 2007
12:02 AM

thank you!

Monday February 19, 2007
01:11 PM

GOOD STUFF!

Sunday February 18, 2007
11:20 AM

great podcast on Hamlet!-Throne of Blood was released in 1957-Kurosawa preceded Kozintsev, but I see your point. Enjoyed the commentary. Cheers.

Saturday February 17, 2007
07:36 PM

King Lear-Grigori Kozintsev

2/14/07-Great quotes from Welles below- I am going to post a few links -One on some recent Rivette releases here.  I am still thinking about Duelle, which I saw at the NGA- Here is a great interview with Hong Sang-soo, a director whose films have been compared to Rohmer. Very difficult to find his works in the states, most of them are screened at film festivals-quite popular in Canada. I have seen two and I am hoping to catch up with his recent one. Lastly, a great short film by Chris Marker and Walerian Borowczyk. I discovered this on on Daily Motion. Excellent electronic score-You will see many Marker motifs. Enjoy. CL

Wednesday February 14, 2007
10:02 PM

CAHIERS: It seems to us as though you are divided between two conceptions of the world: a Renaissance conception and a Puritan conception.

 ORSON WELLES: Certainly not. Neither Renaissance, nor Puritan. I’m a man of the Middle Ages, with certain implications due to the barbarity of America. I am Arkadin to the degree that I belong to a wild nation which is also a new nation and ambitious to get ahead. But Puritan, certainly not.

CAHIERS: Does that shock you because in America the word Puritan has stronger connotations than it does here?

ORSON WELLES: A Puritan is someone who refuses one permission to do something. The essential definition of Puritanism—I’ve made a study of it—is that it assumes the right to forbid someone to do something. For me that’s the perfect definition of everything I’m opposed to. A moralist is not a Puritan.

Wednesday February 14, 2007
11:59 AM

I drive off without a care on the road to dreams. I forget about Hiroshima, Auschwitz, Budapest. I forget about Vietnam, the housing problem, the famine in India. I forget about everything except that I’m back at zero and have to start out from there. - 2 ou 3 choses que je sais d’elle (Godard, 1966)

Monday February 12, 2007
05:16 PM

lynch at the NFT-http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,2011369,00.html

Monday February 12, 2007
12:06 AM

The staple of his cinema-concupiscence with a lurid twist, but not without the hope for redemption: Almodovar's VOLVER. JY

Sunday February 11, 2007
09:49 AM

http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,2009742,00.html

Thursday February 08, 2007
08:28 PM

I've been asked to give more details about Pan's Labyrinth so here it is: Pan's Labyrinth is told through the perspective of Ofelia a nine-year old girls who, along with her pregnant mother Carmen, who is slowly dying from her pregnancy, must live with her cruel and evil stepfather Captain Vidal. Vidal is Captain of the spanish army and is attempting to kill resistance fighters who live in the nearby forest. Ofelia, being a dreamy and imaginative girl, often reads children's fairy tales to escape from reality, which her dominerring step-father does not approve of and her mother tries to gently persuade her from doing. Her only friend at the Mansion is Mercedes the families housekeeper, who is harboring a deadly secret which will put both her and Ofelia in grave danger. The Mansion's old labyrinth is only means of escape from the harsh reality that encompasses her daily existence. While there she meets Faires and A powerful Faun, who tell her she is princess and must complete three task before the next full moon to reclaim her kingdom. But, what are the more dangerous monsters, the ones dwellingin in her imagination, or the real life ones that live in her everyday life? Pan's Labyrinth often does not answer all the questions it raises. Overall I think it is a great movie that begs to be re-watched multiple times. Cheers from El Fearless Conservative.

Tuesday February 06, 2007
10:24 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anvRFJFUnRE&NR

Tuesday February 06, 2007
10:00 PM

for mv-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M3AQMHRufY

Tuesday February 06, 2007
06:55 PM

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/articles/sci-fi.htm

Monday February 05, 2007
11:05 PM

A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet. Distributors, naturally, are all of the opinion that poets don’t sell seats. They do not discern whence comes the very language of the cinema. Without poets, the vocabulary of the fim would be far too limited ever to make a true appeal to the public. The equivalent of a babble of infants would not sell many seats. If the cinema had never been fashioned by poetry, it would have remained no more than a mechanical curiosity, occasionally on view like a stuffed whale. –Orson Welles, Ribbon of Dreams

Sunday February 04, 2007
10:12 PM

The Rivette series at the NGA-CL

Sunday February 04, 2007
12:39 PM

Art is a marriage of the conscious and the unconscious. Jean Cocteau

Saturday February 03, 2007
07:28 AM

The myth holds us, therefore, not through its romantic flavor, not the remembrance of beauty of some bygone age, not through the possibilities of fantasy, but because it expresses to us something real and existing in ourselves, as it was to those who first stumbled upon the symbols to give them life.” Mark Rothko

Monday January 29, 2007
12:16 AM

Just saw Pan's Labyrinth. It is excellent! El Fearless Conservative.

Sunday January 28, 2007
11:21 PM

Last night it was Imamura's THE INSECT WOMAN at the AGO in downtown Toronto. JY

Wednesday January 24, 2007
10:54 PM

amazing-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TOA9xxr-pY

Wednesday January 24, 2007
09:01 PM

Our eyes see very little and very badly – so people dreamed up the microscope to let them see invisible phenomena; they invented the telescope…now they have perfected the cinecamera to penetrate more deeply into he visible world, to explore and record visual phenomena so that what is happening now, which will have to be taken account of in the future, is not forgotten. —Provisional Instructions to Kino-Eye Groups, Dziga Vertov, 1926

Monday January 22, 2007
07:09 PM

guys take a look at this-http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1580424,00.html

Sunday January 21, 2007
10:39 AM

Pocket cinema in Le Mans.

Saturday January 20, 2007
10:54 AM

Film is obviously visual and, from an aesthetic standpoint, I see no need for a film to be accompanied by sound any more than I would expect a painting to be. At first I did make sound films, but I felt sound limited seeing so I gave it up. (....) My films were complex enough and difficult enough to see without any distraction of the ear thinking. But if I felt a film needed sound, I always included it. I believe now that you can only go so far with music, and then film is not music. (...) Since film clearly isn't music, I am now trying to find out what it is that film can do that's purely film. I really wish to open myself to that difference. I want to make films, that are not even corollaries of music, that wouldn't even make you think of music. What is film, after all, but rhythmed light? (Stan Brakhage)

Thursday January 18, 2007
07:23 PM

a dose of humanity-49 and up. Rent it!

Wednesday January 17, 2007
08:39 PM

PLOT DESCRIPTION Shakespeare's 17th century masterpiece about the "Melancholy Dane" was given one of its best screen treatments by Soviet director Grigori Kozintsev. Kozintsev's Elsinore was a real castle in Estonia, utilized metaphorically as the "stone prison" of the mind wherein Hamlet must confine himself in order to avenge his father's death. Hamlet himself is portrayed (by Innokenti Smoktunovsky) as the sole sensitive intellectual in a world made up of debauchers and revellers. Several of Kozintsev directorial choices seem deliberately calculated to inflame the purists: Hamlet's delivers his "To be or not to be" soliloquy with his back to the camera, allowing the audience to fill in its own interpretations. Rarely seen in the US, this Hamlet (or Gamlet, as it was known in Russia) is not always successful, but is certainly more innovative -- and lively -- than Olivier's wildly overpraised 1948 version. Director Grigori Kozintsev would follow Hamlet with an equally radical adaptation of King Lear in 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide » Rate or Review 'Gamlet'

Wednesday January 17, 2007
11:20 AM

Last night it was Richard Lester's PETULIA (1968), an incredible work showcasing the cinematographic trademark of Nichloas Roeg. The cuts and editing are brilliant! Julie Christie is absolutely radiant in this film; she's never looked more stunning and vulnerable at the same time. Geroge C. Scott turns in a strong, measured performance as well. The narrative is propelled by the many brief, almost subliminal, edits that tie together a framework of fluid scenes that reorganize the film's chronology into one that is constantly shifting, thus creating a sense of internal imbalance. An excellent film! JY

Tuesday January 16, 2007
10:59 PM

yes, thanks, ST!

Tuesday January 16, 2007
06:27 PM

Thanks ST

Tuesday January 16, 2007
03:41 PM

guys, excellent writing! Looking forward to viewing these films. ST

Tuesday January 16, 2007
12:09 AM

Acting upon CL's recommendation, I watched Kozintsev's GAMLET and, too, was blown away. Many of the shots reminded me of 16th century portraitures painted by the some of the Spanish masters. The stark black-and-white outdoor photography is both an external visualization of Denmark's forlorn state-of-affairs and an internal representation of Hamlet's bleak, tortured spirit.  See the music blog for more. JY

Monday January 15, 2007
12:44 PM

early, classic Rohmer-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtBlnwAaVgc

1/14/07-I struggled with Inland Empire last night and was disappointed initially. I agree with JY on the Mullholland Drive comparison but really this film echoes all of his work including his shorts. I say initially because today I accepted the video much more openly. I accept because he shot it on mini-dv and explores the technology with abandon. I accept it because there isn't one narrative, but many, many fragments of narrative. I accept it because I did not sense anything disingenuous about the piece, even though for me, it is littered with flaws and missteps, maybe that's part of the point-the beauty of the piece. Lynch still seems eager to expand his language visually, which is always welcome. I agree with JY many will try to decode the dream logic, but that is his dream logic. We have seen these motifs in many of his films before, I think it is somewhat futile in hoping to discover something concrete. Let's hope people who see this film will also seek out other more obscure  artists who are also expanding the medium and doing something innovative because Lynch is certainly not the only one.  Some  more thoughts-liked the use of sound, the superimpositions, the compositions, and the overall pace of the film.  Did not care for the excessive use of music, some of the dialogue, the campy surrealism. I would recommend the video, but I am not sure I want to see it again. I read you need multiple viewings to truly appreciate it, maybe, but I think I will let scenes play out in my mind for now. Here is the trailer-YouTube - INLAND EMPIRE official trailer. CL

Sunday January 14, 2007
08:13 PM

Took in Lynch's INLAND EMPIRE last night at the AFI with CL and though the film bears his unmistakable signature throughout, in the end it proved to be somewhat disappointing. There were vestiges of MULHOLLAND DRIVE everywhere, which seemed more repetitious than illuminating. Nevertheless, it is a deeply disturbing, complex piece that will prove challenging to the most seasoned Lynch scholar. I'm sure many will try to sort this one out, but hopefully the discourse will go beyond the oft-relied-upon "dream interpretation." We'll see. JY

Friday January 12, 2007
11:34 PM

An initial viewing of Lynn's LONDON 5 has left me entranced. This is a film that entices multiple viewings, though I am already deeply affected after only the first. I will be writing more on this sublime, layered piece, though perhaps in series, as I know much will be revealed upon each new screening. I look forward to it all! JY

Friday January 12, 2007
11:26 PM

HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR by Resnais on Criterion. The inevitability of forgetting, piece by piece, is at the heartbreaking core of this masterful work. How much more profound is that which is unexpected and transient as compared to the longstanding and inveterate? Memories, too, are subject to the apathy of time and must pass unto death like all living things. JY

Monday January 08, 2007
11:03 AM

John Curran's adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's THE PAINTED VEIL is a noteworthy interpretation. This is the third screen reading of Maugham's novella, and is arguably the most poignant and vivid. Curran chooses to focus on the Fane's loveless marriage and its implications for both wife AND husband. This film, coupled with WE DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (an adaptation of  Andre Dubus's novella) proves Curran's ability to examine the disintegration and brokeness of relationships with an objectivity that is not without empathy or compassion.  From the lowest depths of her despair, Kitty begins to see her husband as a man capable of love and not merely a shadow able only to inspire ennui and frustration. Their mending relationship is handled tenderly, without any undue haste, and this gradual ascent is what magnifies the tragedy that befalls Kitty in the end. Alexandre Desplat's score is both haunting and melancholic, recalling his compositions that floated through BIRTH. All told, this is a flattering effort that I hope will inspire more readers to gravitate towards Maugham, beyond OF HUMAN BONDAGE. JY

Sunday January 07, 2007
12:21 AM

Gus Van Sant's gem MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO on Criterion: Lyrical cinematography, deft screenwriting and heartfelt performances-JY

1/5/07-To comment on the Shakespeare in Washington festival which runs from January to June, I would like to recommend a film-Gamlet (1963). This is the best adaptation of a Shakespeare play that I have seen so far. Beautiful tracking shots, a score that actually compliments the action, and a real sense of poetry and tragedy. The sequence where Hamlet sees his father's ghost is stunning. The Ophelia sequences are lyrical treasures. Pasternak did the screenplay and the trimming of the play actually enhances the philosophy of Hamlet. This is certainly noticeable during the play rehearsals and the graveyard scene. I am eagerly waiting for the King Lear adaptation to be released in a month. Rent this version if you can. CL

Tuesday January 02, 2007
09:27 AM

great posts and picks-need to check out those lists guys.

Sunday December 31, 2006
07:20 PM

Weekend of cinema: Friday it was Shainberg's FUR: AN IMAGINARY PORTRAIT OF DIANE ARBUS; Sat at the AFI was Reed's masterpiece ODD MAN OUT and Cukor's A STAR IS BORN and this afternoon was Hytner's THE HISTORY BOYS. More comments a bit later. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! JY

Saturday December 30, 2006
12:45 AM

JY'S Faves for 2006

LONDON VIGNETTES (1-5)
THINKING OF ALVIN LUCIER
UNTITLED POEM (all by Chris Lynn)

Various films from this year's Utopia Festival

THE PASSENGER (Antonioni)
STORY OF A LOVE AFFAIR (Antonioni)
LA NOTTE (Antonioni)

THE NEW WORLD (Malick)

BEFORE SUNSET (Linklater)
A SCANNER DARKLY (Linklater)

2046 (Wong)

THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO (Winterbottom and Whitecross)

A CANTERBURY TALE (Powell)

HALF NELSON (Ryan Fleck)

THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (MacDonald)

THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP (Gondry)

FUR: AN IMAGINARY PORTRAIT OF DIANE ARBUS (Shainberg)

Eager to still see: NOTES ON A SCANDAL (Eyre), VOLVER (Almodovar) , THE PAINTED VEIL (Curran), A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION (Altman), TRISTRAM SHANDY (Winterbottom), INLAND EMPIRE (Lynch)

Monday December 25, 2006
11:02 PM

On Criterion DVD: Whit Stillman's METROPOLITAN and Robert Hamer's KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS -JY

Saturday, December 23, 2006-As the years press on, I find that I am working more and more on my own films/videos and have less time for viewing. Here is a list of works that stood out for me in 2006-The year the work was made is irrelevant, it is the impact that counts

Faves of 2006-

Utopia Film Festival-Urban Landscape Program 2006

Chats Perches Chris Marker

Films by Bruce Bailie

In Places – Erik Olofsen -

State of the Union – Randall Packer -

Three Times Hou Hsiao-hsien

Jonas Mekas at the Hirschorn (films included)

The New World  Terence Malick

La Commune-Peter Watkins

Roads-Abbas Kiarostrami

Mikio Naruse retrospective at the NGA

Step Across the Border Nicholas Humbert

The Power of Kangwon Province and Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors-Hong Sang soo

Mr.Arkadin -Orson Welles-Criterion Collection

When The Levee Broke-Spike Lee (saw the first half)

La Vie sur terre-Abderrahmane Sissako
 

Films on Ubu Web, You tube and Internet Archive

Still need to see films by David Lynch, Clint Eastwood, Abderrahmane Sissako
.will talk about the faves in a podcast soon, hopefully.CL

Thursday December 21, 2006
07:46 PM

a must read-http://www.ubu.com/papers/macdonald_avant_intro.html

Wednesday December 20, 2006
09:07 PM

http://movies2.nytimes.com/2006/12/20/movies/20lett.html

Wednesday December 20, 2006
11:12 AM

not a big fan of the horror genre...

Wednesday December 20, 2006
12:39 AM

Wazza fearless fanatics, it is time for another exaltation of the esoteric. REST STOP DEAD AHEAD or simply REST STOP for short, is an efficetively spine tingling and unnerving thriller, that is disturbilingly brutal and brilliant. REST STOP was written and directed by John Shiban, writer and producer of such shows as the X-Files and Supernatural. The plot for the movie is as follows: While running away from home Nicole and her boyfriend Jess stop at a rest stop and Jess mysteriously disappears. Jess is kidnapped by a stranger and now said stranger is after Nicole. Now alone and defensless against this seemingly supernatural stalker our protaganist must play a deadly and horrific game of cat and mouse with her baneful antagonist. Througout the movie subtle steps of creepiness are added to make the atmosphere even more intense and surreal. For example one of the killers victim appears out of nowhere and is trapped in a bathroom with Nicole and interacts with her for several scenes and disappear just as randomly leaving the audience as confused as Nicole. It is then discovered that phantom victim was murdered in 1970,which makes Nicole wonder if she is going crazy. But people with weak stomachs beware, some of the most horrofic moments include:Several people being branded with a box cutter while still alive. Jess having his foot stapled and having his tongue cut out. A woman having her finger bit off. And a man's leg is ran over several times with a truck. And a man is shot in the head twice to avoid being burned. Despite all the depravities of the film it is very welled acted, directed and edited and is a real mind twister and in my opinion the second best horror movie to come out this year after the DESCENT. Cheers from El Fearless Conservative!

Sunday December 17, 2006
12:07 PM

great streaming clips here-http://www.facets.org/asticat?function=web&catname=facets&web=main&path=/streamingpromo/

Friday December 15, 2006
06:36 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1hekrMheGk

Friday December 15, 2006
06:05 PM

We were actually going to do a podcast on this very topic-http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,1972299,00.html Still mght. They left out Rohmer, Mekas and others, but it is pretty inspirational. CL

Thursday December 14, 2006
07:14 PM

for film scholars-http://www.davidbordwell.net/articles/

Monday December 11, 2006
06:21 PM

currently viewing- LA Commune (Paris, 1871), (2000) by Peter Watkins.

Tuesday December 05, 2006
10:40 PM

You're welcome, CL! For me, Carol Reed's THE FALLEN IDOL courtesy of the Criterion Collection

Tuesday December 05, 2006
07:31 PM

The Wire. Thanks JY for the tapes. CL

Wednesday November 29, 2006
09:25 PM

Marie Menken's glimpses of the Garden Hollis Frampton's Zorns Lemma-

Tuesday November 28, 2006
12:17 AM

La Double Vie de Veronique-haunting! JY

Sunday November 26, 2006
10:46 AM

I agree, thanks for forcing me to go...

Saturday November 25, 2006
08:11 PM

I saw The Third Man the other night at the AFI-incredible-a must see!

Wednesday November 22, 2006
10:14 AM

more on Altman-http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/22/movies/22scot.html

Tuesday November 21, 2006
07:02 PM

an Altman classic-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brrEBqTOXZ0

Tuesday November 21, 2006
06:37 PM

really, one of the all time greats-Altman was brilliant to the end.

Tuesday November 21, 2006
02:57 PM

Stills form some of his films: http://film.guardian.co.uk/gall/0,,1953637,00.html

Tuesday November 21, 2006
01:20 PM

A very sad day, indeed. http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/21/obit.altman.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Monday November 20, 2006
08:43 PM

A must see-Punishment Park. Peter Watkins brilliant film on American politics and social unrest.

Friday November 17, 2006
06:37 PM

http://movies2.nytimes.com/2006/11/17/movies/17fast.html?ref=movies

Wednesday November 15, 2006
08:42 PM

something worth reading-http://www.flickerings.com/2006/rossellini/index.htm

Tuesday November 14, 2006
06:42 PM

thank you!

Tuesday November 14, 2006
05:42 PM

great post on music and Roeg!

Monday November 13, 2006
12:41 AM

I revisited Nicholas Roeg's BAD TIMING the other evening and there's one scene that has been playing itself over and over in my mind. It's composition is very simplistic, yet ironically, the scene's emotional gravity is bouyed by this approach. Sandwiched between the blaring sounds of an ambulance siren are the mellifluous chords of Pachelbel's Canon. Being an avid classical music listener, I am admittedly critical of how certain pieces of music are often incorporated into film. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of directors who could merge such music with cinema without compromising the integrety of either medium. Stanley Kubrick and Andrei Tarkovsky were two directors who were always adept at creating such a symbiotic union. And in the this case, the result is the same. Roeg's fusion of Palchelbel's tender, poignant notes with the rain-filled farewell sequence between Milena and her husband Stephan on the Austro-Bratislavan border, played against the discordant siren and traffic noise, is brilliant! Their parting, envisioned as such, is heartbreaking, though the audience has not even been given an extensive introduction of either character at this point in the film. The pans of each face-silent pain on his, a sense of freedom and release on hers-is accentuated by the slow pace of the music. As Stephan puts a cigarette to his mouth and fumbles for a lighter, the rhythmic cadence of the piece enhances the subtlety of his motion, lending to it a very sad and beautiful aspect. The brevity of their parting is representative of the pervasive restlessness that will figure prominently in the developing narrative. All the acting is noteworthy, and I must say, especially in light of the sub-standard roles he's been doing as of late, Harvey Keitel's performance as the police inspector is fantastic. He is the perfect foil to Art Garfunkel's callous, disavowing character. This really is a must-see. JY

Sunday November 12, 2006
03:56 PM

Went to see "The Queen" yesterday, and didn't think it was that bad...C.

Friday November 10, 2006
07:28 PM

brilliant clip of Mekas speaking about films-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2N_ejauRgs

Friday November 10, 2006
06:43 PM

Sad to hear about Jack Palance.

Friday November 10, 2006
06:43 PM

a must-http://movies2.nytimes.com/2006/11/10/movies/10ross.html?8dpc=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1163202137-LpAMpzcbOHX6Kd6KVPe6DA

Tuesday November 07, 2006
08:38 PM

thanks for listening. CL

Tuesday November 07, 2006
07:51 PM

interesting podcast.

Tuesday November 07, 2006
09:16 AM

Scorcese's new one is a disappointment. More in a podcast to come...JY

Sunday November 05, 2006
11:51 AM

ah, yes he did the remake.

Saturday November 04, 2006
12:15 PM

very sad-http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/blog/2006/11/adrienne-shelly-rip_02.php

Saturday November 04, 2006
11:11 AM

enjoyed the podcast on the canon-will check out the magazine-didn't he direct Cat People?

Monday October 30, 2006
05:50 PM

Yes mate, we'll work to us coming over again in November next year...take it easy

Sunday October 29, 2006
07:42 PM

Thanks JY! Simon you were sorely missed this year! A number of people even asked if you had any new material for this festival-Your London piece left an impression. Let's hope for next year. We can have a few pints at Franklin's afterwards. CL

Sunday October 29, 2006
06:44 PM

Brilliant festival in Greenbelt last night! Well done, CL! JY

Sunday October 29, 2006
05:36 PM

Hope the festival's going well for you Chris, shame we couldn't be there this year. Had a great time, can't believe it was a year ago! Simon.

Sunday October 29, 2006
09:45 AM

wonderful selection of films last night at Utopia experimental!

Friday October 27, 2006
10:56 PM

I saw an excellent round of films dealing with race at the Utopia Film Festival in Greenbelt, MD. Well done.

Friday October 27, 2006
06:57 PM

Haven't seen this yet, but it certainly sounds interesting: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601820.html

Tuesday October 24, 2006
09:58 AM

Gondry's latest THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP-brilliant, inventive cinema! JY

Utopia's Second Annual Experimental Film/Video Festival. Saturday, October 28, 2006. Time: 6:00 PM

Location-Greenbelt Maryland's Municipal Building. Go here for more details

Urban/Rural Landscapes explored in Video and Film

1.Boulder/Brooklyn (Nicole Koschmann) A correspondence
through images from Brooklyn, NY to Boulder, Colorado.

2. Flow (Scott NYERGES)-A meditation on the creeks and
rivers of Austin, Texas during the spring and summer
rendered in paint and pixels.
3.The Lights and Perfections (Paul Clipson) A bug's eye
view of the world, mysterious and wonderful-plant
studies and urban landscapes woven into soft focus
home movies.
4. Clouds and the Docklands (Chris Lynn)Vignette 4 in
the London series is an examination of the  of the
Docklands in London juxtaposed with rain and clouds.
5. Tide mills (Nick Collins)The poetry of the UK
seacoast on any given day.
6.(rock/hard place)(Roger Beebe)A film that attempts to
bring the Urban and rural landscape together in one
frame, so  the viewer can question the significance.
Shot in Morro Bay, California
7.The Taste of the South (Mar Solis) Shot in Spain this
is a vivid portrait of Easter week.
8. Translumination (Craig Herndon) An abstract journey
in sound and colour.

Program runs around 56 Minutes. Expect a few surprises.

Wednesday October 18, 2006
12:41 AM

Kevin MacDonald's latest THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND is an impressive film, boasting fine performances from its two leads. More later...JY

Monday October 16, 2006
08:05 PM

Chris Marker's latest piece The Case Of The Grinning Cat (Chats Perches) manages to once again prove why he is one of the most important film/video maker of our time. His dense, layered commentary coupled with poetic compositions astound. I am always amazed what he can do with so little. An example: The Iraq war has begun-the shock and awe campaign is heard on the soundtrack (bombs exploding) the image we see-women on their way to work-riding the escalator (minorities mostly) The screen goes black...CL

Friday October 13, 2006
09:33 PM

another must see folks!http://movies2.nytimes.com/2006/10/05/movies/05fort.html?ref=movies

Monday October 09, 2006
11:28 AM

may have to see this-http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061023/klawans

Sunday October 08, 2006
10:39 PM

I saw this today-http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0100692/ at the NGA and was amazed how brilliant it was on so many levels. More soon. CL

Saturday October 07, 2006
10:54 AM

for MV readers-http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/07/movies/07darg.html

Thursday October 05, 2006
11:14 PM

http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,1888375,00.html

Thursday October 05, 2006
10:23 PM

thanks for the tip!

Thursday October 05, 2006
03:30 PM

Whatsup everybody, the best show you are not watching is coming back for its second season, What About Brian? Here is a plot outline for those of you who have not heard of it. What About Brian? is a contemporary and heartwarming ensemble show about a group of supportive friends in various stages of romantic relationships and friendships living in Los Angeles. There are the just-married Nic and Angelo, the seemingly happily married Dave and Deena and the newly-engaged Marjorie and Adam. But -- what about Brian? Of this close-knit group of friends, everyone else has paired off, while Brian has emerged as the last bachelor standing. At 34, regardless of his run of bad luck in matters of the heart, Brian still holds out hope that one day he'll open the door and be blinded by love. However questions about his fate have been popping up more frequently in his head. The most pressing question is ・and it's one that only he can answer -- could all of his problems stem from the fact that he is harboring a crush on the picture-perfect Marjorie, his best friend's girl? Adam, Brian's best friend since childhood, was going to break up with Marjorie but found himself proposing to her instead. He's a lawyer and Marjorie is a pediatric surgeon. Their busy lifestyles leave them little time to plan their upcoming wedding and, oddly enough, that seems to have given them more time to re-evaluate whether they're indeed doing the right thing. Brian's fortysomething sister, Nic, and her boy-toy husband, Angelo, are trying hard to start a family, but something's not right. Nic's high-stress work as a record executive and Angelo's fledgling acting career have created some anxiety in the new marriage. Now they're torn between conceiving a child the old-fashioned way or using modern medicine to speed up the process. Dave, who runs a video game business with Brian called Zap Monkey, is married to stay-at-home mom Deena. They've been together for 13 years, have three little girls and a lackluster sex life. This prompts the frustrated and unconventional Deena to suggest to the more content Dave that they consider having an open marriage. Like all married people and their single friends, they can't wait for Brian to join their "club," though they're not exactly sure why. For those of you who want to be caught up for the second season I have posted an episode guide on my myspace page blog and I have link to it as well. http://myspace.com/veritasaquetias The second season starts this Monday on ABC at 10:00 PM. Cheers from El Fearless Conservative.

Thursday October 05, 2006
03:10 PM

ATTENTION ALL FANS OF FIGHT CLUB, BOONDOCK SAINTS, AND SNATCH! I have just seen a movie that should help curb your withdraw from those classic movies, it is called the Green Street Hooligans. Green street stars Elijah Woods as a harvard journalist student who is unfairly expelled from school for selling drugs. It is unfair because his scumbag roomate did it and frame our protaganist. He then moves to england to live with his sister's family and gets mixed up with the West Ham United firm. For those of you who do not know what a firm is, it is a group of fans who fight other firms solly to represent their beloved football team. It is an extreme and fast paced coming of age and finding ones self story, much like fight club. Except it seems like Guy Ritchie had directed it instead of David Fincher. Even if someone is not a fan of international football it is a very intense and well paced story, with very belivable characters. I highly recommend it. Cheers from El Fearless Conservative

Tuesday October 03, 2006
01:15 PM

Looks great, will definitely make it at the AFI. C.

Monday October 02, 2006
07:30 PM

good films here-http://www.afi.com/silver/new/nowplaying/2006/v3i5/france.aspx

Sunday October 01, 2006
07:23 PM

London Vignette 4 is an alluring, moving short that conveys the emotional depth of a Chopin prelude. The pieces in the series continue to build upon one another brilliantly, without sacrifing any of their individuality. Lovely, inspired cinema! JY

Friday September 29, 2006
12:12 PM
Interesting stuff at the Corcoran's, very varied. A little bit of mingling afterwards, some surprising remarks on the part of one filmmaker. Fine pub afterwards.C