Reposted from: Alt Film Guide by Andre Soares | Mar 11, 2010

Dorothy Janis, who made a few film appearances at the dawn of the sound era and was the widow of bandleader Wayne King, died Wednesday morning in the Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley, according to musician Lew Williams, who received the news from Janis’ granddaughter. Janis, one of the last surviving performers to have played at least one major role in silent films, was either 98 or 100, depending on the source.

A pretty, petite brunette with sensuous lips — according to (possibly made-up) reports from the period, she was half-Native American — Dorothy Janis was born in Dallas on Feb. 19, 1910 or 1912. Her most notable movie role was that of the half-Pacific Islander, half-white heroine in W. S. Van Dyke’s The Pagan (1929), one of MGM star Ramon Novarro’s biggest box-office hits.

In the film, which has no dialogue but features a music score, Novarro got to sing Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown’s highly popular “Pagan Love Song,” at times accompanied by Janis — who actually just mouthed the lyrics; another female voice was heard on the film’s soundtrack.

Shot on location in French Polynesia, the deceptively simple The Pagan also happens to be one of the best productions made during that difficult transition from silent to talking pictures. The paragraph below is from my Novarro biography Beyond Paradise: The Life of Ramon Novarro:

“Similar in theme to White Shadows in the South Seas, The Pagan presents European civilization as indisputably the villain—an uncommon approach in films of the period. On the surface, the story is about a carefree but wealthy half-caste, Henry Shoesmith, Jr., who attempts to please a ruthless white trader so he can romance the man’s ‘Christian duty,’ a pretty half-caste girl. On a deeper level, The Pagan deals with the subversion of the island’s way of life by white invaders, from their belief that the value of nature lies only in pounds and dollars to their imposition of an alien and unsuitable religion. Although both Novarro’s and Janis’s characters are part European, their behavior is all idealized Pacific Islander: playful and innocent. Renée Adorée’s Madge is the only good white character, though, significantly, she is a prostitute and an outcast in her own Euro-Christian society. Frances Marion and Novarro himself wrote the initial treatments—he expressly wanted to emphasize that the ‘pagan’ Henry Shoesmith behaved more like a Christian than the intolerant followers of Jesus—though Dorothy Farnum received the final adaptation credit. John Howard Lawson, one of the future Hollywood Ten, was responsible for the perceptive intertitles.”

Before The Pagan, Janis had appeared in three minor releases: the oaters Kit Carson (1928) and The Overland Telegraph, and the drama Fleetwing (1928), playing opposite minor leading man Barry Norton. Her only talkie was Lummox (1930), starring the former wife of cowboy star William S. Hart and 1910s leading lady Winifred Westover, then attempting a motion-picture comeback. Though directed by the renowned Herbert Brenon, an Academy Award nominee in the first year of the awards, Lummox was not a success.

Janis’ only other film appearance was in Harry Garson’s The White Captive, shot on location in Southeast Asia for Universal. In the Sept. 27, 1930, issue of the Norwalk Hour, a brief note mentioned that Garson “reports some of the most remarkable jungle material ever secured and the first to be taken with sound equipment.” Perhaps Garson was making that up, or perhaps his work was ruined either during the trip back to California or at some local lab, for The White Captive was deemed unreleasable. The film did, however, gain a certain degree of notoriety when the wife of technician Sidney Desmond Lund, with whom she had recently gotten married, filed a $25,000 lawsuit against Janis for stealing her husband’s affections during the months-long shoot. The lawsuit was eventually dropped.

Janis made no more films after that. At about the time of the scandal she met Wayne King, whom she married in 1932. Their marriage lasted until his death in 1985. “After I met Wayne,” Janis would tell author Michael Ankerich nearly six decades later, “it was to heck with it all.”

In the early ’90s, Ankerich published an account of his correspondence with the actress in Broken Silence: Conversations With 23 Silent Film Stars. With Ankerich as the middle man, about ten years ago I attempted to interview Dorothy Janis for my Novarro biography. Unfortunately, I never heard back from her.

A few months ago, Janis was able to watch a print of The Pagan that Lew Williams had given her. (Every once in a — long — while, the film is shown on Turner Classic Movies.) A family member told Williams “she enjoyed it immensely.”

With Dorothy Janis’ passing, I can think of only two surviving performers who had major adult roles in silent feature films: Barbara Kent (Lonesome) and Miriam Seegar (Valley of the Ghosts).

The Pagan clips posted by Derek Taylor Shayne

Note: Warner Home Video has released an “on-demand” DVD of The Pagan, but unlike what I had posted earlier that was not the print Janis saw.

What types of content would be excluded from the extra rebates because of “nontraditional family values?” Well, last year the movie “Bait Shop” was ineligible because it included too many scenes with alcohol. Another, “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” was denied, because it contained unacceptable levels of violence (i.e. a comedic scene where a woman hits another woman with a shoe in a shoe store.) Aside from trying to deter substance abuse and violence in film, Representative Precourt’s bill also says the following: “nothing homosexual allowed.” Yikes.

Precourt told The Palm Beach Post that his goal was to encourage filmmaking that reflected the small town “family values” of the fictional town of Mayberry from “The Andy Griffith Show.” Apparently, Precourt doesn’t think there are gay people, single parent families, or other “nontraditional families” in small towns.

Since Mr. Precourt brought it up, let’s look a little closer at Mayberry.
• Wasn’t Andy raising Opie by himself? Single-parent home = non-traditional, according to Precourt’s standards, which means “The Andy Griffith Show” would not have been eligible for the extra tax incentive under Precourt’s rules.
• And wasn’t there a veritable plethora of single adults of marriageable age in Mayberry? Is it possible that Otis or Gomer or Goober or Barney or Thelma Lou or even Andy himself could have been gay? Further reason to deny rebates per Precourt.
• None of the main characters were married. That doesn’t sound very “family value-y” to us. Okay, to be fair, Andy eventually married Helen Crump, but not until years later during the spin-off “Mayberry RFT,” and Barney and Thelma Lou didn’t get married in the 1986 reunion movie Return to Mayberry.

That Mayberry was complicated. And fishy. Precourt tax incentives denied!

Okay, we’re being a little silly, but, to all of the filmmakers (and film lovers) who are outraged about the proposed changes to the Florida tax incentives language, think about this: in Florida, people who are gay cannot get married. They cannot adopt children. They cannot inherit each other’s property, file taxes together, inherit each other’s property, or share parentage of a child without extremely costly and tedious legal loopty-loops. So is not getting funding for a movie that includes a gay character the worst thing happening in Florida today? No. BUT if it gets more people to consider what it’s like to be told no and to think about how political maneuvering behind closed doors effects our everyday (and artistic) lives, then we are glad.

If you’re interested in joining writer R. Michael McWhorter’s petition against Representative Precourt’s discriminatory tax incentive changes, go here: http://bit.ly/d1Eipq
Jessica King and Julie Keck have been making films as King is a Fink for 10 years. Their ultra low budget shorts focus on flawed characters, awkward interactions, and honest emotions. Their short films Snow Bunny and Libidoland are currently making the rounds on the film festival circuit. In addition to making shorts, King and Keck also write feature-length screenplays. They’re currently writing a dramatic thriller called TILT for Phil Holbrook and adapting a naughty memoir by Kevin Keck. Find out more about TILT at http://tiltthemovie.com; information about other King is a Fink projects can be found at http://kingisafink.com.

Don Argott is the director of “The Art of the Steal”, the documentary about the over one-hundred year long controversy surrounding the priceless artwork in the Barnes Foundation.

Kely paints a vivid picture with his characters, who are all given backstory and a richness that most mainstream studio films tend to ignore. McClung gives each character their moment in the movie. In most cases this attention to detail furthers the story along, but with so many side plots, occasionally getting to a character’s “moment” can make you forget how that character got there in the first place. This would be a good place to praise Kely of his casting decisions. Everyone in this movie looks like they belong in the world that he has painted in front of them. Actresses like Courtney Hogan (Vinny) and Whitney Sullins (Katie Menacci), and actors Robert Pralgo (Lester Armstrong) and Stan Harrington (Tony Menacci) all give everything to their roles. The emotional range and passion that these people put forth make you believe what you’re seeing happen to them is a reality. Another thing to notice is the detail given to his locations. Whether it was cinematographer Bill Kelly (who’s visuals in the movie are striking, and certainly go beyond what most first-time DP’s are capable of), or Kely himself who dressed the sets, they feel like real places that exist in this harsh world that he has built around his characters. There are no bare walls in any of his sets, and nothing looks like it was just thrown together. This movie feels “lived in”, in the way that a jail cell feels “lived in” (and I mean that as a compliment). Another nod to the cinematography is his filming of action scenes. These were shot and edited beautifully. Where most movies these days rely on quick cuts to sell the “fake” action that is happening onscreen, Kely (being a stunt person himself), allows the camera to linger on his fight scenes a bit so you can actually feel the raw carnage.

A couple small points of contention I did have was with the editing style, and the story structure. I’m sure this goes along with McClung’s extreme attention to detail, but occasionally (it seemed like this got better in the 2nd and 3rd acts) you would see multiple cuts from multiple angles of a character doing something as benign as lighting a cigarette. While I certainly think that jump-cuts are used way too much these days, a couple of shots lost would not have hurt the audience’s understanding of the situation and still moved the story along. In a character driven piece like “Kerberos”, once the audience in on the ride, you have to keep the pace of that ride until the end or the audience might become confused. As far as the story structure is concerned, there was just too much story going on in this movie to keep track of, and I believe the movie would have benefited from one or more of these plot lines being cut.

Overall a fine looking movie with good acting, an engaging story, and great action. What more can you ask for?
For more info on this movie go to http://www.kerberosbites.com/

Lost Boys and Lucas actor Corey Haim was found dead today in his home in Los Angeles early this morning. LAPD officials are investigating an accidental drug overdose as the possible cause. He was 38.

An instant cult classic, The Lost Boys is one of those movies that becomes a communal experience for a generation. Released in 1987, you could say that The Lost Boys was the Twilight of that generation. It was sexy, romantic, at times scary, and made legends of its cast, including Keifer Sutherland.

The movie’s heart was Corey Haim’s character Sam, forced to protect his mom (Dianne Wiest) in the midst of a vampire invasion that claims his brother (Jason Patric) early in the film. Haim and his co-star, Corey Feldman, became teen mega stars, and would round out the 80’s by starring together in more films, including 1988’s License to Drive.

Early stardom took it’s toll on Haim, and despite his popularity he developed a reputation as a drug addict that killed his career. 1986’s Lucas (with Charlie Sheen and Winona Ryder) made him famous, The Lost Boys made him a super star, and then his drug problems made him untouchable.

The release of the terminally panned Prayer for the Roller Boys in 1990 dropped him off the A list, and despite recent attempts at resuscitation (The Two Coreys TV series, and the direct to DVD sequel Lost Boys: The Tribe)  his career never recovered.

His early success, however, is being remembered today as we come to terms with another Hollywood tragedy of an actor who once burned brightly enough to illuminate us all, and who has now gone into the darkness too soon.

Selected memories from Twitter:

simbel_myne RT @dawnlambros: RIP COREY HAIM: The Lost Boys: Carfax Abbey – Cry Little Sister ♫ http://bit.ly/9pyfCW So sad.

jennhudson very sad to hear that “one of the Corey’s” was found dead today. Corey Haim, from the 80’s “The Lost Boys”

lewkrr RT @MOXIEJOE: Yo Twilight, Imma let you finish, But LOST BOYS was one of the Best “Teen Vampire movies” of ALL TIME. (R.i.P. Corey Haim)

Ramonnavarro Damn, Corey Haim only 38 passed today, from a bloody drug overdose, im gonna watch Lost Boys tonight!#RIPCoreyHaim

maryepworth @zombiewes The best thing about the 80s, IMHO was all the fun movies like The Lost Boys. So many great watcheable things.

EricRodriguez10 RIP Corey Haim! You were one of my child hood heroes, ” The Lost Boys“, ” License to Drive” were classics. So sad drugs got another one..

lpmikesgirl I’m so broken over the death of Corey Haim….my heartfelt thoughts go to Corey Feldman during this time of loss….RIP COREY Haim

What are your thoughts on Corey Haim’s death? Let us know in the comments below.

The bar for entry for awards hosts these days has been set pretty low by MTV’s Russell Brand. At Friday’s IFC Independent Spirit Awards, host Eddie Izzard would have had to move downhill to reach that floor, and instead he fell through it.

Izzard’s irreverent comedy has a huge following, and he may be one of the smartest, funniest stand-up comics working today. Add to that credibility his well received turns as an actor in TV and film, and it’s easy to see why he was chosen by IFC and Film Independent to host this year’s Spirit Awards.

But rather than take the traditional host role, Izzard’s incorporation into the event felt more like one of his comedy concerts interspersed with the ceremony. Relatively few of his comments related directly to the people or films being honored, and the announcer’s insistence on introducing Izzard every time he walked out was reminiscent of the guest band’s appearances on an episode of Saturday Night Live.

“Ladies and gentlemen, once again, Eddie Izzard!”

If the Video Music Awards caught flap for Brand’s jokes about the Jonas’ purity rings, Izzard’s continued denial of the existence of God during the presentation seems a dubious choice of topic for a show that’s deliberately positioning itself as a lead in for the Oscars. Izzard’s delivery style, which works so well during his concerts, was also a bad fit for an awards host. His penchant for rambling, ranting, and improvising to the point of forgetting his original topic did little to keep the awards show moving.

It could be could argued, of course, that the Spirit Awards never gave him much to work with. Even being stuck on an island talking only to a volleyball, Tom Hank’s character from Cast Away could have predicted the winner’s list. Any award not won by Jeff Bridges or Woody Harrelson (both favorites in their respective categories) was given to Lee Daniel’s Precious, including Best Feature, Best Director, Best Female Lead, and Best Supporting Female. The other big independent Oscar contender this year, Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker, wasn’t even a nominee, as it qualified for last year’s Spirits and won for Best Feature in 2009.

So what was Izzard to do with such a predictable list of winners? The answer for him, apparently, was to ignore it and talk about atheism instead.

At the end of the day, if Eddie Izzard is remembered as the worst host in Spirit Awards history, IFC has no one to blame but themselves. After all, Izzard warned everyone exactly what he planned to say.

(Disclosure: while he does question its appropriateness at a film awards show, the author is agnostic and was not personally affected or offended by Izzard’s religious commentary.)

We’re adding new functions along with a cleaner, easier navigation structure, and a ton of new features!

However, due to an unforeseen technical problem, we were unable to complete the new site offline and launch it fully formed. Instead, we’re forced to launch the site in a live beta version. Some links and features on the site may not work immediately. You have our deepest apologies for any difficulties you encounter with our site due to the early launch, we’re working hard to get everything implemented and running smoothly!

If a link, function, or feature does not seem to be working as intended, please report it to admin@FilmSnobbery.com.

Thank you for your patience. We hope you enjoy the new site and all it does and will have to offer!

Speaking to a FilmSnobbery Live! audience on April 6th is the star of the cult show “Freaks and Geeks”, and more recently as one of Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds”. Samm can be seen next in his recently released film “Drones” directed by a previous FilmSnobbery guest, Amber Benson! Come listen to Samm talk about his career, give tips to other actors and filmmakers, and just plain have fun with host Nic Baisley!

When: April 6th at 10PM EST
Where: http://live.filmsnobbery.com

The three protagonists Parker (Emma Bell), Joe (Shawn Ashmore) and Dan (Kevin Zegers) are well set up in the beginning portion of this film, however, that beginning is too protracted and talky especially considering the plot and the nature of it.

The concept of the film, under attack by some, is not the film’s downfall. The fact that these three get caught on the ski lift overnight is, in fact, a good concept which is not fully explored and those parts which are explored aren’t very well executed. One means for escape is never attempted and the first attempted was bound to fail based on how it was done. Joe jumps from the lift, abandons his snowboard but still tries to land on his feet, which was bound to break his legs.

Considering the film is called Frozen, the most the characters ever suffer is a low grade of frostbite and not hypothermia as you might expect and furthermore the deaths are not due to the elements but wolf attacks. This acts sort of as the opposite of a deus ex machina, wherein the characters’ destruction is brought about by a seemingly divine, or demonic, plot element randomly thrown into the mix.

So far as the cast is concerned the expression “two out of three ain’t bad” comes to mind. Emma Bell seems to be trying too hard in this part and goes over-the-top in her more emotional scenes. Kevin Zegers isn’t there very long but is serviceable when he is there leaving the standout and ‘the glue’ as Shawn Ashmore who did quite well but even his best efforts can’t keep this thing together.

After being trapped conversations the characters are engaged in are far too distracted from the situation to be believable. They seemingly forget the very real situation they are in for much too long. Breaking some of the backstory-filling up with quiet or renewed panic would’ve been better.

The characters in this story were placed in a situation with really only three outs and they only tried two. They could’ve been put in a slightly more advantageous situation. Despite the claustrophobia and occasional tension the film does build it is all torn down by the missteps along the way.

Despite a well-intentioned effort at a different kind of suspense tale “Frozen” is tepid at best.

“Burden” is an independent sci-fi short directed by Michael D. Lynch. While independent it does not limit itself the way some other indies do. The movie doesn’t cut corners with image quality (it was shot on 35mm), locations (it was shot in downtown Chicago with an extras cast of hundreds), or special effects (it is one of the few indie movies I’ve seen in awhile that actually uses CGI effects for more than just muzzle flashes and opening credit sequences). While a couple of the effects shots come off cheesy, and the story itself could easily be said to be an amalgam of a lifetime of reading comic books, points can still be given to the director for making an effort in areas that most filmmakers fear to tread.

The story is a combination of film noir meets blockbuster superhero movie where a lone super-powered man called Calik is ordered to abandon his post on Earth before it is destroyed by an armada of alien warships. Seeing the good in the people of Earth, Calik shrugs off his duties and uses his powers to defend the planet against the impending invasion. With guest voiceover by Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime from the Transformers TV series and recent Michael Bay movies), Lynch doesn’t spare the audience a second of this 10 minute short, and crams in as much action, pathos, and story as possible.

Michael is a good example of a filmmaker that puts every dime of his budget on the screen, and doesn’t let his status as an independent filmmaker limit the scope of his production. While certainly not a perfect film, the director creates a fully visualized reality and puts more care into a ten minute story than I’ve seen some filmmakers pack into 90 minutes. There would certainly be an audience for a feature length production of “Burden”, and while some filmmakers may balk at the blatant audience pandering (superhero movies are certainly tops at the box office these days), credit needs to be given where credit is due that Michael Lynch knows his audience and has the wherewithal to throw caution to the wind and defy conventional indie norms. In a world where vampire and zombie horror movies are made on the cheap and quick and are overly present in the indie world, he has shunned those genres and gone where not many other indies are willing to go.

Filmmaker and Fandependent Films Founder Ben Hicks is joined by Marketing Specialist Sheri Candler to discuss the Fandependent Films Manifesto. Topics include piracy, film festivals, quarter per view, crowd funding, filmmaker posse’s, and media producing teams.

For more on Fandependent Films, please visit fandependentfilms For more on Sheri Candler,
please visit shericandler

It’s Nic’s birthday and we celebrate by bringing on actor John Keating to talk about his experiences with “Night Before the Wedding”, and then speak with IndieGoGo co-founder Danae Ringlemann and Biracy founder David Geertz about the current state of crowdfunding and how Kevin Smith’s ‘People’s Studio’ could be a game-changer.

Filmmakers Zak Forsman and Kevin K. Shah of Sabi Pictures/New Breed/CineFist are in the Film Courage studio to share what they learned in Park City, their thoughts on collaboration/interdependence, and digital distribution.

For more on Zak and Kevin, please visit SabiPictures.
Get ready for their Winter CineFist event this Friday 2/12/10. CineFist for details.

Filmmaker Jake Barsha drops by the Film Courage studio to talk about the impact that his art has had on his life, details on how he sought distribution his film EUGENE, and his reactions to being the first filmmaker to partake in the Film Courage Interactive.

For more on Jake’s work please visit EugeneTheMovie

Author, Movie Critic, Radio Host and Film Addict Betty Jo Tucker calls in to Film Courage to share how she has monetized her passion for film, her book Confessions of a Movie Addict, and the thrills she has gotten from hosting her own film radio show, Movie Addict Headquarters.

For more on Betty’s work please visit bettyjotucker, blogtalkradio and reeltalkreviews

Filmmaker and Author Jon Reiss is in the Film Courage studio to discuss his new book Think Outside the Box Office. Jon reveals how being a part of the Punk Rock movement influenced his thinking outside the crowd, lessons he learned from distributing his film Bomb It, and what his distribution strategy is going to be on his next project.

For more on Jon’s work, please visit thinkoutsidetheboxoffice, bombit-themovie
and new filmmaker resource ultimatefilmguides

Francis and Jerry talk to filmmaker Zack Parker about his films and getting a distribution deal.

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When filmmaker Arin Crumley started looking for money to finance his startup OpenIndie, he turned to crowdfunding site www.kickstarter.com. Arin tells us a little about why he is starting OpenIndie as well as what it is and how it will benefit all independent filmmakers.

We talk with author and director Jon Reiss about his new book “Think Outside the Box Office” as well as his experiences making, marketing, and distributing his documentary “Bomb It!”. We also take a moment to address some new legislation proposed by the FTC targeting both bloggers and Twitter-ers who receive freebies in exchange for reviews, etc. Also as a follow-up from our previous show, we talk briefly about how Mark Webb has replaced Sam Raimi as the director of the Spider-Man franchise, and how Fox wants to reboot the whole thing.

The second technical thing of note to House was that as the film was about to start it became clear by the side masking sliding in that the film was shot in 4:3. This is an interesting and effective decision for a number of reasons. It’s interesting because with the advent of Cinemascope shooting full-frame quickly became passé but this decision is incredibly inspired as it gives you a myopic glimpse into a kinetic world that holds your gaze completely.

The tone of this film is an interesting one. While it is great that it does build up the protagonist, and we get to know her and her friends, the tone shifts radically many times which shift focus away from character later on. In terms of differing tones there is a very tender scene between the protagonist and her father, several slapstick portions reminiscent of silents, comedic portions in the open and Kung Fu then as they arrive and stay at the aunt’s house it will stay mainly horror but blend all that came before in and more. While the tale is one of witchcraft and occasional gore it’s never what you would call terrifying but always entertaining even if predictable in terms of its end result.

It’s ultimately a very fun movie to sit and watch even if you’re not in to counting techniques. It is, however, better if you are not thrown by things which come out of left field because almost everything does.

To watch this film you will also need a very high tolerance for bad pre-1980 effects work because there are times you can taste the green screen so much it’s nearly nauseating but in a way it adds to the charm of the film because it never seems to take itself too seriously.

However, if you like great cinematography this film is definitely for you. The aforementioned conversation between the daughter and father alone is nearly worth the price of admission with the supernaturally saturated background and the shots through the glass. The camera work is always appropriate for the tone at current as is the lighting.

Ultimately, the greatest treat is in being able to view a previously unseen film in the States on the big screen where it belongs. Any film disappearing from public knowledge or not being known is a sad thing and kudos to Janus for finding a genuine original and putting it on display for the world to see.

The cinematography in this film is absolutely stunning. It is in what can only be referred to as glorious black and white as shows you all the flexibility and the marvels that monochrome can bring to a film whether it be blinding snow, sharp silhouette, haunting chiaroscuro, high contrast and perfect underexposure. The thought of color in this film is quite literally repulsive. It’s the kind of feat that causes the American Society of Cinematographers to say union allegiance be damned this is the best work of the year. It informs the film and enhances it and never makes itself the center of attention.

It’s hard to discuss a film of this caliber without lauding a cast whose depth of talent is beyond reproach and whose talent runs so far down the supporting scale that it’s mind-boggling. As the scenes unravel themselves and you meet the characters you are consistently left wondering “Who is that?” after particularly well-played scenes. Particularly Berghart Klaussner, The Pastor, who is chilling in a Bergmanesque fashion; Leone Benesch who in one scene perfectly plays the impossibly contradictory actions and emotions as indicated by the voice-over narration; Janina Fautz as Erna, the Steward’s daughter, who in the end is the overlooked and in a certain regard the reviled hero, Susanne Lothar as the dependent and taken-advantage-of midwife and the entire young cast including Maria-Victoria Dragus and Leonard Proxauf and believe it or not this list could go on.

It is a narrative tapestry that pulls together five narrative strands and slowly but surely you start to see how they all intertwine and how the fates of each family unit affect the other. You ultimately get what director Michael Haneke was in search of which is an examination of the psychological landscape that existed in the children of Germany on the eve of The Great War, the same children who would grow up and bring war to the world again.

It is a film which seeks to leave its impact through certain minimal elements. For example, there is no score the only music we have are the Baroness and the Tutor rehearsing but more lastingly there is the once repeated haunting hymn of the children’s choir in the church. The minimal visual treatment exemplifies itself when there is a beating we hear it and sit watching the door. Instead of seeing what goes on behind the closed door we are haunted by only the sound.

This film is immensely watchable and the kind of tale you can watch unwind for much longer than it does run, which is impressive as it already runs a hefty 144 minutes. Needless to say this film is expertly paced and keeps each strand of the story equally compelling such that you want to keep going to see what happens in one or the other.

The edit both visually and in terms of sound is fantastic. Narratives are juggled deftly and kept in order and there is one audio cut from a piece of farm equipment droning to a pig mid-squeak; the cut is also visual but is especially inspired in terms of sound.

Not only is this a film whose writer, also the director Michael Haneke, juggled many storylines but he did something which seems so much easier for the foreign filmmaker which is to make a film heavily featuring kids which isn’t a kid’s movie but a serious drama. It is also an interesting piece because it sets you up to not get all the answers because you see early on that the narrator doesn’t have many if any at all as he has limited omniscience and when he does have an idea he doesn’t push hard enough.

“The White Ribbon” is not only a great film but an important one. It is one that will cause you to discuss it for quite a bit afterwards and is the latest great work in a very accomplished career for director Michael Haneke. It’s the kind of foreign film that should most definitely be making more of a dent as its appeal is universal and should not be kept to the art house set.

Francis and Jerry interview Dan Kanes, cinematographer of "Winter Nights," about the DSLR revolution.

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We interview the co-founder of www.indiegogo.com, the premier crowdfunding site on the internet, Slava Rubin. We also talk the Conan/Leno scandal as well as make note of the new studio decision to oust Sam Raimi from the Spider-Man franchise.

For the last of our Slamdance 2010 interviews we chat it up with directors Jesse Holland and Andy Mitton about their experience of submitting a rough cut of their film into one of the most prestigious American film festivals as well as how they acquired their eclectic cast (you’ll all recognize many of the stars from various television shows!) They were great to chat with and I’m sure you’ll all enjoy the interview as much as I enjoyed conducting it!

We catch up with “The Scenesters” stars Kevin Brennan and Jeff Grace via phone during a rollicking a good time at the 2010 Slamdance Film Festival and chat with them about the current happenings of their movie. The discussion includes how they were able to submit through WithOutABox and still make it into the festival with no connections, and how they were able to snag a deal with Microsoft to distribute their movie through their XBox 360 and Zune platforms.

“Body of Work” directed by Alex Bram is a short horror piece that is very reminiscent of episodes of the early 1990’s TV show “Tales From The Crypt”. From the opening titles to the parting shot, almost every part of this film feels like it was shot specifically for that late night TV audience. This film combines just the right elements of sensuality, fear, and suspense.

“Body of Work” is the story of demented artist Jack Vogler and his bloody obsession with painting women and then killing them, draining their blood into his paint cans for future use. Or is it more a story about a pregnant woman 10 years later being besieged by the ghosts of the women Vogler killed 10 years later after she and her husband move into his old house? Actually this little under 25 minute short is both, with a little twist at the end.

The acting is a little on the dry side from every character that isn’t a ghost in this movie, but the cinematography really saves this flick overall, providing just the right amount of blood, and and equal amount of nostalgia (the ghosts of the murdered women, as they creep around outside and inside the house feel like they’re borrowed from several different horror movies from “What Lies Beneath” to “The Grudge”). That’s isn’t to say that these apparent homages take away from the film in any way, in fact they feel more like little inside jokes rather than an outright copy.

Alex Bram’s short would play just as well on TV (with little editing), as it would in any film festival lineup. I look forward to seeing what comes out of Panic Attack Films next.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I started to watch “Hive Mind”. From the title alone I certainly figured there would be a science fiction element to what I was seeing, so maybe there would be some flashy CGI in place of a dynamic story. Because it was an independent film I may have supposed that the acting might have been a little below what I was seeing in the theaters, and maybe I assumed that when I looked at the cover of the DVD case to see “a collectivist horror film starring you”, I figured there was going to be some trite hook involving social media or something else. The truth is none of those things could be farther from the truth.

Greg Trent’s performance shines as Doug Trench. He truly IS his character in this film. Ladd and he took what is essentially a “one man in a room” piece and turned it into a dynamic movie that hooks you and doesn’t let go. Trent makes you believe he’s been driven half mad from his seclusion. From the way he talks to his listeners (or lack thereof) over the airwaves, to how he relates to his “producer”, an old picture of a buddy of his on a wall that he basically treats as his Wilson (“Castaway” reference…And he does it better than Tom Hanks in my opinion).

The film’s cinematography is really well put together. Rather than relying on tried-and-true sci-fi/horror tricks (the dutch camera angles, the punctuated smash cuts, etc.), Ladd uses fairly traditional camerawork combined with interspersed graphical elements to show how the Hive Mind has intruded not only Doug’s mind, but also how it’s trying to reach OUR minds. Admittedly when I saw the first pop-up message I was a bit taken aback, and quite frankly thought that it was cheesy, but it actually grows on you throughout the movie and becomes less intrusive, and adds to the immersion of Doug’s world.

As far as the social element. The idea that the Hive Mind is everyone, and we are all the Hive Mind is something that Ladd used more subtly than I expected him to. Although breaking conventions and expectations seems to be what Ladd Ehlinger Jr. is good at. Using avatars from social media sites like Twitter, Ladd has basically made a dynamic collage of faces and brands to personify the Hive Mind (yes I’ll admit to looking for my own picture). This is a really effective method to bring the audience into this movie. It brings a bit of reality to the sci-fi story, and honestly it can be a fun little game to spot the people you follow in the myriad images flashing on the screen.

This movie is not what I expected. While it does seem to get a bit preachy (especially from a political standpoint), and does seem to feel a little long at some parts, “Hive Mind” is an entertaining look into modern pop culture and the conflicts of a man gone mad in a world of reason and normalcy.

We talk with the director of the short subject Slamdance pick “Mixtape”, Timothy Pfeffer. We discuss, among many other things, how you don’t actually have to know someone within the system to get your flick into this prestigious film festival. Timothy chats us up about how “Mixtape” went from student project to a validation of his career choice, and shines a light on just what “Mixtape” means to him.

It is rare when simulacrum, in the form of real life events, can have a true impact on a film. The untimely death of Heath Ledger did affect this film, however, as shocking as it sounds to say it, perhaps not in a negative way. No disrespect intended, as Heath Ledger did a fine job in this film. As a matter of fact he had this critic quite convinced that he was one type of character then he ended up being another entirely. Think of it this way, however, had Ledger’s character not been played by other actors, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell there would’ve been very little which was noteworthy about the film.

Yes, it’s incredibly inventive but it’s the kind of tale that takes so long to unwind itself that by the time you have it all sorted, one you may not have it sorted correctly and two you start to wonder why is this story being told in the first place. Gilliam is a tremendous visual artist and the irreverence and surrealism so gleefully on display in this film is admirable and on occasion quite funny but at times things just didn’t click, in fact more often than not.

One of the bigger problems is Andrew Garfield as Anton. Yes, his character is supposed to be somewhat annoying yet he is supposed to be right and the guy we pull for but he just ends up being annoying and in what was a very good cast he ends up sticking out like a very, very sore thumb.

The film centers around a bet between Dr. Parnassus, a god-like character if not God Himself, and the Devil, played by Tom Waits. Yet towards the end the terms of that bet become very muddled. Mr. Nick, as the Devil is called in this venture, invariably changes the terms of the bet to make it more sporting as he tends to do but then it becomes near impossible to figure out what “having gotten a soul” really is and even barring all that after all is seemingly lost Mr. Nick lets Parnassus off the hook.

Obviously, things can be read into the bartering of souls and gambling with the devil and what the Imaginarium ultimately signifies in the bigger picture of things, however, when a film fails to entertain on the surface digging becomes a tiresome venture. The best thing about the aforementioned tale is that it seems destined to repeat itself when we see the characters at the very end but the film seemed to be building towards some sort of finality so that’s not nearly the coup it should be.

There was a fabulous concept in a flashback where Parnassus was with the monks about a story constantly needing to be told and that was never followed through neither were some of the more intriguing paths this film could have taken.

Sadly, instead of giving us a lot of food for thought or sharp, biting satire the emotion associated with this film is more aptly stated as flummoxed for just as the Imaginarium itself the image may be pretty but there’s not nearly enough substance behind it.

Francis and Jerry talk to Wayne Shipley, director of the independent Western, One-Eyed Horse (www.one-eyedhorse.com). Background music by Jamison Young www.jamendo.com

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We do an international interview with New Breed director Ben Hicks from an alleyway in Tokyo, Japan.

With interviews from names like Kevin Smith, Troma’s Lloyd Kaufman, Jenna Fischer, and Film Threat founder and festival connoisseur Chris Gore, you can be sure to get several unique perspectives on the film festival process, and the dos and don’ts of bringing your movie to a film festival. “Official Rejection” shows not only the professional implications of moving from city to city as you try to find your audience, but also the personal issues that arise from being away from home, or taking your family with you on such journeys. The financial burden that the director incurs during this process is immense and can ruin them financially for their foreseeable future (although as the Scott Storm points out, divorce is MUCH more expensive).

Other features of this documentary tell of how various fests treat their visiting filmmakers. From swag bags and grand gala events to improperly printed programs and equipment issues ruining screenings, “Official Rejection” tells the good and bad from the fests they visit. In some cases they able to show some of the seediness that goes on in the backgrounds of some of these festivals that are supposedly there to help the filmmaker, but instead are more interested in celebrities, ego stroking, and the almighty world premiere status of a film. In other scenarios they show their caring audiences, helpful volunteers, and effective festival programmers that truly care about film and the people who make them.

If you’ve just made a movie and are considering the fest circuit as part of your marketing and distribution strategy, then you need to watch “Official Rejection”.

For more information on this documentary visit www.officialrejectiondocumentary.com

“The Lovely Bones” is a big letdown for me. The actors did a great job and the preview looks amazing. However, the movie tries to do too much. There are many unnecessary effects and a lot of the movie doesn’t make any sense. The two parts, Susie in the in between and her family looking for her, seem to have nothing to do with each other.
Besides the movie being boring, it’s boring for two hours. The only good parts are in the preview. I would have expected that with two hours they could have put more important parts in or connected the worlds better. Just because the editors can do fancy effects, doesn’t mean use for the hell of it. Someone who makes action movies should have stuck to their trade and leave this movie for someone more familiar to the genre.

As for the rest, the script is pretty good. It just needs to be condensed and some of the randomness needs to be explained more. Again, with as long as the movie is, they could have put more relevance in. I really would not recommend this movie. I wish the movie had been better. As I said previously, the preview is great as is the idea, but the movie itself could have used more work.

“Killing Kasztner” is just such a documentary as it brings to light a largely unknown, suppressed and unexplored chapter of the history of World War II and the infancy of the Israeli state. It examines the polarizing figure of Rezso Kasztner a Hungarian Jew who negotiated with Adolf Eichmann for the release of more than 1,600 Jewish prisoners. It investigates the controversy that exists surrounding the negotiation itself, the postwar implications, a trial Kasztner faced in Israel and his subsequent assassination at the hands of a young extremist Ze’ev Eckstein. Even walking into the film knowing all this beforehand you will still learn a great deal and it will provoke much thought and emotion throughout.

The film is an interesting one in as much as you not only hear the director/interviewer, Gaylen Ross, ask certain questions but also see the director on occasion, typically accompanying voice over she wrote and performed. It is most definitely an auteur’s approach to documentary film wherein the director is not an invisible hand but is to an extent involved and invested in the tale being told not unlike Werner Herzog is in some of his works. This involvement, however, is never obstructive and both sides of the story are presented and certain questions asked are never answered because they have no answers and so one could leave the film with either opinion of the man based on the facts presented. Moreover, this involvement works to the benefit of the film as just getting a little taste of what the story means to the person behind the camera raises the stakes for us as an audience a bit.

It is a film that tackles its subject matter from as many different angles as possible talking to many people on all sides of the tale from Kasztner’s family to his assassin, from the son of the man who tried him to the survivors who were saved by him and also journalists who covered him and were against him. A very full picture, in terms of participants, is painted of this very intricate story.

One of the truly great things about watching this film at Theatre N was that there was a Q & A with director/producer Gaylen Ross via Skype after the screening, where I was able to ask her about her handling visually of some of the interview footage with the assassin Ze’ev Eckstein. There was a different visual approach to him than all the other interview subjects. The shots were more close-up, sometimes extreme-close up on his mouth or eyes. Ross said she didn’t want him looking too “natural or dramatic” and that she wanted to “Separate him from the others in the story as just a force that’s present.” Thus, he’s differentiated from both those for and against Kasztner but he is not commented on by the filmmaking process itself, which is preferable.

It’s a fascinating and thought-provoking film that brings to light a story which should be part of common knowledge regarding the holocaust. The change in attitude regarding Kasztner even as Ms. Ross was in production is rather impressive. It is a well-crafted and well done documentary. It is also one with an evocative, haunting and moving score which is well-placed throughout.

It’s a sprawling tale that does deserve our full attention it uses just about all of its two hour running time to its advantage. It also deftly avoids sensationalizing potentially combustible confrontations and renders the situations with calm, insight and art.

To keep tabs on where this film is playing next please visit their official website.

The film begins with the camera staying in the kitchen and our protagonist Raquel, played by Catalina Saaverda, going in and out to serve the family dinner. The next scene opens on her birthday, an event that will be effectively distorted in a mirrored scene later, and she is embarrassed and doesn’t want to take part. We can see she wants to but can’t. This is one example of the contradictory nature that will be effectively revealed by Saaverda throughout.

What we have here is an examination of a world rarely looked at and also of a figure that though foreign to most American audiences, a maid, is still very much a part of the fabric of Latin households. We get a glimpse at the strong yet tenuous bond that exists in this household.

Saaverda’s performance was one of the most decorated of 2009 and it’s easy to see why. She carries the film with a gruff charm and though her actions may seem simple there is always intent and thought going into everything. Looks contain lines of dialogue undelivered and the simplest words uttered over a cell phone to her mother carry more profundity because of what is not said than because of what is.

As the maid struggles with her health, job security and personal insecurity we also see her deal with an influx of new maids brought in to give her help she doesn’t want. These battles help bring humor and tension to the mix.

The subtlety of the film and the performance can truly be felt when the character of Lucy is brought into the mix. For it is in an exchange where Lucy assures her “I’m not going to be here for the rest of my life. I’d rather die” where the change occurs. What we see on Saaverda’s face is reproach but what we really get, as an audience, is a turning point. Raquel slowly realizes Lucy really isn’t a threat to her job and she starts to confide in her.

It is typically in a lesser character where you can see how far a film goes to build character and to give them depth. Mundo, the patriarch of the family, seems like your typical aloof film father. He claims he’s going up to work in his office and is really just working on his model boat. This seems to be all that matters to him ever. When he finds his family on his bed frantically trying to piece it together after its been broken, quicker than expected he gets a hold of himself and allows perspective to enter his life and he says it’s no big deal.

It’s interesting to note that this film played at the European Film Market and the Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine at a running time twenty minutes longer than it currently is. It doesn’t necessarily have those pace issues at current. It takes its time and five minutes off would likely not change a thing. It’s good to see that it has been addressed and would actually be interesting to if an alternate cut makes the DVD.

While the highs are never that high and the lows are never that low this is a very strong and effective work from a director who knows how to put together an effective and thought-provoking tale. Silva is name who should be noted and have an eye kept on.

A Film Courage Film Festival Roundtable discussion with Festival Organizers Daniel Sol (HollyShorts) in studio while Phil Holbrook (EgoFest) and Johnathan McFarlane (Festivus Film Festival) join in via skype. They reveal how much money they make with their festivals, their relationships with filmmakers, and how much politics plays into selections.

Please visit FestivusFilmFestival, EgoFestFilms, and HollyShorts for more information on these festivals.

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In a world where most documentarians are out to expose corruption in the system, point out the unhealthiness of our modern lifestyles, or wage a personal war against a public figure, it is nice to see a filmmaker like Mary Mazzio who’s documentary “Ten9Eight” instead offers hope, shows that the American spirit is alive in today’s youth, and giving those who watch it an opportunity to see what the faces of the nation’s next potential CEO’s look like.

This film follows several students from lower-income areas all around the country and from all different backgrounds in a business plan competition. This competition, run by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, awards the winner ten thousand dollars to help develop their product or service. This kind of money could help make or break the dreams of these kids. Or could it?

One of the huge selling factors of this documentary are the people profiled in it. Mary doesn’t allow her subjects to wallow in the struggles of their past, but instead celebrates those struggles and growing pains. She shows that these kids would not be who they are today if it weren’t for the difficult lifestyles in which they were brought up, whether they be financially or culturally. All of her subjects and their families are treated equally and with respect. One of the hallmarks of this doc that you generally don’t get with other films is that there is no ulterior motive behind Mary’s piece. She is simple using the eye of the camera to showcase what these kids are doing, and not making a religious, political, or socio-economical statement about them. Rather than get into who these students are individually here, I would rather save the treat of the introduction to them and their business ideas for when you see the film. And you should definitely see this film!

The film travels with the kids through all the elimination rounds of the contest and even when some of the kids lost they took it in stride, some with tears, others without, but all with a hopeful air that this isn’t the last stop in their quests to take their businesses to the next level.

For more information on this film, including how you can see it, go to: www.1098.com
For more about how this film was made, and a little more from the director herself, check out our interview HERE!

The movie follows his hilarious, yet quite illegal, path back to his love. Nick is the guy girls wish they could meet: the guy that would do anything for them. Michael Cera does Nick Twisp justice. He looks like a bit of a geeky yet sweet guy and he is always funny. He’s definitely got the awkwardness down. Portia Doubleday, who plays Sheeni, also does a great job. She looks just as sweet as her character acts yet she also has the rebellious teenager act down pact. Put these two together on screen and you have yourself a cute and funny, rebellious couple. They make us all feel good.

The movie itself is brilliant. The script was constantly movie and hilarious. There wasn’t a dull moment from the opening masturbation scene to the end, which I won’t spoil. It’s fast pace really keeps your attention. The wild stunts that Nick pulls off in his attempts to get Sheeni are things many people only wish they could do. “Youth in Revolt” is a movie for everyone, granted they are old enough to see it. It has the humor for the guys and it has the sweet love story for the girls. It is definitely a very well rounded movie with its humor, romance, and little tidbits of action. I would absolutely recommend this as a great movie to see whether it is just with some friends or even as a date movie. It’s sure to strike up a great conversation.

Francis and Jerry welcome back J. Michael Whalen and Paul Busetti for part 2 of their discussion on directors of the decade. Background music by Jamison Young www.jamendo.com

Films We Mention:

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This episode we chat with SABI director, New Breed Member, and Cinefist founder Zak Forsman.

Accompanying Firth in a few of his more pivotal scenes is Julianne Moore. Moore doesn’t have a lot of screen time in this film but she uses it to her full advantage playing her character remarkably and in so little time breathing life into Charley. In a fascinating bit of turnabout she put on a British accent and is hardly distinguishable from Firth in authenticity.

Conversely Nicholas Hoult, who is British, plays an American and much more convincingly so than when he co-starred in “The Weather Man.” His scene opposite Firth in the bar was quite memorable and he was perhaps the perfect casting choice as the young man who gives our protagonist a glimmer of hope.

The cast of the film overall is exceptional and because all the scenes were of an intimate nature, in terms of emotion if not subject matter, all actors in parts large and small had to connect and play up to Colin Firth and they did so tremendously.

The edit of this film is likely to go unrecognized and thus we shall call attention to it here. Both aesthetically and technically it is a job very well done. With ease it manipulates our perception of reality on one occasion but more often than not it combines with the cinematography to give the perfect launching point for a flashback. One of the flashbacks being shot in black and white was also a very welcome touch.

The greatest tool at the disposal of the cineast is the ability for him to manipulate time. This film manipulates time brilliantly as we see virtually the entire story of this man’s adult life unfold itself over the course of a day. So much is learned so simply and quickly.

Having all of the events take place over the course of one day is also a great benefit to the film as it lends immediacy and urgency to even the most mundane of actions. As the day starts we think we see how it will end and makes every moment have that much more surpassing beauty because of it.

This is a film which is a subtle tragedy. In as much as the audience experiences the tragedy of events much more so than the characters involved. The film also leaves you wanting more and leaves you wondering what happened to characters after it faded to black for the last time.

Its release will widen on January 15th.

Filmmaker Phil Calderone drops by the Film Courage studio to discuss his film Manhater which has it’s upcoming World Premiere next week on January 11th and 12th at the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema. Phil shares how he financed Manhater, his festival strategy, and what kept him from quitting during the 5-year filmmaking process.

For more on Phil’s work, please visit ManHaterMovie

It consistently and effectively uses voice over narration and the narration serves many purposes: it informs, pushes the tale along and greatly entertains. The narration is also well delivered by the film’s writer, director and star Micki Mihich.

There are cutaways which are used very creatively in this film, for example, cutting to a definition on a dictionary page or to our narrator talking in another location, this technique was somewhat reminiscent of Tarantino. There is also a quick and effectively shot flashback, which is somewhat reminiscent of Argento. Even though the aforementioned techniques were reminiscent of renowned directors both in this film had their own flair and the combination of them in the same story makes them unique and an homage.

“The 100th Job” is the tale of a hit man with an interesting past and an even more interesting present. The past made all the more interesting by the fact that this hitman used to be a very special brand of serial killer who is sure to make any film buff chuckle.

The title refers to the kill that will make our protagonist a made man. As the tagline suggests “On the 100th Job, everything changes” and the film delivers a fantastic twist at the end which is perfectly timed.

What is also very unique for a short is that it has a very memorable and catchy score composed by Marcos Kleine.

This is a great short film that is worth seeking out as it is on the festival circuit at the moment.

50 Most Important Religious Films

FilmSnobbery.com is paying tribute to the union of the sacred and cinematic with its list of the 50 Most Important Religion Films of All Time.

Covering the full spectrum of film history – from the silent movies to digital filmmaking, with stops in Hollywood, Indiewood and the global cinema – the 50 Most Important Religion Films of All Times weighs reverential dramas, irreverent comedies, provocative documentaries and even horror films that span the diverse ways that filmmakers have come to view Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

“Few topics manage to provoke audiences the way that religion can,” says Phil Hall, film scholar and author of “The History of Independent Cinema” (BearManor Media, 2009), who helped compile and edit the list.  “Sometimes the provocation is reassuring, sometimes it creates agitation.  Inevitably, it causes moviegoers to express their views and to seek out other opinions on the subject. At the end of the day, this is what motion pictures were meant to do – take passive audience observers and make them active players in considering the subject being presented.”

The 50 Most Important Religion Films of All Time, according to FilmSnobbery.com, are as follows:

1. The Ten Commandments (1956) – Cecil B. DeMille’s lavish spectacle continues to enchant film lovers with its opulent reconsideration of the Book of Exodus. A wild mix of special effects, sex appeal, an all-star ensemble and even a wicked dance number around the Golden Calf, the film still resonates as brilliantly over-the-top entertainment.

2. The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964) – It took a gay Marxist (in this case, Pier Paolo Pasolini) to offer a visceral yet emotional consideration on the life of Jesus. The neorealist visual style and the gifted nonprofessional cast offered a rough, visceral reconsideration of Jesus’ ministry.

3. Fiddler on the Roof (1971) – The pull between the well-defined parameters of religious tradition and the challenges of a changing secular world is the crux of this moving passionate film adaptation of the classic Broadway musical.

4. The Passion of the Christ (2004) – Mel Gibson’s controversial vision of the death of Jesus brought a new attention to religion-themed films, while forcing a revived debate on issues that divided different faiths for centuries.

5. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) – Carl-Theodor Dreyer’s visually jolting recreation of the trial and execution of the French saint (brilliantly played by Renee Falconetti in her only starring role) is among the most emotionally unsettling productions ever created.

6. Life of Brian (1979) – Monty Python’s irreverent riff achieved the impossible by finding intelligent satire within a sacred subject matter.

7. Intolerance (1916) – D.W. Griffith’s groundbreaking masterpiece weaves three historic stories of religious intolerance – the fall of Babylon, the Crucifixion and the St. Bartholomew Day’s Massacre – with a fourth modern secular tale, resulting in a epic commentary on the challenge to maintain faith in an evil world.

8. The Nun’s Story (1959) – Fred Zinnemann’s mature adaptation of Kathryn Hulme’s novel provides an intelligent understanding of the inner struggle of maintaining a holy order in the midst of personal and political upheavals.

9. The Exorcist (1973) – William Friedkin frames the endless good-versus-evil struggle against a gory backdrop of demonic possession, creating one of the most influential and effective horror films of all time.

10. Dogma (1999) – Kevin Smith’s twisted satire originally generated concern from several Catholic organizations, but it has since been recognized as a devastatingly original comedy where heavenly good trumps the machinations of miscreant fallen angels.

11. The Blues Brothers (1980) – Jake and Elwood Blues are on a “mission from God” to save a Catholic orphanage, although their mission allows them time to indulge in vibrant music numbers and classic slapstick comedy.

12. Body and Soul (1925) – Oscar Micheaux explores the chaos created by a charlatan preacher in a pioneering all-black silent drama that gave Paul Robeson his first film role.

13. The Jazz Singer (1927) – The film that planted sound in films was, at its core, a human drama about a young performer’s struggle to walk away from his family’s Orthodox Jewish heritage in favor of the flash and glamour of show business.

14. Devi (1960) – Satyajit Ray considered the tragic implications of religious obsession in this dark drama of a man who believes his young daughter is an incarnation of a Hindu goddess.

15. Black Narcissus (1947) – The physical isolation of a Catholic convent in the Himalayas creates severe emotional trials for a group of British nuns, who slowly realize they are unsuited for both their new surroundings and their religious vocation.

16. Becket (1964) – The political battle of wills between England’s King Henry II and Archbishop Thomas a Becket results in a power struggle that determines whether the ultimate authority rests in the church or the crown.

17. The Dybbuk (1937) – The Yiddish-language Polish classic mixes Hasidic Jewish culture with a legendary ghost story, in which the spirit of a Talmudic scholar possesses the body of his forbidden love, who is engaged to marry another man.

18. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) – Norman Jewison’s vibrant film version of the Andrew Lloyd Weber-Tim Rice musical uses Holy Land locations for its funky retelling of the final days of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

19. The Song of Bernadette (1943) – Jennifer Jones won the Academy Award for her portrayal of Bernadette Soubirous in this tasteful, sincere, big-budget biopic.

20. Submission (2004) – Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh’s short film about misogynistic violence enforced through idiosyncratic Koranic interpretations created a harsh debate on Islamic tenets. The film’s controversy resulting the Van Gogh’s murder by a Muslim extremist.

21. Elmer Gantry (1960) – Richard Brooks’ adaptation of the Sinclair Lewis novel mixes the sacred and the profane in a bold tale of a con artist’s infiltration of a fundamentalist Christian organization.

22. Going My Way (1944) – The light-hearted classic about a pair of all-too-human priests (played by Oscar winners Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald) was the top-grossing film of its year.
23. Blood of Jesus (1941) – Spencer Williams’ drama about a dying woman’s test of faith is considered by many film scholars to be among the finest films from the African-American “race film” genre.

24. From the Manger to the Cross (1912) – Filmed on location in the Holy Land, this early silent classic was among the top-grossing films of its time, which helped to usher in the production of additional religion-based titles.

25. Man in the Fifth Dimension (1964) – Billy Graham’s film essay on the spiritual dimensions of the human condition had its premiere at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. It is also noteworthy as the only non-theatrical film shot in the widescreen Todd-AO process.

26. Plan 10 from Outer Space (1994) – Trent Harris’ low-budget underground comedy reimagines Mormon history with a singing Karen Black as the extra-terrestrial wife of Brigham Young.

27. The Burmese Harp (1956) – Kon Ichikawa’s stark anti-war drama focuses on a Japanese soldier who adopts the lifestyle of a Buddhist monk during the closing days of World War II.

28. Galileo (1974) – Joseph Losey’s adaptation of the Bertolt Brecht play puts science and theology on a collision course, with the 17th century astronomer’s open challenge and bitter defeat to church-defined notions of scientific principles.

29. Ordet (1956) – Carl Theodor Dreyer’s intense drama details the frayed emotional bonds of a family whose members either embrace religion to the point of mania or bitterly reject the faith, thus making them pariahs.

30. A Jihad for Love (2007) Parvez Sharma’s documentary breaks the taboo on the pressures faced by gay and lesbian Muslims seeking to balance their religious heritage with their sexual orientation.

31. The Golem (1920) – Paul Wegener’s silent classic offers a stylish adaptation of the legendary tale of a clay monster created to protect the Jewish citizens of 16th century Prague.

32. Chariots of Fire (1981) – The Best Picture Oscar winner details the parallel struggles of two British runners – one Jewish, one Christian – whose respective faiths define their efforts to compete in the 1920 Olympics.

33. Yentl (1983) – Barbra Streisand starred in and directed this musical adaptation of the Isaac Bashevis Singer story of a Jewish girl disguising herself as a boy in order to gain a Talmudic education.

34. Siddartha (1972) – Conrad Rooks’ handsome film adaptation of the Herman Hesse novel follows a young Indian nobleman’s indefatigable search to find the answers to human salvation.

35. Vajra Sky Over Tibet (2006) Documentary filmmaker John Bush surreptitiously filmed Tibet’s Buddhist temples in a study of how the ancient religion has managed to persevere in the face of brutal Communist Chinese occupation and repression.

36. The Mahabharata (1989) – Peter Brooks’s six-hour film offers an intense yet visually imaginative adaptation of the sacred Hindu text.

37. The Robe (1953) – The first feature film released in CinemaScope was this Biblical epic that imagined the fate of the garment worn by Jesus prior to the Crucifixion.

38. Woman Thou Art Loosed (2004) – T.D. Jakes played himself in Michael Shultz’ film version of his novel, which details a crack addict’s painful road to self-healing and spiritual solace.

39. Ben-Hur (1926) – The $6 million extravaganza was the single most expensive film producing during the silent film period.

40. Ben-Hur (1959) – The celebrated remake of the 1926 classic set a record for winning 11 Academy Awards – a feat that was matched twice (by Titanic and Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King) but never surpassed.

41. Romero (1989) – Raul Julia played the assassinated Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero in this Paulist-produced independent feature film.

42. Little Margaret (1986) – An independently-produced biopic stars Lucia Pucci as Blessed Margaret of Castello (1287-1320), the Italian nun who rose above childhood trauma – she was abandoned by parents who were ashamed of her blindness and physical disability – to achieve a state of piety that moved all who came to know her.

43. The Boys of St. Vincent (1992) – John N. Smith broke a taboo in his bold retelling of a 1980s sexual abuse scandal at a Canadian boys orphanage.

44. Barabbas (1962) – Richard Fleischer’s acclaimed film of the Pär Lagerkvist novel imagines the fate of the thief who was freed by popular demand when Pontius Pilate was judging the fate of Jesus.

45. Joan of Arc at the Stake (1954) – Robert Rosselini’s film version of the oratorio by Paul Claudel and Arthur Honegger stars the director then-wife Ingrid Bergman as the French saint during the period of her imprisonment, trial and execution.

46. Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002) – The computer-generated animated feature mixes Christian philosophy and anthropomorphic vegetables into a family-friendly tale that emphasizes the concepts of mercy and compassion.

47. The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) – George Stevens’ artistic epic retelling of the life of Jesus features an all-star cast, with the rugged terrain of the American Southwest used to represent the Holy Land.

48. The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob (1973) – Gerard Oury’s wild slapstick romp finds a Catholic bigot and an Arab revolutionary leader hiding amidst a Hasidic Jewish community in Paris, while police detectives and terrorists vainly try to apprehend them.

49. Das Mirakel (1912) – A groundbreaking German film version, directed by Cherry Kearton and Max Reinhardt, used an early sound recording technology for its story of the statue of the Virgin Mary coming to life to replace the absence of a wayward nun.

50. The Last Jews of Libya (2007) – Vivienne Roumani-Denn’s documentary details the decline and eventual disappearance of a once-vibrant Jewish population in North Africa.



Rather than re-hash the entirety of this documentary in an attempt to review it, I would rather make the point that regardless if you are a republican or a democrat (hell, Condi was both), you would do well to take a peek at this documentary as it gives some great insight into the political process from several points of view close to Condoleezza, and from moments that have been recorded throughout her career. This film illustrates that people are neither left wing nor right wing, and that some people just try to do what they feel is right for themselves in the moment, even if that action, or lack thereof is not necessarily what is right for the nation.

The first third or more of this film is about Condoleezza Rice’s childhood and academic career, as well as her early entry into politics. This part of the documentary is exactly how docs should be shot, and would make veteran documentary directors like Albert Maysles proud. The rest of the film focuses much on the war in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as touching briefly on the tragedy of hurricane Katrina. The director at this point seems to paint the picture of a more cold, calculating, and almost evil Condoleezza Rice at this point using darker photography with long shadows either coming from the subject, or covering her. The music that is used during this part of the movie has hints of war drums, and a score that would feel more at home in a horror movie rather than a documentary. If this was a biopic that was more narrative driven, I could forgive that, but in this case it seems that the director wants to directly influence and guide the audience on how to feel about this person rather than giving a straightforward portrayal.

It is certainly shot well, it keeps attention focused (which can sometimes be hard to do with a documentary), and makes you both sympathize with and hate the subject all within the span of an hour and a half.

More information on this movie at IndiesDirect!

The casting was wonderfully done and the lead role of Brian (played by Will Neely) had just the right amount of snark and wit, while still seeming a bit vulnerable. The rest of the cast was also hilarious as they played every gay and lesbian stereotype that has been seen on TV and in the movies (and in most people’s heads). It was over the top, and rightfully so to show the ridiculousness of how some people who are against gay and lesbian equality really are.

The cinematography pulls from many styles as well. There is a very well done “Jaws” pull-back moment that was pulled off expertly. The only thing that I can really that needed a little trimming was some of the dialogue scenes where Ralph was on the phone with his girlfriend Lisa (Autumn Gillette). I don’t know what it is about indie movies, but those scenes are always the poorest done. Not to say that it was bad. It got the point across, but the transitions between the two callers were somewhat awkward and could have had a few frames cut here and there, also a little more conversation coming from the phones on the cut wouldn’t have been a bad idea either. This moves the scene forward and keeps the pacing consistent.

Overall a great short. It’s been traveling around the festival circuit for a little while now, and if you have a chance to catch it in your area I highly recommend taking less than 20 minutes to check it out!

More information on this film on it’s Official Site!

Francis and Jerry welcome back J. Michael Whalen and Paul Busetti to discuss the directors of the decade. Part 1 of 2.

Check out the trailer for ROULETTE, the new film from TIDLIFS’s first guest, Erik Kristopher Myers:
http://www.ethanmeyer.com/Etypical_Productions/roulette/Entries/2009/12/23_.html

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Some people might think I’m insane by telling everyone not to listen to film critics. I don’t really consider myself to be a film critic. I am a film lover. I watch film with the eye of an art patron. I might not know art, but I know what I like. Some art I like better than others, just as there are some films that I like better than others. But I have a healthy respect for film and the arduous process for how film is made and how it finds its way to an audience. When I review a movie, I do just that, I review it. I try not to criticize it because intrinsically the word criticize connotes a negative response.

Film criticism is to cinema, as film school is to cinema. Just because you went to a good film school does not mean you can make a good movie. In fact, you are not a filmmaker in film school. You are not a filmmaker until you pick up a camera and make a film, and film schools delay you from doing this by taking up your time in class and filling your head with conventions and methods that other people who have actually MADE a movie have already figured out. Film criticism is similar in that regard because all film critics do is prevent filmmakers from making true art. They tell filmmakers that because their film does not conform to a certain set of learned criteria that it is bad, or somehow unworthy of public viewing. Some critics give the classic thumbs-up, thumbs-down approach, similar to a convention that was used in gladiatorial arenas in ancient Rome to decide whether or not a competitor was worthy to live or die. How did these critics become the gatekeepers of good taste? They could collectively watch every movie ever made but that still does not make them experts on film. All that makes them is experts on convention. They know the ins and outs of the 180 degree rule, the dutch camera angle, the wide shot, the cowboy. They have memorized what has come before, to pass judgment on what is to come. This is wrong.

Film in general has not had a true significant evolution in over two decades. New types of films that truly make an effort to break away from convention rarely are given the same type of regard as a movie that follows simple rules like a three-act structure, the classic character archetypes, or conflicts. These movies are sometimes even viewed as amateur. Was Picasso an amateur? He created art that was unconventional. His paintings were vastly different from what his contemporaries were doing. However now his art is regarded sometimes as being better than theirs, and mostly because it is so different. This is what filmmakers should strive for, and this is what film critics should look for rather than falling back on learned behaviors.

There are many factors that contribute to a film critic’s viewing experience. There is the environmental factor. Where is the critic viewing your movie? Is he or she at home watching it on a big screen TV with a Dolby surround sound system? Are they alone? Is it day or night? Are they in the theater surrounded by a group of their peers who are also evaluating the film? Or are they in a theater with a group of fans who already hold the film in high regard?

There are emotional factors as well. Is the film critic having a good day? Are they hungry? Thirsty? How are things going for them at home? Are there other thoughts that they might be preoccupied with while viewing your movie?

I bring this up because I want to illustrate that film critics are just regular people who are prone to the same issues as anyone else. Their opinions can be swayed for any number of reasons, and even the best, most experienced film critics may have a differing opinion of a movie on a second viewing. When having film a film critic view your movie, treat it like a trip to the doctors office, and afterwords try to get a second opinion. If you made a movie and a critic doesn’t like it, that does not mean it is a bad movie, it just means that the critic is not part of your audience. If your goal is to make a film that appeals to the widest audience possible, and you need it to advance your career, then go ahead and listen to what that critic has to say. But if you are making film as an expression of art, then let time be the judge as to whether or not your film is any good.

Acting Coach and Actor Barry Papick is in the Film Courage studio to tell us whether or not we all have the ability to ‘act,’ what actors can do to book more acting work, mistakes that directors make in working with their actors and insights from working with Al Pacino and Gus Van Sant.

For more on Barry’s work please visit imdb

Francis and Jerry welcome back J. Michael Whalen to talk about art vs. craft and marathon film festivals. Check out J. Michael Whalen’s website at www.torasuproductions.com

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TROMA ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES
BLU-RAY RELEASE OF ‘POULTRYGEIST’
Classic Independent Film Company Goes High Def
With Its First Blu-Ray on Feb. 23

“Plays like a grindhouse analogue to the psychosexual provocations
of the artist Paul McCarthy and is every bit as liberating…
It is just about as perfect as a film predicated on the
joys of projectile vomiting and explosive diarrhea can be.”
Nathan Lee, THE NEW YORK TIMES

December 23, 2009 (New York, NY): After grossing the highest per-theater average in the nation on its opening weekend and playing in 300 American cinemas, Troma’s latest theatrical hit is going high-def. Troma Entertainment announced today that it will enter the Blu-ray market with the February 23 release of Lloyd Kaufman’s POULTRYGEIST: NIGHT OF THE CHICKEN DEAD. Troma’s most critically-acclaimed film of the decade, POULTRYGEIST will be the first in Troma’s new line of special edition Blu-ray discs, with a new Blu-ray to follow every month!

Shot and screened on 35mm, the film blends the feather ruffling politics of FAST FOOD NATION, the satire of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, and the show-stopping musical numbers of THE TOXIC AVENGER: THE MUSICAL to skewer the fast food industry, limousine liberals, and almost everyone else in American society.

An homage to true grindhouse horror with Rogers and Hart caliber musical numbers, POULTRYGEIST has been hailed as “a masterpiece!” (Ain’t It Cool News) “Without a doubt, the best film Troma’s ever produced (Jason Pollack, C.H.U.D.). Variety exclaims, “It’s a veritable Cluckwork Orange!” Director Lloyd Kaufman, who has been credited with inventing the “slapstick gore” movie in 1985 with THE TOXIC AVENGER, continues his visionary body of work with this “fowl movement.”

“POULTRYGEIST continues Troma Entertainment’s long history of cinematic political activism,” says Kaufman, who is also the co-founder of Troma Entertainment. “Big Media puts the Kool-Aid in the water and brainwashes the public to line up at fast food joints like obese, artery clogged zombies… except in our film it’s chicken-Indian zombies. The American Indians were exterminated and so are billions of innocent chickens! The zombie is a perfect metaphor.”

Highlights from the Blu-ray include as follows: new commentary tracks by stars Jason Yachanin and Kate Graham, a commentary track by director Lloyd Kaufman and writer/editor Gabriel Friedman, Poultry in Motion: Truth is Stranger than Chicken, a hilarious and unflinching feature-length behind-the-scenes documentary, the short film Chicken Ass, Ron Jeremy’s alternate “happy ending,” and much more.

About Troma Entertainment
Based in New York City, Troma Entertainment is the oldest, continually operating, fully independent movie studio in the world. Since 1974, Troma has produced, acquired, and distributed more than one thousand feature films and T.V. programs in all genres and from all regions of the globe. Best known for THE TOXIC AVENGER, Troma has helped bring to the world the best and brightest talents in entertainment, ranging from master Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki (Troma’s 1993 release of his MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO was the first Miyazaki movie to be given a wide American theatrical release) to American humorists Matt Stone and Trey Parker (Troma’s 1996 release of their CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL would shine the spotlight of their incredible humor almost two years before their deserved success with SOUTH PARK). Troma-produced films have also been the starting ground for such actors as Academy Award® winners Kevin Costner (SIZZLE BEACH USA), David Straithairn (WHEN NATURE CALLS) and Marisa Tomei (THE TOXIC AVENGER), as well as Chris Noth (WAITRESS!), Samuel L. Jackson (DEF BY TEMPTATION), Gates McFadden, Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas (MONSTER IN THE CLOSET), Vincent D’Onofrio (THE FIRST TURN-ON!), and more!

When three very different people (Mike Baldwin, Will Haza, Ali Lukowski) from three completely different worlds begin a deadly game of Russian Roulette, they soon discover that their pasts are a trilogy of overlapping events that have brought them together for one last session of group therapy.

Filmmaker David C. Snyder Skypes into Film Courage to talk about his film “The Quiet Arrangement”. David discusses lessons he learned in making 2 bad feature films on videotape, how he crafts the beautiful shots found in his film, and how he got Public Enemy rapper Chuck D involved in the project.

For more on David’s work visit QuietArrangement

December 18, 2009 (New York, NY) – While the eyes of the world follow the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, audiences can watch the film that tackled the issues of those wars years in advance. Troma Entertainment today announced the 1/26 release of Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz’s TROMA’S WAR on special edition DVD. Misunderstood upon initial release for its ruthless satire, audiences have since embraced TROMA’S WAR as one of the great anti-war films. The film’s controversial depictions of violence and AIDs, a subject virtually swept under the rug by the media and popular culture in 1988, led to a long battle with the MPAA that resulted in a butchered R-rated cut of the movie. For the upcoming special edition DVD, Troma has lovingly restored the uncut version of the film, making it more than a worthy follow-up to the critically-acclaimed Troma Retro re-release of COMBAT SHOCK.

After achieving major success around the world with the satires THE TOXIC AVENGER and CLASS OF NUKE ’EM HIGH, Kaufman and Herz set out to make the ultimate action satire criticizing Reaganism. Rick Washburn (ANGEL HEART) and Jessica Dublin (FELLINI SATYRICON) lead an ensemble cast of American tourists who crash land on a remote Caribbean island that is home to a ruthless terrorist group. The survivors retaliate against the threat of improvised explosive devices and mass poisonings such as anthrax, making TROMA’S WAR a film ahead of its time. With a multi-million dollar budget, TROMA’S WAR is the famed independent studio’s most expensive and elaborate production. Exclusive bonus features on this special edition DVD include “Veteran’s Day: A Post-Tromatic Reunion,” “Kill-O-Meter” (all the carnage of TROMA’S WAR with none of the story!), a commentary by director Lloyd Kaufman, vintage interviews with cast and crew, and much more.

“I have long maintained that TROMA’S WAR is our undiscovered masterpiece,” recalls Lloyd Kaufman. “Originally released during the 1980s, a decade of American Cold War machismo, TROMA’S WAR was our answer to Reagan and Rambo… We felt that ‘war’ was a word that seemed to be on everyone’s lips these days. We thought it would be interesting to drop some typical ‘harmless’ citizens of Tromaville into a war environment. We also had some things to say about who is ‘pulling the strings’ concerning war and terrorism.”

Taylor’s mother and father are expecting a new baby, and Taylor seems only able to connect with her grandfather Jack, who opts to treat her more like a young adult rather than the child that her parents still believe her to be. The film hedges pretty heavily on the plot device that Jack has been teaching Taylor how to drive. Early in the movie this comes into play when the two of them steal Taylor’s father’s vintage Mercedes to get a hands-on experience driving and end up almost getting into an accident. This prompts Taylor’s father to place Jack into an elder care home. This doesn’t sit well with Taylor and the rest of the movie is essentially her trying to figure out a way to rescue Jack from this nursing home.

The movie is shot beautifully on 35mm, but the editing could have been a little tighter. It seems often that there is just a split second that could have been cut during dialogue scenes between the characters to increase the pace and tension in some of the moments. The characters of Taylor and Jack as great and their chemistry is completely believable. However the parental characters are pretty blase and generic, easily forgotten but also necessary as a foil to Kate’s character. This is not to say the acting was sub-par in the least, in fact it was quite good, but the characters themselves could have been a bit more rounded and dynamic.

Overall I did enjoy watching this movie, and would certainly recommend it as a flick to watch with your parents or grandparents during a night stranded inside. The film does a good job of getting its point across without being too heavy-handed, and its conclusion is far more original than one might think.

We talk with indie uber-producer John Paul Rice about DVD pricing, connecting with your audience, and the changing landscape of indie film distribution.

Several aspects of this book work very well for documentaries while narrative filmmakers will have to do some creative adapting in order to get the most out of the info in “Think Outside the Box Office”. Why it might seem that some of the sections in this book that deal with educational licensing might not apply to you, just keep in mind that a film like “Birth of A Nation” is now considered to be required watching in film history classes as well as American History classes. Same goes with made-for-TV movies like “Roots”. So if there is a market in the education field for their movies, you might be able to use some of the info in this book to do the same for yours.

This book focuses a lot on finding and maintaining your audience through repeat contact, clever marketing, and social innovation. You may have made a movie with one particular theme or subject, but this book shows that there are many different audiences for it, and gives some guidelines as to how to find those audiences. While it does seem that a lot of Jon’s methods involve spending quite a bit of money on your marketing plan and distribution (he follows Ted Hope’s theory of a 50/50 marketing budget (50 percent of your total production budget goes to the film, while the other 50 percent goes to the P&A)), I believe that most of what is covered can be done cheaper. That doesn’t necessarily make either opinion right or wrong, but filmmakers reading this book should keep in mind their overall budget and plan accordingly. That being said, Jon makes a great point of starting you marketing very early into your production, and possibly even into pre-production.

“Think Outside the Box Office” is an ambitious book by Jon Reiss. It attempts to fit the whole of cinematic marketing and distribution into roughly 350 pages. What Jon has attempted is no small feat, but I certainly believe that this book is a good starting reference for indie filmmakers who feel lost in the woods. More information on this book, as well as a continued dialog with Jon and other filmmakers can be found over at www.thinkoutsidetheboxoffice.com

Francis and Jerry talk to filmmaker and award winning cinematographer J. Michael Whalen, visit his website at www.torasuproductions.com

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It is interesting to note Herzog insisted he wasn’t doing a remake but producers added the insinuation with the title, for marketing purposes and in crediting the original writer, for fear of law suit. What is most intriguing and at the same time most vexing about this film is that it is a tale which has a lot of circles, and they all close such that the film is nearly a Spirograph and the beauty of such a thing is in the eye of the beholder. The only reason it is vexing is because all these separate subplots are fine except a majority of them resolve themselves within two minutes of each other to very comedic effect, whether intentional or not.

Nicolas Cage is getting very good reviews for this film and they are deserved, the only minor caveat I will add is that saying this is him at his best may be a little inaccurate. Perhaps this is him in his type. As I scan his filmography I see where I have liked him previously and he was depressed, frantic or addicted to something. Where he’s been most effective has been in The Weather Man, Adaptation and Matchstick Men to mention more previous work, where he usually gets hammered, looks uncomfortable and falters greatly is in action parts like Knowing. No speculation as to why that is but the Nicolas Cage seen in this film is scarcely the same man as he was in Knowing and thank goodness for that because he has to carry the film.

In the end it is definitely an interesting film and not your usual fare. It leaves you torn between the comedy and the sad absurdity of the situation. At some point it does almost become a bit too much but all that is alleviated by a brilliantly directed and acted closing scene. A scene which frames the starting point of the troubles in the tale and while substance abuse seems to be over you’re left to wonder about the rest.

What Herzog does in this film can be best described as flirting with film noir. Flirting is as far as it ever goes because Herzog will never tie himself down to the conventions of genre but the seedy underworld elements are there as well as the lack of a moral compass, yet with so many frames thrown into the mix and some of the camera-work it could never be considered as such- barring the obvious fact that it is in color. It also resembles the progeny of those who loved noir, the New Wave, with some standard technique thrown in for good measure.

Herzog really works brilliantly with this cast which is part of what brings such a strange story home in the end. So well does he work with them that two actors in particular were nearly unrecognizable because of how they acted in their roles: one being Xzibit as Big Fate, the drug dealer who is the target of an investigation McDonagh (Cage) is heading the other being Fairuza Balk as a Highway Patrol Officer.

What is also interesting is that the story followed in the film for a significant portion of it is the execution of an immigrant family in the slums of New Orleans. That investigation vanishes after a while like a red herring but then works its way back in very interestingly.

What Herzog creates here is as always an interesting cinematic experience but also a transparent and approachable story line that perhaps will get people interested in his work. This may be about as close to convention as he ever is but you do get a taste for his style.

Through the course of it you almost need to remind yourself that these are interpretations of the historical figures and that they are wonderful because the tale takes over in full force. To bring to a close this portion of the discussion Christian McKay is absolutely uncanny in his portrayal of Orson Welles. He is made to look like him and what’s most important he sounds a great deal like him. Similarly Joseph Tupper playing the important supporting role of Joseph Cotten was as impressive.

What truly works in this film is that you see the tale through the eyes of a youth instead of having Welles being front and center. It makes it a memoir, albeit a fictionalized one and less of a biopic which has completely different trappings. It also gives us someone to sympathize with, another character who is also, for the most part, observing the proceedings. However, that task is no easy one and is deftly handled by Zac Efron. It is another example of Richard Linklater having absolute confidence in the tale he’s telling and not being worried about the association a casting choice might create. As much as School of Rock is a Jack Black movie watch Black’s other work and you’ll see Linklater had much to do with it.

Efron, however, is by no means a prop. Yes, he does sing on occasion here but he is also the engaging eye through which we view this tale. The end of the film is somewhat open but what is pleasurable is that a subplot that easily and unobtrusively inserts itself in each act is resolved as its end-piece. What is also thrilling to witness is the recreation of the production of Julius Caesar which is not only well-shot, well-edited and also narratively tells the tale and gives you a sense of the accomplishment this is based of rehearsal scenes and also the tremendous success the show. This sequence is even humorously capped with Welles waiting for his curtain call saying “How do I top this?”

Having mentioned the sets, costumes and props earlier each of them was great in this particular production. Sets in particular because street scenes were shot in England. The props shine almost immediately with Efron flashing a train ticket. The costumes were also spot on, they typically only are noticed in period pieces because people want to believe they’ve been transported in time and that accuracy is important but bad decisions are noticeable and there are none here in that regard.

As enjoyable as it is, there is the duplicity of the tale towards the end and also it does get a little long in the tooth in the second act but overall it is very much worth the time and quite an exciting venture.

Most of the quiet, sparsely-dialogued film involves Arnau, played by Marc Soto, looking for extra work, going to a dog track or debating whether to sell his prize-winning goldfinch. He is mostly on his own and in many ways caught between adulthood and childhood. One minute he is pounding the backroads seeking more hours of work anywhere he can find them, but he is tending to a wounded fox the next.

The scoring of this film is very distinctive and it never overpowers or sentimentalizes anything but it does help push the story about and also keeps the correct middling tone. A tone believed to be desired because there is little seen of this incarcerated mother, she is seen briefly and it is understood. It is in essence a very observational film. It’s a window into a world.

There are many hurdles and many disappointments which take this film to its conclusion. The ending is open so divulging too many plot details would allow one to know exactly how it stays open.

It is a film that ultimately stays visual so bear with it and eventually you will understand what competition he enters the finch into and to an extent what the judging criteria is. Other things within the film which might also seem foreign but eventually do come to make sense.

Marc Soto is described in the writings accompanying this film as a newcomer, however, the pedigree of a film actor can be gauged more so when they say nothing than when they speak and Soto’s pedigree seems to belie his experience. Words are the domain of the theatre actor; a film actor has to be able to hold our interest in quiet moments of which this film has many. Will we watch him behave and not just speak? Yes. Do you see him thinking? For as much interaction as Soto has yes there is definitely potential for a new star of Spanish cinema to have been born in this part.

When minimalism in a minimal environment occurs it can be much easier to accept. When minimalism occurs in an urban/suburban environment, as it does in this film, it is asking for a bit more patience from its audience. Does the film reward the audience for its patience? Ultimately, I believe that answer to be yes. It’s not a tremendous reward but it is also not a shortchanging experience. It is the type of film that may even go up a rating point or two upon a second viewing as you examine how it works but it does involve you in the avenues that Arnau investigates to try and earn more money and also involves you in how he tries to go about rectifying his missteps.

Also, if you are a fan of Spanish cinema you might recognize the cameo by Agustí Villaronga, director of such disturbing thrillers as “El Mar” and “In A Glass Cage”, as the mysterious “The Man in White Shoes”. Ultimately, it is an enjoyable film that this critic will want to re-examine.

Filmmaker Suzy Benfatto joins us in the Film Courage studio while her Music Composer Stu Kennedy skypes in from Scotland. Suzy shares her experience of directing her first film past the age of 50, her reluctance to work with a music composer outside of Los Angeles, and how her distribution path has evolved for her niche film Bingo Confidential.

For more on Suzy’s work visit BingoConfidential and for more on Stu’s music visit StuKennedy

Flixup is ostensibly a combination of Rotten Tomatoes, Fandango, and Twitter all rolled into one little package. When you first open the app you see a fairly standard screen that gives you a list of movies that are currently being released (or you can check the “Coming Soon” tab as well for future releases). From here you can watch trailers of the movies you might be interested in, which seems to actually work faster than some apps I’ve seen that do the same. You also can see the current general ratings for that movie. You can tell right from the get-go how people are feeling about any particular film, and this might influence you to check it out or avoid it!

The real genius behind this app happens after you’ve selected a movie to learn more about. The next screen gives you some of the same information, but also gives you how the flick is doing on Rotten Tomatoes as well as, and here is the kicker, tweets from people who are talking about that film on Twitter so you can connect with them! Other methods this app uses for connecting with people are to prompt you after doing certain actions (like viewing the trailer for example) to post a quick little tweet about it on whether you are interested or not to see this movie. The app runs nicely and hasn’t crashed on me yet, the social aspect of it runs just as smooth, and leaves me little to do but touch the screen. It isn’t obtrusive to my Twitter acct (@filmsnobbery if anyone wants to follow us there), and politely asks permission before posting anything to it.

Overall a great little film app that could easily replace half the movie apps in the iTunes Store.

The film is both sparse in dialogue and replete with visual wonders. It might seem like a simple task to go up north near the Arctic Circle and get wondrous images and let the vistas do the work but there are frames, compositions and exposures that truly make these shots what they are. The edit also plays into the visual beauty of this film. There were at least three dissolves which were executed with such grace and beauty on both ends and brought to mind a quote by Truffaut where he says “So few directors can gracefully dissolve one shot into another.” This most certainly is not the case here.

There are also two different kinds of shooting here. There are more narrative-based landscape shots as the story gets more and more focused on the Grandmother (Madeline Ivalu) and her grandson (Paul-Dylan Ivalu), yet at the beginning there is quite a bit of handheld documentary-style shooting which is very well-done.

What you get in this film and its predecessors is truly a modern interpretation of Neo-Realism. Non-professional but engaging actors playing parts they understand in minimalist storylines. To relate the entirety of the tale would be entirely too easy within this space and would leave you with no surprises. There are surprises to be had and there are many emotions to be experienced within.

What will be said can be true of all simplistic storytelling it’s the execution that elevates it and that’s definitely the case here yet as stripped-down as the on-screen action is there manage to be stories within the story. The film examines the oral traditions of the tribe and there are frequently stories being asked for and told that either inform or contrast the action we have been witness to.

The film ends as a close to the trilogy because after the tale of this particular installment is told then there is a slow-motion montage of the tribe living. Barring seeing the middle installment this could very well be the most overlooked, under-appreciated and impressive trilogies of the decade.

This is a film that will not cut quickly that will take its time to develop. Allow it to. There is more than one way to make a film and to make a hyper-kinetic film with a people who are concerned with months and seasons and not so much with minutes and hours would seem wrong.

What you find here is a tidy, simple tale which is well told and as the best cinema does it shows you a world you would otherwise have no access to. It’s a tender and tenderly told tale which has, humor, humanity and surprises. It’s a film that truly transports and even only having seen the bookends this was the perfect capper to the trilogy.

Note: this film is currently only playing at the Film Forum in New York. However, parts one and two of the trilogy and soon part three will be available for pay-what-you-can video on demand downloads on their official site.

Francis and Jerry talk to filmmaker Paul Busetti about the video store as film school.

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Given how short this film is, there isn’t much time for character development, but little bits and pieces of all the characters make their way into the script. The editing is smooth and keeps the film moving at a good pace (every frame counts when you only have 5 minutes of runtime!). The cinematography is bright, well lit and well framed. The acting is excellent (although I caught the kids looking directly at the camera a couple times, but c’mon, they’re kids!). While I feel the performances were a little over-the-top, I think that was somewhat intentional given the subject matter. I think the director was trying to portray both the children AND the adults all as kids in this movie. Even though we get older, do we ever really grow up?

Featuring a cast of people you may have spotted before on television, “Never Odd or Even” is a fun little quite gem to watch if you have the opportunity. It delights while whetting the whistle for Julia Camaras next directorial adventure.

This is our talk with Mary Mazzio, the director of the new documentary “Ten9Eight” and how she skirted the traditional distribution model by making a deal with AMC Theaters to distribute her film directly to their cinemas.

Cinematically it looks very similar to Linklater’s “Slacker”. It has a raw look about it that seems part documentary, and part masturbatory fantasy (and I mean that literally in this movie’s case). The movie breaks many conventions by toning down the color of the movie purposely to give it a grayish pallor, and it breaks the fourth wall during a daydream sequence. It plays more like an experimental film rather than a linear narrative, although that’s just what it is. It takes place all within the span of one day in the life of this character, Arkusan. We are also meant to take away from this movie that this day really holds no special significance in this character’s life. It is just a day like any other.

The characters themselves don’t seem like breakout stars, but more like cookie-cutter people that just showed up to the set. Now as harsh as that sounds, I think that is pretty much how those characters should have been played. It’s as if the director’s friends were just put in the movie. But isn’t that pretty much how most friends are? They’re just there. That is how the Arkusan’s friends are, just there.

The cinematography is a little amateur, but given the low-budget aspect of this movie some of the look can be forgiven. The story overall is what sells this foreign (to us anyways) movie. “Arkusan Martinsson” is a great first attempt from director Jimmy Johansson who took what he had to work with and threw it up on the screen. Very Warhol-like, and is the definition of indie filmmaking.

Actor Samm Levine is in the Film Courage studio to discuss how Lisa Kudrow sparked his career, how he books acting work, and what it is like to audition and work with Quentin Tarantino.

For more on Samm please visit his IMDB and you can connect with him on Twitter

The film starts off with a very famous sequence where Guido is stuck in traffic. The very fact that he is stuck will reverberate through the film, his relationships with the women don’t change and he avoids telling people about the film he has no intentions of making. The car starts to overheat and it’s the first time Fellini uses smoke or steam to symbolize Guido’s clouded vision and confusion as life is going on about him – lovers caress each other and old people stare at him he is lifted from the car, he literally dies, exalting himself to the heavens. After he makes it through the clouds we see him float above a beach, a man is holding a rope that is tied to his foot then an evil looking rendition of St. Peter says “Down, definitely down.” Guido then falls and wakes from his dream. The dream speaks volumes, however, Guido feels damned and confused about his life and one of the doctors at the spa caps off this sequence emotionally by saying “What are you working on another movie without hope?” The first introduction to the clergy we get in this film is in the spa. Guido is walking around aimlessly and we are introduced to I think one of the most interesting symbols this film has to offer and they are the nuns carrying umbrellas. Now one would think with the wimple that wouldn’t be necessary. I think Fellini is trying to just show that they’re human and they to fear what God can bring upon them, in this scene there’s also a smiling priest on a bench. My favorite is when Guido goes to meet with actresses on a set there are some clergymen who walk in the opposite direction highlighting the separation of film and religion which will come up later on. In this film Guido examines his whole life and goes back to his childhood in one scene he meets with his parents in a mausoleum. From them, as would any child, he seeks answers and solace yet finds none. His parents feel they have not been honored as states the 4th commandment. Yet so mundane and disconnected are these apparitions that they cannot see Guido is in a crisis or that he needs help. They cannot communicate with him on any real level. His mother for the second time complains of the tears he made her shed and his father oddly remarks of how low the ceiling of his tomb is. An odd insistence of vanity from someone who is supposed to be in heaven, so estranged is Guido from his parents that they are but ghosts in this film, especially, his mother who we will see is strictly religious and Guido has found through his life that he cannot agree with the monoliths the Catholic Church has constructed. At one point Guido enters an elevator, there are three other people in the elevator: An old priest reading the Bible, An old man who smiles at Guido who also appears to be reading the Bible, and Jesus, who is stone-faced and expressionless. A depiction which comes from almost two-millennia of artwork that insists Jesus wasn’t human and, thus, we never see him smile, or laugh or cry but merely as suffering, stoic and in the “Saint Pose” with arms outstretched. It is here where people don’t realize that Fellini doesn’t condemn the Church but like many directors calls it into question and holds it accountable. The old man who is not clergy can smile after reading the Bible. Guido still sees Jesus as the stoic Martyr, however, because he’s represented by the priest here on earth. At the dinner scenes we get questions posed to Guido by who I like to call the Annoying American Intellectual. These questions very closely mirror the cause of his isolation. He asks two questions of which religion are the focus the first being: “Is Italy a fundamentally Catholic country?” and a girl gives the immediate stock response “Yes,” then the man she’s with says “Shut up, and eat your ice cream,” it’s a funny and great illustration of the religious ambiguity that pulses throughout this film. Guido doesn’t answer and the question remains hanging in the air. He then later asks in his staggered Italian “Could you create something meaningful and important on demand, for example, on commission from the Pope?” The idea of creating on demand in the context of this story is ludicrous because Guido can’t even make a film about his own life much less one someone tells him to. His answer, however, is more telling “I’ll think about it,” He says and that’s what he does through the whole film is think about his life. While talking to the Cardinal he drifts off and thinks about were his rift with the Church began. But before that at the dinner the entertainer asked if they could read his mind and they saw but three words: Ana Nisi Masa. We go back to Guido’s childhood; he is at an age where he still runs away from baths. The women of the house all chase him down and throw him into the vat of wine with the other children. Later, when the lights are out, and a girl, likely his cousin, gets up and tells him to be alert because “Tonight is the night when the eyes on the painting move. And where the eyes go that’s where the treasure is.” And they start their incantation ‘Asa Nisi Masa,’ this scene is important not only because of the way it reflects on ‘The Harem Scene’ but because of the only intangible thing Guido ever believes in, “if I say these words the picture will move its eyes and we’ll be rich” it seems to say.

Maybe this set up lead to his disillusion with the Church but Fellini does most definitely illustrate a turning point there as well. In the interview with the Cardinal Fellini lays out in black and white what Guido thinks about religion. Guido says he wanted to examine the traditional Catholic Italian upbringing because he felt it had created many ‘complexes’ in the people. The Cardinal states simply ‘I don’t believe that film is the right medium to explore such issues. You mix spiritual love and sex too easily.” The Cardinal never directly answers Guido’s concern about the Church and never asks him why he might feel that way. His interest is a mass one because he has achieved stature he is beyond the people. The only statement he makes close to addressing Guido’s film in this meeting, he will make one in the second, is that “Film has the power to educate and to corrupt.” Guido believes the same about the Church and it is reinforced when he sees a woman walking down the hill that looks just like Saraghina. We again flashback this time Guido is a grade schooler and at recess all his friends yell out to him “Saraghina!” There is a moment of indecision outside the school a statue of the pope is framed in the foreground overshadowing Guido, he then runs towards his friends and Saraghina. Leaving the statue shows Guido turning on religion’s inflexibility and conservatism. When the boys arrive at the beach they give Saraghina their money and watch her Rumba. The party ends when the priests show up, everyone gets away but Guido. Here Fellini has his fun with the clergy speeding up the film while they chase Guido making it seem like an absurd version of the Keystone Kops. When he is punished Guido hears the same things he’s been hearing all his life and that’s why we hear them in duplicate and triplicate “How shameful,” “It’s a mortal sin” and so on. Then at confession he is further pushed by being asked “Didn’t you know Saraghina’s the devil?” which is all part of the wonderful psychology of Early-20th Century Catholicism telling kids the Devil himself walks among us. And that’s pretty much ends Guido’s connection to the Catholic Church. So much so that he went back to see Saraghina right away he saw nothing Satanic there only beauty. The logic works: The Church put a dunce cap on me and a “Shame” sign on my back; the prostitute danced for me, it’s obvious. We then find Guido talking to his producer and the producer says: “If you want to make a film about the Catholic conscience in Italy you have to do it on a higher intellectual and philosophical level…these are just detached memories.” This statement not only puts down Guido as an artist but says that his struggle within the Church and against the Church to find an identity doesn’t matter and that the public would only be able to accept the film if it were more of an allegory and less personal. It’s a blow saying his search for meaning through film and relationships has not mattered Guido is called out of his sauna for another discussion with the Cardinal. On the way out Guido faces a parade of people who want help with one thing or another that they want to ask the Cardinal. Again, irony creeps in as everyone thinks Guido can help them but he doesn’t know what he’s doing. When he arrives the Cardinal has a towel hung in front of him putting him in silhouette and creating a bizarre confessional. He then gives Guido some advice which is in essence condemning him saying “There is no salvation outside the Church. Outside the church there is no salvation. Everything outside the City of God belongs to the City of the Devil.” Guido who has abandoned the Church has now been convicted. “He can’t communicate,” says one of the women on the way up to the space tower. And therein lies his sentence. Guido has removed himself from the Church and in essence has been excommunicated. They are visiting a structure to something that will never be reached, the space tower, a cinematic Tower of Babel. Guido’s alienation at this point is so extreme it’s obvious he’ll find some way to get out of making this movie.

This film ends in a circus-like parade which upon first seeing it seemed very facile. Looking at it from this point-of-view, however, I think it works. This is not an evil 16th-Century Excommunication I’m talking about but one that happens every being that the person doesn’t care to go back and the Church isn’t crying. In this light the ending is rather happy Guido having quit the film has stripped himself of the falsehoods in his life and is just going with the flow as is shown by the parade.

Francis and Jerry interview independent filmmaker, Erik Kristopher Myers, about his upcoming feature debut “Roulette”.

To watch Erik’s web series “Luck of the Draw”, an account on the making of “Roulette”, go here!

You can also download this episode here!

Filmmaker Michael Leoni is in studio to discuss his film Spare Some Change. He is joined by ‘Crystal and ‘Bubbles’ who share their heart-wrenching stories. Spare Some Change is more than a movie, it is a movement. 1.8 million kids are currently living on the streets in America. 90% are victims of physical, mental, and/or sexual abuse. Every single day 13 kids die on our streets. Michael shares his motivation in making this film, the impact it’s had on his life, and what we can do to become part of the movement.

Join the movement, visit SpareSomeChangeTheMovie

Filmmaker Zach Levy calls into Film Courage to discuss his 2009 Slamdance Grand Jury Prize Winner STRONGMAN. He discusses his 10-year journey to complete the film, how he raised money for the film through a deck of playing cards he designed, and he reveals the life-threatening stunt that the film’s subject Stanless Steel will perform during the opening nights of the film’s release at the Downtown Independent in Los Angeles beginning November 27th.

For more on Zach’s film, please visit StrongmanFilm

Author and Filmmaker Donald F. Glut visits the Film Courage studio and why loves monster, horror, science-fiction & fantasy movies. He also shares the budget range on his 6 films, how he financed them, and why he has decided to self-distribute his latest film, Blood Scarab.

For the latest on Donald’s work, please visit DonaldFGlut

Filmmaker Brian J. Terwilliger defied the odds when it came to self-distribution. He sold 10,000 units of his film One Six Right in it’s first two weeks of release, 45,000 in it’s first year. In this episode of Film Courage, we learn of Brian’s love for flying, how he made One Six Right, and insight on how he sold so many DVD’s.

To see Brian’s work, please visit TerwilligerProductions

Filmmakers Jamin Winans and Kiowa Winans return to Film Courage to provide us an in-depth case study on their film INK. They reveal how much money it took to make INK, their evolving self-distribution strategy, and the deals they got from Netflix and Blockbuster.

INK is now available on DVD on Netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon, iTunes, and most importantly www.DoubleEdgeFilms.com

Producer Ted Hope, one of the most prominent voices in the world of independent film, joins us on Film Courage to share with us why he loves cinema, how he chooses his projects, what attracts him to working with first-time directors, the changes happening today in the film marketplace, and details on his upcoming film Super.
To stay up to date on Ted’s philosophies, follow him on trulyfreefilm.blogspot.

Filmmaker Mark Duplass drops by Film Courage to share his thoughts on Social Media, improvisation in his films, Sundance, and what it’s like going from making micro-budgeted films to one in the millions.

For more on Mark and his films please visit DuplassBrothers

Chris Huntley, Story Development Expert and Co-Creator of the Dramatica Theory of Story is in studio to talk about his principles of story, the importance of commercial viability in your screenwriting, and information on his Academy Award Winning Software Dramatica.

For more on Chris and his work, you can visit ChrisHuntley and Dramatica

Actor Sean Patrick Flanery visits the Film Courage studio to give us his thoughts on fame, the difference from working on a television set compared to a film set, and how he prepared for the role of Connor McManus in his latest movie The Boondock Saints 2 – All Saints Day.

For more on Sean and his work you can visit SeanFlanery

Filmmakers Tony West and Mark Riley of Woodville General Films are in studio to talk about their films Dartsville and Skylight, their perceptions of success, insights on the Film Festival circuit, and the steps they are taking to transition from making successful short films to making their first feature film.

For more on Dartsville and Skylight, as well as Tony and Mark, please visit WoodvilleGeneralFilms

Filmmaker Rob Williams visits Film Courage to tell us how he has made 4 feature films in 4 years, how he has secured distribution for his films, the advantages and disadvantages of working in a niche market, and details on his latest film Make the Yuletide Gay which is available through all major DVD outlets on November 10th, 2009.

For more on Rob’s work, please visit GuestHouseFilms

Filmmaker Jack Marino is in studio to talk about his film Forgotten Heroes. Jack discusses what prompted him to go out and self-finance a 35mm Vietnam war picture, his path of self-distribution, and why $5.00 of every DVD sale goes to the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial Fund.

For more on Jack’s work, please visit ForgottenHeroesTheMovie

Actor Clifton Collins, Jr. joins us on Film Courage to discuss his perspective on auditioning, what it’s like working with director J.J. Abrams, how he goes about preparing for the variety of roles that he has booked, and his thoughts on how he broke through in the competitive world of acting.

For more on Clifton’s work, please visit CliftonCollinsJr

In the first half of this show, we are joined by Filmmaker Doug Pray. He’s on the line to discuss his 2009 Sundance Official Selection Art and Copy including how some of the top Ad Executives of our time ended up in his film, why he makes the films he makes, and his process of making a documentary.

For more on Doug’s work, please visit artandcopyfilm

In the second half, Knuckledraggers Producer Paul J. Alessi revisits us in studio to shed some light on ‘Deliverables,’ what they are, how much money filmmakers should set aside before making their film, and whether filmmakers should expect distributors to cover the tab.
For more on Paul’s work, please visit knuckledraggersmovie

Screenwriter Megan Holley calls in to Film Courage to discuss what it is like taking meetings with Hollywood studios, her advice on the best way to a screenwriting career, how often she reads, and details on her film Sunshine Cleaning which is available on DVD through all major outlets beginning this Tuesday, August 25th.
For more on Megan’s work, please visit IMDB.

Rich Mbariket, Filmmaker & Founder of Web Series Magazine, joins us in the Film Courage studio to discuss his film Nigerian Takedown. He also shares his expertise on the current state of internet based video content, what you should keep in mind before producing your web series, why we are seeing more and more celebrities turning to the web, and the truth about making money through Webisodes.

For more on Rich, please visit webseriesmagazine and rmafilms

Actors Johnny Giordano and Chad Davis join us on Film Courage and converse about what it is like pursuing an acting career in Los Angeles, how they work on and hone their craft, and their thoughts heading into the World Premiere of of their feature film debut Night Before the Wedding.

For more on Johnny and Chad, please visit nightbeforethewedding

Filmmakers Laura Russo and Charles Wall join us on Film Courage to discuss production tricks of the trade; such as helicopter shots and shooting on an Indian reservation. Though the bulk of this interview centers on secrets of self-distribution and how they have made over $30,000 by selling their film Road Reps through their film’s website.
To learn more about Laura and Charles film, please visit RoadRepsTheMovie

Filmmaker Alex Holdridge joins us in studio and discusses why he couldn’t fathom winning the John Cassavetes Award (Independent Spirit Awards), how he has gotten through his darkest times, and despite its making over Two Million Dollars worldwide why his film In Search of a Midnight Kiss doesn’t have a DVD deal here in the U.S.

To learn more about Alex’s work, please visit MidnightKissMovie

Filmmaker David Spaltro accompanies us in studio and discusses how he ended up living at Penn Station in New York while attending Film School, secrets on how he raised money for his first feature Around, his post-production nigtmares, and how he has gotten it reviewed over 80 times.

For more on David’s film ‘Around’ visit AroundTheFilm

Filmmaker Lynn Shelton joins us to discuss why her last two films have been about male relationships, her reactions to all the positive press that her movie Humpday is receiving, and how her life has changed since winning an Independent Spirit Award in early 2009.

For more on Lynn, visit lynnshelton and to find out when and where you can see Humpday, visit humpdayfilm

Actor/Comedian/Producer Jeff Grace and Writer/Director/Actor Todd Berger of The Vacationeers are in studio to share their secrets of writing comedy, how they got hired by Google to create web videos, and to discuss the distribution process of their feature film The Scenesters.

For the latest on Jeff, please visit JeffGrace and for Todd visit Todd-Berger. To find our about their latest projects visit TheVacationeers

The filmmaking duo Dean and Brian Ronalds, aka Ronalds Brothers call into Film Courage and discuss how being brothers impacts their filmmaking, the benefit of being actors before they moved behind the camera, their latest feature films Netherbeast Incorporated and The Graves as well as their experience in becoming writers on Tyler Perry’s, Meet the Browns.

For the latest on Ronalds Brothers, visit their website www.ronaldsbrothers.com
Their latest features are www.thegravesmovie.com and www.netherbeastmovie.com

New York based Filmmaker Gary King calls into Film Courage and discusses his leap from corporate life into the world of independent filmmaking, why he spent more money on his first short film than he is spending on his newest feature film What’s Up Lovely, and he shares his views on the Film Festival Circuit.

For the latest on Gary, visit his website ‘An Indie Life’
His latest features are whatsuplovely and nylately

Filmmaker Joseph F. Alexandre joins us on Film Courage and reveals why he wasn’t scared making a documentary about the Chicago Mob, what it was like to work on a Joe Carnahan script, and he provides details into his latest film Warriors of the Discoteque: The Starck Club Documentary.

For the latest on Joseph’s work, please visit his IMDB page.

Prolific Filmmaker Dale Stelly visits Film Courage and shares what has motivated him to produce 18 feature film in 5 years, why he has four lawyers, and what it is like to have films distributed by Lionsgate.

For more on Dale Stelly and his work visit www.DaleStelly.com and www.myspace.com/DaleStelly.
To keep up with his running list of credits, visit his IMDB page http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1115341/

In this in-depth interview, Orlando-based Filmmaker Jose Zambrano Cassella calls into Film Courage and explains why cinematography is so important to directing, insight on how a $15,000 film can compete with a million dollar film, his thoughts on theatrical vs. straight to DVD distribution, and secrets he wishes he knew when he began making films.

For more on Jose and his projects, visit www.josecassella.com. We also encourage you to visit www.sacredmovie.com and watch the movie trailer.

Actor/Producer Paul J. Alessi visits Film Courage to provide us insight on how he began booking acting work, what it’s like to work with F. Gary Gray, and the effort he puts into marketing himself online.

In addition we hear up close and personal how his film Knuckle Draggers was made and his plans for distribution. This all on the eve of it’s World Premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival on April 26th. For the latest on Paul, please visit PaulJAlessi.com To find out where and when you can see Knuckle Draggers, visit KnuckleDraggersMovie.com