Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 4:41pm
Subject: Re: Keaton/Bunuel
--- LiLiPUT1@a... wrote:
> What do people make of the piano pulling scene in
> ONE WEEK? I read somewhere
> that it influenced Bunuel in the piano pullling
> scene in UN CHIEN ANDALOU.
> Bullshit? Fun theory? Fact?
>
The simple fact of the matter is that "Un Chien
Andalou" is a parody of Buster Keaton.
Nothing more, nothing less.
_______________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today!
http://vote.yahoo.com
15802
From: jpcoursodon
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 4:49pm
Subject: Re: Keaton (Was: Strictly silent)
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "cairnsdavid1967"
wrote:
> > My favorite short: The High Sign.
>
> I love that too. It's underrated compared to the more celebrated
COPS
> and ONE WEEK, which are probbaly the greatest achievements of
> Keaton's short film career. THE GOAT is rather good too.
THE HIGH SIGN is a tremendous short, Keaton's first as a star of his
own BK Productions (Comique Film)and already thoroughly personal. I
never believed Rudi Blesh's anecdote that Keaton considered the film
a failure and was confirmed in that opinion by the fact that
Arbuckle found it funny. Blesh just wrote "It is not a good picture"
but doesn't say why, except that the production "scrimped on costs".
It is a dazzling and completely original debut. THE GOAT is a
masterpiece. Keaton's horizontal plunge through a transom toward
the end is just amazing.
15803
From: thebradstevens
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 4:57pm
Subject: Re: Licensing From Studios
Someone should release a DVD of Monte Hellman's remarkable BACK DOOR
TO HELL, which was originally distributed by Fox. It has never been
released on video or DVD in any country, though I believe it played
on AMC some time back. No idea who might own it now, but Monte is
bound to know. BACK DOOR's companion feature, FLIGHT TO FURY, was
released on video by Warners many years ago - Warners are notorious
for refusing to license their films to other distributors.
15804
From:
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 5:19pm
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
Would like to see "The Flower Thief" (Ron Rice, 1960) and "Bring Your Smile Along" (Blake Edwards, 1955) again.
And where is that most missing Agnes Varda movie, "Les Creatures"? And all her short films?
Have never seen most Rossellini or Olmi. Their distribution is poor. Loved the new Criterion Olmi releases: "Il Posto & "La Cotta", and "Il Fidanzati".
Many good TV movies from c1970 seem to have vanished. So have numerous TV pilots and short summer serise.
Mike Grost
15805
From:
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 5:21pm
Subject: Keaton/Bunuel and the Dragon
Is the eye scene in "Un Chien Andalou" inspired by Siegfried killing the dragon by its eye in "Siegfied" (Fritz Lang, 1924)?
Mike Grost
15806
From: jpcoursodon
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 5:32pm
Subject: Re: Keaton/Bunuel
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> --- LiLiPUT1@a... wrote:
>
> > What do people make of the piano pulling scene in
> > ONE WEEK? I read somewhere
> > that it influenced Bunuel in the piano pullling
> > scene in UN CHIEN ANDALOU.
> > Bullshit? Fun theory? Fact?
> >
>
> The simple fact of the matter is that "Un Chien
> Andalou" is a parody of Buster Keaton.
>
> Nothing more, nothing less.
>
Maybe more, or maybe less... I don't know if Bunuel had seen ONE
WEEK but he loved Keaton and wrote a rave review of COLLEGE... There
are many links between Keaton's work and surrealism (Robert Benayoun
and Petr Kral wrote fine things on the subject in French; check out
the English version of ,Benayoun's LE REGARD DE BK, St Martin's
Press).
JPC
>
>
>
> _______________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today!
> http://vote.yahoo.com
15807
From: Aaron Graham
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 5:43pm
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
I'd like to see John Frankenheimer's excellent "I Walk the Line",
starring Gregory Peck and Tuesday Weld, released. I don't believe it
has ever been on home video, I'm only aware of it through
seeing it years ago on A&E (coincedentally, also where I first
discovered "Two-Lane Blacktop".)
I'll second "Dusty and Sweets McGee", even though I haven't seen it.
I've got the soundtrack LP and if that's any indication...
Robert Culp's "Hickey and Boggs", which was scripted by Walter Hill.
I'm sure Culp would record a commentary track for this, as he
recently introduced it at a film festival in Florida and seems to be
quite proud.
-Aaron
15808
From: hotlove666
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 6:35pm
Subject: Re: Keaton/Bunuel
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "jpcoursodon"
> --- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
> wrote:
> >
> > --- LiLiPUT1@a... wrote:
> >
> > > What do people make of the piano pulling scene in
> > > ONE WEEK? I read somewhere
> > > that it influenced Bunuel in the piano pullling
> > > scene in UN CHIEN ANDALOU.
> > > Bullshit? Fun theory? Fact?
> > >
> >
> > The simple fact of the matter is that "Un Chien
> > Andalou" is a parody of Buster Keaton.
> >
> > Nothing more, nothing less.
> >
> Maybe more, or maybe less... I don't know if Bunuel had seen
ONE
> WEEK but he loved Keaton and wrote a rave review of
COLLEGE...
Un chien andalou is so like a Keaton heroine she might as well
be named Mary. The Other Man on the beach is a Keaton Other
Man, studly and dapper. The hero's entrance on the bicycle and
subsequent tumble refer to Buster Keaton's Bicycle, a script for a
short film (basically a literary genre at the time) by the authors'
friend Lorca, in which Buster is very womanly (a la the frills on
the hero). Lorca thought the whole film was a burlesque of HIM
when he first heard about it and was furious with Dali and
Bunuel. The last shot -- Au printemps, and a couple who may be
dead buried in the sand -- is the last shot of College: the two
tombstones.
Many, many sources have been postulated for the slit eyeball,
Mike. Why not Lang? In any case, Lang and Keaton are
profoundly similar, aren't they -- and Bunuel was strongly
influenced by both of them. Seeing Destiny was the "Eureka"
moment when he decided to become a filmmaker. You have a
clear homage to M in the pedeophile scene in Olvidados, etc.
etc.
I'd have to see how the piano pull is staged to answer, Kevin.
That was really Dali's scene, and he was on the set adding
grody details when it was filmed. Later in his book on Millet's
Angelus he wrote that pulling a heavy object was a symbol of
impotence. That meaning is pretty clear from context -- to
impress "Mary" the hero burdens his raging libido with the tables
of the Law (dangling just behind the melons that represent his
balls), religion (the Marists) and bourgeois culture: grand
pianos, with dead donkeys in them representing rotting outdated
artforms. But I will definitely check out the Keaton for mise en
scene influences.
15809
From: peckinpah20012000
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:49pm
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Aaron Graham"
> I'd like to see John Frankenheimer's excellent "I Walk the Line",
> starring Gregory Peck and Tuesday Weld, released.> > -Aaron
Similarly, Robert Aldrich's second feature WORLD FOR RANSOM and
his last major achievement, THE LAST SUNSET, TWILIGHT'S LAST
GLEAMING. The latter received video and laserdisc release (the
latter cropped) and has been unavailable for several years.
Tony Williams
15810
From:
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 6:56pm
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
I immediately think of Curtis Harrington's wonderful late film "Usher."
Also:
King Vidor's "Truth and Illusion" and "Metaphor"
John Ford's "Chesty: Tribute to a Legend"
Peter
15811
From:
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 7:18pm
Subject: Re: Licensing From Studios
Other Curtis Harrington films are almost impossible to see:
"The Four Elements", the poetic documentary he did for the US Government.
His early experimental short films.
His Vegas episode, "Kill Dan Tanna!" (1979).
All of these would make great extras on any Harrington DVD feature release.
Mike Grost
15812
From: Craig Keller
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 11:46pm
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
> I immediately think of Curtis Harrington's wonderful late film "Usher."
>
> Also:
>
> King Vidor's "Truth and Illusion" and "Metaphor"
> John Ford's "Chesty: Tribute to a Legend"
Not to make wee-wee on any parade celebrating the securing of rights
for rare films by new DVD-label start-ups --
A cautionary note: Call me über-cynical, but I'm wary of most new
labels coming on the scene and saying they're going to do such-and-such
with putting out rare films. The practice in and of itself is
ostensibly respectable, and very welcome -- but my nightmare scenario
(and this has played out more times than I care to recall) is that a
new start-up, who doesn't exactly have a lot of financial wiggle-room,
nor personal and painstakingly supervised contact with folks who
actually know what they're doing in the way of
authoring/compression/restoration, gets the rights to a cherished gem,
and -- voilà, they put it out on the market, it looks like mud, it
sounds like jam, and digital compression artifacts are sprinkled with
enough prevalence across all blacks and color-gradations in the image
that the result is on par with a $2 Hong Kong VCD. As a result, with
their cod-chivalrous purchase and video release of the film, New Label
X has just tied up the rights for five years' time, and made a complete
mess of the property's re-entrance into the world. To add insult to
injury, New Label X usually lends the film the following visual
presentation:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005YUN7.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000IC7Z.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
or:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00007G1Y0.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Currently, I have it out for Facets -- the reputable super-source for
cinema and video-rentals in the Chicago area have, to my knowledge,
never put out a DVD release that isn't completely sub-standard, or at
least "not nearly as good as an edition of the same film from another
country." They had to release 'The Decalogue' twice (with no
acknowledgement or explanation, around the time of the second edition's
release, of a previous release ever having existed), their edition of
'Close-Up' has huge black bars for the subtitles (probably to block out
the subs already burned on a source-print that came from France, akin
to the initial release of 'The Decalogue'), the menus for 'Soigne ta
droite' ("Keep Your Right Up") look like they were done on an Amiga
(and the subs are of course burned-in and half-hearted), and the source
print for 'Christ Stopped at Eboli' seems as though it was used to wipe
Jesus's brow.
(On the website end, which is a much less serious matter than their
atrocious DVD track-record, Facets demonstrates no compunction against
linking David Thomson.)
To summarize the screed, I often wish Facets wouldn't even bother at
all with DVD releases. So many great editions of sundry films now
exist which are more deserving of my dollars, and in any case I have
enough patience, or something like it, to be able to seek out better
international editions should/when they exist. That is, either seek
them out, or wait for a more careful US publisher to (a) spend scads of
dough to buy the rights back from Label X, or (b) bid and secure the
rights for the film... in five years, after the current license has
lapsed.
craig.
15813
From: Nick Wrigley
Date: Tue Sep 21, 2004 11:59pm
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
Great post Craig!
> They had to release 'The Decalogue' twice (with no acknowledgement or
> explanation, around the time of the second edition's release, of a
> previous release ever having existed)
and it was still nowhere near as good as the new Polish version.
> To summarize the screed, I often wish Facets wouldn't even bother at
> all with DVD releases.
I'm currently researching the availability of Béla Tarr films. The man
himself told me that FACETS were releasing his early work very soon on
DVD.
I tried to explain their track record, but it was too late apparently.
If they come out with vaseliney-VHS transfers and wrong aspect ratios,
I think I might join Craig and blockade their warehouse. The cheapness
and shoddiness of many of their releases is frankly, shocking.
-Nick>-
15814
From: Hadrian
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 0:22am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
Craig,
I understand your being cynical, and it's true small labels don't
have a lot of wiggle room ...but i think only the most finicky of
critics would claim that Fantoma, which was started by a couple guys
who just sold off a Laserdisc store, or Plexifilm, a small operation
by most any definition, or doing subpar work.
Finding good authoring and mastering is not going to be difficult --
i've already met a couple real pros eager to do more interesting
work than "Princess Diaries 2" or an inhouse promo DVD for Lexus.
It's surprisingly inexpensive to get your DVD mastered from the same
dudes who do Criterion's stuff. Obviously, we're not gonna be doing
any restorations, but i'm confident we can get professional work
done at every level.
In fact, I've had a lot of luck finding help in the manufacturing,
telecine, and even distribution. My real problem has been than in
acquiring/licensing property department, and based on the other
microlabels i'm aware of, that's not a unique problem...that's one
of the main reasons for this post.
Another reason not to be so cynical is the examples you cited aren't
really rare films. 2 out of 3 (Scarlet STreet, and Beat the Devil)
are public domain films, and thus just the kind of things to draw
the vultures looking for cheap, free meat. THe third, the Chabrol
film, comesfrom Pathfinder, a company not so much small, as so
notoriously cheap they pay people off in defective product.You don't
know how many times i've seen some poor sucker come into my video
store with a box of Pathfinder DVDs with broken spindles --and that
includes people who've done audio commentaries.
Actually, i think you have a strong reason to trust small labels
more. Companies with massive libraries can be really assembly line
about their releases, leading to incredibly horrible old transfers
(I remember Ernest Dickerson telling me how hard they had to fight
to get a new letterboxed pring of Malcolm X struck cause the studio
likes to reuse old transfers from prior VHS releases), sometimes not
even letterboxed, but it's hard to imagine or "Blue Underground"
messing up as badly, or as often.
Lastly, your comments about Facets...well, i just don't agree with
teh idea that "i'd rather they didn't release it"...for a lot of
films they put out you'd be waiting a very long time, and i don't
find black bars beneath subtitles worse than not seeing Close-Up at
all. At least the print looks sharper and better colored than the
bootleg VHS i'd end up seeing otherwise.
hadrian
15815
From: Hadrian
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 0:24am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
> I'm currently researching the availability of Béla Tarr films.
Rob Trigenza (of Parallel Films) has been sitting on the rights to
Damnation and Satantango for quite some time. To raise a little
cash he'll sell VHS tapes (with digital flaws, and sound dropouts)
for a couple hundred bucks a pop.
15816
From: Hadrian
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 0:30am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
> I'll second "Dusty and Sweets McGee", even though I haven't seen
it.
> I've got the soundtrack LP and if that's any indication...
>
Yeah "Dusty and Sweets McGee" would be great. "Panic In Needle Park"
too has been out of print on VHS since 1978.
> Robert Culp's "Hickey and Boggs", which was scripted by Walter
Hill.
It's out!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001Y4MNQ/qid%
3D1095812990/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-2735830-4717720
15817
From: Nick Wrigley
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 0:30am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
> Rob Trigenza (of Parallel Films) has been sitting on the rights to
> Damnation and Satantango for quite some time. To raise a little cash
> he'll sell VHS tapes (with digital flaws, and sound dropouts) for a
> couple hundred bucks a pop.
Yeah, I know. Rubbish ain't it?
Sounds like they're with FACETS now, though...
Where the hell are Criterion when you need them?
---
Hadrian, it sounds like you know what you're doing. I wish you luck.
There are "brokers" who deal in connecting firms with major studio film
licences. Check these folk out:
http://hollywoodclassics.com/index.shtml
-Nick>-
15818
From: Hadrian
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 0:32am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, MG4273@a... wrote:
> Would like to see "The Flower Thief" (Ron Rice, 1960) and "Bring
Your Smile Along" (Blake Edwards, 1955) again.
> And where is that most missing Agnes Varda movie, "Les Creatures"?
And all her short films?
> Have never seen most Rossellini or Olmi. Their distribution is
poor. Loved the new Criterion Olmi releases: "Il Posto & "La Cotta",
and "Il Fidanzati".
> Many good TV movies from c1970 seem to have vanished. So have
numerous TV pilots and short summer serise.
>
> Mike Grost
I would love to put out a series of TV Movies. I'm fond of many, and
have a particular soft spot for "Best Little GIrl in the World",
which has a TERRIBLE public domain ep tape around. It's a sort of
after-school special style case study, with Jennifer Jason Leigh as
an anorexic girl. She's amazing, and is supported by a great cast
(Charles Durning, Eva Marie Saint). Directed by Sam O' Steen, Mike
Nichols editor...really heartbreaking.
15819
From: Fred Camper
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:02am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
Hadrian wrote:
>---
>
>I would love to put out a series of TV Movies.....
>
Hmm, now you're talking. At least these things were made with the
expectation that they would be seen on TV.
Two suggestions, two early and great Wendkos TV movies, "Fear No Evil"
and "The Brotherhood of the Bell."
There are also those Cukors. I saw "The Corn is Green" in 35mm though,
it seeing it that way did *not* make me think, "I'll bet this would look
better on TV."
For films, though, isn't good telecine expensive? The facility Criterion
uses charges $1800 an hour for a machine that retails for $2 million;
Criterion gets a huge discount from that but they still pay a lot. I'd
think also that you would want (as they do) to master them at D6,
uncompressed HD, so that when the new HD discs come out you can do a
re-release in HD format.
Fred Camper
15820
From: Adrian Martin
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:11am
Subject: Re: Eustache
David, a belated reply to your Eustache question: Evane Hanska's book MES
ANNEES EUSTACHE was published by Flammarion in 2001, and was still widely
available in bookstores in France earlier this year.
I tend to agree with Jonathan R that calling Eustache a "neo-fascist dandy"
is perhaps a little excessive, given his class background. But,
unquestionably, some of her personal behaviour as detailed in this book
makes Fassbinder seem like an angel!!
The most significant aspect of the book is its insistence on how closely -
to the point of vampirism - Eustache took material directly from his own
life, almost as a kind of dare to see what effects the process would have on
that life. (Obviously a big influence on Garrel in this regard.) Almost
always disastrous effects, as it turned out. A tragic example: The woman on
whom the 'mother' is based in THE MOTHER AND THE WHORE, Catherine Garnier,
was on the crew of the film (!) doing costumes and make-up, and much of the
film was in fact shot in her home and studio; she killed herself when she
saw the finished cut.
There is an extraordinary passage in the book detailing how, in the mid
'70s, Hanska herself dared to write a 'Eustachean' book as her first novel -
all about him and her, called LES RAOULS, OU LA VIE COMME AU CINEMA. His
surprise response was to proclaim that he would film it. But that was merely
the start of an elaborate, cruel game masterminded by him to torture her. At
one point, he announces he will cast her (as herself) in the movie, which
elates her - then he replaces her with someone else. At another point, he
declares that the main character of the story (i.e. Hanska) is a stupid
slut. Finally his coup de grace is to rewrite the script: and what
originally ended with Hanska's triumphant moment of independence and freedom
becomes a suicide scene where she walks into the sea!!!
But, in a masochistic twist - this is very much a book about a person who,
thirty years later, is still completely haunted by her 'brush with genius' -
Hanska ends the book by declaring that only now does she see that Eustache's
suicide ending was in fact sublime, truthful, a stroke of brilliance, the
essence of his art ... etc!!!
Adrian
15821
From: Nick Wrigley
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:27am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
> I'd think also that you would want (as they do) to master them at
> D6, uncompressed HD, so that when the new HD discs come out you can do
> a re-release in HD format.
Another benefit of mastering in HD (which is neither PAL nor NTSC) is
that you can then downconvert directly to either a PAL or NTSC DVD. All
non-HD masters are usually either PAL or NTSC digibeta and when you
want to transfer it from PAL > NTSC or NTSC > PAL you get all sorts of
probs (see New Yorker's Bresson DVDs).
HD really is the way to do it.
Just got the Hitch Sig Series from Warner - HD transfers of extremely
high quality.
Warner's D6 masters will be perfect for HD Digital Cinema projection,
and quick and easy to strike new HD-DVDs from when that format rears
its SA-CD-like head and fails to catch on.
-Nick>-
15822
From: Craig Keller
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:30am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
Hadrian --
I didn't mean to discourage your efforts by any means -- merely to
point out some of the pitfalls that I wish would be avoided by more
small labels. I'm a big Fantoma fan, and haven't seen much Plexifilm
although I hear good things, and have their disc for 'Mysterious
Object at Noon' sitting here on my to-watch list (nice package, btw).
Glad to hear you seem to be going about things the right way. You're
right about the public-domain-status of those two films -- I've always
wondered that with that being the case, why someone like a Criterion
wouldn't step in to do whiz-bang jobs on those pictures -- they're
certainly up-to-snuff -- 'Scarlet Street' is a goddamned masterpiece!!!
Anyway, best of luck -- and for my own suggestion (especially in the
context of TV movies), I put forth -- 'The Worst Witch' by Robert Young.
craig.
15823
From: Aaron Graham
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:31am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
> > Robert Culp's "Hickey and Boggs", which was scripted by Walter
> Hill.
>
> It's out!
>
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001Y4MNQ/qid%
> 3D1095812990/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-2735830-4717720
I guess this would fall under what Craig was talking about. All of
the customer reviews at amazon.com state it as looking like it was
transferred from a "third or fourth generation VHS", and not even in
its OAR - truly despicable. I'm willing to bet that the rights, as
Craig mentions, are now tied up for the next five years considering
it was only released in May.
-Aaron
15824
From: Hadrian
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:47am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
> Hadrian --
>
I'm a big Fantoma fan, and haven't seen much Plexifilm
I actually got a lot of my advice from James Healey, one of
Fantomas' founders. He used to beat the street in person, and drop
off DVDs in person...
Plexifilm is basically an upstart spinoff of Criterion, some of the
younger employees, and I hear some people from a record label.
They're definitely looking at DVDs as the new equivalent to an indie
music label --they have a major emphasis on music docs, and
skateboarding docs, but mixed in are hip/art crossover stuff like
Mala Noche and Style Wars...they've definitely learned how to brand
from Criterion.
-- I've always
> wondered that with that being the case, why someone like a
Criterion
> wouldn't step in to do whiz-bang jobs on those pictures -- they're
> certainly up-to-snuff -- 'Scarlet Street' is a goddamned
masterpiece!!!
I guess they do what they can, they can only release a couple things
a month. The thing that must be hard about doing whizbang public
domain jobs the way Criterion occasionally does (the early
Hitchcocks, the early Rene Clair's) is you have to be so amzing you
get a reputation....otherwise you'll get lost in the swamp of crappy
Scarlet Street releases. It's a real problem, and one too scary for
me.
> Anyway, best of luck -- and for my own suggestion (especially in
the
> context of TV movies), I put forth -- 'The Worst Witch' by Robert
Young.
That movie is AMAZING...I used the musical number with Tim Curry to
end a Halloween Party Reel i edited once.
> craig.
15825
From: Nick Wrigley
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:49am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
> I guess this would fall under what Craig was talking about. All of the
> customer reviews at amazon.com state it as looking like it was
> transferred from a "third or fourth generation VHS", and not even in
> its OAR - truly despicable. I'm willing to bet that the rights, as
> Craig mentions, are now tied up for the next five years considering it
> was only released in May.
Ace typo in the tagline at the top too:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0001Y4MNQ.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
-
Brilliant work by all the amazon posters there - they totally
demolished it. Imagine if we didn't have the internet to voice our
feelings in such a direct way! -- it'd be like the VHS days when we
just had to put up with crap.
-
re: FACETS. I've bought disc after disc of shitty Facets transfer, of
films I want to see that *I know* could scrub up brilliantly. It's
certainly odd that SENSES OF CINEMA are affiliated with them - lending
them an air respectability they certainly don't deserve for their
own-label DVDs. What next? Madacy banner ads?
-Nick>-
15826
From: Hadrian
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:51am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
Wow Nick,
That might be exactly what i'm looking for!
Thanks a lot.
> Hadrian, it sounds like you know what you're doing. I wish you
luck.
>
> There are "brokers" who deal in connecting firms with major studio
film
> licences. Check these folk out:
> http://hollywoodclassics.com/index.shtml
>
> -Nick>-
15827
From: Aaron Graham
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:04am
Subject: RIP Russ Meyer
According to aintitcoolnews.com, Russ Meyer has died today. No cause
or any other info was given in the report.
-Aaron
15828
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:27am
Subject: Re: Re: Eustache
--- Adrian Martin
> David, a belated reply to your Eustache question:
> Evane Hanska's book MES
> ANNEES EUSTACHE was published by Flammarion in 2001,
> and was still widely
> available in bookstores in France earlier this year.
>
> I tend to agree with Jonathan R that calling
> Eustache a "neo-fascist dandy"
> is perhaps a little excessive, given his class
> background. But,
> unquestionably, some of her personal behaviour as
> detailed in this book
> makes Fassbinder seem like an angel!!
>
That was part of the reason I gave up on writing a
book about Fassbinder. The other was the people I
wanted to talk to kept dying of AIDS (eg. Kurt Raab)
Because Eustache was working class doesn't mean he's
incapable of upper-class pretense, hence my verdict of
neo-fascist dandy remains.
As I'm well into the Isherwood biography I've been
thinking (and re-thinking) fascism a lot. It began as
a historical-base moment, but perpetuates itself, much
like the HIV virus.
The information you just detailed doesn't surpise me.
It's remindful of "Savage Nights" -- a film by and
about another sort of dandy.
The actress who played Romaine Bohinger's mother in
that film was one of Collard's playthings, and because
of him died of AIDS. Her passing put a crimp in his
posthumous reputation.
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15829
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:30am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- Craig Keller
I'm a big Fantoma fan
Me too! I have their "Der Tiger von Eschnapur/Das
Indische Grabmal."
And I am LONGING for them -- or someone -- to bring
out Rivette's "Duelle," "Noroit" and "Merry Go Round."
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15830
From: Craig Keller
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:44am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
> That movie is AMAZING...I used the musical number with Tim Curry to
> end a Halloween Party Reel i edited once.
"Anything Can Happen on Halloween"? I haven't seen the film since I
was 8, but I would love to again -- it's the quintessence of Halloween
fantasy, and I remember it being very palatable to my
atmosphere-sensibilities even then. If I ever get to see it again, I
hope it turns out actually to be good!
craig.
15831
From: Aaron Graham
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:49am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
>I'm a big Fantoma fan
>
> Me too! I have their "Der Tiger von Eschnapur/Das
> Indische Grabmal."
>
> And I am LONGING for them -- or someone -- to bring
> out Rivette's "Duelle," "Noroit" and "Merry Go Round."
Their release of Sam Fuller's "Street of No Return" is also
fantastic. I wish the attention given to that one was applied to
Fuller's earlier, better films.
-Aaron
15832
From: Craig Keller
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:53am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
>
> Me too! I have their "Der Tiger von Eschnapur/Das
> Indische Grabmal."
>
> And I am LONGING for them -- or someone -- to bring
> out Rivette's "Duelle," "Noroit" and "Merry Go Round."
Me and you both. 'Paris nous appartient' next month from MK2 in
France, btw, and from Artificial Eye in the UK soon after -- maybe in
tandem with 'Histoire de Marie et Julien.'
Also, re: the Fantoma Lang set, I have that sitting on my to-watch pile
that's been built up across the course of the project I've been working
on -- I've finally been able to start digging in and am really looking
forward to this, along with 'The Testament of Dr. Mabuse' from
Criterion. Have you seen Fantoma's 'One from the Heart' release, btw?
Ex-cel-lent. (And we get to see JLG on the Zoetrope set in one of the
video documentaries on the second disc.)
Incidentally, today was a huge DVD-release day -- the 'Star Wars'
trilogy was released, of course, but more importantly came the 'Five
Films' Cassavetes box set from Criterion, along with (finally) 'La
dolce vita' from Koch Lorber. I'm holding off on picking up that one
and 'I Vitelloni' until I can finally get my hands on 'Intervista' --
I'm trying to do some investigation as to whether the American release
or the Italian is the better one -- if anyone has a clue, let me know.
(PS - Most "sleeper" Fellini release on disc in this country:
'Orchestra Rehearsal' from Fox Lorber, which is by no means a great
transfer, but still quite watchable and essential for the Fellini
aficionado.)
craig.
15833
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:58am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- Craig Keller
Have you seen Fantoma's 'One from the
> Heart' release, btw?
> Ex-cel-lent. (And we get to see JLG on the Zoetrope
> set in one of the
> video documentaries on the second disc.)
>
No, I've been meaning to get that. I have "One From
the heart" on laser. I understand Coppola did a little
re-editing of the big dance sequence with Teri Garr
and Raul Julia.
Lots of people were around during the shooting of that
Maudit of Maudits -- including Michael Powell and Gene
Kelly.
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15834
From: Craig Keller
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:02am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
> Lots of people were around during the shooting of that
> Maudit of Maudits -- including Michael Powell and Gene
> Kelly.
And both are featured in the same documentary/featurette. Also,
footage from the New York sneak-preview/premiere at Radio City where
attendees were served pea-soup in the cold. Anyone from this list in
attendance?
cmk.
15835
From: Hadrian
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:04am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Craig Keller
wrote:
> > That movie is AMAZING...I used the musical number with Tim Curry
to
> > end a Halloween Party Reel i edited once.
>
> "Anything Can Happen on Halloween"? I haven't seen the film since
I
> was 8, but I would love to again -- it's the quintessence of
Halloween
> fantasy, and I remember it being very palatable to my
> atmosphere-sensibilities even then. If I ever get to see it
again, I
> hope it turns out actually to be good!
>
> craig.
Email me your address, i'll send you a copy.
15836
From: Hadrian
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:08am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> --- Craig Keller
>
> Have you seen Fantoma's 'One from the
> > Heart' release, btw?
> > Ex-cel-lent. (And we get to see JLG on the Zoetrope
> > set in one of the
> > video documentaries on the second disc.)
> >
Fantomas was located in the same building as Zoetrope when they
started up, andgot a special deal from Coppola --they got the
release, but he got most the profits...mostly they would get
prestige. It was this deal that prompted Coppola to spend all that
time redoing it.
>com
15837
From: Hadrian
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:11am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
> Hadrian, it sounds like you know what you're doing. I wish you
luck.
>
> There are "brokers" who deal in connecting firms with major studio
film
> licences. Check these folk out:
> http://hollywoodclassics.com/index.shtml
>
> -Nick>-
So these guys are selling the rights to some fills outside the
U.S....you don't know anything about contacting studios for domestic
releases do you?
hadrian
15838
From:
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 0:30am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
Fred Camper wrote:
>Hmm, now you're talking. At least these things were made with the
>expectation that they would be seen on TV.
This brings up an interesting question, Fred, in regards to your stance on
film vs. television viewings. I assume that you've only been able to see the
Wendkos tele-films on the small screen. If so, did you feel you were able to
glean what's great about them on television, that they were somehow made with
the television format in mind, or would your normal "rule" apply that you really
haven't "seen" them unless you've seen them on celluloid?
My take: the tele-films I like usually love have the same qualities that I
like in theatrical films - i.e., interesting mise-en-scene, an overall visual
design, etc. And most of them were shot on film, not tape. Thus, I would have
to assume that they would only improve if I were able to view them in a
theatre. Unfortunately, I've never been able to test this theory. I'm waiting for
some Peter Bogdanovich retrospective which includes his many excellent
tele-films from the past decade.
In any case, I certainly agree that there are quite a few TV movies out there
worthy of video releases. The two Cukors are available, though, as far as I
know, much of Wendkos' work is not.
Peter
15839
From: Noel Vera
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 4:39am
Subject: Re: Philippine cinema
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Damien Bona"
wrote:
> I saw just a handful, including Manuel Silos's Blessings Of The
Land
> which is so primitive and absurdly melodramatic in its portrayal
of
> the hardships of a farming family – and its tragic oxen --as to be
> endearing.
It's very simply done, and perfect in its simplicity, I thought.
Considered one of the best of the '50s films, though of course
there's Gerardo de Leon's pictures, which I think are even better.
> Made thirty-five years later. Mario O'Hara's Fatima Buen Story, is
> even more melodramatic. In fact, it's so extreme that one has to
> assume the hyper-stylization is purposeful, even if it's not clear
to
> what purpose.
I can tell you that the filmmaker and his writer (Frank Rivera)
thought the subject matter so grim and unappealing they decided to
have a field day. I thought it was nicely over-the-top, but the lead
performance by Kris Aquino (former President Corazon Aquino's
daughter and the host of the talk show describe below) was kind of
weak. Wonderful supporting cast, though.
> Jose Javier Reyes's Phil-American Boy starts well as a comedy of
> Filipino mores which captures the nuance of the culture well. But
it
> deteriorates to stock melodrama, the stuff of TV movies and ends
up
> pretty simple-minded.
Pretty much agreed on this. Plus he's a writer-turned-director who's
never developed a real eye. Capable of knocking off a script in
three days, and I like to add "it shows, too."
> But then there are the two Lino Brocka films I saw, which are just
> superb: You Have Been Weighed And Found Wanting
Mario O'Hara wrote the script to this and plays the leper.
> As a stylist who employs an acute visual sense and an
> understanding of the emotional connotations of various inanimate
> objects that populate his mise-en-scene, Brocka is the peer of
Sirk
> and Minnelli.
I've heard him called that, with the additional proviso that he
tells his story in noirish terms (at least with these early films,
and especially with Manila in the Claws of Neon).
> the anti-Marcos movement, got to know Lino Brocka, who seems to
have
> been a truly beloved man.
Sadly, Brocka was more caught up in the political movement than
knowledgeable about what was going on, and he joined belatedly
(about the time he was doing his best works, 1974 to 1976, he was on
good terms with Marcos' daughter; this changed in the '80s). But he
had a good heart.
> By the way, for anyone wanting to start to understand Filipino
> culture which definitely has its extremes, I recommend
watching "Good
> Morning, Kris" an Oprah-esque show starring Kris Aquino, which is
> shown on some international channels in the States. . To put its
> mildly, it is side show extreme. One episode was the damnedest
thing
> I've ever seen – it was showcasing extremely handicapped people,
and
> featured two young pinhead brothers, one of whom held tight onto
his
> penis the whole time because he had to pee. The hook for their
> segment was "Boys Who Are Mistaken For Monkeys." There was also a
> retarded boy who was about three feet tall who spent his entire
> segment strumming a toy guitar.
I'd say she found her calling as a talk show host rather than as an
actress.
> On an altogether different intellectual level, I also recommend
the
> works of writer Jessica Hagedorn
I don't know if this is available, but I also recommend Rey
Ventura's "Underground in Japan" about the Filipino illegal alien
community that lives in Tokyo. Excellent book, with high praise from
Donald Richie:
http://isbndb.com/d/book/underground_in_japan.html
15840
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:00am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Hadrian"
>
>
> > Hadrian, it sounds like you know what you're doing. I wish you
> luck.
> >
> > There are "brokers" who deal in connecting firms with major
studio
> film
> > licences. Check these folk out:
> > http://hollywoodclassics.com/index.shtml
> >
That's the guy I mentioned, Hadrian. He subdistributes It's All True
in Japan. John Williams? Something like that.
Suggestions:
Eustache - the shorts, Mes petites amoureuses, Une sale histoire (if
it's not out)
Gremillon - Lumiere d'ete, Remorques, Le ciel est a nous
Oshima - Ceremony, Boy, Three Resurrecetd Drunkards, Diary of a
Shinjuku Thief
Kiarostami - Experience (paired with the one about the boy going to
the soccer match, both about 45 mins.), The Wedding Suit, The Report,
Closeup (if it's not out already)
Chabrol - A double tour, Les Godelureaux, L'oeil du malin
Ray, N - The Savage Innocents, Wind Across the Everglades, Bigger
Than Life
Ray, S - Distant Thunder, The Intermediary (if it isn't out),
Branches of the Tree, The Public Enemy. Kanchenjunga and Days and
Nights in the Forest, two of his best films, probably aren't
available in good prints since the Academy fired Michael Friend
before he got to them. You might ask him.
Bunuel - Cela s'appele l'aurore, The River and Death, Centinela,
Alerta! (co-dir. Gremillon)
Moullet - Brigitte et Brigitte, Les contrabandieres, Anatomie d'un
rapport, Genese d'un repas, Les sieges de l'Alcazar
Raynal - Deux fois, New York Story
Garrel - Marie pour memoir, Le revelateur, Inner Scar
Oliveira - Mon cas, Francisca, Ill-Fated Loves
Sallitt - Honeymoon, All the Ships at Sea
Other indies (seen at fests): Attack of the Bat Monsters, Giravolte,
The Edge of Time: Male Domains in the Caucasus, Stalin, The Red God
(paired with Deutschland Deutschland for length), Benzina, A
Chronicle of Corpses
Desplechin - shorts plus From the Life of the Dead
Godard/Gorin - Pravda, Struggle in Italy, British Sounds, Vent d'Est,
Vladimir and Rosa
Godard - 6 x 2, Tour detour deux enfants (USC has copies)
Gorin - Poto and Cabengo, Ordinary Pleasures
Tashlin - The First Time, Marry Me Again, The Lieutenant Wore Skirts
Rivette - Duelle, Noroit, Out One: Spectre, Merry-Go-Round
Abby Mann - King, Skag
Joseph Sargent - The Night That Panicked America (full-length)
William A. Graham - Guyana Tragedy: The Jim Jones Story
Lamont Johnson - Paul's Case
Hitchcock - Incident on a Corner, Four O'Clock (if not already out)
Oswald - Valerie, Fury at Showdown, The Brass Legend
Ulmer - Murder Is My Beat, The Naked Dawn, The Cavern
Preminger - Daisy Kenyon, Such Good Friends, Angel Face (if it's not
out), the Dana Andrews pics not out here yet, which you have as R-
DVDs: Whirlpool, Fallen Angel, Where the Sidewalk Ends
Eisenstein - The Bezhin Meadow "restoration"
Boetticher - Comanche Station, Ride Lonesome, Seven Men from Now
15841
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:18am
Subject: Re-post w. clear title: Suggested films habelove can distribute on video
Suggestions:
Eustache - the shorts, Mes petites amoureuses, Une sale histoire (if
it's not out)
Gremillon - Lumiere d'ete, Remorques, Le ciel est a nous
Oshima - Ceremony, Boy, Three Resurrecetd Drunkards, Diary of a
Shinjuku Thief
Kiarostami - Experience (paired with the one about the boy going to
the soccer match, both about 45 mins.), The Wedding Suit, The Report,
Closeup (if it's not out already)
Chabrol - A double tour, Les Godelureaux, L'oeil du malin
Ray, N - The Savage Innocents, Wind Across the Everglades, Bigger
Than Life
Ray, S - Distant Thunder, The Intermediary (if it isn't out),
Branches of the Tree, The Public Enemy. Kanchenjunga and Days and
Nights in the Forest, two of his best films, probably aren't
available in good prints since the Academy fired Michael Friend
before he got to them. You might ask him.
Bunuel - Cela s'appele l'aurore, The River and Death, Centinela,
Alerta! (co-dir. Gremillon)
Moullet - Brigitte et Brigitte, Les contrabandieres, Anatomie d'un
rapport, Genese d'un repas, Les sieges de l'Alcazar
Raynal - Deux fois, New York Story
Garrel - Marie pour memoir, Le revelateur, Inner Scar
Oliveira - Mon cas, Francisca, Ill-Fated Loves
Sallitt - Honeymoon, All the Ships at Sea
Other indies (seen at fests): Attack of the Bat Monsters, Giravolte,
The Edge of Time: Male Domains in the Caucasus, Stalin, The Red God
(paired with Deutschland Deutschland for length), Benzina, A
Chronicle of Corpses
Desplechin - shorts plus From the Life of the Dead
Godard/Gorin - Pravda, Struggle in Italy, British Sounds, Vent d'Est,
Vladimir and Rosa
Godard - 6 x 2, Tour detour deux enfants (USC has copies)
Gorin - Poto and Cabengo, Ordinary Pleasures
Tashlin - The First Time, Marry Me Again, The Lieutenant Wore Skirts
Rivette - Duelle, Noroit, Out One: Spectre, Merry-Go-Round
Joseph Sargent - The Night That Panicked America (full-length)
Lamont Johnson - Paul's Case
Hitchcock - Incident on a Corner, Four O'Clock (if not already out)
Oswald - Valerie, Fury at Showdown, The Brass Legend
Ulmer - Murder Is My Beat, The Naked Dawn, The Cavern
Preminger - Daisy Kenyon, Such Good Friends, Angel Face (if it's not
out), the Dana Andrews pics not out here yet, which you have as R-
DVDs: Whirlpool, Fallen Angel, Where the Sidewalk Ends
Eisenstein - The Bezhin Meadow "restoration"
Boetticher - Comanche Station, Ride Lonesome, Seven Men from Now
Pickett's Charge, Bello Woods - I forget the author; PFA has the only
prints
Ripley - The Chase (LA Cinematheque showed), Voice in the Wind
(French Cinematheque has 16mm)
Garnett - Wild Harvest, Trade Winds, Her Man, One Way Passage
15842
From: Fred Camper
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:20am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
Peter,
I think with a made for TV movie, absent any other evidence, the
"correct" way to see it is on TV, since you're seeing it as intended,
and you can certainly say you've seen it if you've seen it on TV, and it
might be "incorrect" to see it in 35mm. On the other hand, I believe
some directors of films for TV think they look better and 35mm, and in
olden times they would have been shot and screened and edited in 35mm,
so it's not clear which is "correct." But yeah, I think you have "seen"
them if you've seen them on TV. The case that 35mm is better would have
to be made film by film.
What I loved about the two Wendkos made for TV movies I mentioned is
similar to what I loved about "The Mephisto Waltz," which I saw twice in
35mm.
Another one: "Roberto Rossellini's Sicily" (are you there, Hardrian), a
one hour film made for one of the networks, I believe NBC, really great.
And actually, much of Rossellinis' post -1867 work was made for TV,
though I've mostly seen it in prints. From the prints, I'm guessing it
would translate to TV pretty well.
Fred Camper
15843
From: Elizabeth Nolan
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:31am
Subject: Hickey and Boggs
He also introduced and discussed it and other career events at some
length at the FILM NOIR festival in Palm Springs this past Winter.
Elizabeth
> Robert Culp's "Hickey and Boggs", which was scripted by Walter Hill.
> I'm sure Culp would record a commentary track for this, as he
> recently introduced it at a film festival in Florida and seems to be
> quite proud.
>
> -Aaron
15844
From: Elizabeth Nolan
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:46am
Subject: John Walters at Palm Springs 10 DEC 8pm A DIRTY SHAME
I thought some of you might find this opportunity interesting. Sorry
to send the complete email but I couldn't find the web site.
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Larry Kaplanis
> Date: September 21, 2004 7:18:16 AM PDT
> To: Larry Kaplanis
> Subject: Desert Film Society Announcement
>
> desertfilmsociety
>
> Presents
>
>
>
> JOHN WATERS
>
> In Person - Camelot Theatres, Palm Springs, CA
>
----------
> “Shock Value”
>
> Friday, December 10, 2004 - 8:00 PM
>
> An unforgettable talk, including a Q & A Session
>
> Preceded by selected film clips
>
> Admission Tickets to presentation, $30 in advance
>
>
>
> Join Desert Film Society now for 2005 and gain free admission to this
> event while tickets last.
>
> Membership Fee: $98.00
>
>
>
> Meet John following the Q & A at a Simply Divine Champagne & Chocolate
> Dessert reception. Tickets for the reception are an additional
> $15.00. Space is limited
>
>
>
> Attention 2004 Desert Film Society Members – you have the opportunity
> to renew your 2005 membership now, before tickets go on sale to the
> general public. Seating is limited so don’t delay. All mail-in
> applications postmarked by October 25, 2004, are assured of getting
> free tickets to the John Waters talk. All remaining tickets will go
> on sale to the general public beginning Monday, November 1st at
> Camelot Theatres box office. After November 1st we cannot guarantee
> seating. A downloadable/printable application form on our web site
> may be returned by mail to our P.O. Box noted on the form or in person
> at our Saturday morning, October 2 screening. To attend the dessert
> reception, please include an ‘additional’ check in the amount of
> $15.00 along with your $98.00 payment for 2005 membership. There are
> only 200 tickets available for the dessert reception on Dec 10 at
> 10:00 PM and these will be sold on first-come basis. For questions
> phone Beth Fromm at 760.772.3666.
>
>
>
> John Waters new film, A DIRTY SHAME, opens at Camelot Friday,
> September 24, 2004. Be sure to see it!!!! His previous films are
> available for rental.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
15845
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:46am
Subject: Suggested films habelove can distribute on video: Erratum/addenda
Whirlpool isn't Andrews, but Fallen Angel and Where the Sidewalk Ends
are, and they would make a great "collection" w. Daisy Kenyon, where
Andrews costars w. Crawford and Henry Fonda -- one of the great films
of all time.
Addenda:
Walsh - The Bowery, Me and My Gal, Sailor's Luck (all William Fox,
all pre-Code, I believe -- Me and My Gal may be Manny Farber's
favorite American film)
Hani - He and She, First Love Infernal Version, Bride of the Andes
Yoshida - Coup d'Etat, Eros + Massacre
Schroeter - Reign of Naples, Palmero oder Wolfsburg
Delvaux - The Man with the Shaved Head (his only good one that I know
of)
Pollet - L'amour c'est gai, l'amour c'est triste, I Remember Robinson
Jacquot - Les enfants du placard, L'assassin musicien
Arietta - Flamme
Rozier - Adieu Phillipine (if it's not out), Naufrages de l'Ile de
Tortue, Maine Ocean
Oliveira - Ill-Fated Loves, Francisca, Benilda
Sganzerla - Red Light Bandit, Signs of Chaos (correct title ?), Tudo
e Bresil + The Language of Orson Welles (short)
Lew Landers - Terrified (Crown-Int'l) - could go in some kind of
horror package
Edward Cahn - Law and Order - could go in some kind of western package
And three amens for Lions Love!!
15846
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:55am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Fred Camper
> Peter,
>
"Roberto Rossellini's Sicily" (are you there, Hardrian), a
> one hour film made for one of the networks, I believe NBC, really
great.
Story of an Island, I think. Could be packaged with Bergman's Faro
film and Powell's first: The "No Man Is An Island" collection.
Seriously, the RR should go w. Fellini's A Director's Notebook, made
between abandoning Mastorno and starting Satyricon. Also made for
American tv. That wd. be a nifty package.
RR - The Age of the Medici and St. Augustine are the best tv'ers,
with Blaise Pascal and Prise de pouvoir de Louis XIV, which I believe
are out. Medici is in three parts. Sure looks good in 35....
Two Hawks docs, one made for German tv, one for American: Hans
Blumenberg's A Damn Good Life and George Plimpton's Shootout at Rio
Lobo. Both excellent
Sirk - The three films he made after leaving H'wd would make a
feature-length package: Speak to Me Like the Rain and two others. I
forget the titles, but the films are good -- esp. Speak to Me, which
stars Fassbinder! All professional quality.
15847
From:
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:29am
Subject: Wendkos (Was: Licensing From Studios)
Thanks for the answer, Fred.
Just incidentally, I see from IMDB that Wendkos directed a good many TV
movies (and that's just about ALL he was directing after 1976 or so). Are there
any others besides the two you named which you'd recommend? I was tremendously
impressed with "The Mephisto Waltz," though I have some sense from the
"Gidget" films of Wendkos' fabled inconsistency.
Peter
15848
From:
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:36am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
Bill Krohn wrote:
>Lamont Johnson - Paul's Case
This one is available on tape, Bill. I actually received it as a Christmas
gift last year. A wonderful film, one of Johnson's best. Do I remember
correctly that you posted at some point that the film was shot without a script,
right from the pages of the short story?
Peter
15849
From: Craig Keller
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 8:04am
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
> Seriously, the RR should go w. Fellini's A Director's Notebook, made
> between abandoning Mastorno and starting Satyricon. Also made for
> American tv. That wd. be a nifty package.
'Fellini: A Director's Notebook' appears on Disc 2 of the Criterion
'8-1/2' (though maybe you already know). It's lovely.
Also, re: your earlier post, 'Close-Up' is out, from Facets. It's
watchable, but I was complaining about the bar-subs earlier. Don't
make it any less a masterpiece.
cmk.
15850
From: thebradstevens
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 10:34am
Subject: Re: Suggested films habelove can distribute on video: Erratum/addenda
Jim McBride's work is certainly overdue for DVD exposure. The region
1 discs of BREATHLESS and UNCOVERED are both cropped to full-screen
(the region 2 disc of BREATHLESS is much better), while BLOOD TIES is
missing 10 minutes of footage. None of these discs include any
extras, beyond the occasional trailer (though the BREATHLESS trailer
contains footage from scenes that didn't make it into the actual
film).
How about a two disc-set of DAVID HOLZMAN'S DIARY and Jim's two
autobiographical documentaries: MY GIRLFRIEND'S WEDDING and PICTURES
FROM LIFE'S OTHER SIDE, all with McBride commentary tracks? (He has
some great stories to tell.)
15851
From: thebradstevens
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 10:43am
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
"Lots of people were around during the shooting of that Maudit of
Maudits -- including Michael Powell and Gene Kelly."
Not to mention Monte Hellman. It's a real shame that the DVD doesn't
include INSIDE THE COPPOLA PERSONALITY, Monte's lovely little film
about the making of ONE FROM THE HEART.
By the way, there now seem to be at least three totally different
cuts of ONE FROM THE HEART in circulation.
15852
From: Aaron Graham
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:23pm
Subject: Re: Wendkos (Was: Licensing From Studios)
> Just incidentally, I see from IMDB that Wendkos directed a good
many TV
> movies (and that's just about ALL he was directing after 1976 or
so). Are there
> any others besides the two you named which you'd recommend? I was
tremendously
> impressed with "The Mephisto Waltz," though I have some sense from
the
> "Gidget" films of Wendkos' fabled inconsistency.
>
> Peter
I've recently seen his 1973 TV film "Terror on the Beach", which was
unfortunately just dreadful. "Hippies" attacking Dennis Weaver &
family during a vacation for no apparent reason but sport. Don
Siegel's son, Kristoffer Tabori, also appeared.
-Aaron
15853
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:33pm
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- hotlove666
> --- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Fred Camper
>
> Sirk - The three films he made after leaving H'wd
> would make a
> feature-length package: Speak to Me Like the Rain
> and two others. I
> forget the titles, but the films are good -- esp.
> Speak to Me, which
> stars Fassbinder! All professional quality.
>
>
Close but no cigar.
"Talk to Me Like the Rain" stars Elizabeth
Trissenauer.
"New Year's Eve" ( a Schnitzler play) stars Hanna
Schygulla
"Bourbon Street Blues" ( aka "The Lady of Larkspur
Lotion") stars Fassbinder
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15854
From: Fred Camper
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 1:56pm
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
David Ehrenstein wrote:
>--- hotlove666
>
>
>
>>--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Fred Camper
>>
>>
>>Sirk - The three films he made after leaving H'wd
>>would make a
>>feature-length package: Speak to Me Like the Rain
>>and two others. I
>>forget the titles, but the films are good -- esp.
>>Speak to Me, which
>>stars Fassbinder! All professional quality.
>>
>>
>>
Just to make clear, I did *not* write the statement above, it was
written by BIll Krohn, aka hotlove666. Please be careful in quoting past
posts not to misrepresent!
I have seen these Sirks on film.. He made them with students at the
Munich film and television academy, which I believe owns the rights.
Their style is rather different from Sirk's European and American films,
and on one viewing I did not see anything especially great about them,
though they are of "professional quality." It could be that they are
great and I just didn't get it.
Fred Camper
15855
From: Michael Lieberman
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:01pm
Subject: Re: Re: Obscure Oshima / The Ceremony
One Oshima I've wanted to see for quite some time is "The Ceremony" -- thoughts on it, where to find it?
ML
----- Original Message -----
From: "hotlove666"
Date: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 18:40:14 -0000
To: a_film_by@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [a_film_by] Re: Obscure Oshima
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
> My Latest FaBlog entry
>
> http://fablog.ehrensteinland.com/">http://fablog.ehrensteinland.com/">http://fablog.ehrensteinland.com/
>
> should be of interest to this group.
I was just talking about Three Resurrected Drunkards Friday
night -- it's one of my very favorite Oshimas, one of the few that is
actually funny. It's very funny, in fact. I saw it at MOMA back in the
day and have never forgotten it.
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail Address AutoComplete - You start. We finish.
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail">http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail">http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
| Yahoo! Groups Sponsor | |
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15856
From: Fred Camper
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:07pm
Subject: Re: Wendkos (Was: Licensing From Studios)
ptonguette@a... wrote:
>Just incidentally, I see from IMDB that Wendkos directed a good many TV
>movies (and that's just about ALL he was directing after 1976 or so). Are there
>any others besides the two you named which you'd recommend?
>
I tried to see them until about the mid-80s, until finally giving up. I
guess I'm not a truly dedicated auteurist. None that I did see were as
good as the two I named, and they seemed to be gradually getting worse.
I remember liking "The Haunts of the Very Rich" a good deal, and I
believe "Footsteps." "The Delphi Bureau" was less than great. He seemed
to be getting blander and blander.. His last theatrical feature,
"Special Delivery," was not too good.
With some filmmakers it's hard to be sure about a questionable film at
first; there good be something going on beneath the surface.. The
mediocre or worse Wendkoses are easy to spot. When he's good, he
displays a baroque neo-Wellesian style with lots of detail in the frame
and foreground objects. When he's not, his style turns bland and
sitcomish, like the three "Gidget" films, which I should hasten to add
I've seen only on TV. Perhaps seeing "Gidget Goes to Rome" in 35mm will
reveal its true greatness.
Fred Camper
15857
From:
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:17pm
Subject: Re-post w. clear title: Suggested films habelove can distribute on video
Bill:
CHRONICLE OF CORPSES is definitely out on DVD. (I believe
exhumedfilms.com stocks copies as must others.) INNER SCAR is
available on a Japanese DVD (with pixillated nudity) and Fox Movie
Channel occasionally shows a letterboxed transfer of BIGGER THAN
LIFE, so maybe they'll slap it on a disc some day.
Sam
15858
From: jpcoursodon
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:31pm
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> --- Craig Keller
>
> I'm a big Fantoma fan
>
> Me too! I have their "Der Tiger von Eschnapur/Das
> Indische Grabmal."
>
> And I am LONGING for them -- or someone -- to bring
> out Rivette's "Duelle," "Noroit" and "Merry Go Round."
>
>
> I have a pretty good video tape of MERRY GO ROUND (with
German subtitles, alas, but much of the dialogue is in English
anyway), also of NOROIT.
> _______________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today!
> http://vote.yahoo.com
15859
From: Aaron Graham
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:33pm
Subject: Re: Wendkos (Was: Licensing From Studios)
> I tried to see them until about the mid-80s, until finally giving
up. I
> guess I'm not a truly dedicated auteurist. None that I did see were
as
> good as the two I named, and they seemed to be gradually getting
worse.
> I remember liking "The Haunts of the Very Rich" a good deal, and I
> believe "Footsteps." "The Delphi Bureau" was less than great. He
seemed
> to be getting blander and blander.. His last theatrical feature,
> "Special Delivery," was not too good.
Fred, Have you seen his 1984 mini-series "Celebrity"
(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086679/)? The reason I ask is that I've
seen it for sale at my local video store and i've been wondering if
it's any good.
-Aaron
15860
From: Richard Modiano
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:37pm
Subject: Re: Obscure Oshima / The Ceremony
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Michael Lieberman"
"One Oshima I've wanted to see for quite some time is "The Ceremony" -
-thoughts on it, where to find it?"
THE CEREMONY/GISHIKI always seemed to me to be Oshima's own "Sea of
Fertility" saga (Mishima's tetrology)but confined to the Showa era
and of course the ideological opposite of Mishima. The allegory is
very subtle and may be lost on people not familiar with the modern
history of Japan, but at the same time it is a richly observed study
of an extended family.
If you live near a Japanese community, there's a letter-boxed video
tape you can find in any video store but without sub-titles.
Otherwise check cd.japan.com for DVD availability though the DVD if
there is one may not have sub-titles.
Richard
15861
From: Elizabeth Nolan
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:56pm
Subject: MADE FOR TV, MADE FOR CABLE TV
I think one ought to separate out MADE FOR TV, and MADE FOR CABLE TV
which does not have commercial breaks. Made for tv movies are written
with some awareness of where the commercial breaks are coming. If you
take a made for cable TV movie and show it on a TV channel with
commercial breaks, chances are the dramatic breaks will not be in the
same place as the commercial breaks.
Does anyone know anything about AMC and it commercials? Have they lost
viewers? They lost me for the most part (except when I tivo a true
MUST SEE).
Elizabeth
15862
From: rpporton55
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:17pm
Subject: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
The article linked to below might be of interest to some of the members here. If nothing
else, it contains an object lesson on a. the shoddy nature of editing and proofreading , and
perhaps the decline of standards of accuarcy altogether, in so-called "scholary" publishing
b. the way the Blacklist continues to ignite passions among film buffs and scholars to this
day. Since the magazine I'm affiliated with is a participant in this controversy, I'd rather not
comment on the matter at length. But I'd be interested to see what other people might
have to say..... Richard Porton
http://hnn.us/articles/7088.html
15863
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:24pm
Subject: Re: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- Fred Camper
>
> I have seen these Sirks on film.. He made them with
> students at the
> Munich film and television academy, which I believe
> owns the rights.
> Their style is rather different from Sirk's European
> and American films,
> and on one viewing I did not see anything especially
> great about them,
> though they are of "professional quality." It could
> be that they are
> great and I just didn't get it.
>
They're not "great" but quite fascinating as late
period "chamber works."
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15864
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:27pm
Subject: Re: Re: Obscure Oshima / The Ceremony
--- Michael Lieberman
> One Oshima I've wanted to see for quite some time is
> "The Ceremony" -- thoughts on it, where to find it?
>
> ML
>
>
It's his epic statement about Japan-- a "family
romance" representing the entire country in the
post-war period.
When the New York Film Festival couldn't show "In the
Realm of the Senses" they booked "The Ceremony" in its
stead.
It might be likened to a Godard remake of George
Stevens' "Giant."
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Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers!
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15865
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:30pm
Subject: Marlon Brando's Ashes
have been mixed with those of the great love of his
life.
Yes -- Wally Cox!
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-et-brando22sep22,1,2052318.story?coll=la-home-
__________________________________
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15866
From: Fred Camper
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:42pm
Subject: Re: Re: Wendkos (Was: Licensing From Studios)
Aaron,
No, I haven't seen it. I'd be willing to contribute to the purchase
price if you wanted to purchase it and share it with me, depending on
the price; email me off list. I always thought giving up on Wendkos's TV
films after some turkeys was a sign of lazy auteurism....
Fred
>
>
15867
From: samfilms2003
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:54pm
Subject: Re: Philippine cinema
> The hook for their
> > segment was "Boys Who Are Mistaken For Monkeys." There was also a
> > retarded boy who was about three feet tall who spent his entire
> > segment strumming a toy guitar.
I'm in the middle of "Dream Jungle" right now & my first thought
when reading the above was
"this sounds like a bad parody of Jessica Hagedorn"
Then I read:
> > On an altogether different intellectual level, I also recommend
> the works of writer Jessica Hagedorn
-Sam Wells
15868
From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 4:41pm
Subject: Cahiers index
Does anyone know of accessible indices to Cahiers du Cinema issues, in
either English or French, that tell which articles appeared in each issue?
I gather that French indices were published at some point. - Dan
15869
From: mediafun2001
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 4:41pm
Subject: Russ Meyer dies
Check out the original "Variety" reviews of this one-man band's pics-
-much as they wanted to hate everything about them, they'd always
begrudgingly admit that his cinematography and editing were crisp
and uncommonly good. Did an interview with him for the local cable
show I do here in Manhattan and he pooh-poohed any discussion of his
insanely rapid-fire editing ("faster than a fart, I always say..."
he declared); he was known to be a "tough interview," but I got him
on a good day when he was blissfully avuncular with anecdotes about
his lesser titles and his "miraculously cantilevered" leading ladies.
May six "bountiful buxotics" serve as his pallbearers as he takes
this, his final trip beyond the valley of the ultravixens....
Ed
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Russ Meyer, who helped spawn
the "skin flick" with such films as "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!"
and "Vixen," has died. He was 82.
Meyer died Saturday at his home in the Hollywood Hills, according to
his company, RM Films International Inc. Spokeswoman Janice Cowart
said Meyer had suffered from dementia and died of complications of
pneumonia.
Meyer's films were considered pornographic in their time but are
less shocking by today's standards, with their focus on violence and
large-busted women but little graphic sex.
Altogether he produced, directed, financed, wrote, edited and shot
at least 23 films, including his debut, "The Immoral Mr. Teas," in
1959 and the 1968 film "Vixen," whose success earned him notice from
major studios.
He went on to direct the major studio release "Beyond the Valley of
the Dolls", which was co-written by film critic Roger Ebert.
In a 1996 interview with The Associated Press, Meyer described his
films as "passion plays. ... Beauty against something that's totally
evil."
Meyer was unapologetic for his movies, arguing the onscreen female
nudity put customers in theater seats. But he maintained that women
liked the films.
"The girls kick the hell out of the guys. I've always played well at
the Ivy League -- Cornell, Dartmouth. I have never encountered a
berating woman," he said.
Meyer's work made him rich and earned him critical acclaim. He was
honored at international film festivals, his movies were discussed
in college courses, and his work was shown at top museums.
His 1966 classic, "Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!" about three hip go-
go-girl club dancers who go on a vengeful murder spree against the
men who did them wrong still makes the art house rounds.
"This film is not derogatory to women," Meyer said. "There were
three tough cookies to deal with. Besides, they get what's coming."
Meyer married three times. His studio said he left no survivors.
15870
From: Jonathan Takagi
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 4:44pm
Subject: RE: Cahiers index
They used to always publish an annual index in the
December issue, if I remember correctly.
Jonathan Takagi
15871
From: knezevic
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 4:52pm
Subject: HOT TIMES - (Re: Suggested films habelove can distribute...)
Did HOT TIMES ever get a VHS release?
Has it been re-issued? Is it worth re-issuing?
any of these early Jim McBride films would be awesome to have on DVD,
esp. with some extensive liner notes. Brad, are you working on a
book/article about him?
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "thebradstevens"
> Jim McBride's work is certainly overdue for DVD exposure. The region
> 1 discs of BREATHLESS and UNCOVERED are both cropped to full-screen
> (the region 2 disc of BREATHLESS is much better), while BLOOD TIES is
> missing 10 minutes of footage. None of these discs include any
> extras, beyond the occasional trailer (though the BREATHLESS trailer
> contains footage from scenes that didn't make it into the actual
> film).
>
> How about a two disc-set of DAVID HOLZMAN'S DIARY and Jim's two
> autobiographical documentaries: MY GIRLFRIEND'S WEDDING and PICTURES
> FROM LIFE'S OTHER SIDE, all with McBride commentary tracks? (He has
> some great stories to tell.)
15872
From: thebradstevens
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 4:57pm
Subject: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
I very much doubt that Paul Buhle's mistakes are politically
motivated - he's simply an incredibly sloppy writer/researcher. I
pointed out some of the mistakes in his Abraham Polonsky biography
when I reviewed it for 'Senses of Cinema' - see
http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/books/01/15/books_dangerous_cit
izen.html - and subsequent reviewers have uncovered even more.
15873
From: thebradstevens
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:03pm
Subject: HOT TIMES - (Re: Suggested films habelove can distribute...)
I guess HOT TIMES must have had a US video release at one point,
since an American friend recently sent me a copy of it. It was
released in the UK by Intervision back in the early days of video as
HOT TIMES, then reissued as THE ADVENTURES OF ARCHIE (though this
title appeared only on the packaging), then again as HOT TIMES by a
budget-price label.
I'm writing a book about Jim, to be published by Adrian Martin's
Rouge Press.
Jim is currently trying to raise the moneu for a sequel to DAVID
HOLZMAN'S DIARY, to star William Hurt.
15874
From: Dan Sallitt
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:02pm
Subject: Intention (Was: Licensing From Studios)
> I think with a made for TV movie, absent any other evidence, the
> "correct" way to see it is on TV, since you're seeing it as intended
I take your point that filmmakers are more likely not to include
unviewable detail in a made-for-TV work. But you've pivoted your argument
on the tricky concept of intention. Are you okay with that tack in
general?
This issue is on my mind from having just seen a lot of Murnau films with
musical accompaniment, sometimes improvised and sometimes issued by the
studio, but often terribly destructive in either case. I know silent
movies were never intended to be seen silent, but I don't care anymore:
I've learned how to enjoy unaccompanied silent movies over the years, and
I'm unwilling to risk what an oblivious score can do to a subtle movie.
Someday I want to see TABU with the volume turned off and see if that will
help me love the film as much as everyone says I should. - Dan
15875
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:03pm
Subject: Pete Rainer was fired!
Distressing e-mail from Meredith Brody:
"Biggest news at Toronto: Pete Rainer was fired from
his
many-years post at New
York magazine (over the phone, while he was attending
the fest); he's
being replaced
by Ken Tucker! Surprising many, because Ken is about
the same age as
Pete...and they
thought the mag would hire somebody younger and
hipper, as is the usual
pattern...."
_______________________________
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Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today!
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15876
From: rpporton55
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:10pm
Subject: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
Yes, I agree. The irony is that Cineaste is a magazine of the left, but Buhle is now
accusing us of swerving to the right because we have brought attention to his numerous
errors. To my mind, yelling redbaiter when fundamental factual mistakes are pointed out
trivializes the legacy of the Blacklist era...Richard
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "thebradstevens"
> I very much doubt that Paul Buhle's mistakes are politically
> motivated - he's simply an incredibly sloppy writer/researcher. I
> pointed out some of the mistakes in his Abraham Polonsky biography
> when I reviewed it for 'Senses of Cinema' - see
> http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/books/01/15/books_dangerous_cit
> izen.html - and subsequent reviewers have uncovered even more.
15877
From:
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:17pm
Subject: Info on DVD Business Wanted (was Licensing From Studios)
Can anyone point to a good article on the DVD business.
Curious about:
What are typical sales and rental figures for subtitled DVDs, silent movies, and other art films?
How much does it cost to make a DVD?
DO DVDs of art films make a profit?
Comparison: Small press publishers now are putting out collections of prose mystery short stories. These are trade paperbacks - average price, $18 US.
Books by contemporary authors appear in press runs of 1,500 copies.
Books by authors of 50 or 100 years ago, in runs of 500 copies.
These rarely fully sell out.
Just curious,
Mike Grost
15878
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:23pm
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> "Bourbon Street Blues" ( aka "The Lady of Larkspur
> Lotion") stars Fassbinder
>
Thanks, David -- everything's in boxes since the carpet went down, or
I'd have checked.
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - Send 10MB messages!
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
15879
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:26pm
Subject: Re: Obscure Oshima / The Ceremony
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Michael Lieberman"
> One Oshima I've wanted to see for quite some time is "The
Ceremony" -- thoughts on it, where to find it?
>
>No idea. It's quite good - a kind of Japanese City of Sadness avant
la lettre (in terms of content, not style), as I recall. Saw it at
Lincoln Center; never saw it again. That's why I recommended it for
habelove's Oshima Collection.
15880
From: Dave Garrett
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:29pm
Subject: Re: Re-post w. clear title: Suggested films habelove can distribute on video
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "hotlove666"
> Oshima - Ceremony, Boy, Three Resurrecetd Drunkards, Diary of a
> Shinjuku Thief
I'd vote for NIGHT AND FOG IN JAPAN, which is only available
sporadically on an unsubbed bootleg tape - not sure if it's
even letterboxed. I saw it years ago in 35mm and was blown
away - I'd love to revisit it and see if my reaction has
changed or not.
> Boetticher - Comanche Station, Ride Lonesome, Seven Men from Now
Paramount just recently cut a deal with Batjac Productions to
distribute SEVEN MEN FROM NOW, THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY, and
several other Batjac-owned films on DVD. I believe they're
tentatively scheduled for release next year. No word on a
video release for any of the other "Ranown cycle" Westerns.
Dave
15881
From: Dave Garrett
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:36pm
Subject: Re:Licensing From Studios
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "Hadrian"
> I actually got a lot of my advice from James Healey, one of
> Fantomas' founders. He used to beat the street in person, and drop
> off DVDs in person...
Wow, I had no idea he was involved with Fantoma. I used to buy
laserdiscs from him on eBay all the time, and unlike a lot of
sellers, he knew how to pack a fragile LD carefully so it wasn't
damaged during shipment. The last time I bought a disc from him,
however, he didn't answer emails after I sent payment and I
finally had to file a complaint with PayPal before the disc
showed up. I gather from other buyers' feedback comments around
the same time that my experience wasn't an isolated one. Now I
wonder if he was just overcommitted with his Fantoma
responsibilities - selling stuff on eBay can be a very time-consuming
venture, especially if you have a large number of items on offer
all the time.
Dave
15882
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:37pm
Subject: Re: Cahiers index
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Dan Sallitt
> Does anyone know of accessible indices to Cahiers du Cinema issues,
in
> either English or French, that tell which articles appeared in each
issue?
> I gather that French indices were published at some point. - Dan
I have a couple for the modern period. The older issues are indexed
yearly at the end of each volume in my bound set.
15883
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:38pm
Subject: Re: Russ Meyer dies
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "mediafun2001"
wrote:
Did he ever finish "Russ Meyer's Breast"?
15884
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:43pm
Subject: Re: Pete Rainer was fired!
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
> Distressing e-mail from Meredith Brody:
>
> "Biggest news at Toronto: Pete Rainer was fired from
> his
> many-years post at New
> York magazine
David, do you like Rainer's reviews?
15885
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:41pm
Subject: Re: Intention (Was: Licensing From Studios)
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Dan Sallitt
I know silent
> movies were never intended to be seen silent, but I don't care
anymore:
> I've learned how to enjoy unaccompanied silent movies over the
years, and
> I'm unwilling to risk what an oblivious score can do to a subtle
movie.
> Someday I want to see TABU with the volume turned off and see if
that will
> help me love the film as much as everyone says I should. - Dan
Whole-heartedly agree. TV movies scripm on production detail. I
remember Fuller making fun of how clean the camp inmates were in
HOLOCAUST. He knew tv budgets well, of course.
15886
From: Gabe Klinger
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:53pm
Subject: Re: Pete Rainer was fired!
Peter's a nice guy; I saw him on the first Friday of the festival,
before he got fired, and then not once again. But maybe we just
weren't seeing the same films.
Of course, the other news of the festival is that Kay Armatage
was fired, after more than 20 years of service. All including
Chantal Akerman were upset at this news. Kay seemed in ok
spirits, and was still presenting films on the very last day of the
fest.
Gabe
15887
From: Maxime Renaudin
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:05pm
Subject: Re: Cahiers index
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Dan Sallitt
> Does anyone know of accessible indices to Cahiers du Cinema
issues, in
> either English or French, that tell which articles appeared in
each issue?
> I gather that French indices were published at some point. - Dan
Cahiers used to published "tables des matières" trough a separate
issue. Issues included film/directors/critics/thematics indices.
I've got 3 issues covering '55 to '68 (#51-#100,#101-#159,#169-#199).
Do you need any specific reference?
Maxime
15888
From: Gabe Klinger
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:06pm
Subject: One From the Heart
> By the way, there now seem to be at least three totally different
> cuts of ONE FROM THE HEART in circulation.
What is the third, Brad? I know of two: Coppola's original release
version, and the recently restored cut. Which one am I missing?
Gabe
15889
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:08pm
Subject: Re: Re: Pete Rainer was fired!
--- hotlove666
>
> David, do you like Rainer's reviews?
>
>
Some yes, some now. But I like Pete personally a great
deal.
This is very shabby of Adam Moss.
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15890
From: Samuel Bréan
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:15pm
Subject: RE: Re: Cahiers index
>From: "Maxime Renaudin"
>Reply-To: a_film_by@yahoogroups.com
>To: a_film_by@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [a_film_by] Re: Cahiers index
>Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 18:05:26 -0000
>
>--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Dan Sallitt
> > Does anyone know of accessible indices to Cahiers du Cinema
>issues, in
> > either English or French, that tell which articles appeared in
>each issue?
> > I gather that French indices were published at some point. - Dan
>
>Cahiers used to published "tables des matières" trough a separate
>issue. Issues included film/directors/critics/thematics indices.
>I've got 3 issues covering '55 to '68 (#51-#100,#101-#159,#169-#199).
>Do you need any specific reference?
>Maxime
There's a fourth one going from # 200 (April 1968) to # 399 (September
1987).
Then, from 1987 to 1999 (or 2000?), there was an annual index, which got
dropped with the new presentation.
The POSITIF index (coinciding with the 500th issue) comes in handy, although
an index in an electronic form would have made more sense, IMO.
Samuel.
_________________________________________________________________
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15891
From: thebradstevens
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:58pm
Subject: Re: One From the Heart
There were two original release versions: the first, which ran 107
minutes, was shown in British cinemas, then released on video in the
UK and screened by the BBC. But a different cut (which may be the
original American release version), turned up on Film Four in 1999:
it ran 98m 18s at 25 fps (102m at 24 fps), and shortens several
scenes. It also uses a number of alternate takes, notably a shot in
which Freddie Forest says 'fuck' (he no longer used the word in this
version). There is also an alternate take of Forrest trying to get
into the hotel room: in the 107m version he says "room service" in a
deep voice, while in the 102m version he says "room service" in a
high-pitched voice!
I haven't seen the DVD yet, but I understand that it contains an even
shorter 99-minute cut which nevertheless includes at least one scene
not in either of the earlier versions!
15892
From: Dave Garrett
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 7:41pm
Subject: Re: Russ Meyer dies
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "hotlove666"
> Did he ever finish "Russ Meyer's Breast"?
If you mean his autobiography, yeah, it was published as a huge
three-volume set several years ago. It's been discounted several
times since then, and copies are still available through his
company:
http://www.rmfilms.com/newbook.shtml
It reads like you'd expect it to: overheated, bombastic prose reminiscent of the dialogue in Meyer's films. Highly recommended
for hardcore Meyer fans.
Dave
15893
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 9:00pm
Subject: Re: Pete Rainer was fired!
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, David Ehrenstein
wrote:
>
> --- hotlove666
>
>
> >
> > David, do you like Rainer's reviews?
> >
> >
>
> Some yes, some now. But I like Pete personally a great
> deal.
>
> This is very shabby of Adam Moss.
It's bad news when any member of our underpaid, under-employed
fraternity is let go, no matter what we think of their criticism. And
I have heard that Rainer is a nice man. I'll comment on his work when
he's back in print somewhere.
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers!
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
15894
From: hotlove666
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 9:01pm
Subject: Re: Cahiers index
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Samuel Bréan
> There's a fourth one going from # 200 (April 1968) to # 399
(September
> 1987).
> Then, from 1987 to 1999 (or 2000?), there was an annual index,
which got
> dropped with the new presentation.
Which is a real shame. I have the 68-87 one if anyone needs to know
where to find a particular article.
15895
From:
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:24pm
Subject: Re: Wendkos (Was: Licensing From Studios)
Years ago, enjoyed some Wendkos TV movies, all crime films:
"A Death of Innocence" (1971)
"The Underground Man" (1974)
and to a lesser degree:
"Murder Among Friends" (1975)
I know very little about Wendkos' work as a whole. It is unclear if I liked
the above films for Wendkos' visual style - but maybe rather for the writers
and actors ("A Death of Innocence" was scripted by Joeph Stefano, for instance.)
Mike Grost
15896
From: Matt Teichman
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:02pm
Subject: Re: Sirk's last films
hotlove666 wrote:
>Thanks, David -- everything's in boxes since the carpet went down, or
>I'd have checked.
>
Bill: are you saying you have video copies of these films, or that you
would have checked print sources?
Interesting to hear Fred C's take on Sirk's last films; I still haven't
seen any of them, though I've been wanting to for a while. I guess it's
the fault of Nicholas Ray's incredible _We Can't Go Home Again_, which
somehow got it into my head that having the great Hollywood directors
leave the studio and make films with students is not nearly as silly an
idea as it sounds.
I'd be thrilled to hear the thoughts of anyone else who has seen them,
or more from Fred about how they diverge from Sirk's previous work.
-Matt
15897
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:26pm
Subject: Re: Re: Sirk's last films
--- Matt Teichman
>
> I'd be thrilled to hear the thoughts of anyone else
> who has seen them,
> or more from Fred about how they diverge from Sirk's
> previous work.
>
Actually I don't think they diverge quite as much as
fred does. Obviously they're not
Universal-International super-productions. But with
modest means Sirk still deals with lighting, color and
camera movement as the tools of his art. They're
perfect for explaining to stuidents how atosphere can
be created and characters delineated by means of pure
mise en scene.
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15898
From: peckinpah20012000
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:37pm
Subject: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "rpporton55"
wrote:
> Yes, I agree. The irony is that Cineaste is a magazine of the
left, but Buhle is now
> accusing us of swerving to the right because we have brought
attention to his numerous
> errors. To my mind, yelling redbaiter when fundamental factual
mistakes are pointed out
> trivializes the legacy of the Blacklist era...Richard
>
>
> --- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, "thebradstevens"
> > I very much doubt that Paul Buhle's mistakes are politically
> > motivated - he's simply an incredibly sloppy writer/researcher. _
I agree with both Richard and Brad in their comments. The blacklist
movie guide is simply appalling! After the last few books, one can
not give Buhle and Wagner the benefit of the doubt any longer.
However, since Cineaste gave major uncritical drooling coverage to
the late Pauline Kael, a notorious red-baiter as seen in her
original review of SALT OF THE EARTH, whose prose also contained
many nasty traits of character assassination (her "bitchy" assault
on actress usan Clark being one example), the credentials of
CINEASTE being a "left" journal are now open to question.
This is especially so in regard to the negative
review published of Stokes and Hoover's Marxist analysis of Hong
Kong Cinema, CITY ON FIRE, written by an entertainment journalist
who reacted against the political tone of the work.
I'm not saying that a negative review should not have been published
of a work which remains relatively error-free of the type of
appalling scholarship marring Buhle and Wagner. However, by moving
away from the political approach of the original editors towards a
more market-orientated line, Cineaste has certainly laid itself wide
open to the counter charges made by Buhle and Wagner.
Also the lack of criticism against John Schlesinger's move to the
right by working on advertizing commercials for Mrs Thatcher (like
fellow right-winger Bryan Forbes) also needs some questions.
Also, why has Cineaste allowed the critic of Buhle and Wagner
convenient anonymity? Surely, they should have insisted that this
critic come out into the open and identify him/herself? Otherwise,
this approach evokes parallels to those anonymous witnesses used in
Northern Ireland internment proceedures and continuining today. It
also has unpleasant parallels to the tactics used by Ann Coulter and
Rush Limbaugh.
CINEASTE is not entirely free of blame in this matter and should not
be flaunting supposedly "left" credentials which no longer exist
should one compare the different approaches taken by past and
present editorial boards.
Tony Williams
15899
From: jpcoursodon
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:56pm
Subject: Re: Cahiers index
--- In a_film_by@yahoogroups.com, Samuel Bréan
wrote:
> >From: "Maxime Renaudin"
> >Reply-To: a_film_by@yahoogroups.com
> >To: a_film_by@yahoogroups.com
> >Subject: [a_film_by] Re: Cahiers index
> >Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 18:05:26 -0000
> >
>
>
> The POSITIF index (coinciding with the 500th issue) comes in
handy, although
> an index in an electronic form would have made more sense, IMO.
>
> Samuel.
>
> ___It IS available on-line, I'm told, although I have only used it
in book form.
JPC
15900
From: David Ehrenstein
Date: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:57pm
Subject: Re: Re: Standards of Accuracy in Film Scholarship
--- peckinpah20012000
wrote:
>
> However, since Cineaste gave major uncritical
> drooling coverage to
> the late Pauline Kael, a notorious red-baiter as
> seen in her
> original review of SALT OF THE EARTH, whose prose
> also contained
> many nasty traits of character assassination (her
> "bitchy" assault
> on actress usan Clark being one example), the
> credentials of
> CINEASTE being a "left" journal are now open to
> question.
>
Well they may be open to question but then so are your
remarks on Kael. "Conservative," yes, scarcely a
fire-breathing ideologue. Why do you think Warren
Beatty got her the job at Paramount?Because he wanted
her to push right-wing scripts?
>
> Also the lack of criticism against John
> Schlesinger's move to the
> right by working on advertizing commercials for Mrs
> Thatcher (like
> fellow right-winger Bryan Forbes) also needs some
> questions.
>
How about a few brickbats at Jean-Luc Godard for his
blue jean and soft drink commercials?
>
> CINEASTE is not entirely free of blame in this
> matter and should not
> be flaunting supposedly "left" credentials which no
> longer exist
> should one compare the different approaches taken by
> past and
> present editorial boards.
>
Or its past editorial baords either.
I trust you're acquainted with the humungous bone I
had to pick with them over Oliver Stone and his
noxious "JFK."
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