Legendary Hammer Films started in 1934. With some fits and starts it began to take real shape following World War II, when productions started again in 1949.
It wasn’t until the last 50′s however where two great entities came together – that of Hammer’s Gothic/Horror/Sci-Fi melodrama subject matter and those amazingly intense blood reds of Technicolor.
Hammer Films has had a long life, but not without death and resurrection. By the time the 1970′s came around, Hammer was in full swing with a history of successful U.S. studio partnerships. During that period however, the color television also became a staple in most households and like the video business of today, it was keeping people home more and more. The film business was beginning to suffer. The 1980′s arrived and Hammer Film’s adapted by making the move from film to television, but it was short lived and the 90′s proved worse.
Enter the millennium. Hammer gets acquired by Cyrte Investments who also purchases the Los Angeles based production company Spitfire Pictures. The acquisition of both Spitfire and Hammer effectively operate as one business with two separate brands. In 2007 Hammer horror turned 50 and to celebrate the occasion the BFI (British Film Institute) restores Hammer’s original Dracula. [Read more →]
Tags: BFI · BFI's Most Wanted · British Film Institute · Christopher Lee · Cyrte Investments · Danielle Radcliffe · Dracula · film preservation · film restoration · Hammer Films · Hammer Productions · Hilary Swank · Spitfire Pictures · Technicolor · The Public Life of Henry the Ninth
As Zeitgeist Films puts it “Maya Deren is arguably the most important and innovative avant-garde filmmaker in the history of American cinema.” MoMA is honoring the artist’s incredible contribution to experimental film with Maya Deren’s Legacy: Women and Experimental Film, curated by MoMA’s Sally Berger (see her blog posts on MoMA’s Inside/Out.
The exhibit which opened May 15 and will run through October 4th, 2010 includes video installation and film programs. Screenings consist of Ms. Deren’s work as well as her influences, such as Carolee Schneemann, Barbara Hammer, and Su Friedrich. The program also offers a loving tribute to Ms. Deren’s life and work in Martina Kudlácek’s documentary, In the Mirror of Maya Deren (2002). The sweet and humbled filmmaker was on hand for Q&A after last night’s viewing.
Jerry Tallmer wrote a beautifully rich article on this MoMA series in The Villager and even the writer’s experiences with the artist herself. Please take a moment to read it. Mr. Tallmer’s description of Ms. Deren’s sensual and mysterious 14 minute masterpiece Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) is more than palatable.
Tags: Barbara Hammer · Carolee Schneemann · experimental film · female directors · female film pioneers · In the Mirror of Maya Deren · Jerry Tallmer · Martina Kudlácek · maya deren · Maya Deren's Legacy: Women and Experimental Film · Meshes of the Afternoon · Sally Berger · Su Friedrich
Countdown to Zero, a documentary about the global nuclear arms race, is brought to you by the folks behind the global warming and climate change issue, An Inconvenient 
Truth.
Real impending doom illustrations aren’t normally subjects you want when going out for an evening of entertainment at the local movie house, but if you care to become more aware and educated about the world around you, unpleasant or not, I recommend seeing Countdown to Zero.
I wasn’t particularly surprised by a lot of the information presented in this film. It did, however, uncomfortably validate previous concerns or passing thoughts about how probable a nuclear disaster is. A frightening scenario to consider but one that is possibly resolvable if the right politicians are voted into office and if there’s enough public outcry. The world can eliminate the unimaginable if we’re willing to acknowledge the threat and do something about it.
My friend was nice enough to share a ticket to The Paley Center for Media presentation of the film. Writer/Director, Lucy Walker turned out for it as well as Lawrence Bender and other executive producers from Participant Media and Magnolia Pictures. The History Channel is also a producer of this picture. It was a full house at The Paley Center and it screened it in two theaters. There were notables in the audience too, including former CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson (who also appears in the film) and Queen Noor of Jordon. Obviously there’s an audience for this documentary and therefore potential for activism.
Time will tell whether Countdown to Zero has any tangible effect on nuclear proliferation. We can only hope so. I didn’t really appreciate the step-by-step instructions on how easy it is to import and create a weapon of mass destruction, but I do believe it’s important to be informed so the public can be pro-active in creating a “Global Zero” scenario. Click here to view and sign “Global Zero” declaration.
Ways that you can get involved are all over Countdown’s “take part” site (including above widget and other tools) and the film gets official release nation wide this Friday. I should mention the film’s editors are Brad Fuller and Brian Johnson.
Tags: An Inconvenient Truth · Brad Fuller · Brian Johnson · Countdown to Zero · Global Zero declaration · Jeff Scoll · Lawrence Bender · Lucy Walker · Magnolia Pictures · nuclear arms race · Participant Media · Queen Noor of Jordon · The History Channel · Valerie Plame Wilson
The Walter Reade Theater showcases Clint Eastwood in their The Complete Clint Eastwood retrospective now through July 27th. I just caught For a Few Dollars More and it’s quite something to see a Sergio Leone film on the big screen. The extreme close-up and the extreme wide shot like never before. It’s not just spaghetti westerns either. Pretty much any Eastwood genre is covered here including his directorial work. Don’t miss out.
Tags: Clint Eastwood · Clint Eastwood retrospective · ennio morricone · For a Few Dollars More · Sergio Leone · The Complete Clint Eastwood · Walter Reade Theater
David Stone Martin (1913-1992) created hundreds of jazz record album covers with the height of his work in the 1950′s. Most well known for his album art, he also illustrated for many well known publications such as Time and The Saturday Evening Post. He’s shown at the Museum of Modern Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. His hand drawn lines done with his crowquill pen were his signature look. His sketches somehow captured the energy, essence and even humor of jazz and it’s musicians. During the 1930′s and 40′s Stone Martin worked as an illustrator and art director for government agencies. It was record art though where David Stone Martin soured. Because of his strong influence on popular culture and the look of jazz, from the mid 40′s through the mid 60′s, that is exemplified in film of it’s time and today, he’s ending up on this editor’s blog. He also created graphic art for film, television and books, so certainly that justifies this entry.
Now through the end of the year, Jazz at Lincoln Center is exhibiting a wide range his work. It’s free to the public and since it’s a jazz venue,
it’s even open late! There are also guided tours available on certain days. If you’re like me you have a few David Stone Martin albums yourself and are a lover of vinyl records. If not you should consider learning about the art, the artists and the music. You’ll never look back. There’s nothing like the sound of a record and the this particular art is of an era that will never be again. There’s great new jazz out there, but as far as cover art goes, if you ask me there’s not another David Stone Martin.
Also, for great examples of his covers try LP Cover Lover.
Tags: David Stone Martin · Jazz at Lincoln Center · Jazz cover art · vintage album cover art
My Grandpa Al once said, “Nothing is more important than an education”. I wish I would have given a little more heed to this idea. I would have acquired more of an academic history. I did get an education but not everyone has access to the same opportunities. It’s not just a matter of applying one’s self.
July 10th’s Envision event, brought to us by the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) and the United Nations Department of Public Information was a day long panel discussion and film screenings. Saturday was intended to unite leaders from the international filmmaking community with prominent representatives from the UN, civil society organizations, entrepreneurs, activists, journalists, economists, public policy makers and NGOs to address global issues through the international shared language of filmed documentaries.
There were two films shown and three panel discussions. The morning started with opening remarks by IFP’s Executive Director, Joanna Vicente and Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information at the United Nations, Kiyo Akasaka. The eloquent Harry Belafonte gave an amazing keynote speech about his work in Kenya (where the first documentary takes place), with UNICEF (where he serves as International Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF) and his friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt as a young man (The First Lady chaired the UN commission that drafted and approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948). Mr. Belafonte also told the story of how a young Barack Obama Sr. initially came to America on a scholarship for promising African students through a program Harry Belafonte was involved with. [Read more →]
Tags: A Small Act · Allison Anderson · Breakthrough · Childrens Broadcasting Initiatives · Chris Mburu · David Guggenheim · Doug Cogan · Envision · Harry Belafonte · HBO Documentaries · Heather Simpson Save the Children · Hilde Back Education Fund · IFP · Impact Partners · Jennifer Arnold · Jessica Mayberry · Joanna Vicente · John Kennedy · Karen Cirillo · Kiyo Akasaka · Mallika Dutt · Michael Gibbons · Penny Abeywardena · Ryan Schief · UNICEF · United Nations Department of Public Information · Video Volunteers · Waiting for Superman · WITNESS · World Without Walls
Alfred Hitchcock has nine surviving silent films and the clock is ticking. The British Film Institute (BFI) is asking for our help. It’s hope is to bring these films back to life, and a long one at that, via public and private donations. It’s not a bad idea either.
The Pleasure Garden (1925) is on the list, which is the first known completed film by Hitchcock. The story surrounds two chorus girls at The Pleasure Garden Theater and was based on a novel. Hitchcock’s future wife, Alma Reville, is credited here as Assistant Director as well as a Continuity Editor (behind every great man…). Virginia Valli was one of the leads and also one of the early American stars to be brought over for a British film. Hitchcock’s Notebooks (author, Dan Auiler, 1999), states that a tinted print of this film was found in Waco, Texas in 1992 and restored by G. William Jones Film and Video Collection based at Southern Methodist University and their site boasts of having indeed restored a print.
The premise of The Lodger: A Story of London Fog (1926) surrounds a landlady who suspects a guest to be a madman, lady-killer. Hitchcock claimed this his first real “Hitchcock film” and many others agree that The Lodger was the his first film with what would become Hitchcock’s signature “Master of Suspense” style and it was considered a hit. Alma Reville is credited as a Second Unit Director or Assistant Director.
Hitchcock’s one original screenplay is for The Ring (1927). A film which is said to only further define his talent and style as we know it today. According to the BFI site, “… its neatness and economy reveal a director already confident in his control of the medium.” I haven’t seen The Ring, but I did just add it to my netflix queue. [Read more →]
Tags: Alfred Hitchcock · Alma Reville · Anny Ondra · BFI · Blackmail · British Film Institute · Champagne film · Charles Bennett · Cyril Ritchard · Dan Auiler · Downhill · Easy Virtue film · Eden Philpotts · Eric Bransby Williams · filent film restoration · Franklin Dyall · G. William Jones Film and Video Collection · Gordon Harker · Hitchcock home movies · Hitchcock restoration · Hitchcock's Notebooks · Hitchcock/Truffaut · Ian Hunter · Isabel Jeans · Ivor Montagu · Ivor Novella · Jameson Thomas · Joan Barry · Noël Coward · Rescue Hitchcock 9 · silent film · talkies · The Farmer's Wife · The Lodger: A Story of London Fog · The Manxman · The Pleasure Garden · The Ring · To Save and Project · Truffaut · Vertigo · Virginia Vallie
Pixar’s pre-feature short, Day & Night screens with Toy Story 3. It’s the story of how Day and Night experience fear, jealousy, curiosity and joy in the discovery of each other’s existence. Done in a terrific sort of retro animation, it’s a sweet stylized film that says so much about the human condition. I liked the short better than the feature and the feature was pretty good.
Tags: Day & Night · Pixar · Toy Story 3
Envision is a collaboration of between Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) and the United Nations Department of Public Information. The goal of this day long event is to unit the filmmaking community with the UN, civil society organizations, entrepreneurs, activists, journalists, economists, public policy makers and NGOs to address global issues through the international shared language of filmed documentaries.
I attended the event last May and it was really terrific. It’s a huge bummer that the UN doesn’t offer filmmakers any sort of grant or other funding opportunities but they do offer the possibility of other resources and I also saw a couple of great films with panels (The Glass House!!) and Jonathan Demme made an interesting guest appearance to speak about his documentary work in Haiti (The Agronomist).
This year’s Envision: addressing global issues through documentaries will be hosting about 5 panels. One that stands out is entitled Telling Their Own Stories – The Individual as Documentarian and the Impact of User Generated Media. An idea growing in popularity with a number of NGOs who are now sponsoring programs around the idea of giving community members around the world cameras to tell their own stories. UNICEF and WITNESS representatives are among a handful of impressive panelists of this session.
Envision will be held July 10th at TimesCenter in Manhattan.
Tags: Envision · IFP · Independent Filmmaker Project · Johnathan Demme · The Agronomist · The Glass House · TimesCenter · UN · United Nations · United Nations Department of Public Information · WITNESS
Alice Guy-Blaché 7/1/1873 - 3/24/68
Alice Guy-Blaché who produced, directed and shot hundreds of of films, was born July 1st, 1873. She is remembered for being the first female director and one of the first narrative filmmakers. Alice Guy-Blaché was French but developed her career in America where she owned a studio here on the east coast. Happy birthday to Ms. Guy-Blaché.
Tags: Alice Guy-Blaché · Alice Guy-Blaché birthday
It wasn’t until the last 50′s however where two great entities came together – that of Hammer’s Gothic/Horror/Sci-Fi melodrama subject matter and those amazingly intense blood reds of Technicolor.
