DIFF 2017: Day Four

April 5, 2017

The Dallas International Film Festival runs March 31 – April 9, 2017


The first weekend of DIFF 2017 has come and gone, and though my eyes are a bit bloodshot, it’s been a lot of fun taking in quite a few interesting and thought-provoking documentaries and some independent films from passionate filmmakers. While some festival attendees take a little time off after a busy weekend, my plan is to see multiple movies each day until the festival ends. Below is the recap of the three movies I watched on Monday April 3, 2017:

UNREST (documentary)

With all of the remarkable advancements in the medical field, there are still gaps that can make a bad situation even worse. Jennifer Brea was once a brilliant, lively, active person whose dream as a youngster was to “swallow the world whole”. As a PhD student at Harvard, she seemed well on her way. When she was hit with a 107 degree fever, doctors were unable to properly diagnose, so they informed Jennifer that the resulting fatigue must be psychological in nature (aka ‘It’s all in your head’). Though she survived, her life has never been the same.

With the support of her husband Omar, Jennifer decided to document her journey – both medical and personal. During a doctor’s appointment, Omar coaches Jennifer with something along the lines of, “If you say too little, they can’t help you. If you say too much, they will assume you are a mental case.” The stigma attached to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome persists despite affecting more than one million Americans. Officially chronicled as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has struck many athletes and other active, vibrant folks. Since 85% of those affected are female, and no clear cause or diagnosis is available, there remain medical professionals who lump this functional disorder into the same classification as “hysteria” from the old days. It can’t be easily identified so they assume it’s psychological. Because of this, many of these people suffer in silence with little treatment.

Despite being bedridden many days, along with a high sensitivity to light and sound, Jennifer has capitalized on technology to connect with other ME sufferers. They share their stories via Skype and YouTube, and a support system slowly forms for these people who feel so isolated and forgotten. Home remedies and theories of causation are shared. Mixed results occur, but these are fighters.

A global #MillionMissing protest is organized to bring attention to those who suffer in greater numbers than Multiple Sclerosis. Research is limited, though there seems to be a clear link between the immune system and the brain. Jennifer’s story and film are a reminder that those things we don’t understand deserve more than a shrug, especially when so many beautiful people are living in misery. She proudly proclaims, “I’m still here”, and we believe she will find a way to persevere.

 

WHAT LIES UPSTREAM (documentary)

“Issues” documentaries walk a dangerous line. If done properly, they can be informative, educational and even act as calls to action. On the other hand, they can be biased, manipulative and even blatant propaganda (Hello there, Michael Moore). Because of this, my defense shields are usually at high alert when I sit down to take in a film such as this latest from Cullen Hoback (Terms and Conditions May Apply, 2013).

Mr. Hoback identifies as an investigate filmmaker, and that’s a pretty accurate description of his process. He spent two years in West Virginia’s “chemical valley” after a 2014 chemical spill by Freedom Industries. It was only because of the smell and color of the drinking water that the public became aware of the spill identified as MCHM. Trucked in bottled water became the only safe source for drinking, cooking and bathing for the more than 300,000 who were impacted. As frightening as this seems, the true horror comes from what Hoback uncovers in his interviews and legwork.

It’s only once this network of government, industry and agencies begins to unravel that our eyes widen and we get an inkling of the real danger. Mr. Hoback never shies away from dramatizing a moment or event, but that doesn’t soften the frustrations we experience while being informed that companies and factories provide their own water testing results to agencies such as EPA, who then provide a review of the data as compared to “acceptable standards”. When the CDC is called in to examine medical records of those impacted by the polluted waters, a quick “no issues here” rubberstamp is provided and no further digging is done.

Two recurring players in this saga are Dr. Gupta and Randy Huffman. Mr. Huffman is a director of West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, while Dr. Gupta is originally an outspoken caution flag waver who sees the obvious oversights and mistakes occurring in safety tests and communication. It’s interesting to see the transformation of Dr. Gupta from caring medical scientist to self-protective politician during this period; while Mr. Huffman seems to move from clueless government head to concerned leader. Of course, all of the specifics seem to fall into a gray area due to Mr. Hoback presentation style, but clearly something isn’t right.

The biggest takeways here are that it seems the agencies are more protective of their turf than of public safety. Industry and lobbyists are apparently more directly involved with actually writing bills than we previously imagined. Misrepresentations and outright fraudulent data (along with faulty testing processes) can put the public’s safety in peril … at least until the water smells so bad that everyone notices. Given that much of the details and data are sketchy here, it leaves little doubt that we should be vigilant in our questioning of those responsible for our safety.

 

TROPHY (documentary)

Totally unexpected is a documentary on big game hunting that doesn’t come down squarely on one side of this argument. Co-directors Christina Clusiau and Shaul Schwarz do an admirable job of laying out the facts and leaving the viewer to contemplate how these moving pieces create a blurred line between conservation and commerce.

Expect a couple of scenes that might be difficult to watch – after all, it is a documentary on hunting animals. There are plenty of facts and statistics provided, with one of the most staggering being since 1970, the world has lost 60% of its wild animals. Rhinos alone are down from 500,000 to 30,000, and we meet a rhino breeder who seems to have devoted his life and fortune to saving the species. On the surface, his stance seems difficult to debate, but African law prevents the sale of rhino horn, which means this breeder is sitting on millions of dollars of stored horns, while poachers profit by picking off his animals and selling on the black market. Not so clear now, is it?

Other stories involve elephants, alligators, and others. We visit the massive Safari Club hunting convention in Las Vegas, as well as stock auctions where breeders battle over the next generation. The safari clubs argue that much of the money big game hunters pay is distributed back into the conservation efforts of the country, though the corruption of politicians can’t be ignored.

The contrast between shooters and hunters, killers and sportsmen, is noted and legitimate information is provided. Focus goes to the “Big 5”: hunters trying to bag each of water buffalo, leopard, elephant, lion and rhino. The process is slow and expensive, and the industry has evolved to breeding that is designed to facilitate the future of the species and the industry.

Hunter’s remorse is admitted, as is a connection to the animals by the otherwise stoic and businesslike breeders. When one hunter quotes the bible in saying that man shall have dominion over animals, it’s a reminder that no matter one’s stance, there is a defense to be made. The big question is, can the industry be run in a manner that allows the animals to survive, the villagers to benefit, and the vendors to profit? In theory, this seems doable … but reality and self-interest often destroy best intentions.

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

DIFF 2017: Day Three

April 4, 2017

The Dallas International Film Festival runs from March 31 – April 9, 2017

 This was my first 5 movie day since last year’s festival, and it comes on the heels of the four from yesterday. Sometimes a film festival can be an endurance challenge, but the Dallas International Film Festival offers such a diverse selection of films, it feels like a mistake to miss an opportunity to view unique films, some of which might struggle to get distribution. Below is a recap of the five films I watched on Sunday April 2, 2017:

SCORE: A FILM MUSIC DOCUMENTARY (documentary)

Admittedly, this is one of the films that jumped off the schedule when first going through the programming for this year’s DIFF. The magic of music in movies has always fascinated me, and many movies and their scores are so inter-connected that you simply can’t think of one without the other: Jaws; Star Wars; The Magnificent Seven; The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly; Psycho; Gone with the Wind; James Bond; Batman; Titanic; Chariots of Fire; Jurassic Park … chances are, just reading that list caused you to hear the themes!

Director Matt Schrader, in his directorial debut, takes us back to the beginning to explain that silent films weren’t ever really silent. There was invariably live or recorded musical accompaniment to help muffle the sound of the projector. But it was Max Steiner’s score for King Kong in 1933 that really changed the game. His music transformed the film from schlocky special effects B-movie into a tense, thrilling cinematic experience.

This is so much more than a history of important and beautifully written scores. Director Schrader interviews most of the well-known film composers working today. He gains insight into their writing process, commentary on the ground-breakers who came before them, and a look at how technology, new instruments, new styles, and a different approach are always in the works.

Some of those interviewed include Rachel Portman (the only female included here), Randy Newman, Danny Elfman, Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor, and Thomas Newman (son of Alfred). There is also a well-deserved segment reserved entirely for the great John Williams, and we get reminders of the revolutionary composers like Jerry Goldsmith (Planet of the Apes, Chinatown) and Bernard Hermann (Psycho), as well as Henry Mancini (The Pink Panther), Monty Norman (Bond), and Ennio Morricone (westerns). A quick segment that proves quite entertaining is Mark Mothersbaugh (formerly of Devo) telling the story of how he used a toy piano for the score of Rugrats, but somehow no longer has possession of the little piano anymore.

Oscar winning composer Hans Zimmer is a recurring voice throughout and provides some structure to the numerous interviews and segments. It’s pretty funny to see this highly accomplished, world-renowned composer in his early days as a keyboardist for The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” (the first video played on MTV). More importantly, Mr. Zimmer discusses the insecurities and pressures that go along with the job, and how change (such as his aggressive sounds) isn’t always welcomed openly.

The technical aspects of creating the score are certainly not ignored. We get a glimpse inside Abbey Road Studios, and how thrilling it is for the composer to hear the live orchestra bring the music to life that first time. It also serves as a reminder that film composing employs a significant number of the live orchestral musicians working today, and that we all hope technology doesn’t replace that imperfect beauty of the real thing.

If there is a disappointment in the film, it’s that the recently deceased James Horner seems woefully short-changed, with only a brief post credits segment featuring director James Cameron who, as usual, spends the time talking more about himself than the impact of Horner. Adding a scientific perspective was a nice touch. Hearing that our brains respond to movie music in a similar manner to chocolate and sex made a great deal of sense; as I’ve often wondered if film scores are more manipulative or complementary in nature. This documentary is a must for movie lovers, and on a personal note, made me miss my friend Adam very much. He would have certainly enjoyed this one and had a great deal to say about it.

 

THE SECRET LIFE OF LANCE LETSCHER (documentary)

Most documentaries with an artist as the subject offer little more than a retrospective of the work. It’s rare that we get to explore the mind and creative process in a way that brings us a little closer to their world, while also magnifying the gap. This is Sandra Adair’s first foray into directing, though she is an Oscar nominated Film Editor (Boyhood), and she works wonders in getting Lance Letscher to open up and share his ideas, insecurities and reactions.

The first question we might ask is, why does he do this? Working in solitude with an Exacto knife and surrounded by piles of books, album covers, board games, signs and magazine pages, Mr. Letscher creates some amazingly detailed collages out of everyday materials – most of which have been discarded by previous owners.

Much of the film revolves around a commissioned project for a large outdoor piece to hang on the building that houses a book store on South Congress Avenue in Austin. Having not typically worked with metal, Letscher lets us in on some of the frustrations he has – which leads to a form of artistic procrastination. When things do finally click, it’s enthralling to see how quickly his vision comes to life.

Also fascinating is seeing how his right brain and left brain work in conjunction to create these diagrams of thought. He claims his subconscious mind is responsible for much of his creations, but we slowly come to realize Letscher is a rare blend of art and engineering. This blend results in such unusual projects as gliders/planes and motorcycles, in addition to his customary collage work.

Director Adair does not limit the framework to art. We get to know part of what makes Letscher the man tick. He jokes about his childhood nickname “Trance”, while later coming clean on his father’s depression and suicide – and how that has impacted him as a father, husband and artist. He acknowledges his tendency to take the “path of greater resistance” even during the process of layout-revision-glue-press. The use of music and intimate camera work create a polished documentary on a man who is doing more than keeping Austin weird – he is keeping it beautiful and interesting.

 

A BAD IDEA GONE WRONG

With all of the documentaries I have scheduled during the festival, it was important to mix in a comedy here and there. This little indie shot in Ft Worth is directed by Jason Headley and stars Matt Jones (“Breaking Bad”), Will Rogers, and Eleanore Pierta. It’s a pretty humorous look at a couple of bumbling house burglars with different objectives, who find themselves in what looks like a no-win situation.

Mr. Jones has a certain stoner quality that makes most everything he says seem like a punchline – even when it’s kind of brilliant. Mr. Rogers captures the essence of guy who is stuck holding on to a past relationship and being unable/unwilling to let go. He finds meaning to seemingly innocuous details that lead him to believe his ex-fiancé still pines for him.

The real fun begins when these two doofuses manage to set the house alarm that effectively locks them in the house they are robbing. Oh, and then they stumble on sleeping Darcy, the housesitter/pet taxi driver who may or may not be as welcome in the home as are the boys themselves.

Niagara Falls and a hide-a-key rock are key players in this comedy that’s good for a few laughs, while also providing a bit of romance-under-stress.

 

BERLIN SYNDROME

A well-made intense, suspense-filled thriller is about as much fun as one can have watching a movie. Director Cate Shortland (Lore, 2012) delivers just that with this hostage-psychopath saga based on the novel from Melanie Joosten. It also features a best-yet performance from Teresa Palmer.

Clare (Ms. Palmer) is touring Berlin alone (with her camera and backpack) as she seeks life experiences away from her Australian homeland. She spends her days enjoying the culture and architecture of the city and one day crosses paths with Andi (Max Riemelt). He charms her through broken English and they end up with a passion-filled evening. Of course, thanks to the film score, we know something is rotten in Berlin – and in particular with Andi. His innocent looks mask a true psychopath, and he ends up imprisoning Clare in the remote apartment while he goes about his daily life as a teacher. In fact, his outside-the-apartment life could have used a bit more definition. How does this guy fit in? We get only glimpses.

If this sounds like Brie Larson’s Room without the kid, you would be on the right path. The difference being, Clare has only herself to think of – along with survival and escape. In Room, the mother had the well-being of her son to consider. This makes for a more mano y mano situation – a true battle of wits. It’s brutal to watch at times, and is one of those films that forces you to ask, what would you do? At what point do you give up hope of escaping and concentrate on making the best of a situation? The frustrations and anger are palpable, and it shows how difficult it is to use rational thought when combating psychotic behavior.

 

MUSTANG ISLAND

This low budget Texas indie from director Craig Elrod is based on his 2014 short film Molly. The unorthodox pacing and deadpan delivery provide some quirky and funny moments, in spite of what seems to be a film full of sad characters.

Bookend close-up shots of the two female characters who are key to the story open and close the film. What happens in between probably seemed kind of lame on the written page, but actually works in the hands of a cast that executes most every scene.

Macon Blair plays Bill, and when we first see him, he’s crying while driving his car right into a parked boat. Bill’s a bit of a sad sack and there isn’t much grace to how he handles Molly (Molly Karrasch) breaking up with him. In fact, he’s a bit irrational when he talks his brother John (John Merriman) and simpleton friend Travis (Jason Newman) into tracking Molly to her family beach house on Mustang Island.

Of course, Molly isn’t there, so the boys break in and make themselves at home. What follows is more wrecks, a stolen truck, and an encounter with a bizarre and hilarious “Dance Party” dude (Byron Brown). More importantly, a connection between Bill and a local waitress named Lee (an excellent Lee Eddy) helps him forget the original reason for the trip … at least until Molly shows up!

The movie is plodding at times, but the good parts make up for it – provided you are a fan of deadpan humor and offbeat pacing. Shot in Galveston rather than Mustang Island, the local feel of the beach community is evident and crucial to the tone of the film – as is the spot on score from composer Benjamin Prosser.

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Posted by David Ferguson

DIFF 2017: Day Two

April 3, 2017

The DALLAS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL runs March 31- April 9, 2017

It’s the first weekend of the festival and that means two full days of movie watching, and a breakfast that must hold me all day. It also means very little writing time, so the updates will be slightly delayed. Below is a recap of the four movies I watched on Saturday April 1 (no April Fools jokes here):

 

 

44 PAGES (documentary)

Most of us were first introduced to Goofus and Gallant while trying to mind our parents stern direction to “be still” as we sat in the sterile doctor or dentist waiting room as kids. Highlights Magazine was our only tangible hope for entertainment in a world before smart phones ipads. Filmmaker Tony Shaff captures the vital role played by this publication as he documents the 9 month process of putting together the magazine’s 70th anniversary edition.

The first surprise is that filming doesn’t take place in some Madison Avenue skyscraper, but instead in a turn of the century mansion in tiny Honesdale, Pennsylvania (pop 5000). That’s right, the creative folks work in the same little town where the Myers founded Highlights so many years ago … and some of those in the bloodlines remain involved with the business.

If you are imagining a scene that’s a throwback to a Norman Rockwell painting, you wouldn’t be far off. Their mission is: For the benefit of children, and the motto is “Fun with purpose”. The job of the staff is to think like kids, and I challenge you to avoid even a touch of envy as you feel the spirit of editor Judy Burke and her ever-present smile as she enthusiastically tackles every task of every day.

No Santa Claus and no witches are just some of the parameters that give structure to the general content aimed at ages 6 to 12. You won’t find a single advertisement in an issue, and that brings up the viability of a publication business that is dying on the vine in many market segments. We see how the Highlights group is evolving into apps and the digital world, and even a new Robotics section, while still holding tight to the paper page.

The music was a bit loud and distracting at times, but mostly director Shaff succeeds at providing a blend of nostalgia and contemporary as we get to know the staff and witness their efforts to stay relevant and true to their belief that the magazine does indeed matter.

 

DEALT (documentary)

One of the sub-genres of film documentaries involves profiling those folks who are doing extraordinary things in life. Sometimes these people are changing the world, sometimes they are sharing their talents, and other times they are overcoming challenges that most of us don’t have. Richard Turner of San Antonio, Texas is one of those who checks all three boxes.

Mr. Turner is the world’s best card mechanic … a magician, if you will – although he doesn’t much like that word. Now you might be asking how a card trickster is changing the world, and it’s a fair question. The answer becomes clear when we see him sharing some card secrets with a young visually-impaired girl late in the film. That’s correct, Mr. Turner is himself blind, and if you assume that a blind man cannot possibly execute highly complex and entertaining card tricks, you are encouraged to learn more about this remarkable man.

Director Luke Korem expertly provides the necessary background for us to understand how Turner has become the star he is, and equally fascinating is how he simultaneously delivers a personal profile of the family man – the flawed man – who has slowly, but surely come to accept his weaknesses after a life of denial. “Blind” was another word he spurned for years, as he was driven to let his skills stand on their own against all others. So while we “ooh and ahh” and gape in amazement at his card skills, our hearts are touched by the relationships he has with his wife Kim, his son Asa, and his self-reflective drive that allowed him to reach 5th degree black belt. Mr. Turner likely practiced his card skills for 16 hours today … how was your day?

 

CITY OF JOY (documentary)

Bukuvu in the Democratic Republic of Congo is an area you may or may not be familiar with. Would you be surprised to learn that the area is among the richest in the world for highly sought-after natural resources (conflict metals) for use in many global products such as computers and smart phones? This peaceful and happy community was rocked in 1996 when the war over these resources began.

Filmmaker (and Editor-extraordinaire) Madeleine Gavin takes us inside a brutal and horrifying world that is controlled by militias hired by governments and multi-national governments in an effort to protect territories and resources. These local militias are the local power and care little for the citizens of these areas. Their strategy is too much to watch: they move into a village and rape the women of all ages, thereby breaking down the family structure, causing locals to move out, leaving the village to the militia to patrol.

Rape is the main weapon of this economic war, and these survivors are broken women. Enter a remarkable woman named Christine Schuler-Deschryver and a courageous Dr. Mukinege. In 2007, the City of Joy organization was founded and the compound opened in 2011. Their mission is to turn these rape survivors into community leaders.

Dr. Mukinege runs the Panzi hospital where the women come to get healed physically. Ms. Schuler-Deschryver is the director of the City of Joy where the women stay for 6 months to gain emotional strength by telling their stories and transforming the pain into leadership. We learn of Christine’s ambivalence towards celebrity photo opps, and contrast that with Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues) who is actively involved with the center. This is an incredibly important and powerful documentary that educates us on the horrible atrocities, as well as the inspirational side. By the end of 2017, more than 1000 women will have graduated from City of Joy. The real hope is that one day the center is not needed.

 

THE RELATIONTRIP

I just need to simply accept the fact that I’m too old to ever really understand the new world of hipster relationships and dating. Getting to really know someone, and all the nuances and time and effort that go with that, has been replaced by speed-dating events and apps designed for swiping away any connection based on a profile pic. Still, I should be able to find the humor in this bass-ackwards new world of courting.

Co-directors C.A. Smith and his real life partner Renee’ Felice Smith open up the film with a clearly disgruntled and discombobulated couple in a car – and without a word, we flashback to “four days earlier”. Beck (Ms. Smith) and Liam (Matt Bush) are seemingly proud independent loaners who have their meet-cute at a late night concert of Liam’s band named The F*** Dragons. What follows is a hyper-speed relationship development that starts out as a ‘friendship friend trip’ and ends according to the film’s title.

Along the way, the audience shares the discovery of personal baggage with Liam and Beck. Liam is weighed down by past girlfriends, a devotion to video games, and mommy issues taking directly from a Woody Allen movie (kind of funny thanks to massive Sally Struthers ankles). Beck has body-insecurity and lacks personal confidence, personified through a funky, wise-cracking muppet and a swimsuit habit that is a bit extreme.

The film uses some surreal elements and effects to make some interesting points, and a creative peanut butter and jelly metaphor that provides hope that this is the beginning of a filmmaking partnership to keep an eye on. In the meantime, I’ll try to view this new relationship world as evolution and not disappointment.

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Posted by David Ferguson

DIFF 2017: Day One

April 2, 2017

The 2017 Dallas International Film Festival runs March 30-April 9

 The usual excitement of festival Day One was tempered somewhat by this incessant cough that I can’t seem to shake, and the realization that I will be a nuisance to others in the theatre. However, my goal of 30 movies in 10 days will not be stopped so I loaded up on Robitussin, cough drops and a giant bottled water, and headed off to my first scheduled movie. Of course, it was Friday afternoon so Dallas traffic forced me to into a fall-back plan before I had even seen one movie. Pulling off to the Angelika rather than continue creeping on Central expressway towards the Magnolia ended up as a fortuitous turn of events. The three movies I watched are recapped below.

WAKEFIELD

While I wasn’t a big fan of Robin Swicord’s directorial debut (The Jane Austen Book Club, 2007), she bounces back nicely with this Bryan Cranston vehicle with one of the more creative scripts featuring internal dialogue that I’ve ever seen. Cranston is showing a knack for selecting interesting interesting projects, and he excels here as the high-powered attorney who spontaneously decides to drop out of society in a most unusual manner.

There is a ton of social commentary on display here with targets including married life, suburban living, career pressures, and self-doubt … substantially summed up with a line from Cranston’s character, “Most everyone has had the impulse to put their life on hold.” As he proceeds through his new ‘unshackled’ and ‘primal’ lifestyle while observing unnoticed through the stained glass window in his garage attic, much of his focus seems to be on discovering just who he is at his core, and what is the truth behind his relationship with his wife (Jennifer Garner). It’s as if he is asking “What am I?” while staying close to his previous life in a voyeuristic way. The score is in the style of a 1980’s Brian DePalma movie, which just adds to the unique cinematic experience.

 

TOMMY ‘S HONOUR

Jason Connery (Sean’s son) directs this story about old Tom Morris and his son Tommy written by Pamela Martin from the book by Kevin Cook. It’s a bit surprising that the story focuses as much or more on the melodrama and personal story of the younger Tommy than the historical influences, but there is links action to give us a feel for the times.

Jack Lowden and his dimples portray Tommy, while Ophelia Lovibond plays his love interest Meg. Their relationship drives the story, and we are reminded that small-minded people were every bit as prevalent 140 years ago as they are now. Tommy’s mother, their community, and even the minister of the Church pass harsh judgment on Meg and her unfortunate past. Combine that with the element of “Gentlemen”, which are anything but, and we get an understanding of how Tommy’s actions changed not just the game of golf, but also influenced the softening of the class difference. His push to bring respect and fairness to professional golfers erased the similarities with how race horses and golfers were treated the same from a wagering perspective.

This was the time of the original “13 Rules of Golf”, and when rowdy crowd hovered right next to the golfers as they played. Other than the closing credit graphics, Old Tom Morris (Peter Mullan) isn’t really given his due as a course designer, but this is really the story of his son, and though the film is a bit too long, it’s a story that deserves to be told.

 

CITY OF GHOSTS (documentary)

Oscar nominated director Matthew Heineman delivered the stunning documentary Cartel Land in 2015, and here he once again proves his expertise as the messenger of important stories that need to be told.

The film begins in the Syrian city of Ragga in 2012, and we see the beginning of the revolution against the Assad regime. The sayings “Death is Death” and “Danger has a special taste” come into play, and by the end of the film, there is a clarity that is devastating.

The courageous and dedicated Citizen Journalists are divided into two groups: the internal who risk their lives in Ragga uploading news stories and videos of ISIS actions and, the external who are based in Turkey and Germany and post regularly to social media outlets. Their combined efforts and risk taking allow the real story to be told from their home city mostly cut-off from the outside world – as evidenced by the satellite graveyard.

RBSS (Ragga is Being Silently Slaughtered) is the movement spreading the truth about ISIS atrocities – including public beheadings, shootings, and bombings. It’s a terrifying story, never more so than during the professionally produced recruiting ISIS videos featuring young children. These brave folks have had friends, family and neighbors slaughtered which inspires them to continue fighting the guns and bombs with the power of words. It’s breathtaking.

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Posted by David Ferguson

LET IT BE: A CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES

March 10, 2017

Dallas Summer Musicals at Fair Park

March 8, 2017

This is one of my rare forays from the big screen to the big stage. The touring production of this world famous musical came to Dallas, and will soon play Ft Worth before heading off to the next stop.

 The Beatles’ first big UK hit was in 1962 (“Love Me Do”) and their first U.S. tour occurred in 1964. The band’s final live performance was in 1969 on a rooftop in London, and they officially broke up in 1970. During this unprecedented run (and since), The Beatles sold more records than any band in history, and changed the face and sound of popular music at least a couple of times. Because of this unparalleled success and popularity, it’s not surprising that the band and its music have now generated THREE stage productions – Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles, Beatlemania, and most recently, Let it Be: A Celebration of the Music of The Beatles.

Revamped after successful runs in London’s West End and on Broadway, this touring version is split into two parts: Act 1 hits some of the highlights of the band’s career, while Act 2 provides a look at what might have been – a reunion of the band in 1980. One could describe this as ‘What was’ versus ‘What if?’.

Kicking off with the first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show”, the familiar music immediately lights the warm fire of nostalgia in the audience. The other segments in this first Act include the Shea Stadium concert, the Sgt Pepper era, and finally Abbey Road – replete with a barefoot Paul. What is immediately apparent is that the four lads on stage may not closely resemble the original band in looks, but they certainly are talented musicians and singers. The banter with the audience is not especially a highlight as the exaggerated speaking voices meant to mimic Paul and John are at times cringe-inducing, but this in no way impacts the enjoyment and expert versions of the songs that are permanently imbedded in our DNA.

The difference maker in this show is the ‘What if?’ second Act, as the ultimate fan fantasy occurs – the four lads from Liverpool reunite for a concert on John’s 40th birthday, October 9, 1980. This is ten years after they disbanded, and there are some musical chills as they play a blend of their hits from “the good old days” and meld their talents on songs from their individual projects. Selections include George’s “What is Life”, John’s “Starting Over”, Ringo’s “It Don’t Come Easy”, and Paul’s “Band on the Run”. There is also “Blackbird” in the stage style of Crosby, Stills and Nash; while John’s “Imagine” truly hits the right note. Though the encore is predictable and necessary and crowd-pleasing, the musical highlight of the show is George’s searing version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”.

With an emphasis on the music, the stage props were minimal. Either side featured a retro dial radio and television. While the band played, the familiar clips of actual Beatles audiences were shown; during the costume changes, we were treated to music from the era, news clips, and the always good-for-a-laugh Carnation Instant Breakfast commercial. Complementing the fine music were the spot on costumes. Evolving from the early suits, mop-tops and Beatle boots to the spectacular Sgt Pepper psychedelic colors, and culminating in Lennon’s iconic New York City t-shirt, the clothes and facial hair leave no doubt as to the era. Neil Candelora plays Paul with the perfect amount of fake stage pep and constant need for audience feedback, and JT Curtis as George gets to flash his prolific musical expertise periodically while struggling to maintain the mostly still nature of the quiet one. Chris McBurney handles Ringo’s drums with relative ease, and Michael Gagliano adds the Lennon edge necessary to capture the band’s stage presence. It may not be a true “Revolution” but everything does “Come Together” for an extremely fun and crowd-pleasing time.

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OSCARS 2017 recap

February 27, 2017

oscars-2017  In a year when Viola Davis urged us to “exhume those bodies” from the graveyard because that’s where the potential is, it wouldn’t be shocking to learn that long-ago-deceased Rod Serling actually produced the 2017 Academy Awards ceremony. Of course he didn’t, but … at the sign post up ahead …

In no particular order (other than the obvious #1), here are just some of the oddities – some pleasant, others head-scratchers:

  1. Re-defining ‘public debacle’, a confluence of factors caused the erroneous announcement of LA LA LAND as Best Picture, when in fact, MOONLIGHT was the actual winner. The correction occurred after a couple of acceptance speeches from the wrong film’s producers.
  2. A tour bus of surprised tourists was ushered into the Dolby Theatre leading to Denzel Washington unofficially marring Gary from Chicago and his fiancé.
  3. The “In Memoriam” section included a photo of the much-alive Jan Chapman, rather than the deceased Costume Designer Janet Patterson
  4. Amazon films won 4 Oscars (THE SALESMAN, THE WHITE HELMETS, 2 for MANCHESTER BY THE SEA)
  5. Sound Mixer Kevin O’Connell finally won an Oscar … he had previously been nominated 20 times without winning.
  6. A flag from the dance group whacked singer Auli’I Cravalho in the head as she sang the Oscar nominated song from MOANA.
  7. SUICIDE SQUAD, Oscar winner
  8. Brother and sister Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine were part of two separate memorable moments … 250,000 years apart.
  9. Jimmy Kimmel treating the ceremony as an all-out roast of Matt Damon
  10. Nicole Kidman clapping (Google it)
  11. The aforementioned Viola Davis being allowed to speak for almost 4 minutes, while others “played off” at 46 seconds.
  12. Damien Chazelle (age 32) becoming the youngest Best Director Oscar winner
  13. MOONLIGHT becomes one of the least expensive productions ($1.5 million) and lowest grossing movies ($22 million) to win Best Picture Oscar.
  14. O.J.: MADE IN AMERICA becomes the longest Oscar winner (7 hours 47 minutes) surpassing the 1969 Best Foreign Language Winner WAR AND PEACE (6 hours 36 minutes)
  15. 98 year old Katherine Johnson was brought on stage with the lead actresses from HIDDEN FIGURES. It was a wonderful moment that became slightly awkward as they weren’t sure whether to keep her onstage or help her off prior to the next award announcement.
  16. John Cho and Leslie Mann teamed up for a humorous overview of the Science and Technology awards from the prior day.
  17. Sarah Bareilles’ beautiful voice singing Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” during the In Memoriam section
  18. Justin Timberlake proving once again that he is one of the best contemporary performers, as his show opener of the Oscar nominated “Can’t Stop the Feeling” got the entire crowd up – dancing, singing, and clapping.
  19. A series of three Wal-Mart commercials directed by Hollywood stalwarts Antoine Fuqua, Marc Foster, and Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg put the Super Bowl ads to shame.

Maybe the only thing missing was Rob Lowe singing to Snow White!

It was nice to see the gold statuettes spread over quite a few films: La La Land won 6, Moonlight 3, Hacksaw Ridge and Manchester By the Sea each won 2, and one Oscar went to Arrival, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Jungle Book.

Fortunately, political views only snuck in a few times: Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue and a couple of other times through the evening (including a failed Twitter bit), and the statements from Iranian director Asghar Farhadi (The Salesman), the producer of The White Helmets, and the confusing remarks from the director of O.J.: Made in America.

At times it did feel like a long lost episode of “The Twilight Zone“, though there were enough moments to remind us that the ceremony, at its core, is a celebration of cinema – and the magic it brings.

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BEST OF 2016 link

January 8, 2017

best-of-2016

The BEST OF 2016 list has been posted and can be reached at the following link:

Best of 2016

This year’s list is dedicated to my friend Adam, who spent his entire life finding reasons to enjoy the moment, despite challenges that would have been too great for anyone without his courage and strength.  Adam and I periodically exchanged opinions on movies and music, and he generously shared his knowledge on film scores. I will miss my friend.

 

 

 

 

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THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT (1974) revisited

September 10, 2016

thunderbolt Greetings again from the darkness. The 1970’s brought a wave of new filmmakers who not only changed the way films were made, but also the type and style of stories for the big screen. Due to the abundance of interesting movies from this era, it’s easy to see how, over time, a few gems can slip and fall into the ‘forgotten’ category. One of these is this personal favorite from the infamous writer/director Michael Cimino, who passed away just a couple of months ago (July 2016).

The opening shot has a car in the distance kicking up dust on a country road as it approaches a small rural church seemingly plopped in the middle of pasture. Once parked, the driver of the car steps inside the church and begins spraying bullets throughout the intimate wooden structure – his target being a bespectacled slow talking preacher played by Clint Eastwood who ducks out a side door.

As you might guess, John Doherty, nicknamed The Thunderbolt, (Eastwood’s character) is no real preacher. The man shooting at him is one of his old partners in crime, and he’s seeking revenge on Doherty for stealing the gang’s money from their last job. While Eastwood is dodging bullets in the pasture, a young wise-cracking Jeff Bridges is stealing a car from a local dealership. In short order Bridges (Lightfoot) has run over the guy shooting at Eastwood, and Clint is hanging onto the car for dear life as Bridges speeds off. And that’s how this inauspicious titular partnership begins.

What follows is a blend of buddy flick, road trip and heist movie. It’s spiced up with Thunderbolt’s other partners (played by George Kennedy and Geoffrey Lewis) first chasing them down, and then reluctantly agreeing to partner up again to repeat their previous robbery. In the process, we travel through Hell’s Canyon along the Snake River in Idaho and listen to a lot of tough talk between the four key players. Kennedy’s character is especially hard on the young Bridges, and that’s what kicks off the pseudo father-son relationship at the core of the film – tough guy and loner Thunderbolt genuinely grows to like the fast-talking Lightfoot, who manages to quell a bit of Thunderbolt’s world weary bitterness.

The dialogue is filled with put-downs, smack-downs and threats, and is accompanied by some unusual visuals. In addition to the stunning countryside, seeing Kennedy and Lewis co-occupy a small ice cream truck is itself entirely worth the effort of tracking this one down. But that’s not all … how about Jeff Bridges in full dress, wig, heels and make-up? It’s all for his part in the heist, but it certainly nails down the closeness of he and Eastwood and they hide as a couple at a drive-in movie theatre … that is, until they are forced into a high-speed chase scene over the familiar speed humps that anyone from the drive-in era will recall. We also get the colorful wardrobe – Eastwood and Bridges spend much of the film in disco-type clothes stolen from the back of a car. Other standout visual moments include a woman on a motorcycle using a hammer to pound on Bridges’ van while both are driving over a bridge; comedian Don Rickles on TV; and a woman exposing herself to Bridges through a sliding glass door as he works his manual labor job.

These fabulous moments all fit perfectly into 1970’s cinema and are courtesy of the terrific cast, as well as the vision of writer/director Michael Cimino in his first feature film. Cimino’s story is the ultimate fall-from-grace. As a Yale graduate, he became a Madison Avenue advertising star with his unique and creative TV commercials. His script polishing of Magnum Force (the second Dirty Harry movie) so impressed Eastwood, that it led to the two collaborating on Thunderbolt and Lightfoot. With the success of this first film, Cimino moved on to the Vietnam picture The Deer Hunter, released in 1978. That film won 4 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director (for Cimino). This propelled him to the top of the Hollywood mountain, and the rare opportunity for full control of his next project. The result was the legendary critical and box office flop Heaven’s Gate. It’s the flop by which all others are measured, and very nearly destroyed United Artists (a studio founded in 1919 by Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and DW Griffith). Cimino’s reputation and career never fully recovered and though he only made five more films, he did write two successful novels. Upon hearing of his passing, many of those he worked with had nothing but praise for Cimino as a writer, director and artist … especially Eastwood and Robert DeNiro.

Even casual movie watchers are somewhat familiar with the long (more than 60 years) and decorated career of Clint Eastwood. His impact on the entertainment world has come via acting, writing, directing, producing and composing. He has won four Oscars (two each for Million Dollar Baby and Unforgiven), while being nominated eleven times. His last acting role was Trouble with the Curve (2012), but he continues to direct films … including the recently released Sully, with Tom Hanks playing Captain Chesley Sullenberger who piloted the “miracle on the Hudson”. Eastwood’s big break came with the TV show “Rawhide”, which led to the spaghetti westerns of the 1960’s, and then to the 1970’s-80’s tough guy and action star Dirty Harry, before mixing in action/comedy with Every Which Way But Loose (1978) and the like. Although he continued to act, it seemed Eastwood’s passion lay behind the camera, where he has been able to make the films he wanted and include some of his personal views (not always popular with the Hollywood elite). Given the two high profile lawsuits, he probably wishes he had never met Sondra Locke, but Eastwood’s influence and legacy stretches across decades and multiple genres in the movie world.

In 1974, Jeff Bridges was still known mostly as the son of Lloyd Bridges, though he had also made a name for himself with a Best Supporting Oscar nomination for The Last Picture Show (McMurtry, Bogdanovich, 1971). As Lightfoot, Bridges dons leather pants and a brash attitude while flaunting his acting style of just making everything look so darn easy … and receiving another Best Supporting Oscar nomination. Since then, Bridges has received Oscar nominations for Starman (1984), The Contender (2001), True Grit (2010) and of course for his Oscar winning performance in Crazy Heart (2009). Beyond these, Bridges has brought life to some incredibly unique and interesting characters: Kevin Flynn/Clu in Tron (1982), former NFL’er Terry Brogan in Against All Odds (1984), Preston Tucker in the underrated Tucker: The Man and his Dream (1988), with brother Beau in The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), another lost gem The Fischer King (1991), the “highly” popular Dude in The Big Lebowski (1998), the suspicious neighbor in Arlington Road (1999), Tony Stark’s nemesis Obadiah Stone in Iron Man (2008), and most recently as the retiring Texas Ranger in Hell or High Water … one of the best films of 2016. And yes, he did appear in Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate.

george-kennedy In addition to Eastwood and Bridges, another key to why the film works is the presence of George Kennedy as Red, the grumpy, burly, hayfever-stricken guy who trusts no one. Prior to acting, Kennedy served under General George S Patton and was awarded 2 bronze stars. Like Eastwood, he broke in during the era of Westerns and moved on to tough guy roles in the 1960’s. The difference, of course, was that Eastwood was one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, while Kennedy was simply one of the best character actors in Hollywood history. He won a Best Supporting Oscar for his memorable work opposite Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke (1967). In the 1970’s Kennedy appeared in the popular disaster films (the “Airport” franchise, Earthquake, etc), before turning his career on its ear by jumping into the Naked Gun spoof films. Never one to shy away from work, whether TV or movies, Kennedy appeared in 74 episodes (1988-91) of the immensely popular TV series “Dallas”. His role of Carter McKay breathed new life into the series. As a rancher/oilman from Colorado who bought a ranch from viewer favorite Ray Krebbs, Kennedy’s McKay became the ultimate nemesis for J.R. Ewing. Watching Kennedy and Larry Hagman go head-to-head was some of the best TV viewers could ask for. In fact it was Kennedy’s character who tricked J.R. into losing control of Ewing Oil. Kennedy also appeared in the two CBS “Dallas” movies that followed the end of the series. His final role was that of Mark Wahlberg’s grandfather in The Gambler (2014). Mr. Kennedy died in February 2016 at the age of 91, after more than 50 years of acting and nearly 200 screen credits. Fans of his work may remember his often gruff persona, but those who worked with him claim Kennedy was just about the nicest guy they had known.

The fourth cog in this Thunderbolt and Lightfoot wheel was Eddie played by familiar face Geoffrey Lewis. In the film, he was the good-hearted guy who seemed to be out of place, which allowed for the perfect contrast with hard-nosed George Kennedy. Mr. Lewis appeared in many movies with Clint Eastwood, and TV audiences may remember his as part of the series “Flo” (1980). Lewis, who is the father of actress Juliette Lewis, died in 2015 after more than 200 acting roles … including Heaven’s Gate.

The rest of Cimino’s first film is literally filled with one scene appearances by faces we either recognized at the time, or would come to know very well in the near future. These include: a 20 year old Catherine Bach, known also as Daisy Duke in “The Dukes of Hazzard”; Gary Busey in a quick scene with Bridges; Burton Gilliam of Blazing Saddles fames; Dub Taylor (appeared in multiple films by both Sam Peckinpah and Robert Zemekis) is the gas station attendant who rants about US economics; Bill McKinney (much too memorable in Deliverance, numerous films with Eastwood) is the crazy driver who, along with his pooping raccoon, picks up a hitchhiking Eastwood and Bridges; Claudia Lennear (the inspiration for The Rolling Stones “Brown Sugar”, part of Twenty Feet from Stardom) is the secretary who asks Eastwood for his social security number; Jack Dodson (Howard Sprague on “The Andy Griffith Show”) plays the vault manager and home invasion victim; Roy Jenson (in Chinatown, he’s the guy holding Nicholson when Polanski slices his nose) is Dunlop, the early church shooter; Gregory Walcott (Plan 9 From Outer Space) is the car salesman who Bridges dupes; Scott Eastwood (Clint’s kid) is the 5 year old boy at the ice cream truck; and Vic Tayback and Beth Howland, known for their work as Mel and Vera on “Alice”. Should you need more, that’s Paul Williams singing the theme song (that he wrote).

Admittedly, Michael Cimino’s directorial debut Thunderbolt and Lightfoot does not rank among the best of the truly great films released during the 1970’s: The Godfather I and II, Jaws, Chinatown, Taxi Driver, All the President’s Men, Annie Hall, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Star Wars … just to name a few. However, it does belong on a list of forgotten gems – movies from the 1970’s that are still worth watching today. Where else can you watch Clint Eastwood preaching the gospel or George Kennedy bullying Jeff Bridges?

***This is part of the “Darlin’ Dallas Blogathan” running September 21-23, 2016 at https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/

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Posted by David Ferguson

STAGECOACH (1939) revisited

August 21, 2016

stagecoach Imagine you are 25 year old Orson Welles, and you are obsessed with creating cinematic history with your next film. You have spent hour after hour studying the best and most creative works of the finest filmmakers from all over the world. You come across a particular John Ford western, and are so inspired by its technical precision that you watch it at least three dozen times while working on your masterpiece … Citizen Kane (1941). Such is the influence of Ford’s Stagecoach. It may or may not be the greatest western film of all-time (a matter of preference), but it’s inarguably the most influential.

More than 75 years later, it’s difficult to imagine a time when John Ford and John Wayne were not joined at the swaggering hip making movies together. By 1939, Ford had won an Oscar for The Informer (1935) but had not directed a western in more than a decade, while John Wayne’s career to this point consisted of bit parts and B movies. The “firsts” here include: John Ford’s first movie with John Wayne, the first movie filmed in Monument Valley, Ford’s first talkie-western, and the first starring role in a major motion picture for John Wayne

It’s difficult to think of a more iconic star-making screen introduction than that first shot of John Wayne twirling and cocking the rifle as the camera zooms in on his face (see photo below). It should be noted that The Duke (as he was often referred) was 32 years old in the film and is wearing his own cowboy hat – one he would wear in many movies over the years (until it finally was in such bad shape, it was placed in a glass display case at Mr. Wayne’s home).

The film hit while the industry was still experiencing some of the pains of leaving the “silent” world behind and taking advantage of “talkies”. Additionally, the technology of color film was just beginning to be used more frequently, but many studios and directors were clinging to the traditional black and white look. As a genre, westerns had never been able to make that step into the mainstream … that is, until Ford and Wayne came stampeding to the forefront with Stagecoach.

Dudley Nichols (Oscar winning screenwriter for Ford’s The Informer) adapted the original story from Ernest Haycox (a prolific writer who helped elevate westerns from dime story pulp to respectability and box office profitability) into a screenplay that examines the early attempts at transitioning the “wild west” into a more civilized society. Social commentary abounds as several characters from disparate background are crammed into a confined space (the titular stagecoach) for an extended period of time. Some viewers may complain about the use of clichés, but in fairness, what we have come to label as cliché, was anything but at the time.

Adding their own special touch to the wide range of characters were some of the finest actors of the era. Claire Trevor was the best known star in the cast at the time, and she plays Dallas, the good-hearted woman whose past/profession causes her to be treated as an outcast by most in the group. Ms. Trevor would go on to accept the unofficial title of Film Noir Queen, win a Best Supporting Oscar for Key Largo (1948), and have the School of Arts at UC-Irvine named for her. Donald Meek plays the meek (yes his name often fit his character) travelling salesman ironically named Peacock. Contrary to what one would guess given his diminutive physical stature, Mr. Meek fought in the Spanish-American War. John Carradine is perfectly cast as Hatfield, the elegant gambler carrying a secret. Mr. Carradine is the father of the acting Carradine brothers (including David and Keith), and enjoyed a 65 year career with more than 350 projects. Drunken Doc Boone is played by Thomas Mitchell, who many will recognize as memory-challenged Uncle Billy in It’s a Wonderful Life. He also appeared in such top shelf films as Gone with the Wind, High Noon and Lost Horizon. Louise Platt plays Lucy Mallory, the pregnant wife who is on a mission to reunite with her soldier husband. The villainous banker is played with gusto by Berton Churchill, and the only thing he’s missing is a twirly mustache. Mr. Churchill was a co-founder of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in 1933. Law Enforcement is represented by Marshal Wilcox, played by George Bancroft, and the stagecoach is driven by the great Andy Devine (as Buck). Mr. Devine manages to create a bit of comedy relief by the use of his trademark high-pitched raspy voice, as well as his underrated physical acting movements. Other notables making an appearance are Tom Tyler (once known as the strongest man in America) whose initial shaky transition from silent film to talkies is readily apparent in his few scenes; Woody Strode (one of the saloon patrons) who is known best for his fight scene in Spartacus; and Tim Holt who brings the charging Calvary to the rescue, and is best known as one of the prospectors in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948).

Of course, it’s John Ford and John Wayne who draw most of the attention when this film is discussed. Born Marion Morrison, The Duke played football at USC before turning his full attention to acting. Here he plays bad-guy-with-a-heart Ringo Kid, and gets to show a pretty full spectrum of machismo, humanity, dignity and sensitivity. His extraordinary physical screen presence led him to the top of the film world with roles in some of the most popular films over the next 4 decades, capped by a Best Actor Oscar for True Grit (1969). John Ford, who was 45 years old at the time of Stagecoach, won 4 Best Director Oscars (plus two special Oscars for his WWII documentaries): The Informer (1935), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), How Green was my Valley (1942), and The Quiet Man (1952).

Two others deserve special mention. Stuntman extraordinaire Yakima Canutt (a World Champion rodeo cowboy) was seemingly involved in just about every risky stunt in Hollywood during the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s. Stagecoach provided the opportunity for what may be his best and most daring stunt – leaping onto the moving stagecoach and its 6 horse team and then sliding down under the carriage and out the back … all at breakneck speed! It’s fascinating to watch, and in this age of computerized special effects, it demands a level of awe and respect. While this film provided the first on screen glimpse of Monument Valley, it was Cinematographer Bert Glennon who figured out the best ways to take advantage of this breathtaking setting. Mr. Glennon was nominated for 3 Oscars (including Stagecoach), and was a frequent collaborator with both John Ford and Cecil B DeMille. The second half of his career was devoted mostly to TV series, rather than movies.

Stagecoach received 7 Oscar nominations including wins for Thomas Mitchell as Best Supporting Actor and Best Music (score) for Richard Hagerman, W Frank Harling, John Leipold, and Leo Shuken. The other nominees were for Best Picture, Best Director (Ford), Best Cinematographer, Best Art Direction and Best Editing. While it might seem implausible that such a ground-breaking film could only win two Oscars, it’s a reminder why 1939 is considered by many to be the best ever year for movies. Check out this list of other releases that same year: Gone with the Wind; Mr Smith Goes to Washington; Wuthering Heights; Goodbye, Mr Chips; Ninotchka; The Wizard of Oz; Of Mice and Men; The Hunchback of Notre Dame; Young Mr Lincoln.

Despite being the first movie to feature the “dead man’s hand” – a pair of black aces and a pair of black eights (the hand Wild Bill Hickok was holding when he was gunned down), this film continues to live on in cinematic lore. Often included in the discussion of the best westerns of all-time – along with High Noon, Shane, Unforgiven, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Wild Bunch, The Good The Bad and the Ugly, and The Searchers – it was a joyful experience to finally get to see this one on the big screen in a theatre setting (thanks to Dallas Film Society and Chris Vognar). It’s clear how this film elevated the western genre, and it certainly deserved recognition by the National Film Registry in 1995.

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OAK CLIFF FILM FESTIVAL 2016 Preview

June 10, 2016

June 16 – June 19, 2016

OCFF16 For anyone who still believes Dallas is all concrete and glass, take note that it’s almost time for the 5th annual Oak Cliff Film Festival. Founded by local folks who are committed to the independent creative spirit of film, music and art; the festival is based in the historic Texas Theatre, and showcases multiple venues along Jefferson Boulevard and in the Bishop Arts Districts.

The diversity and rare opportunities afforded by this festival is difficult to explain, but intoxicating to experience. The unusual film programming includes documentaries, student films, shorts, reparatory films, a narrative competition, and even workshops for students. Additionally, those behind the festival are quite serious about the parties – live music and DJ’s are often tied into the themes of the screenings from that evening.

Including the Texas Theatre, this year’s events are spread out over ten different venues: Kessler Theatre, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, Oak Cliff Cultural Center, Turner House, Spinster Records, The Majestic Theatre, 29 Pieces, Basement Gallery, and the ultra cool Wild Detectives (bookstore/coffee shop/bar/patio). The incredible range of films goes from Brian DePalma’s 1974 Phantom of the Paradise to the new documentary Author: The JT Leroy Story. On a personal note, I’m especially excited for the Opening Night screening of the restored film version of Last Night at the Alamo (1983). This is being presented by SXSW co-founder Louis Black, who was a T.A. in a film class I took at the University of Texas so many years ago.

If you are a lover of independent film and community events, this is the festival for you. While Cannes, Toronto and Sundance can be a bit overwhelming and intimidating, the Oak Cliff Film Festival is welcoming to all and easy to navigate. Plus … it’s the FIFTH year and that’s a reason to celebrate!

Scheduling, Festival Passes, and individual tickets can be found at: http://oakclifffilmfestival.com/

 

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