THE LOST LEONARDO (2021, doc)

August 26, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. This is an unusual documentary from Andreas Keofoed. The first part examines the attempts to solve the origin mystery of a discovered painting, while the second half takes us inside the mysterious money side of the collectible art world. Both mysteries are fascinating on their own, and they blend together to track the 15 year history of a painting that may have come from the brushes of Leonardo da Vinci more than 600 years ago. Or it may not have.

We first meet Alexander Parish, a self-described “Sleeper Hunter” – one always on the lookout to purchase undervalued artwork. “That’s what I do”, states Parish. He’s the one who found the Salvator Mundi painting at a 2005 New Orleans art auction. He and his partner, Robert Simon, paid $1175 for the painting, though they had no idea what they were getting. Director Keofoed spoils any surprise, by delivering an opening credit graphic that traces the painting’s international travels over the next dozen years by itemizing the sales: $1175 in 2005, $83 million in 2013, $127.5 million in 2013, and $450 million in 2017.

Part 1: The Art Game focuses on the examination, investigation, and restoration of the painting. On one hand we have restorer Dianne Modestini meticulously working her magic to discover what she believes is without question, a da Vinci painting. On the other hand we have noted art critic Jerry Salz who is less skeptical and more mocking in his conclusion that not only is it not from da Vinci, it’s not even a ‘good’ painting. A great deal of effort goes into formulating the painting’s provenance – the family tree of ownership. This is crucial to the process in establishing whether it belongs with one of the 15 known Leonardo paintings, or perhaps, at best, from the work of his pupils.

Beginning with Part 2: The Art Game, the film shifts focus from the origin of ‘The Male Mona Lisa’ (as it was dubbed) to its sale and subsequent flip, and the associated investigation by the CIA into possible money laundering. It’s at this point where we meet Yves Bouvier and learn of his purchase and flip to Russian Oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev, who is none too happy once he puts the pieces of the transaction together. The use of Freeports by the rich is also discussed. These high-security fortresses allow the owners to avoid taxes by maintaining a state of “in transit”. It’s also in this section where the role of Christie’s auction house comes into play and we learn of the brilliant hype/marketing of ‘The Lost da Vinci’.

When spending $450 million on an object, most of us would likely verify the item’s authenticity. But then most of us aren’t the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Part 3: The Global Game details how the authenticity of the painting might not even matter when the purpose is to move or protect money. A “dark transaction” allows the purchase to remain anonymous, and when the identity is discovered, it’s clear that the art world is now about money, not art.

For some purists, the question of authenticity remains for the Salvator Mundi, and restorer Modestini remains haunted by her conclusion. The art of the deal is clearly less about the art and more about the deal. Leonardo da Vinci’s legacy is not impacted by this debate, but the impact of the painting on many other folks is undeniable … and it has served a purpose as an eye-opener and economics lesson for the rest of us.

Opens in select theaters on August 27, 2021

WATCH THE TRAILER

Leave a Comment » | Documentary | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE OUTSIDER (2021, doc)

August 23, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. September 11, 2001 was “a blue sky day” in New York City. Until it wasn’t. Co-directors Pamela Yoder and Steven Rosenbaum previously collaborated on 7 DAYS IN SEPTEMBER (2002), a documentary focusing on how the tragic events of that day impacted the lives of various folks. Their work on that film led the filmmakers directly to this project which examines the seven year process of opening the National 9/11 Museum at Ground Level. The result is as much a case study in personality clashes as it is a recording of artifacts.

Yes, we do see some of the archival video footage that deep down we always hope to never see again. The towers collapse, the air is clouded, and people are panicked. Soon after the attack, Michael Shulan converts his Soho storefront space into a crowd-sourced photo exhibit called “Here is New York. He invited people to bring their own photos for display. Shulan had instinctively created a shared space where people would come to pay tribute to lives lost and remember the day that should not be forgotten. A few years later, something strange happened … Michael Shulan was named Creative Director of the museum that was in the early planning stages.

Shulan’s vision conflicted at times with Museum Director Alice Greenwald’s vision. “What should the museum be?” Ms. Greenwald had run the Holocaust Museum in NYC, and had a definite idea of what this should be, while Shulan had zero museum experience and wondered if they were creating a memorial or a museum. He wanted to provoke questions, while she wanted to provide answers. A $500 million budget was at stake, and they couldn’t even agree on the approach.

We get a countdown to the museum’s opening, and even hear from the Construction Manager as work proceeds. ‘The Last Column’ provides for an interesting segment, and we see the flood that affected many of the collected artifacts. Michael Bloomberg’s influence is noted, and we see the ‘composite’ – the compacted floors on display. The documentary does focus on emotions, but it’s not the emotions we typically associate with 9/11. Instead, it’s Shulan’s disappointment and frustration. The film touches on the criticism received from the family in regards to the high ticket costs and souvenir shops, and it’s the posted quote that sticks with us: “No day shall erase you from the memory of time.”

Available now on VOD

WATCH THE TRAILER

Leave a Comment » | Documentary | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

NOT GOING QUIETLY (2021, doc)

August 12, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. Nicholas Bruckman provides an intimate profile of a fascinating man, Ady Barkan, a brilliant and relentless advocate for health care rights. Barkan’s ALS diagnosis and commitment to cause is interesting enough to carry the film, but by following Barkan, the film serves a dual purpose of educating us on activism and political maneuverings.

Bruckman bookends his film with Ady’s testimony to a congressional committee on healthcare. He’s in a wheelchair and speaking through an eye-controlled speech machine, similar to the one we saw Stephen Hawking use for many years. We then flashback 3 years to meet Ady’s wife – his college sweetheart Rachael – at their home in Santa Barbara, California. As an attorney and activist, we get to know Ady as a man who cares deeply and is committed to fighting injustice. He’s especially keyed in on healthcare and social issues.

At only 32 years of age, Ady is diagnosed with ALS. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. He explains that there is “no cure, and very little treatment”, and that the doctors tell him he has three to four years to live. Ady explains that “dying is bad”, but dealing with the insurance company is even worse. The ventilator prescribed by is doctor is deemed “experimental” by the insurance company, meaning it’s not covered. So what would any good activist do? Well Ady, turns his own experience into a crusade. He founds the #BeAHero campaign with Liz Jaff, a social media strategist. She films Ady’s interactions and confrontations with politicians, and they put together a 40 day, 30 congressional district road trip in a specially equipped RV. Their team also includes Tracey, who leads the role-playing on birddogging politicians, and Ady’s friend Nate, who assists him with the physical challenges. Their goal is to flip the House in the 2018 election.

Ady Barkan is a funny, intelligent, informed, opinionated, and impassioned man. He knows how to speak to an audience, as well as to politicians who don’t share his commitment to healthcare rights, including coverage for pre-existing conditions. On the trip, Ady’s health and condition deteriorate before our eyes. It’s frightening to watch, knowing how quickly his body begins to fail. But his spirit and his team are relentless, and when circumstances force the dialogue and cause to shift, there is no hesitation.

Bruckman avoids turning Ady into a one-dimension savior. We get to see him with his precocious young son Carl, who was born one year after Ady’s diagnosis. Rachael probably doesn’t get the screen time she deserves as working mother and caregiver, but it’s clear this family has chosen to live every minute they have, and even plunge into the future with optimism. Ady notes how losing his voice is worse for him than paralysis, but his eyes light up when he’s with his family. We aren’t sure which aspect of Ady is most inspirational, but it’s obvious that he’s a special man. This was an Audience Award winner at SXSW, and deservedly so.

In theaters August 13, 2021

WATCH THE TRAILER

Leave a Comment » | Documentary | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE MEANING OF HITLER (2021, doc)

August 12, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. The Holocaust and Nazi Germany. No subjects are likely even close in regards to the number of documentaries on topic. Yet somehow, there always seems to be more to mine. Co-directors Peppa Epperline and Michael Tucker have based their project on the 1978 book by Sebastian Haffner. The objective is to pull back the curtain on the self-conceit at the center of the cult of Hitler. How did this happen? How has it been repeated? How do we expose this without adding to the fascination of Hitler? It’s quite a conundrum, and one not easily navigated.

One of the first points made near the film’s beginning is that most agree understanding Hitler is not possible. So by that definition, a cinematic pursuit for meaning is a futile undertaking. But that doesn’t stop the filmmakers from trying. On their quest, they interview many experts and travel to various places of interest – museums, historical sites, camps, and even Treblinka.

Hollywood’s fascination with Hitler is discussed, including Mel Brooks’ THE PRODUCERS (2005) and the “Springtime for Hitler” sequence, Quentin Tarantino’s INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009), and the superb DOWNFALL (2004). An excellent point is made in regards to the film comparisons of how Hitler’s suicide is typically portrayed behind closed doors, while Holocaust victims are not afforded such dignity. There is even a segment on Leni Riefenstahl’s documentary on the Nazi way, TRIUMPH OF THE WILL (1935). Novelist Francine Prose labels the work, “kitsch”.

Infamous Holocaust denier David Irving is featured, and we hear him describe Auschwitz as “not important”. The technological advances in microphones are explained in regards to how the “Hitler bottle” allowed him to be more demonstrative during speeches, often resulting in working the audience into a frenzy. Interviews are included throughout the film, and feature historians (Saul Friedlander), authors, deniers, psychologists, and even Nazi hunters.

“Fascinating Fascism” is examined as pageantry and spectacle and other enticing aspects. The theatrical presentation that led to this fetish might today be termed marketing. It’s a bit of a relief to see the filmmakers avoided focusing too much on the parallels to a particular modern day phenomenon, despite the timing being right to study similarities. They do, however, make the comparison to Beatlemania, and how history has a tendency to repeat itself in various forms.

The film bounces around some, with certain segments more insightful than others, and there are some astounding points made. One of those interviewed states, “The Nazi ideals were acted out by people who were absolutely normal.” It’s a frightening thought. Another discusses the human conflict: humans are animals that kill, as well as being herd animals. The Nazi mission played into both. What the film left me with was the belief that the Nazi propaganda has been repurposed as history, leading to the fascination, whereas the focus of that era should be something else.

WATCH THE TRAILER

Leave a Comment » | Documentary | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

ENEMIES OF THE STATE (2021, doc)

July 29, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. True Crime documentaries have flooded the market, yet the best ones are still enthralling. Toss in a wicked conspiracy theory, a family with a military background and strong religious beliefs, and accusations against the federal government, well then, you’ve now attained a whole new level of twisting and turning intrigue. Documentarian Sonia Kennebeck opens her film with the Oscar Wilde quote: “The truth is rarely pure and never simple”. By the end, neither ‘simple’ nor ‘pure’ will be words you use to describe the saga of Matt DeHart.

You may not know his name, but his story is fascinating and complex. Were it a fictionalized project, it would likely be less interesting. A computer whiz at an early age, Matt DeHart’s journey takes us from Indiana to Mexico to Washington DC to Canada, and to Tennessee and rural Kentucky. Since the FBI raided his home in 2010, Matt has been labeled: a hacker for Anonymous, a WikiLeaks contributor, an asylum seeker, a child pornographer, a whistleblower, and a hacktivist.

Kennebeck’s film plays like an investigative report, and we are there to assemble the puzzle pieces. The problem is that the pieces don’t actually fit. This is a duel between one young man (with the support of his parents, whose own story becomes more bizarre as time passes) and the US Government. When accused and charged with child pornography, DeHart fires back calling this a ruse by the Government, claiming he has proof documenting the CIA’s plot and involvement with the 2001 Anthrax attacks.

Matt’s parents, Paul and Leann, play a prominent role in his life and in the film. They are exceedingly protective of him and seem to carry none of the doubt that most everyone else involved in this does. Without ruining the chase for you, Matt administered a secret server for WikiLeaks and claims to have contacts with Anonymous and the Dark web. Kennebeck utilizes reenactments, archival footage, photographs, audio recordings, and interviews to take us through the research. Those interviewed include Matt’s parents, his immigration and defense attorneys, college professor Gabriella Coleman (an expert on Anonymous), and journalist Adrian Humphreys who covered Matt’s story for “The National Post” (the stories are available online).

Matt seeking asylum at the Russian Embassy and in Canada, adds to the complexity, even if one is leaning towards believing his claims of being targeted, and later tortured, by the government. The challenge here is that we never see the evidence – either of the child pornography or Matt’s documents exposing the CIA. Instead, we get the investigative research done on the case. Was he rightfully targeted by the government? Was he a spy? Did/does he have proof against the government? Was he just paranoid? Kennebeck’s project works best as an examination of human nature and exploration of the complexities of truth. Given what we’ve been through in recent years with U.S. politics, it’s easy to see how repeated untruths will sometimes come to be accepted as truth. Keep an open mind while watching this lunacy unfold, although it may prove difficult to come to a decision.

WATCH THE TRAILER

1 Comment | Documentary | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

WOODSTOCK 99: PEACE, LOVE, AND RAGE (2021, doc)

July 22, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. Character is revealed in the most unexpected places, and often at a time when one has a bit more freedom than usual. Like the mosh pit at a music festival. You may wonder why I’m disgusted and saddened at what stuck with me after this documentary. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the music. Instead the takeaway from Woodstock 99 is that far too many young men easily succumbed to aggressive and animalistic behavior, and worse, seized the opportunity to abuse women who were simply trying to have a good time. Of course, this was 22 years ago. Maybe we feel better about young men today.

Garret Price, the film’s director, begins by admitting Woodstock 99 played like a horror film, so we brace ourselves for what’s to follow. If you’ve seen Michael Wadleigh’s 1970 documentary about the original Woodstock festival, then you know it’s a blend of some of the best live music of the era and a peek at the ‘peace and love’ counter-culture so prevalent in 1969. To really grasp this version of the 30th anniversary of that first festival, you should know that promoters John Scher and Michael Lang were coming off a very successful and smooth 25th anniversary Woodstock festival in 1994 (Lang was also behind the 1969 festival). 1999 was also the year of the Columbine shooting, we were on the brink of Y2K, and cell phones were quite scarce. The promoters thought was this would be the “last hurrah” for baby boomers. Instead, the festival is referred to as “the day the nineties died.”

The miscalculation by the promoters was in demographics. The transformation of MTV had skewed to younger viewers, and the “Girls Gone Wild” mentality seemed to feed the fantasy of every young male. “New Rock” featuring bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit played up misogyny, homophobia, and aggression. This was the antithesis of where society is headed today. On top of all that, the sweltering heat and overpriced fluids affected behavior, and a water shortage combined with mud pits that were actually raw sewage turned the festival into a nightmare. And then things got worse.

The 1969 music corresponded to that festival’s mission, but thirty years later, Kid Rock in a mink coat and Fred Durst inciting idiocy created a much different environment. Moby is interviewed throughout this documentary offering insight into the festival and how things went wrong. The lineup included only three female acts: Alanis Morissette, Jewell, and Sheryl Crowe, and they were scheduled one per day for the three day festival, meaning many of the other acts seemed to spur the aggression in the massive crowd of 400,000.

With nostalgia non-existent, commercialism booming, and what Jewell terms “fake rage” the calling of the day, rioting, looting, fires, and sexual assaults became the festival’s legacy. Price’s film (produced by former sportswriter Bill Simmons) allows us to watch how quickly things go sideways, and any thoughts of peace and unity disappear. It’s quite a snapshot in time of a generation and culture that was spinning out of control.

Streaming on HBO Max beginning July 23, 2021

WATCH THE TRAILER

Leave a Comment » | Documentary | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

McCARTNEY 3,2,1 (2021, doc)

July 15, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. Remember when … in 1993 … Chris Farley interviewed Paul McCartney on “Saturday Night Live”? That was awesome. Mr. Farley passed away four years later, and Sir Paul McCartney is now 79 years old and truly a living music legend. This Hulu original consists of six 30 minute episodes directed by Zachary Heinzerling, who was Oscar nominated for his 2013 documentary CUTIE AND THE BOXER. Filmed in black and white from inside a recording studio, McCartney and famed hip-hop music producer Rick Rubin spend three hours talking music, history, and influence.

Many of the stories McCartney tells here are the same he’s told numerous times over the years, however, he infuses each episode with some new tale or, even better, a peek behind the music he’s created over the last 60 years. Of course, there is next to nothing about his private life which he has expertly protected for so long, but this environment is about one topic. A sound studio with a music producer talking music with a musician should only be about the music, and McCartney and Rubin fascinate us by deconstructing some of the most famous and popular songs ever written.

The stories in the episodes meander a bit, rather than go in chronological order, and each contains some color clips that correspond to McCartney’s memory of the moment. Episode 1, “These Things Bring You Together” finds Paul recalling how Edith Piaf not only influenced his songwriting, but also his “French” phase (although Jane Asher is not mentioned). It’s really mesmerizing to hear Paul discuss the “intercontinental rivalry” with the Beach Boys and how the Pet Sounds album motivated him towards “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band” (sprinkled with a humorous salt and pepper story). An incredible clip of Jimi Hendrix performing “Sgt Pepper”, and Paul incessantly chomps on his chewing gum as he refers to “George’s friend”, who just happens to be Eric Clapton.

Episode 2, “The Notes That Like Each Other”, has Paul discussing how Bach influenced his songwriting, and we get insight into “Eleanor Rigby” (and the Octet), “Penny Lane” (with Dave Mason’s piccolo trumpet), “Band on the Run”, “Blackbird”, and the trip to Lagos. It’s in this segment where Paul first acknowledges the importance of George Martin as producer, performer, and arranger. Episode 3, “The People We Loved Were Loving Us”, opens with “Back in the USSR”, and the Beatles first number one hit in the U.S.: “I Wanna Hold Your Hand”. Paul then reiterates the importance of seeing Roy Orbison, Jimi Hendrix, and Bob Dylan perform, and how every musician is influenced by others. He re-tells the too-familiar “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” story, and recalls the band’s trip to India.

Episode 4, “Like Professors in a Laboratory”, is a bit of a hodgepodge, but may include the most new details of any. Rubin and McCartney discuss the process for pushing the treble on George’s guitar for “Nowhere Man”, the opening chord of “A Hard Day’s Night”, and the band’s fascination with having Robert Moog and his new invention at Abbey Road. We also hear “the Ringo moment”, and Paul talks about penning his James Bond theme, “Live and Let Die”, and the segment ends with “You Know My Name”. Episode 5, “Couldn’t You Play it Straighter?”, and Episode 6, “The Long and Winding Road” find Paul and Rubin digging deep into creating some of the unique sounds within the songs – the bass line in “Something”; George telling Paul, “you play it” in regards to the guitar solo on “Tax Man”; John’s impact and the famous bass line on “Come Together”; and George Martin’s string quartet for “Yesterday”. Episode 5 closes with “Helter Skelter”, while Episode 6 ends, of course, with “The End”.

Director Heinzerling has the camera track set up as if to film Rubin and McCartney performing in the round – with a couple of exceptions when Paul picks up a guitar or plops down at the piano to make his point musically. Rubin plays the roles of fan boy, music professional, and interviewer, and he does a nice job getting Paul to go a bit deeper than he typically would. As the two isolate fragments of songs, it’s fun to see the joy on Paul’s face as he recalls the “luck” (his word) involved with some of the band’s quick work in the studio. McCartney does manage to give John, George, and Ringo brief moments of tribute, but make no mistake, this is Paul’s show. For music lovers, this is an enjoyable 3 hours, and whether by design or not, it certainly ups the already high anticipation for Peter Jackson’s upcoming, THE BEATLES: GET BACK for Disney+ later this year.

Premieres on Hulu on July 16, 2021

WATCH THE TRAILER

Leave a Comment » | Documentary | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN (2021, doc)

July 15, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. As the film begins, we understand there will be no happy ending. Anthony Bourdain committed suicide by hanging in 2018 at the age of 61. As it was reported, everyone was shocked. Oscar winning documentarian Morgan Neville (TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM, 2013) interviews those who knew him best, and by the end of the film, we are left wondering why these folks were shocked at how his demise.

Bourdain … called Tony by those who knew him … spent most of the last 20 years of his life with a camera focused on him, so director Neville allows Bourdain to tell much of his own story. “I got very lucky” is how he explains turning a dishwasher job into the position of Chef at Brasserie Les Halles on Park Avenue in New York, and then evolving into an author, talk show guest, and host of TV travel and culinary shows.

Perhaps you read Bourdain’s first book “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly”, or maybe you know him from one of his four TV shows where he traveled around the globe eating strange food and exploring unusual cultures. Then again, to some, he’ll always be known as the guy who was filmed eating a live cobra heart. All of those bits are discussed here, but the real interesting segments occur as others talk about the man they knew/loved/worked with.

Bourdain’s second wife Ottavio, his brother, his friends, his agent, and his production crew are all interviewed here and are surprisingly forthcoming in their recollections and insight into Tony. We even see clips of Bourdain with his daughter, though she is not interviewed. The descriptions add up to a complicated guy. A natural storyteller who was a control freak and hard on those he worked with. Yet he was also charming, immensely intelligent and articulate, and eager to make satisfying TV. He also comes across a bit lost as a person most of the time, never more than when he’s filmed asking Iggy Pop, “What thrills you?” There is even a segment with Tony in a session with his therapist.

The film, and Bourdain himself, don’t shy away from his addictive nature. He admits to a drug problem when he was younger, and for the rest of his life he jumped from one non-drug related addiction to another. His personal life seemed to take a turn when he fell for Italian actress Asia Argento and he became an advocate for the #MeToo movement. His tragic end is discussed, and maybe those closest to him were simply too close to see what seems obvious to us now. Director Neville uses no shortage of archival footage and photos, but it’s the personal interviews that strike the emotional chord here. Two films, APOCALYPSE NOW and VIOLENT CITY apparently had a dramatic impact on Bourdain, and though the end is tragic, his legacy as an adventurous storyteller lives on.

In theaters on July 16, 2021

WATCH THE TRAILER

Leave a Comment » | Documentary | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE LONELIEST WHALE: THE SEARCH FOR 52 (doc, 2021)

July 8, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. The old adage goes, “There’s someone for everyone.” Even for the outsiders and misfits. But what if there is only one? First heard by Navy research in 1989, “the Loneliest Whale in the World” has been named “52” due to his unique 52 Hertz call. He has never been seen and his song was last heard in 2003 … so there is no guarantee he’s still alive. Director Joshua Zemen has long been fascinated by the legend of 52 – a majestic creature assumed to be living in isolation since no other whales can hear his call.

It’s a sad story and one that caused a social frenzy as so many related their own stories of loneliness, proving yet again how humans connect with the animal kingdom. Whales have long played a role in the bible (Jonah) and in literature (Captain Ahab from “Moby Dick”), but 52’s unusual call was picked up thanks to the Navy’s Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) which had been developed to track submarines during war time. It took the late Oceanographer Bill Watkins to recognize the call as biological, creating the origin of the legend and mystery. Watkins claimed we can hear more than we see in the ocean, and there’s much to learn from those sounds.

When the 52 Hertz call was once again heard, director Zemen secured funding for a 7-day excursion off the Santa Barbara coast with the goal of locating the whale. He assembled a team of Oceanographers, Biologists, and researchers – each knowledgeable and passionate. Zemen is the outsider of this group, and in the film’s only flaw, allows himself to be the focus a bit too often. Interspersed within the 7 day mission are history lessons regarding the hunting of whales, once commonplace. All of that changed with the 1970 best-selling record entitled, “Songs of the Humpback Whales”. Hearing their calls and singing led directly to the “Save the Whales” era – and the hunting and slaughtering was cut by 99 percent.

Director Zemen is having quite the year, as his excellent docuseries, “The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness” was recently released. Here he works hard at instilling some entertainment into the science project by including the captain’s 52 Lost Love music tape featuring Pablo Cruise, and a quick segment with the quirky and brilliant Kate Micucci … plus a humorous moment informing us that single bunks are for one person. The film doesn’t get the “tied up with a bow” ending Zemen and the researchers might hope for, but the mystery shifts a bit, and we realize how much we’ve enjoyed spending time with these smart, caring folks. Leonardo DiCaprio donated $50,000 to the project and is listed as an Executive Producer for the film that offers some close-ups and details that are likely new to many of us.

Bleeker Street will release the film in theaters nationwide on July 9 and on Digital July 16.

WATCH THE TRAILER

Leave a Comment » | Documentary | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE PHANTOM (2021, doc)

July 1, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. Will the real murdering Carlos please come forward? Unfortunately it’s too late for the other one. Store clerk Wanda Lopez was murdered in Corpus Christi, Texas one night in 1983. The recording of her 911 call is brief, but documents her identifying the assailant as Hispanic, and noting that he was brandishing a knife … the knife the man would use to take her life.

After a short manhunt, the Corpus Christi police found a shirtless 21 year old Carlos DeLuna hiding under a car. He was identified by eye witnesses and immediately arrested on suspicion of murder. From the beginning, DeLuna was adamant about his innocence and claimed he knew the actual murderer, Carlos Hernandez, DeLuna’s doppelganger.

Patrick Forbes is a documentarian whose previous topics included Brexit, the human heart, and WikiLeaks. This time he walks us through the steps of a criminal system that executed the wrong man. He uses interviews, archival footage, and documentation from the police reports and trial. We hear from the District Attorney, the defense attorney, Wanda Lopez’s attorney, and the eyewitnesses. The original Medical Examiner (ME) even reads aloud from his report. Forbes presents the facts of the case so that we understand how such a travesty occurred.

The evidence that convicted Carlos DeLuna was limited to the eyewitnesses and a wad of cash in his pocket. No fingerprints. No blood on his clothes. No DNA. Somehow this was enough to not just find him guilty, but also sentence him to death. DeLuna testified at his own trial and claimed under oath it was Carlos Hernandez – a man the Corpus Christi police were unable to find, despite his significant (and violent) criminal record.

We hear from the reporter who received correspondence from DeLuna while he was incarcerated. She recounts their exchanges and notes that she was a somewhat green reporter who had no real idea how to handle this. We also hear from the Chaplain who details the issues that occurred during the execution, and from DeLuna’s estranged brother who tried to assist. Mr. Forbes is efficient and precise in the structure of the documentary based on the Columbia Law School research paper, “Los Tocayos Carlos”. Is the criminal justice flawed or outright broken – for those wrongfully accused and convicted, the answer is simple.

Opening in theaters on July 2, 2021

WATCH THE TRAILER

Leave a Comment » | Documentary | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »