Well I went to Badlands, I was able to get out of work on time and rushed over to LACMA, they’re screening all of Malick’s work, sort of a build up to the release of Tree Of Life. It was pretty amazing to watch the film on 35mm with a large audience, it made me feel like I was at the 11th New York Film Festival where Badlands premiered. It was a beautiful print and the use of natural light was stunning, I can understand when Sissy said the shoot went on longer than planned, if you want to get those magic hour shots, it takes time, you barely have an hour each day.
Sissy spoke after the screening and was really gracious and beautiful. Such a natural performance, she was the first person cast and spent a lot of time with Malick before they began shooting, when he found out she was a baton twirler he put that in the script, Sissy described walking down to Hollywood Blvd. from Malick’s house to buy a baton after their first meeting. I asked her about the voice over in the film, was it scripted before they shot? She said Malick had two versions of the script, one for investors and one for shooting and a lot of the VO was present in the shooting script. She also told of recording the VO in Malick’s bedroom after he nailed up a lot of blankets on the walls. I still think it is one of the best uses of voice over ever done. As I said everytime you watch this film you pick up on different ideas, themes, etc. This time I was struck by the idea of Heaven and Earth, the characters are always trying to get to Heaven, sending their dreams up in a balloon, standing in a field with a full moon prominent in the frame, like you can reach out and touch it, living in nature away from civilization.
Their quest for happiness, love, that elevates them then disappears like smoke from between their fingers, Earthly existence in a nutshell. Malick said that a gun was like a magic wand to Kit Carruthers, it could make his troubles (in the form of other people) disappear. But isn’t this the legacy of the Western? Solve your problems by letting some daylight through an adversary, blasting them with a Colt 45 or a Winchester. Another thing I noticed at this screening was how the end of the film reminded me opf the begining of Reifenstahl’s Triumph Of The Will. Hitler appears in the clouds like a god descending from Olympus, the airplane lands and he gets out the god who fell to Earth. The reverse is Badlands, the serial killer exalted to a Movie Star (contemporary god level) . “I’ll kiss your ass if he don’t look like James Dean.” Elevated in an airplane to the cloudscapes of Heaven, two sociopaths raised on high by mechanical means, contemporary Deii Ex Machinae.
Yo Film Fiends, tonite LACMA starts it’s tribute to Terrence Malick by screening his first film the seminal masterpiece Badlands. If you haven’t seen it or even if you have go to LACMA and experience it in all it’s 35mm glory. This is Poetic Cinema at it’s finest! The best use of Voice over of all time! And the person that speaks that voice over will be there in person! The incredible Sissy Spacek! One of the finest, most unique film actors ever to grace the silver screen. She is a precious gem in the crown of Cinema, Queen of the Arts.
Go Go Go! to LACMA. I got a ticket but I have to work late so I don’t think I can make it, I am bummed out but everyone else who can go should. The last time I saw Badlands I felt it was about cruelty to animals and how that spoke as to what kind of a human being you were. It’s such a wonderful work of art that every time you watch it you can discover whole new themes. The end is beautiful too, clouds, sky, music. The innocent drawl of Sissy Spacek narrating her mysterious existence in everyday terms. Here’s the info.
Yowza! What a film! Jess Franco is a genius. So rich with styles, ideas, images, acting, nudity, music! All Franco’s obsessions boil beneath the seemingly calm surface of this mirror. Lina Romay strips nude and kills herself as her sister tries on her wedding gown. The wedding is off and with her father’s blessing (Howard Vernon) Anne ( Emma Cohen) sets off for the city to be a musician. Unfortunately her sister haunts her from any nearby mirror, calls to her to come to her, puts her in a trance where she kills whatever man she’s with, and acts strangely in general. It’s like a fairy tale for adults, full of plot elements from many different genres, all pulpy! It’s like Godard, sort of improvised but not trying to be arty, instead telling a lurid tale that nonetheless pulsates with creativity. There’s a scene in a theater that reminds me of Argento’s Four Flies On Grey Velvet. Everything is grist for Franco’s mill and his unerring eye can set a mood with one or two seemingly banal shots, a flower, a seascape at dusk, home movie material yet in Franco’s capable hands they become images loaded with foreboding. I watched the Italian version of this film which has hardcore inserts cut into it. Even they didn’t ruin it for me. Did Franco cut them in himself? I don’t know. I think this film is great, I’d love to see the other versions but I really liked this one and I love Lina Romay, I don’t want to see someone else playing the dead sister. Check it out if you can find it.
I’d like to take a moment to salute the great Jess Franco. A true Alchemist of Cinema, taking the dross of genre film and turning it into Gold. Making almost 200 films, how cool is that. A multi lingual jazz musician super prolific filmmaker. He may not be wealthy, living in a mansion in the south of France but he is one of the richest men on the planet in terms of his life and his accomplishments. Like the Magus and The Alchemist of old he ignored materialism and “success” and concentrated on what was important to him, creating Pure Cinema in every moment. He has done so more than any other man.
Tony Munroe passed away this morning at the too young age of 47. He was a partner in the firm Triage Motion Picture Services. He and his company restored such films as The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Woman in The Window, A Fistfull of Dollars, All That Jazz, Sweet Smell Of Success, Flashdance, It’s A Gift, Once Upon A Time In The West, Duck You Sucker, Tom Jones, etc. etc. Too many to mention. I first met Tony back in 1991, I was editing a short film, Tony was working for an optical company. He had just learned about optical printing and this was his first film job. I heard about a custom Black and White Lab in the Valley called Cinetech, I hired them to handle the printing of the film. The owner met Tony and hired him to work at his lab. That’s where Tony learned the ins and outs of film restoration. A few years later he partnered up with Paul Rutan and they founded Triage. I helped them move into their HQ on Larchmont. Tony was a great writer, a guitar player, a wonderful guy that everyone will miss. My heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Sue, his son Calvin, his dad and everybody that knew him and loved him.
My great friend Daniele Luppi has collaborated with Danger Mouse to produce an album of cinematic music entitled ROME. Inspired by their love of Spaghetti Western Soundtracks they recorded in Rome at the same studio (Forum) used by Morricone, Bacalov, Umiliani, etc. during the Golden Age of Italian Cinema. They also worked with some of the same musicians that played on the classic soundtracks. They were joined in this labor of love by two magnificent contemporary artists, Norah Jones and Jack White. Incredible. And it was recorded in all analog glory on magnetic tape! I’m getting the record, vinyl that is, I can’t wait. As some of you may know Daniele composed the score for my film One Night With You so I’m very familiar with his work. Here’s a little movie about the project.
I just watched A Bout De Souffle on TCM and I noticed something that struck me as one of the most interesting moments in the film. Jean Seberg is at the airport at a press conference for an author who has just published a book. The author is played by Jean Pierre Melville, the great director and hero to the New Wave. Seberg tries to ask him a question but is overpowered by the other reporters shouting their questions. Finally she breaks through and asks “What is your greatest ambition?” Melville looks at her through his cool aviator shades and after a beat says “To become immortal, then die.” Godard plays some film noir music on the soundtrack and Seberg breaks the fourth wall, looks directly into the camera as we dissolve to another scene. What a brilliant moment, it is the essence of filmmaking, films will live on far beyond their makers, expressing their thoughts for generations after the artist is dead. That is what Melville/Godard is saying and in a poetic way. Beautiful.
I saw this film as a kid on The Twilight Zone. Rod Serling really dug it so he made it into an episode of his show, the only time he ever did such a thing. It was made as part of an omnibus film, Chickamauga, a film comprised of three short films based on the writings of Ambrose Bierce. I’ve never seen the other two parts of this film but I will track them down one day. An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge should be studied by young filmmakers, it offers many insights into economy of style, simplicity, artistry. It’s beautifully made, a study in tension and fantasy. And thanks to the miracle of Youtube you can see it as it was presented on The Twilight Zone oh those many years ago.
What can I say, the great Jean Renoir working at RKO in the 40’s with Charles Laughton, no less! A powerful combo, also starring the beautiful protege of Laughton’s , Maureen O’Hara and as added treats RKO stock players George “I am bored with Life” Sanders and Cat People’s Kent Smith, in a very good performance I might add. The film seems kind of slapped together in a rush but a beautiful rush of enthusiasm, patriotism and little money. I wonder if Dudley Nichols wanted to create something inspirational for people living under Nazi occupation and everyone joined in and made this film from nothing, shot on the back lots and Euro streets of RKO, the filmmakers manage to create a convincing French town albeit small. Then there are the wonderful scenes on trains as Kent Smith tries to escape his Nazi pursuers. Renoir loved trains and this sequence shot on location is a prime example of his fascination with their mechanical majesty. It’s funny how trains and cinema go together so well, from the very first days (to be continued)
I’ve been obsessed with Val Lewton lately, I even bought the box set of his films, The Val Lewton Horror Collection. It’s well worth the price, here are 9 great films produced by a true low budget genius at my favorite studio, RKO, made by some of Cinema’s greatest artists and artisans. A wonderful treat. Anyway while watching The Leopard Man I noticed it was based on a novel by Cornell Woolrich, the pulp writer who has had more books turned into films than any of his contemporaries. A reclusive writer that has had an enormous cultural influence on contemporary psychic reality. So I thought I’d order his novel, Black Alibi, then I found out someone had beaten me to the punch, a little research led me to a brilliant article on The Leopard Man. Here’s a link to it,The Strange Pleasure Of The Leopard Man it’s well worth reading.
Here is some rare footage of iconoclastic director Jean Pierre Melville and actors Lino Ventura and Paul Meurisse being interviewed while makingLe Deuxieme Souffle. Melville and Ventura clashed repeatedly during the making of this film, Ventura allegedly vowed never to work with Melville again. But he did although the two artists only spoke through intermediaries never face to face.
That’s right, here’s your chance to beat the unemployed holiday blues by watching a magnificent film about a super rich guy looking for love and it’s FREE! 35mm projection no less, the Grand Daddy of all Primitive Accumulators, Charles Foster Kane! SEE Deep FOCUS cinematography as pioneered by GREGG TOLAND and his custom made F-stops, hear Bernard Herrmanns first film score. See the great actors of the Mercury Theater. Here’s a piece I wrote about KANE. Here’s the info for the screening. Tuesday Dec 21, 11am LACMA.
I have always been fascinated by the story of the no hitter pitched by Dock Ellis while under the influence of the mind altering psychedelic LSD-25. When I was a kid I had a Time/Life book called The Mind.
There were photos of a spider spinning a perfect web after being fed a LSD laced fly.
The Acid took away the distractions that are programmed in and enabled effortless concentration. Anyway here’s an animated film by James Blangden set to the pre-recorded telling of the tale by Dock Ellis.
