tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199463442024-03-07T01:47:04.029-08:00Life with Movies and Maxxxxxand other Manic Pleasures...Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.comBlogger472125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-3590253243370893112011-06-01T15:53:00.000-07:002011-06-01T15:57:02.850-07:00Tales of the City - a New Musical<div id="AOLMsgPart_2_7ec11f94-a1d3-435d-a94d-25ec05ccc4f7"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.act-sf.org/images/content/pagebuilder/16366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.act-sf.org/images/content/pagebuilder/16366.jpg" /></a></div>Overall: There are some great things about this musical adaptation of TALES OF THE CITY, now playing at A.C.T. in San Francisco! There are a few truly NOT great things, too. The end result is having witnessed a 'work in progress' of a piece that should be a bit further along by now. The running times during this two week preview period have been rumored between 2:40 and 3 hours. Our production Sunday night was a solid 3 hours. (Mind you, it didn't feel that long!)<br />
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The show opens with a trademark Scissor Sisters (Jake Spears and John Garden) disco homage (mirror balls included!) before launching into fairly tame musical comedy territory. The cast is given some great music to perform, particularly some of the ballads for the women. Anna Madrigal's Act One curtain anthem is fabulous. Mother Mucca's production number at the Blue Moon Lodge, with her 'girls', is a show stopper and could generate its own encore, if staged appropriately. The male chorus has a "Gay Brunch Scene" that is probably the most entertaining moment in the show. It's a nearly unnecessary moment and if it weren't for it's fun quotient, would risk being cut. Mona has a wonderful ballad in the second act after she runs away and Mouse's coming out letter could be the men's best song, if staged with some sort of interest. I do wish that, given the size and scope of the cast, there were some sort of ensemble recap, a la "Les Miz/West Side Story", but there isn't a 'grand company moment'.<br />
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The choreography and musical staging is terrible. I do not know of Larry Keigwin, but what he's done here is a step beyond just marking production numbers. With only a couple exceptions, the cast basically lines up and step kicks. In unison. It's very amateurish and at times embarrassing. <br />
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Jeff Whitty's libretto is nearly slavish to the book, including a bit of an excerpt from the second to help wrap one of the plots up. This is where it gets a bit bumpy though. Mary Ann's second 'boyfriend', Norman, is uncomfortably SQUEEZED into the second act. It reaches nearly laughable extremes as his story is condensed, virtually recited and resolved (blackmailing, child pornography and the cliff dive), all within a five minute scene that needs to be responsible for changing Mary Ann's innocent view of human nature. It is a nearly farcical amount of detail that must be explained away and given the intricacies of the plotlines and the lasting effect it must have on Mary Ann, the character can't really be cut. Yet, it is hard to justify adding another scene or extending any of the existing ones, without cutting some of the slack from somewhere else. (Perhaps a little less time spent with boyfriend #1 (Beauchamp Day), who is over written to begin with?)<br />
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The core ensemble of principals is larger than the chorus, who themselves step into some decent sized supporting roles. Maupin's characters, particularly the women, are wonderfully portrayed. Judy Kaye could be a bit more 'butch' as Anna Madrigal, but she delivers the goods from the revelation on. Mary Birdsong is great as Mona Ramsey as are the showstopping Kathleen Monteleone as DeDe and Diane Findlay as Mother Mucca! Betsey Wolfe sounds great as Mary Ann. It is the most difficult role, particularly given the second act.<br />
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The Maupin's male characters have never been quite as exciting. Wesley Taylor is adorable as Mouse and Josh Breckenridge is gorgeous as his boyfriend John Fielding. (He is unable to vocally keep up, though.) Richard Poe is great as Edward Halcyon, and benefits from only being required a single duet with Madrigal. The rest of the men just don't seem to be having as much fun. Andrew Samonsky over hammers the misogynist, Beauchamp. Patrick Lane's Brian is nearly an afterthought. And then there is the problem of Norman, played Manoel Felciano. Felciano does his best with THE PROBLEM role of the entire production.<br />
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The design of production is workable, though the '70s polyester is almost TOO authentic and cheesy. Madrigal is given some great, flowing star-quality robes, though. The multi-tiered set is barely used beyond the stage floor. It's somewhat reminiscent of COMPANY in which each space is brought in by wagon, regardless of which floor of the building it is located on. However, given the innumerable settings (Barbary Lane's five apartments, Halcyon Communications, Land's End, Ocean Beach, a bath house, various bars, etc.), I'm not sure there is much more of a way around it. It's as if director Jason Moore was so overwhelmed by the amount of material that he was unable to conceptualize or stylize a way of presenting it. </div><span id="fullpost"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re TALES OF THE CITY: Doobie doobie dooo-oooo<br />
You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a></span>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-55908797068628995122011-01-27T10:15:00.000-08:002011-01-27T10:16:51.556-08:00Silent Film Festival Winter Event, 2011<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana,arial; font-size: xx-small;"><center><table bgcolor="#ffffff" id="VWPLINK" style="width: 595px;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria,Georgia,Times New Roman,serif;"> January 26, 2011 </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times; font-size: 20pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Silent Film Festival Winter Event</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Features the West Coast Premiere of the Dazzling Restoration of</div><div style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times; font-size: 20pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><b>L'ARGENT</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Accompanied by Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra</div><div style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>February 12 at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco</b></div></td></tr>
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<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><img align="left" alt="Brigitte Helm in L'ARGENT" border="0" height="272" hspace="5" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.23" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs033/1101302425252/img/23.jpg" style="text-align: left;" vspace="5" width="390" /><div style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The New York Times</div></i><span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal;"> hails the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra's recent performance at the Museum of the Moving Image's 'Recovered Treasures' series: "The undoubted highlight is Marcel L'Herbier's spectacular Art Moderne adaptation of Zola's <b>L'Argent</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt;">, restored to its full three-hour length by the French Film Archives and presented with a live accompaniment by that most sensitive and accomplished of silent film ensembles, the Mont Alto Orchestra."</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">Greed and sex drive L'Herbier's 1928 masterpiece that chronicles the contemporary Paris of high finance, speculation, and corruption. In spite of a butchered last-minute re-edit (rumored to be the result of a feud between the director and a studio head) the film was popular upon its release. But with this beautiful restoration struck from the original negative, featuring L'Herbier's original cut, <b>L'Argent</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> takes its place among other indisputable masterpieces of the silent era such as Von Stroheim's </span><b>Greed</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">, Murnau's </span><b>Sunrise</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">, Dreyer's </span><b>The Passion of Joan of Arc</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">. The excess of the story is mirrored in the filmmaking-opulent sets, breathtaking camerawork, and a rhythm that conveys glamour and modernity, with superb performances by Brigitte Helm, Pierre Alcover, and Alfred Abel. Our 35mm print comes from Archives Françaises du Film, with special permission by Marie-Ange L'Herbier, the director's granddaughter.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">Mont Alto's main theme for <b>L'Argent</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is the "Herod Overture" is by the American composer Henry Hadley. Hadley was the first conductor of the San Francisco Symphony, arriving exactly 100 years ago in 1911. He composed a variety of music for concert orchestras, several operas, and music for the Bohemian Grove's annual festivities, and is remembered today as the composer of the Movietone score for John Barrymore's "When a Man Loves," one of the finest period scores written for a late silent. There's a story that after Hadley left the SF Symphony in 1915, the musicians all got more reliable jobs playing in movie theater orchestras and the symphony had to cancel it's season. </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b>Complete Winter Event Program:</b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">Our early program <b>It's Mutual</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> (1:00 pm, $15) is a collection of sparkling shorts by Charlie Chaplin, made during his stint at the Mutual Film Corporation where he honed his craft and became the genius director we think of today. The shorts - </span><b>The Pawnshop</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">, </span><b>The Rink</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">, and </span><b>The Adventurer</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> - contain some of the funniest moments ever put to screen, and are a glimpse into the development of this master of cinema. And supplying the perfect accompaniment to Chaplin's brilliance will be </span><b>Donald Sosin</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> at the baby grand piano. 35mm film prints from the David Shepard Collection.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">Continuing our tradition of presenting world-class blockbusters at the Winter Event afternoon show, we present Marcel L'Herbier's <b>L'Argent</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> (3:30 pm, $15) accompanied by </span><b>The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">. </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">The evening show, <b>La Bohème</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> (8:00 pm, $17) is devoted to the one of the themes movies have excelled at from the beginning - the love story! This eternal romance set in bohemian Paris of the 1830s has been filmed many times, but King Vidor's classic starring Lillian Gish as Mimi and John Gilbert as Rodolphe is the definitive version. New 35mm print courtesy of Stanford Theatre Foundation and UCLA Film and Television Archive. The Master of the Mighty Wurlitzer, </span><b>Dennis James</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">, will accompany this perfect Valentine's weekend fare.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">At 6:30 there will be a <b>Winter Event Celebration Party</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> ($20) on the Castro's mezzanine. Delicious hors d'oeuvres, hearty drinks, and pleasing conversation to be had by all! The extraordinary Michel Saga will serenade on the barrel organ, singing songs of old Paris.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">For tickets and more information, please visit the <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=evz9lvbab&et=1104307761587&s=4204&e=00181wJUpfP1qLlwVWBJEUcgbM62vonpsMhMgN5mHJuTA3bKmv209s2LpdHXaM_xbIjT2gwGf4uST0yLSYe05IyJcBWxPK_bYJZxMTBh7fRJ262QZvNEptudwT19GKsyW0_" shape="rect" style="color: purple; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Silent Film Festival.</a></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">Screeners and images are available for all films. Please contact Anita Monga, 510-843-4245<span style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="mailto:anita@silentfilm.org" shape="rect" style="color: purple; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"> anita@silentfilm.org</a></b></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">High-res images can be downloaded from our <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=evz9lvbab&et=1104307761587&s=4204&e=00181wJUpfP1qJCl1CXb2xc7uK6aF-q1YBylEYhBk-87xndMBZf5Xs5Tm3QuXFX4gHODqh-vJvblylyJciTFkLkRs8f2GnFBFUVSPSkR-FNuBM33Mb6wDVjdMUMswa8f8HPMSMQpd6OtCA=" shape="rect" style="color: purple; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">pressroom</a></div></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re Silent Film Festivals: (quiet....)<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-19468341816472567062010-08-11T11:14:00.000-07:002010-08-11T11:14:00.413-07:00PATRIK, AGE 1.5 (aka some Swedish family values for you!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.traileraddict.com/content/regent-releasing/patrik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.traileraddict.com/content/regent-releasing/patrik.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><a href="http://www.patrikonepointfive.com/">PATRIK, AGE 1.5</a> (dir. Ella Lemhagen, Sweden, 100 Mins.) This was a "Centerpiece screening" at last year's FRAMELINE, and is only now receiving theatrical distribution. I feared the film would be 'cute'. I LOATHE 'cute'! But, 'cuteness' lay only in the production design in which the pair of gay men live, surrounded in an IKEA constructed suburb, where they seek to adopt a child. It is not a spoiler to state that the decimal for the 1.5 year old they initially agree to adopt is misplaced to read 15 years old, as that is the conflict and reason for the piece. The trio is forced to deal with each other and their existence as a family, surrounded in a white picket fence world. The characters at the core of the film are what saved it from my loathing. The performances are real and artistically set against the artificial, idealized background, which hinders, if not oppresses their development as a family unit. The screenplay and direction handles the varying sources of conflict (the couple, the kid, the neighbors) with balance and sincerity. Never does the film cross the line into "made-for-tv" melodrama. I never felt manipulated or 'preached to', but gainfully followed the central trio's emotional journey to become a family unit. Director Ella Lemhagen navigates the numerous emotional and sociological obstacles realistically. <br />
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It's a crowd pleaser, without condescending to the crowd. The film won the Audience Award at last year's FRAMELINE as well as various other festivals. The film opens on Friday, Aug, 13, 2010, at Landmark’s Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco, and Landmark’s Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re PATRIK, AGE 1.5: "I love you, too!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-66077678714418485542010-07-30T21:09:00.000-07:002010-07-30T21:09:35.497-07:00The 30th San Francisco Jewish Film Festival - the Castro Week Highlights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://twitchfilm.net/news/assets_c/2010/07/sfjff30_logo-thumb-230xauto-17049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://twitchfilm.net/news/assets_c/2010/07/sfjff30_logo-thumb-230xauto-17049.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The 30th San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, the world’s first and largest Jewish film festival, will be held July 24 – August 9, 2010, in San Francisco, Berkeley, the Peninsula and Marin County. For films, schedules, venues and tickets, visit <a href="http://www.sfjff.org/">www.sfjff.org </a>and its </i></span><a href="http://www.sfjff.org/film/search?search=&category[]=events&category[]=films&category[]=programs&sort=title"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>programming pages</i></span>.</a><br />
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Instead of delving into a slew of DVD press screeners for the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival this year, I decided I needed to be there in person, as much as possible. By this point, after <a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/search?q=frameline34">Frameline</a>, the <a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/search?q=silent+fifteenth">SF Silent Film Festival</a> and (my unreported) dozen or so screeners for the SF IndieFest Horror Fest (aka Another Hole in the Head), not to mention reacquainting myself with Matthew Barney's seven-plus hour <a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2010/07/cremaster-cycle-returns-with-de-lama.html">CREMASTER CYCLE</a>, all within a month of each other, I got a bit burnt out. But after last year's commotion at the <a href="http://www.sfjff.org/">SFJFF</a>, and due to the number of live performances scheduled this year, I felt I really wanted to attend, live and as freshly as possible. Here are my highlights from the first week of the SFJFF, as it opens at the Castro, before moving on to Berkeley, Marin and parts beyond, and returning to San Francisco at the SF Jewish Community Center.<br />
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Opening Night began with a traditional review of festival trailers. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SybPrqlC_TI">This year's trailer</a> is actually stood up pretty well against the collection. Introductory comments were presented by Dana Doron, President of the Board, who in turn introduced a corporate sponsor. This was perhaps the only unfortunately dull section of the program, until Doron introduced Executive Director, Peter Stein and the new Program Director, Jay Rosenblatt. Peter is always a hoot to watch and listen to as a speaker! Jay Rosenblatt appeared a bit nervous in his debut (as well as displaying a surprising tenor of a speaking voice) as he introduced the opening night film.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.menemshafilms.com/images/stories/posters/saviors_in_the_night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.menemshafilms.com/images/stories/posters/saviors_in_the_night.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><a href="http://www.menemshafilms.com/saviors-in-the-night.html">SAVIORS IN THE NIGHT</a> (dir. Ludi Boeken, France/Germany, 2009, 100 mins.)<br />
The film follows the true story of Jewish refugees who were successfully hidden from the Nazi regime by fellow Germans. Yes, I know it sounds like I just gave away a HUGE spoiler, however, it works as wells as a study of the relationships between the regime, the faithful and those who were attempting to survive. There is a little girl in the cast, who thankfully is not asked to cross the line into precociousness or "cuteness", but has been expertly directed to be overwhelmed the situation. The mothers of the farm family as well as the refugees are both wonderfully portrayed and give riveting performances. Though it could be dangerously called a "happy holocaust film", it is a relief (as well as a choice opening night selection) to pick a film that presents hope in the human condition under the worst of circumstances. Following the film, the woman whose life it was based on, Marga Spiegel (who received an exceptionally warm standing ovation), director Ludi Boeken and principal actor Lia Hoensbroech were present for an in depth interview with Mr. Rosenblatt and a smattering of audience Q&A. (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Next screenings</i>: Sat, July 31 2010, 6:45pm Cinearts @ Palo Alto Square; Sat, August 7 2010, 7:00pm, The Roda Theatre @ Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Mon, August 9 2010, 6:15pm, Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center</span>) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.filmlinc.com/wrt/onsale07/nyjff07/images/hungryhearts_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.filmlinc.com/wrt/onsale07/nyjff07/images/hungryhearts_thumb.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0013254/">HUNGRY HEARTS</a> (dir. E. Mason Hopper, USA, 1922, 80 min) This fairly melodramatic silent film was accompanied by an enthusiastic, if not nearly psychedelic score composed by Ethan Miller (Howlin’ Rain, Comets on Fire) performed by the Moab Strangers, which formed specifically for this project, including Bay Area psychedelic rock and folk heroes Matt Baldwin, Utrillo Kushner (Colossal Yes, Comets on Fire), Joel Robinow (Drunk Horse). I found the combination of the score and the on-screen histrionics of newly arrived Jewish immigrants faced with the injustices of settling in New York City, combined perfectly, particularly during the climatic meltdown scene, at which time a portion of the audience (including myself) erupted in spontaneous applause. (In fact, I had the same euphoric feeling I have when watching Bill Morrison's DECASIA with Michael Gordon's score.) Unfortunately, it was a one-time only performance for this festival.<br />
<dl></dl><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ioncinema.com/old/images/upload/movie_8068_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.ioncinema.com/old/images/upload/movie_8068_poster.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1395059/">A ROOM AND A HALF</a> (dir. Andrey Khrzhanovsky, Russia, 2008, 130 mins.) As Jay Rosenblatt introduced the film with an excerpt of the Variety review, as a "fantasia of memory", nearly perfectly describes this wild ride of a biography of Nobel poet laureate, Joseph Brodsky. The stunning mixture of technique and styles including archival footage, original animation, and a kaleidoscopic combination of cinematographic techniques and the classical and period soundtrack used in film the dramatic narrative gives the screenplay a near Proustian weight and depth. It is an exhilirating couple of hours and worth catching at its encore screenings! (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Next screenings</i>: Mon, August 2, 2010, 6:00pm, The Roda Theatre Berkeley Repertory Theatre</span>)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.menemshafilms.com/images/stories/posters/anita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.menemshafilms.com/images/stories/posters/anita.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><a href="http://www.menemshafilms.com/anita.html">ANITA</a> (dir. Marcos Carnevale, 2009, Argentina, 104 mins.) This was featured as the Centerpiece Film of the San Francisco portion of the festival and features one of the most charming and warm performances of the festival, by Alejandra Manzo, who is living with Down Syndrome. (She was present for the Q&A.) After the Jewish neighborhood suffers a bombing, 'Anita' finds herself wandering lost in the city and proceeds on a Candide-like series of episodes. The film does tread treacherously into 'made-for-tv' melodrama, but it is rescued nearly single handedly by Ms. Manzo's surprisingly uncloying and sincere performance. (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Next screenings</i>: Sun, August 1 2010, 6:30pm, Cinearts @ Palo Alto Square; Tue, August 3 2010, 6:30pm, The Roda Theatre, at Berkeley Repertory Theatre</span>)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7PzUhbphzIMVnaF2N7BAjaq-73Pq5Fwq7m41ohQbli0btC8zjI3ww5ADEPWR5Sd3u7w4Va8GjN6QGWdK4Y9hcmo5ytpkbOuOw4Olwbgdjg7jPBNqzM7jJyFoS3hKKvpm_hs3sg/s1600/Poster+ad+for+Facebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7PzUhbphzIMVnaF2N7BAjaq-73Pq5Fwq7m41ohQbli0btC8zjI3ww5ADEPWR5Sd3u7w4Va8GjN6QGWdK4Y9hcmo5ytpkbOuOw4Olwbgdjg7jPBNqzM7jJyFoS3hKKvpm_hs3sg/s200/Poster+ad+for+Facebook.jpg" width="146" /></a></div><a href="http://blog.nfb.ca/socalled/">THE "SOCALLED" MOVIE</a> (dir. Garry Beitel, 2010, Canada, 87 mins.) Socalled (aka Josh Dolgin): Frankly, I can not describe this biographic documentary of musician, rapper, composer, magician, filmmaker and visual artist, who calls himself "Socalled" (aka Josh Dolgin) better than the program notes: "...Blasting through the boundaries that separate different cultures, eras and generations, Socalled creates a wholly unique sound combining klezmer, funk, soul and hip-hop. Not too shabby for a nice Jewish boy from Montreal. Socalled is a musical alchemist, always looking for the next old thing to make new again, whether it’s introducing funk trombone legend Fred Wesley (of James Brown’s famous band, the J.B.’s) or inspiring 1950s lounge pianist Irving Fields to pen a new hit song. Shot partly in Socalled’s Montreal neighborhood, where Hasidic Jews and hipsters crowd the sidewalks, and following him on tour through New York, France and an emotionally spiritual trip back to his ancestral home of the Ukraine, <b>The “Socalled” Movie</b> is a dynamic, kaleidoscopic portrait of an iconoclastic artist at the peak of his powers." 'Socalled' was present for a short concert after the screening in San Francisco, and his charm and joy was infectious! <br />
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It was accompanied by the short subject, <a href="http://www.wholphindvd.com/issues/wholphin-no-9/">MAURICE AT THE WORLD'S FAIR</a> (dir. Spike Jonez, 2010, US, 4 mins.), which relates a childhood memory of Maurice Sendak exacting some revenge against his big sister, featuring Catherine Keener in an array of roles in the dramatic recreation. I love her!<br />
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(<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Next screenings</i>: Sat, August 7 2010, 9:15pm, The Roda Theatre, at Berkeley Repertory Theatre</span>)<br />
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<a href="http://www.documentary.org/images/programs/docuweek/docuweeks2009/week1_ingelore1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://www.documentary.org/images/programs/docuweek/docuweeks2009/week1_ingelore1.jpg" width="200" /></a>A pair of semi-short subjects are screening together, which feature the Holocaust survival stories of two very different, but similarly strong women. <a href="http://www.ingeloremovie.com/">INGELORE </a>(dir. Frank Stiefel, 2009, USA, 40 mins.) focuses on Ingelore Herz Honigstein, who was born deaf and narrates in speech and sign the harrowing events leading up to her immigration to America from Nazi Germany. "Frank Stiefel’s portrait of his mother is both a loving tribute and a remarkable feat of compressed storytelling." <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jewishculture.org/images/SurvivingHitlerposter.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.jewishculture.org/images/SurvivingHitlerposter.bmp" width="129" /></a></div><a href="http://www.survivinghitleralovestory.com/">SURVIVING HITLER: A LOVE STORY </a>(dir. John-Keith Wasson, 2010, USA, 65 mins.) Tells a similar story, however its subject, Jutta Cords is an exceptionally verbose interview subject. Her story of the romance with a German soldier, which ends up involved in the "Valkyrie" project to assassinate Hitler, is what Hollywood dramas are made of. It is a riveting story told by a riveting speaker.<br />
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Both directors were present, as well as Ingelore Herz Honigstein, who proved to be quite the 'witness' during her public appearance.<br />
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(<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Next screenings</i>: Wed, August 4 2010, 2:15pm The Roda Theatre, at Berkeley Repertory Theatre - Free Admission</span>)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fest21.com/files/images/BUDRUS.preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.fest21.com/files/images/BUDRUS.preview.jpg" width="142" /></a></div><a href="http://www.justvision.org/budrus">BUDRUS</a> (dir. Julia Bacha, 2009, USA, 82 mins.) This film is currently becoming an audience and jury favorite documentary on the festival circuit and appears to be Oscar bound. It is both an infuriating, yet in the end an immensely moving document of a peaceful resistance movement that took place in the Palenstinian West Bank against the Israeli attempt to surround the village of Budrus with a wall. The movement is led by Ayed Morrar, who successfully involves the politically far flung factions of the village, as well as involving the eager female citizens. The film also has a great deal of footage and interviews with the Israeli soldiers who were involved in this helpless face down. I was truly surprised by how moved I was by the achievement that Morrar's peace movement (or as the producer describes him: "the Ghandi of the Middle East") was able and continues to influence the occupation of the West Bank. (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Next screenings</i>: Sun, August 1 2010, 6:45pm, The Roda Theatre, at Berkeley Repertory Theatre</span>)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.cinematical.com/media/2010/06/afilmunfinishedposter062910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.cinematical.com/media/2010/06/afilmunfinishedposter062910.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568923/">A FILM UNFINISHED</a> (dir. Yael Hersonski, 2009, Israel, 89 mins.) This is a nearly painful visual experience of the recovery and restoration of a lost "documentary" from the Third Reich which portrays the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto. It was incomplete, so director Hersonski proceeds to attempt to piece it together in an attempt to decipher not only the propoganda behind the piece, but also reveals some truly tragic scenes of treatment. She has also gathered some of the survivors who actually appear in the film and/or were witnesses to the staging of some of the scenes. She also was able to obtain the diaries of the "mayor" of the ghetto, which describes his disgust in being involved in the production's creation. It is nearly as painful to watch the participants watch the film, as it is to see the scenes of the deaths in the streets of the ghetto. A particularly sobering experience. (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Next screenings</i>: Sat, July 31 2010, 4:15pm, Cinearts @ Palo Alto Square; Sun, August 1 2010, 4:15pm, The Roda Theatre @ Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Sat, August 7 2010, 4:45pm, Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center</span>)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://klezdoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/klez-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://klezdoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/klez-poster.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>To bring the week at the Castro to a close, the festival chose to present <a href="http://klezdoc.com/">THE KLEZMATICS: ON HOLY GROUND</a> (dir. Erik Anjou, 2010, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Poland, USA, Color, 105 mins.), which is something of a party in itself! I am only vaguely acquainted with this Grammy winning klezmer/world music/jazz fusion band, but am quickly a fan, after watching this documentary, as well as the mini-concert that a pair of the members gave at the Q&A following the screening. The film itself is described pretty honestly and accurately by Peter Stein in the program: "...[the film] combines the best elements of a backstage doc, a concert film and an eye-opening lesson in remixing Jewish culture." <br />
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(<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Next screenings</i>: Sat, July 31 2010, 7:00pm, The Roda Theatre @ Berkeley Repertory Theatre and features a post-film reception in the Roda courtyard.</span>)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re the faves of the week, which based around music, i.e. HUNGRY HEARTS, THE KLAZMATICS: "Dooby doobie dooo-ooo!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-6601523770520598572010-07-28T20:05:00.000-07:002010-07-29T11:00:29.641-07:00CREMASTER CYCLE returns!! (with DE LAMA LAMINA)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.infc.us/cremaster/images/CyclePoster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.infc.us/cremaster/images/CyclePoster.jpg" /></a></div>The epic art film of the century (so far) <a href="http://www.cremaster.net/">THE CREMASTER CYCLE</a> (dir. Matthew Barney, USA, 1994-2002, 540 minutes, approximately - who's counting?), Matthew Barney's seven hour opus to the cremaster (the muscle which controls the descent of the testicles) returns to San Francisco at the <a href="http://www.roxie.com/events/details.cfm?eventID=ADC725A5-C541-2FD8-47C3C815AC80A1A9">Roxie Theatre</a>, after it's huge engagement at the Castro Theatre seven years ago. It will be accompanied by his latest film, DE LAMA LAMINA (commented upon below), but frankly I'd pass on that just to make more energy and room and time for The Cycle! <a href="http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii28/Coponfire/Cremaster1Image2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii28/Coponfire/Cremaster1Image2.jpg" width="156" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/coyote23/Curiosities/MatthewBarney3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/coyote23/Curiosities/MatthewBarney3.jpg" width="153" /></a></div>Since Matthew Barney is an ARTIST, people generally love him or loathe him. If you love him, you probably need not read further as you already have your Cycle Tickets and are going, unless you want to read another, though brief, interpretation of his work here. If you are new to Matthew Barney, fear not! You do not need to see the entire 7 hours in a gulp. I would suggest, if you were to pick and peck at the Cycle, that you begin with Cycle 5. Yes, the ending. The music by Jonathan Bepler, who scores the entire cycle, is glorious, the visuals are (unusually) accessible and there is even Ursula Andress to look upon to add to the beauty of the piece. It is also one of the hour long episodes.<br />
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<a href="http://interactive.usc.edu/classes/ctin542-designprod/archives/gugg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://interactive.usc.edu/classes/ctin542-designprod/archives/gugg.jpg" width="160" /></a>If you are a newbie and feeling adventurous, then dive into Cremaster 3, the longest of the Cycle at three hours. The production values and artistry are jaw dropping!! The musical score is dreamy and chaotic. It is a mammoth piece, taking place in the Chrysler Building as well as the Guggenheim Museum, and features Richard Serra, Aimee Mullins and the punk band, Grand Masters. (The Guggenheim Museum sequence is the only section of the entire Cycle that is or ever will be (legitimately) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0004Z32U6?ie=UTF8&tag=lifwitmovandm-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0004Z32U6">available on DVD</a>.) It is not quite as accessible as episodes 5 or 1, unless you are familiar with Celtic and Masonic rituals. However, it fits quite nicely in the Cycle as a whole, compared to episode 2. I would NOT recommend episode 2. Actually, if it weren't so early in the cycle, it would make for a nice dinner break for even some of the Barney-heads, I'm sure!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.calgarycinema.org/content/images/cremaster-2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.calgarycinema.org/content/images/cremaster-2-1.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>So, what is all the commotion about? Yes, I could be somewhat snide and say that Matthew Barney has created a seven-hour art film about his testicles dropping. However, it does dig deeper into the psyche of his view of masculinity and 'manhood', in all it's forms: biological, psychological, emotional, spiritual. His performances (he appears throughout the Cycle) are quite athletic and robust and, quite often, features himself in the nude. Cycle parts 1, 3, 4 and 5 follow this interpretation quite nicely. Cycle 2 (aka the Gary Gilmore episode) feels out of place at best. Even after reading quite a bit of analysis of Cycle 2, I still fail to grasp what Gary Gilmore and his Mormon upbringing (HOW did Matthew Barney get the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to cooperate?!) have to do with the cremaster.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifg2uyxTRE5kvs3ICbRN-GCa55AHVSCybEN_8WKQjMmpJl_Luzg0TZ5m53Id6SPEOuc6_RmKx4WsBslP4UZcd36X7L1zVfD0eHOvSc2tm0YKwb_XiFWuu2NuJ1PjUi6FnhtWAu/s1600-r/cremaster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifg2uyxTRE5kvs3ICbRN-GCa55AHVSCybEN_8WKQjMmpJl_Luzg0TZ5m53Id6SPEOuc6_RmKx4WsBslP4UZcd36X7L1zVfD0eHOvSc2tm0YKwb_XiFWuu2NuJ1PjUi6FnhtWAu/s200-r/cremaster2.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>I would have switched the sequence of parts 2 and 4. The films were not made in numerical order, but rather in the order of 4 (1994), 1 (1995), 5 (1997), 2 (1999) and 3 (2002).) Cycle 4 is generally regarded as the most biological interpretation, with the racing of two motorcyclists around the Isle of Man, their target is Matthew Barney as a satyr waiting for them on a pier, and it would fit quite nicely after Cycle 1's dueling Goodyear Blimps. Cycle 3 features Barney having to test himself in Celtic and Masonic rituals: sort of the coming of age of a man. (Then I would have inserted Cycle 4, featuring the murderer, I guess?) Cycle 5 is definitely the most romantic and spiritual piece, as he reaches a climax. Literally.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Overall, I am gobsmacked at the enormous production values for an 'art project'! It is nearly Wagnerian in scope. The Roxie is offering "Marathon Passes" for the weekend screenings. The theatre has also broken it down into consecutive mini-cycles during the week for those unsure of taking it in one big 7 hour gulp!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.studio-international.co.uk/studio-images/destricted/Hoist2_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://www.studio-international.co.uk/studio-images/destricted/Hoist2_b.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>For the TRULY DEVOUT Matthew Barney fan, The Cycle is being accompanied by his DE LAMA LAMINA (dir. Matthew Barney, US, date?, 55 mins.) However, if you ARE truly devout then you have probably seen his HOIST (included in shorts compilation DESTRICTED) which is cut into this document of his performance of the piece at the Carnaval de Slavador da Bahia, Brazil. Though probably the most exhibitionistic of his works that I know of (yes, it features a full erection), I also feel it is the most mundane, if not provocative for its own sake, of his works. Find <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003B2UK1S?ie=UTF8&tag=lifwitmovandm-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003B2UK1S">HOIST on DVD</a> and save yourself an hour.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re THE CREMASTER CYCLE: "Is it time for shower??!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-33787776306835005812010-07-19T09:50:00.000-07:002010-07-19T09:50:25.806-07:00Pagina PerdidaI received a mysterious email, with a link to this trailer for "an intriguing scenario and inhabited by strange characters, "Lost Page” ("Página Perdida") is an abstract film, the result of a powerfull visual dimension created by Lucas Moreira added to the experimental electro-acoustic music of Marcelo Armani.<br />
Produced by Sanglant Films and Department of Culture of São Leopoldo."<br />
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It is called: <a href="http://www.paginaperdida.com/">Pagina Perdida</a> <br />
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<span id="fullpost">I want to see more....!</span><br />
<br />
<span id="fullpost"><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mdHwGzJ8faI&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mdHwGzJ8faI&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></span> <br />
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<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a>"Ooooo!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-16065400862270534332010-07-19T00:17:00.000-07:002010-07-19T01:34:42.032-07:00San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2010 - Closing Night<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103326027759&s=4204&e=001e0xHYdLNBmyXr4ycqa97dHAWiYQQESTH8X92X2lOK2YGrzCHeBVl04-ZP7enCiZ_qJG8n8afnW7j1MfEO68-ex64udnEZstxC4Yyg0SPgGHAHvi2EGzwdECYeNJgfOVH" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="home page"><img align="top" alt="" border="0" height="57" src="http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g104/srwisnia/LOGO_.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is held every July at The Castro Theatre and is the largest silent film festival in the country. In its fifteenth year, the festival expands to four days and eighteen programs, July 15 - 18, 2010. Ticket information is available here: <a href="http://www.silentfilm.org/event-tickets.php">http://www.silentfilm.org/event-tickets.php</a></i></span><br />
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The San Francisco Silent Film Festival wrapped up it's intensive weekend of programming (SIX A DAY?!), featuring an old favorite of mine and a new found group that I now love. <br />
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<a href="http://amyking.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/dziga-vertov-man-with-the-movie-camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://amyking.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/dziga-vertov-man-with-the-movie-camera.jpg" width="150" /></a>I have seen <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019760/">MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA </a>(dir. Dziga Vertov, USSR, 1929, 70 mins.) with the Alloy Orchestra live at least four, perhaps five times now, as well as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26tag%3Dimdb-adbox%26field-keywords%3D6305131104%257C%2520B00008WJC0%257C%2520B00004TXII%257C%25206304633890%257C%2520B00008WJDH%257C%2520B002QVOG1A%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Daps&tag=lifwitmovandm-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957">watched the DVD</a> many times. The film is hypnotic and the cacophonous score reaches a near catharsis. When I first saw this, I had already "done" the QATSI Trilogy, and was left a bit taken aback by Godfrey Reggio's unabashed lifting of entire elements from Vertov's film. I don't know what more to say about MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA except that it is a MUST SEE, and preferably with the Alloy Orchestra score! <a href="http://nighthawknews.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/melies_trip-to-the-moon_1902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="77" src="http://nighthawknews.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/melies_trip-to-the-moon_1902.jpg" width="100" /></a>The film was preceded by the archetypal classic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Trip_to_the_Moon">TRIP TO THE MOON</a> (dir. Georges Méliès, France, 1902, 14 mins.), accompanied by Donald Sosin. I'd never seen it in its entirety, so that was sort of nifty. However, except for its iconic imagery, the campiness is really far overplayed. Ah, those French...! Which leads me to the final feature of this year's festival. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bifi.fr/upload/bibliotheque/File/Mediatheque/Nouveaut%C3%A9s%20DVD/heureusemort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bifi.fr/upload/bibliotheque/File/Mediatheque/Nouveaut%C3%A9s%20DVD/heureusemort.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211410/">L'HEUREUSE MORT</a> (dir. Serge Nadejdine, France, 1924, 83 mins.), accompanied by the Matti Bye Ensemble. This was introduced by Leonard Maltin, who gave the audience plaudits for trusting the SFSFF enough to pack the house for a literally unknown film, by a fairly unknown director, with music by a group fairly new to California. (The Matti Bye Ensemble is from Sweden.) The film, in short, is a HOOT of a farce! Briefly, a bad playwright (played by the screenwriter, Nicolas Rimsky) is mistakenly left for dead and then, ironically revered and finds new fortune in death. So, he and his wife (a deftly subtle and wonderful Lucie Larue) play along with that. Yes, I laughed! And, yes, there were twists that even the 85 year old film was able to pull off without giving anything away! The score was a lovely, eighty minute, bittersweet waltz, which underscored the desperate situation that our characters found themselves. (I DID walk out humming the waltz!) I LOVED the music that Matti Bye composed for this. His arrangement fully utilized the instrumental, vocal and comedic talents of his five piece ensemble. Had I known how lovely his sound is, I would have bought the three CDs available there. (There is only <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IF9WGE?ie=UTF8&tag=lifwitmovandm-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001IF9WGE">one available at Amazon.com</a> and it is an import.) I MUST HAVE! I was thrilled to end the exhausting weekend with a new find!<br />
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(The film was preceded, as were all of the features, by a Georges Méliès film, which I have been amiss in reporting on. As TRIP TO THE MOON is probably the most well-known, that was the one which I attempted a full report. The rest of them were... sillier!) <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211410/"> L'HEUREUSE MORT</a> : "Dooby doobie dooo-ooo!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-48498507550379671552010-07-18T17:31:00.000-07:002010-07-18T18:04:01.539-07:00San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2010 - Day 3 (aka I AM Harry Langdon!)<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103326027759&s=4204&e=001e0xHYdLNBmyXr4ycqa97dHAWiYQQESTH8X92X2lOK2YGrzCHeBVl04-ZP7enCiZ_qJG8n8afnW7j1MfEO68-ex64udnEZstxC4Yyg0SPgGHAHvi2EGzwdECYeNJgfOVH" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="home page"><img align="top" alt="" border="0" height="57" src="http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g104/srwisnia/LOGO_.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is held every July at The Castro Theatre and is the largest silent film festival in the country. In its fifteenth year, the festival expands to four days and eighteen programs, July 15 - 18, 2010. Ticket information is available here: <a href="http://www.silentfilm.org/event-tickets.php">http://www.silentfilm.org/event-tickets.php</a></i></span><br />
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Still coming through the exhaustive experience of the previous night's METROPOLIS, I attended only two of the six programs today. The first being a panel made up of members from each of the festival musicians, each of whom explained their craft and ideology in performing with silent films. In summary: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_James_%28musician%29">Dennis James </a>("the Master of the Mighty Wurlitzer") was by far the self proclaimed purist. He researches for the complete score and then the music of the period, then uses details from the film to fill in what might be missing. <a href="http://www.silent-film-music.com/">Donald Sosin</a> (pianist) is just a step left of this, in that his method relies on a lot of preparation and analysis of the film, though he is not as much of a purist as far as material. The <a href="http://www.mont-alto.com/">Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra </a>prepares scores with pieces from the period, usually stringing together a program of "quotes" that they feel is as purist as a small ensemble can become during a performance. The <a href="http://www.mattibye.com/">Matti Bye Ensemble </a>prepares original material based upon a thorough dissection of the film and the nuances of the characters within it. <a href="http://www.stephenhorne.co.uk/">Stephen Horne</a> (pianist and some winds) likes to improvise and I have always found his style to be impressionistic; almost Satie- like. <a href="http://www.alloyorchestra.com/">The Alloy Orchestra</a> feels they are the "bad boys" of the business as anything goes for them and they LOVE to improvise, even beyond their prepared scores. The group was moderated by Chloe Veltman, however her questions were so open and vague that the musicians had a hard time answering. She opened it up to an audience Q&A, but, frankly, that scared me and I left for a break.<br />
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The next program I attended was introduced by Stacey Wisnia, who presented the SF Silent Film Festival Preservation Award (I need to check that!) to Photoplay Productions, which was represented by (apparent silent film aficionado icons) Kevin Brownlow and Patrick Stanbury. (They received a standing ovation!) Brownlow gave a lovely acceptance speech and introduced THE STRONG MAN. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/images/film/early_capra/Capra_TheStrongMan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/images/film/early_capra/Capra_TheStrongMan.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>I have found the spirit that has unknowingly haunted me until now: Harry Langdon, in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017437/">THE STRONG MAN</a> (dir. Frank Capra, US, 1926, 76 mins.) I am <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyqODEky44A">Harry Langdon</a>! I almost could not laugh at the foibles and bits performed, for I was just seeing too much of ME in it to enjoy it! I used to LIVE to perform that kind of hysterical-deadpan! Even with the mutated frame-rate, his timing was precious. (He had a short lived career, having committed suicide, but I must do more research!) The plot is a bit more slapstick bound than one expects from Frank Capra, but there is still a moral of course. Stephen Horne's accompaniment was not as "moving" as I am used to hearing from him, but then I was surprised that he was playing for a comedy.<br />
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The festival was beginning to run late at this point, and though I intended to return for the late show HAXAN: Witchcraft Through the Ages, it was reportedly running over 45 minutes late, so I am sort of glad I passed and stayed home. Which leads me to my one qualm with the festival: It is a bit like a convention, as far as making the extra time for book signings and merchandising in the mezzanine area. Even though there is a solid hour slotted between programs for this, the festival was still running nearly an hour behind by the end of each night. This might also be due to the complicated sound checks as the performers are setting up? I don't know. I just think the timing is the one thing that would snap the event together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re THE STRONG MAN: "I'm Maxxxxxx!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-28956029082335751772010-07-17T08:29:00.000-07:002010-07-17T08:48:04.637-07:00San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2010 - Day 2 (METROPOLIS, plus!)<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103326027759&s=4204&e=001e0xHYdLNBmyXr4ycqa97dHAWiYQQESTH8X92X2lOK2YGrzCHeBVl04-ZP7enCiZ_qJG8n8afnW7j1MfEO68-ex64udnEZstxC4Yyg0SPgGHAHvi2EGzwdECYeNJgfOVH" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="home page"><img align="top" alt="" border="0" height="57" src="http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g104/srwisnia/LOGO_.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is held every July at The Castro Theatre and is the largest silent film festival in the country. In its fifteenth year, the festival expands to four days and eighteen programs, July 15 - 18, 2010. Ticket information is available here: <a href="http://www.silentfilm.org/event-tickets.php">http://www.silentfilm.org/event-tickets.php</a></i></span> <br />
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It would be easy to be dismissive of the majority of the day's programming and go straight to the big event, but that seems unfair...<br />
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The San Francisco Silent Film Festival has a fairly high educational quotient about it. The program notes are in the form of a booklet; the introductions are by experts on the subjects of the film; the Q&A's are always moderated and not open (which is a good thing, IMHO!). The festival started the second day with the seminarial "Amazing Tales from the Archives", which is a program consisting selected archivists speaking of their latest finds and projects. The "...Archives" program is for the pretty hard core silent film enthusiast, as can get very technical and, for the uninitiated, trivial. Of course, this year, with the restored METROPOLIS screening, the featured speakers were Paula Felix Didier and Fernando Peña from Museo del Cine in Buenos Aires, who are responsible for the find. (They were preceded by Kyle Westphal and Ken Fox, who presented projects, including the restoration of Kodachrome dual-color process reels.) Though Didier and Peña wanted to speak more of Argentina's film history and their current project involving early films of tangos, they found themselves compelled to talk about METROPOLIS, which they would repeat before the evening presentation. (So, more on that, later!) <br />
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The next program was A SPRAY OF PLUM BLOSSOMS (dir. Bu Wancang, China, 1931, 100 mins.), which is an adaptation of Shakespeare's TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, set in Shanghai. Unfortunately, the entire production, including Donald Sosin's piano accompaniment was all so "pleasant" that I promptly fell asleep, and can not really speak to it beyond that.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sempreinpenombra.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/kate_von_nagy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://sempreinpenombra.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/kate_von_nagy.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>The evening began with <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020344/">ROTAIE </a>(dir. Mario Camerini, Italy, 1928,91 mins.), which executive director, Anita Monga introduced with the notes about what a rare opportunity it was to have the Italian print! She compared it to Murnau's SUNRISE, which from my perspective was spot on. I loved this film! Kathe von Nagy plays a newlywed to a handsome rogue (Maurizio D'Ancora), who resembles a YOUNG Frank Langella at points. I found myself glued to Nagy's every expression as she watches and bears her husband's descent into gambling addiction and found Stephen Holder's score quite moving. The finale is a bit "tacked on" seeing as director Camerini was a "futurist" and therefor felt compelled to add a big of a Socialist message on as a lesson. Sigh.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs031.ash2/34900_1493007239493_1063384809_1444768_4708050_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs031.ash2/34900_1493007239493_1063384809_1444768_4708050_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Then, the crowd (the "rush ticket" line started over two hours earlier!) packed in for <a href="http://www.kino.com/metropolis/">METROPOLIS</a> (dir. Fritz Lang, Germany, 1927, 150 mins.) (photo by <a href="mailto:utini42@gmail.com">JimmyD</a>), which was introduced by Paula Felix Didier and Fernando Peña from Museo del Cine in Buenos Aires. Their tale of the find actually rests on the irony that Peña knew where the complete film was stored for nearly 20 years, but unable to access it due to bureaucracy. That, plus the fact that he and the new administrator, Didier, knew each other from a previous relationship, does make for an interesting film idea in itself. Anyway, there are thousands of words out there about the technical aspects of the restored print, so I'll just add that as much as I actually dreaded the idea of MORE flood footage, the final third ("Furiouso") actually flows better now with the complete escape of the children. The inclusion of "the Thin Man" subplot did not seem so fulfilling. Of course, the Alloy Orchestra's live score was nothing short of brilliant (garnering a standing ovation!) and Kino will be including that on the DVD-BluRay release! (The film will screen with the recorded soundtrack at the Castro for a few days in August.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re METROPOLIS: "Whooooooo!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-57189373408901755132010-07-16T08:11:00.000-07:002010-07-16T08:18:28.732-07:00San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2010 - Opening Night (THE IRON HORSE)<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103326027759&s=4204&e=001e0xHYdLNBmyXr4ycqa97dHAWiYQQESTH8X92X2lOK2YGrzCHeBVl04-ZP7enCiZ_qJG8n8afnW7j1MfEO68-ex64udnEZstxC4Yyg0SPgGHAHvi2EGzwdECYeNJgfOVH" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="home page"><img align="top" alt="" border="0" height="57" src="http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g104/srwisnia/LOGO_.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is held every July at The Castro Theatre and is the largest silent film festival in the country. In its fifteenth year, the festival expands to four days and eighteen programs, July 15 - 18, 2010. Ticket information is available here: <a href="http://www.silentfilm.org/event-tickets.php">http://www.silentfilm.org/event-tickets.php</a></i></span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwuYEmewrynFMSystdGuCuVDRqTPxFtWgvcWObUamacQLmRM8gtzK0EhTqTFqIYh6-SumjZdeEXT7TRFkSHRSLGscNXsdYth0FVkIcSFyD4bCJx8UdhAWsu9-75ohws6SLIyt/s1600/Opening_Night.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwuYEmewrynFMSystdGuCuVDRqTPxFtWgvcWObUamacQLmRM8gtzK0EhTqTFqIYh6-SumjZdeEXT7TRFkSHRSLGscNXsdYth0FVkIcSFyD4bCJx8UdhAWsu9-75ohws6SLIyt/s320/Opening_Night.JPG" /></a><br />
The 15th Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival (marquee photo by <a href="mailto:utini42@gmail.com">JimmyD</a>) launched one of its most exciting years of programming with a definite understatement tonight. Though the house was pretty full, there wasn't the 'sold out buzz' that accompanies these events, as it was solidly three-quarters full, and started exactly on time. SF Silent Film Festival Board President, Judy Wyler Sheldon, <span class="name">gave the preface of acknowledgments to sponsors, staff, members and volunteers, and spoke only briefly about the programming for the rest of the weekend.</span> She then introduced the speaker, or in this case, lecturer (whose name I did NOT catch! Must make better notes!), who proceeded to basically read the program notes to us, with a couple inserted anecdotes. (So desolate was the location in Nevada that the production provided a bordello for the crew!). His presentation, sitting in front of the theatre as if we were a class was both quirky and underwhelming. He also had the privilege of introducing the musician for the evening: Dennis James, who would be accompanying the film at the Mighty Wurlitzer!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WMA6FU?ie=UTF8&tag=lifwitmovandm-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000WMA6FU" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ponderosapine.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/iron-horse-poster.jpg" width="218" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.mardecortesbaja.com/IronHorseStill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://www.mardecortesbaja.com/IronHorseStill.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0015016/">THE IRON HORSE </a>(dir. John Ford, 1924, US, 150 mins.) John Ford sort of had a Werner Herzog moment and dragged 400 cast and crewmembers into the Nevada desert to recreate the completion of the Transcontinental Railway, connecting the Union Pacific and Central Pacific rail lines. (Conditions were so extreme during the winter that a crew member died of pneumonia.) The spectacle of this army actually building a railroad does get a little lost in the obligatory, slow pacing of such a feat. However, John Ford filled his cast with some quirky Western archetypes to keep subplots juggling. He cast a pair of gorgeous young lovers-to-be, who are caught on two sides of the animosity of invading the West in George O'Brien and Madge Bellamy. They are ably set against a two fingered murderer and a foppish engineering bureaucrat. They perform simply and are great to just look at in close-up. Ford also has a trio of "clowns" and just to ratchet up the patriotism, a pair of presidential look-a-likes. Oh, and for the "effusively politically correct", you would have to look past his casting of "injuns and chinamen."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.longpauses.com/blog/04_14_08l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://www.longpauses.com/blog/04_14_08l.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The print was in fairly good condition, though it did require a "brief intermission" between reels at one point. (A footer break?) Dennis James was also the tiniest bit off, either from the print or it may have been the first time out of all the hours I've seen him perform with such majestic perfection, that when he hit a wrong chord, there was a "plop" out there at one point. The film's pacing doesn't help him either, as only various Indian attacks break the dirge of the building of the rails. I think the low key audience was also relatively restless, exemplified by the woman kicking the back of my chair and the man next to me who NEEDED TO FAN himself, in the 60 degree Castro Theatre.<br />
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The film was followed by a pleasant little reception sponsored by McRowsky's and catered by Poesia Restaurant. I am hoping that this "early opening" (this is the first year that the festival started on a Thursday night), is just the low key prelude to an incredible weekend! Friday (aka Metropolis night!) should be insane!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re George O'Brien: "Such a pretty bird!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-15759257590148707702010-07-07T18:52:00.000-07:002010-07-07T18:55:33.483-07:00News from the SF Silent Film Festival!!The latest press release from the San Francisco Silent Film Festival: opening NEXT WEEK!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.silentfilm.org/media/etc/sfsff-header-logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="26" src="http://www.silentfilm.org/media/etc/sfsff-header-logo.gif" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i> Swedish musician Matti Bye will have his West Coast debut at the Festival</i></span><br />
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<div class="headline" style="text-align: left;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Dear Friend of Silent Film, <br />
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The drums have arrived! All the percussion Alloy Orchestra needs to perform their amazing scores for <b>METROPOLIS</b> and <b>MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA</b> was just delivered to our Market Street offices. <b>Matti Bye and his ensemble</b> in Sweden, and <b>Stephen Horne</b> in England, are packing their bags in preparation for their trip across the pond. The Taylor family is setting the pistons for the master of the Mighty Wurlitzer, <b>Dennis James</b>. And that’s not even to mention the splendid <b>Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra</b> and the fantastic <b>Donald Sosin</b>. The Festival is upon us!<br />
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This summer’s festival celebrates <b>the un-silent part of the Silent Film Festival</b>: the music that creates the complete and singular cinematic experience that you know and love – masterpieces from the silent era accompanied by world-class musicians. All of the festival musicians are fine-tuning their scores and preparing their contributions to <b>our extraordinary new program VARIATIONS ON A THEME</b>, moderated by <b>Chloe Veltman</b>, <i>New York Times</i> contributor and host of KALW’s VoiceBox. This is a program that you simply cannot miss!<br />
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<b>Two exciting additions to this year’s Silent Film Festival:</b><br />
Get your picture taken in the <b>Metropolis Photo Booth</b>! Courtesy of the <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMuuaCa_ZK7ch-JcgccewVNb67OHX5I2kfMcMrDPNi1kHjnSpj37nbVScKk8lwscCS0z308VUfuTGTMzxUzgEaDlwYutJLu1s9rzH9agbEgKhE0CvlL-oMCN" target="_blank"> San Francisco Film Museum</a> <br />
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<b>Custom-made Silent Film Festival silkscreen posters</b> by artist David O’Daniel will be on sale in the Castro mezzanine. Browse a sampling of his brilliant work on <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMvMidrfYMffdPNKf78UCYguRRq5QBiAodb8DcrL5hVBRIW9i9Hanj-gbzZJTHOnyNPkvyflAHZvoQ2IJG6cGzRe1kCIozNVJLoQBO37b8e-cSEKqX72VRKJ" target="_blank"> his website</a>. <br />
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You can find the full program and ticketing information for the 15<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Festival below and on <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMu4baAytbFar0YKjSF1Xk2ZVwzWzRrbZ5Mboc4RQBhPvZqVvRMSE_Jeuj2f-dI2QGVCQ6X85RhF-IpCw2DmApgBEIcGVR-MFEWzMIyFb6ipfKRzP45M-FXmxZXkw90bX0XkDogrBj63iw==" target="_blank"> our website</a>. If you don’t yet have your tickets and passes yet, now is the time to get them. And don’t forget that becoming a member entitles you to discounts on those tickets and passes! <br />
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Looking forward to seeing you next week! <br />
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Warmest Regards,<br />
Stacey, Anita, Jeremy, and Lucia<br />
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<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMu9zRd2vple1Y70p8qTe11yIPcroF8iZjwli3ed3f47wyowD_QKrVTK16_VtwF35hmsmKH0lwWCuvyUf0lmls5yVIRSGQjUnBRqJz1Sxuefgg==" target="_blank">The San Francisco Silent Film Festival</a><br />
833 Market Street, Suite 812 <br />
San Francisco, CA 94103 <br />
Tel 415-777-4908; fax 415-777-4904<br />
<a href="mailto:stacey@silentfilm.org">info@silentfilm.org</a><br />
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</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span> <span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span> <span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><br />
<div class="storybanner"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>BECOME A MEMBER</b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana;">By making your annual membership contribution today, you'll receive discounts on admissions and party tickets for our 15th Anniversary Silent Film Festival in July and our Winter Event! To renew, become a member, or review member levels and benefits, please <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMsx-S6fFRLAZ7-ng44kaw1_dYMtSRgGWQBrNX9BcSSA2mZUL4Qdf8H43JgjhiN7rYUDyVd28_8UHaoxsJEG1BXfesEF6tW9uuSKFHrMfFroRJ-12NnPpJ-Oni4wV8darQ6VMCvcS5vhbuidgonBAGkEnMqu6zkOATY=" target="_blank"> click here</a>. </span><br />
And don’t forget: becoming a member allows you to buy tickets starting <b>now</b>! <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMu5icV7W6NcVBkcl4jCqSB2xn45MfCl7EvoEiONMaxmoUgPJkXAQSuob2SdRc9qO20zHawKD-3LnAk94a65f5tVr-kInrBbrXUmsqyVmQ6Exd-K3VLYSgUUY2Jd1PRJlHwp0xuPuLNErjebYY84cHt5" target="_blank">Click HERE to purchase tickets</a>.<br />
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<div class="storybanner"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>Need a Hotel for the Festival?</b></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> Remember to book your accommodations as early as possible, as the festival overlaps with Semicon, one of the biggest conventions of the year in San Francisco. <br />
<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMvH09JbE8zOYL8jfnDxRzZS3kx40UcnEB2mn4pFwLYyPB2QklVnlOOngrGUUMsMSoiIfwhTnhuaRRc-1vmwkAhW9iTenDCMxXsviLT-xLzm4uZpcm9b1_z7obMr78IpCpjtd1cw_XRHcoNk62yzPsb5AnRlRws8FZY9u-98Wd--T49kDYgRz818xloUzAF5YV3AbfJwHwluQdb6zFx9K_uRvhKT9eyVi8tbXVgCvKrCFaa7iPEwWhfzki275c56Lcw=" target="_blank"> The Galleria Park Hotel </a><br />
<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMvtIaDAKKockZ1q7IM3INoxqCIcTea1NIeP8MxfjwVqmFWlen0cqLv37pLe9WvB3dCddeg0DSUcou6GqHpZ4R8kLThLj4FxV9GfqXZkiRKgvQ==" target="_blank">The Queen Anne Hotel </a><br />
<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMt-BgCNRve-4JFuInYld4smHw-aVfKx6heY3mW3Kq2kI5OQnn6UIjnGVV_06WeYetxjhRZ143aeTRdsoqYDWP7mBO9U1qcDvJkHDRfakGvENzj0AVmy-S-_I-lgxuDOD7IgXidJOXyxbQ==" target="_blank">Hotel Drisco</a><br />
This is one more reason to stay with our valued hotel sponsors. In addition to the first-rate accommodations and service they provide and the special discounts they offer to festival attendees, each is providing much needed room donations at a time when they could easily sell out their entire inventories. Let them know you appreciate their support of the Silent Film Festival!<br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMsnj_bSnwxfCve6lS7sqnJx6G5raqnIER-KCXbuQ3jSPSmywonny92jas27N_p0EadOLpclCSwmA1CdEsjU0yTe3814d5wbTSa8WIep2MksgVxb27r7y31PAYP791e0kBVBXQNQmocY8g==" target="_blank">Check our website</a> for specific rate and booking information.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><br />
<div class="storybanner"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>TICKETING INFORMATION</b></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> <br />
<b><i>ADVANCE TICKETS</i></b><br />
ONLINE<br />
<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103548752135&s=4204&e=001ORMu5qatdMu5icV7W6NcVBkcl4jCqSB2xn45MfCl7EvoEiONMaxmoUgPJkXAQSuob2SdRc9qO20zHawKD-3LnAk94a65f5tVr-kInrBbrXUmsqyVmQ6Exd-K3VLYSgUUY2Jd1PRJlHwp0xuPuLNErjebYY84cHt5" target="_blank">Click HERE to purchase passes and tickets</a>.<br />
<br />
<b><i>IN PERSON</i></b><br />
<b>Festival Passes ONLY</b><br />
can be purchased with No Handling Fee at:<br />
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BOOKS INC. in the Castro<br />
2275 Market St, SF<br />
(415) 864-6777<br />
Daily 10:00AM – 10:00PM<br />
<br />
<b>McROSKEY MATTRESS COMPANY</b><br />
1687 Market Street @ Gough<br />
(415) 861-4532<br />
Monday-Saturday 10:00AM - 6:00PM<br />
Sunday 12:00PM to 5:00PM<br />
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<b><i>TICKETING QUESTIONS AND GROUP SALES</i>:</b> <a href="mailto:boxoffice@silentfilm.org">boxoffice@silentfilm.org</a> <br />
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<i><b>DAY-OF-SHOW WILL CALL/ BOX OFFICE</b></i><br />
July 15-18<br />
<br />
IN PERSON ONLY<br />
Castro Theatre<br />
Box Office and Will Call open:<br />
Thursday <b>5pm</b><br />
Friday <b>10:30am</b><br />
Saturday <b>9am</b><br />
Sunday <b>9am</b><br />
CASH ONLY, NO GROUP DISCOUNTS AT CASTRO<br />
Will Call located at door behind Castro Theatre Box Office<br />
Photo ID required for pick-up</span><span id="fullpost"> </span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re Silent Films: ".........."<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-87069367966199080512010-06-29T10:33:00.000-07:002010-07-06T17:06:30.402-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) - Official Press Release Wrap-Up<span style="font-size: 14pt;">FRAMELINE34 JURY & AUDIENCES HONOR FAVORITE FILMS</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Eleven-Day Festival Wraps with HOWL</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">San Francisco, CA—The world’s largest and longest-running festival celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender films and filmmakers, Frameline34, the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival, closed Sunday, June 27 with Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s highly anticipated narrative debut HOWL, followed by a Closing Night party and awards ceremony at the San Francisco Botanical Gardens. The event drew together the LGBT, independent film, and media arts communities for eleven days of diverse, innovative, and socially relevant cinema.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
Esteemed guests at the landmark showcase festival included filmmakers from around the world, along with cinema stars such as James Franco. The Festival screened 219 films in eleven days from June 17 through June 27 at the Castro Theatre, the Roxie Film Center, the Victoria Theatre, and the Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley, with attendance this year topping 57,000 guests.</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Returning this year were the juried awards for Outstanding First Feature and Outstanding Documentary. Taking home the Frameline Outstanding Documentary Award was the Brazilian film DZI CROQUETTES, which chronicled the popularity of revolutionary drag group modeled after San Francisco’s legendary Cockettes. Honorable Mention went to POSTCARD FOR DADDY, for its portrayal of recovery and hope in the face of incest. The Frameline Outstanding First Feature Award went to Javier Fuentes-León’s sold-out Centerpiece Film UNDERTOW, for heart-wrenching acting and narrative voice. Jury members for Outstanding First Feature included Suzy Capó of Mix Brasil, Kareem Tabsch from the Miami LGBT Film Festival and Sarah Neal from the Brisbane Queer Film Festival. Jury members for Outstanding Documentary were Bay Area media arts impresario Cindy Emch, Nancy Fishman of the Torino GLBT Festival, and Bard Yden of the Oslo Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Taking home awards for the Frameline34 AT&T Audience Award were the Festival’s crowd-pleasing hits. Best Feature Film was awarded to Tunisian film THE STRING, the story of romance and filial duty during a hot North African summer. New Zealand sensation the Topp Twins and director Leanne Pooley were awarded the Best Documentary Award for THE TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS, the soaring and personal story of the yodeling lesbian songstresses. Best Short Film went to REMEMBER ME IN RED, directed by Hector Ceballos, in which Fidelia arranges her best friend’s funeral amidst conflicting family demands around the transgender woman’s burial.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Many films of the Frameline34 festival were honored with standing ovations, gripping question and answer sessions with the filmmakers and cast, and laughter and cheers throughout. Among the festival hits were Opening Night film, THE SECRET DIARIES OF ANNE LISTER, attended by director James Kent and star Maxine Peake; the sneak preview of David Weissman’s WE WERE HERE; the world premieres of Ned Farr and Dreya Webers A MARINE STORY and Nicole Cann’s ELENA UNDONE<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Natalie%20Mulford" datetime="2010-06-28T16:28"> </ins></span>local directors Billy Clift’s BABY JANE? and Scott Boswell’s THE STRANGER IN US, both attended by hosts of cast and crew; the documentary BEAUTIFUL DARLING attended by director James Rasin and star Holly Woodlawn; Cheryl Dunye’s THE OWLS, attended both by the director and star Guinevere Turner.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">The popularity of the oldest LGBT film festival in the world continued in Frameline34, as many films played to sold-out audiences, including: 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION, STONEWALL UPRISING, PLAN B, FROM BEGINNING TO END, BEAR NATION,<b> </b>THE SONS OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, EL NIÑO PEZ, and OUT IN THE SILENCE. Ever popular were the shorts programs, which saw many sold out shows, including ARE YOU KRAZY?, GENERATIONS, TOUGH GIRLS, and SKINNYFAT.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Audiences were thrilled throughout the festival by the attendance of high-profile directors and stars who led intimate discussions following the films, attended parties, and stayed to watch other films. Among some of Frameline34’s many guest attendees were WE HAVE TO STOP NOW’s Jill Bennett and Cathy DeBuono, THE FOUR-FACED LIAR’s screenwriter and star Marja-Lewis Ryan, Topp Twins Jools and Lynda Topp, and Frameline34 Trailer stars Chico’s Angels. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Special programs this year were an Andy Warhol retrospective examining the earlier queer films by the pop art master, curated by Yale Professor Ronald Gregg, and a focus on South American LGBT films.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 14pt;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Frameline34’s annual Frameline Award for excellence in LGBT filmmaking went to distributors Wolfe Video’s Kathy Wolfe and Maria Lynn. As Wolfe celebrates their 25<sup>th</sup> Anniversary in 2010, Frameline honored them for their groundbreaking distribution efforts on behalf of queer film over the last quarter century. On hand to give out the award was film critic and academic B. Ruby Rich, who coined the term “New Queer Cinema.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The Frameline Volunteer of the Year Award went to longtime volunteer Penni Kimmel, who had the honor of selecting Matthew Hill’s documentary THE REAL ANNE LISTER, the dry-witted documentary that digs up dirt on the Regency-era rule-breaker, to receive a $2500 grant. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">About Frameline34: San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival</span></b></div><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Frameline34: San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival screened June 17-27, 2010 at the Castro Theatre, (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater, (3117 16th Street), and the Victoria Theatre, (2961 16th Street) in San Francisco, and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood, (2966 College Avenue). </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival is presented by Frameline, a nonprofit LGBT organization whose mission is to strengthen the diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and further its visibility by supporting and promoting a broad array of cultural representations and artistic expression in film, video and other media arts. </span>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-41811987430489894792010-06-28T10:03:00.000-07:002010-06-29T10:37:13.233-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) -Closing Night: HOWL, Party and Awards!<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLVtcz4NPQKe8SxGnNR9sIoK5TN_8wiOmiPHan_n7oYFcOgdG3Kvdu7dtJyVEAwcH1qnkK_Ce2nup1MPFLYB-tX_ASjvOPwuFUDNR0G971Gb_K5Qrxwl9RKn4zxZintZ0V021/s1600/photo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLVtcz4NPQKe8SxGnNR9sIoK5TN_8wiOmiPHan_n7oYFcOgdG3Kvdu7dtJyVEAwcH1qnkK_Ce2nup1MPFLYB-tX_ASjvOPwuFUDNR0G971Gb_K5Qrxwl9RKn4zxZintZ0V021/s200/photo_2.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Frameline 34 came to a close in somewhat the same manner that it opened: a biopic and a party at the San Francisco Botanical Gardens. K.C. Price and Jennifer Morris were on hand to do the festival acknowledgments, which included a surprisingly well made "trailer" from Yahoo!, which was specifically targeted at LGBT film audiences. (Unfortunately, I can not seem to find it online.) After introducing the entire staff of Frameline, both the permanent and temporary festival staffs, and receiving a brief thank you from Frameline Board President, Thom Matson (who I find increasingly annoying - he's just so... PERKY!!), the pair moved on to introducing the directors and star of the closing night film.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wercwerkworks.com/files/proj3/HOWLSUNDANCEBerlin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.wercwerkworks.com/files/proj3/HOWLSUNDANCEBerlin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://www.wercwerkworks.com/projects/howl">HOWL</a> (dirs. Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, USA, 2010, 90 Mins.) stars James Franco as Allen Ginsberg, specifically during the two year period when he introduced his epic poem HOWL in 1955, through the obscenity trial the publisher (San Francisco's Lawrence Ferlinghetti of City Lights Books) faced in 1957. What Epstein and Friedman have done is a bit complicated, however.<br />
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Within their vision, they surround HOWL with three distinct films: Ginsberg's reading of the poem at a club, which is accompanied by animation based upon Eric Drooker's illustrations; the obscenity trial in San Francisco; and a taped interview with Ginsberg. The success of the film rests upon how well these three plots are edited together, which is at times awkward, or at least a bit unsatisfying. Since Ginsberg does not appear in the trial, those scenes and the near ridiculous arguments presented by the Plaintiff, serve almost as comic relief to the heady experiences of the poem and Ginsberg's recollection of his life. This splits the focus a bit too widely and the pieces do not fit together as neatly as might be hoped. I would love to see the extreme and exhilarating visuals of the animation without interruption for the entirety of the piece. Or perhaps see and hear Franco deliver the poem uninterrupted, also. During his interview, scenes of his life are played in background to his narration, instead of played out front as dramatic scenes between characters. <a href="http://www.saltlakemagazine.com/Blogs/Sundancing/January-2010/Sundance-Film-Review-Howl/howlIII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://www.saltlakemagazine.com/Blogs/Sundancing/January-2010/Sundance-Film-Review-Howl/howlIII.jpg" width="200" /></a>I would have welcomed a traditional bio-drama where scenes are played out between Ginsberg and his succession of (exceptionally handsome) boyfriends, including Neal Cassady, Jack Kerouac and his long-time companion, Peter Orlovsky (played here by Jon Prescott, Todd Rotondi and Aaron Tveit, respectively).<br />
<br />
Ginsberg becomes isolated in the film, as his voice is not really reacted to in real time, but mutely in the accompanying visuals. It is only in the trial, where he does not appear, that we hear from others. These performances seem rushed or under rehearsed, surprisingly from John Hamm and David Strathairn. The witnesses, which are a parade of independent film stars, tend to deliver their testimony in obvious, one day shoots. However, Bob Balaban portrays the judge in the case with solid gravity and delivers the verdict with such authority as to nearly single handedly save the sequence.<br />
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Not surprisingly, the film was warmly received, but not thunderously so. The Q&A was the typical "what a beautiful and brilliant experience" line of questioning, as any real discussion would prove to be too deep for the confines of a closing night experience. James Franco was extremely shy but affable when remarking about his research (or what almost sounded like lack of?) into Ginsberg's life.<br />
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The crowd then hit the streets for a near cross town journey to Golden Gate Park and the <a href="http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/">San Francisco Botanical Garden Society</a> where the party and award announcements would be held. As is the tradition, Skyy Vodka was at the door with cocktails before even putting your ticket stub away! I love that! About an hour into the party, K.C. Price and Jennifer Morris announced the awards: <br />
<br />
Juried Awards:<br />
Frameline Documentary Award: Dzi Croquettes (Honorable Mention: A Postcard to My Dad)<br />
First Feature Director Award: Undertow<br />
<br />
Audience Awards:<br />
Short Subject: Remember Me in Red<br />
Documentary: The Topp Twins<br />
Feature: The String (Le Fil)<br />
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When it was announced that THE STRING won Audience Feature, there was an audible gasp of "The String?" as it not only screened at the Victoria (thereby a smaller audience), but was merely warmly received, compared to some of the standing ovations that other programs received.<br />
<br />
My personal favorites:<br />
Short Subject: T4-2<br />
Documentary: WE WERE HERE; but since it was NOT eligible, I'd choose BEAR NATION<br />
Feature: I KILLED MY MOTHER; special mention to FIT, since it doesn't really fit any of these categories.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re Skyy Vodka: "Wooooo!"<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-27175809279944138962010-06-27T09:30:00.000-07:002010-06-28T16:59:51.631-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) - Day 10<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
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Perhaps I am slowing down, but as Frameline 34 passes through its closing weekend, I have a smaller schedule. Today, I had a single film (as I chose to pass on BEAR CITY, and the masses of Pink Saturday partiers in the Castro).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_school/fit-wallpaper/tegs_jordan_loris_isaac_ryan_lee_karmel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_school/fit-wallpaper/tegs_jordan_loris_isaac_ryan_lee_karmel.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_school/fit/default.asp">FIT </a>(dir. Rikki Beadle-Blair, UK, 2009, 108 Mins.) Director Rikki Beadle-Blair (METROSEXUALITY) was present to introduce his film, which has really become his passion and a project he has worked on for a few years now. It began as a touring performance piece to schools in the U.K., which challenged kids about homophobia and how they express it. However, after a few years of touring, Beadle-Blair felt it was time to expand its reach and adapted the evolving play into this dramatic, video format that crosses genres: it is as if DEGRASSI HIGH mixed with a hip-hop version of GLEE.<br />
<br />
It is divided into chapters, played out as La Ronde; each arriving character taking the next chapter. And each chapter becomes darker than the one before it. What starts as addressing labels, moves to definitions, relationships, bullying and, eventually, beating and abuse. However, this is quite purposeful, as each chapter can be taken out of context and used within a specific classroom. As a piece of educational material, FIT is incredible. It is a part of the curriculum in the greater UK educational system. It is Rikki Beadle-Blair's performance as the Dance and Drama Teacher that lifts the piece into an entertainment.<br />
<br />
His Q&A was just as fabulous as the messages within the video, of course. He had to prep us before hand with definitions of the slang of UK teenagers, and looked forward to not necessarily "hearing the voices of sweet little homophobes" during the Q&A after the screening. It received an enthusiastic standing ovation. The DVD is available through the website, though it is hard to say whether it is US compatible.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re FIT: "I love you too!"<br />
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<br />
You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-681937202926756002010-06-26T20:49:00.000-07:002010-06-26T21:00:24.933-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) - Day 9<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
<div><a href="http://franglaisreview.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/refuge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://franglaisreview.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/refuge.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://img5.allocine.fr/acmedia/medias/nmedia/18/74/18/05/19332729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://img5.allocine.fr/acmedia/medias/nmedia/18/74/18/05/19332729.jpg" width="150" /></a>I only popped out for a double-feature of sorts tonight. <a href="http://www.pyramidefilms.com/pyramide.html">The String [Le Fil] </a>(dir. Mehdi Ben Attia, Tunisia, 2010, 93 Mins.) and <a href="http://www.lerefuge-lefilm.com/">Hideaway <i>[Le Refuge]</i> </a>(dir. François Ozon, France, 2009, 88 Mins.) are familial dramas, involving mothers to one extent or another. Though in THE STRING, Claudia Cardinale is given top billing for her turn as the drama queen mother whose gay son has not yet cut the "emotional string" (literally, in a series of nearly silly visuals) between them. The melodrama is played to the hilt and punctuated with a dark, foreboding minimalist score, to nearly comic effect - intentionally or not, I do not know. It is curious to have a gay drama produced in North Africa to begin with (Tunisia in this case), so the dramatic tone could be up for some debate. There is a soap opera element to it, as social class and religion gets thrown about in the mix, too. Regardless, the cast is uniformly beautiful and give charming performances - and Claudia Cardinale's wardrobe is gorgeous to look at! <br />
<br />
In HIDEAWAY, the mother is a bit more remotely written, though she is the catalyst for the plot. The gay son is also a supporting player, as the focus is really on the unwed daughter-in-law and her pregnancy from another son who died from a heroin overdose, i.e. another bit of soap opera here. Though not played with nearly the melodrama that THE STRING is, the film is still domestically bound. I really do not have much to say or add to HIDEAWAY, as it was a harmless 90 minutes, but it is already slipping from my memory...<br />
</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re THE STRING: "Such a pretty bird!"<br />
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<br />
You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-25017513111475473242010-06-24T22:20:00.000-07:002010-06-25T09:27:34.275-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) - Day 8<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
<br />
With only one "live" screening and a pair of previews, this was a remarkably easy day, though the films themselves were not that easy to view, considering that the features seemed focused on straight boys in love. First, the screening:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rendezvouspictures.com/images/737_POSTER-RENDEZNoir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.rendezvouspictures.com/images/737_POSTER-RENDEZNoir.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><a href="http://www.rendezvouspictures.com/recentacquisitions/planb.html">Plan B</a> (dir. Marco Berger, Argentina, 2009, 103 Mins.) The Victoria Theatre was sold out for this modern day, small scale "Dangerous Liaisons" from Argentina. A man tries to win back his ex-girlfriend by seducing her new boyfriend and thus breaking them up. As you can imagine, complications ensue, though this is far from being a farce. The primary audience attraction appeared to be watching two straight guys fall in love. However, this bromance that crosses the line is played out with such somber technique as to drain nearly any joy one can get from it. Marco Berger uses a very deliberate pace and has shot and edited nearly the entirety of the film in anchored master shots. I can only think of two scenes in which there were any cutaways to reactions and objects at all. The static visuals do give the film a more naturalistic approach and I am thankful that it was not photographed with hand held digital cameras. The performances are nuanced and detailed enough to withstand the scrutiny of Berger's portraiture technique. The two men may lack a certain chemistry, but then the script has handed them such emotional, physical and sexual hurdles that it takes nearly the entire film before the characters are allowed to relax with each other. It could be argued that Berger's static technique prolongs the wait until the climatic moment. However, for my taste, that longing was nearly insufferable, regardless how easy his cast might be on the eyes.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.kinotar.com/upload/porno_kuvauskohtaus_med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://www.kinotar.com/upload/porno_kuvauskohtaus_med.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.kinotar.com/film.php?id=67">All Boys </a>(dir. Markku Heikkinen, Finland/Denmark, 2009, 72 Mins.) Oh my gawd, this is a BLEAK documentary about the Eastern Europe gay porn industry, particularly in Czechoslovakia. The film would suggest that the boys are basically used up between ages 18 (yeah, I'm thinking they were 16!) and 20, before being thrown back out onto the streets. The film is nearly as exploitative of its subjects as it claims the industry is of the boys, itself. There is no joy in late teenage porn from Czhechoslovakia! <br />
<br />
Also screening today was the <a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2010/06/frameline-34-sf-intl-lgbt-film-festival_13.html">Transtastic! </a> program of short subjects, which I previewed earlier. <br />
<span id="fullpost"></span> <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re PLAN B: "Is it bedtime?"<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-10833180831642883732010-06-24T10:46:00.000-07:002010-06-24T16:15:04.106-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) - Day 7<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.scottboswell.com/feature_films/Features_Home_files/Still_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.scottboswell.com/feature_films/Features_Home_files/Still_4.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>The spotlight of my Day 7 at Frameline 43 was the world premiere of<br />
<a href="http://www.scottboswell.com/paperback_films/Home.html">The Stranger in Us</a> (dir. Scott Boswell, USA, 2010, 106 Mins.), which was produced here in San Francisco and screened to an over-sold out house at the Roxie. I will admit that I walk into a lot of locally produced LGBT features with some skepticism, and I gave this film a tough road to begin with. However, through the tightness of the direction and performances, as well as the near gimmick of the non-linear editing, the film was able to win me over. Raphael Barker (who gave quite a exhibitionistic performance in SHORTBUS) plays a new comer to San Francisco, and what unfolds is quite the tumultuous year. Barker treads a precarious line with his character, whose needy submissiveness has driven him to follow the wrong paths. However, the objects of his affections prove to be such thoroughly crafted foils, that the weight of being The Protagonist is shared, particularly by Adam Perez, who plays a street kid he befriends and is ultimately counseled by. Scott Cox near brilliantly navigates his role as the abusive boyfriend that Barker's character has moved to San Francisco for. The relationship that Barker and Cox create is nearly a textbook study in the dynamics of such a dysfunctional coupling. Though Scott Boswell's script will choose sides, there are moments when watching them interact that neither party is unscathed. The choice to edit their story in a non-linear fashion helps make it digestable, as well. We are saved of the tedium of "knowing where this is going" by keeping up with the leaps in time. (Also, as a bit of a side note, the fabulous local cabaret chanteuse, Veronica Klaus has an all to rare screen appearance as a sort of a recurring muse to Barker!) Overall, I was thoroughly engaged by the film and even stayed for a Q&A. Scott Boswell, his three leads and producer, Cheryl Simas Valenzuela. As a group, they were remarkably soft spoken and even humble when speaking about the film. (There was one moment from Ms. Valenzuela when she invited "serious journalists" for interview opportunities, as well as her distribution pitch, that I found a bit off-putting. Her abilities as a producer are obviously solid, but the production needs a softer salesperson.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://moviesection.de/v3/img/datenbank/1096215048uniform2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://moviesection.de/v3/img/datenbank/1096215048uniform2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Earlier in the day, the "classic feature" screened: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051964/">Mädchen in Uniform</a> (dir. Géza von Radványi, Germany, 1958, 95 Mins.) Lily Palmer and Romy Schneider play teacher and student at a severely disciplined girls' school in 1910. They will fall in love and melodrama ensues. Actually, it plays out in a much more realistic fashion than that suggests, particularly for the time and place it was produced. The film actually compares well with NOTES ON A SCANDAL, as far as lesbian melodrama is concerned. Wolfe Video will be releasing the film on DVD later this year and it is well worth checking out!<br />
<br />
The afternoon included a program of six short subjects, with Asian-Pacific themes and/or characters.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1995d_343653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1995d_343653.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=1995&FID=47">Waiting 4 Goliath</a> (dir. Cal Garingan, Canada , 2009 , 13 min.) Amongst all the films, feature-length and short subjects, that have dealt with masculinity in gay culture, this little short probably broaches the subject with more honesty and humor than anything I have seen. Though the film does bring in a racial element, it does not become overwhelmed by it, and the fact that the two characters having the argument are racially divergent, that topic is merely alluded to. The performances are all excellent, as well!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thegoldenpin.com/images/V_TheGoldenPin_PosterArt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.thegoldenpin.com/images/V_TheGoldenPin_PosterArt.jpg" width="145" /></a><a href="http://www.thegoldenpin.com/">The Golden Pin</a> (dir. Cuong Ngo, Canada , 2009 , 15 min.) This short attempts an exceptionally sober attempt at exploring coming-out from a Canadian-Vietnamese perspective. Though it is beautifully photographed, I found the pacing and general lack of humor to be distancing.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cfmdc.org/sites/all/modules/cfmdc_catalogue/images/films/3380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="http://www.cfmdc.org/sites/all/modules/cfmdc_catalogue/images/films/3380.jpg" width="100" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.cfmdc.org/catalogue/film/3380">Peking Turkey </a>(dir. Michael Mew, Canada , 2006 , 12 min.) This coming-out-at-Christmas story is staged as a cross-cultural farce. It is also in three languages (English, French and Chinese). There is a certain amount of sit-com energy to the piece. However, the cast is primarily appealing and at only 12 minutes, the joke goes on just long enough.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=2015&FID=47">Masala Mama </a>(dir. Michael Kam, Singapore , 2010 , 9 min.) The production values start off pretty rough, but the film reveals a sweet heart by the end. There is a near Bollywood joy to the finale of the film, though it is a tricky path getting there and staying with it, even at only 9 minutes long.<br />
<br />
Little (dir. Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo, Philippines , 2009 , 30 min.) This film attempts to follow a young man's journey from birth to adulthood, as he travels from his family farm to Manila, in just 30 minutes. In other words, it either needs to be edited down to one of the sequences or expanded upon and the relationships more fully fleshed out.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.littlelovefilm.com/">[Little Love </a>(dir. Quentin Lee, USA , 2010 , 10 min.) also screened, however I missed it.]<br />
<br />
And via DVD screener and part of the Andy Warhol sidebar:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beautifuldarling.com/Resources/candycard.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://www.beautifuldarling.com/Resources/candycard.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.beautifuldarling.com/">Beautiful Darling, the Life and Times of Candy Darling, Andy Warhol Superstar</a> (dir. James Rasin, USA, 2009, 85 Mins.) The title is self explanatory and the film is quite thorough and engaging. I don't really have much to say about it, other than it did shed some light for me upon the cult figure that is "Candy Darling". It's an easy screening and I do somewhat regret not being at the Castro for what sounds like was an event: the director, James Rasin, along with Holly Woodlawn were there to expand upon the subject for the audience.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re THE STRANGER IN US: "I love you, too!"<br />
<br />
<br />
You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-85869552140073555572010-06-23T19:54:00.000-07:002010-06-23T23:58:26.819-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) - Day 6<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2002d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2002d.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1610487/combined">The Motionless <i>[Inertes]</i></a> (dir. Eusebio Pastrana, Spain, 2010, 91 Mins.) Well, this was an odd little film that teetered oh so perilously to the pretentious. The plot: two woman and one man meet and attempt a poly-amorous relationship. It is shot in STARK black and white video, with exceptionally high contrast, which only makes the masked clown even more prevalent. Oh, yes. The Masked Clown. I don't know exactly why HE is there, but he dances around each one when they are in a moment of emotional change, which is his reason for being, I guess. There is a lot of "choreography" of the four people, which is sort of ironic for a film called "MOTIONLESS", but then that's sort of part of its pretension. No, I was not bored, per se, just a wee bit annoyed. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Frameline Award was presented to Wolfe Releasing in celebration of its 25 years of GLBT film and video distribution. Kathy Wolfe accepted the award on behalf of her company with such modesty and charm, she was quite affecting. This was followed by a screening one of their latest acquisitions, <a href="http://www.dc4d.net/wp-content/themes/eminent/images/place2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.dc4d.net/wp-content/themes/eminent/images/place2.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.wolfereleasing.com/">Undertow <i>[Contracorriente]</i> </a>(dir. Javier Fuentes-León, Peru, 2010, 100 Mins.) Though this won the Audience Award at Sundance, the director claimed to be more excited and moved about THIS screening than any before. He did relate a sweet story of how choked up he was tonight, as he and his partner walked hand-in-hand past the long lines outside the theater for the largest audience his films have ever screened in front of. The film is set in a Peruvian fishing village, a man deals with his conflicting loves: his wife and boyfriend, who is gorgeously portrayed by<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small;"> Manolo Cardona</span>. (Apparently, he is the "Colombian Brad Pitt".) There is nothing "wrong" with any aspect of the film. However, I was not overly moved by it either. It is simply an exceptionally well crafted, accessible and commercial piece of film.<br />
<br />
There were three programs on this day that I previewed on DVD screener and chose not to attend "live" for various reasons.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs215.snc3/22255_243588719724_96108579724_3113555_5888662_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs215.snc3/22255_243588719724_96108579724_3113555_5888662_n.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><a href="http://www.isitjustmethemovie.com/">Is It Just Me? </a>(dir. JC Calciano, USA, 2009, 112 Mins.) This is cute. Very cute. I hate 'cute'. It is not necessarily painful to sit through and the feedback I got from some audience members after the matinee was quite positive. It features an exceptionally cute cast, involved in a farce of mistaken identities and lies, which is a pet peeve of mine. I just find that kind of plotting annoying. (Why doesn't somebody just say something to stop it all?!) Anyway, the film will probably do quite well on a quick indie release and great on home video and cable, seeing as the cast is so attractive (even if that is the source of their problems...) and the plot is a safe, little farce. Given the opportunity to see it "live", I passed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1914d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1914d.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.fruitflyfilms.com/Home.html">The Sisters <i>[Die Schwestern]</i> </a>(dirs. Manfred Hoschek, Sigrid Smejkal,<br />
Austria, 2009, 74 Mins.) This is an all too brief documentary surrounding the 30th Anniversary of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Though it attempts to give a global overview of the Sisters by focusing on chapters in Berlin, Montevideo and San Francisco, it spreads itself too thin. There is a brief explanation of the genesis of the Order and what it's purpose is. However, I think it only scratches the surface of how The Sisters have benefitted the community, changed people's lives and it gives short shrift to what was a fabulous celebration last year at the Anniversary here in San Francisco! That said, at least someone has paid some attention and perhaps this will inspire others to give the SPI more coverage!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/100/m_48b81173e573409f93a2afd54450471b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/100/m_48b81173e573409f93a2afd54450471b.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><a href="http://www.myspace.com/babyjanethemovie">Baby Jane?</a> (dir. Billy Clift, USA, 2009, 87 mins.) Billy Clift and his cast campily deconstruct WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? Matthew Martin and Katya Smirnoff (aka J. Conrad Frank) lead a comically adroit cast (including Heklina's extended version of the neighbor Mrs. Bates) who do not mock the original performances or performers. Though the film might lack a certain cabaret freshness that was felt during the original stage performances, it is at the very least, a drag valentine to a great piece of grand guinol. I really wanted to be at the screening, as I was sure it was to be a "scene", but the screening was starting pretty late for me. However, I heard from those present that it was a 'mature' presentation and that wackiness did not ensue beyond what happened on the screen and that the Q&A was a pretty sober affair.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re THE SISTERS: "Woooooo!"<br />
<br />
<br />
You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-51903836424709181672010-06-23T10:39:00.000-07:002010-06-23T10:40:54.259-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) - Day 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theoffworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/IMG_1022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="85" src="http://www.theoffworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/IMG_1022.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.theoffworld.com/">Off World</a> (dir. Mateo Guez, Canada/Philippines, 2009, 76 Mins.) This is set in the Smoky Mountain slums of Manila, where the poverty is so overwhelming, as to be surreal. Or at least it appears so in Mateo Guez's beautifully photographed film about a man searching for his birth family. It is shot in widescreen, and I will assume on RED, as the color manipulation is so drastic at times as to be distracting. However, as Guez has nearly no script, it would be assumed that this is something of a poem, not unlike the QATSI trilogy in style. Very little actually happens, though there is a narration to tell us the why and what there is. I would have preferred no narration at all and let the images go past in an even dreamier haze. The performances by the supporting cast, in particular those of the brother and mother, are quite remarkable given how little they have to work with. The soundtrack by Byron Kent Wong is suitable ethereal and droning as our protagonist processes what his life might have been. Perhaps not one of the most salacious entries in this year's festival, it is oddly, one of the most beautiful.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.m-appeal.com/M-Appeal.com/our_films/Seiten/NEW_YORK_MEMORIES_files/Claudia%20Steinberg_Anna%20Steegmann_Lucie%20Pohl_%20Marie%20Pohl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://www.m-appeal.com/M-Appeal.com/our_films/Seiten/NEW_YORK_MEMORIES_files/Claudia%20Steinberg_Anna%20Steegmann_Lucie%20Pohl_%20Marie%20Pohl.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.m-appeal.com/M-Appeal.com/our_films/Seiten/NEW_YORK_MEMORIES.html">New York Memories</a> (dir. Rosa Von Praunheim, <a href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/results.aspx?CID=9&FID=47">Germany</a>, 2010, 89 Mins.) Director Rosa Von Praunheim revisits New York City, spotlighting the changes that occurred to the people he interviewed, as well as the city itself, in SURVIVAL IN NEW YORK, 25 years ago. Von Praunheim is not so much a photojournalist, as he is a diarist. It is a series of voices, nearly unrelentingly describing their lives and world and how much it has changed for them. His editing is so tight that it can become a dizzying cacophony of memories, which may be his intent. Personally, I found it took a lot of energy to stay engaged with the rapid fire banter on the soundtrack, while there was fairly little to actually see.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re OFF WORLD: "Woooo..."<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-6828983367506011062010-06-21T10:21:00.000-07:002010-06-21T10:21:29.081-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) - Day 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2050d_838515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2050d_838515.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://wewereherefilm.com/">We Were Here: Voices From the AIDS Years in San Francisco </a>(dir. David Weissman, USA, 2010, 90 Mins.) [Submitted as a work in progress] Since it is unfinished and is continuing to secure financing, there is a "review hold" on the film. However, I can say that the testimony that David Weissman records from his five subjects is so gracefully presented that I was unprepared for the overwhelming wave of emotions that I felt as it ended. Even in its raw state, the film led the Castro audience through a cathartic experience, featuring one of the longest standing ovations I have ever been a part of. I needed to just wander off for a bit before attempting another screening...<br />
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<a href="http://bearnationmovie.com/poster.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://bearnationmovie.com/poster.png" width="145" /></a><br />
<a href="http://bearnationmovie.com/">Bear Nation</a> (dir. Malcolm Ingram, USA, 2010, 87 Mins.) Malcolm Ingram profiles the "bear community" within gay male culture. It is a remarkable documentary in that Ingram is able to objectively follow a communal stream of consciousness as the topics of "why? who? etc." are explored. The film is neither condescending nor biased. This subculture is presented, warts and all, without attempting any kind of deeper psychoanalyzing which leads to judgment. His choices of interview subjects span such a wide plethora of personalities, that the film successfully moves past the physical preoccupation of similar attempts (I would refer to Christopher Hines' work) and delves into the emotional bonds and attractions that has formed this subculture. Ingram's inclusion of "straight" society's attitudes about the concept (including a hilarious rant from Kevin Smith) gives the film some comic relief, as well as some fresh air from all of the self absorption, or dare I say, navel gazing? I was truly, pleasantly surprised by the maturity of focus of the film and eagerly look forward to Ingram's next documentary about NYC's Continental Baths, which he spoke of during the post-screening Q&A.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIg6aIv9fdXo8LkH7zWpmQbTtuF4SzQ4fJTYSiKRFYJNE9IrOoEdpVjtZY2ndxNTAztQsQC1weQhMZzZ-BPJ6F_ZTAfCS6iHBz9d8aR95k9iH3f1GvYWeXH6a5SZ9eEB4b15Gwg/s1600/ToppTwinsPoster+FINAL+high+res2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIg6aIv9fdXo8LkH7zWpmQbTtuF4SzQ4fJTYSiKRFYJNE9IrOoEdpVjtZY2ndxNTAztQsQC1weQhMZzZ-BPJ6F_ZTAfCS6iHBz9d8aR95k9iH3f1GvYWeXH6a5SZ9eEB4b15Gwg/s200/ToppTwinsPoster+FINAL+high+res2.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><a href="http://topptwins.com/">The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls</a> (dir. Leanne Pooley, New Zealand, 2009, 84 Mins.) I screened this on a DVD screener, and truly enjoyed it and understand their appeal. Though their music is a bit TOO "country-twangy" for me, their performance style is so fresh and inviting, that it is like spending a couple hours with those wacky aunts of yours. The film is now available on DVD, as they were selling them at the Castro.<br />
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What I also missed out on at the actual screening is what sounds like was a mini-concert by the Topp Twins in person! Reports are that their pre-screening appearance and follow-up Q&A were THE highlight of the evening! The women will be in San Francisco and performing at the Swedish American Hall (next to Cafe Du Nord) during the week for a rare glimpse of this pair of New Zealand superstars! Or, well, at least they have an exceptionally LARGE following down there!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://articuweb.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/el_consul_de_sodoma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://articuweb.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/el_consul_de_sodoma.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><a href="http://www.elconsuldesodomalapelicula.com/">The Consul of Sodom <i>[El Consul de Sodoma]</i> </a>(dir. Sigfrid Monleón, Spain, 2009, 110 Mins.) ended the day on as nearly as heavy of a note as it started. Jordi Mollá portrays the Spanish poet Gil de Biedma, in this lyrical biopic by the extremely soft spoken director, Sigfrid Monleón, who was present at the screening. The film is sensually shot and exceptionally explicit. The film follows Gil de Biedma at some point in the 1960's until his death from AIDS in 1990. Unfortunately, I do not know enough about Spain during that time to have appreciated all of the political and sexual dilemmas that Biedma faced during Franco's regime, nor his connection with the Phillipines. In fact, I found as the film unfolded, that I needed to let go of linearity and script and just flow with the emotional, physical and sexual journey the director takes us on. I am not a poet, however, the screenplay itself appears to be a dedication to Gil de Biedma's work. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re THE TOPP TWINS: "Dooby dooby doo-ooo!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-13989603404239563272010-06-19T20:25:00.000-07:002010-06-19T20:52:34.417-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) - Day 3 (via DVD Screener)<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghClEsd2aUH-f1kN_p33rdQf-F4G1WMX_aRm_AKZj3SPRgeIoS1leop5BQGpTm4csHnWDuhyphenhyphenZLRm4-AKOZbrpr31gMOn_rJCFWqdmPDplWSsTzOZtAfzCWWZrrF7bjycTJAplO/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghClEsd2aUH-f1kN_p33rdQf-F4G1WMX_aRm_AKZj3SPRgeIoS1leop5BQGpTm4csHnWDuhyphenhyphenZLRm4-AKOZbrpr31gMOn_rJCFWqdmPDplWSsTzOZtAfzCWWZrrF7bjycTJAplO/s200/photo.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><i>(Due to some scheduling conflicts, I had to preview DAY 3 via DVD screeners. Marquee photo via <a href="mailto:utini42@gmail.com">JimmyD</a>.)</i><br />
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Day 3, aka that first Saturday morning, traditionally starts off with the dual shorts collections: "Fun in Boys Shorts" and "Fun in Girls Shorts", which I <a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2010/06/frameline-34-sf-intl-lgbt-film-festival.html">already previewed here.</a> Day 3 also features some great highlights of the festival in the narrative features, and one irritating documentary. Let's get that one out of the way first, since it was the first to screen in the afternoon after the shorts programs.<br />
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<a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs543.ash1/31768_10150174187085032_335864220031_12566797_6146206_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs543.ash1/31768_10150174187085032_335864220031_12566797_6146206_n.jpg" width="134" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.theadonisfactor.com/">The Adonis Factor </a>(dir. Christopher Hines, USA, 2010, 65 mins.) Director Christopher Hines follows up last years <a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2009/06/frameline-33-sf-lgbt-film-festival-2009_21.html">THE BUTCH FACTOR</a>, with the similarly structured documentary about body image in gay culture. Unfortunately, I think Hines' own predilections get in the way of the film just as it does in his earlier work. Though he attempts to dig into the problem of body dismorphia, etc., his experts are all just as much victims of this psyche, as well as the cause. Why would you interview a plastic surgeon, who has obviously been botoxed beyond the point of paralysis, about the physical needs of the community? There is not an objective voice to be heard. There is about fifteen minutes of interviews with those that Hines obviously considers "unattractive" yet pursuing inner beauty as a way to counterpoint the circuit party boys that he fills most of the film with. It is as if the "average Joe" does not exist in Hines' gay world, or the one that he chooses to explore. He would propose that these steroided and botoxed extremes are the norm. Granted, they may be the most visually obvious, but then I would propose that they are the exceptions that prove the rule. Yes, as Gay Pride Week progresses, we will notice an influx of the gym pumped, but they will be bobbing in a sea of 'just us'. I really wanted to be at this screening live to hear what the audience reaction was going to be. Ah well...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2102d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2102d.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>Later in the evening, a truly fabulous documentary would screen. <a href="http://www.working-pictures.com/features.html">Arias with a Twist: The Docufantasy</a> (dir. Bobby Sheehan, USA, 2010, 88 Mins.). This is a documentary of two wildly different performers who would merge their acts into one of the most successful cabaret acts in Europe and New York: drag chanteuse Joey Arias and puppeteer Basil Twist. Granted, of the two, Arias' story is probably the more exciting one, starting with his work with Warhol, David Bowie and Klaus Nomi, before launching out alone, in some of the most spectacularly designed and performed cabaret stage acts I've seen footage of! This section of the film is filled with interviews of some of the legends of that time. (I won't spoil any surprises!) Arias even appeared as the original Emcee for Cirque d'Soleil's Zumanity in Las Vagas.<br />
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Basil Twist on the other hand, had a fairly routine route (for a puppeteer) via Jim Henson. There is quite a bit of exploration of his design and technique. But it is the merging of their joint projects which occupies the final third of the film. You can tell that it simply doesn't do it justice! I would LOVE to see this act, and am quite disappointed to have missed the film's screening as Basil Twist was expected to attend!<br />
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The day continues with two of the best features I have seen in the year, much less at this festival so far.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rendezvouspictures.com/images/595_Sans_titre-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.rendezvouspictures.com/images/595_Sans_titre-1.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><a href="http://www.rendezvouspictures.com/recentacquisitions/elvismadona.html">Elvis & Madona </a>(dir. Marcelo Laffitte, Brazil, 2009, 105 Mins.) The film is a delight! Though a lot of if feels derivative of Almadovar, this Brazilian gender bending romance is a delight on its own regard. A drag queen, trans-woman, cabaret performer becomes involved with a lesbian photographer, emotionally and, yes physically. That's not a spoiler. How they get there is where all the fun is. Director Laffitte has an incredible touch with his ensemble scenes! The scenes within Madona's beauty parlor contrasting with Elvis' uptight and society climbing mother and family are farcical gems! The camerawork during the family dinner scene, accompanied by a waltz, is as nearly a classic piece of comedy that I've seen in a long while and will stick with me. The screenplay does weave and dive into a couple tangled up subplots, but that is the recipe for farce, and it would be hard to dissect out a section without throwing off the balance of the whole. How Laffitte manages to create this romance is something almost worth studying. The performances of Igor Cotrim, as Madona, and Brazilian TV and film actress Simone Spolardore (as Elvis) are fabulous. This is Cotrim's first performance on film and he simply dominates every frame he is in, whereas Spolardore generously shares her scenes with the company, while maintaining a sex appeal that nearly the entire cast is fixated by. The supporting ensemble has obviously talent, training and experience to carry off the brilliantly timed circus that surrounds the couple. I simply loved this film!<br />
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<a href="http://img.listal.com/image/736449/940full-i-killed-my-mother-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://img.listal.com/image/736449/940full-i-killed-my-mother-poster.jpg" width="140" /></a>On the other end of the "entertainment spectrum" is<a href="http://www.ikilledmymother.com/"> I Killed My Mother <i>[J'ai Tué Ma Mère]</i> </a>(dir. Xavier Dolan, Canada, 2009, 100 Mins.), this past year's entry for the Foreign Language Oscar, from Canada. It is an auspicious, if not brilliant debut by director, writer, producer and star, 19 year old Xavier Dolan. He has found a medium with which he exorcises the personal demon that haunted his relationship with his mother only a few years before. She is played with near brilliant naturalism by Anne Dorval. Also featured in the cast is François Arnaud, as Dolan's boyfriend. This coming of age and coming out story is one of the most emotionally authentic, if not verbally violent. Underneath the character Hubert's outbursts is an affection and love for his mother that she returns and thus allows his emotional expansion, however violent it may seem. It is simply a tour d'force by Dolan, who I sense may have delivered so much of himself in the project, that this may be the only truly successful film he will be associated with. The film has won enough awards (Cannes, Genie, Lumiere, among nearly two dozen others) that it will surely receive distribution theatrically and on DVD.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re I KILLED MY MOTHER: "I love you too!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-27021621665744879382010-06-19T17:40:00.000-07:002010-06-19T17:40:21.282-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) - Day 2<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
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Day 2 of Frameline 34's celebration of LGBT cinema began with a follow-up documentary about the real woman behind last night's opening feature, as well as the first day of programs featuring the Andy Warhol sidebar. There was also a shorts program in the middle of (my) day, which I am listing at the end.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2077d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2077d.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>Firstly, the documentary, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00snbkq">The Real Anne Lister</a> (dir. Matthew Hill, UK, 2010, 60 Mins.) The accompanied the BBC-2 airing as well. In this, comedienne Sue Perkins lets us follow her in the journey of finding out who was this young woman, who recorded her diaries in over 4 million words, mostly in a code of Greek alphabet and algebraic symbols. The diaries have been regarded as the "Rosetta Stone of lesbian history", as Lister graphically details her many romantic pursuits, down to the number of orgasms per coupling! But once one reads past the carnal detail, what remains is a story of an exceptionally driven and empowered woman, who played against all the rules of what most of us know from Jane Austen's society.<br />
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This is a warts-and-all-biography, however. As driven and feministic as Lister was, she also retained her sense of class and assumed aristocracy. Her search for a female partner became as avaricious as her male contemporaries. She would not marry beneath her and sought out a partner with wealth and neighboring land into which to merge and continue something of legacy to protect her land. Ironically, her heirs were so ashamed of her story that the diaries were kept secret for nearly 150 years.<br />
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Perkins reflects on all of this with a delightful sense of irony and ambiguity, with a plethora of wit! I almost enjoyed the documentary more than the film the night before. There was an exceptionally BRIEF Q&A with the producer of the films, which barely scratched the surface of what an enigma this woman must have been in her time. <br />
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Later in the day, Frameline began the first of its program in the Andy Warhol 1960s Gay Cinema sidebar, curated by Yale film professor Ron Gregg. Gregg was present with some introductory notes (that I found to conflict with IMDB) for tonight's program "Hustlers and Exhibitionists" that included two brief features.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2086d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2086d.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.warhol.org/collections/film_video.asp">Haircut #1</a> (dir. Andy Warhol, USA , 1963 , 24 min.) In a series of still camera shots, Andy Warhol films Billy Linich (later known in The Factory as Billy Name) as he cuts the hair of John Dodd, while being watched by Freddie Herko, who are members of the early 1960s experimental dance collective Judson Dance Theater. It is credited to have been choreographed by James Waring. However, just as minimal as Warhol's film, so is the movement. But there is indeed movement. It becomes an extremely subtle 24 minute striptease by Herko, distracting us from the banality of Dodd's haircut. With the exception of Linich's scissors and Dodd's smoking, Herko is the only subject in the film who moves. Though I am not familiar with the Judson Dance Theatre, I can see this as being something of a tribute to minimalized movement. The changing of angles that occurs only 5 times, appears to be catching the trio in different portrait settings, and saves the film from disappearing into a minimilistic shadow.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2085d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2085d.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.warhol.org/collections/film_video.asp">My Hustler</a> (dir. Andy Warhol, USA , 1965 , 67 min.) This is the first collaboration between Warhol and Paul Morrissey, who did the camerawork according to Ron Gregg's introduction (though Chuck Wein is credited on IMDB.). And it shows. The frame in the first scene actually pans between the conversation that an older john is having with his neighbors on Fire Island about the hustler he has rented for the weekend, who is sunning himself out on the beach, several yards away. (Paul America stars as the hustler, in his only film for Warhol.) As we watch him sunning himself, the three commentators cattily discuss their roles to each other (john, 'fag hag', old whore) and begin a competition to see who will eventually bed the hustler on the beach. The improvised conversation has some truly witty if not nearly shocking dialogue which bears a near savagery of these three "friends", not unlike what is found in BOYS IN THE BAND. The excessive banter, shot against the reclining portraint of Paul America on the beach, actually reveals more about the unseen speakers than if the shot were devoted to them. The program notes quote critic Bruce Hainley, “No film I had ever seen spent so much time not only looking at male flesh but having everyone in the film talk about that staring.” Which is true and rhe reason for its minimalistic brilliance! The scene on the beach then cuts to a bathroom where the 'old whore' and the hustler are discussing the trade, as it were, which includes a seemingly endless discussion of grooming habits, followed by an enigmatic, if not a cat-and-mouse game, where the huster (who is on his first job) tries to grill the 'old whore' for as much information as he can about the business. The 'old whore' is far from willing to give up his tricks of the trade and is interrupted by the two other players in the game, as well as a fourth voice, who lends a sort of epilogue to the entire scene. The dialogue in this scene is so shallow and enigmatic as to leave the hustler in as much of a cocoon as he was when he was alone on the beach. He knows no more or less in the company of others, which is a remarkably way Warhol was able to isolate him even further as a fantasy figure, of whom we never really know anything more about than what he looks like, though he has visually dominated the entire hour. It's ART!!<br />
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Earlier in the afternoon, the festival screened a program of seven short subjects, under the heading "Curious Things", which would leave you to believe it's about the bi-courious, and it is, for the most part, but there's more than that in there. No less than five directors of the seven films were present and introduced by K.C. Price, who has returned to his signature informality style of addressing the crowds. The Q&A that followed was too short (again) and hardly addressed anything of interest. The films were self explanatory.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1991d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1991d.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.fineyoungman.com/">Curious Thing</a> (Dir. Alain Hain, USA , 2009 , 9 min.) This is sort of an interesting experiment in which director Alain Hain (who was so soft spoken during his introduction and the later Q&A as to hardly be heard) recorded interviews with men who consider themselves either bisexual or curious or just coming out during a relationship, and he uses this soundtrack against a reconstructed drama involving two guys and the girl between them. It keenly explored that weird area that crosses the line of "bromance" and can either scare you away or bring you all out. In the meantime, the girl in the middle has just as confusing road to cross. Interestingly made...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs296.ash1/22341_310709244010_310687394010_3516831_890673_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs296.ash1/22341_310709244010_310687394010_3516831_890673_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.filmfestivalworld.com/film/Disarm/">Disarm</a> (dir. Nathan Keene, Australia , 2009 , 18 min.) This has the look and feel of a short one act play that has been put on film. An older man has an (online? classified? phone?) hookup come to his apartment. The action starts and the boy enters. The start the night off with a shot and some wrestling that gets out of control. It then proceeds to talk about it. It talks a LOT about why it just got violent. And even for what is really only a fifteen minute conversation, it does seem to get overly theatrical as far as the depth of exploring the pair's shared self homophobia. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2003d_373686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2003d_373686.jpg" width="100" /></a></div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/aitor.saraiba">Embrace</a> (Dir. Aitor Saraiba, USA , 2009 , 3 min.) Though quite simply described in the program as "two men <i>Embrace</i> in this starkly beautiful black and white love poem to human connection", it does have a certain Warhol-like minimalism and appeal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.bside.com//films/a/after_markpariselli/images/l/003_AFter_Shot_5_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://media.bside.com//films/a/after_markpariselli/images/l/003_AFter_Shot_5_l.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=1900&FID=47">After</a> (dir. Mark Pariselli, Canada , 2009 , 13 min.) This highly polished and relatively highly produced short is based on Dennis Cooper's poem "After School, Street Football, Eighth Grade." Pariselli has created a silent film, almost a dream, in which three 'geeks' indulge in their lusty imaginations while watching a guy play tag football in a park. Parisell's dream sequences a reminiscent of Greenaway, particularly in some of the religious imagery. The soundtrack wonderfully backs the silent screenplay. Camera work and editing are all there. There is a shocking climatic moment and it seemed to turn off some audience members who were gliding along in the fantasies. But there are dark fantasies, too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1905d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1905d.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1540976/">Lorimer</a> (dir. Michael Lannan, USA , 2009 , 8 min.) A the rocky path of dating a younger man. "He sang house music to me?" Sort of fun, a bit script bound, but there is a enough solid character and situational material here that could be easily fleshed out to a feature.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nickcorporon.com/images/lastcallfinalizedpostersmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.nickcorporon.com/images/lastcallfinalizedpostersmall.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><a href="http://www.nickcorporon.com/Last_Call.html">Last Call</a> (dir. Nick Corporon, USA , 2009 , 18 min.) Nick Corporon introduced this as a 'Twilight Zone' inspired reflection on a man's relationship. To say much more would be to offer spoilers. However, Jody Jaress gives a splendid, ethereal performance as a bartender who leads the heartbroken Travis Dixon through the memories of the conflict with his boyfriend (David Devora) which brought him to this point. Collin Brazzie's cinematography is quite exceptional in the versatility that is required of him. The editing is sharp and punchy, when it needs to be. The script does give itself an extra out for an ending, but it really isn't as preconceived as one expects along the way.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fullyflared.com/TORTEN-IM-SAND-still-14.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://www.fullyflared.com/TORTEN-IM-SAND-still-14.gif" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.fullyflared.com/tortenimsand.html">Cakes And Sand</a> (dir. Christoph Scheermann, Germany , 2010 , 16 min.) Perhaps the most vivacious of the directors present was Christoph Scheermann, who introduced what some audience members felt was the most ambivalent film of the program. (I certainly didn't think that!) A couple take of for a weekend, where they will be faced with the dilemma that may stand in the way of the future of their relationship. In an odd way, it was reminiscent of "TWO FOR THE ROAD". The performers are likable enough and the situation is realistic and not overly theatrical in its execution. Though one senses that a feature length film is its ultimate aim, its present length is just perfect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re THE REAL ANNE LISTER: Chirps. In code.<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-68356293590494656162010-06-18T00:54:00.000-07:002010-06-18T00:55:40.289-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) Opening Night - The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIs6XQ9S5UHXdQJDpouTtpHMSHdY1YVtJcUf-BZhs5H2goDTbrfkVVZTNll53NDhtS1Sjfxa6i4J6GFupXKqyzaHabainQeBBCWnD3mKwh4iMv0HDBkyaUsF7E3X0WMZhXA8oA/s1600/Opening_Night.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIs6XQ9S5UHXdQJDpouTtpHMSHdY1YVtJcUf-BZhs5H2goDTbrfkVVZTNll53NDhtS1Sjfxa6i4J6GFupXKqyzaHabainQeBBCWnD3mKwh4iMv0HDBkyaUsF7E3X0WMZhXA8oA/s320/Opening_Night.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Yay, Opening Night!! (photo by <a href="mailto:utini42@gmail.com">JimmyD</a>) Though we were greeted at the theater entrance by protesters regarding Israel and Palestine (I think or presume there were factions from both sides, but the cacophony made it all unclear), it was the slightest bump to a smoothly executed evening.<br />
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I just love the tradition of running the existing Frameline trailers of all the past film festivals and the even more heartwarming greetings of "Yoo hoo"s!, referencing the 1995(?) festival. (I can never remember the year that fabulous, animated trailer of alien drag queens ran, but I was there and continue the "Yoo hoo!" tradition, myself!)<br />
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After the annual trip down memory lane, Frameline Board President, Thom Matson, quite enthusiastically, if not overly so for a person in such a position (he reminded me of someone from my deep past in Denver... M. Whalen?!), welcomed the audience and gave the obligatory litany of thanks to sponsors, corporations, fellow board members, volunteers and of course, the general membership. He then introduced Executive Director, K.C. Price and Festival Director, Jennifer Morris.<br />
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Price and Morris seemed unusually rehearsed and bound to prepared remarks. Perhaps it was the crowd outside, or perhaps it was in anticipation of an alarmingly vocal audience (i.e. last summer's "brawl" at the SF Jewish FF) that caught them in reserve. Or maybe they just wanted to keep the show running? I almost missed the opportunity for gaffes or the occasional long-wind that seems to create even more anticipation for the opening program. However brief their opening greeting, they were only matched by tonight's director's and star's introduction of the film:<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1096110692"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1996d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1996d.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00snjmd">The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister</a> (dir. James Kent, UK, 2010, 90 Mins.) If the worst thing that can be said about a film is that it is "so BBC" then that is faint damnation in my view. It is a wonderfully designed, beautifully shot and masterfully performed historical drama, bordering on "bodice ripper"! Maxine Peake (who I recognize only from "RED RIDING TRILOGY") gives a full bodied and authentic performance of the 'anti-Jane Austen' heroine: a woman who remains so true to herself and feelings as to reject the societal norm of "needing" a husband to survive. Not only does she reject that norm, but she aggressively pursues her own true loves in her life: women and her manor.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/i/512xn/ff60c2bdbbcb1a9b7c4c97e048db2287cfce47c1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/i/512xn/ff60c2bdbbcb1a9b7c4c97e048db2287cfce47c1.jpg" width="200" /></a>The women in her life are a tad stereotypically conceived, from the 'tom boy' who is in unrequited love with her, to the shy and questioning virgins and the closeted lover, who she faces her greatest obstacle. She is supported by the obsequious Gemma Jones, as her aunt, who turns in yet another great performance. The film stays true to its feminist tone by casting a mere handful of three men, and in far supporting roles. It is a tribute to the cast, director and film editor though, that there is not a weak performance in the entirety. In fact, it almost felt like a stylistic choice that for every "punchline" that might end a scene, there was an equally devastating reaction shot, as if to say, "No, I will get the last laugh on this." The cast could have wordlessly drawn scenes out endlessly, had they been allowed so. I just love those haughty and shocked glances, in order to "top that"!<br />
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The audience went wild for it, needless to say, giving it a rousing standing ovation from well over half the house. The ensuing Q&A was fairly unremarkable, though, and a bit hastily emceed by Jennifer Morris. However, there was yet another screening waiting outside in the COLD to enter and an opening night party to go to. (I did not go, as it was COLD and the party was located somewhere in Golden Gate Park. I WILL be there for Closing Night, though!) ["Castro b0b" was dashing around taking photos, so I may add one of two of those before the weekend is out.]<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re The Secret Diaries...: "Such a pretty bird!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-25956890148043792152010-06-13T19:17:00.000-07:002010-06-15T19:52:30.143-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) Shorts Programs Preview - Pt. 3, Transtastic!<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
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"<a href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=2136&FID=47">Transtastic!</a>" is a collection of short subjects featuring transexual themes and/or performers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://transgenderfilmfestival.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/fagette_jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://transgenderfilmfestival.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/fagette_jpeg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1332862359421">FAGETTE </a>(Dir. Ali Cotterill, USA, 2008, 3 Mins.) It would be over simplified to describe this as "just" as music video of the song by Athens Boys Choir, but that is what it is. Entertaining and fun to watch play out on an "astro-turf Wonderland"!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2010d_653120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/2010d_653120.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://fallinginlovewithchrisandgreg.com/">Falling in Love... with Chris and Greg. Episode 3: "FOOD!"</a> (dirs. Chris Vargas, Greg Youmans, USA, 2010, 25 Mins.) This latest installment from the webisodic "Falling Love... with Chris and Greg" continues the socio-sexual-political dialogue that dominates the style of the couple's earlier videos. It is quite fortunate that they are so appealing as characters, people and as a couple, as the dialogue can be exceptionally densely conveyed and, in this instance, at 25 minutes, nearly overwhelming. In fact, a little bit of editing might benefit to tighten up and highlight their inherent humor. (In fact, as H.P. Mendoza ("Colma,l the Musical") appears to be a technical collaborator, they might take advantage of his editing expertise!) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.remembermeinred.com/images/posterpage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.remembermeinred.com/images/posterpage.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><a href="http://www.remembermeinred.com/">REMEMBER ME IN RED</a> (dir. Hector Ceballos, USA , 2010 , 16 min) Yes, dear readers, believe it or not, this little soap opera actually choked me up a bit! It is a relatively simple situation, but fraught with tension: the funeral of a transexual male-to-female, as planned by her birth family who refuse to acknowledge her transition, is attended by her chosen family who insist on honoring her as she was when she died. Though the film treads close to being <i>telenovela</i>, the film, the direction and cast maintain a dignity and sincerity that moved me.<br />
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And, repeating from the "Dyke Delights" program:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs509.ash1/30060_116946181681083_116944781681223_85629_347394_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs509.ash1/30060_116946181681083_116944781681223_85629_347394_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a class="dt_trigger" href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/T4-2/116944781681223?v=info" rel="dt_1957">T4-2</a> (dirs. Shellie CItron, Allegra Hirschman, USA , 2009 , 4 min.) I simply love and adore this musical carousel of genders within "a picture-perfect heterosexual marriage". The four performers, the direction, design and editing are executed with such joy, it is simply infections! I've watched this over a half dozen times! A fabulous four minutes...!<br />
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Unavailable for preview: Everyday to Stay (dir. Chase Ryan Joynt, Canada , 2010 , 21 min.) and Señorita (dir. Vincent Sandoval, Philippines , 2009 , 15 min.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re T4-2: "Dooby doobie-dooo-ooo!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19946344.post-54082665765362946582010-06-12T11:51:00.000-07:002010-06-15T21:55:39.103-07:00Frameline 34 (SF Intl. LGBT Film Festival) Shorts Programs Preview - Pt. 2, Worldly Affairs<a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/home/fl34homepage_154816.jpg" /></a><i>This year’s internationally renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema runs June 17-27, with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street) and the Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue).Tickets for Frameline34 are on sale through <a href="http://www.frameline.org/" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.frameline.org</a>.</i><br />
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"Worldly Affairs" is the annual collection of international short subjects, and as usual, this year's collection is superlative.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.davidquantic.com/David_Quantic_Qubed_Pictures/Home_files/Trans_Mansur_Bed2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.davidquantic.com/David_Quantic_Qubed_Pictures/Home_files/Trans_Mansur_Bed2.jpg" /></a></div><a class="dt_trigger" href="http://www.davidquantic.com/David_Quantic_Qubed_Pictures/Transatlantic.html" rel="dt_1976">Transatlantic</a> (dir. David Quantic, Germany, 2009, 13 min.) This is a fascinating and beautifully edited story of "two couples on opposite sides of the Atlantic share a mysterious connection." Though I was a bit confused at moments, the pacing and its resolution, I was swept away as if in the dreams of its characters. It's a lovely 13 minutes.<a href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=1976&FID=47"></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thearmoire.ca/images/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://thearmoire.ca/images/5.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://thearmoire.ca/">The Armoire</a> (dir. Jamie Travis, Canada 2009, 22 min) The richly deserved winner of the Golden Gate Award for Narrative Short at the <a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2010/05/san-francisco-international-film_11.html">San Francisco International Film Festival earlier this year</a>, Jamie Travis concludes his Edward Gorey-esque trilogy of "Saddest Children In The World" (which includes <a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2007/06/sf-lgbt-film-festival-2007-aka_14.html">The Saddest Boy in the World</a> (which I LOVED at Frameline, 2007), and <i>Why the Anderson Children Didn’t Come to Dinner</i>, which I've also seen and spooks me out!) with this story of a missing child and how his friend, Aaron (remarkably acted by William Cuddy), remembers their last day together. Travis' production design continues to be enchanting, while his script is ultimately the most disturbing of his trilogy! I look forward to seeing them gathered together as a single DVD! PLEASE!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1987d_824257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://www.frameline.org/_uploaded/image/film/1987d_824257.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="dt_trigger" href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=1987&FID=47" rel="dt_1987">Lines</a> (dir. Carlos </span><span style="font-size: small;">Muñoz Vazquez, </span><span style="font-size: small;">Mexico , 2010 , 11 min.) This is a bittersweet story of a pair of guys who explore their connection through their different tastes in music, after having hooked up at a club. Vazquez has briefly, yet succinctly detailed a relationship from it's humble and exciting beginning to the banality of its resolution. To a certain extent, the film itself is as difficult as the relationship it portrays, but that's a good thing...</span><br />
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<div class="description"><div class="description"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=1987&FID=47"></a></span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hancinema.net/photos/posterphoto101319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.hancinema.net/photos/posterphoto101319.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="dt_trigger" href="http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_Just_Friends_i_.php" rel="dt_2024">Just Friends?</a> (dir. </span><span style="font-size: small;">KIM-JHO Gwang-soo, </span><span style="font-size: small;">Korea , 2009 , 29 min.) This is a surprisingly effect love story of two young men who have to deal with the obstacles of the Korean army and their families in order to be together. They guys are quite sweet together and display a true affection and chemistry. It is bookended with a couple trippy musical credit sequences, too.</span></div><br />
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Unavailable for preview:<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="dt_trigger" href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=2018&FID=47" rel="dt_2018"> Inflatable Swamp</a> (dir. William Feroldi, UK , 2009 , 13 min.) and <a class="dt_trigger" href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=1942&FID=47" rel="dt_1942">Swing</a> (dir. Leon Cheo, Singapore , 2009 , 6 min.)</span></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4AauKCkOD_dQOCD6Rf266ErxOKUe70Fa4H95VUE6P9UhxOyQwKePtkJz9rSEsqj3iuOOUwRSVsFbm1OwcHjmCW_HbO7yCQukJap6bnfIzDvPdargl43hDORAcAwWPAK3uGyBQ/s220/fat+bird+cropped.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://jaycbird.blogspot.com/2005/12/maxxxxxnbsp-maxxxxx-was-hatched.html">Maxxxxx says</a> re THE ARMOIRE: "Sweet, sweet eye juice!"<br />
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You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: <a href="mailto:jaycbird@aol.com"><b>JayCBird@AOL.COM</b></a>Jay, aka The Angry Little Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06028062072989600274noreply@blogger.com5