Saturday, January 31, 2009
Blue Collar - Paul Schrader (1978)
Screened at the Harvard Film Archive with Paul Schrader in attendance
IMDB
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A few personal notes
IMDB
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A few personal notes
- Schrader declares this film to be Marxist (clearly), but says he is not political and that some of his other films are more right wing.
- Schrader wrote this script to be easy to finance and cast as his first directorial outing. He already had relationships with Richard Pryor and Harvey Keitel
- Schrader was inspired to move from criticism to film making when he saw Bresson's Pickpocket in the early 1970s
Light Sleeper - Paul Schrader (1992)
Screened at the Harvard Film Archive with Paul Schrader in attendance
IMDB
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A few personal notes
IMDB
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A few personal notes
- PS wanted to do a mid-life crisis movie, but couldn't find the right subject until he remembered an old drug dealer acquaintance. The idea came to him in a dream.
- The title "Light Sleeper" comes from the writings of St Paul
- Artwork motift - Vermeer blowup, giant mural in restaurant, large artworks
- Trash strike building up and up through movie
- Religious motif - cologne as ointment and armani scarf as Pope's mitre
- Sarandon eats, Dafoe doesn't
- Dafoe talks about luck - a signifier for grace
- As in Pickpocket, prison becomes a release for this man. At this point he can move forward and see what is ahead.
- Schrader bad-mouthed Clint Eastwood and Darren Aronofsky - "The only person who should play a Christ figure in film is Christ."
- Film gives Dafoe three voices - dialog, voice-over narration and a melodic/lyrical voice through the soundtrack
- Schrader provides open spaces to allow us to listen to the lyrical voice
- Taxi Driver is a mirror to this film with an active character rather than a passive character.
- Schrader didn't see movies or TV until he was 18
- Scorpio Rising appears on a television during the film.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Short Films by Fred Zinneman
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
The Morey Amsterdam Show (1950-1951)
4 30-minutes episodes
One of the earliest regularly scheduled television programs. Strong ties back to vaudeville and night-club variety acts.
Appeared on the Dumont network and the show was sponsored by Dumont televisions. Weirdly self-referential.
Art Carney appears in most episodes.
More Info
One of the earliest regularly scheduled television programs. Strong ties back to vaudeville and night-club variety acts.
Appeared on the Dumont network and the show was sponsored by Dumont televisions. Weirdly self-referential.
Art Carney appears in most episodes.
More Info
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Slumdog Millionaire - Danny Boyle (2008)
Expanse of Mumbai. Is triumph built out of struggle or luck? Images make fairy tale ending work. Production # !
Screened at Boston Common Theater
IMDB
Screened at Boston Common Theater
IMDB
Thursday, January 1, 2009
The Wrestler - Daren Aronofsky (2008)
Rourke ++. Aronofsky --. The blood is real. The victory is setup (but collegial). The playout is cliche.
Screened at Harvard Square Theater
IMDB
Screened at Harvard Square Theater
IMDB
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