#Charles Schoonmaker

[theinternetmoviedataband]

Thanks to Thelma Schoonmaker and La Cinémathèque française

The venerable and revered Cinémathèque française offered us what might be called love in the afternoon this saturday.

First of all, we got to watch an incredible high quality Technicolor copy of The Red Shoes (1948) during their Michael Powell retrospective. It was a treat to rewatch it like that, as beautiful and dark as always.

And then, we had a little more than an hour with the venerable, revered and fascinating Thelma Schoonmaker. There were a lot of insights about movies, Martin Scorsese and Michael Powell of course. It was a delight.

I came back home with two questions that I can barely hold back: - when will the Michael Powell diaries she's working on will be finished? I can't wait to read that! (the only "diary" I read so far was from Charles Brackett's "It's the pictures that got small" and it was super exciting to live his exciting 9-to-5 job through his unexcited eyes) - In the movie family, is the the Boris Lermontov character somehow like a director? Or more like a producer? On one side, it seems parts of Michael Powell's personnality were used for Lermontov. On the other side, I couldn't help thinking of him as the Kirk Douglas character in The Bad and The Beautiful. (same kind of "attractive brute" to me...)

[uwmspeccoll]

Typography Tuesday

The designers highlighted in Some Examples of the Work of American Designers, edited and arranged by J. M. Bowles, designed the initial letters for their own entries. Shown here are:

A - Frank H. Weikel

B - W. P. Schoonmaker

C - Adrian J. Iorio

L - Louise Ames Norman

M - Arthur Finley

P - Charles R. Capon

T - Charles B. Falls

Some Examples of the Work of American Designers was printed in Philadelphia by Edward Stern & Co. for Dill & Collins Co. Papermakers in 1918 on thirty styles of paper manufactured by Dill & Collins Co in Philadelphia.

View our other Typography Tuesday posts

[bolllywoodhungama]

Critics Choice Awards 2024: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer, Barbie, Succession, The Bear lead the wins

The Critics Choice Awards 2024 celebrated cinematic and television excellence on Sunday night, January 14, 2024. Chelsea Handler returned as the host for the evening. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer shone, securing eight wins, including Best Picture and Best Director though Cillian Murphy missed the Best Actor win. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie claimed six awards, winning in categories like Best Comedy and Best Original Screenplay. Emma Stone earned Best Actress for Poor Things. On the TV front, Succession, The Bear, and Beef led the wins.

FILM BEST PICTURE American Fiction Barbie The Color Purple The Holdovers Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer - WINNER Past Lives Poor Things Saltburn

BEST ACTOR Bradley Cooper, Maestro Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon Colman Domingo, Rustin Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers - WINNER Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

BEST ACTRESS Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Greta Lee, Past Lives Carey Mulligan, Maestro Margot Robbie, Barbie Emma Stone, Poor Things - WINNER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer - WINNER Ryan Gosling, Barbie Charles Melton, May December Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple America Ferrera, Barbie Jodie Foster, Nyad Julianne Moore, May December Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers - WINNER

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS Abby Ryder Fortson, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Ariana Greenblatt, Barbie Calah Lane, Wonka Milo Machado Graner, Anatomy of a Fall Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers - WINNER Madeleine Yuna Voyles, The Creator

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE Air Barbie The Color Purple The Holdovers Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer - WINNER

BEST DIRECTOR Bradley Cooper, Maestro Greta Gerwig, Barbie Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer - WINNER Alexander Payne, The Holdovers Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Kelly Fremon Craig, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers Cord Jefferson, American Fiction - WINNER Tony McNamara, Poor Things Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Samy Burch, May December Alex Convery, Air Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer, Maestro Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, Barbie - WINNER David Hemingson, The Holdovers Celine Song, Past Lives

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Matthew Libatique, Maestro Rodrigo Prieto, Barbie Rodrigo Prieto, Killers of the Flower Moon Robbie Ryan, Poor Things Linus Sandgren, Saltburn Hoyte van Hoytema, Oppenheimer - WINNER

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Suzie Davies, Charlotte Dirickx, Saltburn Ruth De Jong, Claire Kaufman, Oppenheimer Jack Fisk, Adam Willis, Killers of the Flower Moon Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer, Barbie - WINNER James Price, Shona Heath, Szusza Mihalek, Poor Things Adam Stockhausen, Kris Moran, Asteroid City

BEST EDITING William Goldenberg – Air Nick Houy – Barbie Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer - WINNER Yorgos Mavropsaridis – Poor Things Thelma Schoonmaker – Killers of the Flower Moon Michelle Tesoro – Maestro

BEST COSTUME DESIGN Jacqueline Durran, Barbie - WINNER Lindy Hemming, Wonka Francine Jamison-Tanchuck, The Color Purple Holly Waddington, Poor Things Jacqueline West, Killers of the Flower Moon Janty Yates, David Crossman, Napoleon

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP Barbie - WINNER The Color Purple Maestro Oppenheimer Poor Things Priscilla

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS The Creator Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Oppenheimer - WINNER Poor Things Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

BEST COMEDY American Fiction Barbie - WINNER Bottoms The Holdovers No Hard Feelings Poor Things

BEST ANIMATED FILM The Boy and the Heron Elemental Nimona Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - WINNER Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Wish

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Anatomy of a Fall - WINNER Godzilla Minus One Perfect Days Society of the Snow The Taste of Things The Zone of Interest

BEST SONG “Dance the Night," Barbie “I’m Just Ken," Barbie - WINNER “Peaches," The Super Mario Bros. Movie “Road to Freedom," Rustin "This Wish," Wish "What Was I Made For," Barbie

BEST SCORE Jerskin Fendrix, Poor Things Michael Giacchino, Society of the Snow Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer - WINNER Daniel Pemberton, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Robbie Robertson, Killers of the Flower Moon Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Barbie

TELEVISION BEST DRAMA SERIES The Crown The Diplomat The Last of Us Loki The Morning Show Stark Trek: Strange New Worlds Succession - WINNER Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Kieran Culkin – Succession - WINNER Tom Hiddleston – Loki Timothy Olyphant – Justified: City Primeval Pedro Pascal – The Last of Us Ramón Rodríguez – Will Trent Jeremy Strong – Succession

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show Aunjanue Ellis – Justified: City Primeval Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us Keri Russell – The Diplomat Sarah Snook – Succession - WINNER Reese Witherspoon – The Morning Show

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Khalid Abdalla – The Crown Billy Crudup – The Morning Show - WINNER Ron Cephas Jones – Truth Be Told Matthew MacFadyen – Succession Ke Huy Quan – Loki Rufus Sewell – The Diplomat

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Nicole Beharie – The Morning Show Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown - WINNER Sophia Di Martino – Loki Celia Rose Gooding – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Karen Pittman – The Morning Show Christina Ricci – Yellowjackets

BEST COMEDY SERIES Abbott Elementary Barry The Bear - WINNER The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Poker Face Reservation Dogs Shrinking What We Do in the Shadows

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Bill Hader – Barry Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows Drew Tarver – The Other Two Jeremy Allen White – The Bear - WINNER D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai – Reservation Dogs

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri – The Bear - WINNER Bridget Everett – Somebody Somewhere Devery Jacobs – Reservation Dogs Natasha Lyonne – Poker Face

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Phil Dunster – Ted Lasso Harrison Ford – Shrinking Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows James Marsden – Jury Duty Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear - WINNER Henry Winkler – Barry

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Paulina Alexis – Reservation Dogs Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Janelle James – Abbott Elementary Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary Meryl Streep – Only Murders in the Building - WINNER Jessica Williams – Shrinking

BEST LIMITED SERIES Beef - WINNER Daisy Jones & the Six Fargo Fellow Travelers Lessons in Chemistry Love & Death A Murder at the End of the World A Small Light

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial Finestkind Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie No One Will Save You Quiz Lady - WINNER Reality

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Matt Bomer – Fellow Travelers Tom Holland – The Crowded Room David Oyelowo – Lawmen: Bass Reeves Tony Shalhoub – Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie Kiefer Sutherland – The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial Steven Yeun – Beef - WINNER

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Kaitlyn Dever – No One Will Save You Carla Gugino – The Fall of the House of Usher Brie Larson – Lessons in Chemistry Bel Powley – A Small Light Sydney Sweeney – Reality Juno Temple – Fargo Ali Wong – Beef - WINNER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jonathan Bailey – Fellow Travelers - WINNER Taylor Kitsch – Painkiller Jesse Plemons – Love & Death Lewis Pullman – Lessons in Chemistry Liev Schreiber – A Small Light Justin Theroux – White House Plumbers

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Maria Bello – Beef - WINNER Billie Boullet – A Small Light Willa Fitzgerald – The Fall of the House of Usher Aja Naomi King – Lessons in Chemistry Mary McDonnell – The Fall of the House of Usher Camila Morrone – Daisy Jones & the Six

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES Bargain The Glory The Good Mothers The Interpreter of Silence Lupin - WINNER Mask Girl Moving

BEST ANIMATED SERIES Bluey Bob’s Burgers Harley Quinn Scott Pilgrim Takes Off - WINNER Star Trek: Lower Decks Young Love

BEST TALK SHOW The Graham Norton Show Jimmy Kimmel Live! The Kelly Clarkson Show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - WINNER Late Night with Seth Meyers The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool Alex Borstein: Corsets & Clown Suits John Early: Now More Than Ever John Mulaney: Baby J - Winner Trevor Noah: Where Was I Wanda Sykes – I’m an Entertainer

[boardchairman-blog]

2024 Oscar Predictions

Best Picture

American Fiction

Anatomy of a Fall

Barbie

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Past Lives

Poor Things

The Zone of Interest

Best Director

Jonathan Glazer- The Zone of Interest

Yorgos Lanthimos- Poor Things

Christopher Nolan- Oppenheimer

Alexander Payne- The Holdovers

Martin Scorsese- Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Actress

Lily Gladstone- Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Hüller- Anatomy of a Fall

Greta Lee- Past Lives

Margot Robbie- Barbie

Emma Stone- Poor Things

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper- Maestro

Leonardo DiCaprio- Killers of the Flower Moon

Paul Giamatti- The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy- Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright- American Fiction

Best Supporting Actor

Robert De Niro- Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr.- Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling- Barbie

Charles Melton- May December

Dominic Sessa- The Holdovers

Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt- Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks- The Color Purple

Penelope Cruz- Ferrari

Sandra Huller- The Zone of Interest

Da'Vine Joy Randolph- The Holdovers

Best Original Screenplay

Anatomy of a Fall- Justine Triet and Arthur Harari

The Holdovers- David Hemingson

Maestro- Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer

May December-  Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik

Past Lives- Celine Song

Best Adapted Screenplay

American Fiction- Cord Jefferson

Barbie- Noah Baumbach & Greta Gerwig

Killers of the Flower Moon- Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese

Oppenheimer- Christopher Nolan

Poor Things- Tony McNamara

Best Animated Feature

The Boy and the Heron

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Elemental

Nimona

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Documentary Feature

20 Days in Mariupol

American Symphony

Beyond Utopia

Bobi Wine: The People's President

The Eternal Memory

Best Foreign Language Film

20 Days in Mariupol (Ukraine)

Fallen Leaves (Finland)

Society of the Snow (Spain)

The Teacher's Lounge (Germany)

The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom)

Best Original Score

Jerskin Fendrix- Poor Things

Ludwig Göransson- Oppenheimer

Mica Levi- The Zone of Interest

Robbie Robertson- Killers of the Flower Moon

John Williams- Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Best Original Song

“Dance the Night” from Barbie

“The Fire Inside” from Flamin' Hot

“I'm Just Ken” from Barbie

“It Never Went Away” from American Symphony

“What Was I Made For” from Barbie

Best Cinematography

Hoyte Van Hoytema- Oppenheimer

Matthew Libatique- Maestro

Rodrigo Prieto- Killers of the Flower Moon

Robbie Ryan- Poor Things

Łukasz Żal- The Zone of Interest

Best Film Editing

Jennifer Lame- Oppenheimer

Yorgos Mavropsaridis- Poor Things

Thelma Schoonmaker- Killers of the Flower Moon

Laurent Sénéchal - Anatomy of a Fall

Kevin Tent- The Holdovers

Best Costume Design

Barbie- Jacqueline Durran

Killers of the Flower Moon- Jacqueline West

Napoleon- David Crossman and Janty Yates

Oppenheimer- Ellen Mirojnick

Poor Things- Holly Waddington

Best Production Design

Barbie- Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer

Killers of the Flower Moon- Jack Fisk and Adam Willis

Oppenheimer- Ruth De Jong and Claire Kaufman

Poor Things- James Price, Shona Heath, and Zsuzsa Mihalek

The Zone of Interest- Chris Oddy, Joanna Maria Kuś and Katarzyna Sikora

Best Sound

Barbie

Ferrari

Maestro

Oppenheimer

The Zone of Interest

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Golda

Maestro

Napoleon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Best Visual Effects

The Creator

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Poor Things

Society of the Snow

Overall

Oppenheimer: 13

Killers of the Flower Moon: 11

Poor Things: 11

Barbie: 10

The Holdovers: 7

The Zone of Interest: 7

Maestro: 6

Anatomy of a Fall: 4

American Fiction: 3

Past Lives: 3

20 Days in Mariupol: 2

American Symphony: 2

Ferrari: 2

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: 2

May December: 2

Society of the Snow: 2

[fewbat]

The Fourth Annual Davey Awards - The Nominees!

Hello! Every year I hold the annual Davey Awards for brilliance in motion pictures that move. This is our fourth year, and it promises to be one that is a year. Let's get to the nominees. Please note that there are some big movies (The Boy and the Heron, Poor Things, The Iron Claw, Ferrari, Wonka, The Taste of Things, for example) that I haven't been able to see and won't be able to see for a while. However, The Boy and the Heron's score was released to streaming services recently and I like the little impatient so-and-so that I am listened to it, and felt compelled to include it for consideration. Without further adieu:

THE 4TH ANNUAL DAVEY AWARDS® NOMINEES

BEST PICTURE

THE ADULTS

ASTEROID CITY

BARBIE

BLACKBERRY

THE HOLDOVERS

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

MAESTRO

MAY DECEMBER

OPPENHEIMER

PAST LIVES

BEST DIRECTOR

GRETA GERWIG - BARBIE

MATT JOHNSON - BLACKBERRY

MARTIN SCORSESE - KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

TODD HAYNES - MAY DECEMBER

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN - OPPENHEIMER

KELLY REICHARDT - SHOWING UP

BEST ACTOR - LEAD

MICHAEL CERA - THE ADULTS as ERIC

HANNAH GROSS - THE ADULTS as RACHEL

SANDRA HÜLLER - ANATOMY OF A FALL as SANDRA VOYTER

JASON SCHWARTZMAN - ASTEROID CITY as AUGIE STEENBECK/JONES HALL

PAUL GIAMATTI - THE HOLDOVERS as PAUL HUNHAM

LEONARDO DI CAPRIO - KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON as ERNEST BURKHART

LILY GLADSTONE - KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON as MOLLY KYLE

JONATHAN GROFF - KNOCK AT THE CABIN as ERIC

BRADLEY COOPER - MAESTRO as LEONARD BERNSTEIN

SALMA HAYEK-PINAULT - MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE as MAXANDRA MENDOZA

NATALIE PORTMAN - MAY DECEMBER as ELIZABETH BERRY

GRETA LEE - PAST LIVES as NORA MOON

DAVID JONSSON - RYE LANE as DOM

VIVIAN OPARAH - RYE LANE as YAS

RUPERT FRIEND - THE SWAN as NARRATOR/PETER WATSON

TEYANA TAYLOR - A THOUSAND AND ONE as INEZ DE LA PAZ

BEST ACTOR - SUPPORTING

SOPHIA LILLIS - THE ADULTS as MAGGIE

MILO MACHADO-GRANER - ANATOMY OF A FALL as DANIEL MALESKI

RACHEL McADAMS - ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET as BARBARA SIMON

RYAN GOSLING - BARBIE as KEN

KATE McKINNON - BARBIE as WEIRD BARBIE

GLENN HOWERTON - BLACKBERRY as JIM BALSILLIE

KIEFER SUTHERLAND - THE CAINE MUTINY COURT-MARTIAL as QUEEG

DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH - THE HOLDOVERS as MARY LAMB

DOMINIC SESSA - THE HOLDOVERS as ANGUS TULLY

HARRIET SANSOM HARRIS - JULES as SANDY

ROBERT DeNIRO - KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON as WILLIAM KING HALE

DAVE BAUTISTA - KNOCK AT THE CABIN as LEONARD BROCHT

CHARLES MELTON - MAY DECEMBER as JOE YOO

JULIANNE MOORE - MAY DECEMBER as GRACIE ATHERTON-YOO

EMILY BLUNT - OPPENHEIMER as KITTY OPPENHEIMER

HONG CHAU - SHOWING UP as JO

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Dustin Guy Defa - THE ADULTS 

Wes Anderson, Story by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola - ASTEROID CITY

David Hemingson - THE HOLDOVERS

Samy Burch, Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik - MAY DECEMBER

Nathan Bryon & Tom Melia - RYE LANE

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach - BARBIE (Based on the toy brand by Mattel)

Matt Johnson & Matthew Miller - BLACKBERRY (Based on the book Losing Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff)

Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese - KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (Based on the book of the same name by David Grann)

Steve Desmond & Michael Sherman and M. Night Shyamalan - KNOCK AT THE CABIN (Based on the book The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay)

Christopher Nolan - OPPENHEIMER (Based on the book American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY 

Simon Beaufils - ANATOMY OF A FALL

Jared Raab - BLACKBERRY

Jarin Blaschke, Lowell A. Meyer - KNOCK AT THE CABIN

Matthew Libatique - MAESTRO

Olan Collardy - RYE LANE

BEST EDITING

Laurent Sénéchal - ANATOMY OF A FALL

Lucy Donaldson - A HAUNTING IN VENICE

Thelma Schoonmaker - KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Michelle Tesoro - MAESTRO

Jennifer Lame - OPPENHEIMER

BEST SCORE

Alexandre Desplat - ASTEROID CITY

Joe Hisaishi - THE BOY AND THE HERON

Robbie Robertson - KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Ludwig Göransson - OPPENHEIMER

Christopher Bear, Daniel Rossen - PAST LIVES

Gary Gunn - A THOUSAND AND ONE

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Des. Adam Stockhausen, Set Dec. Xocas Montes, Kris Moran - ASTEROID CITY

Des. Sarah Greenwood, Set Dec. Katie Spencer - BARBIE

Des. Ryan Warren Smith, Set Dec. Markus Wittmann - THE HOLDOVERS

Des. Jack Fisk, Set Dec. Adam Willis - KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Des. Anthony Stabley, Set Dec. Salinas Mazure Maria - SAW X

COSTUME DESIGN

Milena Canonero - ASTEROID CITY

Jacqueline Durran - BARBIE

Sammy Sheldon - A HAUNTING IN VENICE

Jacqueline West - KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Cynthia Lawrence-John - RYE LANE

MAKEUP

BEAU IS AFRAID

BLACKBERRY

JULES

SAW X

THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR

VISUAL EFFECTS

ASTEROID CITY

THE KILLER

OPPENHEIMER

SAW X

THE SWAN

SOUND

ASTEROID CITY

BEAU IS AFRAID

THE KILLER

MAESTRO

OPPENHEIMER

ANIMATED FILM

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

SHORT FILM

Terrence Davies - PASSING TIME

Wes Anderson - THE SWAN

Warren Beatty - TRACY ZOOMS IN

Wes Anderson - THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR

---- We of course announced our honorary Davey winners earlier this month. The list of winners will be released next month. Happy movies.

[dweemeister]

June 21, 2023

By Christian Blauvlet

(IndieWire) — It’s not every day that Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Paul Thomas Anderson team up. But IndieWire has learned they will today: The three directors have scheduled an emergency call with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav about the layoffs of Turner Classic Movies’ top brass.

The network laid off much of its leadership yesterday, including executive VP and general manager Pola Changnon; senior VP of programming and content strategy, Charles Tabesh; VP of brand creative and marketing Dexter Fedor; VP of enterprises and strategic partnerships Genevieve McGillicuddy, who also served as the director of the annual TCM Film Festival; and director of studio production Anne Wilson.

These people were responsible for everything from curating lineups, to shooting intros and outros, and for creating original shows, documentaries, and video essays that serve as major contributions to American cultural history.

Scorsese has often said he has Turner Classic Movies on all day in the background when editing his movies with Thelma Schoonmaker. “It gives me something to turn to, to bounce off of, to rest in, to reinvigorate my thinking — just glancing at some image or combination of images at a certain moment,” Scorsese told the Los Angeles Times of his favorite network. “It’s more like a presence in the room, a reminder of film history as a living, ongoing entity.”

Spielberg appeared at the last two TCM Film Festivals and in multiple TCM documentaries. Paul Thomas Anderson also was at the festival this year; in that same LA Times article, he called the network “holy ground.” Also among its passionate fans are Mel Brooks, Francis Ford Coppola, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader, and Patton Oswalt. Tom Hanks just recorded some fantastic intros and outros to “Casablanca” and “Jezebel” opposite 20-year TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, whose name is a connection to Hollywood’s golden age but whose own historical knowledge is even more impressive...

... As logic goes, it’s hard to say that Warner Bros. is the best home for filmmakers when it’s also gutting their favorite TV network — the only one dedicated to celebrating cinematic history (and, incidentally, the greatest linear hub for showing off 100 years’ worth of Warner Bros. artistry). From the gangster movies and Errol Flynn swashbucklers of the 1930s to “The Exorcist” and “Blazing Saddles” in the ‘70s to “The Shining” and “The Color Purple” in the ‘80s and “Goodfellas” in the ‘90s, it’s all on TCM. WBD tapped into that legacy by opening its last investor call with a sizzle reel that started with a clip from Warner Bros.’ crown jewel, “Casablanca.” The studio even premiered a documentary called “100 Years of Warner Bros.” at the Cannes Film Festival this May. How is it not worth investing in the channel that reinforces that legacy 24 hours a day?

If TCM is neglected, or God forbid, shuttered, it would be a massive loss to cinema culture. It would devalue Warner Bros.’ own legacy — if they don’t care about this unique way of putting their history on display and in context, why should filmmakers believe that Warner Bros. values cinema beyond the bottom line?

[larryland]

REVIEW: "Bar Mitzvah Boy" at Chester Theatre Company

REVIEW: “Bar Mitzvah Boy” at Chester Theatre Company

[neodemon591]

The Irishman Review

The Irishman is directed by Martin Scorsese with the screenplay written by Steven Zaillian and is based off the book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt. The film features an ensemble cast lead by Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino with supporting roles from Bobby Canavale, Harvey Keitel, Stephen Graham, Anna Paquin, Domenick Lombardozzi, Ray Romano, and Jesse Plemons. The film follows Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran (De Niro) as he recounts his life working as a mob enforcer for Russell Bufalino (Pesci) and working with his close friend Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino). The Irishman is a crime epic in every sense of the word from its ensemble cast to the nearly three and a half hour run time, this is a film that Martin Scorsese was born to make. I was fortunate to watch this film on the big screen at this year’s Philadelphia Film Festival and this film delivers on all counts is one of my favorite films of the year. 

As one might expect the acting in this film is phenomenal and above what I thought I’d see in this film. Robert De Niro gives one of his best performances in years as we see the film through his perspective arguably from beginning to end. Joe Pesci came out of retirement for this film as it took Scorsese some time to get Pesci on board. It was just a pleasure to see Pesci come back and give a performance that’s more nuanced and laid back compared to his roles in Goodfellas and Casino. To top it all off, Pacino is dynamite and gives an electric performance as Jimmy Hoffa in Pacino’s first time working with Scorsese. All three of these actors sharing screen time together and the chemistry they have with one another is just a wonder to behold on screen. 

Much has been discussed about the de-aging technology that was put forth in this film and whether or not it would detract from watching this film. Fortunately, the technology used in the film is seamless and works exceptionally well with the performances of the actors and the story of the film. All the props in the world to Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) for creating such realistic looks at these actors from a younger age. Even the makeup towards the end of the film as we see some of these characters regress in their old age is impressive. The film is just about three and a half hours long and no matter how great the story and acting is in the film, it’s the editing that makes it all cohesive. Thelma Schoonmaker makes this film go by without it feeling its run time and puts this film together with ease. 

The only knock I have against this film is not everyone will be able to watch this on the big screen with an audience given that it’s a Netflix film. That’s not to say watching it in the comfort of one’s own home won’t be a bad thing or take one’s enjoyment away from watching, but a film like this benefits from a movie theater environment. Martin Scorsese hit a grand slam and it’s one of his best films in years and will no doubt improve upon repeat viewings. The acting, story, direction, editing, and VFX make this film well above what I thought it was and will certainly be in the awards conversation this year. The Irishman is a meditation on life and how time can go by as we reflect on past accomplishments and sins in our lives. 

[cinesludge]

Movie #59 of 2019: The Irishman

[thejewofkansas]

THE IRISHMAN Review - ****

THE IRISHMAN Review – ****

Most of you won’t get to see The Irishman in a theater. I doubly lucked out, not only because I was able to do so on my birthday, but because the film really deserves to be seen thus. Of course, I’d say nearly every film is better appreciated in a theater, but The Irishman is an especially potent example of a film whose style, scope, and texture really demand the added focus and immersion the…

[byneddiedingo]

The Irishman (Martin Scorsese, 2019) Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano, Bobby Canavale, Anna Paquin, Stephen Graham, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Jack Huston, Kathrine Narducci, Jesse Plemons, Dominick Lombardozzi, Paul Herman, Gary Basaraba. Screenplay: Steven Zaillian, based on a book by Charles Brandt. Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto. Production design: Bob Shaw. Film editing: Thelma Schoonmaker. Music: Robbie Robertson. The Irishman feels valedictory, and not just because it's about gangsters growing old, but also because it's about the kind of gangsters Martin Scorsese and others introduced us to as well as the aging actors who played them: De Niro, Pacino, Pesci, Keitel. And also because it feels like Scorsese's farewell to conventional theatrical release. Movie theaters today thrive on the kind of blockbusters Scorsese has recently dismissed as "not cinema" and more like theme parks. Scorsese said that The Irishman's three-and-a-half-hour length would probably hinder its release in today's theaters, where the only movies that long are ones like the three-hour Avengers: Endgame, a "theme park" movie. Exhibitors want films that fit tightly into a schedule, which discourages producers from making epic-length features like Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962). Netflix audiences, on the other hand, can watch on their own time, with the leisure to interrupt the film at any point for a snack or bathroom break. So a movie like The Irishman, which has an epic length but also a subtle, intimate treatment of its characters, doesn't fit in today's theaters. What's lost, of course, is the communal experience of moviegoing, the sharing by complete strangers of dreams in the dark. But we should be glad that anything makes movies like The Irishman possible. I don't think it's a "masterpiece," as some enthusiasts have called it, but it's a damn good movie, with the best performances by De Niro and Pacino in years, and a wonderful return from semi-retirement by Pesci, who tamps down his usual ebullience for a quietly sinister but also, in later scenes, touching portrayal of a mob manipulator. The whole thing is a kind of morality tale, with De Niro's Frank Sheeran paying for his many sins by waiting for death in an existential loneliness. It takes a wizard like Scorsese -- helped by Steven Zaillian's screenplay -- to keep that kind of fable from going mawkish and sentimental.

[outoftowninac]

HAVE A HEART

1916-1917

Have A Heart is a musical in two acts and three scenes by Jerome Kern with a book and lyrics by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse with additional music and lyrics by Schuyler Greene, James Kendis, Charles Bayha and Jerome Kern. It was originally produced by Henry W. Savage and staged by Edward Royce. 

Although it did not play the Princess Theatre, it was one of five musicals known as ‘the Princess Musicals.’  At the opening night of the Bolton / Kern collaboration, Very Good Eddie, Kern introduced Bolton to his former collaborator Wodehouse. By the end of the evening, the three had agreed to work together. Their first full collaboration was Have a Heart.

The musical takes place in (fictional) Blueport, Rhode Island in the present (1917).  Act I: Lingerie Room at Schoonmaker’s Department Store; Act II: Lounge of the Ocean View Hotel.

Estranged couple Ruddy and Peggy Schoonmaker still love each other, but he is involved with predatory Dolly Barbizon and she is being wooed by confidence man Captain Charles Owen, who is passing forged currency. On the eve of their divorce, Ruddy and Peggy run off together and hide out at the Ocean View Hotel in Rhode Island. Dolly, Owen, and others track them down, and through the quick thinking of the elevator boy Henry, the forger is exposed. 

Rehearsals began during the first week in December 1916. 

Have A Heart premiered in Atlantic City at Nixon’s Apollo Theatre on the Boardwalk on December 28, 1916. It featured 40 beautiful girls - who could sing! 

On New Year’s Day, the musical was at the Trent Theatre in Trenton NJ, followed by the Reading Academy of Music in PA (attended by Kern and Bolton), and a single night at the Playhouse in Wilmington DE. 

The hit song was the second-act duet “You Said Something” for Ted and Lizzie. Kern himself preferred “And I Am All Alone,” sung by Ruddy and Peggy.  The patter song “Napoleon” was recorded by its originator Billy B. Van.

“He was shorn off short, But was one good sport And I take after Nap!”

Have a Heart opened on Broadway at the Liberty Theatre (234 West 42nd Street) on January 11, 1917. It played 76 performances. 

About the Venue: The Liberty was built in 1904 to present Rogers Brothers musicals. In 1933, it was made over as a movie theatre and continued this function into the 1980s. In 2000, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum was built on the site. Although the building's exterior is still standing, the interior is no longer in use as a theatre.

"’Have a Heart' never will astound anybody by its originality, but it moves with a swing that is not unlikely to carry it to success in a season when lively musical comedy is in demand. Now and then there is a bright line, and the authors have shown considerable skill in distributing the dullness. Just when it begins to be oppressive someone says something about love being the greatest thing in the world and the orchestra leader gets up and conducts a musical number.” ~ NEW YORK TRIBUNE

“A vacuous and melancholy specimen.... I can discover nothing In the affair worthy of mention.” ~ GEORGE JEAN NATHAN

“Bolton has fallen down on hie dialogue as he usually does for he has a faculty for starting out toward a clever line and then making a miserable failure of It by poor construction.” ~ EMORY B. CALVERT

~ March 11, 1917

The show played its final performance on March 17, 1917 clocking 76 shows on Broadway. It immediately transferred to Philadelphia’s Forrest Theatre. 

In the two years following its Broadway opening, with a Company A and a Company B touring simultaneously, it played in no fewer than 36 states and five Canadian provinces.

Have A Heart returned to Atlantic City at The New Nixon Theatre (later known as The Globe Theatre) on the Boardwalk on April 9, 1917. 

The Victor Light Opera recorded excerpts in 1930. The musical was revived in New York by Musicals Tonight in May 2004.  In 2005, Comic Opera Guild released a complete cast recording. In 2016, it was produced by the Ohio Light Opera. 

[ccss10987]

Found a time line! I originally wrote a bunch of things out, but it was super unorganized. The website also lists out other interesting things if you’re willing to read it.

the website - https://thehauntedshanleyhotel.com/our-history/

1845 - Thomas Ritch built a new hotel called Ritch's Hotel, but later renames it as the Mansion House.

1851 - The hotel's name is changed to Hungerford's Hotel, after being bought by F. G. Hungerford.

1858 - In April, Hungerford sells the hotel to John Tonkin.

1866 - John Tonkin sells the hotel to A. J. Wood and it becomes the Topatcoke House.

1871 - In May, Wood sells the hotel to Aaron Schoonmaker and it becomes the Napanoch Hotel.

1872 - Schoonmaker sells to Eli Dewitt Terwiliger.

1876 - October 31st James Louis Shanley is born.

1877 - Terwiliger sells the hotel to Civil War veterans, William Easman and his two brothers, Charles & Peter.

1884 - The Easman brothers sell to Frederick B. Bridgens.

1887 - Adolf Wagner purchases the hotel.

1895 - March 18th the hotel burns down to its foundation, after a nearby house catches fire and spreads.

1895 - by September a new building frame is erected.

1895 - In November the hotel reopens for business as the Colonial Hotel.

1898 - Wagner sells to Mary Roos and they change the name of the hotel back to the Hotel Napanoch.

1900 - US Federal Census shows George Gosselin as the owner.

1902 - Allen H. Hazen is born.

1906 - James Louis Shanley purchases the Colonial Hotel for $10,000.

1907 - Charles Byrnes fell from a window, but survived.

1908 - A new addition is built for the hotel, including a bowling alley, barbershop, billiard room, and second floor apartments.

1910 - A barbershop opens with a barber named Peter Greger from Brooklyn NY.

1910 - April 26th James and Beatrice are married in the hotel.

1911 - July 18th Kathleen Shanley is born to James and Beatrice.

1911 - ON May 26th the barber's daughter, Jeanette Roseanne "Rosie" Greger, drowns in the well of the Hoornbeek Farm across the street from the hotel.

1912 - On January 6th, Kathleen Shanley dies at the age of 5 months and 24 days.

1913 - On September 10th James Shanley Jr. is born. By this time the hotel's name would soon be changed to Shanley's Hotel.

1914 - On January 21st James Shanley Jr. dies at the age of 4 months and 11 days old.

1915 - Dr. Walter Nelson Thayer, Jr. accidently ran over his 5 year old son, Walter Nelson Thayer III, after the boy climed onto the running board as the car was backing out of the alley between the hotel and the doctor's home. The boy sustained severe head injuries but did not die from the accident.

1916 - January 30th William Shanley is born to James and Beatrice.

1916 - In February there is a fire in the ice house and a new auto fire truck is credited with saving the hotel from destruction.

1916 - On November 9th, William Shanley dies at the age of 9 months and 10 days old.

1920s - The hotel operates as a speak-easy with bootleg liquor being hidden away in a secret basement room under the bar.

1932 - The hotel is raided for booze during the Prohibition Era.

1933 - James and Beatrice attends the Inaugural Ball at Washington DC

1933 - On August 3rd future first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, is a guest at the hotel.

1937 - August 26th James Louis Shanley dies.

1941 - April 13th there is a fire at the hotel due to a faulty chimney.

1944 - Beatrice sells the hotel to Allen H. Hazen

1961 - November 27th Beatrice Shanley dies.

1967 - Nelson F. Waters purchases the hotel from Al.

1971 - August 26th Allen H. Hazen dies.

1973 - G. Edward Trumbull purchases the hotel.

1991 - The hotel closes down.

2005 - Salvatore Nicosia purchases the hotel and discovers it is home to several spirits.

2007 - The Shanley Hotel is reopened.

2016 - July 5th Salvatore Nicoscia passes away.

2017 - In December, the hotel was condemned and closed after a time of mixed reviews and poor management.

2018 - The hotel is reopened under new management

[mylifeincinema]

My Week in Reviews: November 23, 2019

The Irishman (Martin Scorsese, 2019)

Holy Shit that cast!!

De Niro is at his best since probably the last time he worked with Scorsese, on Casino. Pacino was born to play Jimmy Hoffa, unlike a lot of his recent roles, his over-the-top delivery works perfectly, here, and is always reigned in enough as to never turn the man into a cartoon character. It's his best performance in ages, and will probably end up being my favorite performance of his since Heat, or even Carlito's Way. Pesci makes a triumphant return to film, stealing every damn second he's on the screen like he never left us. Then there's Keitel, who is unfortunately so criminally underused (one of the very few things I was disappointed with)... when you have an actor with line delivery as lived-in and full of attitude as him, you find a way to get him more scenes.

The rest of the cast is stellar, especially Stephen Graham and Ray Romano, who get some of the meatier material of the supporting ensemble.

Holy shit that editing! Thelma Schoonmaker's work here is absolutely flawless. Her work is the reason that the film's patient, somber epilogue doesn't break the ~3-hours that precedes it.

The de-aging facial rendering (the only thing I was ever worried about with this project) never bothered me. There are a few instances where it's noticeable, but never any where it's distracting. Everywhere else, it's as natural as it was on Fury and Coulson in Captain Marvel.

The screenplay is absolutely packed, but never at all bloated. Steven Zaillian's adaptation of Charles Brandt's book captures all of the important factual plot points while digging deep into the friendships at their core and the emotional weight of each.

Scorsese's work is unsurprisingly masterful. It's very clear he went into this project knowing not only exactly how he wanted to tell this story, but also why. What he shows, what he doesn't show, how his camera works its way through each and every shot as if there's absolutely no other way it could; it all feels every bit as natural as it does calculated.

This is Marty at his most reflective, and plays toward every single one of his strengths as a filmmaker, and occasionally one or two of his weaknesses. It's not quite perfect, but neither is the life whose story it's telling... so in that way, it kinda is. - 10/10

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Marielle Heller, 2019)

Tom Hanks is marvelous. The rest of the film only ever really succeeds because it’s all backed up by his empathetic performance. That’s not to say the rest is bad, it’s just that I only ever cared about the characters when Hanks’ Mr. Rogers was making me care about them. - 7.5/10

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Richard Brooks, 2019)

A masterclass on acting. - 9/10

Brittany Runs a Marathon (Paul Downs Colaizzo, 2019)

I went in expecting more of a comedy. As it is, it really would’ve worked better if Brittany was at all likable. Unfortunately, she is not. - 3/10

Let It Snow (Luke Snellin, 2019)

A complete waste of time. There’s nothing at stake, there’s nothing fun going on, and there’s not even any interesting characters you can get behind. - 1.5/10

Where’d You Go, Bernadette (Richard Linklater, 2019)

A lot better than I expected after it’s critical reception. At its core, it’s the story of artistic starvation. The way Cate Blanchett brings this to life, which heavy doses of mania, is beautiful. Sure Linklater has issues maintaining focus, but that kinda works here, as our lead character is every bit as scatterbrained as the screenplay. - 7.5/10

Earthquake Bird (Wash Westmoreland, 2019)

I picked up on the twist about ten minutes in, and after that the movie never gave me any reason to maintain interest. Of course, it didn’t help that Alicia Vikander very clearly felt the same way. It’s actually impressive how uninterested her performance is, here. - 2/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

[documentaryoncinema]

Inside  Fotografía

‘Side by side. El impacto del cine digital' ('Side by side’), Christopher Kenneally, 2012, VOSE.

Producido por Keanu Reeves, analiza los pros y los contras de los procesos digitales y los fotoquímicos y muestra la revolución que los nuevos procesos digitales han supuesto en la producción cinematográfica.

Con entrevistas a conocidos directores, directores de fotografía, estudiantes, técnicos, montadores y distribuidores, el documental examina el impacto en todas las fases de producción de una película, desde el rodaje, el montaje, el telecinado o los efectos visuales, hasta su posterior exhibición e incluso el archivo de un largometraje. Intervienen reconocidos directores como Steven Soderbergh, James Cameron, David Lynch, Richard Linklater, Martin Scorsese, los hermanos Wachowski, Christopher Nolan, David Fincher, George Lucas, Lars von Trier y Danny Boyle entre otros.

‘Kodak master class series’. Kodak cinematography.

'Lighting Dances with wolves with Dean Semler’, VO, SE en YouTube.

'Lighting Dead poets society with John Seale’, VO.

'Location lighting with Geoff Burton’, VO.

'Studio lighting a comparative workshop with Dennis McAlphine & Denis Lenoir', VO. 

'Kodak master class series: Shooting for drama', VO.

'Behind the Camera: Freddie Young', Richard Blanshard, VO.

‘Composition in storytelling’, Channel Criswell, 2016, VO, SE en YouTube.

'Colour in storytelling', Channel Criswell, 2016, VO, SE en YouTube.

'135 Shots that will restore your faith in cinema', Flavorwire, 2012, VO.

‘The art of the car chase’, Filmnørdens Hjørne, 2015, VO. Vídeo ensayo.

‘The art of the opening shot’, Filmnørdens Hjørne, 2015, VO. Vídeo ensayo.

‘James Wong Howe: Cinematographer’, University Film, Video Foundation, 1990, VO.

Biografía de James Wong Howe, China, agosto, 28, 1899 – Julio, 12, 1976, director de fotografía de más de 130 películas.

‘Vilmos Zsigmond: Finding the right light’, Phil Whitehead, 2016, VO.

‘What is composition’, Press Play Video Blog, 2014, VO.

'Cinema compilation: Silhouettes', Jacob T. Swinney, 2014, VO.

Recopilación de siluetas presentes a lo largo de la historia del cine.

'Cinema compilation: POV shots', Jacob T. Swinney, 2014, VO.

Recopila varios planos subjetivos pertenecientes a unos cien films, e incluye las perspectivas desde los personajes y también desde objetos inanimados.

Phedon Papamichael.

Janusz Kaminski.

‘Kodak presents a conversation with Janusz Kaminski and Phedon Papamichael’, VO, SE en YouTube.

‘Phedon Papamichael: A life behind te lens’, Alexandros Maragos, 2015, VO.

'Andrew Dominik sobre el arte en la era digital’, Istanbul International Culture Festival, 2012, VO.

‘On Sven Nykvist: With one eye he cries’, Greg Carson, 2004, VO.

Presenta una mirada sobre la obra del director de fotografía Sven Nykvist.

'The motion picture camera: Past, present and future', Jery October, 2014.

Masters of cinematography - ‘Six kinds of light: John Alcott’, BPS, Film on film, 1986, VO, SE en YouTube.

‘Writing with light’, David Thompson, 1992, VO, SE en YouTube.   Vittorio Storaro es unos de los directores de fotografía más importantes e influyentes del pasado cercado y del presente. Entre sus trabajos figuran títulos como ‘Novecento’, ‘El conformista’, ‘El último tango en París’, ‘Golpe al corazón’, ‘Bulworth’, ‘El cielo protector’, ‘Tucker: Un hombre y su sueño’, ‘Apocalypse now’ en la que ganó su primer Oscar en 1979, ‘Rojos’ por la que obtuvo su segundo Oscar en 1981 y ‘El último Emperador’ ganado nuevamente el Oscar en 1987, entre otros films.

En el documental Storaro comenta su trabajo acompañado de varios directores, entre ellos Warren Beatty (trabajó con él en ‘Dick Tracy’ obteniendo una nominación con ella) y Bernardo Bertolucci entre otros, junto a compañeros de la talla de Néstor Almendros. También se presenta footage en el set de ‘Dick Tracy’ y ‘El cielo protector’, comenta sus teorías acerca de la luz y el color en narrativa, y resume la historia de la iluminación en el cine.

‘Visions of light. The Art of cinematography’ ('Maestros de la luz’), Arnold Glassman, Todd McCarthy, Stuart Samuel, 1992, VOSE.

Repasa la historia del cine con opiniones de reconocidos directores relacionados con este arte. 'Maestros de la luz’ es una viaje en el tiempo dentro del mundo de la cinematografía, recordando a los artistas que han iluminado algunas de las caras y de las escenas más hermosas en las 125 mejores películas de los últimos 100 años.

En 'Maestros de la luz’, que es un tributo cariñoso a la historia de la cinematografía, participan mediante entrevistas y opiniones Ernest Dickerson, Michael Chapman, Allen Daviau, Caleb Deschanel, Lisa Rinzler, Conrad L. Hall, William A. Fraker, John Bailey, Néstor Almendros, Charles D. Rasher, Vilmos Zsigmond, Stephen H. Burum, Harry L. Wolf y Charles Lang entre otros.

‘No subtitles necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos’, James Chressanthis, 2008, VO.

Retrato de las vidas y carreras de László Kovacs y Vilmos Zgismond, dos de los grandes directores de fotografía de la historia del cine. Desde sus inicios como refugiados húngaros huidos del comunismo hasta sus triunfos en Hollywood y su contribución a la revolución de la industria con la nueva ola americana. Incluye declaraciones de directores, actores y otros directores de fotografía, todos expresando su admiración por el arte y el éxito de estos dos maestros que nunca dejaron de ser amigos toda la vida.

Con la presencia de Vilmos Zsigmond, László Kovács, Vittorio Storaro, John Boorman, Richard Donner, Peter Bogdanovich, Bob Rafelson, Leonard Maltin, Ellen Kuras, Steven Poster, Rob McLachlan, Haskell Wexler, Sandra Bullock, Karen Black, Tatum O’Neal, John Williams, Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Sharon Stone, Jon Voight, Allen Daviau y Owen Roizman entre otros.

‘In the mood for Doyle’, Yves Montmayeur, 2007, VO.

Durante un año el inquieto realizador de documentales Montmayeur compartió la imprevisible agenda de Christopher Doyle, veterano y solicitado director de fotografía que ha definido nuevas estéticas visuales y ha trabajado con directores de la talla de Wong Kar-wai o M. Night Shyamalan entre otros muchos. Un trepidante y cosmopolita retrato de este genuino artista australiano.

‘Cinematographer style’, Jon Fauer, 2006, VO.

Trata sobre el arte de la cinematografía y de cómo funciona, desde las experiencias de vida a la tecnología, las influencias y las formas del estilo visual de un individuo. Debido al fuerte impacto que el estilo visual de una película puede tener, este documental puede ofrecer a los contemporáneos información valiosa sobre las opciones dramáticas que toman los cineastas, y se espera que el material tendrá un valor histórico significativo.

Con la participación de Remi Adefarasin, Russ T. Alsobrook, Howard A. Anderson III, Howard A. Anderson, Peter Anderson, Roger Deakins, Vittorio Storaro, László Kovács, Gordon Willis, Haskell Wexler y Vilmos Zsigmond entre otros.

‘Light and shadow. Greatest cinematographers of the World’, Steve Weiss, 2014, VO.

Directores de fotografía legendarios comparten sus puntos de vista sobre su profesión y lo que significa para ellos.

El documental ganó el Premio Emmy en dos categorías por parte de la Academia Nacional de Artes y Ciencias Televisivas (NATAS) en 2013.

Con la participación de Vilmos Zsigmond, Richard Crudo, Philip Bloom, Polly Morgan, Conrad Hall, Frederic Goodich, Stephen Goldblatt, Ryan Walters, Den Lennie, Michael Negrin, Nancy Schreider, Francis Kenny, Stephen Lighthill, Michael Koerbel, Daryn Okada, Victor Kemper, Mick Jones, Ron Garcia, Rodney Charters, Russell Boyd, Isidore Mankofsky, Colt Seman, Gordon Willis, Roger Deakins, Vittorio Storaro y Alan Thatcher entre otros.

‘Cameraman: The life and work of Jack Cardiff’, Craig McCall, 2010, VOSE.

Sobre el cámara y director de cine Jack Cardiff, 1914 - 2009, quien en 2001 se convirtió en el primer director de fotografía en ganar un Oscar honorífico, y durante setenta años ejerció su carrera en Inglaterra, Estados Unidos y otros países.

Con la presencia de Jack Cardiff, Martin Scorsese, Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, Charlton Heston, Kim Hunter, John Mills, Alan Parker, Thelma Schoonmaker, Freddie Francis, Raffaella De Laurentiis, Richard Fleischer, Peter Yates, Kathleen Byron, Christopher Challis, Kevin McClory, Ian Christie, Moira Shearer, Peter Handford, George E. Turner, Michel Ciment, Michael Powell, Dustin Hoffman, Humphrey Bogart, Sophia Loren, Craig McCall, Niki Cardiff y Deborah Kerr entre otros.

[extrabeurre]

THE IRISHMAN de Martin Scorsese : En attendant la mort

Affichant complet un mois à l’avance au Cinéma Moderne et ne prenant l’affiche que la semaine prochaine à la Cinémathèque québécoise, ce film événement, qui est boycotté par la majorité des salles parce qu’il sera lancé sur Netflix sous peu, inspire à de nombreux cinéphiles un pèlerinage vers des coins de la ville qu’ils fréquentent rarement, soit Côte-Saint-Luc (Cinéma Dollar) ou, depuis aujourd’hui, Saint-Léonard (Ciné-Starz Langelier).

Mais croyez-moi, The Irishman vaut amplement le détour. Voici un nouveau chef-d’œuvre de Martin Scorsese, un autre captivant film de gangsters épique dans la lignée de GoodFellas et Casino, sur fond d’histoire du XXe siècle (JFK, Castro, Nixon, etc.), mais aussi un bouleversant film sur le vieillissement et la mort, avec possiblement la meilleure performance en carrière de Robert De Niro, aux côtés d’Al Pacino et Joe Pesci, eux aussi extraordinaires.

Adapté du livre I Heard You Paint Houses de Charles Brandt, le riche scénario de Steven Zaillian raconte l’histoire de Frank « The Irishman » Sheeran (De Niro), un vétéran de la Seconde Guerre mondiale devenu camionneur, qui s’est par la suite retrouvé à frayer avec la pègre italienne (menée par Russell « The Old Man » Bufalino, incarné par Pesci), puis avec nul autre que Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino), le mythique président du puissant syndicat des Teamsters. Scorsese, un des plus surdoués raconteurs d’histoires de Hollywood, épaulée de sa fidèle monteuse Thelma Schoonmaker, nous maintient rivés à nos sièges pendant 3 h 30, savourant chaque plan de caméra, chaque réplique, chaque détail de cette fresque qui multiplie constamment les lieux et les personnages, tout en faisant adroitement des aller-retour entre les époques.

À cet égard, il faut mentionner que Robert De Niro et certains autres acteurs jouent leurs rôles à différents âges, sur une période de plusieurs décennies, ayant recours à de convaincants maquillages pour se vieillir et à de plus hasardeux effets visuels par ordinateur pour se rajeunir… Mais vous savez quoi? Passé le premier moment avec le jeune De Niro, qui surprend et inquiète légèrement, on oublie généralement les trucs du gars des vues et on se laisse porter par le récit, la mise en scène, l’interprétation et ainsi de suite.

The Irishman est un époustouflant festin cinématographique, débordant d’images fortes, de dialogues mémorables, de tronches de truands impossibles… C’est un film incroyablement divertissant, qui a fait régulièrement rire et réagir la salle pleine où je me trouvais, mais aussi une œuvre profonde et empreinte de gravité qui impose de lourds silences et qui hante le spectateur longtemps après le générique de fin.

The Irishman est présentement à l'affiche au Cinéma Moderne, au Cinéma Dollar et au Ciné-Starz Langelier. Il prendra l'affiche à la Cinémathèque québécoise ce lundi 25 novembre. Sur Netflix dès le mercredi 27 novembre.