New Ken Burns Documentary

Starting this Sunday, Ken burns new 3 part documentary, "Prohibition" on PBS. Check it out! Would be interested in what everyone thinks about it!

BUSTER KEATON SILENT MOVIE MANIA

FYI...Starting Sunday, October 2nd with “The General” through Monday, October 3rd @ 8AM, AMC is featuring a bunch of Buster Keaton silent movies. We show “The General” in the brick and mortar class! It’s a great piece of cinema and well worth the watch!

Thing 1, Thing 2, Thing 3

Dr. Seuss doesn't want any part of this.
A new version of "The Thing" is hitting theaters in October. The original "The Thing" (1951) was directed by both Howard Hawks (uncredited) and his Academy Award winning editor Christian Nyby. Not sure what the ruckus there was. It is also know as "The Thing From Another World". This picture is most famous for starting the "it came from outer space" craze. A good scary 50's flick but not overly remarkable.
"The Thing"(1982) by Wes Craven is much creepier. Lots of gore too, if that floats your boat. Kurt Russell stars in this version and puts in a solid performance. The 1982 version should be considered a cult classic in my book.

And Thing 3? Well, why don't you check it out and give us a review. I might save my pennies for netflix.

Pick of the week

"Kitten With a Whip"(1964)- A pre-Viva Las Vegas Anne-Margaret is a seductive teen delinquent on the run. She holes up with a Senator (John Forsythe, the voice of Charlie in the original Charlie's Angels t.v. series) and threatens to cry rape if he turns her in.

Best Scene- Kitten lays down the law and takes over. The ever so stunning Anne-Margaret seethes with anger, sexual tension and a sadistic pleasure in making the Senator realize he's caught in her trap. In the background a t.v. set shows a cartoon of a cat stalking a mouse.

Film Crew Slang

"On a Bell "- Rolling on a Sound Stage, a bell will ring telling us:

One Ring-Rolling

Two Rings-Cut

Film Crew Slang

"Cowboy" Shot- No, not a dead high plains drifter. A cowboy is a shot framing both an actor and his guns, even if he isn't wearing any, it's where they would be. It describes a shot that is wider than a close-up or medium shoot but not quite a full shot.

Full Shot- Framing an actor that shows them from head to toe. Also can be referred to as a head to toe. Imagine that....?

Bad Judge of Talent...

"Can’t act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little"- Screen Tester about Fred Astaire

Dialogue Greatness...

"Dumb & Dumber" (1994)
Harry: According to the map we've only gone 4 inches.

Film Gear has Funky Names

Taco Cart- No it's not lunchtime. There is no food on this cart. It is a wheeled cart that Grips use to keep certain equipment within easy reach. Flags, stands, apple boxes and other essential equipment are staged on it for quick access. There are several different types and configurations but all serve the same purpose.

2 picks this week

The 2nd pick:
"Swimming To Cambodia" (1987): I'm not normally one to recommend watching a 90 minute  monologue, but this film is the exception. Actor Spalding Gray spins a tale about working on Roland Joffe's film "The Killing Fields"(1984). He has just a small role in the film and his tale is more about the experience of working and playing in southeast Asia just 6 or 7 years after the end of the Vietnam war. From depravity in Bangkok to arguments with his neighbor in New York City, Gray is spellbinding. No small credit goes to director Jonathan Demme in turning a one man stage play into a feature film. Filmed during what I consider to be Demme's golden period, "Swimming To Cambodia" is right at the top. Performer/musician Laurie Anderson's score syncs perfectly with Gray's humor and self effacing dialogue which swings from absurd to sad and back again.
See it.

Film Crew Slang

"Last through the line": When the 1st Asst. Director calls lunch (or a meal), the clock does not start until the last person in the food line is served. Gives everyone a relatively equal amount of time to eat. Filmmaking is one of the few jobs that usually feed you on site at company cost.
P.S.: There are exceptions to this and a variety of incarnations depending on the gig. We will discuss "Grace" later.

2 picks this week

Labor Day weekend had me playing in Northern California. I neglected to give us a pick of the week. So there will be 2 this week. The first..

Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)- John Landis directs an off kilter set of skits spoofing film genres, television and pop culture in the late 70's.While the production value & skill is less than we see in Landis's following films like Animal House and The Blues Brothers, the spark of his irreverent sense of comedy jumps right out. Kentucky Fried Movie possesses that chaotic sense of true freedom & verve, like hanging out with your college friends late, late at night after the party.

Best Scene: The T.V. News is watching you....

I wish Mr. Landis would get back to work.