Olivia Thirlby: The Hollywood Interview

Actress Olivia Thirlby.


THE WACKNESS OF OLIVIA THIRLBY
By
Alex Simon

The following article appears in the July/August issue of Venice Magazine.

Olivia Thirlby first gained notice as the tart-tongued best friend to Ellen Page’s Juno, in the eponymous sleeper hit of 2007 and this year’s Oscars. A native of New York City, Olivia made her film debut in Paul Greengrass’ acclaimed United 93 (2006), followed by David Gordon Green’s lauded, but little-seen Snow Angels (2007). Olivia can currently be seen in the Sony Pictures Classics release The Wackness, sharing the screen with Josh Peck (Mean Creek) and Academy Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley. Set during the summer of 1994 when hip-hop music was becoming the rage among rich white kids in NYC, The Wackness follows the exploits of recent high school grad Luke Shapiro (Peck) who, unsure about his future, spends the scorching summer months selling pot to his friends and eccentric therapist (Kingsley), while pining for the shrink’s comely stepdaughter, Stephanie (Olivia). Written and directed by recent American Film Institute graduate Jonathan Levine, The Wackness hits screens July 3.

Olivia Thirlby in The Wackness.

For Olivia Thirlby, working with the legendary Ben Kingsley was akin to attending a master’s class in acting. “The thing about Sir Ben is that he knows exactly what he’s going to do each and every moment, but he makes them seem spontaneous. Whereas I’m much more a fly by the seat of your pants kind of actor, where the emotion just overtakes me. I wish I could be more like Sir Ben!” she says with a laugh. “I’m often surprised where the emotion comes out in a scene, and usually I can’t plan it. It’s funny, I know people who’ve attended drama school who try to forget what they’ve learned because it bogs them down. For me, it’s instinctual, the more I think about it the more my performance suffers. It’s amazing to see an actor who’s in such mastery of his skills, emotions, body and thoughts that he can actually cue himself to do those kinds of things. The other amazing thing about him is that he’s not intimidating. I almost have an image of him rescuing a little caterpillar off a leaf and saying ‘Don’t worry, you’re wonderful.’ He’s very generous with himself and his time and his acting. He’s very kind and encouraging. I think it says a lot about him that as someone who’s achieved the absolute pinnacle of accolades in his profession, he’s willing to stoop down to that leaf and have a tea party with all these little insects in the lawn.”

Olivia also found that working with a young director like Levine (this is the second feature for the 30 year-old helmer) was as rewarding as working with a veteran like Kingsley. “Jonathan Levine, the one and only. He’s remarkable to work with, because he’s so fun, so relaxed. In my experience the kind of person somebody is doesn’t always dictate their skills, but at least gives you an indication of what the working environment will be like, and if you’re in a positive working environment, with people who are earnestly trying to do something creative, it doesn’t matter what kind of skills and experience somebody has, because they will inevitably create something honest and fun. It was an insanely young crew. I don’t think there was a single person working on the movie that was over 40.”

Olivia and Josh Peck in The Wackness.

Olivia also adds that Levine’s laid-back approach was sometimes a bit perplexing. “My true respect for Jonathan as a filmmaker has been enriched by the final product of the film, when you see what he managed to do while being low-key, yet very energetic in his own very unique way. Sometimes we thought ‘Is Jonathan even paying attention? Does he care if we’re giving a shitty performance or a great performance?’ And it’s really because he knew exactly what he was looking for, and if he saw it, he didn’t need to say anything. He put a lot of trust in us and did something very wise, which was to cast actors to be as they are as people, as themselves. And there was something about the chemistry between Josh and I that was immediately like Luke and Stephanie. It was just so natural. We didn’t even need to be reading the lines off the script, and a huge part of their relationship is the games that they play with each other. That’s classic romance. That’s how Shakespeare writes it.”

With six more feature films being released between now and 2010, Olivia is busier than ever, but has just a single wish to impart to the viewing public: “Go see The Wackness. It’s dope.”

Read more!

VIVA ZAPATA! Kerri O'Kane's "The Gits" mixes history, tragedy, and hope.

Seattle punk rock icons The Gits, pictured circa 1993.

By Alex Simon

The Seattle, Washington music scene in the early 1990s was, arguably, as important an artistic movement as the British Invasion of the 1960s in forming the cultural, and sub-cultural voice of a decade. Bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and dozens of others, helped form the "grunge" sound that was distinct to the Pacific Northwest, and soon had scores of imitators the world over. There was no band that had quite as fervent a following, or engendered such high hopes from fans, critics and fellow musicians alike, than The Gits. Formed by a group of friends (Matt Dresdner, Andy Kessler, Steve Moriarity, and Mia Zapata) at Ohio's Antioch College in 1986, The Gits remained true to the roots of old school punk, rather than adapting the more understated (some would say "dreary") sound of the grunge movement, infusing their sound with aggressive guitar and percussion work, and a dynamic lead singer in Mia Zapata, who literally owned the stage, and was dubbed by many as a punk rock Janis Joplin.

Named after a famous Monty Python sketch (the "Sniveling Little Rat-Faced Gits"), The Gits launched a highly successful European tour in 1991, and continued to tour the States through '92 and '93, gathering a loyal fanbase in their native Seattle where, as one fan put it "People went to see The Gits live, because the band lifted people up out of their own hells." The Gits were being courted by Atlantic Records, and were in the middle of recording their second album, "Enter: The Conquering Chicken," when Mia Zapata was found beaten, raped and murdered on July 7, 1993. She was 28 years-old, and The Gits died along with her.

Kerri O'Kane's documentary The Gits takes an intimate look into the lives of the band's members, their passionate fanbase, and the mystery surrounding Mia Zapata's murder, which went unsolved for nearly a decade. It also beautifully captures a specific time and place in musical and pop cultural history when, for a brief moment, anything seemed possible. Kerri, a Los Angeles native who studied film at San Francisco State, spoke to us recently about her six year journey to bring The Gits' story to the screen.

Director Kerri O'Kane.

How did you discover the music of The Gits?
Kerri O'Kane: I had ovarian cancer back in 2000, and I was doing a documentary at the time about my cancer. I picked up a book called "Manifesta," because I was bed-ridden and this book had all these websites in the back, one of which was Home Alive. That was the organization that described itself as "A self-defense organization by and for young women, which was created in response to the murder of Mia Zapata, lead singer of The Gits, who was murdered while walking home late one night." After reading that, I was really struck by it, and I really wanted to see a film that was made on her, then discovered that there hadn't been one made yet! Then I discovered that Doug Pray did the film Hype, about the Seattle music scene in the early '90s. The Gits were in that and when I saw the film, I thought they just kicked ass. So from the moment I found out about her death, I was just obsessed. I got up the next morning, went to Tower Records, and picked up a Gits CD.

The person I kept thinking of when I watched the film of Mia on stage was Janis Joplin.
Exactly! She was an old soul, and wasn't the typical punk rocker like Darby Crash from The Germs or Exene Cervenka from X. There was a specific element that Mia had. She was so charismatic and fiery and I was really drawn to that. I never knew her, of course, but yes, I've heard that comparison a lot.

Flyer for a Gits show in Seattle.

She was also like Janis in the sense that she transformed on stage. Off-stage, she was apparently very introverted and was someone you really wouldn't have noticed. Then on-stage she became this incredible creature.
Yeah, and a lot of her close friends would say that about her, too. And that's how I got to know Mia, through her friends, and their describing the antics of Mia Zapata. She was a unique individual was very introverted off-stage, who liked to sit by herself and write her poetry and lyrics, and then when she was on-stage, like her father says, she was just magnetic.

What were some of the challenges getting this made, especially since this is your feature directing debut?
Well, it took over six years to get made since I first had the idea, but eight months or so once my producer, Jessica Bender, and I started working on it. I had been buying all this Gits merchandise off of Ebay, and it turns out the person I'd been getting it from was Steve Moriarity, the drummer! It was very difficult at first convincing (the surviving band members) to commit to participating, and that I wasn't going to exploit them, or the death of their best friend. My goal was to get their music out there. It was also hard because at the time we'd started filming, the killer had not been caught. During that year, we had to be hand-led to each person in that circle of friends and family, and then they caught the killer. But until that time, people were hesitant to talk, because they really didn't know if it was one of them, a deranged fan, or who it was. There was so little physical evidence to go on, initially.

And a lot of those suspicions made no sense to me because from what I could tell, this was a woman who had no enemies, only friends.
Exactly. There was speculation because many of her songs were really dark, in fact she made references in a couple songs to serial killing and rape, so the foreshadowing of her own death was there. The theory of the deranged fan was the one that I think really stuck with a lot of people.

Yeah, that was the only plausible explanation, particularly in light of what's happened with other celebrities, like John Lennon.
Right, right. And even when I started doing the film, I remember thinking "God, this must have been a crazy son of a bitch who did this, and was just obsessed with Mia and her lyrics." The way she seemed to predict her own death was just incredible. So no, she didn't have any enemies per se, but she was also somebody who wouldn't take shit, either. If you pushed her too far, she could unleash. Not in a sadistic way, but in a sticking up for herself kind of way. She was very savvy and street smart. Valerie Agnew and Celine, two of the members of the band Seven Year Bitch, were the last people to see her alive when she left The Comet Tavern. It was just another night. Mia was tough, but there was more to her than just that. She was also sweet and sensitive and had a very unique sensibility about her.

The Gits' lead singer, Mia Zapata, 1965-1993.

And it turned out her death was literally a random act of violence, like she was swimming along and bumped into a shark.
Yes, exactly, which made it even scarier. She actually had headphones on, which is why police think she didn't hear him coming up behind her. I think he just tackled her and threw her in the car. And in the film you see what a giant, what a beast this guy is, just huge. So Mia had no chance, even though she fought back. I mean, he actually had to almost duck down to enter the courtroom, which was full of people who wanted to kill him. If every one of those people had jumped him at once, he still would've been able to toss them off! That's how enormous this guy is. So no, Mia had no chance.

Let's talk about some positive things, like the impact The Gits had on that amazing music scene in Seattle during the early '90s.
Well, The Gits really considered themselves to have a do-it-yourself punk ethic, and as someone who grew up with bands like Suicidal Tendencies, X, The Germs, they were really more akin to that sensibility than the other bands that were profiled in Doug Pray's film Hype, like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. It kind of seemed like, I don't want to be crude, but a bit of a clusterfuck, because there was a time where, if you were perceived as being part of this scene, you would get signed. I'm not dissing the aforementioned groups, because I love Nirvana and Pearl Jam and lots of the other so-called "grunge" bands of that era, but it just seems like The Gits stayed under the radar, very deliberately I think. From what I understand, they really became a band of the people, and avoided the hype. They weren't interested in fame or fortune. They just wanted to make great music and have a good time. They were a close-knit family, and they foresaw that fame and fortune could destroy their friendship, which it has done to so many other bands.

A live performance of "Seaweed" by The Gits.

What do you think Mia and The Gits would be doing now if she were still here?Well, obviously I'm speculating, but Mia was a gifted artist and writer, and poet, so maybe she'd be concentrating on that if they weren't performing anymore. I think for sure they'd all still be very close friends. I do think she'd be perceived as a great artist with lots of people waiting to see what she would do next.

It also struck me that, unlike a lot of bands during that time, The Gits seemed to live a pretty healthy lifestyle, and loved life. There was no overt self-destruction going on, the sort that claimed the lives of so many members of the Seattle scene. Yeah, I mean they liked to drink sometimes, but they also realized that they found gold in one another, and they had a real opportunity to create something special. Each one of them brought something to the table. Matt Dresdner was the taskmaster, the responsible one. He owned the house and kept things in order. Steve was the vocal one, the one who did the advertising and perpetuated The Gits movement, if you will. And Andy and Mia were more the introverted artists that worked together, the core of the band, that helped get their music to a level that was really unique. What I tried to accomplish in this film, was to present them as a family, and the loss that they suffered when one of them got taken out so violently.

And it's not like Mia was replaceable.
Right, she wasn't.

I don't know if you saw the interview with Keith Richards a couple months ago in Rolling Stone, but Keith was asked where'd he'd be today without Mick Jagger, and vice-versa, and Keith said something to the effect that they'd both be selling insurance somewhere in suburban London. "Either one of us without the other would be nothing.".
Absolutely right. Each one of them created this unique chemistry that is The Rolling Stones.

Plus let's face it: you lose your lead singer, that's it. Van Halen was never the same without David Lee Roth, even though Sammy Haggar is an amazing talent.
Yeah, exactly. That is the band. And Mia was absolutely unique. She would be like someone like Linda Perry, who went from being a successful recording artist to producing for other people. God knows what Mia could have been doing.

You had a near-death experience. How does being a survivor change your outlook?
I have to say that Mia Zapata saved my life. The music of The Gits changed my life. I was down in the dumps, really messed up, just mentally over it all, because my life had changed in such a horrible way. I know this isn't an uncommon story, but what is unique is that I found somebody who got me out of that place, and it was someone who, unfortunately, had been murdered. So I couldn't shake her hand, and thank her. So pouring my heart into this film, this six and-a-half year labor of love, was the next best thing for me: my way of saying thank you to Mia and her bandmates for all they did for me.

The Gits will be released on DVD July 8 from Liberation Entertainment. For other info, visit The Gits websites at www.thegits.com and www.thegitsmovie.com

Also check out the Home Alive site at www.homealive.org

Read more!

It's All HAPPENING!!

Courtesy of UBERCINE.

Read more!

RFK 40 years later: John Frankenheimer's Kennedy TV spot

In the mid-1960s, John Frankenheimer(The Manchurian Candidate) was arguably the hottest director in Hollywood, and prior to that, was the boy wonder of live television during the 1950s, and early '60s. JFK aide Pierre Saligner had approached Frankenhimer about being in charge of JFK's publicity during the 1960 campaign. The director had to turn him down, due to his busy schedule, a choice he later regretted.




When Salinger again approached Frankenheimer in 1968 about filling the same role for younger brother Robert Kennedy and his fledgling run for the presidency, Frankenheimer eagerly accepted. RFK and John Frankenheimer became close friends, and it was Frankenheimer who drove Kennedy to the Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968, the night he was fatally wounded by an assassin's bullet.

Here is just one of the television spots that Frankenheimer shot for Kennedy during the '68 campagin, where he speaks to a group of grade schoolers. Listen to Kennedy's prescient words about the environment, and other issues. Its cinema-verite style, which was a Frankenheimer signature, heightens its fly-on-the-wall realism, bringing to light what might have been, had fate not stepped in Robert F. Kennedy's path 40 years ago.

Read more!

Tamar Simon Hoffs: The Hollywood Interview

Director Tamar Simon Hoffs (back row center) with the cast of Red Roses and Petrol.


TAMAR SIMON HOFFS FILLS IT UP WITH
Red Roses and Petrol
By
Alex Simon

“This is a very unusual time, both positive and negative. There’s a very positive aspect to being an independent filmmaker now in that the gap between studio movies and independent movies has become so much greater, and because it’s so much greater, if you want to have an adult movie experience, you have to look to independent movies to get it.” Filmmaker Tamar Simon Hoffs knows what she’s talking about. A three decade veteran of Hollywood, Tammy’s film Red Roses and Petrol, a film lauded at dozens of prestigious film festivals since its completion five years ago, has only just now found a distributor. Starring the legendary Malcolm McDowell and based on Joseph O’Connor’s play, Red Roses tells the story of a dysfunctional Dublin family who come together after their father (McDowell)’s death, and find themselves reconnecting with their difficult, departed “Da” through a series of videotaped messages he’s left behind. To Tammy, the message of the film is a simple, yet profound one: “You have to be open and honest in life, and it’s not so easy to do in your own family.”

So why did it take five years for Red Roses to reach non-festival movie screens? Tammy answers with a hearty laugh: “It is extremely hard for people to find a way to make money on movies where you can’t make an action figure out of the lead character.” Tammy adds that she’s both a fan, and a critic, of the technology that has come to rule our lives over the past decade. “Our patience for processing information has changed. We all love our computers, and use our computers, but I think that they’ve defeated us, too. When every kid in America has some form of instant gratification through their computer or through video games, what is going to work for them when they get older and they have to sit for 90 minutes to two hours and watch a film?”

Born in Johnstown, PA. and raised in Chicago, Tamar Simon was the daughter of a rabbi. After earning a BA at University of Chicago and doing graduate work at Yale, where she met her husband, psychoanalyst Joshua Hoffs, Tammy took time off to raise their three children (among them Susanna Hoffs, lead singer of the ‘80s sensationsThe Bangles). Tammy then entered the film business in the mid-70s, getting her first break from B-movie mogul Menahem Golan, penning the screenplay for Lepke, Golan's film about notorious Jewish gangster Louis Lepke Buchalter, starring Tony Curtis. After catching the eye of then-American Film Institute director Jean Picker Firstenberg, Tammy was part of the Directing Workshop for Women class at AFI, resulting in her now-classic short, The Haircut, starring the iconic John Cassavetes. She hasn’t stopped working since.

Tammy, Catherine Farrell and Malcolm McDowell discuss a scene during the shoot of Red Roses and Petrol.

When Tammy discovered Joseph O’Connor (brother of singer Sinead O'Connor, and a lauded writer in his native Ireland)’s play, she knew that whomever she cast in the role of family patriarch Enda Doyle was critical. Then she met Malcolm McDowell. “When I met Malcolm, I knew he was the only person who could play the part, and we became best friends instantly. We’re starting another movie together this year, called Pound of Flesh, which is going to allow us to delve into even more issues of our favorite theme, which is family. Malcolm and I talk about our families non-stop.”

Tammy also credits McDowell's skills as an actor, and professionalism for helping to bring the project together. “Malcolm’s process is like being in a candy store. You are getting a treat, a surprising treat, every minute. On Red Roses, he’d show up even when he wasn’t working, just to be a cheerleader on the sidelines for everybody. Just his presence was so powerful for the ensemble, because he was really their Dad.”

After encountering many people who talked the talk, but weren’t willing to walk the walk, Red Roses and Petrol secured theatrical distribution through World Wide Motion Pictures. “They’re very selective and chose us, and they’ve astonished me with their enthusiasm, which doesn’t always hold up with distributors,” Tammy explains. “The great thing about the internet is the concept of viral marketing: You can publicize your film in a whole new way, especially if your film is artistic in nature by using the internet, making links to your target audience.”

When asked how she would advise budding indie filmmakers to keep the faith, Tammy is steadfast: “If you enjoy the work, it’s never a tough road. You’ve got to have a relentless pursuit of these projects, or they will never happen. Even if good fortune should come through for you, people will never respond to you unless they recognize your passion for it. I had a passion for this project and I never let it go.”

“Red Roses and Petrol” opens in Southern California June 27 at The Laemmle Music Hall , Beverly Hills , CA., The Laemmle One Colorado Pasadena , CA.; The Regency South Coast Village , Santa Ana , CA.; And The Regency Rancho Niguel 8, Laguna Niguel , CA.

In New York at: AMC Empire 25, 42nd Street , Manhattan; Cinemart, Forest Hills , NY; Cinemart – East Village NY.

Check out their website at: http://www.redrosesandpetrol.com/index.html

Read more!

DVD Playhouse: June 2008

DVD PLAYHOUSE—JUNE 2008
By
Allen Gardner

Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector's Edition(Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood and his fabled .44 Magnum have been restored to pristine condition, with all five Dirty Harry films: Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, The Enforcer, Sudden Impact, and The Dead Pool arriving in a gorgeous box set, loaded with extras. Of the five, the first two films are masterpieces of the genre, the last two are delightfully entertaining, tongue-in-cheek variations, with only The Enforcer being the series’ lone weak link. Dirty Harry is featured in a two disc, special edition. In addition, the Eastwood documentary Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows is offered as a bonus disc, offering a fascinating glimpse into the usually-reserved Eastwood’s creative process. Other bonuses include: Retrospective documentary; Audio commentaries and featurettes; Hardcover retrospective book; Replica Dirty Harry badge; Poster; Art cards; Production letters. All are widescreen, Dolby 5.1 surround.
Indiana Jones - The Adventure Collection (Special Editions of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark / Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom / Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)(Paramount) On the heels of the latest installment in the series, the first three Indiana Jones films have been repackaged with new features. Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade all look terrific and still hold up beautifully after 20+ years, with their intoxicating blend of full-throttle thrills and pure, unadulterated fun. Bonuses include: New intros to each film by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas; Ten featurettes; Storyboard and photo galleries; Original adventure game demo. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Classe Tous Risques - Criterion CollectionCriterion) Classic French film noir about a fugitive gangland boss (Lino Ventura) who returns to Paris with his bodyguard (Jean-Paul Belmondo) in spite of a death sentence hanging over his head. Fascinating character study of a career criminal at the end of his rope, great location shooting on the streets of Paris add to the overall feeling of doom. Bonuses: Excerpts from documentary on director Claude Sautet; Interview with screenwriter Jose Giovanni; Archival interview with Ventura; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights - Hollywood to the Heartland(New Line) Vince Vaughn hosts a 30 day tour featuring four up-and-coming comics “from Hollywood to the heartland,” with the highlights making up this (mostly) very funny concert picture. Some nice backstage moments between Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Dwight Yoakam and the young comedians add depth to the proceedings. Bonuses: Commentary by Vaughn and the filmmakers; Featurettes; Bonus comedy sketches. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Semi-Pro (Single-Disc R-Rated Edition)(New Line) Most successful goofball comedy starring Will Ferrell as basketball star Jackie Moon, team captain, head coach and owner of the Flint Tropics, one of the ABA (American Basketball Association)’s flagship teams in 1976. When a merger with the NBA threatens to shut them down, Jackie must turn up the heat on his players to win the ABA championship so their merger into the NBA is guaranteed. Fine support from Woody Harrelson, Andre Benjamin and Will Arnett. 2 disc set. Available in R-rated and unrated versions. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Five featurettes; Music video; Trailers; Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Vanaja(Emerging Pictures) Fine film from India follows the 14 year-old daughter of a poor fisherman who agrees to work in the home of her landlady in the hopes of learning Kuchipudi dance. Things turn ugly when the landlady’s son returns home, putting the girl in the middle of a battle of caste, class and animus from which there is only one escape. Excellent drama won 24 awards in festivals worldwide and will stick with you long after the final fade out. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
The Thief of Bagdad - Criterion Collection(Criterion) Early Technicolor epic from 1940, produced by the legendary Alexander Korda, telling the tale of a young prince who is blinded and cast out of Bagdad by the nefarious Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), then plots his revenge by joining forces with the master thief Abu. Dynamic adventure film is sure to thrill viewers of all ages. 2 disc set bonuses include: Audio commentaries from Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, film and music historian Bruce Eder; Music and effects track; Trailer; Documentary; The Lion Has Wings, Korda’s 1940 film for the British war effort; Excerpts from co-director Michael Powell’s autobiography; Archival interview with composer Miklos Rozsa; Photo gallery. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
The WalkerTHINKFilm/Image) Woody Harrelson plays Carter Page, one of Washington D.C.’s premiere “walkers” : a companion to the city’s most elite set of wives when their husbands are unavailable. When Carter tries to protect one of his closest friends (Kristen Scott Thomas) from a scandal, he finds himself a murder suspect, and suddenly bereft of the circle of powerful friends he once held. Fine sociological thriller is slightly reminiscent of director/writer Paul Schrader’s earlier classic American Gigolo, but still works well, with a knock-out turn by Lauren Bacall as a tart-tongued D.C. doyenne who has seen it all. Bonuses: Featurette; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets (Widescreen)Disney) Nicolas Cage returns in another globe-trotting quest, this time to locate the fabled City of Lost Gold. There’s one catch: he must kidnap the sitting U.S. President to complete his mission! Far-fetched and goofy to the max, but delivers exactly what it promises, and is aided immeasurably by the presence of Jon Voight and the great Helen Mirren (both of whom I’m sure were compensated very handsomely for their participation). 2 disc edition bonuses include: Commentary with director Jon Turtletaub and Voight; Deleted scenes; Bloopers and outtakes; Eight featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Be Kind Rewind (New Line) Two outcasts (Jack Black and Mos Def) must save a local video parlor after Black becomes magnetized and erases every title in the store! Using a vintage video camera, the two film geeks attempt to remake every film in the store, starring themselves! Outrageous comedy by the immensely talented Michel Gondry is spot-on social satire. Bonuses: Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
The Spiderwick Chronicles (Widescreen Edition)(Paramount) A family moves into a spooky old house, and strange events start to occur. When the precocious son (Freddie Highmore) investigates, he discovers a book that contains the legend of the Spiderwick Estate: an alternative universe with fantastic creatures that is parallel to our own. Fun fantasy film for the whole family with eye-popping effects and an imaginative storyline. 2 disc set. Bonuses: Seven featurettes; Deleted scenes; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Persepolis(Sony) Groundbreaking animated film tells the autobiographical story of writer/director Marjane Satrapi’s experience of living through Iran’s Islamic Revolution as a teenager, and her harrowing experience of living a modern, westernized lifestyle one moment, and being thrust into a fundamentalist, totalitarian society the next. English-language version features the voices of Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni, Sean Penn, Gena Rowlands, and Iggy Pop. Bonuses: Two featurettes; Cannes Film Festival footage; Animated scene comparisons; Commentary by Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud and Mastroianni. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Australia ]IFC Films/Genius Entertainment) Harrowing portrait of Communist Romania in the ‘80s, and one young woman’s desperate attempt to get an abortion, which was illegal. Writer/director Christian Mungiu has created a film destined to be studied, remembered and regarded as a classic. Winner of the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. Bonuses: Documentary; Interview with Mungiu, cinematographer Oleg Mutu. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
Sophia Loren 4-Film Collection (Neapolitan Carousel / Attila / Madame Sans-Gene / Sunflower)Lions Gate) Four films from one of Italian cinema’s most legendary leading ladies. Attila, from 1954, is a dramatic war epic, featuring Sophia as a maiden who promises to marry Attila the Hun (Anthony Quinn) if he will topple her hated brother from power; Sunflower, from 1970, directed by Vittorio De Sica, has Loren as a WW II widow searching for the truth about her husband (Marcello Mastroianni)’s fate; Madame Sans-Gene, from 1962, stars Sophia as Napoleon Bonaparte’s laundress, who rises to become a member of his court when he reaches power; Carosello Napoletano, from 1954, stars a young Loren in a supporting role in this celebration of opera in the city of Naples. Full and widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
Catherine Deneuve Collection(Lions Gate) Five films from France’s reigning queen of cinema! Manon 70 (1968) stars Deneuve as a gold-digger who achieves a life of luxury, only to fall in love with a poor, young reporter (Sami Frey); Le Sauvage (1975) stars Catherine in a madcap comedy as she follows a stranger (Yves Montand) to his private island, and proceeds to take over his life; Hotel Des Ameriques (1981) is a powerful drama featuring Deneuve as a doctor who engages in an affair with an emotionally unbalanced man (Patrick Dewaere); Le Choc (1982) pairs Catherine with Alain Delon, who plays a hitman desperate to retire from his brutal trade; Fort Saganne (1984) teams Deneuve with frequent co-star Gerard Depardieu, who plays a young military officer in the French Sahara who falls in love with Deneuve’s beautiful journalist. All are widescreen, Dolby 2.0 mono.
City Slickers (Collector's Edition)(MGM/20th Century Fox) Comedy classic about three buddies (Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby) entering middle age who decide to spend a couple weeks of adventure on a dude ranch in New Mexico. Jack Palance won an Oscar for his memorable turn as a leathery trail boss. Watch for a young Jake Gyllenhaal as Crystal’s son. Bonuses: Commentary by director Ron Underwood, Crystal, Stern; Featurettes; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
TWO FROM LOUIS MALLE Criterion releases two classics from French director Louis Malle.The Lovers - Criterion Collection stirred a firestorm of controversy worldwide upon its release in 1958 for its frank portrayal of human sexuality, in a tale of a bored middle class housewife (Jeanne Moreau) who finds herself in bed with various men. The Fire Within - Criterion Collection is a brooding masterpiece following a self-destructive writer (Maurice Ronet) who decides to commit suicide and, for the next 24 hours, attempts to connect with all the important people in his life. Both films are a testament to Malle’s power as a filmmaker, and hold up beautifully. Bonuses: Archival interviews with Malle, cast and crew; Photo galleries; Documentary short. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
Control (The Miriam Collection) (Genius Products/Weinstein Co.) Riveting docudrama from director Anton Corbijn about Manchester’s legendary band Joy Division, led by the enigmatic, brilliant, and troubled Ian Curtis (Sam Riley, in a star-making turn). Vividly recreates the grimy life of northern England in the 1970s, with fine support from Samantha Morton as Curtis’ long-suffering wife. Bonuses: Commentary by Corbijn; Featurette; Music videos; Photo gallery; Interview with Corbijn; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. As a companion piece, Grant Gee’s documentary Joy Division (The Miriam Collection) offers an in-depth look at the band, featuring interviews with its surviving members, and their growth into the equally-influential New Order, following Curtis’ death. Bonuses: Music video; Bonus interviews. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Flawless(Magnolia) Smart and sexy heist thriller stars Demi Moore as a frustrated diamond company executive in 1960s London whose avarice grows as she sees male colleagues promoted ahead of her. Deciding she wants some payback, she enlists Hobbs (Michael Caine), the equally overlooked nighttime janitor with intimate knowledge of the firm’s security system. Fine work from cast and crew across the board. Bonuses: Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
OL’ BLUE EYES Warner Bros. releases three boxed sets of Frank Sinatra classics. Frank Sinatra - The Early Years Collection (It Happened in Brooklyn / Step Lively / The Kissing Bandit / Double Dynamite / Higher and Higher), features Frank in the 1940s classics Double Dynamite, co-starring Jane Russell and Groucho Marx; Higher and Higher, his feature debut; It Happened in Brooklyn, featuring Frank as an ex-GI who can’t find an apartment, but does find love with Kathryn Grayson; The Kissing Bandit, a musical comedy; and Step Lively, his first starring role based on the Broadway hit. The Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly Collection (On the Town / Anchors Aweigh / Take Me out to the Ball Game) feature the musical classics On the Town, which won an Oscar for Best Adapted Score; Take Me Out to the Ballgame, featuring Sinatra and Kelly as womanizing ballplayers; and Anchors Aweigh, following Frank and Gene as two sailors on leave in Hollywood. Frank Sinatra - The Golden Years Collection (Some Came Running / The Man with the Golden Arm / The Tender Trap / None but the Brave / Marriage on the Rocks), features titles from the 1950s and 60s, starting with The Man With the Golden Arm, Otto Preminger’s groundbreaking study of heroin addiction; Marriage on the Rocks, a screwball comedy starring Frank, Deborah Kerr and Dean Martin; None But the Brave, a WW II drama and Sinatra’s directing debut; Some Came Running, Vincente Minelli’s fine drama about small town hypocrisy, featuring great work from Frank, Dean Martin, and especially Shirley MacLaine; The Tender Trap features Sinatra as a libidinous Manhattan talent agent who may, or may not, find love with Debbie Reynolds. Full and widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
Die Hard - The Ultimate Collection (Die Hard / Die Hard 2 / Die Hard with a Vengeance / Live Free of Die Hard Two-Disc Special Editions)(20th Century Fox) Bruce Willis’ intrepid cop John McClane’s four adventures arrive in a single box: Die Hard, Die Hard 2: Die Harder, Die Hard With a Vengeance, and Live Free or Die Hard. The first two films are great fun, with the first installment deserving to be called a groundbreaking classic on the 20th anniversary of its release. Part 3 leaves a lot to be desired, in spite of the presence of Jeremy Irons as the villain, and part 4 is entertaining albeit ultimately…unnecessary. Watch the first two, skip parts 3 and 4, and you’re in good shape! Bonuses include: Audio commentary from cast and crew; Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Marvel Heroes Collection (Daredevil, Elektra, X-Men, X2, X-Men 3: The Last Stand, Fantastic Four & Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer)(20th Century Fox) Mammoth boxed set features 8 discs of Marvel comics-to-film adaptations: X-Men, X2, X3: The Last Stand, Elektra, Fantastic 4, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Fantastic 4: The World’s Greatest Heroes, Vol. 1, and Daredevil. The first two X-Men films, and Daredevil are grand entertainments, while the animated F4: World’s Greatest Heroes will surely please the younglings in your house. The other titles, proceed at your own risk! Great bonus includes Marvel Collectibles, made up of two X-men comics, a Silver Surfer digital comic book and a custom-designed lobby card. Other bonuses: Audio commentaries by cast and crew; Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
ASIAN ACTION Dragon Dynasty releases Heroes of the East, a Shaw brothers classic about Chinese and Japanese martial artists that must come together after a marital misunderstanding sparks an international incident. Come Drink with Me, another Shaw brothers classic from the ‘70s, set the bar for sword-wielding kung-fu heroines, its influence seen in countless films made since. INVISIBLE TARGET is a tough, mean Hong Kong cop thriller starring Jaycee Chan, son of Jackie, as a cop who must team up with a burned-out veteran to take down one of the city’s worst gangs. Incredible action sequences. Bonuses on all: Audio commentary by cast, crew and film scholars; Interviews with cast and crew; Featurettes; Deleted/extended scenes; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono and 5.1 surround. Genius Entertainment/Weinstein Co. releases the Korean thrillers A Invisible Target, about an ambitious young hood and his rise to power in the Seoul mob, and Typhoon, which tells the high-octane story of a modern-day pirate who steals a ship full of nuclear waste and the naval officer who must stop him. The Restless tells the epic, period story of a warrior who awakens to find himself in a mystical realm filled with restless, wandering souls. He soon learns that he must defend Heaven, Earth and the Middle World against the Armies of Darkness. Stunning blend of fantasy and martial arts action. Finally, Justin Lin’s Finishing the Game is a hilarious comedy loosely based on the search for a Bruce Lee replacement after his untimely death in 1973. Bonuses on all: Commentary by cast and crew; Featurettes; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
GO WEST! Some of cinema’s best “oaters” hit DVD this month. Our favorites include: Universal releases James Stewart - The Western Collection (Destry Rides Again / Winchester 73 / Bend of the River / The Far Country / Night Passage / The Rare Breed), featuring the classics Destry Rides Again, with Jimmy as a tenderfoot who must tame a wild western town (and saloon girl Marlene Dietrich); Winchester ’73, an all-time great from director Anthony Mann with Stewart obsessively tracking the men who stole his rifle; The Far Country, set during the Gold Rush; Night Passage, with Stewart as a lawman guarding a cache of money on a train; Bend of the River, with Stewart leading settlers over the Oregon trail; and The Rare Breed, co-starring Maureen O’Hara. Full and widescreen, Dolby 2.0 mono. 20th Century Fox releases the rest of the titles, starting with John Wayne: The Fox Westerns Collection (The Big Trail / North to Alaska / The Comancheros / The Undefeated), featuring Raoul Walsh’s The Big Trail, a 70mm epic from 1930, and Duke’s first starring role; North to Alaska, with Wayne hoping to strike it rich in the Yukon, circa 1898; The Comancheros, stars the Duke as a Texas Ranger facing off against a violent band of outlaws; and The Undefeated, which teams Wayne with Rock Hudson, as former Civil War adversaries who must join forces to defend themselves. Bonuses: Featurettes; Commentary by critic/film historian Richard Schickel; Fox Movietone News; Photo galleries; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Fox Western Classics (Rawhide / The Gunfighter / Garden of Evil) features Gregory Peck in The Gunfighter, Henry King’s timeless tale of a gunslinger who wants to hang up his hogleg, but keeps finding himself challenged wherever he turns; Rawhide stars Tyrone Power as a mild-mannered sort who must defend a buxom babe (Susan Hayward) and her young niece against vicious band of outlaws; Garden of Evil stars Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward and Richard Widmark as fortune hunters stranded in Mexico. Bonuses: Featurettes; Trailers. Full and widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. The Day of the Outlaw features the great Robert Ryan as a rancher who must deal with the jealous husband of his true love (Tina Louise) as well as brutal outlaw Burl Ives and his gang. The Westerner stars Walter Brennan as legendary Judge Roy Bean and Gary Cooper as an accused horse thief whom the judge winds up befriending. The Way West features Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark in a tale of eastern settlers trying to tame the old west; Navajo Joe stars Burt Reynolds in an early starring role as an Indian brave who survives a massacre led by outlaws, upon whom he swears vengeance. Helmed by spaghetti western maestro Sergio Corbucci; The Man with the Gun stars Robert Mitchum as an honest man who rides into town to woo a young lady (Jan Sterling) only to find himself in the middle of a fight between the town’s denizens and a ruthless gang of outlaws bent on taking the place over; The Gunfight at Dodge City stars Joel McCrea as legendary gunslinger Bat Masterson, who must avenge his brother’s murder in the infamous Dodge City, KS.; Finally, Man of the West is another classic from director Anthony Mann, penned by the great Reginald Rose, starring Gary Cooper who reluctantly joins his old gang of train robbers after vowing to go straight. Smart, powerful western with a legendary fistfight between Cooper and Jack Lord. All are widescreen, Dolby 2.0 mono and stereo.
BLU-RAY TITLES Blu-Ray technology offers a new standard in DVD viewing and the home theater experience: 1080p resolution; Lossless audio, which delivers the finest uncompressed digital sound available; and Smart Menu Technology, which floats on-screen during playback so you never leave the film. Just a few of the titles arriving on Blu-Ray this month include: 20th Century Fox releases The Longest Day [Blu-ray], the 1962 epic that brings WW II’s decisive D-Day battle to life with an all-star cast; Battle of Britain [Blu-ray], starring Michael Caine, which recreates the greatest air battle of WW II; A Bridge Too Far [Blu-Ray] [Blu-ray], Richard Attenborough’s thrilling spectacle about the disastrous allied push into Holland during WW II; Robert Wise’s The Sand Pebbles [Blu-ray],starring Steve McQueen in an epic tale of adventure in 1926 war-torn China; and Patton [Blu-ray], the multi-Oscar winning story of WW II’s most legendary, and controversial, General, with George C. Scott in the title role, giving the performance of his career. Disney releases M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable [Blu-ray], starring Bruce Willis as a man who slowly realizes that he has super powers; John Adams (HBO Miniseries)tells the story of sexy lady bartenders hustling drinks and men in Manhattan; National Treasure [Blu-ray] stars Nicolas Cage in the first installment of the globe-trotting adventure franchise; and Shall We Dance? [Blu-ray], an Americanized remake of the Japanese hit, stars Richard Gere as a workaholic who finds a new lease in life through dance instructor Jennifer Lopez. Bonuses on all include: audio commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, trailers. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.
DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL! More of TV land’s greatest programs hit disc this month: HBO releases its magnificent miniseries John Adams (HBO Miniseries), starring Paul Giamatti in a brilliant turn as our second President, with Laura Linney in fine support as his devoted wife, Abigail. Bonuses: Three featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Warner Bros. releases the second season of CHiPS, the ‘70s icon about hunky California Highway Patrolmen and their Harley Davidson cruisers. Bonuses: Featurette; Bonus episodes. Full screen Dolby 2.0 mono. ER - The Complete Ninth Season, features more adventures on and off the job of the emergency room staff at Chicago’s Country General Hospital. Bonuses: Outtakes; Deleted scenes; Gag reel. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. 20th Century Fox releases 24: Season One (Special Edition), featuring an introduction by Kiefer Sutherland; Audio commentary by cast and crew; Extended and delete scenes; Documentary. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 surround. Burn Notice - Season One, tells the suspense-filled story of a former intelligence agent (Jeffrey Donovan) who finds himself blacklisted in the community, with a price on his head to boot! Bonuses: Commetnary by cast and crew; Gag reel; Character montages; Audition footage. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. The Magnificent Seven: The Complete Series stars Michael Biehn, Ron Perlman, and Eric Close in a spin-off of the classic 1960 western. Five disc set. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 surround. The Rat Patrol: The Complete Series, is a seven disc collection of the 1966-68 hit about an elite commando unit in WW II North Africa, led by square-jawed hero Christopher George. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Paramount releases a 20th anniversary edition of the groundbreaking miniseries Holocaust, starring Meryl Streep and James Woods in early turns, in a story of how Nazi atrocities affected two German families: one Gentile, and one Jewish. A masterpiece, not for the faint-of-heart. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. American Gangster - The Complete Second Season, gives an in-depth look into the lives of the 20th century’s most notorious African-American gangsters. Bonuses: Extended interviews. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Californication - Season One, is a witty, smart adult comedy about a burned-out writer (David Duchovny) dealing with life, love and career woes in Venice, CA. Great stuff! Bonuses: Episodes of Dexter and The Tudors. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Mannix - The First Season, from 1967, tells the story of two-fisted private eye Joe Mannix, who gets into some of the most brutal fist and gunfights in TV history, yet his hair doesn’t move! Bonuses: Interviews with and commentary by cast and crew; Archival interviews; Photo gallery; Vintage promos. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Finally, The Invaders - The First Season arrives on five discs. This 1966 cult hit was one of the first “sci-fi paranoia” series, starring Roy Thinnes as an architect who discovers that an alien race is attempting to conquer Earth! Great fun. Bonuses: Extended version of the pilot; Interviews with Thinnes; Commentary by creator Larry Cohen. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Sony releases What's Happening: The Complete Series, the late ‘70s comedy hit contains all 3 seasons on 9 discs, and follows the adventures of four pals from south-central L.A. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Soap: The Complete Series, another late ‘70s classic, arrives with all four seasons on four discs. Notable for introducing Billy Crystal to audiences and breaking many network censor taboos! Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Rescue Me - The Complete Fourth Season, follows NY fireman and 9-11 survivor Denis Leary and his dysfunctional family and fellow NYFD pals through their blackly comedic lives and misadventures. Bonuses: 6 featurettes; 22 deleted scenes; Gag reel; Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Koch Vision releases four titles from across The Pond: City of Vice follows law enforcers in 18th century London as they dispense their own particular brand of justice! Bonuses: Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. A Harlot's Progress takes place in 1731 England, and stars Toby Jones as a young artist who finds his muse in a beguiling prostitute (Zoe Tapper). Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Twelfth Night, is a 1969 BBC production of the Shakespeare classic starring Sir Alec Guinness, Sir Ralph Richardson and Joan Plowright, one of the great comedies. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono. Acorn Media brings us more fine fare from the UK, starting with Anglo Saxon Attitudes, a scathing social satire set in WW I era England, featuring Daniel Craig in an early role. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries - Set 3, features five episodes of suspense and mystery in this hit anthology series. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Rebus - Set 3 stars Ken Stott as a hard-living Scottish detective in a crackling good series that revels in the dark side! Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Finally, Beau Brummell - This Charming Man, stars James Purefoy as the dandy of Regency England who changed men’s fashion forever. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
DOCUMENTARY DAYS Some terrific documentaries arrive on DVD this month. A few of our faves include Kultur International’s Churchill: The Life and Speechesa fascinating look into the life and mind of one of history’s great leaders and orators; Noel Coward Trilogy: The Boy Actor, Captain Coward, Sail Away, three programs about the noted playwright, actor and raconteur: The Boy Actor follows Coward’s meteoric rise to fame at age 30; Captain Coward focuses on his journeys to the Far East with Earl Amherst, as well as entertaining the troops during WW II and his film appearances; Sail Away takes a look at Coward’s cabaret triumphs in London and Las Vegas, and his final years in Switzerland and Jamaica as a tax exile. John Adams (HBO Miniseries)is an engaging and fascinating study of the iconic revolutionary leader, from his middle class beginnings in Argentina, to his victory in Cuba with Castro, to his execution by firing squad in the jungles of Bolivia. Some astonishing, and graphic, footage. Finally, George Segal: American Still Life chronicles the life and work of the internationally acclaimed sculptor. Full and widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. History Channel/New Video presents History Channel: Journey to 10,000 B.C., which examines a time of cataclysmic change on Earth in which climatic changes through the planet into an ice age; Dogfights -The Complete Season 2 (History Channel) is a handsome, 5-disc boxed set of the popular series complete second season, featuring astonishing archival footage, as well as CGI recreations of some of history’s greatest aerial battles. Bonuses: Additional scenes. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Acorn Media releases The 2007 Newport Music Festival - Connoisseur's Collection, a mammoth, 10-disc box set collection of concerts and highlights from last year’s famed classical music festival in Newport, RI., held in the city’s most opulent mansions. Bonuses: Commentary clips; Six hours of bonus performances. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. TLC/Genius Entertainment releases Operation Homecoming: Stories from the Heart, featuring five uplifting stories of soldiers returning from Iraq. Very moving, without crossing the line into sentimentality. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Finally, Koch Vision releases China's Great Wall, an account of the myths, legends, and technological marvels behind the massive, awe-inspiring structure, shot in state-of-the-art digital video. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Secrets of China's First Emperor: Tyrant and Visionary takes an in-depth look at Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, credited with planning the first great wall, and much of the country’s earliest achievements. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. They Filmed the War in Color is a handsome, 2-disc set of beautifully restored WW II archival footage, all shot in color! Three hours plus of astonishing footage, shot both on the fronts of battle and the homefront. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.

Read more!

Peter Askin's TRUMBO: Remembering one who was not afraid to stand up and be counted.

Note: This is a year when we're hearing a lot about the late Dalton Trumbo. Our interview last month with Benjamin McKenzie delved into his new film production of Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun. This month we're talking with Peter Askin, director of the new documentary Trumbo.

By Terry Keefe

Once upon a time, very long ago, in the good old days of the late 1990s, stories about the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the Blacklist seemed like they were from a paranoid time in American history that would never be repeated. It was, in fact, 1999 when Peter Askin was directing the stage version of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” in London, and he was given a copy of Additional Dialogue, a collection of the letters of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. There was interest in turning the letters into a stage play. And Askin would eventually direct that stage play, entitled simply “Trumbo,” as well as a feature film version of the same name which opens this month in theaters. At the time he was initially approached about the possibility of a play, Askin knew Trumbo’s name and a number of the famous films he had written, such as Papillon and Spartacus, but not much about his history or politics. Nonetheless, he found Additional Dialogue to be a welcome literary companion during his directing of “Hedwig.” Recalls Askin, “Additional Dialogue gave me great night time reading. I’d rehearse ‘Hedwig’ and then read 20 pages of letters from Trumbo. It seduced me and was a great way to end the day.” Still, he couldn’t have seen that the story of Dalton Trumbo would sadly become much more relevant to modern current events just a few years later. Says Askin, “It was pre-9/11 when I was introduced to Trumbo. The 2000 Presidential Election also still lay on the horizon. But by the time the stage play opened in 2003, we had Iraq, the Patriot Act, and John Ashcroft.”

The stage play, written by Trumbo’s son Christopher, included various celebrity actors reading the letters of Trumbo, a form of writing he undertook as a creative outlet when he was banned from most others. The film version of Trumbo shares with the play the structural element of the letters as the spine, and includes actors Michael Douglas, Joan Allen, Paul Giamatti, Brian Dennehy, and Liam Neeson reading selected letters. One major difference between the film and the play are the extensive interviews with Trumbo himself which the documentary form allows. “Trumbo’s actual voice helps to unify the other disparate voices of the actors who become Trumbo,” explains Askin. “ I didn’t know at first how much footage of Trumbo himself in interviews existed. Once we started digging into that, I knew we had something special. His voice and the idiosyncrasies in his speaking are so extraordinary.”

Trumbo was a true American original with a spine of steel, who had the courage to sacrifice just about everything he held dear in the name of Freedom of Speech. But aside from being a civil liberties hero, Trumbo is also presented as a three-dimensional man in the film, complete with contradictions. To give one example, Trumbo was a Communist but he also lived on a ranch, in what looked like a sort of prototypical American, near-cowboy existence. Askin acknowledges some of those dichotomies which make Trumbo such an interesting character to absorb. Says Askin, “He was a westerner. His family came out of Colorado. He watched his family go through the Depression and saw his father go bankrupt and struggle. That’s why I think he had that sense of the little guys banding together, and the idea of strength in numbers. At the same time, he worked hard for his money and he liked it. So he was a contradiction in a lot of ways, and also a bit of a contrarian. He’d tell you over a drink he was a Communist, but on the witness stand, he’d be damned if he was going to tell you!”

The film's website is at http://www.trumbothemovie.com/.

Read more!

The Man Who Would Be Khan: Sergei Bodrov's MONGOL

By Terry Keefe

Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov first learned about the legendary subject of his new epic film Mongol, that being Genghis Khan, while just a schoolboy. The portrayal of Khan in those history books was as a ruthless barbarian, a perspective that might be expected as Khan had conquered vast parts of Russia. "Russians lived under Mongol rule for almost 300 years. So we're still blaming things on the Mongols," laughs Bodrov. It was years later, when the adult Bodrov picked up a book entitled "The Legend of the Black Arrow," that a different view of Khan began to come into focus for the filmmaker. The book, by famed Russian historian Lev Gumilev, painted Khan with much more detail, offering some interesting theories as to who he really was as a man. Bodrov, "I knew the perspective on Genghis Khan in my Russian school books, but, in Asia, he's a hero. So it was interesting for me to find out who he really was. I love to sort of fight stereotypes. And I started to read more books on Khan."

The research Bodrov did would eventually form the basis of the screenplay for Mongol. One of the challenges he faced was the almost complete lack of historical documents on Khan written even close to the period during which he lived (believed to be from 1162-1227 AD). The closest thing to a factual history of Khan's life is a lengthy poem entitled "The Secret History of the Mongols," written by an unknown author, but one who is at least believed by historians to have been close personally to Khan. Bodrov's story intended to follow Khan from his childhood as a boy named Temudgin, on to when he truly became the ruler known as Genghis Khan, so he was forced to take creative liberties on much of the story. During the writing of the screenplay, Bodrov had a few disagreements with historians who he consulted for research. Recalls Bodrov, "They said things like 'He couldn't have spent all those years in a cage' (as happens in the film). They said, 'It's not in the sources.' But I said, 'Your sources are missing pieces. Tell me how he spent those years. You don't know. It's possible that it could have happened.' We could argue forever about it [laughs]." However, Bodrov's filling in of the grey areas of Khan's life, although speculative, eventually won over some of the doubters. He says, "When the movie was finished, the same historians came to me and said, 'You were right. Because for the first time, we can see Khan as a human being.'"

Mongol does, in fact, create a Genghis Khan who the audience actually roots for, a surprise for a historical figure whose name is associated in the West with barbarism and bloodshed. This is because Bodrov has wisely structured Khan's early life as a traditional hero's journey, as well as a love story. The then-Temudgin (Odnyam Odsuren as a child and Tadanobu Asano as an adult) faces untold hardship after his tribal chief father is murdered in a coup of sorts, and Temudgin is forced into exile as just a child. Through the love and unwavering support of his iron-willed wife Borte (Khulan Chuluun), he survives imprisonment, slavery, and a battle against his closest friend, the warrior chief Jamukha (Honglei Sun). From these tests, he develops an iron will and a determination to unite the lawless tribes of the Mongols, a task which, from the perspective of this film, is much less a story of conquering and pillaging, but of a great and noble mission. The film ends just as Khan is setting off on that mission, which leads to the inevitable question of whether Bodrov will do a sequel next? Obviously having been asked this a lot, he nods and says, "I am tempted now. When I was finished with Mongol, I said, 'Never again!'" But this [next part] is a good story…and a bigger story."

Mongol opens June 6th via Picturehouse. The website for Mongol is at http://www.mongolmovie.com/

The Trailer is below:

Read more!