… then become a fan of Filmmaker. Okay, I know the “fan” terminology is annoying, but, trust me, we’re not asking for adolescent idolatry. In fact, I had us all set up with a nice-looking Group page, but was then counseled that, for a magazine, the Page/Fan structure was the way to go (thank you, CineVegas). In addition to being able to send you individually messages and bulletins, there’s a bunch of apps and functionalities that can be added vid the Page/Fan structure, so the page is something we can grow into. And, other cool sites are set up this […]
by Scott Macaulay on Dec 30, 2007Over at the Emerging Pictures blog, Ira Deutchman responds to Stephen Holden’s review of John Sayles’s Honeydripper, in which Holden finds stereotypes in the film’s 1950s’ Southern characters. From the Deutchman blog post: Why is it that every African American audience we show the film to is thanking us for its realistic portrayal? Is it that the Jim Crow era is just so loaded with baggage that it is not acceptable to portray a small story within that era without showing the lynchings? Is it that a white writer/director is tackling this subject? I ask these questions merely to provoke […]
by Scott Macaulay on Dec 30, 2007There can be no greater statement about the impending supremacy of user-generated, viral, and online video over what we now quaintly call “cinema” than this news from the Criterion Collection that the tony, canon-certifying brand is embracing the best of the Web. Below you can find the “Criterion Edition” of the already classic short The Landlord, with star Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay’s video commentary track embedded. The Landlord: Criterion Edition on FunnyOrDie.com
by Scott Macaulay on Dec 25, 2007I’m editing now James Ponsoldt’s interview with Paul Thomas Anderson that will appear in our Winter issue, and I’ve seen There Will be Blood twice so far, once at a screening and once on a DVD screener. I’ll try to write a few thoughts about it in the coming days, but, for me, and definitely after the second viewing, upon which it gets even better, it is my #1 film of the year. Here’s Paramount Vantage’s internet clip announcing this weekend’s nationwide midnight sneaks. (Hat tip: Movie City News.)
by Scott Macaulay on Dec 24, 2007In the midst of shopping, cooking and, yes, trying to close the next issue of the magazine, which ships at the end of this week, I want to take a second and wish all of our readers a great holiday and New Year. We really appreciate your readership and look forward to bringing you lots of great stuff, both in the magazine and online, in the coming year.
by Scott Macaulay on Dec 24, 2007Writing in Salon, Andrew O’Hehir captures what a lot of people are thinking: it wasn’t a bad year for movies, but when it comes to independents, the long-form theatrical experience may be on its way out. There are no grand conclusions here, but O’Hehir talks to the right people — IFC’s Jonathan Sehring, Killer Films’ Christine Vachon, Milos Stehlik of Facets — in his attempt to assess the healthiness of independents surviving on the other side of the mini-major divide. An excerpt: Milos Stehlik, director of the Chicago-based video distributor and art-house proprietor Facets Multi-Media (which occasionally dabbles in theatrical […]
by Scott Macaulay on Dec 20, 2007I received an email from writer/director Maria Maggenti (Puccini for Beginners) announcing the launch of A Working Writer, a website that she and writer Michael Seitzman have launched during the midst of this current WGA strike. The site will feature short video interviews of writers discussing their work and their thoughts about being working writers. First up: Eva Saks.
by Scott Macaulay on Dec 18, 2007I want to take a moment and tell you guys about a new website that Peter Bowen, Nick Dawson and I from Filmmaker are involved with. First, the history. In the late Spring of this year Peter and I had several conversations with Focus Features president James Schamus about film websites — what’s good out there, what’s not, and, most specifically, what’s missing from the film blogosphere. James talked to us about his vision of a site that would be dense with original content appealing to both cineastes as well as a more general audience enthusiastic about specialty film. Intrinsic […]
by Scott Macaulay on Dec 17, 2007At the recent Monterey Jazz Festval, two film legends — Clint Eastwood and John Sayles — talked about about the blues in an onstage discussion. The clip is below. Eastwood’s love of jazz and blues music is well known and can be felt through his numerous film scores. Sayles’s take on the art form can be best seen in his forthcoming film, Honeydripper, which is one of his best and hits theaters this holiday season.
by Scott Macaulay on Dec 17, 2007Sadly, this just in from Adrienne Jones, Treasurer and Membership Director of the Black Documentary Collective: We regret to inform everyone that St Clair Bourne, our founder, has passed away. Details of his passing will follow. Also, information about his memorial service will be sent as soon as we have it. Members have expressed interest in making donations to the family. We would like to contribute money through our BDC/St Clair Bourne fund. If you wish to make a donation, please forward payment to: BDCP.O. Box 610Hamilton Grange StationNew York, NY 10031. In the memo line please write BDC/St Clair […]
by Scott Macaulay on Dec 16, 2007