Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather (1972)
Wehuman beings are irresistibly attracted to look at other people faces. We search them for beauty, flaws, truth, connection. Movie stars careers often depend on what we see - real or imagined. Loren Kantor's wood cuts reduce faces down to their most fundamental elements. The elements that stir the emotions that draw us to the movies.
The Matrix and Office Space were released in 1999 - thus eligible to be nominated to the National Film Registry. Both films have their own particular brand of rabid fans. Deservingly, these movies are mashed-up in to this funny video by Askel at MttM (Movies for the Masses).
Do you think 'The Matrix' or 'Office Space' belong on the National Film Registry? If so, send an email of support for either film (or another one that is meaningful to you) to Donna Ross at the Library of Congress: dross@loc.gov How to nominate a film to the National Film Registry.
Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy in 'The Amazing Spider-Man."
Emma Stone(The Amazing Spider-Man, The Help, Easy A) has captured America's heart and become a movie star. So now we must pay attention to what she thinks. And, honestly, I kind of really want to - not just because I am suppose to. Evidently she grew up loving the movies. She describes what movies are important to her in EW.com (Entertainment Weekly). It's a fun and charming article. You can access the article at the following link (caution - the webpage design is kind of clunky. You view the article bit by bit by clicking on the arrows located at the upper right side above the article title.): http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20483133_20607486,00.html
Here are a couple of highlights:
THE FIRST MOVIE I REMEMBER WATCHING
It's my dad's favorite movie. Laughter is what symbolizes love to me because of watching The Jerk with my dad. I think that's partially why I do comedy.
THE MOVIE I'M ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE TO SEE
You've got to see City Lights.
It's my favorite movie of all time. The last five minutes of that movie
will change your life. It changed mine. I realized where every romantic
comedy comes from — what everyone is trying to achieve. It's the most
romantic, touching... If I think about it too long, I'll cry. It's just
so simple.
Of the movies she mentions four are on the National Film Registry: Network, City Lights, Annie Hall, and The Exorcist.
John Wayne as Ethan Edwards in John Ford's 'The Searchers' (1956).
In one of our These Amazing Shadows segments we take John Ford's masterpiece, The Searchers, to task for what we perceive is its racism. On occasion we have been taken to task for our take on what is often called the best western ever made. While we believe at its heart it is racist there is no doubt that John Wayne's performance is fantastic, the photography by Winton C. Hochis nothing less than astonishing and John Ford's direction masterful. In a huge oversight it did not receive any Oscar nominations.
One person who has a different view than ours on The Searchers is Corey Atad. After watching These Amazing Shadows he tweeted that we were unfair to The Searchers. We tweeted back asking if he would expand on his thoughts. So, he did. The following is his email unedited and in its entirety. We love exchanging ideas and talking about the movies. Thanks, Corey!
Corey is a film lover and blogger, and writer for Dork Shelf and Sound on Sight.
Corey's twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/CoreyAtad
Hi,
Just thought I'd respond to/expand on my tweet. I don't think that
the point of view presented about The Searchers is invalid, I just think
it's more complicated. The documentary follows Birth of a Nation with
The Searchers and then only seriously takes into consideration the
critique of the film's racist elements. This makes it seem like the film
is of a piece with something like Birth of a Nation which is
unquestionably a racist and historically nasty film.
I
find that what makes The Searchers interesting as a film inducted into
the National Registry is not that it's racist, but that it's complex
with regards to its approach to race. No doubt the film is very flawed,
and it does rely on nasty stereotypes and the ending has some seriously
racist undertones (especially considering the true case that inspired
the story had the girl refusing to give up the Comanche way of life
completely.)
It's also important to consider
the film in the context of its time and in John Ford's career. It came
quite late in the Western craze, with earlier films being much more
clearly racist and destructive over a long period of time. John Ford
directed many of these films. Stagecoach, another Ford western in the
Registry, could easily be criticized for the way it depicts Native
Americans as little more than a faceless enemy to the white Americans.
Rather
than simply fall into standard racist portrayals, The Searchers
attempts to confront the racism of its main character. He's not the hero
of the film by any stretch. He's a dark character and the film doesn't
really promote his racist point of view. Also, the Comanche's are
presented in an interesting way. They story requires them to be the
villains, which is unfortunate, and their visual depiction isn't quite
kosher, nor is the way they are used for comic fodder, but the brutality
of their violence upon immigrant settlers is fairly true to life.
Furthermore, the film actually gives the leader of the Comanches, Scar,
motivation beyond being the savage Indian.
The Searchers isn't a perfect film, and it does fall into the racist trappings of the
genre at the time, but it also takes them on in a manner more serious
and more complex than almost any other western at the time. In this
sense, the documentary making it seem of a piece with Birth of a Nation
is unfortunate. Where that film is quite binary, important more for its
social and technical qualities, The Searchers is an important marker in
the way race was approached within its genre and American film in
general. That is to say, not perfectly, but with complexity. I kind of
wish These Amazing Shadows touched on this rather than just using The
Searchers as a stand-in for racism in westerns.
Honestly
though, that was a tiny quibble. I loved the rest of the doc. Fantastic
work. Made me want to go through the National Film Registry and check
out all the films I've likely missed. Particularly the shorts.
Screen grab detail from Superhog's user page on flickchart.com
As the Librarian of Congress Dr. James Billington says in These Amazing Shadows, "The National Film Registry is not just another list of great films." Well, perhaps the same could be said for Superhog's list of Favorite Movies of All Times. Superhog is the nom de plume for a young fellow who is a member of flickchart.com, which is one of several Internet sites that allows you to post lists of your favorite (or least favorite) movies. Superhog's ratings list is up to 746 movies and (drum roll please) These Amazing Shadows ranked number 153 (between The Muppets and Cowboys and Aliens!). Superhog rates The Empire Strikes Back as his all time favorite movie - and rates Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella as the biggest stinker of all time.
Superhog is Daniel McFadin who is a senior journalism major at Arkansas State University. You can follow him on twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/danielmcfadin
We like flickchart.com because it was established by real film fans and one of its cool features is to calculate how many days, hours and minutes you've spent
watching movies (the number is based on the number of films you rate).
Blog UPDATE: Friend of These Amazing ShadowsGarry Swanson alerted us to another great film list site - Letterboxed - that has the catchy catch phrase of, "Your life in films." On Letterboxed Garry's nom de plume is gicalgary and he has watched 707 films! We love his film list he calls, "Films I sat through, but wished I didn't" that includes: This Means War, Bolero, Xanadu and a few more that you'll have to check out.
If you really want to wow your friends and family why not have your next party at the former home of an actor, director or pop star. A company called Eventup has a huge selection of properties (that is real estate lingo) that you can rent for a special occasion. Some of them once belonged to a celebrity. We don't have any connection to Eventup. We post this information just because it is kind of fun.
1) Director/writer/actor Orson Welles former Hollywood Hills home. COST: $2000.00
Property Description: Hollywood Hills Historic Property with 16,000 Sq Ft Yard. Great for
small weddings and get togethers with pool and waterfalls. City view
from front and back yards.
TAS Comment: Big stinky cigars and a cape are de rigueur. Webpage: http://eventup.com/venue/the-gable-1920s-building/
Orson's (and maybe your) view of Los Angeles.
Cary Grant and Charles Bronson's former front yard. Wonder if Cary ever mowed the lawn?
2) Cary Grant and Charles Bronson's former home in Hancock Park area of Los Angeles. COST: $500
Property Description: Once home to Cary Grant & Charles Bronson, the Larchmont Character
Fourplex is located in exclusive Hancock Park, just blocks from quaint
Larchmont Village, with unique boutiques, restaurant & cafes…our
“Bronson” suite features wonderful natural light, large French windows
that open to beautiful Bougainvillea, a private 1 car garage, ample
space & more – all while just steps to Larchmont Village, Paramount
or Raleigh Studios!
TAS Comment: Can't quite picture Cary and Charles as a couple. Webpage:http://eventup.com/venue/the-gable-1920s-building/
MM and Joltin' Joe's digs in San Francisco.
3) Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio's former home in San Francisco. COST: $1000
Property Description: On January 15, 1954, Marilyn Monroe married baseball player Joe DiMaggio in San Francisco. They lived for a time in this house in the Marina
District.
TAS Comment: This is the place where Joe tried to make Marilyn into a demure housewife.
Webpage: http://eventup.com/venue/joe-dimaggio-and-marilyn-monroes-home/
Gaga's crib in NYC.
4) Lady Gaga's former apartment in New York City. COST: $12,500
Property Description: The pop icon's former one-bedroom apartment on the Lower East Side is
available for filming and photo shoots. On the building's ground level,
there is a retail space available for events and pop-up art galleries
or shops.
TAS Comment: Lady Gaga is not associated with the movies, but we include this listing because of the price - $12,500!!! for one evening!!!! Webpage:http://eventup.com/venue/lady-gagas-former-apartment/
The Internet gives everyone the opportunity to express their particular point-of-view to the world. Some people choose to express opinions, but remain anonymous. That is somewhat understandable given how unpredictable the world can be. However, when you choose to unleash your views on the world you should take on the responsibility to stand behind them. Some people do - likeJune Mason. He is a young fellow that reviews movies. We present his charming review of These Amazing Shadows.
Our broadcast on PBS/Independent Lens was a 53-minute cut-down version from our original theatrical/DVD/Blu-ray 88-minute version. One of the segments that was not included in the PBS 53-minute version was about how Back to the Future came to be selected to the National Film Registry. Stephen Clark over at BTTF.com (BTTF = Back to the Future) posted that segment from our doc on his youtube channel. It is a great story of the insider (Liz Stanley) and a grass roots campaign organized by Stephen.
These Amazing Shadows has received a lot of great reviews from traditional and new media film critics. Every so often, like every film, we will get a bad review. This week we got a real stinker. As we were briefly semi-succumbing to this particular blog critic's negative vibes ("How could this be! Why! Why!") we received an email from, Jeffrey Kuhr, who teaches film and media at Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Kansas. He told us how much he loved our documentary and how useful it is to his curriculum. Mr. Kuhr has developed a great program for his students called, Room 125 Productions. The above video is one of their recent projects and is a homage to the 1985 film, The Breakfast Club. It is a lot of fun and shows the power of film/video to bring us all together to express ourselves, communicate and have fun. Go, you Lions!
Independent Lens Series Producer Lois Vossen attended Sunday night’s Academy Awards in Los Angeles. She was there to support two nominated films for Best Documentary feature: Independent Lens’ Hell and Back Again and the ITVS-funded If a Tree Falls (which aired on POV). The documentary Undefeated wound up taking the prize. Still, Lois had a blast and as the evening came to a close, she phoned in (literally) this recap via the BTB hotline. Here are the highlights….
Lois Vossen looking quite glamorous - wearing...let me guess...Atelier Versace? Vera Wang?
Hi there! Well it was a great night. The debate is on whether or not Billy Crystal was funny and whether or not the show was well paced. As we were leaving, I ran into Wim Wenders who made Pina and I went over and spoke with him and he said “I’m very, very sorry that Hell and Back Again lost because it was a magnificent film and I would have been honored to have lost to Hell and Back Again, honored!” So I introduced him to Fiona Otway who edited the film.
Overall, I thought the show was fun. Maybe not the best Oscars of all time but certainly best for me, maybe because I was there! The show played quickly and seem to fly by. Tony Bennett played at the Governors ball afterwards and he sounded great.
Right now, people are scattering off to after parties at Vanity Fair and Elton John’s thing. We’re getting together back at the hotel with a friend of ours who’s a member of the Academy. Interesting to hear how it played on Television versus inside the theatre. Apparently Circque du Soleil played better in the theatre.
Also, I was right in front of Sasha Baron Cohen when he dumped the ashes on Ryan Seacrest! I thought it was really funny but apparently that pissed off a lot of people? Maybe you had to be there because watching it live was just silly and unexpected.
Of course, the women all looked fabulous!
In London they have a charming movie treat called Secret Cinema. The premise of Secret Cinema is that you're part of a secret film organization. They announce a screening date - but not a location or name of the film. You are instructed to "tell no-one." In the announcement the descriptive language suggests a genre/theme of a classic film. You buy a ticket. Then, at the last minute before the screening date a location and the name of the film is revealed. People attend dressed up like characters or in clothing that suggests the world of the film. The location always changes - warehouses, old theatres, outdoor, indoor. They created a cyberpunk bazzar for Blade Runner and filled a venue with camels and Bedouins for Lawrence of Arabia. Again, they stress you are to "tell no-one." It's pretty cool.
Photo showing the world created for the Secret Cinema screening of The Third Man. More photos can be seen by clicking on the "posted photos" link below.
The last Secret Cinema film screened was The Third Man. As part of setting the mood for the screening they posted photos of the world they created for the audience/participants. The Third Man is one of our favorite films and we believe it should be in the National Film Registry. However, there is the question of can one justify it as an "American" film? Two of the leads - Joseph Cotton and Orson Wells - and one of the producers - David O. Selznick (though he's uncredited) - are Americans. Orson Wells is an given uncredited co-screenwriting credit. Tough call. We say - yes. What do you think?
Even though Mr. Borgnine had a marvelous motion picture career he is known best to a certain generation as Lt. Commander Quinton McHale in the television show, McHale's Navy. When I was a kid - me and all my friends definitely thought he was a very cool guy in that role. It was only when I got older did I realize that he was such a fine and successful movie actor.
Marty was selected to the National Film Registry in 1994.
Mr. Borgnine also appears in the following films that are on the National Film Registry: From Here to Eternity (selected in 2002) Johnny Guitar(selected in 2008) The Wild Bunch(selected in 1999)
Amy Heckerling's film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, was selected to the National Film Registry in 2005.
(upper) Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabret in Martin Scorsese's Hugo and (lower) Harold Lloyd as The Boy in Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor's Safety Last!
From Turner Classic Movies:
In the 1923 silent film Safety Last! - "The clock face stunt was inspired by Bill Strothers' performance of a similar human fly act, discovered by Lloyd while walking in Los Angeles one day. Strothers' grand finale to the stunt involved him riding a bicycle along the rooftops edge and then standing on his head on a flagpole. Lloyd was deeply impressed by the event, remarking, "It made such a terrific impression on me, and stirred my emotions."
Lloyd immediately placed Strothers under contract at the Hal Roach studio, and cast him in Safety Last! as "Limpy Bill," the Boy's lovable roommate and construction worker who also has human fly capabilities.
Many of the interior scenes for Safety Last! were shot at the L.A. department store Ville de Paris, which was owned by a close friend of producer Hal Roach. Each evening when the store closed the crew would set up their equipment and then work during the midnight hours."
Last night watching These Amazing Shadows on Independent Lens via KQED in San Francisco I was struck by how washed out the images of our interview subjects looked on my television. We took great care in the shooting and color correction of those images - but we don't always have control of what happens to our doc after it leaves our hands. Every theater screening, television broadcast and DVD/Blu-ray viewing looks different. It makes me think how precious it is to have an experience watching a film in a movie theater that cares about the projection and sound quality. Here are a couple of my favorite movie theaters:
1) ArcLight Cinemas, 6360 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028
At the ArcLight I recently saw a film that I really didn't care that much for (Columbiana), but the crisp picture, rich sound, comfortable seats and good candy (chocolate almonds) made for a great experience. I just kept saying to myself, "What a beautiful picture!" (I do like Zoe Saldana so as TAS interview subject Wayne Wang says, "That helpled.") I would go see anything at that theater - the worst movie you can think of - I'm in.
2) Curzon Mayfair, 38 Curzon Street, London W1J 7TY
The Curzon Mayfair is 75 years old and is one of London's original art-house cinemas. Their distinction as the first London theater to import and screen foreign language films beginning with Max Ophuls' La Ronde (one of my favorites - the camera work by Christian Matras is beyond amazing) tells you how long they have been committed to providing a great cinematic experience. I saw The Young Victoria there and although it is not a particularly outstanding film I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Like the ArcLight, the Curzon Mayfair has a spectacular projection and sound system, very comfortable seats, perfect screen size and great candy (Galaxy Bar). What added to that particular screening was the older British audience that thrilled to the story of young Queen Victoria. I felt like I was having a true cultural experience (and, yes, Emily Blunt helped).
Photo by Tom Kessler
3) Ruth Sokolof Theater, 1340 Mike Fahay Street, Omaha, Nebraska
I've never been to the Ruth Sokolof Theater, but greatly admire everything about the vibe of this theater run by Film Streams, a non-profit organization "dedicated to enhancing the cultural environment in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area through the presentation of film as an art form." What a mission! Check out their website: Film Streams
The Library of Congress released the 2011 National Film Registry selections late in the day on Tuesday. There were a lot of great and some questionable selections, but several really caught our eye. One was A Cure for Pokeritisstarring John Bunny. For a few years around 1910 he was the biggest movie star in the world. He was known for a " jolly, boisterous, and broad" onscreen presence. Today he is largely forgotten, but his career lives on thanks to youtube (see A Cure for Pokeritis below), on the National Film Registry and remembered with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (inducted February 8, 1960 - his star is located at 1719 Vine Street, Hollywood).
The entire list of the 2011 National Film Registry selections can be seen at the end of this blog post.
Over the next weekThese Amazing Shadows will be broadcast on the PBS series, Independent Lens. We are very excited, but realize that the broadcast creates a little bit of confusion about how long is These Amazing Shadows (TAS)? Our original length is 88-minutes, which you will find on our DVD and Blu-ray. However, on Independent Lens it has been cut down to 53 minutes and 27 seconds. Most documentaries on IL have been been cutdown to conform to this length. We weren't excited about this situation, but understood the needs of the series. So if the broadcast length seems too short for you (as many reviews have said), then take comfort in knowing that you can still reach the full 88-minute promise land by watching the DVD or Blu-ray. Another thing we'd like you to know is that the formal These Amazing Shadows broadcast date of Thursday, December 29th at 10pm is not always followed by all the PBS affiliates. They are free to do what ever they want. For example, here in our home town of San Francisco the local PBS affiliate KQED will broadcast TAS at 11:00 pm on Tuesday, January 3rd and at 10:00 pm on Wednesday, January 4th (KQED Life). So, check your local listings for specific day and time.
Incidentally, before-during-after the Thursday and Sunday broadcasts we will be twittering using the hashtag #ILDocClub if you'd like to join us.Find us on twitter at @amazingshadows
The 2011 National Film Registry Selections: Allures(1961) Director Jordan Belson was dubbed the master of “cosmic cinema” who created abstract imagery with color, light and moving patterns and objects. “Allures” is a five-minute film that Belson said “was probably the space-iest film that had been done until then. It creates a feeling of moving into the void.” Bambi (1942) Disney’s personal favorite follows the adventures of a fawn named Bambi and his friends Flower the skunk and Thumper the bunny. The Big Heat (1953) Fritz Lang directed this film noir starring Glenn Ford, Lee Marvin and Gloria Grahame. A Computer Animated Hand (1972) Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, created a program nearly 40 years ago to digitally animate a human hand. This one-minute film displays the animated hand. Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment (1963) Filmmaker Robert Drew and several other documentary directors including D.A. Pennebaker and Richard Leacock chronicled Alabama Gov. George Wallace’s attempts to stop two African American students from enrolling at the University of Alabama and President John F. Kennedy’s response. The Cry of Children (1912) This silent drama about child labor helped instigate labor reform. A Cure for Pokeritis (1912) Rotund comic John Bunny, who died in 1915, was one of the biggest comedy stars between 1910 and 1915. In this farce, he plays a henpecked husband. El Mariachi (1992) Robert Rodriguez’s first feature, which he made for $7,000 while a film student at the University of Texas. Faces (1968) John Cassavetes' masterwork offers a razor-sharp critique of middle-class America. Gena Rowlands, John Marley, Lynn Carlin and Seymour Cassel star. Fruit Cake Factory (1985) Chick Strand’s documentary on young Mexican women who make ornamental papier-mache fruits and vegetables. Forrest Gump (1994) Robert Zemeckis directed this box-office hit, which went on to win several Academy Awards including best picture, director and lead actor for Tom Hanks as a sweet everyman who encounters all the major events of the 1960s and '70s. Growing Up Female (1971) Ohio college students Julia Reichart and Jim Klein follow six girls and women from the ages of 4 to 34 at home, work and school. Hester Street(1975) Director Joan Micklin Silver’s feature, which was financed by her husband, looks at Eastern European Jewish life in American in the early 1900s. Carol Kane earned an Oscar nomination as an immigrant who arrives in New York to marry. I, an Actress (1977) The late underground filmmaker George Kuchar’s comedy about his directing techniques. The Iron Horse (1924) John Ford’s seminal western focuses on how the country was united after the Civil War with the building of the transcontinental railroad. The Kid (1921) Charlie Chaplin’s first feature length comedy-drama, about the Little Tramp taking in a foundling (Jackie Coogan). The Lost Weekend (1945) Billy Wilder’s Oscar-winning social problem drama that examined the effects of alcoholism with a realism that hadn’t been shown on screen. Ray Milland, who was known more for his lighter roles, won an Oscar for his performance as the young writer who loses everything when he turns to alcohol. The film also won Academy Awards for best picture, director and screenplay. The Negro Soldier (1944) Frank Capra’s World War II U.S. Army filming unit produced this film that looked at the contributions of African Americans in society as well as their heroic contributions in the war. The film was produced as a response to discrimination against African Americans who were stationed in the South during the war Nicholas Brothers Family Home Movies (1930s-1940s) Legendary tap dancing brothers Fayard and Harold Nicholas, who graced such films as 1948’s “The Pirate,” also shot home movies that feature one-of-a-kind footage of Broadway, Harlem and Hollywood. Norma Rae (1979) Sally Field won her first Oscar as a single mother working at a textile mill in the South who attempts to organize the workers. Martin Ritt directed. Porgy and Bess (1959) Otto Preminger directed this lavish version of George Gershwin and DuBose Heyward’s folk opera, starring Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis Jr., Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll. There are very few prints of the film in existence, so it has rarely been seen in recent decades. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) The horror thriller based on the book by Thomas Harris swept the Academy Awards, winning best picture, director (Jonathan Demme), adapted screenplay (Ted Tally), best actress for Jodie Foster as rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling and best actor for Anthony Hopkins as the cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter. Stand and Deliver (1988) Edward James Olmos earned an Oscar nomination in the inspiring true story of an East Los Angeles high school teacher, Jaime Escalante. Twentieth Century (1934) Howard Hawks directed this breathlessly funny screwball comedy adapted by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur from their Broadway play about a egomaniacal director (John Barrymore) and his temperamental leading lady (Carole Lombard). War of the Worlds (1953) George Pal produced this lavish, Oscar-winning, special effects laden sci-fi thriller based on H.G. Wells’ novel about Martian aircraft landing on Earth. Gene Barry and Ann Robinson star in this box-office hit.
There are times that it seems that Quentin Tarantino is a quite wacky guy who is all about superficial pop culture and that his films add nothing to our cultural heritage. But, then you see him in the above video of an interview by Charlie Rose. In it he makes some really important points about being a writer-director and he sounds quite intelligent and thoughtful. If you put aside his love of the spotlight (which is the source of his sometimes wacky persona) and focus on his filmmaking - it seems undeniable that he has an unique voice that has expanded our idea of storytelling. I don't appreciate/approve of his use of the N-word, excessive violence and his forays into misogyny - but he is a creative force to be considered seriously. Perhaps next week when the Library of Congress announces Dr. Billington's 2011 selections to the National Film Registry we might see Pulp Fiction among the films chosen.
The 2011 National Film Registry announcement will be made on or about December 28th.
Star Wars fans have an incredible ability to incorporate their favorite thing - Star Wars - in to any holiday. Christmas is no exception. Above you see a very intricate Yoda snowflake decoration. Can you imagine the time it took to figure out how to create this work of Yoda. You can make your own and dive into this fanciful holiday project by going to matersofgrey.com (other DIY Star Wars snowflakes include: Imperial Stormtroopers, Darth Vader, R2-D2, C3PO, Boba Fett, etc...). You can make these snowflakes while watching the Star Wars Christmas Special video seen below.
(Written by: Dom Moschitti, Nick Murphy, Paul Ritchey, and Luke Brown, Directed and Produced by: Nick Murphy and Paul Ritchey, Voice Over by: The Staff of Gamervision.com)
By the way - Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as a way to celebrate the holiday season without participating in its commercialism and religious aspects. It was created by writer Dan O'Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a screenwriter for the TV show Seinfeld, as part of a comical storyline on the show.
Zooey Deschanel from the television series, New Girl.
My family has a semi-tradition of going to the movies the day after Christmas. If we decide to do that this year we may very well end up at a Steven Spielberg movie as he will have two films in wide release: War Horse and The Adventures of Tintin. Whatever you think about Mr. Spielberg's films you kinda have to admit over the past forty years (since Duel in 1971 for some and since Jaws in 1975 for most) he has been a major force in popular culture. When we were conducting interviews for These Amazing Shadows we would routinely ask "What movie had a big impact on you?" The film that was most often mentioned was Mr. Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.
A fascinating look at the Spielberg style is the above video by Fandor, which takes a look at the so-called "Spielberg Face." Once you take a look at this video you will know exactly what that term means. There are certain things in our culture that we are not necessarily conscious of, but once made aware we realize that it is part of what shapes the way we look at the world. Pretty powerful stuff.
Kudos to Fandor's Kevin Lee for producing The Spielberg Face.
If you love Steven Spielberg or the process of how a film is made you should take a look at a video (link below) of a panel discussion on the production of War Horse. It includes many long time key Spielberg collaborators. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/video/war-horse-qa
During our These Amazing Shadows interview of Peter Coyote, who starred in E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, he told us he was surprised and a bit hurt that he has never been asked to work with Steven again. He pointed out that it is Steven's habit not to use the same actors from one film to another (at least one exception is Tom Hanks). That is not the case with behind the camera professionals - as the Hollywood Reporter panel discussion clearly shows. Very curious.
ADDITION AFTER POSTING: FANtastic story about a fan and erstwhile graphic designer who, on his own, designed credits for Tintin - Spielberg noticed and...read the article and watch the video below!
