Here we are, two days away from the first presidential debate, and John McCain suddenly wants to "postpone" it because of the economic crisis. Barack Obama said no. Does McCain really think that he'll be so busy bailing out his buddies in Washington at 9 p.m. Friday that he just can't be bothered to face the people whom he wants to vote for him? Worse, does he think no one sees through these tiresome stall tactics?
Frankly, Americans should be enraged by the fact that this man's campaign, which claims to be so ultra patriotic, willfully dodges every single attempt to question him and running mate Sarah Palin. If their position is so solid, what is loathsome about discussing the fate of our nation, were it to be placed in their hands?
Yesterday was the first day since August 13 that McCain deigned to take questions from reporters and even then, it was only for seven minutes. Palin has yet to speak to the press, except in extremely controlled and rehearsed circumstances. It's to the point now where the press is deciding to boycott her, until she participates in the democratic process, of which the press is a part. The press exists to give us to the news, to describe the scene and ask the questions for those of us who cannot be there personally. So, in essence, the McCain campaign, by its silence, has made the decision to simply refuse to subject itself to the rightful scrutiny of the American people.
The very idea that a person could be so arrogant and presumptuous as to believe that he can be elected solely by aggressive public relations is insulting. It means that, once again, McCain believes he doesn't have to answer to anyone. Perhaps that is his definition of "maverick."
America has every right to consider fully who is going to be its next president. It has every right to weight ALL of the facts before casting its ballots. The inability to question a presidential candidate and his running mate in advance of an election borders very much on the "socialism" that McCain and company claim to hate.
Ignorance may be bliss, but it sure isn't putting "country first."
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Those Pesky Big Words
Question of the day: What is a "field dress"? People keep marveling over the fact that apparently, Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin can do something called a "field dress" to a moose. It sounds pretty awful, whatever it is (do they have to put on lipstick, too?), especially when there are so many hunting men and women who think it qualifies her as being "tough." The last time I checked, intestinal fortitude and true grit didn't require the ability to attack defenseless animals for sport.
If Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama is an elitist, with his Harvard education and his correct use of the English language, then Palin seems to be the anti-elitist, with her backwoods jargon that most normal people can't understand. I personally don't know and don't care what a "field dress" is. What I do find puzzling, though, is how someone who claims to be "pro-life," as Palin so adamantly does, can so zealously and callously go out and kill, kill, kill wild animals. No doubt, her supporters will point to the Bible and try to rationalize it from a literal perspective, saying that God put these animals on earth solely for our disposal. But you know something? God also gave us more evolved brains (Oops! Evolution is another Palin no-no. She thinks we were just dropped here) than other creatures so that we could reason out our actions. He also gave us feelings and compassion, so that we could look to our fellow inhabitants of this earth as real, breathing companions. Sure, we are omnivores and crave meat from time to time. But that doesn't mean we are to be indifferent to the dignity of other animals. Those who so embrace hunting as "sport" seem to lack sensitivity. Someone who can get an adrenaline rush from shooting at wolves from the air is just plain sick. Does Sarah Palin actually feed her family everything she kills? I hope so. That would make this information somewhat more palatable.
I'm really becoming tired of hearing from people who accuse the "liberal media" of being so "mean" to Sarah Palin. It's rather the opposite in my view. The media has been shockingly and inappropriately hands-off in their dealings with her. If she were a man, there would be no question that she would be taken to task for her qualifications to the Nth degree. Instead, we are all to treat her with kid gloves because she's a woman and it would be sexist to do otherwise. Well, I'm a woman and I want the gloves to be taken off. Enough is enough with the simpering and tip toeing. Where is the toughness I keep hearing about? Showing up on Charlie Gibson is nothing. How about a meeting with Keith Olbermann? How about allowing the press to ask some real questions on behalf of the American people? Doesn't it bother anybody that she had to be sequestered and tutored before her interview with Gibson? And if she doesn't want her family to be discussed, if she truly wants privacy for her pregnant teenaged daughter, then why did she trot them all out on stage at the Republican National Convention? Why did she announce to the world that her daughter wasn't practicing abstinence? If this were Obama or Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee Joe Biden's kids who were pregnant, Republicans (and the media) would have been all over it. The difference is that Obama and Biden don't judge others that way and they don't tout themselves to be religious zealots for "family values." Republicans do. And now they don't want to have to taste their own medicine.
I may be an elitist (someone who has standards) and I don't know anything about moose field dresses or lipsticks on pigs but I do know when I smell an R-A-T.
If Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama is an elitist, with his Harvard education and his correct use of the English language, then Palin seems to be the anti-elitist, with her backwoods jargon that most normal people can't understand. I personally don't know and don't care what a "field dress" is. What I do find puzzling, though, is how someone who claims to be "pro-life," as Palin so adamantly does, can so zealously and callously go out and kill, kill, kill wild animals. No doubt, her supporters will point to the Bible and try to rationalize it from a literal perspective, saying that God put these animals on earth solely for our disposal. But you know something? God also gave us more evolved brains (Oops! Evolution is another Palin no-no. She thinks we were just dropped here) than other creatures so that we could reason out our actions. He also gave us feelings and compassion, so that we could look to our fellow inhabitants of this earth as real, breathing companions. Sure, we are omnivores and crave meat from time to time. But that doesn't mean we are to be indifferent to the dignity of other animals. Those who so embrace hunting as "sport" seem to lack sensitivity. Someone who can get an adrenaline rush from shooting at wolves from the air is just plain sick. Does Sarah Palin actually feed her family everything she kills? I hope so. That would make this information somewhat more palatable.
I'm really becoming tired of hearing from people who accuse the "liberal media" of being so "mean" to Sarah Palin. It's rather the opposite in my view. The media has been shockingly and inappropriately hands-off in their dealings with her. If she were a man, there would be no question that she would be taken to task for her qualifications to the Nth degree. Instead, we are all to treat her with kid gloves because she's a woman and it would be sexist to do otherwise. Well, I'm a woman and I want the gloves to be taken off. Enough is enough with the simpering and tip toeing. Where is the toughness I keep hearing about? Showing up on Charlie Gibson is nothing. How about a meeting with Keith Olbermann? How about allowing the press to ask some real questions on behalf of the American people? Doesn't it bother anybody that she had to be sequestered and tutored before her interview with Gibson? And if she doesn't want her family to be discussed, if she truly wants privacy for her pregnant teenaged daughter, then why did she trot them all out on stage at the Republican National Convention? Why did she announce to the world that her daughter wasn't practicing abstinence? If this were Obama or Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee Joe Biden's kids who were pregnant, Republicans (and the media) would have been all over it. The difference is that Obama and Biden don't judge others that way and they don't tout themselves to be religious zealots for "family values." Republicans do. And now they don't want to have to taste their own medicine.
I may be an elitist (someone who has standards) and I don't know anything about moose field dresses or lipsticks on pigs but I do know when I smell an R-A-T.
Friday, September 5, 2008
A Call to Action
At first, it seemed that there were only "18 million cracks in the glass ceiling" to worry about. Diappointed Hillary Clinton supporters alternatively said that they were victims of sexism, that Clinton was more qualified than Barack Obama, and that Obama effectively dismissed her. Despite what must have been a bitter blow, Clinton took the high road and in essence, realized that the issues of her party and this country took precedence over hurt feelings and wound licking. And so, she took the high road and did the right thing. On the night of her speech during last week's Democratic National Convention, she stood at the podium and America saw her as self-possessed and strong as she had ever been in her career. Most of all, they didn't see her for her gender. They saw her as a PERSON who cares more about other people in this country. In other words, she stood up for America.
The next night, Obama took the stage and spoke out for all of those who can't. He didn't just speak to African-Americans or women or anyone in particular. No, last Thursday, he spoke to every American citizen, and asked them for their trust. He asked for their support. And without sarcasm or cynicism, he outlined the ways he understands that not just the poor, but the middle-class of America has suffered. This country is in serious condition right now. Even the very wealthy are cutting back in their own way. For anyone who has been affected by aging parents or joblessness or health insurance rejection, it has begun to feel almost hopeless. Which is partly why this man has enviously been called a "rock star" and a "celebrity" by his opponent's campaign. He is bringing up a sore subject and addressing it, head on, and it's getting him noticed.
At some point, every voter needs to decide for him or herself which candidate is truly in a position to bring hope. Hope isn't always a solution but it is a start. The ability to motivate and inspire others are the hallmarks of a successful leader. Barack Obama has spent the better part of his career bridging the divides between us. The haves and the have-nots. In what has always been regarded as the richest and best country in the world, it is imperative that change come from within.
Senator John McCain's call for change is as recent as his speech last night. His life, and therefore, his experience, is almost twice as long as Obama's. So, he has had considerably more time than Obama to build his resume into a pillar of change. Yet, he has not. Certainly, his service to the U.S. military warrants respect. But the insistence that POW status somehow confirms a person's ability to lead a country makes no more sense than the idea that being a "hockey mom" readies someone for the vice presidency. Governor Sarah Palin and McCain are not evil people. They both seem confident of their abilities and they both will always have their accomplishments to stand on. But at this time, America cannot risk the type of hypocrisy and "change" that these two candidates propose. We cannot renew our standing in the world with a 20th century war veteran who, by his own admission, wants to "fight" for you. Or a short term governor with no foreign experience. In this global economy, America needs more. More diplomacy, more reasoned strategies and most of all, more studied compassion. Our allies must be treated with respect and our enemies must be understood. One cannot defeat that which one does not understand. This position does not signify weakness, either. Strength comes only from preparation. America was clearly unprepared for 9/11. And it is clearly unprepared for this economy. The environment will not rebound from the damage which has been wrought on it. More drilling is but a very short term solution and not even an immediate one. And what about healthcare, equal pay for equal work?
There is a mess to be fixed in this America. Barack Obama says it is fixable. He has worked on the fringes of society and helped many people find their way back to the American dream. Joe Biden has been in politics for 30+ years. Rather than be distrustful of that, all Americans should be heartened that in the future, with understanding and preparation, this country can regain its good standing in the world. At home, Americans may finally be able to stop being afraid. To stop hurting. And to start living again and participating in making this country, this world, a better place.
Watch the upcoming debates and really listen. This isn't about men vs. women. Or black vs. white. It's about what is best for all of America. You have a choice to make and it's the most important one you will ever make. For yourself, for your family and for EVERYONE's future.
The next night, Obama took the stage and spoke out for all of those who can't. He didn't just speak to African-Americans or women or anyone in particular. No, last Thursday, he spoke to every American citizen, and asked them for their trust. He asked for their support. And without sarcasm or cynicism, he outlined the ways he understands that not just the poor, but the middle-class of America has suffered. This country is in serious condition right now. Even the very wealthy are cutting back in their own way. For anyone who has been affected by aging parents or joblessness or health insurance rejection, it has begun to feel almost hopeless. Which is partly why this man has enviously been called a "rock star" and a "celebrity" by his opponent's campaign. He is bringing up a sore subject and addressing it, head on, and it's getting him noticed.
At some point, every voter needs to decide for him or herself which candidate is truly in a position to bring hope. Hope isn't always a solution but it is a start. The ability to motivate and inspire others are the hallmarks of a successful leader. Barack Obama has spent the better part of his career bridging the divides between us. The haves and the have-nots. In what has always been regarded as the richest and best country in the world, it is imperative that change come from within.
Senator John McCain's call for change is as recent as his speech last night. His life, and therefore, his experience, is almost twice as long as Obama's. So, he has had considerably more time than Obama to build his resume into a pillar of change. Yet, he has not. Certainly, his service to the U.S. military warrants respect. But the insistence that POW status somehow confirms a person's ability to lead a country makes no more sense than the idea that being a "hockey mom" readies someone for the vice presidency. Governor Sarah Palin and McCain are not evil people. They both seem confident of their abilities and they both will always have their accomplishments to stand on. But at this time, America cannot risk the type of hypocrisy and "change" that these two candidates propose. We cannot renew our standing in the world with a 20th century war veteran who, by his own admission, wants to "fight" for you. Or a short term governor with no foreign experience. In this global economy, America needs more. More diplomacy, more reasoned strategies and most of all, more studied compassion. Our allies must be treated with respect and our enemies must be understood. One cannot defeat that which one does not understand. This position does not signify weakness, either. Strength comes only from preparation. America was clearly unprepared for 9/11. And it is clearly unprepared for this economy. The environment will not rebound from the damage which has been wrought on it. More drilling is but a very short term solution and not even an immediate one. And what about healthcare, equal pay for equal work?
There is a mess to be fixed in this America. Barack Obama says it is fixable. He has worked on the fringes of society and helped many people find their way back to the American dream. Joe Biden has been in politics for 30+ years. Rather than be distrustful of that, all Americans should be heartened that in the future, with understanding and preparation, this country can regain its good standing in the world. At home, Americans may finally be able to stop being afraid. To stop hurting. And to start living again and participating in making this country, this world, a better place.
Watch the upcoming debates and really listen. This isn't about men vs. women. Or black vs. white. It's about what is best for all of America. You have a choice to make and it's the most important one you will ever make. For yourself, for your family and for EVERYONE's future.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Telluride Film Festival Report, 2008
My third turn at this serious film lover's paradise last weekend proved a bit different than the last two years. For one thing, there was an extra passholder line at the Chuck Jones theater. For another, there seemed to be more patrons and passholders than years past. Could be my imagination but it was disappointing to be locked out of a couple of the films I'd really wanted to see. That being said, I saw more movies than I didn't. Here's the overview:
The new Mike Leigh film, Happy-Go-Lucky was the first selection. The director was there to introduce it and admitted that despite the title, there would be dark elements to the story, which concerned a 30-year-old elementary school teacher in London named Poppy. She is perpetually cheery and giddy, seemingly never allowing anything or anyone to get her down. As Leigh warned ahead of time, a viewer would either love her or hate her, but one could not help but pay attention to her. I found her to be a bit grating initially but ultimately, I kind of admired her resilience. In the opening scene, someone steals her bicycle from outside a book store. She comes upon this realization slowly, as though she can’t fathom the idea of someone doing something like this to her and then laments briefly, “I didn’t even get a chance to say good bye.” In this way, she is endearingly childlike and serves as a reminder that I need to view the world with a little more innocence and compassion sometimes. During the course of the film, we become very familiar with her quirky, bohemian lifestyle and marvel at the fact that she can so seamlessly transcend grown-up problems simply by never getting too serious. Her caring, open manner allows her to deftly handle her stalker driving instructor, an angry student in her class and even her family’s attempts to force her to conform. If it comes into wide release (and I think it will), it’s definitely worthwhile.
By Saturday, everyone was in proper festival mode and journalist/writer/documentarian Richard Schickel, (who is probably in his 70s) received a special medallion for his contributions to cinema. There was a Q&A conducted by Gary Giddins, formerly of the Village Voice, during which Schickel discussed the film we would be seeing, You Must Remember This, a documentary spanning the early decades of Warner Bros. films. It is narrated by Clint Eastwood and goes for nearly two hours, covering everything from "The Jazz Singer" to "Casablanca." This was only a fraction of the entire film, which will be shown in parts on PBS in late September and will also be available on DVD next year. Schickel recommends that everyone see the PBS version as the DVD will inevitably be cut. As a side note, we thoroughly enjoyed Schickel's reflections on the movie industry of the last century and his remark on the subject: “Young people come up to me all the time and tell me they’ve never even seen a black and white film. What are they, f-ing idiots?! That is nothing to be proud of!” (My sentiments exactly!)
One really exceptional selection was an Austrian film called Revanche. The director, Gotz Spielmann was there to introduce it. He didn’t say much about it, so I was unprepared for how truly riveting it turned out to be. In the beginning, I was a bit turned off by the really graphic/violent sex (it concerns the life of a prostitute and her struggling, good hearted boyfriend who works at the brothel) but it quickly evolves into a suspenseful and engaging thriller. It is often said of movies of this particular genre that they are Hitchcockian and I am loathe to assign that sort of praise to most films but in this case, it is warranted. The boyfriend, Alex, wants desperately to sweep away his Ukrainian girlfriend to Spain and start a new life. The problem is, they don’t have any money, so he decides to knock off a bank. Things change very rapidly after that and he winds up having to stay with his farmer grandfather in the country. Scenery aside, this is a brilliantly filmed and directed movie which interestingly and convincingly weaves together the lives of five people in surprising ways. This was probably my most favorite film of the festival.
On Saturday evening, we elected to get scared and see the director’s cut of Zodiac, a film which was originally released last year but not very well received at the box office. It follows the true story of the hunt for the so-called Zodiac serial killer in California, over nearly three decades. Stars in the film include Jake Gyllenhal, Robert Downey, Jr., and Chloe Sevigney. Needless to say, it was extremely chilling and somewhat graphically violent. The director was supposed to be there but inexplicably was a no-show so we don’t know offhand what was different about this version but it was definitely well shot and written.
Another interesting selection was The Italian Straw Hat, a French silent film from 1928, which was preceded by Man-Bull Fight, an Italian short from 1907. The short was incredible from a number of perspectives. First, the comedy is so physical that it needs no sound or titling. It is simply a ridiculous seven minutes about a man who dons a pair of bull horns and creates havoc at a dinner party in a house and on the street, overthrowing everything in his way. There is some element of the Keystone Cops with a couple of police officers trying to stop him or at least slow him down, instead colliding with one another. The second interesting element was the quality of the film. It wasn’t in perfect condition and did not have the end (we’re left instead with a gang of matadors coming down the street to tame the beast) but it was fresh enough to really see the faces of the performers. The third element was really the street scenes behind the action. There was something fascinating about getting a good look at horse drawn carriages nonchalantly coming down the cobbled streets as well as the people on those streets and realizing that this was life 100 years ago.
The main film was entertaining enough but ran a bit long, even though it was only 90 minutes. The joke is revealed very early on and it doesn’t really require 90 minutes to tell. That being said, it was still a lot of fun to be frustrated and watch as a man on his wedding day accidentally destroys a married woman’s hat as she is out enjoying the afternoon with her lover…The lover and the woman take up residence at the man’s house and demand that he find an identical hat so as to preserve the woman’s honor…There are a number of sight gags, such as the uncle who has trouble hearing and therefore is unaware that anything is happening behind him and of course, the innocent bride who must wait for her groom at the altar, at the reception and ultimately, at home, while he searches for the hat.
A late screening of American Violet, which tells the true story of Dee Roberts, a young mother of four in the projects of a small Texas town who was selected for the help of the ACLU after she was unjustly imprisoned for selling drugs was enhanced by a special Q&A after the screening. Refusing to take a plea bargain, she goes up against the bigoted judicial system in Texas and ultimately prevails. Roberts is played by actress Nicole Behaire, who I am convinced will be nominated for an Academy Award after this is released. The Q&A following the film was emotional and terribly interesting as nearly the whole cast was present, in addition to the writer, Bill Haney, and the director, Tim Disney. The most exciting part was that Roberts and her children were all also in attendance and also answered questions from the audience. It will be very interesting to see what impact this has on the Texas town and its corrupt/vile D.A., who apparently is still working in that capacity there.
Also screened on Sunday was Flash of Genius, which stars Greg Kinnear in the true story of Robert Kearns, a professor/engineer/inventor who developed the intermittent windshield wiper in the late 1960’s and was ripped off by Ford. He lost his wife over his battle for rightful recognition and represented himself in the suit he filed against Ford but it took him 12 years to do it. American corporations have apparently always suffered from a total lack of ethics and responsibility and I’m hopeful that films like this will result in better treatment of artists and inventors. At the very least, people deserve to be credited for the work that they do. Sometimes, it’s really not about money. (Although Kearns ultimately did get several million dollars).
Mondays have generally been good at the festival, at least in my short experience. The festival generally TBA’s a number of popular films in an effort to help people get a final chance to see anything they’ve missed thus far. It’s also been the best way for ticket buyers to get in after the passholders and patrons have seen it all. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way this year. I had high hopes for a French film called I’ve Loved You So Long but despite several attempts to see it, the lines proved impossible, even on Monday, and we were turned away. I still recommend taking the ticket buyer route (as opposed to spending hundreds of dollars on a pass) but it does occasionally prove disadvantageous, as in this case.
In any case, after we were turned away, we did manage to see Laughing ‘Til It Hurts, a really rare collection of shorts unearthed by the Pordenone Festival. These come from archives from all around the world and included The Cook, with Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle from 1918, Should Men Walk Home with a young Oliver Hardy (1927), and a number of others that were all thoroughly entertaining and in surprisingly good condition.
Later in the day, for the final Telluride film of the year, we saw the Norwegian O’Horten, a rather bizarre and disjointed story about a man (Odd Horten) who retires from being a train engineer (beautiful snowbound scenery as the high speed train glides from tunnel to tunnel) and is evidently very lonely and bored. He spends a lot of time smoking his pipe and just drifting from one improbable situation to another and there are some mildly amusing moments but it is mostly a bit sad and felt too long. I’m not quite sure what to take away from it but there were some moving moments.
There was no place to go for food after that, as Telluride rolls up its sidewalks at 10 p.m. or earlier. That being said, Monday was a gorgeous, sunny day with hints of fall in the air. Perhaps this melancholy ending was ultimately the best, most reflective conclusion to another inspiring and varied festival.
Obviously, there were many more films I didn’t see. In addition to I’ve Loved You So Long, I’d like to catch Everlasting Moments and Adam Resurrected, which stars Jeff Goldblum.
The new Mike Leigh film, Happy-Go-Lucky was the first selection. The director was there to introduce it and admitted that despite the title, there would be dark elements to the story, which concerned a 30-year-old elementary school teacher in London named Poppy. She is perpetually cheery and giddy, seemingly never allowing anything or anyone to get her down. As Leigh warned ahead of time, a viewer would either love her or hate her, but one could not help but pay attention to her. I found her to be a bit grating initially but ultimately, I kind of admired her resilience. In the opening scene, someone steals her bicycle from outside a book store. She comes upon this realization slowly, as though she can’t fathom the idea of someone doing something like this to her and then laments briefly, “I didn’t even get a chance to say good bye.” In this way, she is endearingly childlike and serves as a reminder that I need to view the world with a little more innocence and compassion sometimes. During the course of the film, we become very familiar with her quirky, bohemian lifestyle and marvel at the fact that she can so seamlessly transcend grown-up problems simply by never getting too serious. Her caring, open manner allows her to deftly handle her stalker driving instructor, an angry student in her class and even her family’s attempts to force her to conform. If it comes into wide release (and I think it will), it’s definitely worthwhile.
By Saturday, everyone was in proper festival mode and journalist/writer/documentarian Richard Schickel, (who is probably in his 70s) received a special medallion for his contributions to cinema. There was a Q&A conducted by Gary Giddins, formerly of the Village Voice, during which Schickel discussed the film we would be seeing, You Must Remember This, a documentary spanning the early decades of Warner Bros. films. It is narrated by Clint Eastwood and goes for nearly two hours, covering everything from "The Jazz Singer" to "Casablanca." This was only a fraction of the entire film, which will be shown in parts on PBS in late September and will also be available on DVD next year. Schickel recommends that everyone see the PBS version as the DVD will inevitably be cut. As a side note, we thoroughly enjoyed Schickel's reflections on the movie industry of the last century and his remark on the subject: “Young people come up to me all the time and tell me they’ve never even seen a black and white film. What are they, f-ing idiots?! That is nothing to be proud of!” (My sentiments exactly!)
One really exceptional selection was an Austrian film called Revanche. The director, Gotz Spielmann was there to introduce it. He didn’t say much about it, so I was unprepared for how truly riveting it turned out to be. In the beginning, I was a bit turned off by the really graphic/violent sex (it concerns the life of a prostitute and her struggling, good hearted boyfriend who works at the brothel) but it quickly evolves into a suspenseful and engaging thriller. It is often said of movies of this particular genre that they are Hitchcockian and I am loathe to assign that sort of praise to most films but in this case, it is warranted. The boyfriend, Alex, wants desperately to sweep away his Ukrainian girlfriend to Spain and start a new life. The problem is, they don’t have any money, so he decides to knock off a bank. Things change very rapidly after that and he winds up having to stay with his farmer grandfather in the country. Scenery aside, this is a brilliantly filmed and directed movie which interestingly and convincingly weaves together the lives of five people in surprising ways. This was probably my most favorite film of the festival.
On Saturday evening, we elected to get scared and see the director’s cut of Zodiac, a film which was originally released last year but not very well received at the box office. It follows the true story of the hunt for the so-called Zodiac serial killer in California, over nearly three decades. Stars in the film include Jake Gyllenhal, Robert Downey, Jr., and Chloe Sevigney. Needless to say, it was extremely chilling and somewhat graphically violent. The director was supposed to be there but inexplicably was a no-show so we don’t know offhand what was different about this version but it was definitely well shot and written.
Another interesting selection was The Italian Straw Hat, a French silent film from 1928, which was preceded by Man-Bull Fight, an Italian short from 1907. The short was incredible from a number of perspectives. First, the comedy is so physical that it needs no sound or titling. It is simply a ridiculous seven minutes about a man who dons a pair of bull horns and creates havoc at a dinner party in a house and on the street, overthrowing everything in his way. There is some element of the Keystone Cops with a couple of police officers trying to stop him or at least slow him down, instead colliding with one another. The second interesting element was the quality of the film. It wasn’t in perfect condition and did not have the end (we’re left instead with a gang of matadors coming down the street to tame the beast) but it was fresh enough to really see the faces of the performers. The third element was really the street scenes behind the action. There was something fascinating about getting a good look at horse drawn carriages nonchalantly coming down the cobbled streets as well as the people on those streets and realizing that this was life 100 years ago.
The main film was entertaining enough but ran a bit long, even though it was only 90 minutes. The joke is revealed very early on and it doesn’t really require 90 minutes to tell. That being said, it was still a lot of fun to be frustrated and watch as a man on his wedding day accidentally destroys a married woman’s hat as she is out enjoying the afternoon with her lover…The lover and the woman take up residence at the man’s house and demand that he find an identical hat so as to preserve the woman’s honor…There are a number of sight gags, such as the uncle who has trouble hearing and therefore is unaware that anything is happening behind him and of course, the innocent bride who must wait for her groom at the altar, at the reception and ultimately, at home, while he searches for the hat.
A late screening of American Violet, which tells the true story of Dee Roberts, a young mother of four in the projects of a small Texas town who was selected for the help of the ACLU after she was unjustly imprisoned for selling drugs was enhanced by a special Q&A after the screening. Refusing to take a plea bargain, she goes up against the bigoted judicial system in Texas and ultimately prevails. Roberts is played by actress Nicole Behaire, who I am convinced will be nominated for an Academy Award after this is released. The Q&A following the film was emotional and terribly interesting as nearly the whole cast was present, in addition to the writer, Bill Haney, and the director, Tim Disney. The most exciting part was that Roberts and her children were all also in attendance and also answered questions from the audience. It will be very interesting to see what impact this has on the Texas town and its corrupt/vile D.A., who apparently is still working in that capacity there.
Also screened on Sunday was Flash of Genius, which stars Greg Kinnear in the true story of Robert Kearns, a professor/engineer/inventor who developed the intermittent windshield wiper in the late 1960’s and was ripped off by Ford. He lost his wife over his battle for rightful recognition and represented himself in the suit he filed against Ford but it took him 12 years to do it. American corporations have apparently always suffered from a total lack of ethics and responsibility and I’m hopeful that films like this will result in better treatment of artists and inventors. At the very least, people deserve to be credited for the work that they do. Sometimes, it’s really not about money. (Although Kearns ultimately did get several million dollars).
Mondays have generally been good at the festival, at least in my short experience. The festival generally TBA’s a number of popular films in an effort to help people get a final chance to see anything they’ve missed thus far. It’s also been the best way for ticket buyers to get in after the passholders and patrons have seen it all. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way this year. I had high hopes for a French film called I’ve Loved You So Long but despite several attempts to see it, the lines proved impossible, even on Monday, and we were turned away. I still recommend taking the ticket buyer route (as opposed to spending hundreds of dollars on a pass) but it does occasionally prove disadvantageous, as in this case.
In any case, after we were turned away, we did manage to see Laughing ‘Til It Hurts, a really rare collection of shorts unearthed by the Pordenone Festival. These come from archives from all around the world and included The Cook, with Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle from 1918, Should Men Walk Home with a young Oliver Hardy (1927), and a number of others that were all thoroughly entertaining and in surprisingly good condition.
Later in the day, for the final Telluride film of the year, we saw the Norwegian O’Horten, a rather bizarre and disjointed story about a man (Odd Horten) who retires from being a train engineer (beautiful snowbound scenery as the high speed train glides from tunnel to tunnel) and is evidently very lonely and bored. He spends a lot of time smoking his pipe and just drifting from one improbable situation to another and there are some mildly amusing moments but it is mostly a bit sad and felt too long. I’m not quite sure what to take away from it but there were some moving moments.
There was no place to go for food after that, as Telluride rolls up its sidewalks at 10 p.m. or earlier. That being said, Monday was a gorgeous, sunny day with hints of fall in the air. Perhaps this melancholy ending was ultimately the best, most reflective conclusion to another inspiring and varied festival.
Obviously, there were many more films I didn’t see. In addition to I’ve Loved You So Long, I’d like to catch Everlasting Moments and Adam Resurrected, which stars Jeff Goldblum.
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