Boss Day
Dictionary Day
Hurricane Thanksgiving Day - US Virgin Islands
St. Gallus Day - Switzerland
World Food Day
Anniversary of the Pope's Election - Vatican City
Ether Day
National Feral Cat Day
Celebrate Today's Holidays With a Movie or Two
stocking stuffers for the ones you love
Boss Day
Dictionary Day
Hurricane Thanksgiving Day - US Virgin Islands
St. Gallus Day - Switzerland
World Food Day
Anniversary of the Pope's Election - Vatican City
Ether Day
National Feral Cat Day
Cinéma Direct vs. Cinéma Vérité
The Quest for Cinematic Truth
Today marks the one billionth time the term "cinéma vérité" was applied incorrectly. This time it was in reference to a commercial for blue jeans or cell phones or something. I know what you're saying: "They're just words, man" or "why do we have to categorize anything?"
Jay Ward's "Cap'n Crunch and Friends" $13.98 at Amoeba
Yeah, I see your point, Mr. Manson. Why don't I prepare for you a fro-yo topped with Cap'n Crunch which is my term for rat poison? They're just words, after all. Oh, and the yogurt isn't really yogurt.
My point is, what is most often referred to as cinéma vérité is not only philosophically diametrically opposed to actual cinéma vérité but (more damningly) it conflates irreconcilable understandings of the nature of reality, God, the universe and everything else!
Cinéma Direct -or- what pretty much everyone erroneously refers to as Cinéma Vérité
Cinéma Direct is documentary genre that began in Québec in 1958. The Quiet Revolution, a cultural assertion of the French-speaking majority under the rule of the Anglo-minority encouraged the development of a distinct Québécois identity.
The most unfortunate by-product of la Revolution Tranquille
As part of this cultural expression, filmmakers sought to re-instill truthfulness in the documentary genre, which, by the 1950s was usually studio-based propaganda rife with dramatizations and mickey mousing. In 1922's "Nanook of the North" for example, Nanook (actually an Inuit named Allakariallak living in Inukjuak, Quebec) was built an oversized igloo to share with his wife (who wasn't really his wife) to allow a camera crew and sufficient lighting inside. He was filmed hunting with a harpoon. In the scene, Allakariallak looks in the direction of the camera laughing and smiling memorably. He only knew how to hunt with guns. You can almost hear Robert Flaherty taking him aside and asking, "Could you act more Eskimo?"
Historic Downtown Inukuak Robert Flaherty with some kids (not his)
Jay Ward's "Cap'n Crunch and Friends" $13.98 at Amoeba
Yeah, I see your point, Mr. Manson. Why don't I prepare for you a fro-yo topped with Cap'n Crunch which is my term for rat poison? They're just words, after all. Oh, and the yogurt isn't really yogurt.
My point is, what is most often referred to as cinéma vérité is not only philosophically diametrically opposed to actual cinéma vérité but (more damningly) it conflates irreconcilable understandings of the nature of reality, God, the universe and everything else!
Cinéma Direct -or- what pretty much everyone erroneously refers to as Cinéma Vérité
Cinéma Direct is documentary genre that began in Québec in 1958. The Quiet Revolution, a cultural assertion of the French-speaking majority under the rule of the Anglo-minority encouraged the development of a distinct Québécois identity.
The most unfortunate by-product of la Revolution Tranquille
As part of this cultural expression, filmmakers sought to re-instill truthfulness in the documentary genre, which, by the 1950s was usually studio-based propaganda rife with dramatizations and mickey mousing. In 1922's "Nanook of the North" for example, Nanook (actually an Inuit named Allakariallak living in Inukjuak, Quebec) was built an oversized igloo to share with his wife (who wasn't really his wife) to allow a camera crew and sufficient lighting inside. He was filmed hunting with a harpoon. In the scene, Allakariallak looks in the direction of the camera laughing and smiling memorably. He only knew how to hunt with guns. You can almost hear Robert Flaherty taking him aside and asking, "Could you act more Eskimo?"
Historic Downtown Inukuak Robert Flaherty with some kids (not his)
When I was a young'un, my parents exposed me to many horrifying films which they correctly reckoned I wouldn't understand but wrongly assumed wouldn't scar me for most of my adult life. I was four or five when my father took my six-year-old sister and I to see Alien. When I saw it again about twenty years later I was surprised at how vivid my memories were although I could now recognize that the decapitated Ash was an android, and not, as I had previously surmised, someone with milk in his veins.
Another movie that haunted me when I was young I have spent many years wondering about. I saw it in the late 1978 Wood-paneled RCA Selectavision VCR. I didn't have much to go on. I remembered a country house, black & white sequences, an old woman in a chair that gets spun around and, most importantly, a chauffeur with an awful and inappropriate smile that he flashes during a funeral. After that I used to smile creepily at my younger brother whilst my sister relied on draping her long hair over her face like a Yūrei.
Anyway, for years I have repeated those vague details to co-workers and horror aficionados, blogged about it and watched things like House of Seven Corpses to no avail.
A few years ago a Korean guy came in and asked about a movie with a creepy chauffeur and a country house. We started talking excitedly hoping to reach a breakthrough. He too had seen it when very young and been scarred and he thought it was based on an Agatha Christie novel which seemed likely because my mother loved Agatha Christie and so I set about watching the many Agatha Christie adaptations that take place in country houses which is pretty much all of them, it turns out... unless it's on a train. Years passed. The Korean guy came back and asked if I'd figured it out. Neither had he.
We have some new guys in the horror section at Amoeba now so I thought I'd ask Rigoberto aka Riggs aka Rigo. Remaining calm he snapped his fingers and replied, "Burnt Offerings." I looked at the back of the DVD. An old woman in a chair! I googled "Burnt Offerings" and "chauffeur"
Slim said there was a movie he was trying to figure out from his childhood and it involved a turbulent pool. Same movie.
I got goosebumps. Now what am I going to ask God? How did Evan's doll "Becky" disappear from the pond and end up in a tree? Who spilled the jelly on the chair in the living room that I got blamed for? I fear that I have no reason to live now... except to get my three dollars back from preppie Jim Garbez who, owing me money as he does, had the gall to say to me, "Change the hair, lose the jacket."
I watched the movie. It's not terribly scary to me now although I did get goosebumps and chills now and then and it was fun to dredge up so many memories attached, still, to a toddlers point-of-view. It's pretty brutal for a PG film as well (although it was the 70s... remember they made "Dark Night of the Scarecrow" was for TV!)
Another movie that haunted me when I was young I have spent many years wondering about. I saw it in the late 1978 Wood-paneled RCA Selectavision VCR. I didn't have much to go on. I remembered a country house, black & white sequences, an old woman in a chair that gets spun around and, most importantly, a chauffeur with an awful and inappropriate smile that he flashes during a funeral. After that I used to smile creepily at my younger brother whilst my sister relied on draping her long hair over her face like a Yūrei.
Anyway, for years I have repeated those vague details to co-workers and horror aficionados, blogged about it and watched things like House of Seven Corpses to no avail.
A few years ago a Korean guy came in and asked about a movie with a creepy chauffeur and a country house. We started talking excitedly hoping to reach a breakthrough. He too had seen it when very young and been scarred and he thought it was based on an Agatha Christie novel which seemed likely because my mother loved Agatha Christie and so I set about watching the many Agatha Christie adaptations that take place in country houses which is pretty much all of them, it turns out... unless it's on a train. Years passed. The Korean guy came back and asked if I'd figured it out. Neither had he.
We have some new guys in the horror section at Amoeba now so I thought I'd ask Rigoberto aka Riggs aka Rigo. Remaining calm he snapped his fingers and replied, "Burnt Offerings." I looked at the back of the DVD. An old woman in a chair! I googled "Burnt Offerings" and "chauffeur"
Slim said there was a movie he was trying to figure out from his childhood and it involved a turbulent pool. Same movie.
I got goosebumps. Now what am I going to ask God? How did Evan's doll "Becky" disappear from the pond and end up in a tree? Who spilled the jelly on the chair in the living room that I got blamed for? I fear that I have no reason to live now... except to get my three dollars back from preppie Jim Garbez who, owing me money as he does, had the gall to say to me, "Change the hair, lose the jacket."
I watched the movie. It's not terribly scary to me now although I did get goosebumps and chills now and then and it was fun to dredge up so many memories attached, still, to a toddlers point-of-view. It's pretty brutal for a PG film as well (although it was the 70s... remember they made "Dark Night of the Scarecrow" was for TV!)
The other night I went with Em and Bao (and my co-worker Hiland) to see the filming of the pilot for a Chris Elliot vehicle called "Chrissy Plain & Simple". I like the name and concept. Just pure, unadulterated Chris Elliot without any bells and whistles and jangles and bangles and be-bops and re-rops and flee-flops... or something to that effect. If you're a fan, you know how he just stupidly starts rambling to that effect.
On the downside- it's sketch comedy with pre-filmed satirical segments that we had to watch a couple of times and force some laughter for the second time around. At one point I looked up at a monitor and the entire frame was filled with my chin and some teeth laughing at nothing but the instructions of the episode's director, Bobcat Goldthwait.
The show takes place on a stage cluttered with Chris Elliot cut-outs of Chris in different poses, always wearing socks regardless of the character being portrayed and, I have to say, his stupid expressions forced me to smile over and over before filming whilst Jimmy Kimmel cracked jokes- and talked about the fact that he, I and some other guys were all coincidentally wearing maroon shirts.
The show started with an introduction and the first skit was a parody of My Super Sweet 16 which gave Chris a chance to do his annoying, entitled brat shtick which is one of my favorites but, of the MTVs, I only have MTV trés which seems to be mostly videos and not reality programming so some of it might've gone over my head.
The second skit was a parody of Most Dangerous Catch. Do I need cable? I don't think so. This time Chris and crew fished for eels in a la s behest, to love himself resulting in him having an affair with himself and subsequently shooting himself in jealousy that I found extremely funny.
So, there's pretty much no chance that the show's getting picked up which is a shame but I really would rather see Chris in a sitcom than sketch comedy anyway and I'm glad I saw a vastly under-appreciated comedic genius perform live.
Although one of my favorite characters of his is the Canadian hitchhiker on Letterman who foretold bad things happening before passing on; I've never been able to find any of those clips so I leave you with other highlights.
On the downside- it's sketch comedy with pre-filmed satirical segments that we had to watch a couple of times and force some laughter for the second time around. At one point I looked up at a monitor and the entire frame was filled with my chin and some teeth laughing at nothing but the instructions of the episode's director, Bobcat Goldthwait.
The show takes place on a stage cluttered with Chris Elliot cut-outs of Chris in different poses, always wearing socks regardless of the character being portrayed and, I have to say, his stupid expressions forced me to smile over and over before filming whilst Jimmy Kimmel cracked jokes- and talked about the fact that he, I and some other guys were all coincidentally wearing maroon shirts.
The show started with an introduction and the first skit was a parody of My Super Sweet 16 which gave Chris a chance to do his annoying, entitled brat shtick which is one of my favorites but, of the MTVs, I only have MTV trés which seems to be mostly videos and not reality programming so some of it might've gone over my head.
The second skit was a parody of Most Dangerous Catch. Do I need cable? I don't think so. This time Chris and crew fished for eels in a la s behest, to love himself resulting in him having an affair with himself and subsequently shooting himself in jealousy that I found extremely funny.
So, there's pretty much no chance that the show's getting picked up which is a shame but I really would rather see Chris in a sitcom than sketch comedy anyway and I'm glad I saw a vastly under-appreciated comedic genius perform live.
Although one of my favorite characters of his is the Canadian hitchhiker on Letterman who foretold bad things happening before passing on; I've never been able to find any of those clips so I leave you with other highlights.
I had a dream in which the modern world was invaded by a formerly secretive race of small, very pale people with curly red hair. They set up shanty towns in abandoned lots and parking lots and started little weed gardens amidst the cracks in the asphalt. With the encroachment of development, they felt the need to go public. I thought to myself, "These people must've inspired the belief in Leprechauns." These folk were not the mischievous, gold-hording, dog-rustling, cobblers we've heard about. They were poor farmers struggling to survive and they were generally quiet as the breeze blew through their ginger hair...