Tiger Beat

On Vox: Another short from Errol Morris on the Oscars

In 2002, the highlight of the Oscars was a short film (which is online) with 98 people (many famous, some not) talking about their favorite movies.  He shot 25 hours of film.  The short was 4 minutes 15 seconds.

Ann Thompson reports in the Hollywood Reporter that Morris made another short for Sunday's Oscars while
working on his Abu Ghraib film.

He interviewed 130 Oscar nominees for what was supposed to be a 4 minute short.  It ended up being
4 minutes and 40 seconds long. All of the 130 people he interviewed appear in it (Thompson writes that on the other film, "Morris caught hell from some of the luminaries he left out, like U.S. poet laureate Robert Pinsky").

In the article, he mentions he hopes he'll be able to make a longer film out of the interviews.  I hope he is able to this time.

He had wanted to make a longer version of the 2002 short, but abandonned the project.  There is an example of what he was hoping to do - edit in the favorite films of people as they talked about them (in this case the Donald talking about Citizen Kane).  I wonder the reason he didn't complete it had to do with the cost of the rights to use the clips from films (I think one reason LA Plays Itself isn't available on DVD is because of rights issues).

Originally posted on tigerbeat.vox.com

On Vox: Ghosts of Abu Ghraib on HBO

Ghosts of Abu Ghraib

The Ghosts of Abu Ghraib begins showing on HBO February 22nd and will repeat many times through the end of March.  For people without HBO, it will be out on DVD in June.

We've all read about Abu Ghraib and seen the photos, but this documentary puts it together with a stong narrative in a way that hasn't happened before.

Ghosts of Abu Ghraib: Mark Danner & Rory Kennedy

I went to a screening of Ghosts last month sponsored by HBO and the World Affairs Council which was followed by a discussion between director Rory Kennedy and Mark Danner who wrote Torture and Truth: America, Abu Ghraib, and the War on Terror (some of the
essays  from the book are online  - scroll down to 2005 and 2004).

Some of the most compelling parts of the documentary are interviews with some of the prisoners at Abu Ghraib.  Kennedy said it wasn't easy to do the interviews.  They originally were going to be interviewed in Jordan, but the men weren't allowed into the country.  The same thing happened in Turkey, but they were able to convince the government to allow the interviews to take place.  All of the men's identities are hidden except for one who insisted on showing his face despite the danger.

 I wish Ghosts was being released in theaters.  It will be powerful on television, but there is an even greater impact seeing it on a large screen with an audience.

But a documentary like this should have been done by CBS, ABC, or NBC.   Yes, 60 Minutes broke the story along with the New Yorker, and the others have covered it. But the death of the long form documentary on the networks has left the full story untold.

Errol Morris is also working on a documentary on Abu Ghraib which focuses more on the photographs and the history of photography in war.  He said in Chicago in November he hoped to complete it in time for Cannes and it should receive a theaterical release this fall or next year.

 

Fernando Botero 's Abu Ghraib

There also is an exhibit of Fernando Botero's Abu Ghraib paintings at UC Berkeley through March 23rd.  It will be at the American University Museum in DC from November 6th to December 30th.  But the exhibit was refused first by many museums in the US.  There is a book of the paintings.

Fernando Botero & Robert Hass on torture & Abu Ghraib

There is a webcast (and mp3) of a conversation between Botero and Robert Haas as well as a later discussion of art and violence.  There will be a panel on March 7th on Torture, Human Rights and Terrorism (which probably will be online).

Some interviews with Rory Kennedy

www.sf360.org/features/2007/02/rory_kennedy_an.html

www.indiewire.com/people/2007/01/park_city_07_in_13.html

www.kqed.org/epArchive/R702051000

www.docsthatinspire.com/?p=29

Originally posted on tigerbeat.vox.com

On Vox: Free Screenings of Oscar Nominated Documentaries at the Balboa

Free Oscar nominated documentaries at the Balboa

On Wednesday, Feb. 21st, the Balboa is screening all of the Oscar nominated documentary shorts and features.

The first film, Jesus Camp starts at noon and the last film, Iraq in Fragments, begins at 9:10 pm (full schedule with links to more info on the films).   It is sponsored by the Documentary Film Institute.

Iraq in Fragments (which really should be seen in a theater) is also playing at the Roxie at least through February 27th. Mark Danner will introduce a free screening on Sunday March, 4th at 4 pm at the De Young as part of the Documentary Film Institute's Witness to War.

The Balboa, Roxie, and Documentary Film Institute all have email lists.

Originally posted on tigerbeat.vox.com

On Vox: Tuesday on PBS: Media & Hip-hop

Josh vlogging at the SF Apple store

The second episode of Frontline's News War features an interview towards the end with Josh Wolf (the
complete program will be online Wednesday).  Fora.tv has a video online of the Commonwealth Club speech by Lowell Bergman and Steve Talbot.

After Frontline on many PBS stations (check local listings), Hip Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes airs on Independent Lens.  The documentary by Byron White takes a critical look at the sexism and homophobia in rap.

In San Francisco, Frontline is on at 10 pm on KQED and IL at 11 pm.

Originally posted on tigerbeat.vox.com

On Vox: Gary Snyder

Gary Snyder

Gary Snyder read last night from his new collection of essays, Back on the Fire.

He talked about and read an interview from 2001 he reprinted in the book.   He said
Susan Denning called him up and asked for an interview for the online magazine, Caffeine Destiny.

He said yes and asked when do you want to do it?  She said now.  He asked her how long
it would take.  She said about two minutes, so he did the interview.

Snyder also read from this speech in the book he gave about haiku.

The Lanon Foundation has audio of a 1999 reading by Snyder and conversation with Wendell Berry online.  They
have recordings of many more writers and have started a podcast.

Snyder will be reading tonight (Feb. 15) at 7:30 pm at Berkeley City College (2050 Center St) with several other writers
and on Friday, Feb 16 at 7:30 pm at Diesel Books in Oakland (he'll probably be doing other readings - unfortunately
his publisher doesn't have a list).

A few more photos on flickr.

Originally posted on tigerbeat.vox.com

On Vox: Four Eyed Monsters Valentine's Day screenings

Four Eyed Monsters Valentine's Day screenings

  An article in the LA Times, Not in the Mood for Love, examined the sad state of the Hollywood romantic comedy.  But love for and in the movies is alive and well and online.

Screening in 30+ cities on Valentines Day

Four Eyed Monsters is screening tonight  (or later this month) in over 30 cities including the Balboa in San Francisco at 9:15 pm and the Music Box in Chicago at 9:45 pm.  The movie was a hit with audiences and critics at film festivals, but not distributors. 

Episode 1 - "In The Beginning"

So the filmmakers began making a video podcast and using other forms of online outreach that were just as creative and entertaining as their movie.  FEM was nominated for Independent Spirit Awards for best cinematography and best film made for under $500,000.  It also won the Undiscovered Gems film series audience award. 

In January, they had a free screening in Second Life and also posted video blogs at the Sundance Film Festival.

If FEM isn't playing near you (or you already have plans for tonight), the DVD will be out soon.

Originally posted on tigerbeat.vox.com

On Vox: Frontline: News War

FRONTLINE "News War" (Part I) at pbs.org/frontline

I'll write more about next week's episode, but I wanted to let people know he four part series, News War, begins airing Tuesday, Feb. 13th on PBS stations (and the programs will be available online).

Lowell Bergman talking about Frontline's News Wars

Audio from the talk at the Commonwealth Club is now online and will air on KQED FM at 8 pm on March 17th (and around that time on other stations - they now also have podcasts) .

Bergman was also interviewed on Fresh Air.

FRONTLINE "News War" (Part II) at pbs.org/frontline

The Feb. 20th episode includes an interview with Josh Wolf.  People will be holding house parties to watch the episode.

FRONTLINE "News War" (Part III) at pbs.org/frontline

Steve Talbot (seated in the CC photo) produced the third episode which air on Feb. 27th and will look at old media (with a focus on the LA Times) and new media (including a behind the scenes look at the Daily Show).

Jeff Perlstein says pass a federal shield law & free Josh Wolf

Josh Wolf was interviewed on Democracy Now.  In the video version, they use photos from my Free Josh Wolf set towards the end of the interview.

Originally posted on tigerbeat.vox.com

On Vox: Sunday at SF Indiefest

Dante's Inferno: Sean Meredith & Sandow Birk

The three films I saw Friday at Indiefest (which all are worth seeing particularly since the filmmakers will be doing a Q&A) are playing again on Sunday, Feb. 11.  The amazing Dante's Inferno is at noon at the Victoria.

Pamela Valente talking about Rock N Tokyo

Also at noon (but at the Roxie) is Rock N Tokyo

The Ballad of Greenwich Village

And the Ballad of Greenwich Village is at 9:30 pm at the Victoria.  It plays with Mischief at16th & Florida (which will also be on the program at Other Cinema at ATA on March 10th).

Promoting Rolling opening night

Rolling has one of the best descriptions in a festival program I've read.  It plays at the Victoria at 7 pm
and on Feb. 17 at 4:30 pm.

More photos (I'll be posting more throughout the fest).  Even if you can't make it to San Francisco, you can vote for the best trailer.

Originally posted on tigerbeat.vox.com

On Vox: The SF Indie Empire

San Francisco Independent Film Fest Feb. 8 - 20

The ninth San Francisco Independent Film Festival opens tonight and runs through Feb. 20th.  In less
than a decade, the main fest has grown, and they've added Docfest, the Hole in a Head horror fest, and
a new animation fest later this year.

SF Indiefest Feb. 2 -20

It opens at the Castro though the rest of the films will be shown at the Roxie, the Victoria, and the California in Berkeley.

lynch

At all films except tonight's opening screening of Inland Empire (which is sold out though it opens in bay area theaters on Friday) there will be rush tickets if you arrive early enough.  But it is wise to buy your tickets online or get a discount pass.

David Lynch (shown here in a still from an excellent Culture Catch interview ) is in England for the opening there, but producer Mary Sweeney will answer questions.

On Friday at 2:15 pm Chris Gore will give a free presentation at the Roxie.




Trailers for some of the films are online including Dante's Inferno which is among the films I'm most looking forward to seeing.

Originally posted on tigerbeat.vox.com

On Vox: Vox Hunt: Uncork It

Show us some interesting bottles.
Submitted by Red Pen.

Jonathan Coulton & John Hodgman

When Jonathan Coulton and John Hodgeman were at Cody's on October 12, 2006, they paused to sip
some cognac.  I tried to get some good shots of the bottle, but it didn't quite work.

But this was mostly an excuse of mention Coulton is playing a bunch of shows this month on the west coast including at Cafe du Nord in San Francisco on Feb. 18th. 

Originally posted on tigerbeat.vox.com