Thought I'd pop in to share some of the things I've been watching [or plan to] when I should be grading. Apologies to those who deserve attribution for posting these first that I failed to note. What can I say, I suck.
First up: Peter Bogdanovich in conversation about They All Laughed with writer-director Wes Anderson. [And not just because yesterday I described my outfit as drag Peter Bogdanovich leading a safari. Well, not solely]. Here's part one of three. While watching, try this fun game: drink every time they say "picture!" Then, try to tie a cravat.
Yeah, ol' Peter B. sure knows a lot about old Hollywood. BUT NOT AS MUCH AS MARTIN SCORSESE. NO ONE DOES. NO ONE. Don't believe me? Set aside four-plus hours and see for yourself on the new BFI Daily Motion channel, which offers A Personal Journey with Scorsese, not to mention Terence Davies, Alex Cox, Derek Jarman, the Brothers Quay, and a shit-tonne of Lotte Reiniger animated fairy tales. [via] Speaking of Signore Scorsese, those of youse in the greater Atlanta area can catch his latest doc [with Kent Jones], A Letter to Elia, at the Plaza Atlanta Monday, September 6, 7:30 p.m. as part of an Emory-sponsored Kazan series. [Kazan's Viva Zapata! screens immediately afterwards.]
More interested in the distaff side of directing? Allow me to recommend this sit-down with Nicole Holofcener, courtesy of the fine folks at her alma mater NYU: again following the rule of 1, 2, 3.
Or you could noodle around P.O.V.'s site and see some gorgeous doc shorts like Seltzer Works and Salt as a little lagniappe.
And now to get extra service-y:
- Useful for academics and video essayists: Clip n' save this grid guide to copyright term and the public domain in the United States.
- Useful for aspiring academics and other cinema studies poseurs: Film School Thesis Statement Generator
- Useful for cinemaphages: Criterioncast's exhaustive list of the Criterion films due to disappear from Netflix's Watch Instantly streaming service starting September 22.
So, I guess, get cracking, kids.
