Hello all,
I?ve been working on a unique project calledFirebones, which will be coming out in mid-February. As we get closer to the launch date, I will tell you more, but in the meantime, here is atrailer for the series.
We are beginning work on DocuFest for fall, which we hope to hold live and in-person and a celebration of gathering together. It will be joyous.
Cinematic Conversations
This week we will be having a lively discussion aboutMANK, which you can see on Netflix. If you have time, I might recommend you can watch Citizen Kane before our Thursday night discussion (7:30 CST). You can find Kane on HBO MAX and TCM, and hey, it?s always good to watch Kane. MANK has references to Upton Sinclair’s race for the Governor of California. If someone would volunteer to do a bit of research on that to add to the discussion, that would be helpful. <extra credit=”” or=”” a=”” video=”” fest=”” t-shirt=””></extra>
Our guest hosts this week (yes, we have 2) are:
Tom Schatz has taught film studies at UT Austin for 40 years and has written four books about Hollywood films and filmmaking. These include Hollywood Genres, now widely considered the standard academic text on that subject; The Genius of the System, a highly acclaimed book about the “studio system” during Hollywood’s so-called classical era; and most recently Boom and Bust: American Cinema in the 1940’s.
Joseph McBride teaches film at San Francisco State. He has written numerous books, including biographies of notable film directors, a book on screenwriting, an investigative journalism book on the JFK assassination, and a memoir of the dark years in his life. Most important for our discussion is the bookOrson Welles: Actor and Director and What Ever Happened to Orson Welles?: A Portrait of an Independent Career
Last week Sam Pollard had an issue with his phone and missed our conversation, but he will indeed join us at the end of February.
What to watch this week:
The Sundance film festival continues for a few more days. You can see some films at The Texas Theater. Some are inside if you want to risk it (I will not), but there is one screening at their drive-in and an on-line panel.
Prime Time
Speaking of Sundance, one of the titles I?ve heard some buzz about is the Sparks Brothers documentary by Edgar Wright. That?s right, a documentary! I remember Sparks Brothers from the On the Air video bar days with songs like ?All You Ever Think About is Sex,? but I thought I would go back and see what I was missing and there are some good tracks there. What really caught my attention was a rock opera calledThe Seduction of Ingmar Bergman, which is worth a listen.
2/1/21 3:45 PM in the theater. In 1999 Sebastian locks himself in a TV studio. He has two hostages, a gun, and an important message for the world.
JOCKEY Online Discussion
2/2/21 6:00 PM Director Clint Bentley and writer/producer Greg Kwedar of US Narrative Competition selection Jockey (and previously the SXSW Audience Award winner Transpecos) sit down with Sailor Bear’s Toby Halbrooks (A Ghost Story, Pete’s Dragon) to talk about making independent work from the growing film community of North Texas. Jockey was the 2020 recipient of the AFS Grant Pioneer Film Fund Award, in partnership with Sailor Bear Entertainment and the Oak Cliff Film Festival. Moderated by Dallas International Film Festival Artistic Director, James Faust.
Marvelous and the Black Hole
2/2 8:30 Drive-in
A teenage delinquent (Miya Cech) teams up with a surly children?s party magician (Rhea Perlman) to navigate her dysfunctional family and inner demons.
Theatre and Dance Organizations
Arts groups around town have some very inspiring work for you to see, including
Undermain Theater,Soul Rep, Teatro Dallas, andBruce Wood Dance Company. All of these are both great experiences and worthy of your support.
|