A ONER IS FUNNER: “MOVING OHM”
I directed a short for some actor friends who were looking to make a film/have some footage for their reels. There was no budget, and as I (only briefly) pondered if I should take on the project, it occurred to
JEZEBEL (1938, Wyler)
Today's post has as much to do with David Fincher as it does with one of my all time favorite directors, William "Willy" Wyler, who's known for, among other things, the beautifully natural performances in his films. What do these two
BAMBI (1942, Disney, et al.)
Today's shot marks the first inclusion of an animated film. This one from the earlier days of Walt Disney. I tell you, these early films of his are brilliant. (By way of comparison, i feel this era of the 30s/40s
THE GODFATHER (1972, Coppola)
I think you should watch the scene first! (Though if you haven't seen The Godfather yet, move along, there's nothing to see here.) In this famous scene, to protect his family, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), who is a squeaky-clean war hero
VERTIGO part 2 (1958, Hitchcock)
As promised, we're back for one more shot from one of my favorite Hitchcock films, Vertigo. This shot really knocked my socks off when I saw it in the theater last year at the Egyptian in Hollywood. (I really should
DELIVERANCE (1972, Boorman)
No dueling banjos in today's shot, but it's no less creepy. Here's an example of a oner that builds incredible, terrifying tension in no small part because it's unbroken. Now, I don't think it's entirely successful, I'll explain in a
2001 (1968, Kubrick)
Doing research has been one of the most enjoyable parts of keeping this notebook; you never know what nugget you'll stumble upon. I really got a kick when I happened upon the material for today's post which is technically 2
TO DIE FOR (1995, Van Sant)
I'm a little obsessed with this movie at the moment. One part Citizen Kane, one part Goodfellas with a healthy dose of super-smart zany -- Gus Van Sant delivers a film as profound and as brilliantly crafted as anything the auteur makers
ROME (2005, Farino)
. Here's a TV show, but no wonder Rome is cinematic to its roots, as its pilot and first few episodes were directed by feature helmer (and charming fellow) Michael Apted, who is also the director of the amazing, on-going "(insert age
EUROPA EUROPA (1990, Holland)
Here's a fantastic shot from Agnieszka Holland's beautifully realized Europa, Europa, one of my favorite films. Holland was a friend of the late Krysztoph Kieslowski, another of my favorite directors, and they shared a lot of collaborators. On this film, Holland uses