The Silent Movie Theatre

You might think silent movies are a thing of the past, only to be appreciated for their historical significance. According to Sammy Harkham, director of programming at L.A.’s Silent Movie Theatre, you’d be wrong. “I say, ‘fuck history.’ That’s the problem. Silent movies just seem boring if you’re unfamiliar with them, or had to sit through one in high school. But the great silent films haven’t aged a bit… and if anything are even more powerful when compared with much of work being made now.” Harkham, who is 26, and his 24-year-old brother Dan bought the Los Angeles landmark just this past June, reopening the theater to the public in early October.

The Silent Movie Theatre, which is the only silent film cinema in the United States, opened in 1942, just as the popularity of silent film was waning. As the Theatre passed from owner to owner, it has survived mainly through the hosting of private parties, since, as Harkham points out, “the audience for silents is pretty small obviously, but loyal.”

Through a careful business strategy, the Harkhams hope to reward this loyal fan base with a diverse screening of classic silent films, while branching out to a wider audience with the additional showing of films from the 1930s to the ’70s. It’s often said that the young have no respect for the past, but the Harkham brothers’ dedication to preserving this nearly-lost cinematic experience proves the exception to the rule.

For more information, visit www.silentmovietheatre.com.

November 13th, 2006 | Category: Exhibitor of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Montréal, Canada

There are many reasons to hop the border to the Canadian province of Québec: A liberal political climate, delicious French-Canadian cuisine and the yearly winter carnival for starters. But for moviemakers, the incentives are even greater, leading many Americans to take their cast and crew north, in particular to the city of Montréal.

Rachel Weisz and Hugh Jackman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Fountain.

The largest city in Québec, Montréal has a long history of supporting the arts, and offers a variety of benefits for moviemakers looking to shoot in the area. From assisting with location scouting to financial and tax support, the Montréal Film and TV Commission has ensured that its town is moviemaker—and movie lover—friendly. The city has played host to over 1,000 film and television projects, including Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming epic, The Fountain, which follows the romance of a star-crossed couple over the course of a millennium.

Some of both mainstream and indie film’s most successful flicks have called Montréal their home for some period of time, from the apocalyptic blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow (the city’s highest grossing film to date) to art-house classics like François Girard’s The Red Violin and Norman Jewison’s Agnes of God.

For more information on taking advantage of some French-Canadian hospitality, visit www.montrealfilm.com.

November 13th, 2006 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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This Day in Indie History: Breaking the Waves

The first segment of Lars von Trier’s Golden Heart trilogy, Breaking the Waves opened in U.S. theaters in 1996. The story follows Jan Nyman (Stellan SkarsgÃ¥rd), an oilrig worker who, after suffering paralysis from an industrial accident, urges his simple and devoted wife Bess (Emily Watson) to sleep with other men. In Dogme 95 tradition the movie makes use of jump cuts and organic dialogue but breaks the rules by adding musical interludes and on-set locations.

Filmstar Factoid: Actress Emily Watson made her feature film debut as Bess McNeill and received an Oscar nomination for her work. She has since gone on to work on Anand Tucker’s Hilary and Jackie (which garnered her a second Oscar nom), Alan Parker’s Angela’s Ashes, Robert Altman’s Gosford Park and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love.

November 13th, 2006 | Category: This Day in Indie History | By MovieMaker Staff

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Vincent Schiavelli

Renowned character actor Vincent Schiavelli was born on this day in 1948, appearing in 149 films before his death from lung cancer in 2005. Schiavelli, a native of Brooklyn, New York, studied acting at NYU before embarking on his impressive career in theater, film and television. Throughout his career Schiavelli would often appear in four to five movies per year—his 6’6” stature and distinctive face affording him a niche playing intimidating and often disturbing characters. Some of the actor’s most notable projects include Milos Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The People vs. Larry Flynt, Amy Heckerling’s Fast Times At Ridgemont High and, more recently, Mario Van Peebles’ Baadasssss!

Filmstar Factoid: In addition to his acting career, Schiavelli was the award-winning author of three Sicillian cookbooks.

November 10th, 2006 | Category: This Day in Indie History | By MovieMaker Staff

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“He’s Only a Demi-God”

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a man who has had many dreams come true. From bodybuilding to acting to politics (three professions that have surprisingly similar skill sets), this Austrian powerhouse has ridden his macho persona all the way to the top of his various careers, embodying the American dream to an almost absurd extent. But let’s not forget where dear Ah-nold got his acting start: As the oiled up, muscle-packed star of Hercules in New York.

Surely you’ve seen this 1970 classic, in which the strongest of strongmen, dissatisfied with life on Mount Olympus, is sent by Zeus to the Big Apple in order to find out just how rough life can be outside the land of the gods (considering the landscape of ‘70s New York, that’s a pretty harsh lesson to dole out).

But wait—there’s more. Not only can you now see this B-list gem with Arnold’s original voice-track (he was dubbed over for the theatrical run). But as of November 7th, you can bid for the rights to the California governor’s cinematic debut. Premiere Pictures International, which currently owns the film, has decided to auction off this little bit of moviemaking history via eBay, donating a quarter of the winning bid to the Metro Theatre Center Foundation, a nonprofit supporting local arts and film-related causes.

As of this writing, there are no bids for the film (the starting price is $550K), but the auction closes on November 17th—so those of you with a few hundred grand to throw around should jump right in. Is there anything better than a film that is essentially The Terminator meets Crocodile Dundee meets Jason and the Argonauts? We think not.

(Don’t believe us? Check out the trailer below.)

[mpeg width="320" height="255"]http://www.premierepicturesinc.com/images/hercules_trailer.mpg[/mpeg]

November 8th, 2006 | Category: News/Commentary | By MovieMaker Staff

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Could It Be Thetan?

The Little Tramp. America’s Sweetheart. The Great Swashbuckler. The Man Who Invented Hollywood. The Star of Losin’ It?

One of these things is not like the others… and it would be Tom Cruise. (Though I guess you could sort of play that game with Tom Cruise and anyone in Hollywood today.)

After being unceremoniously dumped in late August by Paramount Pictures after a 14-year collaboration that resulted in a number of box offices hits (including the Mission: Impossible franchise), it was announced on Thursday that Tom Cruise and his producing pal Paula Wagner are set to resurrect United Artists in a partnership with MGM Studios.

Cruise and Wagner will follow in the footsteps of legendary moviemakers Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin and D.W. Griffith, who originally established UA—known as “the company built by stars"—in 1919 in order to allow greater creative freedom for actors and directors.

In addition to a large ownership of the company, Cruise and Wagner “will have control of setting the company’s production slate, from development to production greenlighting ability, subject to certain parameters,” according to an MGM press release. Guess this means that Cruise won’t have the final word on Battlefield Earth II: Electric Boogaloo?

November 7th, 2006 | Category: News/Commentary | By MovieMaker Staff

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Rooftop Films

Just as in real estate, moviemaking is all about location, location, location—in terms of where you shoot and where you show. No group takes the aesthetic value of a screening’s surroundings more seriously than the folks at Rooftop Films.

Founded in the summer of 1997 as a way to screen little-seen movies, Rooftop has grown into a full-fledged moviemaking collective, offering touring events, moviemaker grants and equipment rentals. But, of course, screenings are still the main attraction—on rooftops from Manhattan to Montreal.

“At Rooftop, by literally bringing the underground outside, we relax the atmosphere of the screening and engage a much broader public than many festivals,” says Mark Elijah Rosenberg, Rooftop Films’ artistic director. “It’s more populist, and in this way we can introduce people to films and types of film they wouldn’t otherwise see.”

On November 9^th, Rooftop Films will hold a special event at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Manhattan, with a screening of Paul Festa’s documentary, Apparition of the Eternal Church, a live organ performance and a Q&A with the moviemaker. “I think the really cool thing about this event is that the film is visually rather simple, but it will be presented in this truly gorgeous, elaborate cathedral,” says Rosenberg of the venue. Though the event will be an indoor one, Rosenberg promises a unique experience nonetheless. “Even when we’re indoors, at Rooftop Films we look to create a dynamic synergy between the film, the space, the artist, the audience. Our presentation of a film is always unique and exciting.”

For more information, visit www.rooftopfilms.com.

November 6th, 2006 | Category: Exhibitor of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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The Kairos Prize

At first glance, Hollywood might seem to be a secular community (Scientology and Kabbalah fads aside). But the Templeton Foundation, an independent organization dedicated to encouraging the exploration of moral and spiritual values, is determined to bring religious moviemakers out of the woodwork. To this end, they have developed the Kairos Prize, which awards up to $50,000 worth of prizes to screenwriters who pen “spiritually uplifting” screenplays.

In choosing the name “Kairos,” which is a Greek word meaning “the right time” or “the critical moment,” the Templeton Foundation underscores what they see as the imperative need for a larger religious presence in popular moviemaking. “The decision-makers in Hollywood now recognize 70 to 80 percent of such movies are profitable, compared with 10 percent of R- or X-rated movies that end up making a profit,” claims Dr. John Templeton, Jr., president of the Foundation. “At the recent Screenwriting Expo, two of the most popular sessions were entitled ‘Christians in Hollywood’ and ‘Writing for the Family Film Market,’ showing once again the interest in these areas.”

The prize was founded by a winner of the Foundation’s Epiphany Prize (the Christian equivalent of the Oscars), who donated his prize money to create a way to reward and promote spiritual scripts. “[The prize] assures that out of the 300,000 new scripts [written] each year, the winners’ scripts will be read by one or more major studios,” says Templeton.

The deadline for the 2007 Kairos Prize is December 15. For more information, visit www.kairosprize.com.

November 6th, 2006 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Venice, Italy

This scattering of islands on the northeast coast of Italy has long stood as the embodiment of romance and mystery—a quality inevitably captured in the films that employ the Venetian canals as their backdrop.  Cashing in on the darker tones of the city, and hoping to follow in the footsteps of Venetian box office winners Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Italian Job, The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley, is the upcoming Bond flick Casino Royale.

Comprised of a cluster of small islands, Venice has played a major role in Italian artistic culture, from the famous architecture of the Duke’s palace to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum and most famously the ornate masks of the city’s winter carnival.  Within the film community, the Venice Film Festival—the world’s oldest film festival—remains one of the most prestigious, recognizing many of the year’s top films and awarding the much sought-after Leone d’Oro (Golden Lion) to the fest’s best picture.  At the 63rd Venice Film Festival this past August, the best picture Lion was awarded to Jia Zhang-Ke’s Sanxia Haoren, and best director to Alain Resnais for Private Fears in Public Places.

Other films that have featured Venice’s (sinking) streets include:

Death in Venice
Everyone Says I Love You
The Wings of the Dove
The Merchant of Venice
From Russia With Love
Casanova

November 6th, 2006 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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The Heartland Film Festival

It’s tough to argue with quality movies, a dedicated group of film lovers who moonlight as festival staffers and $200,000 in cash prizes. Which probably explains why Indianapolis’ Heartland Film Festival just keeps getting bigger.

Though Heartland just celebrated its fifteenth year in October, the festival is hardly old news. Attendance was up almost 18 percent this year, with a total of more than 21,000 visitors. “I think the heart of the growth comes from consistently having a strong selection of films for a very diverse [audience], which builds strong word of mouth,” says festival president Jeffrey Sparks. “Folks who see one or two films in their first year often plan to see more the next year and bring friends.”

This year, writer David Wolstencroft was on hand to accept the festival’s coveted $100,000 grand prize on behalf of Michael Caton-Jones’ Shooting Dogs, which stars John Hurt as a Catholic priest caught in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Made in 2005 and screened at some of the world’s top festivals—including Cannes, Toronto and Karlovy Vary—Shooting Dogs has yet to find a partner for a larger theatrical release. Sparks hopes Heartland can help. “Our hope is that the winning filmmakers would use the monies to help launch the film, which is the plan of the folks behind Shooting Dogs.”

The festival will begin accepting entries for its 2007 events in mid-March; log onto www.heartlandfilmfestival.org for more information.

November 6th, 2006 | Category: Festival of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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MM Remembers: Adrienne Shelly

Actually, it’s hard to believe I’m writing this.  It’s just been reported that Adrienne Shelly, the lovely, talented New York-based independent film actor, director and writer, died suddenly and unexpectedly Wednesday night.  She leaves behind her husband and three-year-old daughter. She was 40.

Adrienne was a creative dynamo, first gaining fame as an actress in Hal Hartley’s early movies and most recently starring in Factotum. Her publicist reports that she was excited to hear from Sundance about her new movie, Waitress, which she wrote and directed.

Some longtime MovieMaker readers may remember that Adrienne was our covergirl on issue #20 in the summer of 1996. I’d spent a couple of days with her that spring, getting to know her a bit for that piece. She struck me as so different from most actresses I’d met. She was focused on her career, yes, but not driven to do anything that didn’t fall in line with her definition of creative fulfillment. It was obvious that Adrienne walked to the beat of her own drummer.

As I look back on that interview, it seems Adrienne may have been as prepared as a person can be for this type of tragedy. Her father died suddenly when she was very young, and he’d never even been sick, she told me.

“I’ve gone through life with this feeling that life could end at any given moment. When I wrote Sudden Manhattan, a writer friend said to me ‘Look, Adrienne, it’s your first feature—it might take seven years to get produced!’ And I thought, this is not acceptable to me. Because in my way of thinking, I might not live another seven years.

“This is a feeling that kind of frees me. This is my life, so I’d better enjoy it and be responsible. There’s something that Kierkegaard writes about in a similar vein. He said:  Don’t make plans for the future without adding the phrase ‘However, I might be dead in the next 10 minutes, in which case I shall not attend to it.’”

Adrienne went on to tell me she was a huge Yankee fan. In 1978 her team was in last place, doing horribly.  Her father died that August, and right after he died, the Yanks made an amazing comeback. She always felt like maybe her dad had a hand in that…

Adrienne, I hope you and your dad get to catch some games together this season. You can be sure that you will be sorely missed by me, the independent film community, and by virtually everyone whose life you have touched. Sleep well.

To read the complete interview with Adrienne Shelly in MovieMaker’s archives, click here.

November 3rd, 2006 | Category: MM Remembers | By Tim Rhys

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Halloween contest results!

Grand Prize Winner: Doreen Alexander, Walter and the Dude from The Big Lebowski

We had a ton of entries for our Halloween challenge:

Are you planning on teasing your hair into an Eraserhead fright wig or slicking it down Bela Lugosi style? Or maybe you and your buddies are going as the entire Tenenbaum or Addams family? Whatever it is, send us a picture of yourself, decked out in your movie-themed duds, and you might just win a collection of great horror films from some of today’s masters of horror, courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment (www.anchorbayentertainment.com). One grandprize winner will take home a DVD five-pack, with five runners up taking home a great horror DVD!

Thank you to all who participated and congratulations to the winners.  Check out the runners-up after the jump.

Runner-up #1: Phil Velasquez, zombie from Day of the Dead.

Runner-up #2: Matthew Giaquinto, The Shower Scene from Psycho.





Runner-up #3: Bill Howard, Captain Spaulding and Otis B. Driftwood from The Devil’s Rejects.





Runner-up #4: William Cintron, Nosferatu.





Runner-up #5: Dana Glazer, Robin Hood and Maid Marion from the 1938 Adventures of Robin Hood.

November 1st, 2006 | Category: Contests | By MovieMaker Staff

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