Docs http://docs.posterous.com This is a list of documentaries I've watched recently, with a few thoughts about each one. posterous.com Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:53:00 -0800 sleep furiously http://docs.posterous.com/sleep-furiously http://docs.posterous.com/sleep-furiously

dir. Gideon Koppel, 94 mins, 2008 (UK)

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:46:14 -0800 Encounters at the End of the World http://docs.posterous.com/encounters-at-the-end-of-the-world http://docs.posterous.com/encounters-at-the-end-of-the-world

dir. Werner Herzog, 99 mins, 2009 (USA)

This clip appears to be Herzog's reaction to the conservative/Republican family values applied to the earlier March of the Penguins (2005).

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:32:10 -0800 Burden of Dreams http://docs.posterous.com/burden-of-dreams-2 http://docs.posterous.com/burden-of-dreams-2

dir. Les Blank, 95 mins, 1982 (USA)

Film about the making of Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo. Herzog's monologue about nature is probably the highlight.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:23:00 -0800 Juvenile Liaison http://docs.posterous.com/juvenile-liaison http://docs.posterous.com/juvenile-liaison

dir. Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill, 97 mins, 1975 (UK)

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:20:28 -0800 Public Housing http://docs.posterous.com/public-housing-1 http://docs.posterous.com/public-housing-1

dir. Frederick Wiseman, 200 mins, 1997 (USA)

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:11:00 -0800 Every Little Thing (Les Moindre des choses) http://docs.posterous.com/every-little-thing-les-moindre-des-choses http://docs.posterous.com/every-little-thing-les-moindre-des-choses
dir Nicolas Philibert, 105 mins, 1997 (France)

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:07:23 -0800 Etre et Avoir http://docs.posterous.com/etre-et-avoir http://docs.posterous.com/etre-et-avoir
dir. Nicolas Philibert, 104 mins, 2002 (France) 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:29:00 -0800 Winnebago Man http://docs.posterous.com/winnebago-man-1 http://docs.posterous.com/winnebago-man-1

dir. Ben Steinbauer, 87 mins, 2009 (USA)

A film about a man who appeared in a promotional film for Winnebagos may not sound that appealing but Jack Rebney's foul-mouthed out-takes are extremely funny, as is this documentary. Rebney appears to go on a genuine journey, from bafflement and anger about his infamy to feelings of warmth towards his fans. ***

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:18:00 -0800 Junior http://docs.posterous.com/junior-224 http://docs.posterous.com/junior-224
dir. Jenna Rosher, 77 mins, 2009 (USA)

I was really moved by this film, which won the Audience Award at Sheffield Doc/Fest. It charts the relationship between Eddie Belasco (75) and his mother Josephine (97). It's very funny but there are a lot of ups and downs. It gripped me from start to finish. *****

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:12:44 -0800 P-Star Rising http://docs.posterous.com/p-star-rising http://docs.posterous.com/p-star-rising
dir. Gabriel Noble, 84 mins, 2009 (USA)

Engaging film extracted from 270 hours of tapes about a nine-year-old girl hip-hop artist and her ex-rapper dad's attempts to make her into a star. I was gripped until about three-quarters of the way through when the lack of an obvious narrative resolution became apparent. ***

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:36:00 -0800 Videocracy http://docs.posterous.com/videocracy-5 http://docs.posterous.com/videocracy-5

dir. Erik Gandini, 80 mins, 2009 (Denmark and Sweden)

An ambitious film looking at the relationship between television and political power in the Italy of Silvio Berlosconi. A critique of Berlosconi's media ownership using the media that Berlosconi has monopolised for his own ends. Extremely good. *****




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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:24:00 -0800 October Country http://docs.posterous.com/october-country http://docs.posterous.com/october-country

dir. Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher, 80 mins, 2009 (USA)

A collaboration between Palmieri and photographer Mosher's family, October Country unfolds quite slowly but precisely. It's an extremely intimate film about a particular family's particular problems. Filmed over the course of a year and beginning and ending at Halloween, the ghostly theme suggests that people whose voice isn't heard begin to feel like ghosts. ***

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:08:00 -0800 RiP! A Remix Manifesto http://docs.posterous.com/rip-a-remix-manifesto-11 http://docs.posterous.com/rip-a-remix-manifesto-11
dir. Brett Gaylor, 86 mins, 2008 (Canada)

Very entertaining and highly polished film about copyright and the desire of large corporations to protect their intellectual property by criminalising individuals. Successfully highlights the absurdities of the likes of Disney seeking to protect IP, despite ripping off others' ideas in the past. The site of hundreds of kids going bonkers to Girl Talk's mash-ups is as persuasive an argument for the relaxation of copyright laws as you're likely to see. ****

You can download the whole film and pay want you want for it (Radiohead-style) at www.ripremix.com

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:56:00 -0800 Presumed Guilty (Presunto Culpable) http://docs.posterous.com/presumed-guilty-presunto-culpable http://docs.posterous.com/presumed-guilty-presunto-culpable
dir. Roberto Hernandez, Geoffrey Smith, 86 mins, 2009 (Mexico)

Highly engaging and surprising film about the shortcomings of the Mexican legal system, told through the story of Tonio Zunga, who was picked up by the police and sentenced to 20 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. A series of face-offs between Tonio and his accuser form the dramatic centrepiece. The access to the prisons and courtroom (such as it is) are very impressive. ****

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:35:00 -0800 Grizzly Man http://docs.posterous.com/grizzly-man http://docs.posterous.com/grizzly-man

Werner Herzog, 103 mins, 2005 (USA)


Blackly comic examination of the work of naturalist Timothy Treadwell, whose desire to interact with wild grizzly bears ended with predictable tragedy. Herzog sifts through Treadwell's own footage, interviews friends and relatives and expresses his own views about Treadwell's state of mind. *****


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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:23:00 -0800 The Leader, His Driver and the Driver's Wife http://docs.posterous.com/the-leader-his-driver-and-the-drivers-wife http://docs.posterous.com/the-leader-his-driver-and-the-drivers-wife
dir. Nick Broomfield, 85 mins, 1991 (UK)

Classic film in which Nick Broomfield hones his participatory style, ultimately making Eugene Terreblanche and the racist AWB look completely ridiculous. ***

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:14:00 -0800 O Dreamland http://docs.posterous.com/o-dreamland http://docs.posterous.com/o-dreamland

dir. Lesley Anderson, 12 mins, 1956 (UK)

British free cinema. Takes a somewhat sarcastic look at what might be termed "enforced fun" among the working class. ****

 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:55:00 -0700 Titicut Follies http://docs.posterous.com/titicut-follies http://docs.posterous.com/titicut-follies
dir. Frederick Wiseman, 84 mins, 1967 (USA)

Highly controversial piece of American direct cinema, observing the inhabitants of an institute for the "criminally insane". Wiseman lets the camera linger on some gravely disturbing moments, illustrating the dehumanised existence of the severely mentally ill. Filming such scenes clearly raises some difficult ethical issues, although the long takes and sparse style do nothing to glamorise or make fun of the subject. The film was banned in the USA until 1992. ****

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:43:00 -0700 Chronos http://docs.posterous.com/chronos http://docs.posterous.com/chronos

dir. Ron Fricke, 43 mins, 1985 (USA)

A film that appears to make a stab at presenting a complete history of human civilisation, while (possibly) making a comment about how humans have ruined nature. The absence of a narrative structure makes this a tricky film to read. Lots of long, almost static shots, animated only by the movement of the sun and clouds, which creates an epic feel. Ultimately feels a little cold and vague but worth watching for the remarkable cinematography. **


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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:31:00 -0700 My Street http://docs.posterous.com/my-street-4 http://docs.posterous.com/my-street-4
dir. Sue Bourne, 2008 (UK)

Good evidence that the simplest ideas are the best. Sue Bourne simply knocks on her neighbours' doors and reveals the people inside. The theme is that neighbourhoods aren't what they were and there's some slightly clumsy editorialising about the decline of community. Still, the conclusion proves the point in unnerving fashion. ***


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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/388448/Priscilla_sq.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aqg177K8Mmd David Quinn davidquinn David Quinn