Latest Posts
Paramount Vantage has given them their own conference room in Hollywood, and the five teens have taken up every spare nook and cranny, sorting out their PR junket laundry, blogging on their laptops and reviewing their publicity schedules. But with just a quiet signal from their publicist, they obediently extract themselves from the mess and assemble on the one clean couch left in the corner of the room. They're practically vets now, but just two years ago, they were unknown adolescents from Warsaw Community High School in rural Indiana. Now as Sundance stars, they're immortalized, thanks to
James Marsh's doc chronicles wire-walker Philippe Petit's famed 1974 conquest of the world's tallest buildings via an unprecedented performance.
Get a complete SilverDocs wrap-up.
There's a scene in Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men where Willie Stark, the Huey Long character running as the reform candidate for Governor of Louisiana, suddenly realizes that he's been set up to siphon enough votes away to ensure victory for the corrupt New Orleans machine's candidate. Building to a rage in front of a crowd of heretofore bored farmers, drawn to his rally by the prospect of free food, he calls them "hicks" for those who rule the state. And he calls himself one too. It's the electrifying turning point in one of the greatest books in American literature. But on film
As American Experience celebrates its 20th Anniversary, one of the greatest legacies of the compelling, multiple-award-winning history series has been its comprehensive profiles of American presidents. So it seems fitting that this major milestone arrives during one of the most exciting and decisive presidential elections in many decades. To mark the occasion, American Experience, a production of WGBH Boston, launched The Presidents in May with a new two-part biography of President George H.W. Bush from Emmy Award-winning producer Austin Hoyt. In total, the programming block includes seven
The interest and excitement generated by Barack Obama's bid for the White House would be unprecedented, if not for a certain Catholic candidate who took office in 1961. While the spectre of John F. Kennedy looms, it is, despite continuing revelations, a fairly fixed impression. In 2008, the media has changed so dramatically that impressions of Obama are as fluid as quicksilver. There are currently four Obama documentaries in production and one, released in 2007, that is available for purchase. Bob Hercules' Senator Obama Goes to Africa , described as "part personal odyssey and part chronicle
By Taylor Segrest Regardless of your party affiliation, whether you remember him as the most evil man in America, a great American, or just plain don't remember him at all, Lee Atwater changed your life. The jaunty, blues-loving godfather of modern presidential campaigning paved the way for the Bush Dynasty, pioneered our existing standard for unethical electioneering and mentored Karl Rove. Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story is the timely debut feature from Stefan Forbes that pointedly and comically examines this maestro of manipulation's Icarus-like ascendance and tragic, untimely demise. In
While many bemoan the state of theatrical documentary distribution, filmmaker and political activist Robert Greenwald has turned the situation to his advantage. Uncovered: The War on Iraq (2004), his nonfiction directorial debut, was originally distributed via nationwide house parties organized in conjunction with MoveOn.org, screenings hosted by the Center for American Progress and independent online DVD sales. He continued exploring alternative distribution methods with subsequent projects, including Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism (2004). Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price
Political conventions are a natural subject for documentarians. High stakes, inherent drama and charismatic characters are just a few of the attractions these events offer. While it can be tempting to simply grab a camera and show up, there is an overwhelming amount of action unfolding at a national political convention. Careful planning and focus are necessary to ensure getting a cohesive story. Filmmaker Robert Bahar ( Made in L.A.) spent a whole summer filming at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in 2000. He says, "The thing about conventions is that they seem incredibly important