The Way of the Dodo

The Way of the Dodo is a  2014 short documentary by Liam Saint-Pierre.  The film follows the passion Umit, a film buff shop owner with an obsession with film stock.  The film is an enjoyable little oddity that paints a charming purist of its subject.  Umit discusses his passion for film with a reserved enthusiasm that shifts to uncontrolled glee once he is viewing a reel.  I felt that the director framed Umit well with the cut aways of projector repair and the clutter of his film shop.  Like its title the film treats Umit as a novel lone survivor trying to maintain the good old days in the face of ever changing technological progression.

The Queen of Versailles

The Queen of Versailles is a 2012 documentary directed by acclaimed photographer and film maker Lauren Greenfield following the lives of Jackie Siegel and David Siegel, owners of Westgate Resorts.  The documentary begins with the couple dealing with the building of Versailles, the largest mansion (CASTLE!) in America before the 2008 recession changed everything.  The film starts as you would expect of a film about people obsessed with status, with the ‘happy’ couple posing as a king with his queen on his lap.  The beginning of the film is closer to the stagey (manufactured) reality shows like the orange county trash that it pains me to even dignify.  My empathy, or lack thereof, for our protagonists affected my viewing of how the film was put together.  Greenfield is never invasive simply allowing these horrible people to live their vacuous lives and pat themselves on the back for being white Americans.  The best thing about this film is that this giant house shaped penis compensation was never built, and this is where the film gets interesting.  Suddenly instead of  a few hours watching rich people shopping we’re given the dismal affects of the bank crisis and a story of people from different backgrounds and creeds having to adapt their lives to such an upheaval.  It is with this that the film begins to shine with moving anecdotes and observations coming from the Siegel’s live in staff who do a great deal to keep the narrative grounded and relatable.

ASFF 2015

I was in York last weekend for the Aesthetica Short Film Festival where I seen some excellent short documentaries and attended the Warp Films (This is England), and Robbie Gibbon (Doctor Who, The Trip) Master Classes.  Admittedly I didn’t do my research and have never seen This Is England the film or the television series but learning that a certain Joseph Gilgun has a role in the series pretty much guarantees my watching for the simple reason of what I’ll see him in next…[start preacher plug]

If you haven’t read the comics…DO!  [end preacher plug]

Anyway, I watched 5 short documentaries of varying quality so here’s a wee ranked list with links, enjoy!

1. Across the Tracks: Steps towards Clean India – Ruth Grimberg
2. Loss is Eternal – Paul Burrows
3. The Way of the Dodo – Liam Saint-Pierre
4. Making a Child’s Masterpiece – Mike Chaney, Matt Ekberg
5. The Dome: A Secret of World War Two – Clive Dunn

 

 

 

 

JODOROWSKY’S DUNE

‘Jodorowsky’s Dune’ is a 2013 documentary film directed by Frank Pavich (N.Y.H.C) concerning the attempts of Chilean director, Alejandro Jodorowsky to adapt the sc-fi book ‘Dune‘ by Frank Herbert into a feature film.  Alejandro Jodorowsky made his directorial debut with ‘Les tetes interverties’ shot between 1953 and 1957, eventually seeing release in 1957.  He wouldn’t release another feature film until 1968 with the release of his 2nd feature, ‘Fando y lis.’

The film is now hailed as a cult classic but was widely reviled upon release, even sparking a full scale riot when it premiered at the Acapulco Film Festival in 1968, and banned in Mexico.  His next film ‘El Topo’ released in 1970 would fair better with the audience and critics alike which would lead to ‘The Holy Mountain’ in 1973 which proved to be a success.  Thus leading to the development of adapting the Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel ‘Dune’ (1965).

 

 

The documentary is a fascinating and inspiring look at Jodorowsky’s process  in developing his projects.  Taking in interviews with producers, fellow directors, storyboard and concept artists, Pavich creates and enthralling journey of the process of bringing a film from page to screen.  Interviewees include Film director Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive, Only God Forgives), artists H.R. Giger, Chris Foss, and interesting anecdotes on Pink Floyd, Orson Welles, and Salvador Dali.

What struck me the most about this film was the determination of Jodorowsky to make exactly the film he wanted and the pain of his project being taken away from him.  Interestingly I found this failure inspiring due to the sheer conviction of the man in charge and his unending passion for the product.  This film is a great example of people that love what they do failing to make what they want and dealing with it.

Best

• Animated storyboards sequences
• Anecdotes of Dali and Welles
• Soundtrack
• Visuals tying in with V/O
• Insight into storyboards

Worst

• A strange simile comparing the adaptation of a book to film to the raping of a woman that is played and edited for full awkward affect that it stops the film dead.