Underground Film Links: October 3, 2010
By Mike Everleth ⋅ October 3, 2010
- Alessandro Cima wrote a new article inspired by my old “What’s an Underground Film, Anyway?” post. In it, Cima argues that the definition of “underground film” should include “a requirement of hostility.” I like what Cima is saying and I get where he’s coming from, but I haven’t decided if I totally agree with him yet. While I certainly like a little hostility in my underground films, the problem is that sustained hostility can a) get tiring; and b) leads to burnout. But, good stuff to contemplate in the article. (P.S. Driving or walking by a row of StarWagons never gets not-exciting to me.)
- Donna k. muses on why more filmmakers don’t tour with their films like Brent Green does. For what it’s worth, here’s my short answer: Most filmmakers don’t create the ancillary product that would make touring profitable. Green has it all: Music, film and work that interests the art world, i.e. museums and galleries. Also from donna: Here’s what happens when your underground film becomes the subject of some student’s journalism homework assignment.
- More donna k.! She’s started a new non-Gravity blog called Road & Reel. Read! Subscribe!
- This is an oldie, but it crossed my path for some reason this week: The late lamented blog More Milk Yvette scanned some old brochures promoting the work of the Gryphon Group, the ’60s filmmakers and writers’ organization comprised of Marie Menken, her husband Willard Maas, Charles Boultenhouse, Charles Henri Ford and Gregory Markopoulos. I just think things like this are neat to look at. I would live on a blog of nothing but just old screening flyers and brochures. Hmmm….
- “Triunfo!” cries Zach Iannazi. Well, sort of. Me, I just like looking at old and stiff historical artwork because it creeps me out for some reason. Plus, Zach embeds an animated documentary by Andrea Love.
- Rhizome has some cool, overlapping screen captures from a new music video by artists Ryan Trecartin and Rhett LaRue. The song is “Corpcore” by Fatima Al Qadiri and you can watch the actual video on DIS Magazine.
- Who knew film writers could be so literary? (Ok, I did.) Jack Sargeant starts his first Decadent Literary event, where Ian Drummond entertaining the crowd with the words of Aleister Crowley. Plus, going gaga over the Mondo genre.
- Sargeant also tipped us off to a new blog about East German Cinema written and maintained by Jim Morton. Fascinating stuff.
- Bob Moricz has a new making-of zine for his latest film, which sounds like — whether intentional or not — it’s inspired by the old film books by Spike Lee and Steven Soderbergh.
- Amoeba Music gives a kick-ass review to Underground Film Journal favorite Altamont Now. How could they not?
- Gregory Hess is finally back with the second installment of his great VHS movie series on Facet Features, this time covering The Music of Chance by Philip Haas.
- Jonas Mekas has video of himself hanging out with filmmaker Auguste Varkalis.
- Don Swaynos clues us in on a couple feature films he edited playing at the Austin Film Festival.
- Filmmaker Jay Hollinsworth lets us know shat happens when music hipsters grow old. (I’m old?)
- Defaced Virgin Marys and urban gardening on Landscape Suicide.
- Mike White gives us the funky recap of the recent annual B-Movie Celebration in Indianapolis, IN. Plus, Quentin Tarantino sure does like his junk in the trunk.
- Film Studies for Free clues us into the world of academic zombies. Plus, cities of the future!
- DIM posts up some thoughts by Alex Mackenzie on the Wooden Lightbox and his work that harkens back to the creation of cinema itself.
- DINCA has seven questions for Brooklyn filmmaker and artist Duncan Malashock, and embeds several examples of his work.
- Patrick Smith has some helpful tips on how to end your film. And, almost more importantly, how not to.
- Once again, the Aurora Picture Show profiles their lovely interns.
- Luke Black loved the film Roger’s Pass by Colin Askey, which screened recently at the Calgary International Film Festival. Also at CIFF, the animated One Square Mile of Earth by Jeff Drew.
- Twitch is kicking off a new series about schlock video distributors, i.e. the movies they put out are schlocky, not that the companies necessarily are themselves. It’s a good idea. Their first installment is about the U.K.’s Arrow Video,
- BadAzz MoFo looks back at an overlooked George A. Romero gem, the vampire flick Martin, made back in a day when vampires weren’t hip and romantic. I agree with the BadAzz, it’s a fantastic horror film.
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