Two movies that play off the idea of documentary. Polly Magoo's focus on the world of fashion was perhaps less interesting - a sort of combination of Richard Lester energy and Andy Warhol surface noise - beautifully photographed - sort of fun, sort of tiresome. Robert Kramer's Route One / USA, should have been tiresome as well, with a four hour running time, but for the most part I found it fascinating, beautiful, and beautifully difficult viewing. The focus on a lengthy, seemingly pointless road trip down the east coast of the USA via Route 1, was very much in my field of interest. The America captured in the late 80s a perfectly conflicted portrait - that inspires an equal dose of disgust and rapture. 9:02 AM >>> 0 comments

After being away, it's tricky to find one's rhythm again, to re-adjust back to having a routine that works. There seems to be less time available every day and always more to do. But back to watching movies. Finally!

I'd never seen the Truffaut, Mississippi Mermaid (La Sirène du Mississipi), and I hadn't been missing much - it's a kind of flat film, not funny enough to be called a comedy, not mysterious enough to be a mystery (or a crime caper or whatever). Eminently skippable.

On the other hand, I was extremely impressed by Peter Watkins's biography of Edvard Munch from 1976 - the first Watkins film I've seen. The style is incredibly original, full of ideas, lengthy and overwhelming - almost too complicated to imagine somebody could make a movie like this. Certainly one of the best films about an artist that I've ever watched. 1:11 PM >>> 4 comments

Like always, rushing to get things done before leaving town. Somehow there's always frustratingly more I want to do than time left to do it in. More movies I'd hoped to watch before leaving. More books I'd hoped to read. There's a hole in my head I was hoping to fill!

I did watch Letter From an Unknown Woman last night - which was probably the most effective, affecting melodrama I've ever seen (better (in a way) than the Sirk's, I think). The night before it was the Rivette - which I've been dying to see for a few years - so happy it finally came out on DVD and I got the chance (been on a Rivette kick since being overwhelmed by the weirdness of Celine and Julie go Boating when I was in London earlier this year). I'm hoping to get in one more film in tonight, perhaps Sunrise, another one from Schrader's film canon I've yet to see.

Anyhow, I'll be back in two weeks. 10:29 AM >>> 2 comments

Next batch! Endless movies. Viridiana was especially amazing, a hilarious satire of piety. An American in Paris was so much fun, at least the equal to Singing in the Rain, maybe better, because the story has more depth. I'd never seen any of these movies before either. 9:54 AM >>> 0 comments