Some Documentaries to get away from fiction...

Last few weeks I spent some time with non-fiction

In Equality for All (won awards)


Herzog's Happy People


Mystery Files Series from Smithsonian On Vinci, MarcoPolo, JoanofArc, AlexanderTheGreat
http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/sc/web/series/822/mystery-files/140534/leonardo-da-vinci


A documentary about "Catcher in the Rye" author Salinger


More on the Vanishing Bees - More than Honey (must watch)



And the famous controversial Black Fish

Paul Schrader's Mashup

Almost 40 yrs in business, it seems clear film making/screenwriting is his passion. He wrote many articles in film magazines and books about Japanese films.

A great article on how PS came into Martin Scorsese projects
http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/you-talkin-to-me-scorsese-de-niro-keitel-and-foster-on-the-making-of-taxi-driver/#_

He wrote Obsession for Brian De Palma &&  Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ & Bringing Out the Dead for Martin Scorsese && The Mosquito Coast for Peter Weir.

I had seen American Gigolo not knowning the director and this season I saw
Cat People - interesting remake of 1942 movie with same writers.


Affliction- a good drama (won Oscar)


 I liked the way the events progressed in Dominion (Exorcist prequel)

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters ( Music by Philip Glass)


Semi-Documentary style  - Auto Focus 


The Canyons   - not sure if this was made along the lines of "Mishima and Auto Focus", but couldn't appreciate it.

Though his movies fall is so varied genres, I  feel his life events and situations reflects/manifests in his works. Somehow it seems to tend towards artists who live with a different taste/cause and both succeed and fail in it. 

Sam Fuller's Narrative Tabloid

Movie watching has become a seasonal itch to me. Everything in short voluminous doses.

A chain of clicks skimmed me through Fuller's biography and hooked me to his movies and his life experience as journalist, crime reporter, war infantry, screenwriter, director....

I had seen the White dog before and loved it. I recollect vaguely Shock Corridor as well.. before knowing who the director was.

This season i watched  - I Shot Jesse James, The Baron of Arizona, Pickup on South Street, Crimson Kimono, Naked Kiss. I started with his initial films and moved on. His editing is quick and fast like an army officer commanding. It's his style of 'truth searching'. A screenwriter/filmmaker can learn a lot from his style.

I must admit i never go into war movies till I saw his. 
Merrills Marauders

The Big Red One ( It is a must watch if you loved Thin Red Line or Saving Private Ryan)


There are lots of SF passionate interviews on the web.
Tim and Tarantino check out Sam's garage 


Jim Jarmusch with SF in Tigrero


I still need to check out his Steel Helmet and others...revisit the same movies again.