Michel Hazanavicius enjoys evoking bygone cinematic eras, as in his spy spoof set in the 1950s, OSS 117 – NEST OF SPIES. When he decided the time was right to make THE ARTIST, a silent film, the first person he had to convince about the viability of his idea was himself. When I spoke to him on… Read More »
Anita Monga and the 2013 Silent Film Festival Winter Program
For Anita Monga, silent film is more than just a quaint curiosity. It’s as vibrant and immediate an art form as any other, as well as the mainspring of modern cinema. When I spoke to her on February 1, 2013, she pointed this out with something I had not thought of before. The first section… Read More »
Stephen Salmons and The 2003 SAN FRANCISCO SILENT FILM FESTIVAL
With co-founder Melissa Chittick, Steve Salmons started the San Francisco Silent Film Festival with a dream, excellent organizational skills, and a firm belief that there was a whole new audience just waiting to rediscover this exquisite art form. To judge by the the way the festival always packs the Castro Theater, a vintage silent movie palace seating… Read More »
Guy Maddin Imprints His BRAND UPON THE BRAIN!
Guy Maddin’s appearance at the 50th San Francisco International Film Festival marked the second consecutive year that he had brought his unique vision to that event. Last year, it was to receive the festival’s Persistance of Vision Award. This year, it was to present his latest film, BRAND UPON THE BRAIN! in its live event incarnation, complete with orchestra,… Read More »
David Cronenberg & Viggo Mortensen Make EASTERN PROMISES
Click here to listen to the interview. When I talked with Viggo Mortensen and David Cronenberg about EASTERN PROMISES on August 24, 2007, it was just a matter of time before the steam bath came up. In one of Cronenberg’s most audacious sequences, Mortensen, wearing only his manly pride, engages in a brutal knife-fight with two assailants. I saved… Read More »