Stephen Blauweiss and Lynn Woods’ documentary considers a 1960s urban renewal project that had the opposite effect on its intended target.
Tag Archives: Documentary
The Houses October Built 2 (2017)
Bobby Roe’s “The Houses October Built” was a solid Halloween entry that mixed a documentary with a horror mystery quite well. The follow up years later, practices the very same formula but further explores the back story of its villains “Blue Skeleton” from the first film. Are they evil? Are they anti-heroes? Are they a cult? Are they Halloween fanatics that work to the extremes of Banksy? The first film was a surprise indie horror hit and the sequel seeks to touch on the same narrative ebbs and flows, while also packing in some refreshing twists and turns that I very much appreciated. Like the first film, “The Houses October Built 2” is partly a documentary and partly a mystery horror film that takes off directly from the first film.
The Houses October Built (2014)
I’d have a hard time calling “The Houses October Built” a masterpiece, but I do think it has potential to become an ambience builder for future Halloween parties. I can see people playing this on a constant loop during the really adult and sinister festivities. While that may seem like a jab at the movie, I actually think that’s a compliment, as where “The Houses October Built” lacks in engaging characters, it makes up for in the Halloween mood and an interesting commentary on modern America and the general sentiment toward Halloween.
The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille (2017)
Cecil B. DeMille’s first foray into Biblical spectacle was his 1923 epic “The Ten Commandments,” which features a recreation of ancient Egypt – complete with 20 sphinxes and four massive statues of Ramses – built on the beaches of the town of Guadalupe in California’s Santa Barbara County. When production was completed, DeMille worried that his massive sets would be commandeered by rival filmmakers, so he had them buried in the sands.
The Bootleg Files: The Compleat Beatles
BOOTLEG FILES 606: “The Complete Beatles” (1982 documentary).
LAST SEEN: It can be found via online video sites.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: On VHS and LaserDisc.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: The cute Beatle kiboshed it.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Yeah, yeah, yeah…not!
In the aftermath of the December 1980 murder of John Lennon, there was a huge outpouring of nostalgia for all things Beatles. Record sales of the classic albums spiked, and a wave of news coverage recalled the legendary band’s impact on music and popular culture.
Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle (2017) [Toronto International Film Festival 2017]
Julita’s lifelong dream was to have lots of kids, a monkey, and a castle. She achieved all of these. Now, her son, actor Gustavo Salmerón has made a documentary on her life showing how she got to getting her dream realized, how the castle became cluttered with all kinds of mementos and things, and how things changed once she had to move out of the castle.
44 Pages (2017)
“44 Pages” isn’t just an important documentary, but it’s perhaps one of the most life affirming and entertaining made in a while. Centered on the “Highlights” magazine writing team as they prepare for the 70th Anniversary issue of the publication, “44 Pages” is a long overdue exploration of the classic children’s magazine. Director Tony Schaff brings us along to discover how the magazine was created, and how it’s created today. There’s also an interesting exploration in how the magazine has managed to stay alive in the age of digital media, and what it’s done to remain relevant and a key tool in educating children around the world.