Update – Replaced the first film @ 19:30 with Terence Davies’ wonderful documentary about Liverpool, Of Time and the City (2008).
hogTV is back for its 18th edition this Thursday.
DON’T MISS IT!
I hope you lot enjoy non-narrative films because that’s kinda the theme.
In a half-arsed attempt at a tribute I’ve decided to show 2 films that are vaguely reminiscent of Flouncer’s first and perhaps most memorable film he ever showcased, London (1994).
The first film I’ll be showing is Man With a Movie Camera (1929) – an experimental Russian silent documentary shot by Dziga Vertov and edited by his wife, Yelizaveta Svilova, with accompanying music composed by Michael Nyman.
This highly innovative film depicts the filmmaker in third-person, visiting various parts of Soviet Russia in the mid-late 1920s. Although nearing a century old, the camera work and fast-paced editing keeps this film feeling remarkably fresh and relevant as it ever was.
As much as I enjoy Man with a Movie Camera, I decided 2 films without narration practically back-to-back might be a bit wearying, and it struck me this morning that a far more fitting tribute to London would be Terence Davies’ love letter to the Liverpool of his youth, Of Time and The City (2008).
It’s about the same running time (approx. 5 mins longer), and I think adds more variety.
Terence Davies narrates, recalling his life growing up in Liverpool in the 1950s and 1960s, using newsreel and documentary footage supplemented by his own commentary and contemporaneous/classical soundtrack.
If nothing else, I simply love Terence Davies’ unrestrained & passionate delivery in his voiceover. He is a joy to listen to.
As a breather in between the 2 features I’ll show a short documentary about the history and mechanics of early motion-picture cameras, simply titled The Motion Picture Camera (1979).
And now for the big one, Koyaanisqatsi (1982), quite possibly my favourite film of all time, if not certainly in my top 5.
Directed by Godfrey Reggio, photographed by Ron Fricke and with music composed by Philip Glass, Koyaanisqatsi is considered to be a pioneer of the environmental film genre.
In a documentary about the film, Reggio provides some insight behind his style of filmmaking. He describes happening upon a “better narrative” in how the cinematography of Ron Fricke and the music of Philip Glass attempts to “go directly into…the soul of the viewer.” He described the result as “something more akin to direct communion than going through the metaphor of language.” Reggio insisted: “It’s not for lack of love of the language that these films have no words.” Rather, “from my point of view, our language is in a state of vast humiliation. It no longer describes the world in which we live.“
You can easily imagine Herzog saying that last line.
Afterwards, I’ll show a documentary about the eating habits of Elvis Presley – The Burger and the King (1996). I can’t comment upon it as I haven’t seen it, but it looks really interesting.
There’ll also be some of the usual goodies, a re-soundtracked Out of the Inkwell short before the films and an old newsreel afterwards, and a few new idents in between.
18:00 – Eagleheart – S01E02 – Creeps
18:10 – Xavier Renegade Angel – S01E02 – Chief Beef Loco
18:25 – Review – S01E08 – Marry; Run; Party
18:45 – Out of the Inkwell – Bubbles (1922)
Fleischer Studios Live-action/animated silent short with new soundtrack.
18:50 – Theatrical Trailers & Newsreels
19:00 – Rhythmitis (1936)
Musical short. A doctor develops pills that make Hal a great tap dancer. Lola Green sees Hal dancing in a drugstore and asks him to join her vaudeville show. Everything is fine until Hal’s pills disappear.
19:20 – Betty Boop – Chess Nuts (1932)
Betty Boop is the black queen and Bimbo the white king in a surrealistic chess game.
19:25 – Tex Avery Cartoon – Screwball Squirrel (1944)
A screwy squirrel provokes a pedigreed bird dog. Hijinks ensue!
19:30 – Of Time and the City (2008)
Acclaimed British director Terence Davies’s love song to his native city of Liverpool, looking at the city’s transformation over the years through archival footage, personal memory and a powerful soundtrack.
20:45 – The Motion Picture Camera (1979)
A fascinating look at the history and development of motion picture machinery, presented and narrated by cinematographer and film preservationist, Karl Malkames.
21:20 – Koyaanisqatsi (1982)
Drawing its title from the Hopi word meaning “life out of balance,” this renowned documentary reveals how humanity has grown apart from nature. Featuring extensive footage of natural landscapes and elemental forces, the film gives way to many scenes of modern civilization and technology. Given its lack of narration and dialogue, the production makes its points solely through imagery and music, with many scenes either slowed down or sped up for dramatic effect.
22:45 – Universal Newspaper Newsreel (early 1930s)
Silent newsreel with my own custom-made soundtrack.
22:55 – Arena – The Burger and the King (1996)
Fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are on the menu as Arena documents the life and cuisine of Elvis Presley – whose talent was matched by his appetite.
23:50 – The Misc Zone
Or maybe it just ends, depends how I feel.
Koyaanisqatsi, yes!! Long overdue on CaB TV.
Ooohhhh, so that’s Koyaanisqatsi! I’ve already seen it! The Dad bought me the DVD for my Birthday over a decade ago. Very interesting film, to be sure. It will be nice to rewatch it.