October 9-15, 2003
screen picks
Southlander (Thu., Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m., $8, Ritz at the Bourse, Fourth and Ranstead sts., 215-440-1181) If Southlander establishes anything, it's that director Steven Hanft has a lot of really cool friends -- from the looks of things, Beth Orton, Elliott Smith and Beck sure didn't show up for the money. A cursory investigation solves the mystery: Hanft, who makes his feature debut with Southlander, is a music video director (including Beck's 'Loser') who no doubt cashed in a career's worth of favors to populate this grungy but likable tale of life in the L.A. music scene. Subtitled 'Diary of a Desperate Musician,' Southlander is the story of Chance, whose desperation is established early on. After a newly purchased vintage keyboard -- a piece of late-'60s kitsch called a Moletron -- gets him both a gig with a touring band and a night with the lead singer (Orton, cannily parodying herself), Chance is distraught (in a low-key way) to find it stolen the next morning. Using the classifieds in the back of The Southlander, the local free weekly, Chance embarks on a quest to track down his crazy 88s, or at least a reasonable facsimile thereof, taking him into all manner of subcultural situations. Though it's shot by Lost in Translation's Lance Acord (another music video vet), Southlander's look is pure DV scuzz, which fits its underclass-trawling storyline just fine. Ragged as shit, occasionally drifting off into unmoored parody (cf. Laura Prepon's appearance as a psychic TV actress named Seven Equals Five), Southlander is actually a better rock-scene movie (if not a better movie, period) than either The School of Rock or the upcoming Prey for Rock & Roll. This one-time screening sets the stage for the movie's DVD release next Tuesday.
NextFrame Awards (Sat., Oct. 11, 8 p.m., $6, International House, 3701 Chestnut St., 215-895-6542, www.temple.edu/nextframe) This 'awards ceremony' is really the launch party for this year's edition of the Temple-based traveling student short film festival, whose past winners have gone on to significant levels of post-student fame. (Seriously -- Vin Diesel is a former entrant.) Ranging from Jerusalem to just 'round the corner -- Yes Teacher, a documentary by Temple's Shakti Jaising about student socialization in Indian private schools -- this year's winners in animation, documentary, narrative and experimental categories, as well as a few technical awards, will be exhibited in a two-hour program.
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (Tue., Oct. 14, 7 p.m., free, Chestnut Hill Free Library, 8711 Germantown Ave., 215-901-3771) The Chestnut Hill Film Group's fall season, which opened last week with the frenetic Bonnie and Clyde, makes a U-turn with Chantal Akerman's four-hour domestic epic. Akerman's 1975 film, commonly regarded as a landmark in feminist filmmaking, mainly concerns itself with a day in the life of a French housewife, one who turns the occasional trick to make ends meet. It's less Belle de Jour than Sátántangó, though, since Akerman spends far more time on the (purportedly) mundane details of her heroine cooking potatoes, writing a letter to her sister, etc. than the prostitution itself. It goes almost without saying that films of such length and sustained emotionalism are all but useless on home video, which makes this an absolute must-see.
Willful Infringement (Wed., Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Oct. 19, 5:30 p.m., free, Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St., 215-569-9700) Positioning itself as a battle correspondent in 'the war over who owns culture,' Willful Infringement kicks off the Prince's five-day 'Illegal Art Extravaganza,' a tie-in with Nexus Gallery's exhibit and Media Tank's Creative Rights Conference. Produced by Haddonfield's Jed Horovitz, who wound up on the wrong end of a copyright infringement suit himself, Willful Infringement casts a wide net, pulling in people from all walks of life who have felt the wrath of ever-strengthening copyright laws. There are the boardwalk clowns who've gotten cease-and-desist letters ordering them not to make balloon animals in the shape of Disney characters, and the preschool that was warned that it needs a license to play Barney tapes to its students. Eventually, though, the film's breadth becomes a liability; it skims so many surfaces that you start begging for explanation, rather than enumeration. Perhaps Horovitz's own battles -- he was hit with a cease-and-desist letter from Disney for distributing movie trailers online -- explains why Willful Infringement has the distinct ring of payback, paying no more than lip service to the legitimate needs of copyright holders to have their creative labors protected. A lawyer from the Electronic Frontier Foundation explains that without the exceptions built into the law, it would be a violation to walk down the street and whistle a tune, which seems a little like saying that without oxygen, air would be no good to breathe. Willful Infringement is better when it sticks to specifics and avoids sweeping generalizations, and includes at least one bona fide bombshell: That FBI warning at the beginning of tapes and DVDs? Turns out the FBI has nothing to do with it. Sounds like a clear-cut trademark violation to me. Horovitz will be present at the Wednesday screening, which carries a suggested (but optional) $3-$5 donation. More on the rest of the Prince's Illegal Art films, including an appearance by Negativland's Mark Hosler, next week.
On Guard! (Wed., Oct. 15, 8 p.m., $6, International House) Remember when France was ruled by dashing fellows with ankle-length capes and shoulder-length hair who could swing their sabers with peerless panache? The French sure do, and every couple of years they turn out an old-fashioned slice of cinéma du chevalier whose unselfconsciousness sweeps you back to an earlier era -- of cinema, if not history. Directed by Philippe de Broca (King of Hearts), On Guard! (excuse the dreadfully bland English title) is the sixth iteration of Paul Féval's novel, Le Bossu, to reach the screen, which would be the first indication that de Broca isn't out to reinvent the wheel. Apart from some CGI-enhancement, the better to illustrate a proprietary killing method that involves piercing one's opponent right between the eyes, de Broca's film is an unabashed throwback, with Daniel Auteuil as the initially bumbling courtier who comes into his own under the friendship of the Duke of Nevers (Vincent Perez), then must avenge his death at the hands of his venal cousin (Fabrice Luchini). On Guard!'s lack of pretense might lead some to dismiss it, but de Broca's warm sophistication makes for thorough entertainment, if not deathless cinema.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre/The Adventures of Robin Hood (starts Fri., Oct. 10, Roxy Theater, 2023 Sansom St., 215-923-6699) Showcasing new prints struck to promote the recent DVD re-releases, the Roxy runs these two Warner Bros. classics for the next week.
Fargo ($24.98 DVD) MGM's new special edition of Joel and Ethan Coen's chilly thriller adds both a little and a lot, which is to say that the audio commentary by cinematographer Roger Deakins and new interviews with the Coens and the cast reveal lots of details, but not many keepers. Still, on the eve of their best picture since its release, Fargo serves as a reminder that for all their skill at flourishes, the Coens are best when they fit their more outré tendencies within a recognizable framework, even if Fargo arguably goes too far in the disciplined direction.
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