15 Albums

This post has been going around Facebook, basically name the first 15 albums that come to mind.  Well I was inspired to participate.  Here's my list:



1. The Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
2. Van Morrison - Astral Weeks
3. Joy Division - Closer
4. Tricky - Maxinquaye
5. Massive Attack - Mezzanine
6. Miles Davis - In A Silent Way
7. Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home
8. Talk Talk - Laughing Stock
9. The Smiths - The Smiths
10. John Coltrane - Live At The Village Vanguard
11. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
12. Mission of Burma - Vs.
13. Leonard Cohen - Songs from a Room
14. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
15. Neil Young - Harvest

Hard Eight

Here's my contribution for the current Paul Thomas Anderson blogathon taking place at the fantastic Moon in the Gutter:



Hard Eight

Let me start by saying, I’m not one of these guys that knows Anderson’s cinema all that well.  I haven’t even seen all his films.  But I’ve always been intrigued by him, his knowledge of cinema, and the legion of die-hard fans he’s been able to rack up along the way. 

While watching Hard Eight for the first time, I was struck by a few different things.  First off, the way that Anderson’s managed to build a cinema family around himself.  He’s used several actors numerous times, even been the one to establish them.  John C Reilly, Philip Baker Hall, Melora Walters, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman all show up here, and numerous other times in his subsequent films.  He’s also already using here in his debut, cameraman Robert Elswit, who has since worked with him on all his features and Jon Brion who has scored all his work with the exception of There Will Be Blood.

I had always heard that Anderson really loved Scorsese and Altman.  And while there are certainly hints of both (think Goodfellas and California Split), I see more of Tarantino’s influence here than anyone else.  And of course this makes great sense given the context.  We’re in 1996, two years after Pulp Fiction had exploded on the scene, and Tarantino had become a veritable cinema rock star.

Anderson chooses to cast Samuel L Jackson, who I think turns in one of his most memorable performances.  He also chooses to start the movie in a diner, which is of course quite reminiscent of both Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.  He also seems to share QT’s love for words (mannered but sharp and effective) and his mixture of humor and violence.  See Jackson’s final scene to get a real feel for this.

Anderson might be post-modern.  There’s undeniably a self-consciousness to some of his work, particularly his use of the steadicam and how he likes to have the camera push in on his actors in a way that’s somewhat unmotivated by the action.  But he’s not as blatant with his pop-culture references as Tarantino nor the slew of other people in his generation that jumped at making a “crime film” after Pulp Fiction.

I would also offer that Anderson proves from the beginning to have a real skill and feel for actors.  The performances are very strong across the board, and I would give special mention to Hall and Jackson.

My only real complaint about the film is the ending.  I just felt a little let down by it.  It didn’t pop or register for me in the same way as most of the rest of the film.

But as a first-time filmmaker myself, it’s striking to watch Hard Eight and Anderson’s confidence right out of the gate.  This film doesn’t seem like a debut.  It seems like someone who already has a complete understanding of film language and is using it however the hell he wants.

Hearing Cronenberg: Eastern Promises

Below is my recent contribution to the excellent David Cronenberg Blogathon currently happening at the equally excellent Cinema Viewfinder:

HEARING CRONENBERG/Eastern Promises

(Howard Shore)

Have you heard the most recent David Cronenberg film?  I bet not.  You’ve probably only seen it.  But it’s worth hearing, too, as I would place Cronenberg in a very small group of directors that think about the sound in their work as much as they do the visuals. 

Working with Howard Shore for the twelfth time in Eastern Promises, Cronenberg once again proves that he and Shore have one of the most important director/composer collaborations in all of cinema.  Their only contemporaries that even challenge them, in my mind, are the Coens/Carter Burwell, David Lynch/Angelo Badalementi, and perhaps Tim Burton/Danny Elfman.

This time, Shore immediately sets the stage.  His music is symphonic, fairly big, with a deep sense of melancholy.  It announces itself forcefully in the beginning but then takes a backseat for most of the film, really only showing up to accompany the voiceover of the young girl’s diary. 

Shore’s music may not be noticeable in the same way as say a score from Bernard Herrmann, but it’s certainly a key component of the texture.  Its rhythms pulsate and churn and help create the feeling of Cronenberg’s cinema enveloping you.  Shore also likes to take short breaks between his themes, pause, and then re-start them.  This tendency aids tremendously to the sense of uneasiness Cronenberg is so adept at creating. 

And then there’s Cronenberg’s use of sound.  It’s not as complex or expressive as Lynch’s work.  But it subtly conveys his themes and helps to create and sustain the tense atmosphere in his work.  One of the things that I was most struck by here were all the offscreen sounds of cars.  Whether we’re in Semyon’s restaurant, inside Anna’s home, or even at the spa, there’s always the faint sound offscreen of cars going by.  This adds immeasurably to the tension in the film and does it in a way that is highly intelligent and nuanced.

Of course, we all already know about Cronenberg’s obsession with the human body, and machinery (Crash).  And here those are the sounds that are the most pronounced, whether it’s a razor cutting a throat, blood spilling out of a hemorrhaging girl, or the entire famous scene in the sauna.   As for machinery, just listen as Anna goes by on her motorcycle or the expressive mileage Cronenberg generates from a hair dreyer or tattoo gun.   In his hands, all of them are transformed into sounding like some sort of murderous weaponry. 

Next time you get a chance, stop and listen to one of the Canadian’s films.  Neil Young and Leonard Cohen, you guys can be very proud.

Latest Updates

About once a month, I send out e-mail updates on the last lullaby (and) peril.  Want to receive 'em, simply send an e-mail to register@thelastlullaby.com

Here's the last update:

THE LAST LULLABY (AND) PERIL UPDATE
September 4, 2010

Thank you all for taking time to register for our updates.  Today I will cover four topics:

- Upcoming Events

- Facebook Fan Pages!

- Lullaby News

- Other Fun Stuff

Upcoming Events

On Sunday, September 19th, I will be the featured guest on Film Courage, one of the most popular independent film radio shows.  The show tapes live at 2PM CST.  If you would like to listen, please click on the link above, scroll down, and tune in.  It should be a very interesting hour.  

Then on September 25th, I will travel to Natchitoches, Louisiana to be one of the keynote speakers for the 2010 Louisiana Studies Conference: Louisiana on Film.  That night, they will also screen The Last Lullaby.  The conference sounds like it will be a tremendous day if anyone is in the area and wants to participate.  It's free and open to the public.  

Facebook Fan Pages!

I am currently putting the money together for my next film, Peril.  Things are progressing very well with it.  And even though I don't know exactly when we will start pre-production, significant progress is being made every month.  

In the meantime, I am continuing to grow the audience around both Periland The Last Lullaby.  If you haven't already, please take a second to join our Facebook Fan Pages for Peril and Lullaby:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peril/266972237358?ref=ts

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Last-Lullaby/19456164241?ref=ts

Just click on the links above and then click "Like!"

More Lullaby News

I will keep you posted on new developments for THE LAST LULLABY.  I did want to mention though that Sasha Alexander's new TV show, Rizzoli & Isles (also starring Angie Harmon and Lorraine Bracco), has just been renewed for a second season.  I am very excited for Sasha.  People are really loving the show.      

Other Fun Stuff

Over at the PERIL Facebook Fan Page, we're doing a daily movie trivia game where each day's winner will be entered into a drawing to win a role as an extra in PERIL (including his/her name in the final credits).  The movie trivia game will continue until we hit 3,000 members.  At that time, we'll have the drawing.  We're having fun with it, and I hope that many of you will join the Page and come play with us. 

Also, as I have mentioned in previous updates, I have created several other places for people to begin following PERIL.  Here are all the different places we have so far.  I hope that many of you will join us:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peril/266972237358?ref=ts
http://twitter.com/chaillotfilms

http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/

e-mail updates (simply send an e-mail to register@perilthemovie.com)

I want to thank you all for your incredible support.  I really couldn't be more excited about the road ahead.

As always, if you have any questions, hit reply and your e-mail will come to me.  Please keep spreading the word!  You guys are the best.


Jeffrey Goodman
Director 
THE LAST LULLABY (AND) PERIL
www.thelastlullaby.com
Chaillot Films

Favorite (four), part 3

As I mentioned during my other two entries in this series, periodically I'll stop and single out the films I've seen recently that I've responded to most strongly.  The other two entries were five films, but this one is four.  Why?  It's been awhile since I've done one of these posts, and I felt it was time to bring out the filter.

John Ford's The Long Voyage Home (Cameraman Gregg Toland does some extraordinary things, and there's a depthfulness and heavy melancholy that gives it the kind of heft I've experienced with some Ozu, Mizoguchi, Bresson, and Dreyer)
Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon (An incredible performance from Tatum O'Neal and some nice Fordian nostalgia and melancholy)
Woody Allen's Radio Days (A personal film by Woody, buoyant and graceful)
Disney's Pinocchio (A tremendous Disney film, full of imagination and warmth)

Looking forward to the great discoveries ahead.  Happy viewing to all.

The Film Books On My Desk

I decided to stack up some of my favorite film books and keep them right next to my computer.  Reference material, but I don't know, there's something about them that makes me happy, too.

Here's what currently makes up the stack.  What's on yours?

Qu'est-ce que le cinema?  - Andre Bazin (French version)
Pariscope
Hawks on Hawks - Joseph McBride
Movie of the Week - Peter Bogdanovich
The Films in My Life - Francois Truffaut
Who The Devil Made It - Peter Bogdanovich
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - Pauline Kael
A Biographical Dictionary of Film - David Thomson
Essential Cinema - Jonathan Rosenbaum
"Have You Seen...?" - David Thomson
Le film noir american (wonderful French noir compendium)
La Politique Des Auteurs (great French book, compiling Cahiers interviews with Dreyer, Hawks, Bunuel, Hitchcock, Bresson, Antonioni, Lang, Rossellini, and Welles)
2 Copies of Cahiers du Cinema from the early 60s
Hitchcock/Truffaut
Brian De Palma (French interview book) - Samuel Blumenfeld/Laurent Vachaud
French New Wave - Jean Douchet

Favorite five, part 2

As I mentioned during my first entry in this series, I will periodically check in and mention the five films that have most resonated with me of late.  I'm taking in a good number of films at the moment, mostly via Netflix, but among what I've seen in the last month or so, here are the five I've liked the most:

Leo McCarey's Love Affair (Irene Dunne in as moving of a performance as I've seen from her)
Francis Ford Coppola's Tetro (A pretty damn personal film from one of my favorite American filmmakers)
Frank Capra's Lost Horizon (Some interesting spiritual subtext and thematic material)
William Wellman's A Star Is Born (Like the Cukor version, contains some of the most emotional scenes in all of Hollywood)
Ken Burns' Jazz, Disc 1 (For Wynton Marsalis being about as compelling a personality as I've seen in a long time)

It's discoveries like these that make me eager and ready to discover the next five.  Happy viewing to all.

Rex Sikes' Movie Beat, Part 3

Around this morning? Check out my live chat at 10AM CST with Rex Sikes on his excellent radio show, Movie Beat. It's Part 3 of our conversations and bound to be the best one yet:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rex-sikes/2010/08/12/rex-sikes-chats-with-directorblogger-jeffrey-goodm

Rex Sikes' Movie Beat

Excited, today at 10AM CST I'll be doing Part 2 of Rex Sikes' wonderful radio show.  Hope some of you will tune in live.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rex-sikes/2010/07/29/rex-sikes-movie-beat-chats-with-directorblogger-je

Special live chat tonight!

Great opportunity tonight as we do a live chat with special guest Matt Leonetti. Matt was the line producer on THE LAST LULLABY and has worked on numerous other films. A great guy who is extremely knowledgeable. Tune in at 9:30PM CST tonight:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/peril-3000-here-we-come (anywhere from your computer)

*Here are Matt's credits 

http://www.imdb.com/name/m0502941/

The concept of PMD

Some interesting ideas here in this article entitled PMD Rising:

http://hopeforfilm.com/

Favorite five

Periodically, since I'll be writing less long film reviews in the next few months, I will check in with my favorite five.  These are the five films that have been my favorite of what I've recently seen.  Of course, I am also including a very short capsule on every movie I watch under its respective year, on the right sidebar of my blog.

This first installment of my favorite five is:

Yasujiro Ozu's I Was Born, But...
Leo McCarey's The Awful Truth
Leo McCarey's Make Way for Tomorrow
Tod Browning's Freaks
Claire Denis' 35 Shots of Rum

Rex Sikes Movie Beat

If you're not busy at 12:30CST this Wednesday, check out a live interview I'm doing on Rex Sikes' great film radio talk show:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rex-sikes/2010/07/14/rex-sikes-movie-beat-chats-with-directorblogger-jeffrey-goodman

Interview with Dallas Film Society

Here's an interview I just did with the Dallas Film Society as they gear up for next year's fest. Great people!


FILMMAKERS TODAY:
A Q&A WITH JEFFREY GOODMAN

As the Dallas Film Society plans for the 5th annual DALLAS International Film Festival, which will be held March 31 – April 10, 2011, Senior Programmer Sarah Harris will be following up with a few of the filmmakers from past festivals to see where their films and careers have taken them.

This week week she interviews Jeffrey Goodman, director of the 2008 Festival film, THE LAST LULLABY, a film noir starring Tom Sizemore and Sasha Alexander.

Q: After premiering your film, THE LAST LULLABY, in Dallas at the 2008 Festival where else did you end up traveling with the film?
JG: We absolutely loved premiering in Dallas. It's such a great festival, wonderful audiences, an incredible staff, and as well-run of a festival as I've ever seen. After Dallas, we went to another eighteen festivals all over the world. Some of the places included: San Diego, Atlanta, Cinequest (San Jose), Wisconsin, Newport Beach, St. Louis, the Bahamas, and Kuala Lumpur.

Q: What was one of your favorite memories from your visit to Dallas and the Festival?
JG: One of the absolute greatest nights was seeing my childhood heroes, Public Enemy, live in concert at the Ghost Bar. Scottie Pippen was there that night, Sam Rockwell, and to be dancing 50 feet from Chuck D, well it doesn't get any better than that as far as I'm concerned.

Q: Do you feel like your experiences on the festival circuit have made you a better filmmaker? Why or why not?
JG: Traveling this much with my film has just made me a lot more aware and comfortable with the independent film landscape. It was my first real festival run with a film. And I now feel like I understand how to maximize an experience at a festival and what sort of expectations I should have going into each festival. Festivals are a great opportunity to network (key figures in independent film, media, other filmmakers) and to find out how audiences are responding to your work

Q: What have you been you working on lately? Any new projects we can see from you?
JG: I'm currently working on my next film, which is entitled PERIL. It's with one of the two writers of THE LAST LULLABY. We hope to begin filming at the end of this year.

I'm also still blogging quite a bit for MovieMaker Magazine. I have two active blogs with them, both of which I'm very proud of. You can find them here:
Adventures in Self-Releasing (http://www.moviemaker.com/blog/category/adventures_in_self_releasing/)
I Found It At The Movies (http://www.moviemaker.com/blog/category/i_found_it_at_the_movies/)

I'm also really busy with social media. If anyone wants to join us on Facebook or Twitter, they can go here:
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peril/266972237358?ref=ts)
Twitter (http://twitter.com/chaillotfilms)

And if anyone would like to receive monthly e-mail updates on my projects, just send an e-mail to register@perilthemovie.com.

Q: If you could be the guest director for the 5th annual DALLAS International Film Festival Festival in 2011, who would you want to honor with a Dallas Star Award?
JG: Tough question. One guy I really love that doesn't get as much recognition as I would like is Brian De Palma. He's someone that started out as a real independent and still maintains that spirit, I think, in his work.

Newscast on PERIL Social Media

Tonight, a great piece aired on Shreveport television, documenting our ustream chats and some of our other social efforts as we move forward with PERIL.

Here's the story:

http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=12770436

And here's video from tonight's newscast: