Climb

Trying to beat the heat, I ducked into the Autry Museum (of the American West) yesterday while I was waiting for my friend's event to start outside. I'm glad that I did, as I stumbled upon a really cool exhibit on the history of rock climbing at Yosemite.

I learned all about how the techniques and equipment have evolved in the nearly 150 years since naturalist John Muir pioneered climbs in this region. There was even the iconic Teddy Roosevelt-John Muir photo from the book that I am reading on display. Now I finally know what carabiners, pitons and cams are, and how to use them - in case I am ever in a tight spot.

It reminded me of this great documentary that I saw a few months ago, Blindsight. It's a nail-biting film about renowned blind mountain climber Erik Weihenmayer, who led a group of blind Tibetan teens - outcasts in their society - to climb Mount Everest. If any story illustrates the "Yes, we can" philosophy better, I'm sure I haven't found it yet. It's an incredibly inspiring film on many levels.

I want to check out some of the other great climbing docs like Touching the Void, and a few, like Vertical Frontier and To the Limit, that specifically highlight Yosemite climbing.

In another story of an uphill climb (sort of), my last two blog feed emails haven't been coming through, so I'm hoping the third time is a charm.

Day by day, step by step. We'll get there.

Woodstock

I finally made it to Woodstock this week. I didn't attend the festival 40 years ago (this month), nor was I the Woodstock baby (missed it by a few weeks, a few hundred miles and the fact that my parents wouldn't have been caught dead there). No, I finally caught up with the legendary event via film and documentaries - the next best thing to being there.

I started my Woodstock week by attending a screening of the new Ang Lee film, Taking Woodstock, about how the whole crazy thing came to take place on Max Yasgur's farm. It has good intentions, a stellar cast and some fun moments, but it's nothing like the real thing.

Save your money instead to rent the newly enhanced Woodstock director's cut version now out on DVD. Last night, I attended a screening of Michael Wadleigh's iconic film at my local theatre. The documentary clocks in at nearly four hours, but it was worth the time to see it on the big screen. I had never even seen the theatrical cut all the way through on any medium, so this was a special treat. While I was watching it, I kept thinking how different the Woodstock experience would have been today, in the age of instant media and communication. I loved the scene of concertgoers standing in line at pay phones to call home.

The film won an Oscar in 1970 for Best Documentary Feature, and was one of the early editing collaborations of Martin Scorcese and Thelma Schoonmaker. It combines a fantastic anthropological study of the experience with incredible music and photography. Joe Cocker's kinetic energy, Janis Joplin's raw emotion, Jimi Hendrix's electricity. All unforgettable. These legends and many others all shared the music scene when it was idealistic and authentic. We won't see the likes of them again.

I also checked out the VH1 Rock Docs and History Channel broadcast collaboration of Oscar-winning director Barbara Kopple's Woodstock: Now & Then, which canvasses the event from the recollections of key participants and fans who came together on a farm all those years ago for 3 days of music and peace.

Peace out.

Bicycles

Bicycle haiku:

Shiny, red, two wheels.
My bicycle waits for me.
Lingers in garage.

I finally dragged my bike out of the garage last weekend. It only took 7 years. Pumped up the tires (mostly by hand, with a little help from the bike shop down the street), then joined a local bike tour of the arts in town. It was so fun and easy - there is a designated bike path from my house all the way to the beach, for crying out loud! I resolve to do this more often, in lieu of haiku laments.

I am going to check out the Bicycle Film Festival in LA tomorrow, which I learned about on my tour. I had never heard of such a thing, but apparently it has been around for several years, travelling to many cities around the world and celebrating the bicycle through music, art and film. Whaddya know. There are a few bicycle documentaries (features and shorts) on the slate, so you know where I will be.

Next stop, Tour de France!

Earth

Our magnificent planet earth is top of mind today. It should always be top of mind, but two earth-focused documentaries have given me a swift kick reminder that sometimes I am slacking off in this department.

Last night, I attended a screening of the new documentary Earth Days. This enlightening film details the origins of the modern environmental movement in America - starting in the post-WWII era - from the perspectives of several key figures that helped drive it forward. Oddly, the film doesn't carry the story completely through to the 21st century, but it does provide real insight into how many of our present problems, policies, and protection efforts came to be.

Tonight, I stumbled upon the re-airing of Discovery Channel's landmark 2007 documentary series, Planet Earth (which originally aired on the BBC in 2006). I missed it the first few times around, so I'm thrilled to catch this most definitive look at our planet again on the network's schedule - especially now that I can watch it on my HD tv. The series starts tonight and runs through early September. It's don't-miss tv and quite simply, breathtaking.

I guess I know what I will be doing for the next few weeks - keeping the earth top of mind. Which I should have been doing anyway.

Hearts

I have recently screened a trio of fine films this summer that each chronicle the intersection of two hearts. These range from a purely fictional story of a year-long-and-then-some romance, a quasi-documentary briefly following a "is it real or not" romance, and an amazing true documentary of a romance that grew out of the harshest of historical circumstances to last over half a century.

A few weeks ago, I went to see the delightfully charming and inventive fictional film, 500 Days of Summer. It's a post-modern, straight-shooter of a (sort-of) love story, with an engaging pair of leads in Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I hope they pair up again on film.

One of the trailers before that movie was for Paper Heart, a quasi-documentary starring Charlene Yi and Michael Cera, members of the Judd Apatow cinematic troupe. I had regretfully missed a screening of the film at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June, so was quite happy to see it picked up for release this month. The film details non-believer Yi's quest to uncover whether true love really exists. Along the way, she meets Cera and they embark on a romance that may or may not be real. Mixing documentary with storytelling, the film is a sweet offering of love in many forms.

Steal a Pencil For Me, is an enthralling documentary adaptation of the book of the same name. The film, which aired on PBS Independent Lens earlier this year, chronicles the incredible true love story of two Dutch Holocaust survivors. Jack (Jaap) Polak and Ina Soep fall in love in a concentration camp, but must carry on their love affair through heart-wrenching letters as they struggle to survive and stay connected. It's a poignant reminder that the power of true love between two hearts is often the strongest power of all.

I heart film.

30(something)

I love when my favorite old tv shows make their way to DVD, mostly because the behind-the-scenes documentaries offer a glimpse into the magic of what made them so special.

I wasn't yet even twentysomething when thirtysomething hit the airwaves in 1987. I watched it faithfully during the four years I was in college, even though the themes of adult angst weren't yet even relevant to me. At one time, I had all of the episodes recorded off of Lifetime on VHS, until I accidentally taped over the transcendent "Nancy -----, Gary ----" episode (no spoilers here). My collection was thus woefully weakened and ultimately abandoned during one of my many twentysomething moves. As the first season of this groundbreaking show finally comes to DVD, I am less than one month away from no longer being thirtysomething myself, with adult angst in focus, and hoping an episode marathon will spark an 11th hour gem of insight long dismissed (Help me Obi-Wan Ed Zwick, you're my only hope).

I attended a fun Paley Center LA screening and Q&A for the DVD release this week - it was so great to see and hear some of the renowned cast and creative team behind the show recollect their experiences. Apparently music rights issues have long held up the release, so I am thankful that they all got sorted out. The documentary features and commentaries on the making of the show and its cultural impact should be interesting; such a terrific ensemble effort all the way around ensures the legacy of a very cinematic show that likely would not have found a home on the broadcast networks in this era. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series being released on DVD in 2010.

thirtysomething at nearly twentysomething or barely fortysomething is much better than no thirtysomething at all!

Star

Try as I might, I simply do not enjoy watching reality tv talent competition shows. I apologize en masse to my friends at the various networks and production companies, but most seem to be doing ok without my eyeballs. I used to think that shows like American Idol at least created some kind of strange, quasi-national unity in their quest to unleash the next big star, but now I keep thinking that they may just be helping to pull us farther apart and away from reality.

I recently saw a screening of Afghan Star, a documentary about a reality tv talent competition show - with an interesting bent. The setting is Afghanistan's Afghan Star show - their American Idol. The film offers a fascinating look at four show finalists and what they encounter as the democracy of tv voting and pop culture take the country by storm - after three decades of war and Taliban rule. Like death threats for dancing on the air. Another stark reminder of the liberties we often take for granted.

HBO Documentary Films has picked up the U.S. rights to the film, and plans to air it early next year. The film is directed by Havana Marking (her first feature documentary directing effort), and won both the directing and audience awards in the Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Documentary competition this year.

Check it out for a true dose of reality.

44

College football season is almost upon us, an annual reminder that autumn is not far behind. My favorite time of the year.

I'm catching The Express again on HBO; I first saw it in the theatre on opening day last October. I'm an Orangeman, you see - a proud alum of Syracuse University. The inspiring story of Ernie Davis and football jersey #44 is a fundamental piece of school heritage and pride. Our local alumni club held a screening party that day when the film came out and Floyd Little was there - the 3rd generation of the #44 All-American running back trifecta after Jim Brown and Ernie Davis. I loved seeing the picturesque SU campus captured so beautifully on screen. Brings back fond memories.

The civil rights movement was in its infancy when Ernie Davis came to Syracuse in the late 1950s. He overcame many challenges on and off the field to be named the first African-American to win the prestigious Heisman Trophy award. Ernie Davis died tragically young, but his athletic talent, indomitable spirit and grace ensure him a prime place in the annals of sports history.

I would like to see the Legend of 44 documentary that was done several years ago to delve deeper into the story of these three football icons. I'm ordering that from Manny's, the beloved Syracuse merchandise store on campus. Maybe I'll also spring for a Syracuse 44 t-shirt and help keep the spirit of 44 alive.

Go Orange!

Green

I've been working on my doc short and learning a lot about a private historic site in town that was recently re-imagined into a fantastic new public space - and free to all, I might add. When does that happen anymore?

The new site is sustainable, using post-consumer materials throughout. We're quite a progressive little city, you see; green is big business. In a wild piece of trivia, the insulation at the site is made from post-consumer denim blue jeans in place of fiberglass. I'm so happy that my favorite jeans, which so far have served mainly to contain my stomach during frequent over feedings, can now look to a brighter future ahead serving mankind. Ah, progress.

The site is also on track for a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, which I learned all about recently during a DWELL on Design conference screening of the documentary, The Greening of Southie. This engaging film from Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis (they also did the eye-opening King Corn doc) chronicles the development of the first green residential building in a traditional South Boston neighborhood. It's an often funny yet touching look at what happens when the past, present and future collide. The Sundance Channel has aired it as part of their cool programming block, THE GREEN.

Check it out and go a little green today.

Guitars

I had a different opening for this blog post planned 20 minutes ago. That was before I found out that Les Paul had passed away. An inventor and true revolutionary who changed music forever.

I had the great fortune to hear Les Paul play live two years ago this month at his standing and standing room only Monday night Iridium Jazz Club set in NYC. Still a virtuoso in his 90s. Afterwards, I stood in the long line of fans to meet him and he spent several minutes talking to me, to the ire of everyone else. But he didn't care; he would have time for everyone. We talked music and life, and he was marvelous. I will cherish that moment forever. Check out the wonderful American Masters documentary, Les Paul: Chasing Sound, and celebrate the original electric guitar legend.

Which brings me, oddly enough, to what I had started to write about anyway: electric guitar legends. I attended a screening of the new documentary opening tomorrow, It Might Get Loud, at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June. Director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) assembles three of the finest electric guitar masters from different musical generations - Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White - for interviews and an intimate joint conversation on their careers and lives with their guitars. It is a great treat to take this journey with them. I walked away with an admiration for all, and in particular, a greater appreciation for Jack White. My favorite scene is the opening moment when he builds a makeshift guitar before our eyes. I am definitely going to check out more music from this extraordinary talent.

Rest in peace, Les Paul, and thank you for making the world a lot more electric.

Mondays

I am a little late in mentioning the terrific HBO Documentary Film Series, currently airing on Monday nights this summer. I believe the network started the series last summer, kicking off with the riveting doc, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, and happily, they brought the showcase back this year.

The '09 series opened with Teddy: In His Own Words, a revealing film about the life of Senator Ted Kennedy. His niece, celebrated documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy, did not direct the film (as was previously noted) but did direct last season's portrait of White House correspondent Helen Thomas, entitled Thank You Mr. President ).

I am kicking back with some wine and tonight's film, The Nine Lives of Marion Barry. This should be good, as are all the films in the series. The esteemed Sheila Nevins and her team at HBO consistently do an outstanding job of selecting compelling films about the crazy thing we call life. I had the opportunity to attend a Q&A with her last year at the Los Angeles Film Festival - an entertaining peek into the mind and career of one of the most influential leaders in the documentary film world.

Finally, a reason to celebrate Mondays!

John Hughes

How sad that John Hughes passed away last week. For everyone that came of age in the mid-late '80s, he was our cinematic guru, a beacon of light perfectly capturing the angst of teenage life. I know the script of Sixteen Candles by heart at this point. I've also been reading a lot of the tributes and articles about John Hughes over the past several days, always with the filter of "Whatever happened to him, anyway?". He left the Hollywood scene seemingly as quickly as he came, and those of us who loved his movies have felt his loss long before last Thursday.

Fortunately, the doc world never forgets, and there is a timely new doc project in the works on this mythic creative force. Don't You Forget About Me follows a team of young documentary filmmakers as they interview many celebrities involved in his projects about Hughes, with the ultimate goal of finding John Hughes himself. Luckily, the film was finished before Hughes' untimely passing, so I'm hoping that means they found him. I believe that the film has been picked up for distribution, so check out their blog for updates on a future release date.

Don't worry John Hughes, we won't forget about you.

Rights

I spent the day watching a marathon of impressive docs at DocuWeeks LA. Good stuff all around, and it struck me that each of the films that I screened has the subject of rights at its core.

Soundtrack For a Revolution examines the U.S. civil rights movement through the songs that inspired and propelled protesters in the 1960s. Using gripping archive footage (much of which I had never seen before), eyewitness interviews, and new musical performances by contemporary artists, the filmmakers eloquently capture the spirit of this tumultuous period. The film is directed and written by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman (who did the acclaimed Nanking documentary on my doc to-view list), and Danny Glover serves as one of the executive producers.

Key participants and leaders in the movement share their difficult memories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to achieve equality and justice. The reflections and footage are framed by the performances of top artists including Joss Stone, The Roots, and Wyclef Jean, who re-interpret the moving protest songs and spirituals - born out of oral traditions - that drove the non-violent approach to change. These same songs sustained the protesters when violence came to them. The film captures a scene of Pete Seeger singing "We Shall Overcome", which became the theme song of the revolution - and is still the centerpiece of his concerts nearly 50 years later. I also loved Richie Havens' current interpretation of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken". I'm now on the hunt for the soundtrack to this stirring film!

Tapped examines whether access to clean drinking water is a basic human right or a simple commodity that can be bought, sold and controlled. The film exposes the big business of bottled water, which is impacting local communities - and utimately, all of us. Via the regulatory, environmental, medical and financial issues surrounding the consumption of bottled water vs. tap water, the filmmakers include many line items of the debate.

The film has given me a lot to think about in terms of my own consumption of water and has motivated me to explore ways that I can change my habits. I like to think I am trying hard at being healthy and a good citizen - some days better than others, I suppose. Always room for improvement, and I'm grateful once again for documentaries that highlight important issues like this.

Rock Prophecies explores the career of rock music photographer Robert Knight, who for 40 years has shot many legendary artists on the road to success, and continues to nurture the next generation of musical talent. Selling the rights to his photographic catalog of 200,000 images could help defray the costs of caring for his elderly mother, but will he do it?

Knight started out shooting Jeff Beck (I can see Christopher Guest channeling him in This is Spinal Tap) and Jimi Hendrix in 1968. At his first Hendrix concert, Knight brought only 1 roll of film and shot only 14 frames, but the images ignited his career. He shot the last images of Stevie Ray Vaughan hours before the famed guitarist died, and is haunted by Stevie's musical re-incarnation prophecy "You'll know me when you hear me". Knight encounters 16-year-old blues guitar prodigy, Tyler Dow Bryant, who could be the new Stevie, and they embark on a heartfelt journey to take a shot at fame.

I'm grateful for the rights that I have - in all of their many forms - and for the people who have fought and continue to fight for them.

Updates

While I was travelling through RI, a few interesting news articles and links sprung up related to some of my previous blog topics:

Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday Celebration from Madison Square Garden: "We Shall Overcome"(taped in May) started airing on PBS and their site has some footage of the concert. I was disappointed to miss that show live, so was overjoyed to see him last weekend in Newport along with other folk music icons (hear his set and the others here)! Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and Arlo Guthrie still inspire with their music and poetry, and all look and sound terrific. The younger artists who also performed at the festival are ensuring an eclectic future to this beloved music genre. I am going to go set my Tivo now to catch this historic and loving birthday concert tribute.

Ken Burns appeared at the Television Critics Association (TCA) summer press tour to promote his The National Parks: America's Best Idea doc with park ranger Shelton Johnson, who is one of the key and engaging faces of the film. The film is set to premiere on PBS in September.

And the gods must have been listening to me, because at the same event, PBS announced an upcoming American Masters biographical doc, Joan Baez: Sing Me Home. She still sounds and looks beautiful, so I can't wait for this tribute to premiere in October.

The Smithsonian just acquired Julia Child's wall of copper pots that originally hung in her iconic Cambridge, Mass. kitchen during her years there on and off camera, and were on loan to another museum. Her husband had traced the outline of each pot on the wall so Julia could return them to their proper place after use. Julie & Julia opens today to good reviews, and the outlining moment is sweetly captured in the film.

Docs are always in the news!

Anticipation

No better time for blogging than while waiting for a delayed flight, anticipating the arrival home.

I've had a wonderful trip to Rhode Island - visiting the George Wein Folk Fest 50 (as I've come to find is its correct name) and great friends, and discovering the joys of transversing an entire state in the time it normally takes me to drive across town.

I also briefly stopped by the RI Film Festival on my way out of Providence, catching an international short film showcase. One film, Half Kenneth, has its basis in historical documentary - the subject matter involving the Manzanar Japanese-American internment camp during WWII. The story of two young brothers trying to escape and make their way home to their mother is quite touching. One of the executive producers of the film is Yoko Ono Lennon, and the actual camp is now an historic rememberance site managed by the National Park Service. Makes me want to read up more on this sad and shameful chapter in American history; I'm not sure if a comprehensive doc has been made on the subject, but it should be brought to light so never repeated.

Since I was unable to stay to screen any docs at the festival, I will instead share the films scheduled there that I hope to see in the near future:

Annie Leibovitz "So, There You Go" - portrait of the renowned portrait photographer.
Art & Copy - the world of advertising.
Homegrown - living life Little House on the Prairie-style in the 21st century.
Little Miss Dewie - a "duckumentary" short.
Not Your Mama's Roller Derby - think this one is self-explanatory.
School Play - everyday drama of 5th grade, framing a production of The Wizard of Oz.
Shooting Beauty - fashion photographer captures a hidden world of beauty at a center for disabilities.
Uneven Fairways - the African-American experience in golf.
William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet - Shatner meets Ben Folds in an avant garde way. 'nuff said.

A few other docs I want to see this month at the IDA DocuWeeks festival in LA include:

Rock Prophecies - profile of rock photographer Robert Knight.
Tapped - the troubles of the bottled water industry.
Smile 'til It Hurts: The Up With People Story - remember them?

Some good stuff coming out of the vacation - docs follow us everywhere!